Post from Monday, the 16th and Site Location

It has only been about 10 days since our group left the United States and arrived but it feels like it has been 10 years! It was our first full week of training which lasts from sun up to sun down. I was told it was going to intense but I didn't know it would be this intense. 8AM to 7PM every night with evening activities thankfully most of them are optional. They pack so much information into us that I don't know if any of us can think anything other than Peace Corps. Most of us climb into bed and pass out when the evening is over. I sleep like the dead every night (minus the night I woke up to a massive dog fight outside my window). I have learned more about Uganda in the last 10 days then if I had taken a class on it. Uganda's culture is so different from America, they focus more on family and values close to the home not focusing on material things like America. I like that. They live simple lives. The women work very hard and by very hard I mean 4AM to 11PM everyday day in and out. The men not so much. I’ll write about this more in the future.

**We start living with our homestay families on Wednesday so I am proud to say I will be going to in Fort Portal, Uganda (just more south by Kibaale National Forest) starting August 6^th working with Kibaale Forest Schools and Student Support Program focusing on children, nutrition, technology, and so many other things. That will be for my 24 months of service here after we swear in on August 6! I am so excited we head to up Hoima for our language training and homestay families. There are seven of us heading West with our two language instructors. All of the six groups they go all over Uganda for their four weeks of language and culture training, everywhere but the North East which we are not allowed to go because of civil unrest.** (I will write more about my job when I know more about it)

We started language classes yesterday. I am learning Runyoro-Rutooro which is used in the West. It is going to be a challenge. It will be nice to move out and live with a host family were only one person is required to speak English in the house so it will be Runyoro-Rutooro and learning how to live on my own in a different culture. Oraira Ota? How did you spend the night? I love the greetings here in Uganda. They mean so much more here. “You are all welcome” “How did you spend the night” “How are they at home” (family) and so on. They greet each other that way every time and they greet everyone and if you don’t greet them they think you are a rude person. 

Last night I was able to see a Blood Full Moon! It was my first time ever seeing one and it was very cool. I spent a while watching rise higher and higher into the sky. Made my night.  

Today was our second trip to Kampala, went a lot better than the first time. I kind of enjoyed myself and we had some good food and I even went shopping. Found a really good artist in town who showed us his work. I wish I had 300,000USH or about 300 dollars US… I GOT CHOCOLATE!!!!!! Oh man have I been missing that. Another trainee who shares my dislike of cheese but love of chocolate bought himself a ton of chocolate. We all did. Yummy!

I am starting to fall in love with this country. When I first arrived I thought “What the hell am I doing here?!” but that is starting to change and I am falling more and more in love day by day. J I can’t wait until I get to site.

***Please don’t send me letters or packages until I get to site as it’s too hard with moving around for me to be able to get it. I’ll let you know when it’s okay!***

I will say it is hard to write about everything that happens here because so much has happened since we arrived.  I will do my best but I am sorry if it’s short. I don’t have a lot of time I am hoping in a couple months to be able to write more. Also I should say I am sorry for the spelling and grammar. I’m not an English major and have no talent when it comes to the English language so I am sorry if something is not written properly. It looks correct in my head J You all must come see Uganda for yourselves.