Runyankore/Rukiga!!! South West Woot!!!

So right now I'm having trouble converting files from my laptop to this desktop computer... no fun.

Tuesday May 29th,

Song: Rules by Jayne Dee

I can't even figure out how many days I have technically been here yet by just looking at a calendar because traveling was so hectic/ time consuming I try to forget about it. So I'll just start counting the days by how many malaria pills I have taken so far... today would have been the 5th Malaria Medication Day (MMD). Lets see if that sticks... until I lose track of how many I take but by then hopefully I'll figure it out. Right now I'm just chillin' like a villain in my mosquito net eating some Twizzlers I brought from home. It almost makes me feel like a princess. The water I am drinking right now too kind of tastes like charcoal/ rubber tires at times because it needs to be boiled and here they do it over an open flame outside. I thought I was used to the strong taste but... eh maybe not. Whatever. I just go with the flow here because that's what Peace Corps life is all about... and life in general. Shockingly I have not complained about wearing a skirt yet! But I did complain when I went on a run the other day... I felt like a winy little kid. I was told it was going to be a jog/walk.... except there was no walking! Plus the crazy matatus flying by scare me! Anyways... on a daily basis I wear a skirt below the knees and a t-shirt or button up shirt with nice sandles (I bought some in Kampala for 20,000 UGX or about $6 USD). The money here is a bit odd... paying 2,000 for a coke is strange but I'm getting used to it slowly. Right now it's okay to spend so much money but when I'm done with training and at my site I will have about 5,000 ($2) to spend daily. We did get to open a bank account the other day and am surprised to say I got a debit card! Also we got to apply for our working Visa and I look forward to legally being allowed to work here! Woot!

It still blows my mind to think that I now live in AFRICA! I even got to play with some drums today!

Today I also notified my group that they could start calling me Meish and a few have already picked up on it... I figured it might be better for the 'locals'. But then again Ugandans have very European names like Thomas, Fred, Frank, Herbert, Angela, Helen, Anne... and similar names.

June 4th

Friday I was told I will be learning Runyankore/Rukiga (Roon-yan-core-ay/Roo-chi-gah) which is spoken widely in South Western Uganda! I heard the scenery there is B-E-A-UTIFUL!!! I look forward to living there! I will be traveling to the SW this Thursday to stay with a host family for a month and have intense language lessons 5-7 days a week. No better way to learn than to submerge yourself completely in the culture.

Saturday we went back to Kampala to shop so I got a cell phone and kanga (body wrap for after showering made with local fabric). The cell phone service here is a lot different than the US. You pay for airtime which comes on a little card with a scratch off code and then you enter that code in your phone to receive the time. Airtime cards in Uganda are like cigarette butts in America... everywhere!

Bug count: I've already been bit by... a spider, flying ant, and multiple mosquitos.... fun fun. I don't want to know what else I've been bit by. 

Okay so funny story... yesterday during lunch a couple of PCTs (Peace Corps Trainees) and myself noticed a lizard trying to climb up one of the windows to get out of the dinning hall. It was struggling so after I was finished eating I figured I would grab a napkin and help it out the window. Well.... fail. It was so rambunctious I couldn't get a hold of it so I just tried making a ladder for it... then it fell on the floor. I was concerned it was going to get trampled on so I tried grabbing it again... unfortunately I grabbed its tail and it kind of came off.... which then proceeded to flop around for a few minutes on its own. I hope it grows back. I swear I didn't even pull on it! So to make myself feel better I just keep thinking to myself that I made it more aerodynamic! Kristina will never let me forget I'm sure... We don't have lizards in Michigan back home. Can't you tell?

Sunday (yesterday) was also Martyrs day here in Uganda... don't ask what the holiday entails... I have no idea. Walking a very long distance to the capitol or something. A couple of us went to a 'boarding' school just down the road and got to talk/ hang out with some of the students. It was fun but hard at first with the language barrier. Most of the students were between the ages of 12-16 and spoke very good English which made me happy. I would ask them what they wanted to study in the future and almost all of the replied with: nurse, doctor, journalist, and pilot :) I hope they keep those dreams up! They all seemed very bright!

Well its almost 7pm here and time for dinner. Hope I get to talk with my parents soon :)

Webale (Thank You)