Hello all! Emily here. We are now in Mbale, Uganda and are staying at an inter-faith coffee co-op called Mirembe Kawomera. We've been learning about how the coffee is grown and harvested and have gotten to take part in the entire process- picking the berries, pruning the trees, shelling the berries, etc. The farm is totally organic and the coffee is shade grown with many other plants, such as banana trees and vanilla. Yesterday we were taken to a town meeting and the townspeople gave all of us new names. Mine is Namaganda. Holla!
Last week at the school was amazing. We spent the mornings building the foundation for a new schoolhouse, and it was extremely difficult. We did a lot of shoveling, rock moving, and brick building. I think we are going to be in good shape by the time we get home. If not, we will at least have a lot of blisters and sunburns. We slept on cots in one of the classrooms at night and had a really amazing cook named Peter.
Adapting to life in Africa has been pretty difficult but really interesting. We are all learning the science of squatting over a hole and bathing with a bucket of water (though most of us have simply chosen not to bathe...)At the school, we had to walk about a half mile up big hills just to get water.
Despite some homesickness, all of us have been doing really well. The group is amazing and I think we all bring something awesome to the table. We have a lot to learn and a long way to go, but we are totally ready.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Queens of the Nile!
Today we went whitewater rafting on the Nile and let's just start by saying it was INTENSE. Jinja is famous for the grade 5 rapids pretty much all the way down the strip of river we rafted. The 7 of us girls were in one boat and Marshall went in another boat full of guys. We are VERY proud to say that the girls boat flipped only one time! We went down 2 waterfalls, including one with about a 15 foot drop, and everytime we made it through a rapid without flipping or losing someone from our boat, we would all look back and realize what we just did and freak out. it was awesome. at times we each got pretty terrified but we rocked it. it was totally worth it in the end- such an awesome experience and definetly a bonding trip.
tonight we are all tired, sore, but more than anything SUNBURNT! we are lobsters after a day on the water even with the 45 spf sunblock we all continuously reapplied. i guess us mzungu's cant deal with the hot equator sun!
tomorrow morning we head to the school we are working on with soft power. we'll be working on constructing a new classroom, laying the foundation and bricks, and sleeping on the floor of an existing classroom. in the afternoons, we'll start learning swahili- we're all really excited. there's no internet at the school (or showers) so we'll be out of touch for the week.
tonight we are all tired, sore, but more than anything SUNBURNT! we are lobsters after a day on the water even with the 45 spf sunblock we all continuously reapplied. i guess us mzungu's cant deal with the hot equator sun!
tomorrow morning we head to the school we are working on with soft power. we'll be working on constructing a new classroom, laying the foundation and bricks, and sleeping on the floor of an existing classroom. in the afternoons, we'll start learning swahili- we're all really excited. there's no internet at the school (or showers) so we'll be out of touch for the week.
Friday, February 13, 2009
OLYOTYA!
Greetings from Kampala!
Uganda is da bomb-- since everyone else explained today's scavenger hunt, we'll fill you in a little about what life's been like the past couple days.
Our hostel is sweet, one of the rooms is open-air with bunkbeds and moaquito nets. last night was our first african rainstorm, that was an experience. lets just say no one was kidding when they said it rains hard in Africa! it was awesome watching and hearing the rain in the middle of the night from our beds.
Ok so new experience with the bathroom situation, yesterday rosie and I (kim) payed 200 shillings (like 10 cents) to go to the bathroom and we walk in and really truley thought we where in the guys bathroom because all there was, was a toliet that was in the ground..then we realized that no it was indeed the ladies bathroom and so we just did it like you would in the woods, and squated..we all decided that we are going to have very nice thigh muscles after this trip :)
some of the other girls mentioned that everyone yells mzungu at us. people also stop us all the time to say hi and touch us and propose to us. but we also get a lot of "OBAMA!" which is kinda cool because everyone here is really happy that obama is our president now. and so are we!
As beautiful and amazing this city is, a little bit of sadness comes along with it..often we will see people on street corners who dont have limbs, have some serious physical deformations. Aleta told us that these people had polio, and that that is the outcome of the disease. It is very crazy to us beacuse it is not something we ever had to worry about at home growing up. Also there is not alot of help and support for these individuals.
Being here in this completley different culture opens our minds to the different types of beauties, as well as hardships the people here encounter on a daily basis..it truley makes us greatful for what we all had growing up, and have now.
welll were going to catch the mutatu back to the hostel.
Talk to ya'll soon!
PEACEPEACEYO
Sally, Kim & Carrye
Greetings from Kampala!
Uganda is da bomb-- since everyone else explained today's scavenger hunt, we'll fill you in a little about what life's been like the past couple days.
Our hostel is sweet, one of the rooms is open-air with bunkbeds and moaquito nets. last night was our first african rainstorm, that was an experience. lets just say no one was kidding when they said it rains hard in Africa! it was awesome watching and hearing the rain in the middle of the night from our beds.
Ok so new experience with the bathroom situation, yesterday rosie and I (kim) payed 200 shillings (like 10 cents) to go to the bathroom and we walk in and really truley thought we where in the guys bathroom because all there was, was a toliet that was in the ground..then we realized that no it was indeed the ladies bathroom and so we just did it like you would in the woods, and squated..we all decided that we are going to have very nice thigh muscles after this trip :)
some of the other girls mentioned that everyone yells mzungu at us. people also stop us all the time to say hi and touch us and propose to us. but we also get a lot of "OBAMA!" which is kinda cool because everyone here is really happy that obama is our president now. and so are we!
As beautiful and amazing this city is, a little bit of sadness comes along with it..often we will see people on street corners who dont have limbs, have some serious physical deformations. Aleta told us that these people had polio, and that that is the outcome of the disease. It is very crazy to us beacuse it is not something we ever had to worry about at home growing up. Also there is not alot of help and support for these individuals.
Being here in this completley different culture opens our minds to the different types of beauties, as well as hardships the people here encounter on a daily basis..it truley makes us greatful for what we all had growing up, and have now.
welll were going to catch the mutatu back to the hostel.
Talk to ya'll soon!
PEACEPEACEYO
Sally, Kim & Carrye
Kampala Scanvager Hunt!
Whats up?! Its Miriam and Emily and we are posting from Kool city internet cafe in Kampala, Uganda. Besides checking this off our list, we want to shout out to the carpe diem office as well as friends and family for all their help and support.
Kampala is nuts- in a good way. People are all over the place selling things, calling us mzungos, helping me (Emily) when I almost face plant over cinder blocks...We're pretty in love with the group so far and are super excited to get to know everyone better. There is a lot of fruit here...I'm in love. And Miriam rules. Holla. Love love love.
Emily's amazing, we all kind of want to be her...
peace out everyone! talk to you all soon.
Kampala is nuts- in a good way. People are all over the place selling things, calling us mzungos, helping me (Emily) when I almost face plant over cinder blocks...We're pretty in love with the group so far and are super excited to get to know everyone better. There is a lot of fruit here...I'm in love. And Miriam rules. Holla. Love love love.
Emily's amazing, we all kind of want to be her...
peace out everyone! talk to you all soon.
Scavenger Hunt
We arrived in Uganda two days ago..we think. It has been very warm and quite the cultural shock. The streets are bustling with thousands of people, jammed pack in cars and vendors lining the streets. Yesterday we got our first taste of Kampala, gathering our barrings. We are staying at Kampala's Backpackers, where the natives are much more patient with the many white guests. We have been able to enjoy the wildlife such as HUGE BIRDS nesting in equally large nests, and monkeys swinging about in trees. Now we are trying to accomplish our list of activities managing on our own for the first time. Now we are off to haggle ourselves some fruit at the marketplace!
Rosie and Lizzy
Rosie and Lizzy
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
The Eagle Has Landed.....
The Africa group has landed in Uganda, safe & sound!
The internet in the internet cafe where they are staying is down....again....(one of the many challenges of traveling in the developing world); but our leaders managed to borrow someone else's laptop connection long enough to touch base with HQ.
As I write this, they have been in Kampala approximately 10 hours, and no doubt hitting the wall of jetlag. They will begin their orientation in full swing after some well-needed rest.
More from the Africa group itself when the internet is again available to them-
-Nannette & Amy
The internet in the internet cafe where they are staying is down....again....(one of the many challenges of traveling in the developing world); but our leaders managed to borrow someone else's laptop connection long enough to touch base with HQ.
As I write this, they have been in Kampala approximately 10 hours, and no doubt hitting the wall of jetlag. They will begin their orientation in full swing after some well-needed rest.
More from the Africa group itself when the internet is again available to them-
-Nannette & Amy
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
All Accounted For
After an exasperating time not locating the final four Africa groupmates in Heathrow (until 15 minutes prior to boarding), it is with a collective and deep sigh of relief I can announce the completion of the group. All 7 students and both leaders (albeit with a few years shaved from their lives, no doubt) are boarding their fight to Entebbe as I type this. Whew!
You'll next hear from them [personally] from Uganda, so check back in about 24-36 hours.
From Portland, this is Carpe HQ signing off and passing the baton onto the Africa group!
You'll next hear from them [personally] from Uganda, so check back in about 24-36 hours.
From Portland, this is Carpe HQ signing off and passing the baton onto the Africa group!
Monday, February 9, 2009
The Spring "09 Adventure Begins!
It's official: the SFO contingent of the Africa team is all together, accounted for, and ready to board their flight to London in about an hour! They'll meet the rest of their group in Heathrow tomorrow morning our time back here-so stay tuned!
For now, this is Nannette at Carpe HQ wishing all a good night...
For now, this is Nannette at Carpe HQ wishing all a good night...
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