Embassy Visit and Kampala

Today I had to meet one of our UCU drivers, Moses and Dr. Watuulo to go to my embassy appointment to apply for my visa and meet up with all of the state department people supervising my position. We met at 6:30, but my appointment wasn't until 9. It usually takes about an hour and a half to get to the embassy, but because of the traffic and my first time there with security, Dr. Watuulo suggested we leave early. I had a meeting scheduled with the people in charge of maintaining English language programs in Uganda and a briefing with the security team. I am so lucky to work with awesome, supportive people at the state department and I look forward to utilizing lots of funds! The embassy feels like a prison and I was not a fan. It felt so far removed from Uganda, almost like a little America, but I know that the staff does goes out into the community a lot.  The security briefing was a bit scary, but most of the things were common sense. Kampala is a critical area for theft and crime, which is the highest rating the security team gives a city. Because there are so many people and cars, a lot of theft happens while sitting in traffic. So, I just need to keep my valuables away from the window and try to keep the windows rolled up. I am not really a fan of the city because it is way, way too busy and I feel exposed. I have to be hyper vigilant about someone snatching my things and I don't enjoy it. Some people on campus go really often to Kampala because there are a lot more resources, but I'm okay with staying in Mukono. Maybe I will change my mind as time goes on, but for now I am only going to go when necessary. Campus feels much safer to me.

It is comforting to know that there is an emergency number that I can call to report anything and the Marines will come running. The security officer encouraged me to call them about anything and everything, even if it's little. They said things often escalate before people tell them and then they arrive after the fact. They are very serious about protecting my safety because that is the reason they are here in Uganda.


 I grabbed this pic off the internet because I didn't want to take pictures, but this is basically what it looked like yesterday. The embassy "forbids" us to ride in these van-like taxis and boda bodas (which are motocycles). Because the taxis are so crowded, many Americans have compromised their security by being stuck in one. The boda bodas are just downright dangerous and they get into a lot of accidents.

I also got my boxes that I mailed a few weeks ago. I am still waiting for 2 more, but at least these have arrived so I can start planning my classes. They were a little beat up, but everything arrived fine. I am so thankful that I have the means to buy office supplies for the Languages and Literature department as well as donate textbooks. Joe game me a lot of books too! If you have an interest in donating supplies, especially teaching materials, please let me know. It's cheap to send through the mail because they go media rate to the embassy. It's a pain getting them to campus, but so worth it. My department has very few textbooks.


 
After my embassy visit, we headed to the Orange store to get my modem and SIM card. Orange seems to be the main cell phone provider here in Uganda. There are others as well, but Orange is the largest. I had already gone to a local place and another store in Kampala, but they didn't have a SIM card to fit my iphone 5. We had to go to the headquarters in downtown Kampala. They did not have a nano SIM, so they cut one to fit my phone. I was concerned, but it worked perfectly. The modem, however, was a pain in the neck. They worked for three hours on my Mac and finally got it to work. It seems that most people have a PC here, so experience with a Mac is limited. Nevertheless, I am connected and back to the land of the living!

This little thing is what gives me internet!

I came back home and crashed for a few hours, then made dinner. The stove that I have is fantastic, but the lighting situation can be tricky because the matches here are plastic and very short. Oh well, I just need to suck it up! I made some pasta with mincemeat (beef) and veggies. It was absolutely delicious. I have been eating a lot of Ugandan food, but it is nice to have something familiar. I did go to a huge grocery store yesterday, but there was literally nothing packaged that I recognized. I will post some pics of stuff I bought later. When in Rome...

My Home

I must say that life here is very posh and must more comfortable than I expected. Don't tell the other Fellows in Africa, because I think I hit the jackpot here in Uganda. I have a two bedroom apartment at the end of campus. This is good because it is away from the main traffic, but bad because I have to walk a bit to get to my classes. I guess that is also a good thing! My apartment came partially furnished with some food.

 This is my bedroom. The bed is made here on campus and the cover on top is comfortable and very soft. The mattress is very hard, but I think it is good for my back. I am trying to get used to sleeping under a net, but I feel like I am in prison every night. I know the net is up for this picture, but I keep it down "full time" according to the advice from one of our IT staff.

This is my living room. I have two loveseats and a chair. My favorite part of this room is the pictures from home and the wooden coffee table.

Bringing pictures was a very good idea as you can see! I am so thankful to everyone for giving me pictures and frames. I still need to hang a few, but I am excited to be surrounded by my loved ones.

 Sorry for the stuff on the chair. Things seem to accumulate in my living room because that is where I have the most furniture.

This is my kitchen. I have a brand new refrigerator and stove. The stove is gas, of course and works really well. I have not explored the oven yet and it might be an interesting experiment since there is no temperature gauge.

 This is my bathroom. Sorry for the flipped pics, but I can't get them right side up. Notice the drain in the corner for my shower, which you can see in the next picture.

 Yes, that is a towel over my window. I should get a shower curtain rod and a curtain soon. Water pressure really sucks, but I have hot water!

This guy was outside of my front door. Roosters usually wake me up before my alarm, which reminds me of my time in Puerto Rico.

 This is my front yard. I am very lucky to have such an awesome area to wake up to every morning. When I came home the other night, it was dark and I had to use a flashlight to see the sidewalk and door lock. When I shined the flashlight on that cement part, there was a large black money sitting looking at me. I nearly had a heart attack. I will try to get some pics of the monkeys soon.

This is the front part of tech park, where my apartment is located.

Another picture of my kitchen.

 This is outside of my apartment.

 My apartment: T4.

 Another outside of the apartment.

 And again. Sorry, just trying to give you a view of my little oasis. This gives you a better view of the blocks of apartments. I think there are eight two bedroom apartments.

 Plants outside my apartment.

 Tech Park

My backyard - which I am avoiding until I am brave enough to sit outside with the snakes and mosquitoes!

 My water heater :)
I not only have a water heater, but we also have a generator on campus which kicks on within minutes when the electricity goes off. This means I have hot water all of the time!

 I am not sure what type of birds these are, but I thought they were cute.

Door leading to my little outside area. That sink is my washing machine, lol. Those are clotheslines hanging in front of my door. The little door is to my gas tank - notice the lock on the wooden door.

I guess that is all for now. Many more pictures to come! Hope you are all doing well!

Travel Days!

Hi Everyone! Yes, I did title this blog post travel days because I am traveling for several days to get to Africa. 8,000 is a LONG way! I started out my day with a run in Francis Park. This is one of my favorite parks and it is just a half of a mile from my house. After my run, I had breakfast with Joe and Jenn. Joe made baked french toast and an amazing quiche! It was absolutely delicious.

Then, I headed to my sister's house because my parents planned on meeting me there to take my car. I am going to store my car at their house over the next year. I was able to hold baby Ella for a while and then mom and dad took me to the airport. Two of my three bags were overweight, but the guy was really nice and let them slide. I did have to pay $200 for the third bag, but I expected that because I took excess baggage. As I was saying goodbye to my parents in the security area, my mom got a bit teary eyed. I had really done well with goodbyes thus far, but seeing my mom and dad cry is not easy. I am definitely a sympathetic crier. Security went fine and my first flight this morning to Detroit went off without a hitch. The plane was really tiny and very full, but I had an exit row, so that flight was enjoyable.

The flight from Detroit to Amsterdam was less than enjoyable. I was seated next to a crying two year old, but the personal tvs helped to drawn him out. Actually, I met a really nice family from India who are now living in the states, but were going to Europe for vacation. I also met an American girl who was visiting her boyfriend and his family in Amsterdam. Everyone is really nice. I mean to take a picture of the food, but I forgot.

This is the plane I am taking to Amsterdam.

Right now, I am sitting in the airport in Amsterdam waiting for my next leg. I bought a cute keychain and water because there are no water fountains here. I thought it was interesting that the shop asked me for my boarding pass before I could make my purchase. Apparently that charges the right tax, or something. My new credit card with the chip works so I was excited about that.

There are some slight differences that I noticed throughout my time here at the airport.
1. You must present your boarding document before buying something in any of the shops.
2. Water is very expensive and there are no water fountains.
3. Money must be placed in a little plate when paying for something, not in the person's hand.
4. There are no lids on toilets.
5. Faucets are turned on from left to right instead of up and down.
6. Many, many women cover their heads in all different ways.
7. People carry their carry-on luggage on these little shopping card deals.
8. When using wifi in another country, the webpage appears in the language of the country.
9. Secondary screening takes place inside the terminal at the gate where you have to remove all liquids that you just bought in the airport to enjoy. Then, you go into a glass cage and wait to board.
10. "to go" is "to take away"

The food on the KLM flight was delicious and came often. They also offered free drinks at any time. I really think this was a premier airline.

It is Wednesday and I just got wifi, so I am updating my blog to finish up the travel information. I arrived in Kampala with no issues. I collected all of my belongings and headed to immigration. I sat in a row with a Ugandan university student who showed me the way. She was really friendly and excited for me and my experience.  I had to fill out an immigration form, but it was a very painless process. The immigration officer just asked me how long I was going to be here and then fingerprinted me.

I collected all of my luggage and headed to the exit. I was so excited to see my luggage because I lose my luggage quite often. On my way out, I was able to exchange money successfully. $1 = shs2600, so the denominations are astronomical.

I found my driver and headed to the university. The first night I stayed in the guest house, which was very comfortable. I moved into my apartment the next day. I will post pictures of the apartment soon.

Preparations Almost Complete

I can hardly believe the time for me to depart is almost here! I have been preparing for this journey for nearly eight months and now, it is here! As I have been packing over the past couple of weeks, I am constantly asking myself, "Do I need this and why?" Although I am taking three bags, two carry-ons, and have shipped five boxes, I am still struggling to weed out the things I don't need. Why do I need so much stuff?

I am lucky that I get to take two bags for free, but the third is $200 - I guess this is why there is a shipping allowance for the fellowship. I am glad I get to take a lot on the airplane, but I have the worst luck on flights. I am often placed by crying babies and my luggage has been lost in several countries more times than I can count. I often have delayed and canceled flights. So, I am quite sure that (a) my luggage will be lost and (b) one or more of my flights will be canceled/delayed. I also found out that I have to collect my luggage at the airport in Amsterdam to go through customs and then put it back through security. That will be a lot of fun with five pieces of luggage.

I also had the opportunity this week to visit my school, students, and teachers. I think I work in the best school in America. I'm serious. I work in a supportive environment that allows me to do the right thing for kids. I really enjoyed seeing so many people I have not seen since we left for the summer back in June. As I walked into school, I felt that familiar excitement to a new school year. After about five minutes, the school was involved in a fire drill, which was a blessing in disguise because it allowed me to see more kids than I had anticipated. My eighth grade girls attacked me as we hugged and walked outside to escape the "burning" building. They knew I was going to be gone this year, but we have been working together for two years, so it was great to see them. My students are so relational and they want me to be involved in every aspect of their life. I have been to quinceaneras (15 year-old birthday parties - similar to weddings), baptisms, various birthday parties, games, and other performances. We are bonded together for life. Middle school is an impressionable time in adolescent development and often our students come back to visit us. I know the incredible responsibility I have to model what my student should strive to be when they grow up. It is an overwhelming honor to work with amazing people and students every day.

I am not sure you can see the numbers in this article from the St. Louis Post Dispatch, but this appeared in the paper on 8/23 in bold print, taking up nearly three fourths of the front page. I knew test results were coming, but I didn't realize it would be so visual and so blatant. We scored a 71.8%, nearly at the bottom. 70% would be provisionally accredited. I know the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) has put a new system in place that measures test scores, attendance, graduation rate, college/career readiness, etc., but I just feel this is unfair. We are a great district. We have the best kids in the state. We have incredible teachers who work many hours and use every new resource given to them. I wish DESE could see what we do on a daily basis because it is life-changing.

I worked out in my last boxing class this week and will really miss boxing. I have boxed three times a week for most of the summer and have been boxing for about a year. Boxing really works all of your body, but especially your arms and core. I feel stronger and more confident. Working so hard together really bonds people and I will truly miss my boxing class. They are real, wonderful people who are just trying to stay fit. Our ring master is Joe and he is amazingly supportive. He works hard to make everyone feel comfortable no matter their fitness level.

I did buy these focus mitts and I am hoping that I will find someone to practice with me, if I can fit them in my bag. I think it is really important to stay healthy and fit, especially when in another country. I have worked really hard to get down to this size and I don't want to lose my endurance.




As I head into my last day, I am going to enjoy it with family and friends. I am looking forward to eating my favorite meal (chip chops, mashed potatoes with gravy, green beans, and chocolate cake) with my family and just relaxing. I also need to get a run in sometime before I leave. Regardless, I am going to enjoy these last 24 hours before starting my journey.

Blessed Beyond My Share

I have always believed that somehow I have been blessed beyond my share. With the exception of divorce, I have never had anything bad happen to me. I have never had a close friend or family member die tragically. I've never been without a job or homeless. I have always had a car and been financially independent. I've never been sick (well, except the blood clot) or had surgery. I have been able to go to a great school and obtain several degrees. I have been able to travel the world. Yes, I am blessed WAY beyond my share. I often wonder why and sometimes feel guilty from all of the blessings I have received. I was reminded of how blessed I am during my going away party last night.

My best friends decided to throw a party for me so that I could spend some time with everyone and say my farewells. We bought lots of fun food and drink at Costco and we readied the deck! We absolutely love our deck because it is party friendly and it just go refinished and stained, so it looks extra good now!

The flowers on our deck really look great. The picture of the pink flowers is from my balcony. Yes, I have a balcony. After all, I do live with two guys, so I must have the queen's quarters!

The red flowers were from Costco, but we thought they looked "African."

 People came with lots of fun and very thoughtful gifts. This is my friend Jaimie who brought me flowers inspired by our district colors. It has been a long time since I have received flowers, so I really felt special and loved. She is our RNEA President and such a great, supportive friend and amazing teacher.













This is what happens with I give the camera to Jennifer and ask her to take pictures.  I know, it is sick how happy and perfect they are right now. Mike almost looks like he is eating Jennifer's face. Oh well, they did just get married about a month ago.

This gift was from Craig and Jenifer. They gave me a shadow box pic of them and a luggage tag. I am using both. I am so thankful for their friendship, advice, and example of a real marriage.

This gift was from Laura and Steve. Laura teaches in my building just down the hall from me and was our RNEA President. She is working on her doctorate and is an amazing example of a caring, supportive co-worker.

 This gift was from my friend Marci. I am sad that I did not get a picture with Marci. I meant to take pictures with everyone and I just go wrapped up in talking and forgot. I met Marci in boxing class and we became fast friends. I absolutely love, love, love this journal and can't wait to document some of my inner thoughts during this journey.

Another teacher Nicole gave me this car and Itunes gift card. I very much appreciate it because I know I will be downloading the latest American music and books. Nicole was an addition to our school last year and she is just awesome. She works on a team with Joe and has been to our house and out with us a few times. She is small, but mighty!

 This is probably one of the most unique gifts I have received, but definitely appropriate. These adult washcloths were from my friend Rebecca who has been to South Sudan twice to work in a village school. If anyone has experience "roughing it" in Africa, she definitely does. I don't think I am going to need these initially (at least that is what I am telling myself), but I know I will probably use them when I travel to smaller towns.

This lady (and her husband Brian) is one of my favorite people at school. Dina is one of our school counselors and has literally become my personal counselor over the past few years. We try to have weekly sessions together and she has helped me through a number of sticky situations. I am so thankful for her friendship and probably owe her some money for all of our sessions together!


So, as you can see, I am incredibly blessed. There were so many more people at my party who I did not get pictures of, but really enjoyed just spending time together. I received so many special cards and well wishes, which I will take with me and reread during the hard times this year. One of my favorite things that Mr. Hallmark (aka Criag) said in the card he gave me was, "Learn to be part of their culture, give yourself to their causes and their traditions, and then bring the important meaning of that back to share with others." I have built a life here and a circle of support that I will need to tap into from 8,000 miles away.