PTU's 5th Anniversary Party

Our birthday/5th anniversary party was a great success. We had a good turnout, some impressive guest speakers (including a female Member of Parliament), and great performances by the beneficiaries and friends of PTU. Here are just a few of the pictures taken at the event.

More pics can be found on the org's facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/#!/PeaceTogetherUganda
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boys practice their dance in the office

Girls practice the day before the event

Huge pot of beans to be served to the party-goers

girls washing the dishes in preparation

Denis and some of the students waiting for guests to arrive

PTU girls performing their dance

Two guardians give testimony regarding the good works of PTU

A rep from the Pader District NGO Forum gives a speech

Fr. Akena Leonsyo (my boss) looking thoughtful

 

 

spectators

youth drama about the importance of girls' education

youth drama

Simon, our MC. He just graduated from Gulu University.

Joseph speaking about PTU's current activities

shy Patrick

Cute spectators

Fundraising

CD Lawila, Member of Parliament

Spectators

Denis' son, Herichen (in Rowen's t-shirt)

Traditional Acholi Bwola dancers

Boscoe, the MP and me

Boys perform the PTU dance

Me and Reagan, one of PTU's beneficiaries

Me and Fr. Leonsyo

American Mayhem

A bunch of PCVs got together to celebrate America's independence in style. It was a tacky/jorts (jean shorts) party with plenty of good food and lots of patriotism. We had a good time.

Our patriotism started at the pool

And made it back to our hostel (look at those jorts!)

Happy bday America

Walmart was represented well

Happy hotdog, serious hamburger

Denim central

Road Trip

Here are a few pics that I took on my way to and from Ft. Portal

Leaving the northern lands

The Bus Park.

A Kampala Street bordering the bus park

Weekday traffic

Roadside market

Uganda's version of fast food/drive through

Rainy day Nile on the way home

The Sound of Music

After a great few days traveling to Gulu, Kampala, and all the way down to the southwest in Fort Portal...and all the way back, I'm home safe and sound in Pajule. I had a great time seeing the other PCVs and celebrating America's independence in style. I will post more pictures soon, maybe tomorrow.

Today I spent the day at the sub-county's student music festival watching our local schools perform songs, speeches, traditional folk songs (with incorporated dramas) and instrumental performances. For anyone who has seen the movie 'War Dance' (and you should if you haven't), the competition I watched today is part of the regional competition that will culminate in Kampala. My local primary school had a really good showing and I'm rooting for them for vocals at least. The dancing will continue tomorrow and I should get some more great pics and maybe even a video or two. I really hope that one of the schools in my area will go on to the final rounds. They deserve it and are viewed as the underdogs in Uganda.

After being in the green, lush, fruit-filled, cool rolling hills of central and southern Uganda, I was a bit jealous of the PCVs that get to live in such a beautiful environment for two years. But after returning home, I remember why I'm here. The Acholi culure is so rich and complicated. It's easy to forget what has shaped a people, but every once in a while you get a reminder. It may be a song about negotiating bride price, or my busmate on the trip home pointing out the camp where she and or family lived for three years, or a boy's poem about how he felt when he was forced to kill innocent people during the war. It's easy to get wrapped up in day-to-day activities, but you can't take what you see for granted. I know there are a lot more stories to be told and I hope to be a good listener.

Goal #2

Peace Corps has 3 basic goals:

1. Helping the people of interested countries in meeting their need for trained men and women.
2. Helping promote a better understanding of Americans on the part of the peoples served.
3. Helping promote a better understanding of other peoples on the part of Americans. 

With that in mind, I made my coworker NACHOS! His first nachos ever, in fact. We had a long conversation about why Americans call these 'chips' and why we call Ugandan 'chips' french fries. It's a confusing world. I also sent him home with a Tastykake treat (and yes, that's how they spell their company's name). I mean, what else says "America" like nachos and Tastykakes. Ha! On a serious note, we did talk a bit about American independence and some pivotal historical events that have shaped American over the last 236 years. Uganda will celebrate 50 years of independence from the British this October.

I'm off to watch a 'football' match with some of the local kiddos, then to pack for the looooong trip to Fort Portal to meet up with other PCVs to celebrate the awesomeness of America. Hope that everyone is enjoying this very special holiday with good food, friends and cold beer! Wishing all my friends well in the land of milk and honey!

Man down

My friend James has returned to the promised land. I now represent 33% of the munu (white) population in Pajule and Lapul sub-counties. His wife Sabrina will stay on for another month, and then it'll be just me and Otto the Dutchman. Jim and Sabrina will be dearly missed... Pajule just won't be the same without them.

Alien Flower

We don't have a lot of flowers in Pajule. Jim found this one in a field all my itself. 

Modeled by my lovely neighbor, Sabrina.