On Wednesday April 21, 2010, I officially became a Peace Corps Volunteer. The ceremony took place at the American Ambassador’s home in Kampala (which is absolutely beautiful, so if you have any inclination towards being an ambassador, do it: it’s the Oz beyond the yellow brick road). --to the left, see my home...a bit smaller but I have a mango tree as a neighbor!
After 11 hours on the bus, I arrived in Kitgum and am currently settling into my home. My school, Y.Y. Okot has about 1000 girls, all are boarders and most left for holidays the day after I arrived. The next month will be spent readying my home, learning how to get around, meeting people, and getting ready to teach Biology and Math this next term, starting the end of May. My address is PO Box 68, Kitgum, Uganda should you care to send me anything and I’ll get to writing letters to those of you I promised soon. The president of Iran visited Kampala the other day, marking yet another step in the development of an oil field here—this is the government gearing up for the upcoming election (accompanied by the creation of 14 new districts, a nation-wide tour, and road maintenance).
Meanwhile, I am busy making my little hut a home: painting, furnishing, gardening, etc. My first full day here included a nice welcome lunch with all the teachers at my school, followed by everyone sitting around my hut and drinking beers both to welcome me and to celebrate the end of a term. Things are a bit slow here because the students are all gone, but before the last of them left, I got to attend a student church service. The service was student-run and full of music and of this high-pitched yell that women make here as an expression of joy (kind of like Xena the Warrior Princess’s war cry, but faster). The service took place in a building that used to be a place for night-commuters during the war to sleep. The school stayed open throughout the war and resembles a fortress with a 24 hour guard, tall walls, and barb wire. Let’s just say, security will not be an issue. After attending a Canadian-run conference on teaching children affected by war and the first of two nation-wide track and field meets in honor of a famous Ugandan runner from Kitgum (these are meant to be a major recruiting event for the National Team so these athletes are the crème de la crop), both at my school, I have a feeling that I’ve come to a real hotspot of activity. I am continuing to learn the Acholi language (my fellow staff and the community are bent towards helping me) and as of this morning, I have acquired a Swahili teacher….hopefully I won’t get confused, become the tower of Babel, and need to be smote down by God… As always, my thoughts and prayers are with you all and I hope to hear from you all about how life is at home.
After 11 hours on the bus, I arrived in Kitgum and am currently settling into my home. My school, Y.Y. Okot has about 1000 girls, all are boarders and most left for holidays the day after I arrived. The next month will be spent readying my home, learning how to get around, meeting people, and getting ready to teach Biology and Math this next term, starting the end of May. My address is PO Box 68, Kitgum, Uganda should you care to send me anything and I’ll get to writing letters to those of you I promised soon. The president of Iran visited Kampala the other day, marking yet another step in the development of an oil field here—this is the government gearing up for the upcoming election (accompanied by the creation of 14 new districts, a nation-wide tour, and road maintenance).
Meanwhile, I am busy making my little hut a home: painting, furnishing, gardening, etc. My first full day here included a nice welcome lunch with all the teachers at my school, followed by everyone sitting around my hut and drinking beers both to welcome me and to celebrate the end of a term. Things are a bit slow here because the students are all gone, but before the last of them left, I got to attend a student church service. The service was student-run and full of music and of this high-pitched yell that women make here as an expression of joy (kind of like Xena the Warrior Princess’s war cry, but faster). The service took place in a building that used to be a place for night-commuters during the war to sleep. The school stayed open throughout the war and resembles a fortress with a 24 hour guard, tall walls, and barb wire. Let’s just say, security will not be an issue. After attending a Canadian-run conference on teaching children affected by war and the first of two nation-wide track and field meets in honor of a famous Ugandan runner from Kitgum (these are meant to be a major recruiting event for the National Team so these athletes are the crème de la crop), both at my school, I have a feeling that I’ve come to a real hotspot of activity. I am continuing to learn the Acholi language (my fellow staff and the community are bent towards helping me) and as of this morning, I have acquired a Swahili teacher….hopefully I won’t get confused, become the tower of Babel, and need to be smote down by God… As always, my thoughts and prayers are with you all and I hope to hear from you all about how life is at home.
Sounds amazing, Heather! Looking forward to hearing how it goes! Praying for you--and keeping the backpack safe ;)
ReplyDeleteThat's awesome Heather! Also, I got into the Peace Corps!! I'm going to be working somewhere in Sub-Saharan :)
ReplyDeleteNishant
Congrats! Your house is beautiful! Kitgum sounds awesome, and very safe, haha! Sounds like you are going to have a lot of fun there!
ReplyDelete