Nearly 3 weeks in Uganda!! Me and Naomi have now attended church-which was unfortunately similar to how i find church in england-except we couldn't understand a word that was being said-it lasted for an hour and a half-it was ridiculously hot and we we were sat on not the most comfortable of wooden benches! So we avoided church this last weekend-although religion is difficult to avoid here in Uganda, with prayers before every meal and the children at school thanking God for rain etc. I was asked to draw Jesus for one of the girls at school today-which I did rather nicely I think! I have been teaching Maths for 2 weeks now, I teach 4 doubles a week which last 1h20, I really enjoy teaching and mraking books is great at filling in the long school days. If probability and algebra is boring the kids we play a cheeky game of Splat or Simon Says which goes down a treat. I have also been teaching Maths to Primary 7, which is really good fun and they LOVE playing games (mathematical games of course!)
At the weekends we also go to school for a few hours and spend most of our time singing very publicly. We have been to sunday school and taught the promary children 'the grand old duke of york' and 'the okey kokey' then last weekend we had to teach the children christmas carols-an interesting choice for mid september!
In our room we have had an array of rats and lizards, but andrews small cats have now eradicated our rat problem and the lizard was a one off-i now have no sleeping problems, naomi on the other hand gets to listen to me mumbling along in my sleep, which occurs most nights thanks to my malaria tablets. last night i started listing african countries and then proceeded to tell her that 'we should camp by the river' followed by 'fine, dont listen to me naomi'! i would like to add that my dreams also differ from what i say-its all very strange! Neither of us have been veyr ill yet (touch wood) although i did get a bite on my leg, that swelled up like a wasp sting for 4 days, was raised, bright red, itchy and very hot, it then went purply and is not like a hand sized pink mark on my leg-thank god it wasnt on my face!!
We also got to go on a school trip and starting at the delightfully early time of 4am we spent the day travelling all the way to Kasese and back, visiting a cement factory, the kings palace, a big church, some copper mines in mount rwenzori and mountains of the moon university. we also experienced the chaotic uganda roads and the crazy 'taxi' drivers, ours of which beeped at everything and anyone-we think he had small man syndrome! We also got a treat of chocolate!! We had a Mars bar and a bar of Cadburys each :)
So, how am I feeling? I get highs and lows-as to be expected, which you get at home anyway, its just that in Uganda I can't go and eat a load of cake and ice cream and make myself feel better and of course be with my lovely family and friends! :) The main thing I find difficult is the Ugandan culture of not being alone-I have been asked several times why I spend time sitting alone-and I have barely sat alone compared to what I would like to! Oh well, I try to explain to people that is a good way to relax and think-to which one teacher replied 'but don't you overthink and get very stressed'?! Ugandans don't understand enjoying ones own company-which I usually very much do! Thats all for now....
Thankyou for the comments-they are lovely to read :) x