Visiting Schools February 2015

Today Chalmer and I visited both Circle of Peace School in Mackindye and Sir Nimrod Junior School in Buloboa. I have been involved with these schools for a long time now.

At Circle of Peace School we met with the children and with the school director, head teacher, and receptionist.

In July, the children at the school had challenged me to learn 5 Lugandan words before I returned. I succeeded smashingly well. Check this out.

salango (father of twins), nalango (mother of twins)
sabo (gentleman), nyabo (lady)
weberere (thank-you)
calli (okay)
webala (goodbye)
musuli mutya (how are you - in the plural), osuli otya (how are you - in the singular)
musule bulungi (sleep well)

muzukulu (grandchild)

Then, there have actually been times when I have understood bits of conversation. I AM SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS (but I have no idea how to say THAT in Lugandan).

So, "weberere" Circle of Peace School for the challenge.

Circle of Peace School is an urban school. We left the city and went to the rural village of Buloboa to visitSir Nimrod School.

They sang the sweetest songs to us. The teachers are so nice to the children. It is always a delight to go to this school where the children are well-loved and well-taught. They have just started their third year of the school. We had a nice meeting with the teachers and enjoyed the conversation with each person. In the rural areas there are fewer schools for the children to access. I also shared my budding language skills with the children here.

My white skin proves somewhat interesting, and at times a bit scary, to the children. I am particularly pale so I practically glow!

Both schools are growing and it is a delight to see the ways in which they are developing their instruction and working with the challenges they face.

A nice day indeed!

Home Again, Home Again, Jiggety Jig

Cicada greeted me at the airport on Thursday evening and we made our way back to Bloomington.

At home. 
With Cicada.
Who is wearing a lovely hat from Uganda.

He practices his new Acholi instruments.

I sew a new dress with some Uganda fabric. 

Far more aspects of Uganda have become part of our lives, 
including the good will of our friendships, from which these many gifts have come.

The distance between us is melting away.

Welaba Uganda

Today I leave. On a jet plane. Parting is bittersweet.

Jane said "We can keep going with what we have started.

Nathan said, "We shall continue."

Okumu said, "Leave well." And I said, "Remain well." This is an Acholi parting tradition.

Onzima and Monica said, "We will miss you." The feeling is mutual.


At the airport. Turning of the computer. Boarding a plane to Amsterdam. Beginning the long physical and cultural journey. Uganda is really far away from Bloomington, Indiana, but in my heart they are nearby.

Project Princess

In late 2011, I made my first trip to Uganda. Our arrangements in country were managed by "Inspire and Tour Uganda" owner Fiona. Fiona runs a nursery school, but she has a passion for young girls staying in school and becoming empowered members of Ugandan society.  This Inspire and tour Uganda enterprise was primarily the funding source, at the time, for a project Fiona really puts her heart into.

Fiona started Project Princess. She began by meeting with secondary girls, talking, providing psychosocial support, even in the form of sanitary supplies - anything that would make it easier for the girls to stay in school.

With her comes Betty. Betty has recently earned her degree from Makerere University. Well-done and has worked steadily with Fiona on this effort.

Today, these two beautiful women took me lunch. We laughed together and encouraged one another. We had so much fun.

And, here is what I found out about Project Princess. They have purchased a building - an old house in Ntinda that they use for office space and meeting. There are several more volunteers involved. They have activities for the girls at the house which is accessible easily to them from their schools. The house is really great. There is a really nice big welcoming room with arts and banners. Fiona has an office. There is a small area for preparing some small snacks. There is a board room with a big table for meeting around. The backyard is really nice. They have planted grass and really made the place lovely.

They have networked with many successful Ugandan women to volunteer their time to work with the girls. Moreover, they are hoping to attract people to come and do some volunteer work with the girls. Chalmer, Mudiwa, Meagan and I went to one school with Fiona and Betty to meet the girls. It was a really great experience. We shared stories and encouragements with them and met in small groups to answer questions.

Check out their website:www.theprojectprincess.org

I am so impressed with the sacrifices and commitments people are making here to contribute to the well-being of their Ugandan brothers and sisters. Thanks Fiona and Betty for showing me a better way to live.

The Mzungu as Tourist

I knew when I went to bed last night, that an adventure awaited me. So, of course, how could I sleep. James (head of the Psychology Department) and Salli (the driver of the vehicle) picked me up at 9ish and off we went. Once out of the city and into the countryside, we passed tea farms (and factories).

And sugar cane fields and a factory.

As the highway moves toward Kenya through the country, there are fewer and fewer cars.

We passed by a Saturday market and, then,

to a few falls on the Nile. THE NILE... THE HONEST TO GOODNESS NILE.

To the source of the Nile.... at Lake Victoria which is fed by streams coming down from the mountains. The Lake drains into the Nile.

Fruit!

I bought a new hat made from tree bark.

There were some performers from a local orphanage.

We passed children getting water from a shared well.

And then we went to a rainforest. There was so much I could not take pictures of at the rainforest. The 286 species of butterflies.. The 90 species of moths. The 10 species of snakes.3 species of monkeys... we saw the redbutt kind especially playing in the trees. 1 species of LEOPARD... which we did not run into. Porcupine. And some animals I never heard of.

But here are two pictures of the trees...

There were so many beautiful trees - mohagony, rubber, some kind of incense producing tree (I rubbed the bark in my fingers to produce the beautiful scent), viagra-like medical tree - very popular I am told, and a tree whose bark tastes like hot red pepper (yes, I tasted it) which is also medicinal and is one cure for malaria. Very cool.


And, then we drove through a patch of pineapple - and from my perspective Uganda has the best pineapple in the world!

What a day! Welaba from the Touring Mzungu!


And big thanks - "webere" to James, my papparazzi!

Happy Birthday from Uganda

Today is a day to celebrate the birthdays of two of my "sons" - Sunil and Michael. I remember the first time I met them both - such special days for me. I knew with both of them that we would be friends for a long time.

Sunil is a wonderful friend, gentle, funny, engaging, helpful. He is one of the few people I consistently turn to when I need a helping hand. I enjoy his company. And it has been a delight watching him grow up. He has helped me, too, for example in becoming vegan. I love talking with Sunil - I always learn a lot. I treasure his friendship and can't quite imagine the world without him in it. Thankfully, I don't have to.

Michael came to Bloomington, with long beautiful hair. He and Kabara had been friends for awhile and it looked like it was going to develop into something more. He is down-o-earth, easy to get along with, steadfast, fun guy. He loves to learn. He knows how to work really hard. He always been so kind to me. And he has the most contagious enthusiasm and joy of anyone I have ever met. You simply cannot avoid feeling happy and excited when he is feeling that way around you.

I look forward to being able to celebrate many more birthdays with them. 

Circle of Peace Primary School

If you have followed my work here in Uganda, will you know that even before my first visit I had discovered the Circle of Peace Primary School, located in Makindye area (where quite notoriously violent army barracks during Idi Amin's rule still stand). I discovered this school on the web when I knew I was coming to the Kampala area and I wanted to find a school I could begin connecting with.

You can find the website here: http://www.circleofpeaceschool.org/Home.html

Today I was able to take a quick trip out to the school. The children remember me after all of these visits and they refer to me as Auntie Barbara... a quite endearing term for one who finds being an Aunt to be one of the great joys of her life. I'll let you read on the website about the school's beginning and its mission.

One very big heart of the school is MaryLove. She is a Uganda sister for me.

Today the children sang me a song. I recorded it, but I cannot figure out how to just include an audio file, so I will share the pictures.

In contrast with the school in Buloba, this school is an urban school. There are some boarding orphans who are from the mom's village, but most of the students are day students.

I know you would love this school, too.