Profile
Blog
Photos
Videos
Still can't believe its November - it should be cold not hot!! Time passing is strange here as it gets dark and light the same time everyday and there is little evidence of there being any seasons. The last couple of weeks have been really busy in many ways. I was ill for quite some time which meant having to go spend a night in Kampala to be near the hospital. Two courses of antibiotics later and it still hasn't completely cleared up but I'm a lot better. I have also started a secondary project in the evenings. I was finding that I was having too much time to fell homesick as in our new home we have our water fetched for us and our meals cooked for us. Any attempt at helping was turned down as our status as teachers, "this was not your job". I find this really difficult as I don't like to be waited on and help more at home then I do here. As we weren't helping there were many hours to kill and so I have started to go along to a Childrens Health Education and Rehabilitation Unit (Acheeru). They have places for 30 children but have many more and so many have to sleep on the floor. A lot of them have cleft pallets, burns, osteomalitus, rickets, bow legs and various other problems,. At the centre I spend several hours during the evenings playing with the children, helping them keep up wit schoolwork and I also spend a lot of time with the mothers too- helping them prepare food and things. At the weekends and during school holidays I'll be going round with the nurses to help with dressings. I'm really enjoying volunteering there. I've had my hair done in various styles by mothers and thei daughters - they can't get over my hair! I've had a go at African drumming, shelled beans for over 60 people and been taught a tribal language called Laangu which is really difficult as it has different pitches as well as words. I'm finding working there has also really helped my Luganda. A lot of them hae no to little English and so I've had to use Luganda. My pupils at school are also helping me learn.
School is going well and we have end of term exams in two weeks time. The pupils are currently going through a faze of writing letters to me and also to my Mum- haven't quite worked out were this has come from (Mum I'll send them soon they're quite entertaining!)
Other than that I have started a reading club at school and am hoping to start rehearsals for a nativity play next week.
Planning for our six weeks off at Christmas has begun- I'm hoping to spend it at Acheeru and am visiting the district health board soon to get permission to get work experience at the local health clinic.
Will hopefully upload another blog soonish but unitl then...
Mweraba!
- comments
Catherine Eunson Hi Fern, Really interesting to hear about what you are doing in Uganda! Thanks for letting us know how you are getting on! Catherine Moragmama xx
Hilary Bennison Thanks to Bryan for facebooking the link to your blog Fern. Its fascinating to read of your Ugandan adventures anddifferent lifestyle! You are doing so well and I am glad to hear you are well again now- sounds like you need lots of energy for everything you are doing! Love and best wishes for it all, Hilary Bennison (and licks and jumps from Max dog!)