Smelling the roses

I truly stop to smell the roses outside my house every morning. And things are smelling better and better now that Micheal's on the scene. He's the new housekeeper I inherited. He's probably doing my laundry in sweet smelling detergent right now. And when I come home, I'll smell the aroma of the eggplant dish he will prepare for dinner. Ah yes, life is good in Uganda!

Two pictures

So here - if this works - are two pictures downloaded from my camera. The one is the three kids, Joshua, William and Charlene who live right by the house. They're the landlord's kids and love my bubbles. I have some of their marker drawings on my fridge.

The other picture is my being showered with thanks at our last leadership training meeting. They all stretch out their arms up high and wiggle their fingers while slowly bringing their arms down. Fun!!!!

Mitch arrives

Mitch, age 25, arrived after dark last night to share the house with me. He's another AJWS volunteer who will work here in Mbale for another NGO. Bet we don't listen to the same music but bet we sure like having each other for company!

Such is life in Africa

I'm hot and dusty and happy. Probably gave away a dozen avocados from my tree today. Got to help set up a small African art gallery at the vocational school site. Helped greet 8 college volunteers from Crossroads in the US. They're here for two months to build living quarters for future volunteers. And I'm so happy because I found a connection that is working quite well - for now. Knock knock wood wood. I'll also be meeting Mitch's bus in a half hour or so and he'll be here to join me - knock knock wood wood.

This morning I arrived in the office to learn the government who leases the building hasn't paid the bills so power was cut off. Then I went with the van to get gas so we could get out to a work site and the gas station had no gas. We were to call another driver but the phone was down. Such is life in Africa. Everyone just keeps on smiling.

To learn more about Samuel who's my main man here go to http://www.adevelopedworld.com/home/edition/june2008/samuel-uganda

I learned that I can start downloading pictures at this place. So next time you might have a look at the sights - k k w w!

End of a fulllll day! Out to the villages to observe leadership trainings for 60 community leaders - 58 of then men. I passed along greetings to them from our country and told them what a beautiful and friendly country they have. The meeting was mostly in their local dialect but the building capacity and community development and sustainability charts looked just like ours.
Bought my banana out of a basket on a kids head for my breakfast. Looking for to an evening snack of an avocado off my tree. Get to get home before the mosquitos come out with the dusk. Looking forward to washing in the tub after a very dusty day.

Please don't expect many postings. This internet is so slow and wears on my good nature at the end of swirling days.

I'm Here in Kampala!

So he wasn't Mitch afterall but I did pick the real Mitch out of the boarding line. I'll post a picture of him soon. Nice guy. Reminds me of nephew Nate.

Kampala's a swirl of memories of the traffic and crowding of China, the big, friendly smiles of Madagascar, the mishmash of gathered cultures of a Hong Kong elevator, (ask Bridget) and the idyllic climate of Maui!

All's going well. Good group of ten volunteers. Excellent orientation by three staff. Meet our NGO reps tomorrow er today it's 3 am and I'm all fammished! (Note the 2 m's and not one - I'm not hungry).

People should really be impressed! Not only have a learned to post on my blog, thanks to Karen who's staying at my house, but I'm doing it in Dutch from here in the Amsterdam Airport! Seriously, all the headings and directions aren't in English! Anyway, I think I spotted Mitch. A good looking young man in shorts and tevas carrying a backpack. I'll find out soon when I get to the gate. Beside doing this to kill my 3 hours here after my 10 hour flight, I went to the airport museum and took in the Van Goghs and other masters. That's all for now folks.

10 hours til flight time. Yikes! I'm really off to Uganda!

Here's me doing last minute packing.

This is my practice first time blog entry. I think I'm getting it!

Will post again soon.....