Happy New Year everybody, although I'm a couple of weeks late with that one. Welcome to 2009 as they like to say here in Uganda. Actually I'm in Rwanda right now, waiting patiently for my mom to arrive today, but you get the picture.
I celebrated my New Years in a very PC way, as in I had food poisoning. And again 8 days later. The second episode was much more violent, and I'm not sure if I'm just become more blase about food preparation and what I ingest, or if this is what the new year has in store for me. Oh well. I learned I have some real friends, who make being sick so far from home not so bad. Thanks to Scott for being my errand boy, Jackie for being my nurse and chicken noodle soup maker, Maria for mothering me (and lending me a bed and toilet to vomit into), and Stephen for making sure I made it to my home safely, brought my dog down from the hill, cleaning up my puke bucket and any puddles of regurgitation that may not have made it into the toilet. Not many people would do that for you.
Things are looking up now though, as I have no gastro-intestinal issues at the moment and am going to meet some UW - Madison folk who happen to be in Rwanda on an EWB trip for lunch. It'll be nice to talk to some fellow Wisconsinites as I'm chilling and waiting for mom's plane to arrive. Well, I suppose that's enough for now, but thanks everyone for the comments you've been making. And Nikki, I do enjoy the novelas, so keep them coming. I need updates on your life.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Monday, December 22, 2008
Christmas in July
Well Hello everybody, and Happy Holidays!
As you very well know I'm sure, its getting very close to Christmas. Being from Wisconsin, it is difficult for me to understand that it is actually December, since there is no snow, and the temperature is above 80 on most days. The green doesn't help either, even with Christmas lights and signs everywhere. Not to mention people blaring Christmas music out of their radios, but even with all of that, it still feels strange to me. I guess that's a good thing, because if it actually felt like Christmas I might get sad and miss everyone at home that much more. But too bad for you all, I'm doing just fine!
I enjoyed all of the comments and well wishes after my illness blogs and the pictures of Spencer, so keep up with those. I just thought I'd give you all a quick update on what I'm doing for the holidays. I'm heading to a place called Enkoko-Enjiro to celebrate Christmas with some other volunteers. Enkoko-Enjiro actually means "White Chicken" in Luganda, so its a somehow white Christmas, kind of. We're going to cook all of our favorite holiday dishes and sing carols (I'll be the loudest I'm sure, you all know what a beautiful singing voice I have and how everyone longs to hear it above everyone else:) and do a white elephant gift exchange. Should be fun, although of course it's not the same without all of my loving friends and family from home to celebrate with (sigh, tear). Is that enough sap for you? I thought I'd give you a bit, it being Christmas and all.
Well, that's all I have for now, not much is new besides that I'm finally healthy (mostly, might have something intestinal now, I'm about to give a stool sample to the medical team) and am enjoying training Spencer. He loves to play frisbee, and is learning all the important commands, sit, no, down, no, out, no, uh uh, no, and maybe eventually stay and lay down. We'll see. At least he knows no.
As you very well know I'm sure, its getting very close to Christmas. Being from Wisconsin, it is difficult for me to understand that it is actually December, since there is no snow, and the temperature is above 80 on most days. The green doesn't help either, even with Christmas lights and signs everywhere. Not to mention people blaring Christmas music out of their radios, but even with all of that, it still feels strange to me. I guess that's a good thing, because if it actually felt like Christmas I might get sad and miss everyone at home that much more. But too bad for you all, I'm doing just fine!
I enjoyed all of the comments and well wishes after my illness blogs and the pictures of Spencer, so keep up with those. I just thought I'd give you all a quick update on what I'm doing for the holidays. I'm heading to a place called Enkoko-Enjiro to celebrate Christmas with some other volunteers. Enkoko-Enjiro actually means "White Chicken" in Luganda, so its a somehow white Christmas, kind of. We're going to cook all of our favorite holiday dishes and sing carols (I'll be the loudest I'm sure, you all know what a beautiful singing voice I have and how everyone longs to hear it above everyone else:) and do a white elephant gift exchange. Should be fun, although of course it's not the same without all of my loving friends and family from home to celebrate with (sigh, tear). Is that enough sap for you? I thought I'd give you a bit, it being Christmas and all.
Well, that's all I have for now, not much is new besides that I'm finally healthy (mostly, might have something intestinal now, I'm about to give a stool sample to the medical team) and am enjoying training Spencer. He loves to play frisbee, and is learning all the important commands, sit, no, down, no, out, no, uh uh, no, and maybe eventually stay and lay down. We'll see. At least he knows no.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Spencer!!!
Well, this is going to be very short, because I'm tired and need some rest. I have strep throat and an all over staph infection and need to heal, but everyone has been clamoring for pictures of my kaspencer, (small Spencer in Rukiga), so here he is, without further ado.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
The Upside of Everything
Well it looks like I've survived everything that happened to me last week, and I'm feeling good about life. My wounded foot is finally draining of pus, and the water is back so I'm rid of the bedbugs (after a heavy dose of insecticide). I've found the best way to make it through is to think of whatever good is coming of the terrible situation. The following are a few of my favorites that I've come up with.
8 days dirty hair: No frizzies or fly-aways. Every strand of hair stays exactly where you placed it, and there's none of those bothersome little hairs tickling your face. It might itch a bit and feel disgustingly greasy, but at least everything stays put.
no water: When the tap runs dry, you might think I'd be upset. Instead I make a game out of using the least amount of water for the most tasks I can think of. I'm getting pretty good at conserving water. I can clean my house, wash my dishes, and bathe myself with 5 liters. I'm very happy about that. Maybe you can beat me, but somehow I doubt it.
large patch of bug bites: The more bites there are centered in one spot, the less you have to scratch. It means less scabs and later less scars. Maybe this seems like a very minor benefit, when you have more than 30 bites it becomes better and better.
3 hour long ride that should take 1 hour: There are many benefits to this one. There are plenty of ways of improving yourself when this happens. First, patience is the obvious one. You work on coping with the frustration of impatience, especially since you don't have a time-frame you're following. You also have plenty of time to sit and contemplate life and your place in it. Not to mention thinking up interesting blogs for your friends and family back home to read. So this one is not only beneficial to me, but also to all of you. You also can work on your personal space issues, since generally 4 or 5 people are squeezed into seats that are meant for 2 or 3.
no pre-prepared meals: I'm learning how to cook just about everything from scratch, which is a good skill to have, I think. Last weekend at our Thanksgiving celebration we had to prepare our turkey from a live bird, which was definitely a new experience for me. Spaghetti, macaroni and cheese, stir-fry, all of the things that used to be my easy meals at home now take time and preparation, but I'm learning how to cook everything from the basic ingredients, which is fun and rewarding.
Well, that's all I have for now, but if I think of any more, I'm sure I'll give them to you in future blogs.
Peace
8 days dirty hair: No frizzies or fly-aways. Every strand of hair stays exactly where you placed it, and there's none of those bothersome little hairs tickling your face. It might itch a bit and feel disgustingly greasy, but at least everything stays put.
no water: When the tap runs dry, you might think I'd be upset. Instead I make a game out of using the least amount of water for the most tasks I can think of. I'm getting pretty good at conserving water. I can clean my house, wash my dishes, and bathe myself with 5 liters. I'm very happy about that. Maybe you can beat me, but somehow I doubt it.
large patch of bug bites: The more bites there are centered in one spot, the less you have to scratch. It means less scabs and later less scars. Maybe this seems like a very minor benefit, when you have more than 30 bites it becomes better and better.
3 hour long ride that should take 1 hour: There are many benefits to this one. There are plenty of ways of improving yourself when this happens. First, patience is the obvious one. You work on coping with the frustration of impatience, especially since you don't have a time-frame you're following. You also have plenty of time to sit and contemplate life and your place in it. Not to mention thinking up interesting blogs for your friends and family back home to read. So this one is not only beneficial to me, but also to all of you. You also can work on your personal space issues, since generally 4 or 5 people are squeezed into seats that are meant for 2 or 3.
no pre-prepared meals: I'm learning how to cook just about everything from scratch, which is a good skill to have, I think. Last weekend at our Thanksgiving celebration we had to prepare our turkey from a live bird, which was definitely a new experience for me. Spaghetti, macaroni and cheese, stir-fry, all of the things that used to be my easy meals at home now take time and preparation, but I'm learning how to cook everything from the basic ingredients, which is fun and rewarding.
Well, that's all I have for now, but if I think of any more, I'm sure I'll give them to you in future blogs.
Peace
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Illness, Infestation, and Infection
Oh friends, it's been one of those weeks.
One of the weeks you would associate with Peace Corps life when you think about it. On Monday I noticed a flea bite on my foot was looking pretty scary. It became pretty badly infected by Tuesday, and now I'm on antibiotics to try and heal the sucker. But if that was all, I'd probably count myself lucky.
Later in the day on Monday, I started feeling very tired. I figured Spencer just woke me up too many times during the night to pee, so I didn't think anything of it. Then around about the time I'm going to bathe, I feel achy and very cold. I have a lovely little fever. First one I've had since I was about 7, so of course I think I'm dying. Oh well, I laid in bed for about 20 hours, and the fever and aches went away, along with the nausea and diarrhea that came with it. But if it was only the infection on my foot and 24-hour bug I had, I still might think the week went ok, especially since I seem to be surviving both.
But of course that's not all. As I lay in bed, sick and unaware of the danger, the bedbugs or fleas or whatever the devilish little creatures are that love me so much returned to my life. They chewed me to bits, especially since I was in bed for so long. I have a lovely patch of about 30 bites just below my right butt cheek, and they itch like crazy, which is how I'm going to end up if these little demons don't disappear soon. But seeing as my water is out right now, washing my sheets and clothes isn't an option, so it could be awhile before anything improves. Oh life. and Hydrocortisone cream.
One of the weeks you would associate with Peace Corps life when you think about it. On Monday I noticed a flea bite on my foot was looking pretty scary. It became pretty badly infected by Tuesday, and now I'm on antibiotics to try and heal the sucker. But if that was all, I'd probably count myself lucky.
Later in the day on Monday, I started feeling very tired. I figured Spencer just woke me up too many times during the night to pee, so I didn't think anything of it. Then around about the time I'm going to bathe, I feel achy and very cold. I have a lovely little fever. First one I've had since I was about 7, so of course I think I'm dying. Oh well, I laid in bed for about 20 hours, and the fever and aches went away, along with the nausea and diarrhea that came with it. But if it was only the infection on my foot and 24-hour bug I had, I still might think the week went ok, especially since I seem to be surviving both.
But of course that's not all. As I lay in bed, sick and unaware of the danger, the bedbugs or fleas or whatever the devilish little creatures are that love me so much returned to my life. They chewed me to bits, especially since I was in bed for so long. I have a lovely patch of about 30 bites just below my right butt cheek, and they itch like crazy, which is how I'm going to end up if these little demons don't disappear soon. But seeing as my water is out right now, washing my sheets and clothes isn't an option, so it could be awhile before anything improves. Oh life. and Hydrocortisone cream.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Life Goes On
Hi all,
Thought I'd throw in an update on my life. I guess the biggest news is that I got a dog. I named him Spencer, and he is a typical village dog. I'm training him to become an American. It's taking some work, believe me. He is pretty smart though, it took less than a week to potty train him, so I think it can be done. It's a matter of teaching him how to walk on a leash, which most Ugandan's find endlessly amusing. I'll do it though, no matter what kind of humiliation I face walking through the village. He's been vaccinated against rabies and has been neutered, so he's ready for the states.
Teaching continues, and I hope I'm improving. Next week is going to be the last week of classes before finals for the 3rd and final term of the year, and then its 2 months away from school. This is going to be an incredibly quiet time for me, as I will be the only person living at the school. It's a good thing I've got Spencer to keep me company now. And Mom visiting in January, that ought to keep me fairly busy. I've still got to plan the itinerary, but I think it will include Lake Bunyonyi, Bwindi to see the gorillas, Rwanda for a bit, my village, and possibly Queen Elizabeth National Park. I'm pretty excited.
I think my life has become incredibly boring, because I have no new stories to tell. Things are going on as is now usual for me, so I forget what would be interesting to tell you all. Oh well, I have no idea if anyone reads this thing anymore anyway. This is pretty short, but I don't have much to say, so I guess I'll stop here. email me if you want to know anything specific. Peace.
Thought I'd throw in an update on my life. I guess the biggest news is that I got a dog. I named him Spencer, and he is a typical village dog. I'm training him to become an American. It's taking some work, believe me. He is pretty smart though, it took less than a week to potty train him, so I think it can be done. It's a matter of teaching him how to walk on a leash, which most Ugandan's find endlessly amusing. I'll do it though, no matter what kind of humiliation I face walking through the village. He's been vaccinated against rabies and has been neutered, so he's ready for the states.
Teaching continues, and I hope I'm improving. Next week is going to be the last week of classes before finals for the 3rd and final term of the year, and then its 2 months away from school. This is going to be an incredibly quiet time for me, as I will be the only person living at the school. It's a good thing I've got Spencer to keep me company now. And Mom visiting in January, that ought to keep me fairly busy. I've still got to plan the itinerary, but I think it will include Lake Bunyonyi, Bwindi to see the gorillas, Rwanda for a bit, my village, and possibly Queen Elizabeth National Park. I'm pretty excited.
I think my life has become incredibly boring, because I have no new stories to tell. Things are going on as is now usual for me, so I forget what would be interesting to tell you all. Oh well, I have no idea if anyone reads this thing anymore anyway. This is pretty short, but I don't have much to say, so I guess I'll stop here. email me if you want to know anything specific. Peace.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Unannounced Visitors
Hello all, and sorry it's been so long since my last post. What with the new term starting and everything, I've become a bit busy. I'm teaching more classes this term, and it's been hectic with all the changes the Ministry of Education handed out and then took back. But things are beginning to settle, and I'm getting used to the constant writing of lecture notes and correcting of assignments. My poor physics class is more confused than ever, but what can you do. They try anyway. So now I have another of my famous animal encounters that y'all so love to read about.
I was minding my own business, just reading or doing crosswords or sudoku or something equally enthralling, when I thought I heard someone enter my house through the back door. I'm in the living room, which is in the front of my house, so I called out a very inviting and not at all frightened "Hello?? Anyone there?" no answer. So I continued with my entertainment, and was not at all surprised when a furry, horned, white head poked itself through the door from my bedroom to my living room.
"Wink!!! What are you doing in here?!!" It was Wink, the oldest of the 3 cows born since I've arrived at my school. Her two partners in crime, Danny and Casey, weren't far behind. I didn't waste any time shooing them out the door, and a good thing it was too, because Wink let go a hot torrent of urine, and what volume! just outside the door. Then all three just stood there looking at me, and I could tell they were thinking that I had no reason really to kick them out because they had done absolutely nothing wrong. Silly girls. For whatever reason, my house is incredibly inviting to all of the animals living at my school. I guess I just have to be less friendly. Although the cows are babies, they're still cows, and much bigger than the goats. They definitely were too big for my small house. Bull in a china shop indeed.
I was minding my own business, just reading or doing crosswords or sudoku or something equally enthralling, when I thought I heard someone enter my house through the back door. I'm in the living room, which is in the front of my house, so I called out a very inviting and not at all frightened "Hello?? Anyone there?" no answer. So I continued with my entertainment, and was not at all surprised when a furry, horned, white head poked itself through the door from my bedroom to my living room.
"Wink!!! What are you doing in here?!!" It was Wink, the oldest of the 3 cows born since I've arrived at my school. Her two partners in crime, Danny and Casey, weren't far behind. I didn't waste any time shooing them out the door, and a good thing it was too, because Wink let go a hot torrent of urine, and what volume! just outside the door. Then all three just stood there looking at me, and I could tell they were thinking that I had no reason really to kick them out because they had done absolutely nothing wrong. Silly girls. For whatever reason, my house is incredibly inviting to all of the animals living at my school. I guess I just have to be less friendly. Although the cows are babies, they're still cows, and much bigger than the goats. They definitely were too big for my small house. Bull in a china shop indeed.
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