Moo

The cows here are no joke. And this isn't the long-horned scary type either.

Booooooooo

Looks like they're gonna try to get this through again...

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/29/world/africa/ugandan-lawmakers-push-anti-homosexuality-bill-again.html?_r=2&hp

Crazylazytown

Last week I went to Gulu for physical therapy and to buy a bike from another PCV. It’s a sweet bike with a basket and a bell and everything. It’s called ‘The Four Leaved Clover. ’ Ha. Now I just need to practice riding it around. A one-gear bike isn’t easy to ride on these dusty, sandy roads. But, I’m determined to do it because it was a real pain to get it transported back to Pajule.. and because my quads could use the exercise. The locals call it a ‘cwara amara,’ meaning, ‘my husband loves me’… because it’s the type of bike only lucky girls get.

This has been a lazy week so far. No power for a few days so I started reading Harry Potter on my kindle (I know, I know… I’m a few years behind the HP craze). After I’m done with the books, I foresee another lazy week watching the 7 or 8 Harry Potter movies. J

I made it out to check on the pigs a few times. They seem happier and more energetic but still too skinny. Denis and I went to the Secondary School to check on some of our students. I saw my first caning in action (not our students). I’ve heard that corporal punishment was the norm, but had never witnessed it until today. Don’t think I want to go into my feelings about this via my blog.

I visited with another NGO in the area that supports victims of domestic abuse and gender-based violence issues. I was told that some Americans were visiting and was invited to watch the local women’s group present dramatic plays to portray ways of resolving issues within the home.  The ‘Americans’ turned out to be Irish and British, and were very nice. I’m also working on a business plan for the internet café that my supervisor wants to initiate. I’m having a tough time with it so far but hope to get it done this week. The internet has been extra shoddy due to a fiber outage in Mombasa. Still trying to get ahold of someone to help me update PTU’s website.

I just found out that our IST training will be in Masaka, a few hours south of Kampala in mid-March.  I’m looking forward to getting down to the cooler south for a few days and seeing the other PCVs in my group. Also can’t wait for my trip to Prague that’s right around the corner!!! Family, good food, cold beer and hot showers, here I come!!!

How in the world...

... did I get here?! Does everyone have days like this? When you take a look at your life and wonder, how in the world did I end up here, doing this???? Well, maybe not, but I think this is a weekly occurrence for me these days. The thought came most recently as I was standing over my gas stove, sweating profusely in the midday heat, gagging from the smell while boiling pots and pots of 'small fish.' Previously dried, smelly, silver fish. 

All this because I have a soft spot in my heart for some skinny pink pigs. My pigs... well, my organization's pigs... but I've taken up a personal project of fattening them up. I haven't been out to the piggery in too long, and I didn't like what I saw upon my latest arrival. We have 4 black pigs and 3 pink ones and they're all too skinny, but the pink ones are in especially poor shape. It's been explained to me that the pink ones are too picky, and will only eat small fish. So, I sought out to make them a meal with love, mixing some corn meal with water and oil, adding the stinky fish, and throwing in my leftover curry peas, rice and cabbage from dinner last night. 

The black pigs scarfed it all down without hesitation but the pink ones picked through the corn mush to fish out the, well, fish. They avoided the cabbage all together. The pigs around town and the village wonder around eating everything, just like goats. Not sure why these skinny pigs are so picky. 

Tomorrow I plan on buying sweet potatoes and mixing them with some sim sim paste I have leftover... and of course some fish. Blurgh. Not looking forward to the smell already. Once these pigs get fattened up, I think it's time to trade them in for the local, super fat, non-discriminating breed. 

There was certainly never a day I thought I'd care so much about these little oinkers. But, c'est la vie!

Glorious

May not be that exciting to you, but this is rain. In Pajule. In the dry season. Haven't seen this in months. It was a big day... Might garden dreams may come true sooner than I think!!!

Weekend Update

This is day 5 with no power. Made it to Pader to charge my stuff…. Hope the power company comes to Pajule soon.  I’ve read 2 books, cleaned my house, done my laundry, made English muffins, makeshift fajitas, some sort of pea/bean concoction, boiled/filtered lots of water, visited the pigs… even went for a walk/jog.

But something amazing happened this weekend… it rained. After months with no rain, it was quite a surprise. I’ve noticed the occasional clouds over the last week or so, but the other day was actually overcast. It was a welcome relief and I hope this means that rainy season will come early. It’s cooled off a bit and is tolerable sleeping with no fan, although not ideal.  I’m counting down the days to visit my fam in chilly Prague!!!

I didn’t make it to Gulu this weekend after all because my friend with the bike got sick and had to go to Kampala to see the doctor. Hopefully I’ll go later this week or next weekend. I need to see the physical therapist soon (I skipped a week), and I’m excited to buy her bike. Then I can cook for the pigs and bike it out there. They’re too skinny. And I need the exercise. Constant carbs are not doing much for me. And as I reaffirmed over the weekend, I’m just not a runner. 

Last week in the Jule

Happy Valentine’s Day!!!! Hope everyone got beautiful flowers and delicious dinner! Sending my hugs from the dust bowl.

This week I saw my first anyeri. This animal has been described as a large edible rat. I was picturing a mythical beast after hearing about them for so long without seeing one, but really they just look like big groundhogs. The one I saw was dead, hanging from the handlebars of a motorcycle. These creatures are much sought after during the dry season and supposedly very elusive. People burn huge fields to chase them out so they can be hunted. This is one of the reasons there’s always ash flying around in the air (although people also burn their trash and burn the fields to encourage new grass- they say it’s good for the soil???). Any night of the week you can see large uncontrolled fires in the distance and can sometimes even hear the crackling from home. Luckily, my house is surrounded by dust, so I have no concerns about catching on fire. J

This week the watchdog of my compound, Simba, almost ate me for dinner. I joke with my landlords about how he always looks like he wants to eat me and they laugh. Well, I was on my way to the pit latrine and for some reason he decided he didn’t like me tonight, gave a little growl and then charged at me. I turned to avoid him and I swear he bit at my ponytail (he was probably going for my jugular), but didn’t do any real damage. I have a few scratches on the back of my leg and arm and he ripped a small whole in the back of my skirt. I ran toward my landlady who called him off. Then the landlady and the kids started laughing. I didn’t think it was funny. I like dogs, but not this one.  He lives in a box-like cage all day with no water from what I can tell (in a million degree heat)… I’d be angry when I finally got out of my cage too. But I’ve been here for 3 months and we’ve stayed out of each other’s ways just fine… not sure what happened last night. Looks like I’m back to the ‘night bucket’ after 9 pm. Ugh.

I just can’t get killed by a guard dog named Simba in Africa, ya know? It’s too cliché.

It just keeps getting hotter…I’m hoping that the rainy season will be in full effect when I get back from Prague. Only a month or so to go.  It feels like I’m living on the surface of the sun this week. A very dusty sun. I’ve started wearing my John Deere hat every time I go outside so that my face doesn’t fry off. I can’t wait for cooler weather, huge rainstorms, and to plant my seeds and not have to sweep/mop/shower a million times a day. There’s no fruit in the market, and no more eggplant, cabbage or okra now either. Now we’re down to sweet potatoes, tomatoes, onions, green peppers and beans.  Gulu is still getting good stuff (bananas, occasional pineapple, apples), so I try to stock up while I’m there. I may hitch a ride with my neighbors there later this week (if I can get out of work on Friday) to buy a bike for a reduced price from a fellow PCV, stock up on more food, and go to physical therapy. Looking forward to biking to the office and to the piggery. It’s too hot to walk anywhere in the afternoons. And it’s a sweet bike with a basket. J

Griffin's Bday Weekend in Gulu

We had a great time in Gulu this weekend!



Stephanie's hospital has a pool!!!!!!!!

Birthday girl!

Stephanie, Griffin, Mikael, me

Misc pics

I'm in Gulu and am catching up on picture posting... these are just some randoms...

Learning to make soap at the northern conference in Kitgum

George, Joey and Michelle in Kitgum

The vehicle whose tire and axel flew off on my way home from Kitgum

Pajule... when you could still see green trees

Patongo

Earlier this week, Denis and I visited my supervisor in Patongo, about two hours east of Pajule. We did a little work and a little sight-seeing. It was a nice quick trip to Agago district.

At the Parish

Palm nuts and a million huge, loud bats

The Parish pet.
Her name is Maria and she's so cute because she eats flowers for breakfast!

Denis with a strange fruit called abolo???

 

Around the house

My new closet!!!

My new kitchen counter/food storage

Rita and her daughter Faith. Her son, Elvis, not pictured.

Thomas has nothing on my English muffins!

Took inspiration from my sis and made makeshift ratatouille.
Mixed about everything available in the market: eggplant, sweet potato, onions, garlic (from Gulu), tomatoes, green pepper, and a seasoning called 'Royco' that is probably full of MSG and may cause cancer. Yum!

Peace Day 01/01/2012

Pajuleans after church

From left, Ronald (the MC), Wellborne (made my furniture), me, Denis and Ojok

Boys performing a dance

A drama about domestic violence

Part of the parade through town

Best. Day. Ever.

I finally made it to the post office (after it reopened after 2 months of being closed) and it was like CHRISTMAS!!!!! I don't think I've been that excited to get home and open the letters and packages since I was a kid on Christmas morning. The combination of my mail and my org's mail warranted the postman giving me a huge rice/grain/santa sack to take my post home. So fun.

I already have a belly ache from the candy I couldn't resist from indulging in immediately. There were literal tears of happiness as I opened my packages and letters. Seems ridiculous, but I'm just so darn appreciative of my awesome, thoughtful friends and family! You guys are too great!!!! And the sweets, soaps, gossip mags, yoga dvd and homemade beer (yep- I have awesome friends) make life in Pajule a million times better.

Thank you SOOOOOOOOOOOO much Mom, Dad, Debby, Mary T., Ryan and Cara, Nick and Heather, Kim, Janet, Ed and Mary K. You guys are FANTASTIC!!!!!

Things I learned today

1. Loofahs grow on vines in huge pods
2. I can make really good french fries at home (not sure this is a good thing)
3. I can tell the difference between mouse poo and lizard poo
4. Watching a goat love triangle is almost like watching a telenovella
5. There's a specific name in Acholi for a child born with six digits