Fried Grasshoppers!!

First let me clarify what is going on with the typhoid. I guess the reason we all tested positive for typhoid is because the immunization we all got before we came is still fighting that bacteria in our body so it shows positive in our blood tests. So actually none of us had typhoid! haha. It was fun while it lasted I guess. ;)
I spent a majority of my time this week at meetings for teacher trainings. A group came from Kenya to teach their curriculum to try to start it in Uganda. Dani, a volunteer here, her parents work a lot with this group back in America. We went to the trainings so that we can start going around to different schools and training the teachers. One of the things they do is teach the children through music and dance. I loved this! I can really see how children can learn more if you put something into a song and dance. It not only helps with making learning easier, but it creates group unity and when the teachers do these activities with them it puts the teacher more at the level of the students creating a closer relationship between them. I wish you could all be involved in these songs and dances. They are so fun! Anyways, Dani and I are going to be going around to schools in the area to do teacher trainings and teach them the music and dance method.
While we were attending these trainings, they fed us an amazing lunch each day. During this time I met a kid named Ishmel. He informed me that he has always wanted to try an American sandwich. So we made a trade. I am all for trying foods of the culture and fried grasshoppers are a big thing here. I brought him a PB&J and he brought me grasshoppers. It kind of creeped me out seeing their eyes before I ate them, but it actually was not too bad. It kind of tasted like a potato chip! But I still thing Ishmel got the better end of the deal!
Our friend Luta performs every friday night doing a comedy act at a local club. We thought we would go watch him and experience some of the Ugandan night life. Turns out that a Ugandan comedy show is bad lip sinking. These group of guys kept coming out all thugged out and pretty much just help up a microphone to their mouths and danced on stage. I guess it was funny? Then it kind of turned into a strip show when this girl came out with practicaly nothing on and starting dancing to Celine Deon and giving lap dances to the guys next to us. We of course got front row seats because we are white so we got to see it all! Yeah... it got kind of uncomfortable and we were about to leave when Luta finally came out dressed like a pot belly farmer. His dances were hilarious! He was the hit of the show! People come up to the performers they like and give them money. Luta made the most money of everyone that night. Another good cultural experience I suppose.
Its crazy to think that I have been here five weeks already and I only have five more weeks left! The rest of my schedule is jam packed up until I leave which is going to make the time fly! Lugazi feels like another home to me and I can't imagine myself being anywhere else right now.

Oh typhoid...

This week has been interesting. I dont know what other word to use to describe it. So we had four people in the house get malaria and when Becca came back having both malaria and typhoid we decided it would be a good idea for everyone in the house to get tested. It turns out that about 12 people in the house have typhoid! I'm one of those lucky ones! But it seems really weird to me because the only sickness I have felt since I have been here is a couple nights and days of stomach pains. Other than that I have felt fine. The only other thing that could possibly be a result of typhoid is that my body is tired most of the time. Anyways, I'm taking pills for it and it will be gone in no time. The doctor said its just from the food that we buy in the markets or on the streets or possibly the water that we wash in. Either or, it's nothing to worry about.
So other than a houseful of typhoid and malaria patients, life has been good. Projects are still going and new ones are being made each week. We were able to celebrate a Ugandan Christain holiday on Wednesday. It was Martyrs day. What they people do is walk long distances to a meeting point and have a day full of celbrations, speeches, and music. To join in with the culture, some of us decided to pioneer with them. We were told it would be a 45 minute walk from Mukono to the meeting destination. So we took a taxi from Lugazi to Mukono and starting walking.... and walking.... and walking. The place never came! So we started asking people how much further it was and they said that it was going to be another two hour walk. Haha. Some people at that point took bodas (personal taxis) to the place, but a few of us stuck out the walk. We ended up walking about ten miles to this place and to top it all off, the last part of the walk it started pouring rain and we got soaked from head to toe! It was quite the experience. I'm glad I finished the walk even though my poor feet got a little thrashed from it. My feet are going to be in poor shape after this summer is over!
I consider our cook, Mary, as my African mother. She is the sweetest lady you will ever meet! I have grown to love her so much and I wish I could take her and her family home with me. She is such an amazing woman. She is from Sudan and her husband is still up there fighting in the war. She and her two daughters are staying here in Lugazi while the chaos is going on up in Sudan. I have got to know her more through helping her cook when I can and she just amazes me every time I talk with her. I love coming home to her welcoming smile and laugh. That sounds cheesy, but its true! But she received bad news on Friday that the woman who raised her died that morning. Mary lost both her parents when she was young. I have never seen her cry before, and it broke my heart to see her in pain. She is taking a bus up to Sudan for the funeral. I pray that she is safe and ask that your prayers be with her as well. The world needs more people like Mary.
I can't believe how each week flys by here. We already have our first wave people heading home next week and new people are coming this week. Looking back, the month of May seems a blur. It reminds me that I need to take advantage of all the oportunities that I am given here. This is such a small part of my life, but one that I am going to remember the rest of my life.

This is a pretty good picture of my new African hair. It's soooo long and thick! I feel so African! ;)

This is me with little Obama. He is the cutest!

I'm even starting to look African!

Well... I spoke too soon on my last blog... I got sick the day after I said that I wouldnt get sick the whole time that I'm here! It was only a 24 hour thing, but it sucked staying in bed all day! It's no fun being sick and it's even worse being sick in Africa. But its all good now, I'm back up and running. Speaking of running, I wish I would have brought my running shoes because some people ran a half marathon along the Nile yesterday that I would have loved to do. They said it was so beautiful! I am getting so out of shape except for all the walking I do each day. But I miss having a gym to go to.
The power has been going out a lot this week because of the weather. It was out yesterday when I usually update my blog. It rains like crazy here!! In fact, it rained so much yesterday that part of the brick and cement wall around our house erroded from the ground being too soft. So our gaurd had to work extra hard las night because as of now people can just walk into our yard.
I have African hair!! No, it's not a black girl fro... but it will do I guess. I spent six hours on Friday getting my hair braided. I got dark brown extensions and had them braided in with my hair so the blonde mixed in with the brown makes a cool design. My hair has never been so thick and long! Its half way down my back and I cant even grip all my hair in one hand! It's so heavy! Haha. But it looks awesome!
We went to Kampala yesterday, the capital of Uganda. It was nice spending a day in the city. We had some amazing Indian food, went and watch Angels and Demons in the theatre, and shopped for anything that looked somewhat like American food. The movie was really nice, it was like being back in the states for a few hours. It's funny how things switch up here, I spent very little money back home on food, but here... I spend a lot on food when I leave Lugazi! There is not much of a selection in Lugazi. Good thing food is pretty cheap in Uganda.
As for the work, things are going pretty well. We found another womens group to work with. They really want business training most of all. I am going to work a little bit with youth ourtreach this week and we have a couple ESL classes set up as well. I am volunteering with the LDS church this weekend to work at an immunization clinic. So that should be good. The work is getting more prosperous as we go along and its crazy how time is flying by.