Finally!!

26 Aug 2010 2 Comments

by danrennt98 in Uncategorized

Hey everyone.. so I’ve been to the internet cafe(s) about 5 times to try and go on the internet and no luck… either the power’s been down in the the town or the cafes are closed or something! Even right now the window isn’t big enough to see all the text that I’m writing so sorry for any spelling mistakes (MICHELLE!) haha aas you can see the quality of internet here is so high! hahabut I’m going to Kampala this weekend to a museum and to the white people mall (Garden City) to get a modem to attach to my computer which will hopefully give me better access to internet!

So I’m here!!!! And it’s frickin awesome! So before I got to the internet cafe I just ate a rolex (haha!) which is a chipati (tortilla) with egg, onion, tomato, and pepper.. which is delicious and is an ongoing joke here. Okay so the plane ride from Philly to South Africa was long, but fun. EVERYONE IS AWESOM E! There’s 45 of us ranging from 22 (me being the youngest probably) tto about 65 a married couple. In South Africa it was wintertime and it was about 40 degrees outside and they didn’t have heat in the airport!!! it was freezing, but they did have really good coffee, which i had 3 of because I was freezing!! We were all just waiting till we walked into the warm area.. but it never happened! We flew into Entebbe airport which was not a bad 4 hour ride, but I was in the middle. which sucked, but was dealable. on the 15 hr flight I hd two seats to myself! The outside of the airport (small airport! think smaller than burlington, vt airport) says welcome to Uganda — the Pearl of Africa! We flew over lake victoria, which was beautiful.

Then we went to the training center in Luweza (about a half our from the Entebbe airport) and Africa smells like nothing I’ve ever experienced… people burn their trash and cook with fires sot there’s not really any trash pickup. It smells like fires and trees and diesel fuel and a bus full of white peeople is a sight to see!!! The training center was like a hostel.. were there for 4 dayswhich was wonderful getting to know all these great people. Everyone is from all over the US. Many people from CA, Texas, 2 people from rutgers camden (doing masters international) and 2 other people that went to UVM (Vermont has the most contribing volunteers to the Peace Corps of the state with a small population)..

So we learned a lot, esp. about safety, malaria, hiv and I’m learni8ng Lusoga — the langage spoken at the source of the Nile.. so I may end up there for the next two years! Who knows!

By the way… the weather is perfect! It is 70 everyday all day and all night pretty much, maybe it dips to 65 in the morning. But it’s going to be like that all year round! Sweet!

Then last monday I moved in with my homestay family! ThAnd started going to the real PC training center everyday from 78-5, which is  a pretty long tiresome day and I’m in bed by 10, wwhich for me (as you may know) is astronomical! I live with a pastor and his wife.. and they have six kids (5 brothers, 1 sister) 4 of which li e at home. 1 bro is there most of the time, though he doesn’t live there. The brothers and the father have really embraced me and take me out with them sometimes and they are really awesome, they all speak english. The sister works at my training center so I see her everyday. And that’s not all.. There’s 7 gramdchildren that live at home too.. and two of the bros have wives which live at home. So it’s a big household but I love it!!!!! My hmother cooks pretty good food, but not better than my real mom! We eat posha (sp?) beans, rice, and a veggie every night (can get tiresome but good nonetheless). Have 5 mins left at the cafe.. The kids love sweets esp. when I gave them all tootsie pops. It’s really funny 3when you walk down the street the kids yell mzungu and jhump up and down and wave at you! We’re a hot commodity here! They say bye!! see you!! mzungu (white person) and I’ve gotten a happy birthday once.. and my friend’s gotten an I love you! they just throw out anything they know in english! it’s pretty funny.

Anyways all is well here.. I’m going to try and post again soon. try and call me if you can or text me I always have shillings on my phone so I will answer you! We’re 7 hours ahead here. I’m preally enjoying myself.. uganda is great. if there’s anything you want to know ask.. and I’ll write about it next time. The people are amazing and nice and really treat other people well and with pride.. so if any of you are worried.. don’t be. I’m happy, I’m great this experience is rejuvinating and special and wouldn’t change it for the world.

Miss you all.. going to hit publish on this baby and give it 6 mins to process lol Talk to you soon!

Love,

Dan