To wrap up my Uganda trip I figured it would be fitting to make a list of the top 25 things about Uganda and let everyone see them. Although I can't even begin to make a list of all of the things we did and saw, this one at least highlights the best of the best and the things that left an impact on me. Enjoy!
1. the PEOPLE-the most amazing, kind, giving people you will ever meet
2. the musana women
3. the musana grand opening ceremony and events
4. kampala health outreach
5. testing people for HIV
6. nabuti village needs assessment-one of the biggest successful needs assessments ever
7. observing schools all around Lugazi and Mukono
8. visiting with families with disabled children
9. teaching Proud to be a Girl
10. Masindi Troupe cultural dancing
11. safari
12. rafting the nile river
13. bungee jumping over the nile
14. sleeping in a legit hut
15. exploring all around uganda
16. cooking dinner with our cooks every night- these women became my family
17. all our team parties and talent show
18. meeting a woman who had been taken by the LRA and hearing her story
19. giving away all of my clothes and supplies at the end of the trip
20. going to stake conference in uganda
21. all our church outings- truly the only place that makes you feel exactly at home even when you are 9000 miles away
22. serving people all day every day
23. deworming 860 kids
24. teaching people about sanitation and how to stay healthy and clean
25. checking off my #1 bucket list item of all time!!!
Uganda all and all was the best experience of my life. There were times that were super hard but it was those little moments where I knew I was making a difference that made it all worth it. I am so beyond grateful for the opportunity I had to go travel the world and experience what I have. Hope everyone enjoyed reading my blog and following my journey along the way! It's good to be back and I am excited to see everyone soon!
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
time is running out
Well lots to tell everyone today! First off last weekend our
entire team went on a safari in Murchison falls. It was absolutely beautiful
and we had a blast. We drove 8 hours up to the park on Thursday, went on the
safari Friday and then drove back to Lugazi on Saturday. Thursday was an
interesting day to say the least though. Our first interesting part of the day
was when we were driving through the out skirts of Kampala. All of the sudden
we looked and everyone was running in the opposite direction that we were
driving covering their mouths yelling. We all got a little freaked out and
apparently there was a huge riot and tear gas was released so everyone was
running trying to get away from it. Hopefully that is the first and last riot
we will see here in Uganda. But our next adventure of the day was when we
arrived at our “hostel” for the night. I am not sure if you could quite call it
a hostel though. It was straight up a cement building with 4 rooms in the
middle of the forest on an island. SKETCHY. The room that Liv, Kar, Maren,
Elise and I had was coveredddd in bugs, spiders, rats, cockroaches, had a
busted window, a missing ceiling panel and people’s random clothes they had
left there. We didn’t sleep that night simply
because we were too afraid to fall asleep haha. Pathetic? Maybe but hey at
least we made it through the night. (Come to find out there was actually a
hippo outside of our room all night too.) Anyways we started the safari super
early Friday morning and had an awesome drive. We saw elephants, giraffes,
water buffalo, a lion, monkeys, waterbucks, impalas, and tons of other things.
During the afternoon we went on a boat up to Murchison falls and we saw tons of
hippos, crocs and other things. It was really amazing and now I have crossed
off one of my bucket list items—go on a safari!
Well after a
great weekend we started off the week right yesterday teaching an I’m Proud to
be a Girl assembly at a local school called Lugazi Homeland College. There were
about 200 girls and Kar, Liv, Elise, Maren and I got to teach the entire thing.
It was an experience I will never forget just because of how happy the girls
were to learn and to hear from us. I have never met so many high school aged
girls who are so excited to learn about feminine hygiene, HIV/AIDS, sex,
relationships and self-confidence than these girls. Today we have been
preparing all day for our big health outreach tomorrow. I am going to be
teaching sanitation and showing them how to make a hand washing station using a
jerry can, string and some sticks. After that I just have Thursday left and
then I leave on Friday! I cannot believe how fast time has gone but I am
excited to get back to my family too. I know when I get on that flight I will
be sad to be leaving these beautiful wonderful people but it is time. Here are
some pictures for every one of the safari and things going on! Enjoy and see
you all soon! Thanks for all your support and love. Love and miss you all!
murchison falls
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
grand opening day!
Well today was Musana’s grand opening and to sum things up real quick, it was a BIG success! We started setting up around 8:30 and of course nothing arrived until 10:30 because we are on Ugandan time here but oh well, what can ya do. We had a huge tent, tables, chairs, a “blue carpet” instead of a red carpet, confetti, drinks, snacks, a dj, SUPER loud music and a tonnn of people! It was awesome. Lutta, the in country manager of Musana, entertained everyone along with the DJ while we waited for all of the local government leaders and guests to arrive. The entertainment consisted of cross dressers dancing and singing (absolutely one of the funniest things i have ever seen in my life), Lutta’s jokes and the audience members dancing. It was a big hit and then when the major and town council members showed up Pastor Francis, one of our most prominent partners here in Lugazi, led the ceremony. We sang the Ugandan national anthem and then they had us “muzungus” sing our national anthem. It was hilarious i felt SO proud to be an American. It’s funny how when you are in another country you come to appreciate America sooooo much. But after that the major spoke, the town clerk, Pastor Francis, Melissa (one of the creators of Musana) and then we had a big ribbon cutting and it was done! Everyone bought jewelry and danced and it was a great day. These Musana women are so amazing and I cannot believe how much I am going to miss them when I leave Uganda. The pictures below are from today!
Other than that things are good! We have been busy preparing for the store opening and getting everyone better since our whole house has a parasite but besides that, Uganda is great. Time is going by fast. I truly can’t believe my six weeks is up next week but I am so grateful to have been here and for all my experiences. Hope all is well in America! Love and miss you all!
rosette-one of the musana women & our cook
the women dancing with the cross dressing DJ
local leaders cutting the ribbon
some of the volunteers with the major and women
beautiful betty
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