Before it all went dark!

Yesterday, Sunday 23^rd September,  was such a strange but fantastic day! I had woken up not feeling great from whatever these bite things are, plus I hadn’t exactly slept well…or at all! But I got myself up and sat with Holly discussing our dreams. Then I headed out and bought some eggs for Holly and I to have French toast, which was amazing!! I don’t know if I said, but we got ketchup (Heinz no less) and it was the best thing in the world. We shall definitely be eating more of that in the future!

After breakfast we were sitting chatting and chilling before thinking about getting ready for church. It was one of those mornings where we are a little emotional so we all had a hug and a little cry in the kitchen before heading to do some things. After our cry mum called, it was possibly one of the greatest things that could have happened! I was super emotional and missing my mum like mad and then she called, I swear that woman has super powers! So we spoke, and cried, and spoke and probably blubbered a load of nonsense. I asked all about her birthday and what she had done, it must have been an odd one because she didn’t have me or dad, which probably upset me more than it should have. But after talking to mum I sat in the house alone and had a little cry. I wasn’t feeling great, I was shattered and hearing mums voice had made me realise how much I am missing her, but Holly and I have worked out that we only have 10 and a half months to go.

After my over-flow of emotions I wiped my face and ran down to church, I was late for bible study and I am actually getting quite into learning about Christianity. Once there I had a laugh and talked to Herbert a little, he is such a sweet guy and reminds me of Daniel, only black! I have actually had to refrain from just giving Herbert a hug, as that would be insanely inappropriate but I feel like he is just like my ‘baby cuzz’!

At church they always have a big song and dance at the start, literally! It is great fun and everyone, even the old birds, are throwing themselves everywhere. It is an experience I don’t think I will ever forget and one that makes me feel at home, but of course tired old Jenny was upset by this and let out a few tears. A little girl noticed this and handed me her baby then hugged me round the waist, I couldn’t help but smile and think about how lucky I was. One of my students was at the front crying, her Uncle had died and she had already lost her father some months ago. I felt stupid for crying so quickly wiped my eyes and made all of the younger children join in with my ridiculous dancing. While we were sitting listening to Moses giving his sermon, which is very repetitive but quite funny to watch, Justine passed us a note inviting us to Caca’s birthday. We gleefully accepted, however soon realised we had no idea which kid was Caca or how old they were going to be…slight issue!

We got back from church and since I was still knackered I decided a nap was the perfect way to prepare for the party of the mystery child. The nap helped loads and although I was still itchy all over from millions of bites, I was ready to par-tay! We wandered down the road and were immediately invited in to the living room (a first!) where we were served so much food including chicken and beef!!!! It was all too much, so I ate and ate and ate and ate and ate, I think I probably had about 4 helpings! It was fantastic. We then chilled out with the family while other children arrived ready to party. When the party started there was music, popcorn, fizzy juice and some pork (more meat, result!) so of course we were all in out element. We spent the evening dancing, laughing, singing, eating and having a really great time and it was only towards the end that we realised which kids birthday it actually was, although we covered it pretty damn well!

Once we had returned home we had a quick wash and then headed to our own beds, however two hours later at around 11, Holly whispered something to me and ended up in my bed chatting. Then we ended up out on a walk on a hunt for chapatti’s before we discovered the place was closed seen as it was almost midnight. Giggling like drunk teenagers, although we were completely sober, we wandered home and had a laugh about how silly the idea had been. Holly then announced she was going to go through to her own bed and left me.

It was a long night though, because sadly I couldn’t sleep, however I must have dozed off at some point because at 10 to 7 my alarm woke me up to a feeling of queeziness and itching. I had more bites or spots on my body and had lost all my energy, there was no way I could go to school. I stumbled back down from the loo desperate not to throw up and told Holly how I was feeling. She wrapped me up in her blanket as well as my sleeping bag and told me not to worry she would handle my classes, I have been given an angel!

However my day off has been anything but relaxing. I slept for the first two hours until the girls returned home at break to eat, they made me have some rice so that I could take my doxy and then left for school, I lay back in bed with every intention to sleep but then there was a knock at the door. Justine had sent a girl up with Elanah and Dan (4 years old) and asked me to look after them. So I was stuck with the kids. I had Elanah until lunch time and then she had to get home and I still have Dan here, squirming on my bed in his sleep and it fast approaching half past 3. I am so tired and weak that I can’t actually be bothered to take him home and I feel as if I am going to fall back down every time I stand up.

I have called Ian and asked what the bites might be and he said look for bed bugs and if there aren’t any and I don’t get better in a few days I have to go to Kampala to see a doctor in the clinic. I won’t lie I am petrified because I really don’t want to be ill but I just feel awful. I have eaten today but now I feel sick and really don’t want to be here when I feel like this. I want to be in my mum or my dads arms getting cuddles and told everything will be alright, or in Greg’s arms getting a kiss on the head and hearing I love you. I am feeling rubbish and Dan is being so sweet but just reminds me of Jamie and Ellen which makes me sad. He is now just sitting next to me watching me cry saying “Muzungu” so I better go and play a game, or something!

So after a fantastic weekend of meat and games I am now lying on my bed feeling ill and covered in bites, or something that looks like bites, looking after a cute little black kid who can’t speak English and missing home. How I hate Mondays.