Wow. That's all I can say.

We went to the market yesterday afternoon and talk about a culture shock. Just as I was deciding what to blog about this, I thought about what it would be like to live like this. Every single one of these people were born into this, this is the only life they know and will probably ever know. It's just hard to believe that a place like this and a place like home can both exsist on the same planet in the same century. I just am really having a hard time putting it all into words, it was so intensly amazing. I also kind of wondered if we were going to make it out of there alive. I guess it's not too often then have "mzungu's"(white people) come through the market. Anyway, I don't feel like anything I say could do justice to the camaderie of this place, so I'll just post pictures...

Well, it's not raining...yet

So, I have less than two weeks till I come home. Now that I have recovered from the culture shock, I actually wish my trip was longer. The first few days I was here, it was so uncomfortably different than home, I just kept asking myself if I was crazy and why I was here. But now I have kind of adjusted and I am really enjoying this. The children are just so very amazing. The babies are precious and all of the preschoolers want to learn and learn and learn. Last night they wanted to do the hokey pokey, but they didn't know the words, so Beri and I jumped in and did it with them, it was so much fun. Today we are going to try to go to the market if it doesn't rain this afternoon. I am ready to some more shopping.

The people here are so curious about America and of course, Obama,lol. That is one of the first things that they ask is how anyone feels about Obama. And then they ask about the weather. Totally related subjects, I know.

Found out something interesting today, almost no one here even has running water in their houses. Can you imagine in 2008 not even having running water to take a shower? There is also no real order of justice here, and no law enforcement, just soldiers with guns. Very often people here, when caught stealing or hurting another person, the people in town will take it upon themselves to bring justice and thieves are usually beaten. It really shocked me to find out that they are punished by being stoned. Can you even fathom being beaten in the same way people of the Bible were, only two thousand years later???

My girly side came out the other day. I mailed my postcards and when I went to buy stamps at the post office, she handed me stamps that weren't self-adhesive. Like, somehow I had to get the backs of those buggers wet and I certainly wasn't gonna stick my tongue to them. Can you imagine what kind of germs were on those? So, I ended up sort of licking my finger and then sliming the stamps and then using germ-x. What would you have done in a situation like that Napoleon?

Guess what? It rained again.

The rainy season has begun and therefore 99.9% of the time, it is going to rain every afternoon. Which means my internet is going to be out every afternoon. Oh well. I did get a few pictures yesterday while I was out shopping before the rain started coming down. Bought some pretty awesome fabrics and things yesterday, but like I siad, I didn't get the chance to buy a lot because of the rain...


....

It rained.

And it rained. And it rained. All day yesterday. And my internet was out, but now it's back on and I will attempt to take pictures and go shopping today. Attempt being the key phrase. Oh and for those of you who happen to know that I haven't had an appetite and think I am wasting away to the width of a Twizzler, so far today I have eaten half a can of peaches and 7 or 8 cheese cracker things. And it's only Noon.
Update: I also ate a snack thing of cookies, and an entire bowl of rice. Can't go wrong with rice. My appetite is very good today.

You expect a place like this to exsist 100 years ago, or even 50, but instead it exsists now, where the rest of the world is decades ahead in society and technology. Sure, the people here have their cell phones and email addresses, oh and Crocs, you are cool here if you wear Crocs, but that's it. They still wear mostly handmade, mismatched, faded clothing; most of the women wear only skirts and dresses; they live in homes that you would see only in the most destitute areas in America; they eat food that they cook on stoves everyday,(meaning no microwave pop tarts and no prepackaged meals), and they still have a mentality of someone you might think lived 20th century Africa. It's almost like life for them has barely changed for them in the past 100 years.

Can we have a party when I get home?

Lol, I just started laughing when I thought about this, I just feel like I haven't seen anyone in ages. I am dreaming of a party with Wilson, and BAH, and Doran, or whatever he calls himself now, and lots of fried chicken and mashed potatoes. And I want to wear a dress and heels and blow-dry my hair. Am I dillusional???Anyway, I am probably going to go to town this afternoon and probably will shop and take pictures...

Blogspot is evil

I wrote out most of my blog earlier and now it's gone. Oh well. Gist of it was,I am feeling much better today after yesterday's horrible illness. And I don't feel like blogging right now, because blogspot is evil but I said I would even though I don't have anything epic to say. I will take pictures tomorrow.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhh!

Rode on a boda boda today. It was terrifying!

So...

Before I rode the motorcycle of death(with no helmet, that has to be illegal) Hillary and I walked into town this afternoon, did some shopping, etc. This place is so devestating, yet so very fascinating at the same time. Outside and inside of town there are buildings that were either burned or bombed and nothing remains but the brick exterior, I'm guess these are left over from the rein of Idi Amin. Everywhere there are reminders of tradegy. There are soldiers standing guard around the shops and on Main St. watching for thieves. There are children who walk the streets asking for money or working for barely anything. Even the adults only make between $1 and $10.00 a day, on a usual day. There are traffic attendants who work to collect parking fees, for about 20 cents each. The boda boda men usally only make about 30-50 cents for a short town ride, maybe a few dollars, if they are lucky. Groceries are fairly expensive here for them, but dude, talk about cheap compared to the USA. Gas here is about $7.00 a gallon.

In spite of all their hardships and difficulties and strife that these people are born into, most of them are fairly happy in their own way. They have made the choice to be joyful. They find a reason to smile.

The staff here at the orphanage is so great! All of the mamas(the Ugandan women employed here) are so very nice and most of them speak pretty good English. They are always asking me if it is summer or winter at home. And a few of them understand that we have a fall and then they ask me if it's fall at my house. And I don't know whether to just smile and say yes or to actually take the time to explain that we don't have much of a fall in Texas and that there isn't any snow falling there.

Okay, I have so much more I could say, but, as the great BAH once said...Hunger gets what Hunger wants. Toodles!

Oh and Alicia-I have been informed (by a google-master) that those random purple thingies are "Globe Amaranths". Just so you know...but I prefer random purple thingies, don't you?