So maybe I’m not going to be the next Carrie Bradshaw! It is
very hard to find time to write my blog these days, I am just always super
busy! As you may have guessed, once again it is going to be a long read, so sit
down with a glass of white wine (go on make me jealous, that includes Jamie and
Ellen!) and get ready for more Ugandan adventures!
Valentines day, can anyone tell me why it would be such a special occasion to
people here who say you should never express love for someone other than God
publicly, man it is weird. Calum, James, Paul and Matia all planned a secret
valentines meal for us and while I worked on ways to avoid my date (Paul, a
school pupil) the others all had a laugh with their friends! Yes I may have
been over reacting but it was still weird.I decided that the sensible thing to
do would be to go out with some other friends to pick up odds and ends for our
second Valentines dinner, that’s right two meals in one very long night! I
can’t lie, it was a lovely surprise and while I am sure everyone had a good
time, I just wish I hadn’t had Paul as my date! The meals were still super
tasty, and that is all that matters on the 14th February, that you
have a super tasty meal!
Friday 15th February we all woke up at the ridiculous hour of 6.30
to get a free lift with the kids to Masaka, it was a challenge but we all
managed to make it down to Justine’s, get into the car and get to Masaka with
everything we needed. Once we had arrived we hit the bank, got some money and
headed to the super market, food! After a lovely stroll around the super market
where I purchased some fresh orange juice (so worth the £1.20!) we went to the
post office where I had 2 parcels waiting for me! Excited? Hell yeah!! I have
to thank Mikey and Laura for the wonderful parcels where I had lots of choccy
and magazines, my favourite combination! It also made the six hour bus journey
down to Kabale a little less dull! You got it folks, we were headed to Kabale!
The adventure has begun!
The bus journey was as it always is in Uganda, squished and smelly. Kate and I
were pretty much sharing one and a half seats for a lot of the journey because
the man next to her liked to ignore us and not move when we asked, rude! The
bus journey was fine up until the last 2 hours and we both realised we were
bursting on a wee! It did mean that when we arrived in Kabale instead of
signing into a room and then running to see my beloved Rachel, I ran to the
toilet! However after the sweet release I ran up some very tricky stairs and
lunged into Rachel’s arms, yes it had only been 3 weeks, but I was still very
excited to see her again!! I also gave her a fabulous birthday present of cheap
stationary, a bowl made by Justine’s craft group and some much needed Oreos,
true love right there!
After a yummy meal, a jonny (weirdest named food yet, I think) and a beer we
headed out for some pool. I was actually doing quite well and even winning
until I was distracted by Hamish calling to find out where I was, after that I
sucked and lost completely! The guy even took the mick by not potting the black
for ages, folk these days! It was a great laugh but the old lady in me wanted
to get back to bed so that is exactly what I did. We did have a busy day ahead
of us…
Saturday; what a day! After visiting a fruit market and buying way too many
passion fruit we jumped into a private hire, a little squished with 6 of us in
the back of a car, and headed up to Lake Bunyonyi. I will give you all a moment
to go “Oooh!” because it sure as hell deserves one! Although we were all
squished together the drive was still spectacular with scenery reminding me of
home and taking my breath away. Once we had arrived we nipped into the little
shop to have just a quick look, which turned into a half hour look with me
purchasing a bag, a toiletries bag and a little something for Michelle…not as
quick and easy as you would have thought. We then left with my new purchases
and somewhat lighter purse to go for a swim. After a quick change we were
straight in there! The water was cold and refreshing, the sun wasn’t very hot
but still beautiful and the company was spectacular! 6 girls, all chilling by
the lake, having a good laugh and listening to music, not to mention eating
hundreds of passion fruit!
We spent a full day there, well from 11ish until 4ish. After the boys had
arrived they showed off by jumping off of the really high platform, Kate then
jumped off to prove it wasn’t too scary however she was the only girl to do
it…maybe one day! When we did decide to leave 4 of us thought it would be a
good idea to go in the canoe with the boys, for any future girlfriends of Calum
or John, never get in a canoe with them, it was petrifying and quickly ended
with us back where we started and us walking to our new destination; The Birds
Nest. Once again the Views were spectacular, but they had nothing on the food.
That’s right folks, I had steak and…WHITE WINE, I LOVE WINE. It was amazing, so
amazing that I drank a little too much and became tipsy, ah well, it isn’t a
holiday without Jenny getting drunk, right?!
After a spectacular meal and so many laughs my tummy hurt, we headed to the
Heart of Edrisa, a little place next to the lake where we were to spend the
night. Rachel and I had to share a bed because there wasn’t enough. Now
although we are very close, sharing a single bed all night when you are roasty
toasty is never a good idea, therefore neither of us slept very well! It wasn’t
too great but hey, it was great to get a cuddle! Holly decided to leave on the
Sunday being a good PT Vol and getting to the project on time for work while
Kate, Calum and I decided we weren’t too keen on the idea of a matatu ride for
6 hours, I don’t really like matatus in all honesty! Therefore after a much
easier canoe ride (we paid someone this time) and a beautiful boda ride Kate,
Rachel, Jen, Dennie and myself arrived safely back in Kabale where Kate and I
dropped off our bags and then headed up to see the girls project. The drive was
wonderful, not too squished and with a little added danger with the use of a
boda, what more could any girl want?
Their project is intense! Like crazy! I didn’t realise how much they had to
deal with. None of the kids that board can really speak so they have to learn
sign language (which by the way Rachel is amazing at!) and the children just
follow them around everywhere. They don’t have a village nearby so it must be
really hard to make friends and the teaching…I thought I had it rough but at
least my kids can hear me and I can tell when they aren’t listening because
they are talking! I realised I had a new found respect for these girls after I
had seen their project! However we couldn’t stay for too long as it was a long
journey back and not the safest thing to do a two hour boda journey in the dark
so we called a boda man and got taken back to Kabale. I thought the journey up
was incredible, bloody hell the drive back was outstanding! I mean, I may have
felt as if I was going to fall off a cliff the majority of the time but it was
just beautiful. If it had been a little colder and hadn’t had so many banana
plants I would have felt like I was driving up to Oban! Damn, it was good! That
night the others went out however I didn’t fancy getting up at 6 for a 6 hour
bus journey with a hangover would be too great so I had a cuppa and finished my
book, a little like an old lady I suppose, maybe I am over the Thursday Loft
nights…or not!
The bus journey was fine, for me anyway! Calum missed the post bus so had to
get a matatu home while Kate was sitting on the bus thinking she was going to
spew the entire time, I sat happily eating my passion fruit and reading my
magazines occasionally nodding off, smug? Never! Once we had arrived in Masaka
we hit the post office where I had two more parcels waiting for me. It was like
Christmas came all at once! Thank you Mummy and Amy for my wonderful parcels!
Mum the flip flops only leave my feet when I go to school and I have put all of
my new photos on my wall, I love them! Amy, Vogue? Teabags? Valentines day
gift? Chocolate? Easter present? You my girl deserve an award for best parcel!
I mean Ugandan tea is fine, but we all know I need a strong British tea in the
morning!! I also had a letter from Jack and Jodie, thanks guys, I swear I will
reply, however Jodie, maybe next time best not to write a letter when you are
drunk, your handwriting is hard enough at the best of time!
The post office was a great success that weekend for me and with some fabulous
new goodies we headed home. Jumping in a taxi and only having to wait 2 minutes
we were off! I was sitting on some fat ladies knee which made me feel like I
was in an armchair so I dozed off, don’t think she minded too much, she just
kept playing with my hair!
Back to school on the Tuesday was hard. Baby class was now on its own meaning I
was separated from my partner in crime, Anent, and left to struggle with the
kids alone, it ended in me almost crying and being promoted to the Top Class
teacher indefinitely. We then had a meeting with all the teachers which
resolved nothing other than the fact that Matia and I were hungry, I would be
the nurse of the school and Emma and Joseph were no longer talking to one
another after a heated discussion, it was a nightmare! Therefore once I had
scoffed my food I went home in need of a cuppa…NO GAS!! Calum didn’t know how
to turn the gas off and had left it on all day meaning I couldn’t boil any
water meaning…no tea. I almost cried, actually I think I did. It had been a
stressful day and I couldn’t have any tea. Never fear though, my crush, Joseph
(I’m kidding PT!) bought me some milk tea from the village. It was a really
good laugh actually! Roggers, Joseph, Matia, James, Kate, Holly, Calum and
myself all sat down in this tiny room with our big steaming mugs of tea and had
a ball! I feel like we are a little family now and it is the best feeling ever.
Also during the week I learnt how to ride a boda! How cool is that? It probably
wasn’t the safest way, no helmet, no leathers and Paul sitting on the back
saying, “Change gear now, oops, I meant up gear!” but it was good fun! I loved
the feeling of doing it all by myself and shocking the guys. James just looked
at me and said, “Wow!” in his Ugandan-American accent while Joseph smiled
proudly (he was the one who taught me.) It was great fun. Calum also rescued a
dog from the garden which was covered in flees and although very cute probably
not the greatest pet to have, I mean you see how busy we are right?! After some
persuasion we managed to get Calum to give it away, which he did, which led to
us to now have a cockrel. We originally thought it was a hen but then it
started cocka-doodle-dooing and we decided that hens don’t actually do that. Ah
well, we will make a good curry or something out of little Garfunkle!
We somehow managed a whole week (4 days) without gas and just went out for
dinner and a cuppa every night but decided it was very economical so bought
some more gas on Friday. We also had a swim, internet and I met an old couple
who gave me a cake! Don’t worry they are Christians from America and if they
want to drug me it is fine by me if they are going to do it by cake.
Saturday was a very morbid day for me. I thought I had flees so put all of my
bedding outside for the sun to kill them. After the task of putting them
outside I went out to buy water which is where I met Joseph and was asked to
accompany him to his brothers daughters buriel. She wasn’t even 2 And she had
died of malaria. It was heartbreaking. The family couldn’t afford a coffin for
her so instead they wrapped her in dried banana leaves, can you imagine? Then
at the grave every man took his turn in moving the dirt across the ‘coffin’
until it was covered and then the women and children that were close to the
family went up to touch the dirt as a sign of respect, it wasn’t until that
moment that I noticed 3 other small, child-sized graves lined up beside the new
one. I wanted to cry but had to hold it back for Joseph, men aren’t allowed to
show emotion and he had already told me it was hard. After the buriel I went
with Justine, Emma and Mike to visit a school which had recently fallen down.
30 children were severely injured with broken legs and arms but thankfully
nobody died! It was an odd feeling to see the crumbled building, I wasn’t sure
what to feel, even when I saw some torn clothes underneath the rubble, it just
wasn’t a natural sight and I felt almost numb. After some discussion (of which
I understood nothing) we all stood in a circle for a prayer, which I realised
half way through because it was all in Luganda. I wasn’t sure what to do so while
everyone said they’re prayer in Luganda I just hoped that someone would help
those kids, even if it was just a doctor giving the children medication to ease
the pain and I prayed that the family that had lost their little girl would
find a way to be happy again. It was a very sad day and it reminded me how much
I love all of my friends and family. Both back in Britain and here in Uganda, I
am one lucky girl!
All my love
Your Ugandan Girl. X
P.s I tried to upload some photos but it won't work, SOZ!
