Chips or french fries: 28th August 2006

They say no news is good news and I think that is true for me, I haven't gotten lost or done anything really crazy so I don't have much to say. Well except for once when I went to order food at a take away and I told the guy I wanted chicken and chips. The guys says great, how do you like your chicken and because I know they serve the chicken with hot pepper I said I would like it mild and that was fine. Then for the chips he asks what size would you like, and I'm thinking size?? don't they all come out the same? he goes on to say there is the big packet, medium size and then the small one and by now he was pointing at packets of what in UG we call "crisps". Immediately I remember the other phrase they use here "french fries" and so I tell him, and that sorted me out. He was a really nice guy plus I was so glad they had the "crisps" on display coz I honestly don't know how I would start explaining to Sam my new concoction of chicken and crisps.

Sam, Mich and I are doing well, the pressure of books subsided a bit over this weekend because preterm is about to close and they need to get ready for the real roller-coaster. Today we had a family BBQ for students and partners, it was really nice, great food, lots of people and children. I was so happy to see all these kids because I was beginning to think Sam was the only guy in the school who had a wife and child. We would go for parties and I was the only one there with a kid, it was beginning to feel really weird but I got to understand that some families live in the outskirts so the students cant exactly drag everyone along to a get together and other partners have jobs and people to babysit when they have to go places.
At least now I have one or two people I can hung with at these functions, I'm not all that good with hitting it off first time, I think I'm happier getting to know and bond with people over a long period, so far so good.
We had a dance session that I found really hilarious, well first the music was a Little strange to me although I must admit the DJ tried his best considering that he had a vast audience: Chinese, Indian, Korean, African, black American, American e.t.c. Anyway guys got on to the dance floor and honestly if say the music was muted and you were watching this on screen you would think they had been bitten by insects, it was quite entertaining, the Africans definitely took the cup because they just knew their thing.
The variety of drinks here is incredible, at some point I decided to get something to drink, I had seen one of our christian buddies drinking some canned stuff so I thought I would give it a try, wrong move I tell you. It didn't taste nice and it was actually a beer, I took one sip and was glad nobody was looking, I quickly put it on the table with the rest of the unfinished drinks. I guess I should learn to read the labels better.

Mich is doing holding up, a little more cautious when playing with other children but opens up when he realizes that he is in good company.

I hear Kony has agreed to cease fire/ peace talks, that sounds like really good news.

Have a great day

Playmates : 23rd August 2006

I was really close to tears today as I watched Mich try to play some of the kids in the neighbourhood. We went to a play ground near by and Mich was all too glad to join in with the other kids, unfortunately for him the first thing that catches his attention is gadgets, bicycles, skates and the like. There was this one kid who immediatly picked his bike and began to ride ofcourse that wasnt his original plan, so Mich follows him for abit and finally gets the vibes that he is not welcome. He runs off to find some boys playing freezby and even there some mean little kid screams at him saying "go away" you should have seen Mich's expression, he moved back and then looked at me with the expression of "what did I do wrong" that got to me. Anyway I told him to run along and play with the slides and when I got a good chance I told the boy to stop being mean. Most of the kids are older than Mich, they should be ranging between the ages of four to eight years but because Mich is kind of big for his age and all small people are playmates he gets the heat. This is when I realise more and more the importance of being there for children, encouraging them, and soothing them when they get bruised whether physically or emotionally.
I told him that the little kids were not very friendly and that he should not mind them, so he went to play with the other fun things. What was strange was that after a while the same little boys came around to him, not exactly playing with him but wanting to keep his company, I was wondering if this was some kind of initiation thing. By this time he had forgotten about them and just went on playing. Its great to be a child, I think if I was treated that way I would have headed home as fast as I could and sulked the whole evening.
Since the boys were older than him they were climbing the fence and Mich was there telling them " dont do that you will fall".

I'm yet to make a conclusion on this but I noticed that "Americans of foreign origin" in this case the kids were chinese are more defensive as opposed to the Americans. I mean I have been out when Mich is playing with what I would call American kids and they somehow hit it off well and usually the parents come round or just say hello or ask how old Mich is. I guess its survival for the fittest, just makes me realise the need to continue praying over Mich and teaching him bible values because quite frankly its scary the kind of influence that comes from other kids. I dont want him to be mean and bully but then again how do you protect a child from life??

Discoveries: 22nd August 2006

I also discovered some interesting information about the University of Pennsylvania, it was the first University in America, isn't that amazing?! makes me want to apply immediately so that by some chance I can join in February. Another thing that struck me about it is the solidarity of its students dating back to the beginning. Every where you walk on the campus there are plaques with names of different students and the years they attended and their contribution to the school after they left. By the way the contributions are not minor for example I went to what they call the Perelman quadrangle, there was one guy who contributed a "tree-lined plaza and an amphitheater" now that's awesome, then a family of mother and daughter who created a garden of flowers, isn't that something? oh yes and then there is a huge bridge almost in the center of the campus that was done by a whole class, their names are engraved on the side walk. Makes one stop to think of our beloved schools and universities and how we are so glad to get our education and walkout without looking back. Why is it so different? how come we don't have the same zeal and dedication?

Something else I noticed about Americans, or maybe its just that I'm spending more time around students, they have the dress down culture. I'm certainly very happy with it, jeans and T-shirts all day everyday, my kind of thing. Students are either in snickers or in sandals and slippers, shoes of other types are hard to come by. The weather right now is pretty much the same as back in UG so why the big difference? why do we sweat it out in the suits and leather shoes? And I think this applies to both our students and the working class.
I owe all my discoveries and observances to a one Mich, today we were passing by the campus when he begun chasing squirrels and running everywhere so while I made sure he stayed out of peoples classrooms and stuff, almost each time he went round some bend I found something worthwhile noting.
Did I tell you guys that once Mich run into a class while it was still in session? I most certainly didn't disown him but it was kind of weird. Luckily class was just winding down so he didn't cause a fuss, the next thing I knew the students came rushing through the door and Mich was running right past them laughing and making noise. He probably didn't know what he had just done, but it certainly put a smile on peoples faces.

I got an email from the Pastor of Vineyard Community Church, the church I first attended, saying his wife would like to meet up with me for coffee or lunch, that should be interesting, will let you know the outcome. I think they are wonderful people, we went over for dinner last week but because there was another couple we didn't get to talk much on a one to one basis. I certainly like the followup, makes me appreciate all the more the cell vision and why it was such a fire in Pastor Gary's heart.

Okay then till later.

My first train ride: 14th August 2006

Life can be tough and interesting at the same time. I have enrolled in the Wharton Partners club and today was balling night just for the partners. I wasnt really enthusiastic about it but Sam encouraged me to go, he thought it would be nice for me to get to meet other people in my shoes and also have some time away from Mich, l liked the idea. The only problem is, it was quite a distance away and I dreaded getting to use the bus and train system on my own.
Anyway he helped me get the directions told me which route to take and I was off.
I was going to 13th & chestnut and home is 44th locust, anyway I was well equiped, took the train for the first time on my own and that was great, I knew where I was getting off so I walked confidently, got onto the street and started looking out for the 13th chestnut street. The way roads are set is in a grid format so really one can not fail, should not fail to get to a particular place and besides there are lots of signs and directions and people to ask incase one is in doubt.
Just before I got to 13th and chestnut I saw a music store and well it got the better of me, I still had time on my hands so I thought I would go in and browse abit. It was awesome, like four times the size of Aristoc, got to the music section and all the christian music one could think of was there, I was looking for yours truly Darlene and yeee! I was like a kid in a toy factory, only limitation was money. Spent about 30 mins in there and continued my journey. Got to 13th and chestnut but couldnt locate the joint, so I decided to keep walking (Amanda does this sound farmiliar?). Anyway, I keep looking out for this place, I was told to check the numbers, they are either increasing or decreasing and in my case they had to be decreasing, so I continue to walk. I was looking for number 36 and somehow the numbers I was seeing were still in 500 something. I keep walking, I get to the liberty bell then I realise eeh! if this place is where I think it is then it was like living in Kasanga, heading to portbell luzira and the train leaves you at Nakawa. How come Sam didnt mention that? he usually does if its going to be a long distance so I thought, this must be his way of getting me out there to learn to use the system , because I really wasnt big on the balling thing but he was.
I eventually get to Penns landing, this is like a sea port, as in all I could see ahead was water and quite honestly there were no shortcuts to the other side but the funny thing was the numbers were still reducing, I was now between 100 and 1 and trying to get to 36. Silly girl!you are so off the track, this is 2 hours later, it was about time I headed home, luckily at the port there were buses and one that was headed home, I told the bus driver where I was going so she told me to hop right in and here Iam.

Sam couldnt believe it when I told him the story, there has got to be something really wrong with me how can I be such a dodoe with directions. Turns out that I actually got to the place and past it because I was being miss led by some funny numbers. The place was just afew blocks away from where the train left me. It was a great trip for me though, got to see lots of places and spots that I would like to go and spend alittle more time at, especially the historical sites. With all this adventure I can actually become a tour guide hehehehe.

Escapades : 10th August 2006

My escapades continue, I met one of Sams classmates who told me of a nice park where I could take Mich to play, called "Clarke Park" so yesterday I decided to go and find it, I knew the general direction so that was not a problem. Half way the journey things get fuzzy so I decided to ask the next person I met. The first lady said she was not from the area so she didnt know, the next lady I met seemed willing to help so I tell her Im looking for Clarke Park and she says she has never heard of it, so I break it down to say its a play area for kids and she goes "oh you mean Clorck Pork" as in that is the way it sounds and I quickly nodded yes. I finally get there, beautiful place, moral of the story?! guys if I keep my UG accent I might not get anywhere so .... Im going to twist and turn my tongue for a bit.
Hmm then there is the whole washing machine business, I had decided to wash my clothes in the tub, for two major reasons really not to get in trouble shrinking my best wear and just to know that my clothes are clean ... mbu. Anyway it didnt work because there is no place to hung the clothes, one needs to use a dryer. So I decide to take a walk there and just watch how people do it, read the instructions so that when I actually go I also look like a pro. Lets just say I went in two different occassions read the instructions and blah but I still didnt get it . That is when I decided to persuade Sam to bail me out, he is the one who knows how to make mistakes confidently, thats if he makes mistakes at all. I finally figured it out and its not at complex as I thought.
Ok the latest is the vending machine, LOL! now that was funny, Sam buys lunch and decides to share it with Mich but apperently there was abit of pepper in the sauce and we were in the middle of town so he tells me to go buy some water off the vending machine. Panic! Mich is screaming Mummy I want water. Ok! I get to the machine, luckily its like an ATM so no one can see you haharring, I first punch in the number for the drink I want then slot in the coins. Money goes down and then nothing, Iam thinking the machine has chewed my bucks, what other buttons I can press?? only the one for my change, even the change doesnt come out, hmm. I look again and decide to press the number for the drink I want and voila!!! there it comes bumping out, phew!! that was a close call, I just realised that I had done the process the reverse. First put in the money then press the number for the drink, well something like that. Well I continue to learn.

Nice day