Happy Holidays

With Hannukah beginning this evening and Christmas just two weeks away I am really getting into the holiday mood:)  It may also have to do with the fact that I leave Kampala on Sunday to start my 4-week Southern Africa Adventure!  I will meet the group on Wednesday at Victoria Falls and we will travel in an overland truck through Botswana and Namibia to Cape Town.  Christmas will be spent in Etosha National Park (Namibia) and New Year's Eve will be in the famous sand dunes of Namibia.


Christmas in Kampala has only a bit of the commercial feel of North American Christmas'.  One of the grocery stores is decorated and I did hear Christmas music in a shop yesterday but there are not as many decorations as I am used to.  I think that the holiday is still much more religious than commercial here.  I asked Elvis, one of the RTP drivers, if there put reindeer out here - he had no clue what I was talking about.  In fact he didn't know who Santa Claus was!!!  Here it is only Father Christmas.


While I am excited to set out on my adventure it is bittersweet - I must admit I will miss Kampala and my apartment while I am gone - but the Holidays also mean that friends will leave Kampala for good.  Tonight will be the last night out with Anthony, who has been working at RTP for the past few months.  He was part of a pretty cool Deloitte program that allowed employees to take a leave of absence and volunteer - he ended up here:)  Also leaving will be our Danish friend Martin who on more than one occasion has saved me from an evening of conversation in Norwegian and Swedish which I just don't understand! (the Norwegians and Swedes understand each other but Danish is too different so they will switch to English.) While it is sad to say good bye to new friends it is common here and I anticipate that there will be many new faces when I return to the Kampala scene in January.


For now - farewell, happy holidays and all that jazz.  I may be able to do some brief posts from my Blackberry as I travel but there will be plenty of pictures come January.  Wherever you are spending the next few weeks - enjoy...I know I will:)

Gorilla Adventure

One thing I would highly recommend to visitors of this region is a trip to see the remaining  mountain gorillas - there are around 700 left of which +300 are in Bwindi in Uganda.  The cost is high (currently US$500 for the permit but rumoured to be going up to US$1000), the roads to get there are treacherous and the hike was brutal but the one hour we got to spend with the Gorillas made it all worth it.


Our journey started on Thursday when Jen and I were picked up by Helle to buy snacks, pick up some pizza for dinner and head to bed early at her house so we could leave bright and early.  By 640am Helle, Martin, Jen and I were in the car and ready to go.  The first part of the route is one I was familiar with as I had traveled along it when I first arrived in Uganda.  We stopped for a coffee at the Equator - I was able to get a frapucinno (not a Starbucks one but still pretty amazing).  We were aiming to be in Mbarara by lunch to pick up Anthony and continue on our way.  There is a lot of work being done on the roads and there are a lot of crazy bus drivers in Uganda which makes the driving a bit nerve-wracking.  At one point we did a bit of hydro-planing in the mud - but luckily there was nothing to hit:)  As we approached Mbarara is seemed that we had a flat tire.  We stopped at a service station only to find out that one of the brake pads was shot.

Car Trouble

We hopped on some bodas (safety in daylight and in numbers) and headed to Anthony's hotel where we had lunch and waited for the car to be delivered to us.  One of the great things about Uganda is how inexpensive it is to get the car fixed - it cost us 130,000UGX (around $65) in parts and labour and it was done within two hours.  With the car fixed and Anthony in tow we were back on the roads towards Kisoro.  We reached Kabale around 545pm and then the roads got twisty and turny.  The two towns are 30km apart but the road route is 80kms around and up and down a mountain.  We reached are hotel around 730 had a quick dinner and off to bed to prepare for our early start to the Gorillas!.

We were on the road by just after 6am and were treated to more of the same roads we had experienced the night before.  The scenery was stunning and we did pause to take a few quick snaps.  I do not think that the pictures can do it justice though.

We arrived at the Nkuringo Gate at 745 and had a briefing at 8am.  The 5 of us were joined by a mother and son from Holland.  We learned a fair bit about the Gorillas.  They are herbivores and each group has a dominant Silver Back.  The group we would be seeing had 3 Silver Backs as part of it and 20 Gorillas in total.  One of the special things about this group was that there were 1-year old twins, which apparently are very rare for Gorillas.  We were asked if we wanted porters to carry our bags as the trek would be arduous.  (I had heard many recent stories of people only walking 10 - 15 minutes before encountering the Gorillas so I quickly refused this offer.)  We were also reminded that from the time we saw the Gorillas we would only have one hour to be with them and that we should stay at least 7m away from them.  We were also given instructions on what to do if they charged.  And then the trek began!

Jen & Anthony navigating the downhill 

and then it got even steeper

(to be honest it just kept getting worse and worse and all I could do was laugh and sit on my tush for the tough parts)

first sight of a Gorilla (this is Safari the dominant Silver Back)

He needs to see a dentist

When Safari moved we followed and found the whole gang

This is one of my favourites - one of the twins climbing

I wanted to take him home with me:)

The twins playing together

I have some great video of this but unfortunately the internet is way too slow here to upload them.

The time passed quite quickly and it was soon time to start the hike out of the valley.  It was a magical experience.  We were incredibly lucky to see 19 of the 20 in the group including all 3 silverbacks.  I think we ended up spending around 80 minutes with them as the guides were just as enthralled as we were to see them all together in the open.  At one point one of them walked right behind us  - it was a bit scary and at some point I will share the video.

the start of the trek up

me in the bushes (and yes my pants are tucked into my socks to avoid any nasty red ant encounters)

We reached the top just before the rain started.  I think if it has started to rain earlier we would have just had to sit tight and wait as I am unsure how we would have climbed through the mud.  Once at the top it was time to get back on the road.  We had to tackle around 4 hours of the twisty bumpy roads to get to our destination for the evening - Lake Bunyoni.

Lake Bunyoni in the distance

By the time we arrived we were all exhausted, hungry, perhaps a bit cranky and looking forward to cold beer and hot showers.  Well, we were staying on an island so some things are not quite how you would expect.

Jen standing in our outdoor shower while we wait for hot water to be delivered (and there was no cold beer to drink while we waited)

The Island was great though - absolutely stunning scenery.  After dinner the stars were incredible.  I think that the only time I have seen the sky look like that was in a visit to the planetarium when I was 10 or 11!  We could see Venus, the Southern Cross, O'Ryan's belt and so much more (I just don't know any of the constellations).  In the morning I set out to walk around the island - this was done solo as I think the rest of my group had had just enough walking the day before.

And after breakfast we went back to our secure parking and were ready to start the long journey back to Kampala (7 or so hours on semi-ok roads).  We all loaded into the car and then it wouldn't start!!

Martin, Anthony & Helle still smiling as we try to get the battery charged

4 hours later, 19 Ugandans, 5 Mzungus, 6 batteries and the car was started!!!

We arrived safe and sound in Kampala just before midnight.  Definitely a weekend I will never forget!

For more pictures click on the post title and you will be re-directed to the facebook album.

Giving Thanks

The past week was a busy one.  A friend from Rotman, Jen White, arrived last Thursday but left for a village in Eastern Uganda the next day.  I had a quiet Kampala weekend and then headed to Soroti in Eastern Uganda last Sunday.  Funny enough, Jen was just around the corner and came by the hotel for a little visit.


Th purpose of the visit was for me to support Anthony with an Internal Audit and to see some more of the RTP projects.  The Audit went well and was a new experience for me.  I was also able to learn a lot about the issues that are faced by our staff in the field.  My project visit was a bit disappointing but only because there were not many children.  As exams have been completed many children are kept at home to work.  Soroti was hot and had giant beetles - never had a seen a bug like this.  I am not quite sure how they survive as they were constantly ending up on their backs unable to flip back over.

Giant Beetle between Anthony's & my feet

We left Soroti on Wednesday morning and stopped to visit Jen at the Orphanage where she was volunteering.  While there were definitely some issues at there, overall the standard and quality was better than I had anticipated.  We had an incredible lunch at the Gately Inn on the Nile.  If my dad come to visit I think it would be a good place for him to visit for a few days.

Amazing Cobb Salad

Upon my return to Kampala I set out to prepare for Thanksgiving.  I had committed to making pumpkin pie and stuffing....neither of which I have ever made before.  In fact i don't really cook much of anything so I was a bit stressed out about the whole thing.  Thanks to my dad for sending over some of the ingredients and responding to the many, many emails I was sending.  


On Wednesday night I successfully made the pie with only a few hurdles to overcome....not being able to turn on the oven being the biggest obstacle.  Apparently the lights need to be on for it to work.  I also made hummous!!  Thursday I made the stuffing which was much easier than I had thought it would be.

Pumpkin Pie

Stuffing

Around 530 Anthony, Jen, Thomas and I headed to John's for dinner.  He had a butterball turkey flown in from Germany!!  It was a great dinner and evening that was likely extended into the wee hours of the evening thanks to Friday being a National Holiday for Eid Muburak.  (For the full Facebook Album click on the title)

John, Anthony & Thomas

As Thanksgiving is in theory a time for giving thanks I thought I should mention some of the things that I am grateful for at this time.  First the past four months have been an incredible experience.  While the work is frustrating at times, as I am not always as busy as I am used to, I find that I am still learning new things every day.  I am very excited for my upcoming travels over the next 6 weeks, to the gorillas and then overland through Southern Africa.  I am also thankful that I am lucky.

Boda Beware

I have debated over the past 3 weeks about whether this incident should be shared on my blog but have decided that it is important for people to know that there are some dangers in Kampala.  While for the most part it is a safe city people need to be aware of the Bodas (the motor bikes).  After the Marine Ball I went to the Iguana Bar, where I end up almost every weekend.  At 4am I decided it was definitely time to go home.  I left the bar on my own as I didn't want the guys to worry about me getting home.  I then made the decision to take a boda as opposed to a taxi as I felt he was charging too much.  To put this into perspective I was haggling over about $2.  Before getting on the bike one of the guys that is always at the bar also came out and asked for my number...as opposed to giving him mine I took his...thus taking my blackberry out of my purse and showing that I had something of value.

I then hopped on the back of the bike in the zebra dress and chatted with the driver as we drove towards my apartment.  As we reached the fence of my building the driver stopped and said he had a puncture.  I hopped off the bike and as I asked what to do her reached for and grabbed my bag and camera.  Lucky for me they were both strapped on my wrist.  I yanked back and he came off the bag.  A struggle and a bit of a fist fight ensued.  I screamed as loud as I could.  After about a minute or two he gave up...I am not sure whether it was because I was kicking his ass and refusing to give up or because people were coming to help me.  Ultimately I was shaken, a bit bruised but ok.  Alison and John came over and the incident was reported to the US Embassy Security Team.

I am sharing this because I was very, very lucky.  Just one week later another girl left the same bar, hopped on a boda and the outcome for her was as bad as you can imagine.  At some point in my year here I was bound to be stupid and take a boda late at night - I was lucky and learned the lesson without any damage.  Anyone who is reading this - when you know something is deemed unsafe just DO NOT DO IT.  I was lucky but the next girl was not.

I assure you that I am ok.  I will not be traveling by boda anymore and when going home from the bar in a taxi will always be dropped off first.

Grasshopper Season and Christmas Farewells

Cold, rainy November is almost through, US Thanksgiving is just around the corner and everyone is starting to get excited for the Christmas plans (especially me!!)  


I think I may have mentioned that last weekend I attended the USPA Shaggy Dog Show - some of you may know that I am not a dog person so I must admit on a hungover, stormy Sunday the whole experience was a little overwhelming.  There were some very nice dogs but then there were also ones that had signs saying "do not pet".  I stayed as far away from those as I possibly could.

Brenda, Alison & Zia (unfortunately Zia did not win any prizes!)

This week was a bit of a busy one - after having an empty office for 2 weeks we had a full house for a day or two. Wednesday I left the office early to head to yoga...it may have taken me two-weeks to plan to go back, but I was excited and ready to go!  Now one of the issues in Kampala is traffic - for me to get to a 6pm class on the other side of town I need to leave work by 4:45.  I have a RTP driver take me to Alison's house and then her driver, Elly, takes me the rest of the way.  This week Elly and I ended up in parking lot traffic.  We eventually heard that The President was in the area so traffic was at a standstill.  Unfortunately this meant that yoga was missed....by Alison and me.  I made it to her boss' house by 6:30 and there was a nice glass of wine waiting:)

Although we missed Yoga - Angela managed to get there and we met her for dinner after the class.  It was our Farewell Christmas Dinner before she and Phil head to Brazil!!

Phil & Angela

Angela, Me & Alison

AMAZING BEEF TERIYAKI

As you can see from my food picture - my dinner was amazing.  We went to a Japanese restaurant that satisfied my craving.  While I did not have sushi - the Vegetable Tempura and Beef were perfect and a great mid-week treat.

On Thursday my friend Jen arrived.  It was great to see someone from home and of course get a few treats - new Roots Canada RTP shirt, licorice, m&ms:)  We quickly realized that there were tons of grasshoppers around - I am not sure if this is related to the rain or its just the time of year.  But grasshoppers are a delicacy here.....not sure that I will be trying them any time soon.  Last night on my way home from dinner, just around the corner from my apartment there was a large crown of people - they had put of corrugated iron and were shining bright lights on it to attract them and then catch them.  When I did get home I found a few dead ones in my apartment.

They are pretty big, but I assume harmless.  Please excuse the chipped nail polish...I am off for a pedicure later today:)

Tomorrow I head to Soroti in Eastern Uganda to visit the projects and support our internal audit.  It should be interesting.  I will be back in Kampala by Wednesday night to plan my Gorilla trip and hopefully get some Thanksgiving cooked done (thanks to my dad I have recipes and key ingredients....the trick will be not screwing it up!)

play: priceless

MasterCard and Roots Canada have partnered with Right To Play to help raise funds for our programs around the world.  While it took me quite some time to view the commercial (slow, slow internet) I am sure it will be speedy for you and encourage you to watch the commercial and stock up on some great Canada gear for the Olympics!!!  (Please note that Roots is not an Olympic apparel sponsor - but the clothes look super cool and i am looking forward to getting my T when Jen arrives later this week.) 


MasterCard Right To Play Commercial



Not much new and exciting in Kampala - the holiday countdown is on!!  I may go white water rafting on the Nile this weekend to prepare myself for the Zambezi in just 4 weeks!  Other than that I will head back to yoga tomorrow (I figure if I make it bi-weekly that is pretty good) and to dinner to wish my friends Angela and Phil and Happy Holidays - they are headed to Brazil and then the UK.  My friend Jen from Rotman arrives on Thursday for a month and has a jam-packed schedule.  I am not sure that we will really overlap until the first week of December when we go to visit the Gorillas!!  Yes - perhaps I have neglected to mention this - but on December 5 I will be venturing into Bwindi National Park to see some of the last remaining Gorillas!!!

Lots to look forward to in the coming weeks:)

a couple pictures

I have recently discovered how to get photos onto my blog (Thanks Angela!!).  Here are a few from the past couple of months.

Girl playing a RTP Game on Naguru Hill

LSPS Training - Sironka Township

RTP Game

Lympda Early Childhood Education Centre

Angela, me, Alison & Els and Ndali Lodge, Fort Portal

The Marine Ball

There was a lot of well-deserved hype about the Marine Ball. I must admit, I figured it was just a night to get dressed up and go to an open bar but there was much more to it.

All across the world on or around November 10 the Marine Birthday is celebrated. This year marked the 234th Birthday of the Marine Corp. The evening began in the late afternoon with a pre-cocktail at the Sheraton before we headed to the official cocktail reception. Once there the attire was quite impressive - lots of great gowns and the men were in their various dress uniforms (those that are military) and tuxes. We entered the ball room, found our tables and the ceremony began. The Marines (there are 7 in Kampala) marched in with the guest of honour - the US Ambassador. There was a video montage celebrating the Marines and remembering the fallen. A birthday cake was cut - and the oldest and youngest Marines shared a symbolic piece. The oldest Marine is 33 and the youngest the same age as my little sisters - 21.

After the ceremony a nice dinner was served followed by hours of dancing....I amazingly kept my heels on the entire evening....but am paying for it now!

The event was more than I expected. I never thought I would be the type to get shivers when anthems and videos are played - but I did. I encourage you to attend one of these events if you ever have the opportunity to do so.

Please click on the title for some photos of the evening.

Yoga?

While I may own more Lulu Lemon Yoga attire than any one person needs I must admit I have never really gotten into doing yoga. (The clothes are good for much more than just yoga - I occasionally try to get away with wearing my lulu pants to the office!) I dabbled with classes when I lived in Australia, did some sweaty yoga in Toronto and followed a video in Kenya.

After traveling to Fort Portal last month with Els, Angela and Alison and listening to them talk about how great their yoga class was I began to contemplate trying it again. After the past three months of trying to maximize my overpriced gym membership, I was feeling somewhat in shape and figured Yoga would be a breeze. So earlier this week I suggested to the ladies that I would come to the Wednesday class and that after we could sort out dresses for the Marine Ball. Clearly I was thinking that it would be a walk in the park and we would not be at all sweaty.

The class started at 6pm and is on the opposite side of town. Lucky for me I was able to get a ride with Elly - Alison's driver. Shortly before it started I began to get a bit nervous....what if I couldn't do any of the poses? Would it be hot? Should I wear my lulu headband...or would that be taking it too far? Helle, the instructor, started the class by having us all blow our noses as we would be working on nasal breathing - my doubt about yoga really began to kick in...

BUT then the class started - the breathing actually felt good! After some time focussed on breathing we began a number of different movements. It was not at all easy and wow was it hot. I almost felt like it could be sweaty yoga. The class ended with meditation and then lying back on the ground. As we all lay there, Helle went around and covered us with blankets and put a beanbag-type thing across our eyes - pure relaxation. I am not sure how long I lay there but it was amazing.

So the lesson of the day - Yoga is not easy, it is a work out and you feel great after it!

After the class we headed to Alison's, had a great dinner and sorted out dresses for the Marine Ball!

sights and sounds

I find that there are many interesting sights and sounds everyday in Kampala - some lead to excitement and astonishment and others lead me to be a bit cranky.

We shall start with the cranky:

• the open air church near my house that begins blaring music (does not all seem to be 'church music') at 7am every Sunday morning and does not stop until 7pm!!! It is so loud that watching a movie on my computer at full volume does not block it out.
• the children that come beg next to the car when you are stopped in traffic. I find this especially disturbing when it is 11pm at night at the children are no more than 8.
• dogs and roosters - there are a number of dogs and wild roosters near my building and the noise, especially from the dogs late at night, can grate on my nerves.

Excitement / Astonishment:

• the Porshe Cayenne that just passed me on my very bumpy, very dusty road (this was more astonishment than excitement)
• the children that get excited every morning when I walk passed them - I would have thought that after 3 months the thrill of seeing a Mzungu would wear off....but it keeps me smiling
• finding broccoli at the grocery store that isn't too 'bendy' or too expensive!! (I have also found asparagus but at around $10 a bundle I decided I couldn't justify the purchase)

Overall the good outweighs the annoyances at least 10 - 1:)

Other exciting news was seeing the final deck on a strategy that I worked on in Toronto. A lot has been accomplished in the three months that I have been here and it is a final product that I think all involved can be proud of.

Halloween Kampala-style was a blast - I went to a US Embassy party dressed as Lara Croft and then to one of the more typical ex-pat bars that was having a celebration. This week will be quiet - 4 of the 7 people in my office are traveling - but there will be a lot of coordination work for me to get done. Coming up this weekend is the US Marine Ball!!

cold front...

As the temperature drops in Toronto, I am sure there will be no sympathy for me with this post....

I have been telling anyone and everyone how perfect the weather is Kampala. For the past three months it really has been, but then there was a change at the end of last week. It was brutally humid for a few days, followed my the most incredible thunderstorm I have ever heard (at one point at around 5am the thunder lasted for a full 60 seconds!!), and now it is cold. Now not so cold that I need a coat, but cold enough for me to wear shoes to the office instead of my birks!! I expect that within a few days, hopefully in time for Halloween, the weather will return to perfection.

milestones

This week brings along two milestones:

• I have had my new left ACL for 6 months now (the right one is +8 months old)!! If I was home that would potentially mean return to sport (not rugby....don't worry) but here in Kampala the routine will stay the same - no organized sport, just working out at the Kabira Club
• I have now been in Kampala for 3 months!! It is really incredible how time flies.

This past week was a busy one - Finance Training, many of the RTP country Finance Officers and a team from Toronto came to Kampala. It was great to meet people from all of our different regions. In the training I was able to realize how much I have actually learned since arriving here. We also had a pair of Queen's Exec MBAs that are doing a project on corporate fundraising. I was lucky to get to participate in two field visits with the groups. Every time I go and play with the children and am struck by the power of the games that we use.

I made my first trip to the Friday Market last week - I may have gone a bit overboard on my purchases of necklaces....they will be sent home, along with some other odds and ends for Christmas:) Again - it is amazing how time flies - only 7 weeks until my Southern Africa Adventure!! So much work to be done between now and then.

Fort Portal & Lulu Addiction Discovered

Friday October 9 was Uganda Independence Day – I took advantage of the long weekend and headed to Fort Portal, in Western Uganda, with Alison, Angela and Els for a girls weekend. The 3 – 4 hour drive for Fort Portal was along good roads passing through a number of small towns. We arrived in town in time for a late lunch of possibly the most unique pizza I have ever had. We thing they must have used Chiapati for the base. After another 45 minutes of dirt road driving we arrive at Kitojo Guest House – our home for the weekend. We were the only guests (this seems to be a theme for me). The hotel is a series of self-contained bandas with stunning views of the countryside and Rwenzori Mountains.

Saturday we set out for our hike to find the Crater Lakes. We set out from the hotel with only a vague idea of where to go. We walked through farmland and back roads in search of the lakes. Along the way we would often hear "Mzungu...how are youuuu" from people we could not see working in the fields. We decided to head towards Ndali Lodge (the fancy expensive accomodation) as we could see it on the map and people along the way could give us some direction. When we came across to crater lakes we were able to determine where we were. It was also time for a swim!! We headed down the steep path and into the lake. We ended up with a number of spectators - children gathering water, men hiding in bushes and 2 cows that came running down the path, giving us a bit of a fright! Once refreshed we continued on our way. At Ndali we booked dinner (only 35,000UGX, less than $20 for a 3 course meal) and then started the trek back to our hotel. We had told them we would be ready for lunch at 2pm. We had walked further than we thought and realized that we would not make it back in time. Just before 2 we started to look for bodas and eventually someone sent 2 our way. Angela and Els - boda experts hopped on together and off they went. Alison hopped on behind me and we followed on a bit of an awkward ride - I was sitting on a metal bar and Alison, being a little nervous on her only her second boda was reaching around me to hold onto the driver for security! We made it in one piece back to the hotel for a delicious lunch. The afternoon was spent on another game and then we headed to Ndali. The dinner was quite nice.

Sunday morning we were very lucky to see the snow-covered peaks of the Rwenzori Mountains, usually covered in clouds. After breakfast we took our packed lunches and started the journey back to Kampala. While there was not much traffic on the way as soon as we hit Kampala the gridlock set in. After dropping Els and Angela off, Alison drove me to pick up some groceries and we found Tofu!! I actually found this exciting and ended up making a great veggie stir fry. Slowly but surely my cooking (if stir fry and fried rice are considered cooking) is improving.

It was a great weekend. The girls, who did not know much about lulu lemon, discovered my addiction when I spent most of the weekend decked out entirely in lulu. Funny - it was not planned - I really just own a lot of it....perhaps too much...is that possible?

Click on the post title to see pictures from our Fort Portal adventure.

Sipi Falls

Click the title for pictures of my quick visit to Sipi Falls.

Sironka Photos

Here are some pictures from the training I did (click on the title).

Unfortunately none of me on the back of the boda!!!

TIA

TIA (This is Africa) has become a common comment between some friends and I whenever anything doesn’t go quite right – stores close early, power goes out etc. Last week I truly experienced TIA!!!

I left Kampala on Friday October 2 and headed east towards Kenya. I had two RTP drivers take me to Sironka Town where we met one of the facilitators for the training I was there for. She accompanied us for another 20km down dirt roads to Budadari and the Waggaigai Hotel where I would stay for the week. I was a bit surprised to find out I was not with the rest of the participants – they stayed in Sironka Town. I was the only guest at the hotel.

Robert, the hotel owner, arranged transport for me to get to and from the training…..the transport was a boda (motor bike)!! On Saturday morning I was a bit nervous but ready to make the journey along the dirt roads on the back of a boda. When the driver arrived (about 20 minutes late of course) we set off. He drove quite quickly and when we reached the tarmac road I glanced at the speedometer and realized he was going 90km/h – I panicked a bit and tried to figure out how to get the driver’s attention and have him slow down!! I managed to get him to slow to 60 and was feeling much better – but also realized he did not know where we were supposed to go. He thought he found the school and rode into a middle of a field. We spoke to a school boy that was able to direct us –the next thing I knew I was the meat in the sandwich on the boda – the school boy hopped on behind me and the three of us road to the school. TIA.

The school was what you would imagine a rural school in Africa to be – a number of small buildings, none with power and Latrine style ‘hole in concrete’ toilets. TIA

The training itself was quite interesting. I was one of 18 people participating – we played games and learned about HIV and AIDS. The goal of the training was to educate new RTP Volunteer Coaches on how to use sport and play to educate children about prevention and to deal with the stigma of being infected. I learned that there are many different cultural differences between the way I, from the Western World and the other participants looked at certain issues.

On Monday the students returned to the school – apparently some had never seen a Mzungu up close and I think my presence was a HUGE distraction. I had children peering out of classroom windows to catch a glimpse of me. It was entertaining and amusing at first but by the end of 5 days it was starting to wear a bit thin – Mzungu….how are youuuuu??? TIA

The hotel I stayed at was nice and I was well-taken care of. Most evenings I just watched a movie on my laptop. There was of course some excitement. When the power went out I experienced darkness like I do not recall being in – I was really in the countryside and there was not a light to be seen. I also shared my room with a mouse – TIA.

Highlights of the week – outside of the training were a quick visit to Sipi Falls and finding Coke Zero!!! Of course the fact that my blackberry functioned almost the entire time was also exciting.

Overall it was quite an experienced, which at times pushed me outside of my comfort zone…..but that is what I am here forJ

TIA

From East to West

I have learned that many decisions are made at the last minute in my office. Yesterday morning I was told that today I would head to Sironka (not in tour books but near Mt. Elgon National Park on the Kenya border) to participate in a training on our Live Safe Play Safe resource. This is our program that focuses on HIV and AIDS. While I will inevitably learn a lot and will be able to better understand the programs, I must admit I was a little distressed to cancel weekend plans and a, a bit nervous about the week – the place is not even in my tour book so what will the accommodation be like?? Luckily I will have my MEC silk sleep sac to give me some comfort while I sleep.

I will return to Kampala next Thursday night. The Friday is a holiday and I will head to Fort Portal, on the Western Border of Uganda near DRC for a weekend with friends. According to what I have read there is some great hiking and swimming is bilharzia free water.

I will try to blog remotely to keep you posted on my progress, but if I am unable to, Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Also a big congrats to Em who managed to get all of her Ontario med school applications inJ

Time flies!!

I arrived in Kampala 2 months ago!!! In some ways it feels like I have been here forever and in others like I just arrived.

This week I managed to find the worst Indian food in Kampala - if you ever happen to visit I do not recommend Indian Summer. It is really a shame to eat bad Indian Food when there are so many fabulous options (my fave so far is Khana Khazana where I think I have been 4 or 5 times!).

I also attended a going away party for someone I have never met. I hear that this becomes a common occurrence. It was definitely an interesting evening as most of the people that were had some US Embassy affiliation (CDC, Embassy, Army, USAID etc). It really is a whole new world to be exposed to.

This week we are trying to finish off a proposal with a consultant visiting from Toronto. It has been a bit of a challenge as there are so many different perspectives on what the proposal should be! I think it is quite frustrating for some, but for me it has been a good learning.

The running office joke has been about my inability to cook - after two months I have mastered chicken fried rice, plain pasta (with parmesan cheese) and tomato salad. I am sure I am able to cook more - just haven't tried - it is cheaper and easier to eat out! I really do love the tomatoes and hope I don't get sick of them. If you are reading, and have any easy recipes, please send them my way.

Happy Birthday to E&C today!!!!

odds & ends

Last week things really slowed down - after a week at the ECD workshop & having a Shona here to visit - things seemed slower than they actually were.

My big accomplishments of last week were:

• realizing that much of what I learned at Rotman, especially in my market research class, could be transferred to the work that I am doing here. We are preparing to do a Baseline Evaluation for our programs in Burundi, and as I talked through the process with our Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) officer it dawned on me that it is really just market research in a totally different context! This was a big relief for me, as M&E has been the areas that I felt that I least understood.
• I rode a boda boda!! These are the motor-cycle taxis that fly all around Kampala. They are a bit terrifying to see and up until now I have avoided them at all costs. Friday night, however, I was trying to get from one bar to another and there were no taxis anywhere....walking just didn't seem like a sensible choice as it was nearing 11pm and I was by myself, so I hopped on the boda! I must admit, it was actually kind of fun, but I don't think I will make a habit of using them. (Time will tell, as they really are the most efficient mode of travel barring their safety record!)
• I booked my Christmas adventure - 3-weeks of Overland Travel in a big truck, from Victoria Falls, Zambia through Botswana and Namibia to Cape Town. After reading a whole lot of reviews I finally decided to travel with Intrepid/ Dragoman travel. Fingers crossed I will end up with a good group of people as I will be spending a ton of time with them!

This week, a 4-day week due to a holiday for Eid Celebrations, has once again picked up. Everyone is back in the office after various work trips and there is a ton to be done. I am sensing that the next few weeks will be a bit chaotic - but that is the pace I like to work at:)

Bankrupt for berries

I just found berries - raspberries, blueberries and strawberries....frozen and fresh!!! While this may not seem so exciting, it made my day! There is tons of fruit and veg available here in Kampala but I love berries and had not seen them before. Even though they were crazy expensive I caved an bought frozen blueberries and strawberries (cost around $20) - I am looking forward to a smoothie for breakfast tomorrow!!

Must admit, I was going to buy the fresh ones as well - but when I went to check out the store did not take credit cards and I did not have enough cash for all those berries! Lesson learned - I must carry more cash when heading to the grocery store as I never know what I might come across!

Workshop, visitor & riots

Well the past week may have been the busiest yet! I participated in a workshop on Early Childhood Development, had my first visitor (Shona came from DRC) and spent some time following security reports during the 2 - 3 days of riots!

The ECD workshop was amazing. The participants, a combination of RTP staff/ volunteers, teachers and Ministry of Education staff, were incredibly enthusiastic, warm and friendly. The week involved a lot of group work, playing games, singing and dancing. not like the workshops I am used to! Overall I think that the group really understood the importance of ECD and the week was a big success.

On Tuesday my friend from MTA, Shona arrived. She has been working in DRC for the past year with Save the Children. It was so nice to have a familiar face around and company at home. She is much more adjusted to life here than I am. She found a tailor around the corner from me and for about $3 I had two pairs of jeans patched!!!

The riots really did not affect me much. We first heard a little bit about them on Thursday afternoon while we were at the workshop. Many participants were staying at a hotel near the workshop venue but those that had to travel were quick to leave at the end of the day. On our drive home (we did not have to cross through downtown, where the major issues were) we encountered one burning tire but got through before the road got blocked. I got my first embassy message from the US around 10pm. On Friday morning I received a message from the Canadian Consulate and another from the US warning us to stay inside and to avoid certain parts of town. The workshop carried on without worry.

By the end of day Friday, the sense of alertness had increased. People were concerned but there was no panic. The RTP office did close and from what I gather many other NGOs did as well. We closed the workshop with a BBQ and ceremony but the party did not last long as people rushed to get home before dark. There was virtually no traffic on the way home and we had no problems at all. The Uganda Country Manager kept me up to date on the situation through the day Saturday and advised me where it was safe to go.

By Saturday night all was calm - we were able to go out for dinner and do a bit of a pub tour! There were fewer people out than I was used to seeing but I assume all will return to normal by this weekend.

new apartment, power outages & other updates

It has been a while since my last post (well at least according to my mom!). This is in part due to a lack of internet at the office, since August 28, and various power outages.

Last Tuesday I moved into my new apartment. I am in the same complex, but now in a 2br unit on the 4th floor. I am very happy up here! I decided to celebrate the move with a beer - when I went to buy it (you can buy just one), they asked when I would return the bottle....a new experience.

The work week itself was insanely busy as we tried to finalize all of the country 3 year plans. The regional team all sits together and looks through them projected onto the wall. I have said it before but wow - an immense amount of work goes into those documents. I am slowly but surely starting to pick up on what it is that we look for as we review them. We also reviewed my South Africa plan and it wasn't as far off as I thought it might be.

The weekend was pretty good - went out Friday night, to the gym Saturday morning followed by a mani/pedi and then a ton of watching tennis! I also received my first package from home when some Early Childhood Consultants arrived in Kampala. Thanks for the treats Dad & Care:)

Early Sunday morning the power went out....a good reason to get some more sleep! The outages are funny as at times certain outlets will work. For example, the outlet where I plug in my computer works for most of the day (but not the internet). Around 430 I received full power for about an hour and then it was gone again! Upon waking up this morning....I discovered there was still no power. Not only was there no power but no water!!! Thank goodness for all the wet wipes that I brought and the bottles of water that I had.

After the first day of a 5 day workshop on Early Childhood Education I returned home fairly exhausted to discover there was still no power... except for the odd outlet. Lucky for me that it cam back on about 30 minutes ago and I have my fingers crossed that I will have water tomorrow morning.

Congratulations to Denise & Kevin!! Thanks to Paula for posting some great pics!

Looking forward to my first visitor this week!!! A friend from my MTA days, Shona, who works in DRC will be here for a few days prior to her trip to South Africa:)

Happy Labour day to all!

Mzungu caught in the rain!

Another weekend is coming to a close. The work week finished with the first two days of a three day workshop to complete our NORAD proposal. It was great to meet the country managers from Mozambique and Tanzania, and to learn more about the differences in the RTP programs across countries.

Saturday the weather was amazing - yet I spent most of the day at the office. We reviewed three-year operational plans and were briefed on the recent strategic planning session that the Burundi Ministry of Sport had. After a big team dinner at the Kabira Club I was ready for a night out. All nights seem to end at the Iguana Club, and last night was as entertaining as ever. You really do need to have a sense of humour about things here.

I woke up this morning looking forward to a sunny day and time by the pool only to find a cloud covered sky. By 1130 the sun was peeking through so I grabbed my book and a towel and headed to the pool. It was a good mix of sun and cloud until about 345 when it got quite gloomy out. I decided to try and get home before the rain came. Well, I was not quite quick enough and found myself walking in pouring rain...in a white t-shirt! Luckily I had a solid tank on underneath:) I was the only one walking as everyone else had ducked under shelters - and most of them had a good laugh watching the mzungu caught in the rain, trying not to slip and fall.

so I am a crackberry addict....

Before coming to Uganda I did some research on the major telecoms to ensure that I would be able to get a local service provider for my blackberry. I then spoke to our IT guy to ensure that my BB was unlocked, got permission to take it with me and agreed to pay for my own data plan. Upon arrival I went to get service - and realized that it is not as easy to do as it is at home. There is no such thing as credit card billing and the companies require passport photos, a letter from your employer and a significant deposit if you want post-paid service. (Most people use a pre-paid service and buy scratch cards to add credit to their phone.) I then discovered that my BB was locked! I had a few weeks of panic...that I would have to spend a fortune on a new one...or have to survive without it.

I have since learned that it is quite easy to get it unlocked - you can purchase a code online! Today I went to get my service set up..... it took a visit to the store (a long wait for the driver to return) and then to the head office to get someone that could help me. As it was so late in the day at this point - they were unable to give me my new sim card, but with any luck by tomorrow at this time I will have a Uganda mobile number and data on my BB!!! I am looking forward to being able to text my new friends (everyone lives on sms here) on a full keyboard as opposed to a phone pad!

Some may laugh at my addiction - but as half of my immediate family and many of my friends are also crackberry addicts, it has been a great cheap way to stay in touch! It also provides me email access when the power goes out (which happens more frequently than one might think.)

4 weeks in!

It has been 4-weeks since I left Toronto and I am starting to settle into a routine - gym, work, movies on tv and the occasional night out with new friends. I still need to sort out how to get around when I am not walking or with an RTP driver. I find transport here a little trickier than in Nairobi but I am sure I will figure it out with time.

The first few weeks I was here the weather was perfect but it seems that we have now moved into rainy season which means that today has been spent in my apartment as opposed to being at the pool:( Luckily the rain seems to only last a couple of hours at a time and then the rest of the time the weather is back to being pretty perfect - not too hot but still warm enough to go out in the evening in a tank top and not worry about a sweater!

Work is good. I spent most of last week researching South Africa for background to put in a 3-year operational plan. It is a great learning to try to put it together! Things are about to get very busy with planning meetings and various training sessions over the next few weeks.

I am looking forward to switching apartments next week and getting fully unpacked, finally!

So far no more cockroach sightings....just ants but not too many.

Storm

I am sitting at the office, completely distracted, by the awesome storm outside. I have only seen storms like this a few times in my life and I think my office mates have been amused by my reaction! The trees look like they are blowing perpendicular! I will have to get my flashlight out when I get home so I am prepared for the inevitable power outage.

Good news from Em today - she received her MCAT scores and is very happy with them! All her hard work is paying off.

Birthday Celebrations

In an effort to avoid moping on my birthday I put together a series of events to keep busy.

Friday night I met some new friends for dinner and discovered the horror of Kampala traffic. I had experienced rush hour traffic my first week there, but at that time the bodas (motorbike taxis) were still getting through. Friday night I got stuck in gridlock, cars were turned off and no one was getting anywhere. I was incredibly frustrated and the thought of going home occurred more than one - I did however realize that might take even longer. Luckily I stuck it out and arrived only shortly after the group I meeting. I had an unbelievable steak, cooked just the way I like it, with a variety of sides. Not only was the meal great - but dinner, a bottle of water and 2 beers only cost $12!!!

Saturday kicked off with various birthday greetings - Thank you. Mid-morning I headed to the Kabira Club for a great work out. They have a lot of equipment circa 1995 from Italy, including a row machine that lets you race the computer....I anything involving competition keeps me excited about my workout. After a quick lunch I headed to the new spa that opened near me and had a pedicure. The spa meets all the standards of ones at home at a fraction of the cost. I will definitely be visiting it often. My fellow ex-pat co-workers Rudaba (from Bangladesh), Juliana (from Ghana) and Thomas (from Norway) took me out for a great dinner at a Turkish restaurant - that looks to be a great pub to visit too!

Overall it was a good celebration - while maybe not as memorable as my 30th on Kilimanjaro - it was another East African Celebration which in itself makes it special.

Malaria Free!!

After feeling a little un-well this week my very insistent boss had me go for a malaria test. I went to a lab in a little hospital, they ran some quick tests and for around $7 I was able to return to the office with evidence that I am Malaria free!!

The lesson of this is that when feeling un-well people assume the worst until proven otherwise and the proof is simple to get.

Nothing else too exciting to report. Most of the week has been spent reading 3-year operational plans for the countries in the region - an incredible amount of thought and work goes into the plans and so far they are proving to be a great way for me to learn.

good weekend, unpleasant Monday morning surprise

This morning I had my first Kampala cockroach encounter.... not a pleasant one. The roach came scurrying out of a cupboard in my room. (It was close to the size of my thumb.) I think we both froze when we saw each other. I screamed a little and then sat on my bed staring it down, trying to figure out what to do. I had naively thought that since my apartment is cleaned everyday that I would be spared these moments. When I eventually approached it, with a shoe in hand, it scurried towards my suitcases (that are not completely unpacked yet) so I had to cut it off by spraying it with cleaning spray. It then started up my fan (yes they can climb) and I was finally able to whack it with my shoe. When it hit the ground I sprayed it a little more for good measure and then left it there. I am hoping they will see it and then spray my apartment today! I have my fingers crossed that when I move to the fourth floor at the end of the month, I will have no more critters.

Other than that it was a good weekend. I went out with a friend of a friend on Friday night and then spent yesterday lounging by the pool at the country club.

Thanks to Jules and TJ for being so prompt in posting pictures from the weekend - Congratulations Tara and Ryan!

Cash is King...

...Credit Card users beware!!

Over the past few years I have become completely accustomed to using plastic for all of my purchases and have been known to have no cash at all. Well that is about to change!

I knew that I wouldn't be able to use debit for purchases but was hoping to use my credit card for major purchases, phone service etc. and then I would just pay it online. This way I would avoid the horrendous $5 fee every time I take out money. I have quickly discovered that only very few places accept credit cards, and those that do may charge a service fee or a horrendous exchange rate.

Take for example my new gym membership - I paid for a year up front - the price is advertised in USD and I had to pay a 5% surcharge. I didn't pay too much attention to the transaction, figuring they would use the standard exchange that I had heard elsewhere ($1USD=2000UGX). Needless to say I was a little surprised when I looked at the transaction record online. They use their own rate which made my membership cost around $140USD more!!! I will have to make good use of the Country Club now!!

So my lesson learned this week is that things just don't work the way I am used to and I am going to have to adjust to living in a cash-based society!

Joining the Country Club

Yesterday I joined the Kabira Country Club - never thought I would say I was joining a Country Club! I had my first work out in the open air gym and the power went out three times while I was on the eliptical! Makes it a little tricky to track the time. Overall the place is quite nice and has a great swimming pool.

This week will be about getting more familiar with the surroundings and trying to figure work out.

A good beginning

After the plane problems leaving Toronto, I arrived in Kampala on Tuesday evening, 24 hours late. Luckily all of my luggage arrived with me. I was picked up at the airport and then greeted at my apartment by my new boss. The place is ok, but I have not had a moment to settle in and really decide. I think I will try to move up from the ground floor.

Early Wednesday we started our 4-day field visit. The purpose of the visit was filming for a Frank Marshall documentary on Johann and RTP that is being created as part of ESPN's 30 for 30. We kicked the morning off with a press conference, followed by a visit to the UNHCR office. In the afternoon we visited two RTP projects in the Kampala area. What was most striking to me was the sound of song and joy from the children and then the leadership and ability of the junior leaders.

On Thursday morning we visited The Hope Clinic - a medical clinic for a community where RTP had programs - and some other children. Then we headed for a meeting with the Vice President of Kampala! We visited his summer home on Lake Victoria and were kept waiting for about 2 hours....I guess when you are a head of state you can keep people waiting? We had a good meeting with him, sitting outside and he seemed very committed to helping RTP and taking a lead in the Sport for Development & Peace movement:) From that excitement we headed on our long journey to Mbararra.

I am not quite sure how to accurately describe Friday. In the morning we headed to the Ourichinga Refugee Settlement. We received a wonderful welcome from the children. These refugees have been in Uganda for a long time, and some have recently been resettled in Rwanda. The majority of the children that were participating in our programs were born in Uganda. The very young children were very curious about us Mzungus (white people) but also went around their own business with the games. They were very strong at describing what they learned from each game.

We then met with the volunteer association that was formed in 2007 when RTP had to cut back some of the programming in the region. They wanted to ensure that they could still help the children. Some of the volunteers had been with RTP since 2001!!!!

The next stop was a temporary school set up by Save the Children in Nakivale Refugee Camp. Most of these children were recent arrivals and those not directly involved in the games followed the Mzungus around. They all wanted to touch us. I had one little girl poke at my finger tips and pinch me to see what would happen to my colour. The games here were great as they really provided the children an opportunity to relax, learn and communicate through song. In some game circles that I participated in there were at least 6 languages being spoken and the coach was able to communicate with them all. At this location, I felt that there was an almost desperate quality from the children and hopefully once RTP has been there a little longer this will be alleviated.

We visited one final school that was also running programs. What struck me here was seeing the Muslim girls running and skipping and smiling. They were very bubbly and once within about 10 minutes they felt very comfortable with us - even asking if they could be in a picture with me and asking my name and age. When I gave my name, one girl said she knew it from 'Prison Break"! I asked if she watched anything else but she didn't. I was a little surprised to say the least.

The final stop of the day was at the Refugee Reception Centre, where new refugees stay until they can be settled. This was the most difficult stop of the day. Many of the families that I spoke to, in broken french, had been staying at the centre for close to 3 months. While the conditions were hard to see and the people really crowded around us (to the point that I was verging on discomfort), it was an eye-opening experience that I was glad to have.

All in all, the visits to these camps really let me see the power of what we do, and helped me get over some of the anxiety I have about spending a year here.

Saturday we returned to Kampala, had a meeting with the regional staff and then a farewell dinner before Johann, Frank and Mike returned to their homes. I spent today with Joan, the ESPN VP in charge of 30 for 30, and we visited Ngamba Island to see the Chimpanzee Sanctuary.

Now it will be time to figure out what day to day life will be. I am expecting a lot of hard work and many long days. The staff here are incredibly passionate about what we do. I am sure that I will learn a lot from them.

Sorry for the length of the post - it was quite a week! I will do my best to keep them shorter from now on:)

The internet is quite slow and I am unable to post pictures here....but click here to see some that I have posted to facebook http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=291610&id=651065693&l=1d3100867e