I'm alive!

After one of the longest and most arduous journeys of my life, I am finally here in Uganda safely. There were a few hiccups along the way--lost luggage; missing sunscreen, mosquito netting and bug spray; internet issues; no $ at the ATMs, etc.--but everything either is or will be worked out. I've had to be extremely flexible, and prepare to be unprepared, which if you know me, you know has been very difficult. Being the control freak that I am, I tried to foresee every possible issue, and found that organization and planning are futile in Africa. There are too many variables, and as a foreigner, I have had to depend on too many other people to have any real control over my surroundings. Luckily there's plenty of beer in the fridge :)

That said, I must give due props to the people here. Everyone has gone out of their way to make me feel comfortable and welcome, and not in a creepy she's-white-so-she-must-have-money way.

When I arrived, Larry, one of the program directors here at TATS, was ready to take me anywhere I needed to go. We went to get money first, but were unsuccessful because none of the ATMs had any money. After he calmed me down, he told me that I was taken care of. He then took me to pick up some other volunteers, and we went to a huge market, a school, and then back to the guest house so that I could set up my room and relax.

The market was one of the most fascinating displays of raw humanity that I've ever encountered. Most of it is sprawled over train tracks, so that when a train came, all the vendors scattered, then regrouped after it passed.

I'm not sure how many people were there, but I'm guessing around a thousand of all ages. Most were women with their children, and they were selling fruit, pottery, clothes, goats, raw meat, cooked food, and various handmade treasures. It was a lot like walking the streets of Shanghai last summer, only there people were screaming "iPhone! iPhone!" and here they were politely showing you earrings that they handmade from a seed pod and painted themselves.

At the school, there were tons of kids of all ages, and they all ran to the car to say hello when they saw that I had a camera. They were all in ill-fitting, shoddy uniforms that looked like they had never been washed. Few of them were carrying supplies of any kind, but several groups were reciting lessons while walking or playing soccer with balled up plastic bags. But whatever they were doing, when they saw the teachers, the waved and said hello, eager to demonstrate any English they knew.

Back at the guest house, I met the other employees that help out. Phionna and Penny help the teachers plan their trips, and I'm sure complete a myriad of other tasks on a daily basis. Dora is the house keeper and cook, and she made us all a wonderful dinner of beef, vegetables, and rice. I haven't had a chance to go out and eat much of the traditional food since I don't have access to cash yet, but I hear Dora's food is better than any I'll find in town.

There are only four other volunteers here right now, two mother/daughter pairs, which should tell you just how small this organization is. The building we're in is new, and I have a nice room with a double bed all to myself. We have access to a kitchen, running water (though it doesn't always work, and there's no hot water), and breakfast and dinner is provided by the lovely and talented Dora. We also have transportation to schools, tourist destinations, and where ever else we need to go. There's a store, a sometimes-working ATM, and a nice downtown area a few blocks from the house, so I'm really getting a feel for what life is like here already.

That's it for now, but stay tuned. I plan on putting up as many photos as I can ASAP. Keep in touch on facebook, email, and skype if you can.

Much love,
T