Been a couple days and feel like a lot, yet not a lot, has happened. In latest news with my soon to be ready bike- yes, I know I said that two weeks ago, that’s what I was told. The bike has been returned unrepaired and I’ve been told the man couldn’t get tires that fit. He has, however, failed to return the 50,000 shillings Ive paid him for the work, despite many prompts. As well, he has stopped turning up at his stand presumably in order to avoid Hellen and I and giving the money back. He is about today though and when Hellen gets back, we will track him down. I’ve joked that I will put a sign outside his stand that says don’t give me money, I cheat people and don’t fix bikes. But ive learned my lessons- don’t give anyone money until the work is done and go price supplies myself, even if I get the muzungu price.
Saturday kickball went well. We had about 25 kids turn up, many of which were too young. Eric, the most amazing help ever!, came and helped me teach the older ones to play. They slowly got it and it was fun. The more kids we have the better it will be as it was pretty hard to play outfield with 6 people. Hopefully next week they will come, I gave them cool patterned pencils to bribe them a bit to come back. Thinking this week ill give them crayons and maybe in a few weeks some candy. Sad that I have to bribe them to come! I think Eric had the most fun of all, lol. Was exceptionally hot and my kinda gross heat rash that has been confined to my left hand and my right wrist is now all up under my chin and neck. WORST. Hoping to stay cool and get rid of it soon. Problem is once is started it will come back. Cant wait for my big straw hat to come in my package from home!
Saturday I went to the market to find Vicky (my fundi- seamstress) to get my skirt ive been chasing all week. As I got there, the road was blocked and there were people everywhere. I wasn’t sure I wanted to get in the mix, not knowing what was going on. There were two police bodas blocking the road. I walked around the edge towards the walkway I needed into the market and asked a man along the edge. He told me a man had been knocked by a car and they think hes dead. Why, I ask you, does one have to look? Is it the disbelief that makes us furrow our brow and turn our heads? Is it concern? Is it sheer curiosity? Whatever it is, I turned to see jeans and barefeet from under the front of the truck. Thankfully that was all my curiosity needed and I headed deep into the market to find Vicky. She caught me on my way in, telling me she had been away in Kampala for the week visiting family and my skirt would be done Monday. So, today I will go. Lets hope she has it or I’m going to begin to think everyone is against me and my money is all out of my control. Although, I haven’t paid Vicky yet, just bought the fabric from a different Mego (mama or woman).
I sat around and tried to cool down Saturday afternoon. Jackie was doing the washing and cleaning, but I was dying for a shower. I cooled down reading on the couch. Saturday night martha’s friend came over and I could tell there was some history there so I hung out for a bit then went to bed when the conversation turned to why Martha wasn’t interested. I woke up around 4.15 to a woman screaming outside. We are talking blood curdling, yelling, a man yelling, more screaming and crying. I was wide awake in seconds. I assumed she was being raped, but couldn’t fathom in my head how this was happening where I could here it this loud and no one on the street was doing anything. I hoped that maybe I was assuming wrongly and that it was just some argument or something. In the morning Martha woke me up with the surprise that power was back on and I asked her about it. She said that unfortunately the woman was probably being raped and I’d been right. Not sure how I feel about this. Gives me this pit in my stomach that I heard it and lay paralyzed in my bed. (not that I could have done anything or would have been safe to do anything). Police here just isn’t the same. Mark made me promise I wouldn’t go to the bar just up the road from us when I told him and I wouldn’t go there anyway. Much less be out at 4.15, I don’t even go out after dark unless im with Martha and we are driving somewhere. As I walked the street outside my house (granted it’s the kampala road, the biggest road out of town), I couldn’t help but think somewhere there was a woman trying to deal with what happened to her last night. Depressed yet?
Sunday, Martha and I went to Lira (about an hour away) to visit her family and get outta Gulu for the first time in 3 weeks. We took the ‘shortcut’ there, a long dirt road that was surprisingly smooth until we caught up with the road crew and drove over/around huge dirt piles that were to be smoothed down to even the road. Along the way, we passed by Marthas high school. It is one of the top high schools in the country and Martha told me about being in boarding school. We decided to stop since she hadn’t been back since changing schools in 2000. The school was exceptionally nice and reminded me of summer camp, lol. Although with the insane amounts of studying they do, im sure its not even close. Was interesting to see though. Classes are about 50 students and they all have PILES of books on their desks. We just don’t study like that in the US.
(just went and argued with the bicycle man- got 26,000 back and am waiting on more…)
We then went to Martha’s parents house for a lunch of posha (the acholi word for ugali- think fine fine ground grits made into like a dough) and beans. Now, beans make posha bearable because they are similar textures and just kinda blur together. Her parents were nice and a lot like Martha. They spoke in acholi about family issues and translated a bit for me. Otherwise, I just relaxed. We came home late and I enjoyed the trees along the road. We also passed what Martha called an alligator- think like a giant iguanaish lizard. It was in the middle of the road and Martha who fears lizards like I fear snakes slammed on the brakes, swearing if she knocked it, it would crawl up in to the car and get her. Ah I know this irrational fear well! I sometimes think snakes will crawl up the toilet and get me! We stopped and bought mangos bigger than my hands and my window was attacked with women with babies asking for money and then a very persistant only man telling me he had no teeth and I had to give him money. I locked the door just in time, he started trying to open it just as I reached for the lock. Little nerve wracking. Then he went to marthas open door where she was buying mango and tangerines and continued to shout at me. I was happy to get back on the road. And then we passed this amazing tree Martha had told me to wait for! Ahhhh THAT my friends is Africa to me. I will take a picture next time I pass it!
I also got more credit on my wireless modem and have lots of megabytes now so I can upload pictures, I know anne is about to shout!
Today has been successful, with the new work plan written this morning- well draft one. The district budget year starts now, which is unfortunate. How do you start a 6 month evaluation plan when youre required to submit your annual work plan at the very beginning. I just did the best I could with the assumptions I can make with provisional evaluation. The logic model, mission statement, and vision statement still greatly need to be updated. I am waiting on feedback from Hope on the draft, so we will see. I cut out a lot, including err all the projects that are not the clinic. Well, I said the goal was to phase them out. But don’t you work my objectives were SMART!
I am hoping to beat the rain now and go get my skirt. We have been without water- literally not a drop since Saturday, despite having power. Martha was going to check today. Would love a shower- my baby wipes only go so far! And we need to cook some yummy pasta and thus need water!
Maybe ill get some pictures up tonight!
Big hopes for Gulu my friends!
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