HAPPY HALLOWEEN

Sarah with a pumpkin from my garden

SIPI FALLS

SIPI FALLS

Hello all! I’m in town to collect my salary; thus, I’m posting an update. First, Happy Halloween to all you witches suffering from Western syndromes. I tried to explain the holiday, but it left most in my village thinking I'm a witch and that all 14 of my cavities are justified. Who needs a whole night to beg for candy?

Election Day is upon us. Because certain forces forbid me from being too political (sounds like traditional teaching) I only want to urge everyone to go out and vote. As a man in the village told me, "Everyone in America should vote. It isn't like leaders have chewing gum on their ass." Moving on. . .

It is hard to believe that one year ago my life changed with a piece of mail holding an invitation to a far off land named Uganda. Immediately upon acceptance of my placement, I didn’t go to the public library to research Uganda. I didn’t read my mother’s printings from the State Department warning of certain death or internal bleeding. No, I did none of these things. Instead, I started to hunt down blogs written by existing PC Uganda Volunteers to get a glimpse of what my life would morph into upon landing. Did all that reading give me the tools I needed to transition? Hell no. Could my blog potentially scare some prospective volunteers due to its truthful content? Perhaps. No matter, I want to extend the invitation to all those future Ugandan PCVs to get in contact with me if they have concerns about anything: packing, living, culture, logistics, anything. I remember thinking how freakish it was to read someone's personal account of feelings and experience. I didn’t want anyone to know. I’d sneak on in the middle of the night just to see what the secret world was like that I was about to come into. Sounds like high school all over again! Yes, I was completely different before jumping into the Ugandan wilderness. I liked to eat filet, drink cabernet, shop for pointed-toe shoes, wear designer and yes I wore lavender D&G glasses without prescription. My favorite question from volunteers who see pictures is, "Do you wear contacts?" Now, I live the simplistic life in the middle of nowhere enjoying my newfound tranquility (and celibacy, but talking about it won't help). I speak a mysterious African language to the point of quasi-fluency. I do things I never thought I’d do. All this amounts to a huge life change, but that is what Peace Corps offers. That is why I signed up. To push myself to the point of breakdown is a thrill, despite the tears. I love my current life, even though other volunteers may look at it with horror in their eyes. I love it, all of it. If you have questions, throw ‘em at me. As the other PCVs will tell you, my motto is “no judgment.” I’m up for it; just know I only check my e-mail when I come to town, which isn’t all that frequently anymore. In Uganda, patience comes quickly.

People keep asking me to expand on my work situation. This is my best shot. However, there are three goals to Peace Corps and international development is only one of those goals. The other two encompass cultural exchange, which is my bread and butter. I am especially proud of my community integration (language acquisition and the fact that when I walk through the village people yell “Omoding” rather than “Emusugut”). Back to the job. I’m working with a Coordinating Center Tutor. Translation: a college professor who, instead of being at a college, works with teachers in rural areas on Continuous Professional Development. While I work with him, he gives me the freedom to do what I love. I work with 4 schools closely, each one for one day once a week (the other day is for preparation or going to town for food). I bike my legs off in the morning and do class observations P1 (K) and P2 (1st ) for the first hour or so of. I think I already explained the Thematic Curriculum that exists in P1/2; its like bilingual education. I work with students on informal assessment of literacy and math after observing teaching strategies. I make it seem like special time with the emusugut so they don’t complain. Both levels are half-day instruction, so I work with teachers in the afternoon on planning, making centers (new concept here), writing leveled readers for literacy instruction (“What? Three words on a page?”), trying new teaching pedagogy (behavioral change takes the longest), and my favorite activity: translating the schemes of work. This is my BIG project. The Ugandan government produces a prescribed curriculum in English and mandates teachers to translate into the local language. I’m working with my teachers to accurately translate the volume and then I’m typing it up to publish! It enhances my literacy in Ateso, which people think is crazy. Most people in my village don't write Ateso and the white person can! However, there are English words that don’t exist in Ateso, so I go out to the community to meet with members and discuss creating words in Ateso rather than borrowing English. Shortlist of words that don't exist: simile, insect, fruit, chart. Cultural pride at its finest. In my spare time I also run HIV/ AIDS life skills trainings for 14 and 15 year olds to educate them on making healthy choices for a more successful future. I hope that satisfies those asking me about my job. It is exactly what I made it into. If I waited for work, I’d probably have gone crazy with boredom.

Last weekend found me at Sipi Falls, a bit more east towards the Kenyan border than my home. In fact, I had to take a 3 hour taxi ride southeast to take another 2 hour taxi northeast to get back up to its glory. It is known as one of the colder places in Uganda and it lived up to the reputation. I felt at home in the 60-degree weather. Our lodge was amazing: accommodations, food, local coffee and the waterfall outside. I admit I thought it was raining the whole time because of the soothing sound. I’m not a nature person but if I could live anywhere forever and do nothing but exist, it would be Sipi Falls. It is my new Ugandan getaway. Forget the tan that awaits at Mbale Resort, I’m forking out the extra money and going to Sipi. Relaxing in every way. I’ll try and post pictures with this blog, but I make no promises that they’ll work.

Okay, I’m all out of news. I hope this finds you well and wintry cold. Enjoy. It feels like Groundhog’s Day here. Vote because you can. Go on a date because you should. Amina eoŋ yesi kere. Aomoomenenei eoŋ yesi ŋiniparaan kede amuno eoŋ awanyun bobo nat sek. Akoto eoŋ ekiŋok abunere oreka lo Amerika. Not that you’ll understand any of that, but know you mean the world to me, even from the other side. That and I really want a dog when I get back. Tangents. Bygones (Ally McBeal reference). Peace Out (In for Teenie).