New Blood

New Blood

So, this is one of my favorite things about my job so far, guiding volunteers, getting to know them and showing them the world I love here in Uganda. Perhaps some other job aspects get put on the back burner for the first few days volunteers arrive, but I think I’ve realized that’s needed and it’s okay (especially because Randy does a phenomenal job at picking up my slack).

Rebecca and Alex are two new volunteers that just arrived yesterday. I’m having a great time getting to know them and so appreciative for the fresh joy they bring to the house. We said goodbye to Heather and Ryan today so as two left the house, two fresh ones came! Today I showed Alex and Rebecca around town and introduced them to some local Ugandan food as well as the ever-daunting “central market.” They did quite well taking it all in and enjoying the experience. They came along with me as I collected instruments for dancing with the Suubi women. We are going to start dancing the last meeting of every month but the women had no instruments to dance with/to. I had Heather pick up some Kalabashes (half gourds that are hard and you bang on them with thick wires) from Gulu when she last went. Then today I bought drums, a whistle and endeges (noise making anklets for stomping). So, the collection is complete and dancing will be done……glorious!!

Last week we went to Messessi to help an organization called “Serving His Children.” Basically we helped feed 1000 kids in the slums of the village. It took us about an hour to prep and then 2 ½ hours to feed the 1000. Renee is the young girl that started this organization (she is pictured with Kate and I). It’s pretty phenomenal that such a young girl (I think she’s only 20) has taken on feeding 1000 kids twice a week. We’re hoping we can help her out more while we are here.

And then this past Sunday we went jumping in the Nile River. Who does that? That sentence just makes me sound cooler doesn’t it? “I jumped in the Nile!” Love it!

Anyways, it was awesome! After a 20 minute drive on quite possibly the worst constructed road on the planet and 4-5 little boys holding a deteriorated piece of string across the road to prevent us from passing (this means they were wanting a monetary toll to allow us to pass, but I new better so we just kept driving), we finally arrived at our destination. We walked down hundreds of steps formed in a huge hill to the bottom where the River Nile created a playground for locals and tourists. Heather, Ryan and Randy were all too quick to jump from the cliff, no fear. It took me a good amount of time to muster up the courage to actually take the plunge. It wasn’t necessarily the height that was freaking me out, which is odd because I suffer from vertigo, but it was the fear of not jumping out far enough to miss the rocks below. After everyone else took the plunge and I counted to 3 about 10 times, I finally jumped screaming the whole way down.

I lived through it and swallowed a mouthful of the Nile…probably not healthy I know. We also went body surfing on the rapids, which sounded like a great idea until I banged my tailbone on a rock, ugh, I hate tailbone bruises, they’re the worst.I took the plunge a second time (I know, I’m so brave), but just before I jumped this guy (the Ugandan pictured here covered in suds) jumped from behind me head first. He had just lathered himself up with soap and was diving off the cliff to rinse off, that’s one way to bathe I guess.

Excited to live more life and write about it, so until then, cheers!