Uganda Routine, Chickens as a sign of Respect & Friendship, Bountiful Blessings from USA

Uganda Routine

I am fully settled in at my site. My 3 room home is really comfortable and I am enjoying so much time with myself. I hope I won’t be too boring after all this down time. My days are busy – during the week I rise at 6 have a Starbucks Via and am outside turning on the drip irrigation at 6:30 and then watering my little vegetable garden – since it’s the dry season there is never any rain and it’s hot and sunny all day. Watering requires me to carry 2 5-gallon watering cans back & forth for almost 45 minutes each morning and evening. I estimate I carry 20-24 cans twice a day. So – to my friend Jen, the Goddess of Fitness, my arms are getting very strong.

I try to get to the internet at 7:45 which entails carrying my computer close to the main road to pick up a signal, and am at work by 8. (No internet in my office-BUMMER) Then I work in an office with our accountant and the school director – mostly giving advice and trying to keep the team organized and thinking strategically. I make lots of lists and review them all the time.  I also help them with proposals and grant applications. I share Microsoft Office tips and try to help them increase their productivity. I also spend time coaching the Director on leadership skills and management issues. The group is nice and appreciates my input.

Since I live on the school grounds, I walk home for lunch – almost always a blend of Ugandan Chapati (flat fried bread) – and something from America. I usually read for ½ and hour and then it’s back to the office. I generally leave around 5:30 and get on the internet again and frequently skype the hubby, and then walk to my house and change into my garden clothes. I again run the drip irrigation system and water my vegetables. Around 7pm I bath and then come inside to cook dinner. I have fresh milk every day from our school cows. I must boil it and have become quite addicted to my warm milk with cinnamon before bedtime. I usually save a little for my coffee in the am.

Weekends are filled with chores: clothes washing, weeding, cleaning house and more rigorous garden work. I also go to town when I need to, but have now enlisted my co-workers into shopping for me, so I can skip the bike ride to Gulu Town most weekends. This does mean I don’t have a lot of interaction with non-Ugandans. But so far this has been OK. I do have a week-long training in March with my Peace Corps class – and I am looking forward to that.

Chickens

Seems Chickens are a very popular way to tell someone you respect them and appreciate their friendship. Twice this week I have had to explain that I really don’t want a live chicken, and I would rather they kill it and cook it, and then share the meal with me. One woman said she understands that I don’t know what to do with a live chicken, so she wants to give me a sack of charcoal. Since I use a gas stove,  I also had to turn down this generous gift. SO I am hoping that I have not insulted anyone. I assume they think I am a strange and weak American and give me some slack for my lack of chicken slaughtering skills.

Bountiful Blessings

So far I have received 25 packages and 28 hand written letters since October. I doubt there is another person in the history of Peace Corps who has received more in just 3.5 months at site. I am actually now embarrassed to bring home another package from the post office.  The cost of mailing me one package is equal to the monthly salaries of our 3 farm attendants combined. This doesn’t even count the value of the contents inside. So while I am enjoying tuna, dried fruit, M&Ms, short bread cookies, Crystal Light, iced tea, Almond Roca, etc; my co-workers are eating posho (a white starchy concoction) and beans and drinking water. I burn all the packages and wrappers to hide the evidence. To be fair, I do share some of my gifts – the candies, cookies, drink mixes, etc. but I am still slightly bothered by my immense food supply. My wealth overwhelms me at times!

The message to you is please don’t send me anything else….unless I beg J I have more than enough to last a year or two.

The message to me is I am the most blessed and supported Peace Corps volunteer in the history of the organization. 

In Acholi I say – Apwoyo Matek! (Thank you very much!)