catch up

Short but Long...What I Did... What I Thought.

29th,

Did -A bunch of volunteers and I modeled new flavors for Light Gives Heat in the heart of Jinja Town.

Thought - Being a model in a third world country is the strangest feeling ever. Seems to be the last thing anyone would ever think to do, that is to make yourself all done up and pose in front of cool colored business walls wearing awesome beaded necklaces when most people walking around you don't have more than fifty dollars in their name. Also there were random children wanting to be in the pictures. Trying to scare the photographer, trying to stand ridiculously close to me while posing.

30th,

Did- Kate and I Boded to Danida so we could visit Carol and borrow a "Gomas", which is an African women's traditional dress for important events. Kate wanted to try it on for size for Halloween. So that was fun.

Thoughts- Our boda driver got upset, refused to take our money, asked for a larger amount, flipped us off, we made the amount larger, still refused, we offered him the money and he dropped it on purpose and refused, we thanked him for the ride and continued to walk away, he grabbed me forcefully and furiously, I spun my arm out of his grasp and pointed at him with all the strength that one finger could muster and said "no" as if speaking to a Dog. Sorry that we were not compliant to your ridiculous request but that does not mean that you can grab me. I did not say that, but its what I was thinking. Instead I told him that he was not aloud to grab me and then I walked away. Shortly after I just started crying as I walked off. Kate then spoke pretty darn strictly to the man she told him that he had lost our business and that we would "never take from" him again. Ha!

31st,

Did- Suubi meeting on Halloween!!!! All the volunteers in the house, actually all the girls, decided to dress up for the buying of necklaces, our annual Suubi meeting every Saturday.

Thoughts- The women loved it....mainly they loved Kate because she was wearing a Gomas and it was hilarious. The women did not know what to do with their surprise. Most women looked at me and Rachel as if we were normal. Which I thought was funny because we clearly were not dressed normal. Rachel was wearing a cowgirl outfit, freckles on her face, hair in braids, cow girl hat, bandanna. And I was a hippie wearing a purple tie-dye shirt 14 Suubi necklace, a flower scarf around my hips, bell bottoms, no shoes (which was not that different from normal), headband around my forehead, and a peace sign marked on my face. Yep, not really the style back in America. :) I thought is was funny.

1st,

Did- I got to go to the gym!!!!

Thoughts- I am a very happy volunteer. Not only because I was able to go work out and get some good stretching in and lifting but also because it was my anniversary with Scott. Yes.

2nd,

Did- Rachel and I woke up early and made Epoh workers lunch. We sorted through beans. Cut and sauteed garlic, bell peppers, tomatoes, and onions to add to the boiled beans. Beans and Rice...yum.

Thoughts- They loved it. We sat there and were able to visit them at the new building and give them some creative homemade cards that we made for them one day. We brought the craft and basin around for them to wash their hands. Passed out bowls and silverware, food (the key ingredient), and of course LOVE. :) Boy, was that cheesy enough, maybe, but so so much fun.

3rd,

Did- SICK AGAIN.

Thoughts- Not fun.

4th,

Did- I felt much better so I decided to go visit a woman with Kate. We walked to the villages and ran into some friendly faces, one of them being a Suubi woman named Daisy. Real quick lesson. In Uganda you don't refer to a woman by her first name but by the name of her first child. So Daisy has a daughter named Rachel, meaning that everyone calls her Mamma Rachel. Okay lesson aggerned. We decided to walk along side Mamma Rachel on the way to visit Yasinta. Visited Mamma Otim (Yasinta) then walked to the Suubi building to see if women were waiting there to ask question about the new flavor.

Thoughts- I was walking next to Kate and Mamma Rachel and quite honestly getting really bored. Some school kids were walking with us, holding my hands and giggling. They just love being around white people. Everyone here thinks that white people are tight with Obama, have power to command the military, have several spouses each, and also are celebrities. Its a small misconception really. So I was becoming bored of them walking with us and just holding my hands. There was no interaction, plus it happens to me almost everyday, and I am so used to it, and it's no longer cute like I thought it was when I first got here. So I decided to run. That was a move they weren't expecting. There I was running away from the children as a joke and they began to follow. My evil plan was working. We were playing. After the children all caught up with me I stopped, walked a few steps, started to count to three out loud, then once I hit three I started to run again. This time the kids anticipated my running and ran also at three. Mamma Rachel was still behind with Kate at this time, and I was told, Laughing extremely hard. Once the kids parted to their homes I asked Mamma Rachel if she would like to race. She got really embarrassed and said that she would not race. We reached an area that she approved of finally because she pointed at the school's front and back yard and said "We race here." I got all excited that she actually wanted to run with me. I quickly gave Kate my stuff to hold and Kate pulled out her camera waiting for the "Kodak moment."

We established the track, Kate counted to three, and on three we were off. At first I was not sure if I was supposed to run full out or if I should wait a bit and see how serious she was about racing. As fast as she started was as fast as I learned to run full out. She was so small, so kind, so quiet, but she had her game face on. She knew her strategy. She beat me to the inside advantage. She gr abed the supporting poll of the building to fling her body in the direction of the finish line and her legs moved so so fast. I was completely beat. And I have a picture to prove it. :)

note- Start working on cardio at gym. I was too out of breath for how short that race was.

After we showed her the picture of her beating miss whitey we said goodbye and were off to Yasinta's home. Yasinta's was fun as always. We helped her sort through rice. Watched her as she gave her newborn baby boy Patrick a bath. We talked, I gave her a necklace that I had made (the women rolled the beads though). Ate with her and just hung out. I loved it. This was my fourth visit to Yasinta's so it's less formal than most visits and very much like friends hanging out.

5th,

Did- Sick

Thoughts- Again?

6th,

Did- Sick/Randy's Birthday Celebration/Mexican Theme Night/ MJ movie night

Thoughts- I love food. I love chocolate birthday cake. I love Randy. I like Micheal Jackson's songs!!!!

7th,

Did- Worried about not being able to buy necklaces from the woman because of cash flow problems. God Provided!!!!! Suubi Meeting (the meetings take about 3 hours)

There are 91 women. Eight people helping with the buying process.

varnish checkers

length checkers

style checkers

clasp checkers

money checkers

and

signature checkers

Thoughts- I wish I had time to meet every single woman. I wish that when they came to the front to hand us their necklaces that I could speak perfectly to them and be able to just talk. But I love seeing the woman that I do know. I love getting to laugh with a woman that does not speak English very well, it's a bonding moment, and I can't get enough of it. I love seeing Joyce's smile. I love seeing Florence with her crazy bright neon green necklace. I love how every time I see Immaculate's face I wonder if she remembers me. I love watching Emily cut in line, Catherine and how she is always mothering me and making space for me when I first enter the room. I love watching Prisca, she is so humble. I love seeing the women bring their babies to Suubi. They are all so cute (but they smother them in clothes. It's hot out and they have beanies and sweaters on, as well as being wrapped up in a blanket. I just don't understand.) I love looking at how beautiful the women all are. How each one of their faces are different, even though sometimes it's hard to tell them apart. I think Obama is funny when she comes into the room and gets really animated about whats going on. She raises her hand in the air and lets out an Acholi "iyeeyiyeyiii". I love getting to tell the women that they look smart, or when a necklace is beautiful getting to say that it is. I love goofy Margaret, gorgeous Betty, Christine, and Joyce. I love seeing Mariam with her bracelets, awesome earrings, her smart outfits, and smile(she's just cute with her fashion.), Agnus and her laugh.....man I just love these little things about each woman. I could go on, but it would be too long. :)

8th,

Did- Kate, Alex, and I went to go visit Translator Betty (yes, translator is apart of her name).

Thoughts- I got to get an up close and personal look at Ugandan toes (picture)

I was taught how to peal a mango the proper way (picture)

I was fed an amazing lunch (picture)

I made a huge ordeal about casava (a type of root that is gardened in Uganda)... Betty even gave me a bunch of casava for take away. (picture)

I learned how to prepare casava (picture)

I watched an Akon music video (picture)

I had a great conversation with one of the only modern thinkers I have run into in Jinja.

I was given mangos.

I got to hold a precious baby.

I laughed.

I learned.

okay it was a great time.

9th,

Did- Went to the first Suubi official dance lesson. Visited Emily and Stanly with Emily and Alex.

Thoughts- I need to work on my Acholi dancing. Joyce 1 and Joyce 2 love to dance. I love watching these woman dance. I am mystified as to how they get their bodies to move like that.

Emily and Stanly are too cute. (Stanly is a white man from Ireland, 70 years old, he has huge bulging eyes, very polite, likes to sing out loud, loves Abba and country, I think he has the hots for Ugandan women because Emily is his second Ugandan wife. Also he loves Africa wine, wants to start a business importing mushrooms into Jinja and is in the process of building a new home for him and his wife. Last and most important Stanly is a very socially awkward and goofy person.) yep.....interesting. :)

10th,

Did- Visited a women named Christine.

Thoughts- She forgot I was coming so that was a little uncomfortable at first because I felt like I was intruding. She thinks that rats running around the house are normal. She is really sweet and I am going to visit her again this Friday (being the 20th).

11th,

Did- EMERGENCY PURCHASES!!!!! Rachel informed me that we were tripling our order from the women this week last minute. So my task was to go into three different villages before English and pass out 8 stoppers to each woman on top of the four that we had given them the previous Suubi meeting. That's a lot of money, Praise the Lord!!!!

Thoughts- I walked around the villages all day with Christine who I visited the day before. She helped me find the women's homes, because there is no way I could remember where 91 women live, even if I brought the address book (cause that's way too confusing too).

I felt blessed, so so blessed, to be able to go up to each woman and tell them that we are able to buy more. Each woman was so excited. My favorite reaction was when I went to Babu. Christine and I approached nine of the ladies. They were are gathered on the steps listening to Ugandan music talking and preparing lunch together. They turned as we neared and jumped up in excitement just to see me. I got to tell them and then we did a little victory dance. :) Joyce even gave me a sweetie (candy). Yum!

12th,

Did- Alex and I went to Masese to feed 1,000 children.

Thoughts- Kinda a bummer day actually. It was just me and Alex and things just were not working out for us. Oranges were not on time. So then we told all the kids to start forming lines. But then the oranges got there finally. We told the kids to go back and sit while Alex and I counted out 900 oranges before we started. Yep. Then as we were serving, Alex serving rice and with me serving beans, we discovered that food was running low. Give more, or give less. It's just never fun giving children less when you see that they are in need of more. In the end it all worked out. But the fear of dissapointing the kids is a horible fear indeed; So I am very glad that it all worked out.

thats all for now. sorry I got so behind on my blog. hope you are enjoying these and thank you all for the support. It means the world to me. You really have no idea.