Rukungiri. Miranda Memorial. The Village.

Almost two years ago after swearing in as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Uganda I traveled for 9 hours on a bus bound for Rukungiri in the southern hemisphere. Back then I had everything I owned in Uganda crammed into two large bags and a backpack, today I could fill the back of a pickup truck. The longer I have been here the more crap I accumulate. It feels good to say goodbye to it all. When I leave Uganda in a few weeks I will be traveling for nearly 2 and a half (2.5) months with nothing but a backpack. I decided to sell my hiking backpack and opt for a smaller backpack that I can take as a carry on while flying. I'm attempting the minimalist traveler lifestyle until I accumulate local crafts and momentos to bring back home. This shall be interesting but it is something I look forward to. Roughing it with a few change of clothes and what I think I need to get by. Then when I reach Taiwan to start my new job teaching English (why not?), I will accumulate a bunch of crap again.

Over the past few weeks I have been reflecting on my site quite a bit. I’ve had some good times, decent times, and rough times here in my little village. Two years ago I arrived at a primary school that was doomed to fail because the directors already had plans to close it down the following school year. Most volunteers would deem that worthy of a site change. Not having a defined role. No designated counterpart. Let us start off with the fact that I am NOT and Education volunteer. I guess that could actually be a good thing looking back…

I set up my house and walked to town often. I would walk to town 6-7 times a week which is about a 10 minute car ride or a 40 minute walk. When it would get late enough in the day I would walk back with my bag full of groceries and a watermelon under my arm.

During the dry season I would fetch my own water located at the school which is a quarter mile from my house. Some days I would carry 20 liters other days I would carry 160 liters and add it to my water tank.  Each 20 liter jerrycan weighs about 40lb. You do the math. Now picture a track field… that is walking the complete circle of the track once. May not seem too far to some of you but this water is in a plastic container (jerrycan) with handles that dig into your skin and you are carrying one in each hand (80lb).  The school used to have a bore hole with a bucket attached to a rope that would have to be pulled up. Now the school has a proper water pump. I still fetch my own water but it is easier to reach. During the wet season I have the roof and gutters to thank for feeding my 220 liter water tank.

Things may not have worked out with the primary school and it is unfortunate that a lot of my effort and time was washed away trying to improve something that didn’t have a future. I thought a few times about looking for a new organization to work with but for some reason I always made the decision to stay. They gave me freedom here to do what projects I wanted and to leave often to discover something new about Uganda. I made relationships throughout town that took months to form. I kept myself busy with camps and helping other volunteers with their successful events. After working hard and co-directing the National Camp GLOW (Girls Leading Our World) last fall I needed something new.

 I was back at site with little to do. I decided to write a grant for a playground. Great... but what if the school closes due to lack of funds. I am no omushabuzi (business women) and tried to help a local tailor with some new ideas and products but that failed. I tried encouraging the school to teach the kids how to make something worth selling for profit. Fail. I felt lost. But I can’t say I didn’t try. Lucky for me, a year and a half into my service  (January 2014) instead of the school completely failing they decided to turn the school into a PTC (Primary Teachers College). At first I was upset that they took my kids away but then I got over it and realized that this school is actually working. The new principal is great, the students are more responsible, the teachers no longer board at the school, the students actually pay their school fees, and the school has enough money to build real dorms. This also posed a problem that I have no connections with this new group of people. I got to know the students and the staff of the primary school. They knew who I was. These people have no idea who I am and why I am here. They don’t know that I have considered this place home for the past two years and that they are encroaching on my home. I felt violated at times being called Mzungu (foreigner/ white person/ etc) at the school I have worked at for almost two years. The staff would ask me for things because I somehow look like I have money with my dirty jeans and worn out shoes. For the first few weeks it was almost unbearable. This made me distance myself from getting to know the staff and students. I knew I was leaving soon and it would have made it harder for me to leave.

I have 4 days left at site. I am finishing my playground , selling my things, and packing out. It is bittersweet. At times this place really really sucked but when I came back after a few weeks or a long weekend I felt at home. The people in my village greet me by my name. The kids all know me because they attended the school. I always greet the traffic police on my walk to town and they always ask how Sipi (my dog) is doing. The first thing people ask me in town is either ‘Where is Sipi?’ or ‘How is Miranda?’ (the school I am at).

 I like it here but I am ready to leave. My time here in Rukungiri is coming to an end. Maybe someday I will be back… but there are so many other places in this world I look forward to seeing more. I have accomplished my goal and left a footprint. People know me and many of them know what I have done here. I taught lessons about life skills at the local community church and explored Planet Earth with the students at Miranda. I have succeeded if even one individual made reusable menstrual pads because I was able to pass on the knowledge. Everyone saw how well I treated a dog and some of them even began to understand why I was so compassionate to such a 'beast.' Lastly, I have built a dream and created a playground…fitting for someone who has a degree in Parks & Recreation.

Next week I will start my nomadic life for the next 3 months. Until I leave Uganda, I will spend a few days encouraging others that there is an end to this seemingly long journey and I get a week with my fuzzball Sipi before we part.

Here’s to tomorrow! Hoping to have a nearly completed playground ready to use!

My fuzzball, Sipi

Rukungiri Town

Locally made scrubs... heck yes

My compound... I live on the right in the row of doors somewhere

Walking to town... those buses fly by

Time Crunch

^{This was not posted at the time due to being trapped on a desktop computer for a week and a half partially due to lack of electricity (amashanyarazi) and me going to Kampala and then an epic PCV hosted event in the woods we named Burning Ssebo.}

JUNE 5^th

I am in the last phase of my Peace Corps experience where I can finally start making preparations to leave. I’m finishing up my project, cleaning out my house, and making plans for my future. The best part about it is that it actually feels like it is coming to an end. I’m in the mindset where ‘this could be my last trip to the market’ or ‘I never have to travel on this road again!’ It’s a good feeling. One chapter ends and another begins.

For the past 3 months I have been working with grant funds to create a recreation field, playground, volleyball, netball, and outdoor fitness area. I started the process back in November 2013 when I submitted to grant for approval. I went home for vacation in December and when I arrived in January I received the funds. Unfortunately my thoughts were then tossed around like a rag doll when I was told that ‘we don’t want the playground anymore.’ For 3 months I wondered how I could make it possible. Maybe build at the local community church or partner with another volunteer and his school. As soon as the school directors heard about my new intentions they asked where their playground was. WHAT? I just spent 3 months wallowing about not being able to complete my playground... Now you want a playground when I'm leaving in less than a few weeks?

To add a cherry on top: The organization that I was in contact with for 5 months and was going to get my playground equipment made through,  supplies, transport,  and volunteers from disbanded because of corruption and threats. One of their employees was stealing funds and the founder (an Englishman) confronted him and had to flee the country for a few months for fear of his safety. 

I was stubborn, upset, and drained of emotion for more than a week. Some could have called me a bitter eggplant but I found a way to turn my attitude around. I forgave my school directors for toying with my motivation and emotions. The situation with the playground organization was unforeseeable but understandable. I have been here long enough to be flexible with my plans and understanding to a point. So I was given a green light to build my playground but needed to find a plan B for making it happen.

Three months may seem like a long time to some people but to others it may not. In Uganda it is very common for no progress to be made in three months. Foundations for houses can and usually do sit for YEARS without anybody touching them.

Now without the playground organization to help I need to contact carpenters, welders, construction companies, hardware stores, and contractors. Communication becomes a huge barrier and everything has to be supervised. Mpora Mpora (Slowly Slowly).

I rented a bulldozer for two days to help shape the pitch. The bulldozer was transported for 3 hours on the back of a large truck and came with 4 workers that I had to feed. Two drivers and two ‘bullturns’ or bulldozer guides. When you rent a bulldozer you pay for: transportation, daily rental fee, fuel for the day, and per diem for workers. No signed contracts just… come in, do the work, and take the money. No more big plans for the pitch until the rainy season comes and grass can be planted.

Next step: Welders

I order metal from the hardware store and rent a truck so I can have it delivered to the school. I spent a week measuring and cutting the metal myself with a saw. Once the metal is ready and the school has power I have hire the welders to put it all together. I show them drawings with measurements and direct what piece of metal goes where when power is available. I’ve had them make volleyball posts, netball posts, football posts (soccer), monkey bars, and trash bins.

Ordering affordable playground equipment from Kampala, although 9 hours away, proved to be cheaper and easier than getting it made locally in Rukungiri.  Everything was already put together and painted. All I needed to do was provide transport to my destination. Thankfully Peace Corps let me use one of their drivers and their big truck for a day. They sure saved me money and time because I did not need to crawl around the city to find another driver and truck. Without much hassle from the traffic police we arrived at the school and unloaded the playground equipment just before it got dark. I’ve had the welders come to the school to strengthen some of the weak spots by attaching anchors to the bottom of each metal post so they could not easily be pulled out of the ground. which took another two weeks for them to finish due to the lack of electricity and Umeme (the power company) trying to fine the school 2.5 million shillings ($200).

With my newly strengthened playground equipment we need to re-paint to prevent rust. I ordered bright colors from a local hardware store and I’ve been waiting 4 weeks for my paint to arrive from Kampala. I would like to paint the playground before we anchor it into the ground but if the welders return to grind the sharp welding edges down we can dig some holes and cement the equipment in. If I wait for paint I am wasting time that I don’t’ have and will have to come up with an alternative solution for the paint.

Next Step: Carpenter

The carpenter is a bit trickier because the wood here is not so great. Once I order the wood that I want (type, size, etc) the boards are then taken to a machine (sawmill) which cuts and smooths each piece. The wood is not pressure treated and usually comes straight from the tree (with adequate drying time I hope) so I have to do my best to protect the wood by painting each piece with a black, tar like, preservative. Ideally I would use bolts instead of screws, nails are not an option due to how easily they can come out of the wood. If I can locate either screws or bolts in Kampala at this point I would be happy. I better get enough screws because I can't take the 9 hour trip again. My idea is to make balance beams and sit up boards (flat and inclined) for outside. I am also ordering wood and having holes chiseled into the wood for metal pull up bars and other strengthening bars. My carpenter does not have access to a power drill so the holes are chiseled in. Right now I am at a standstill with the carpenter until I travel to Kampala and look for supplies. While I am away I have to check up to make sure he is ordering the proper wood and has it ready when I return.

Progress to date:

Volleyball posts are in the ground
Netball court leveled
Wooden fence around the playground is installed
Playground equipment welding complete

Remaining to do: Enough to keep me busy

Time remaining to finish: Approximately THREE weeks

barrels for trash cans and other supplies 



My future playground site



my new fence



wood for some of the exercise equipment

These will be painted and placed in the ground



Had the welders add anchors

Strengthening the playground

YESTERDAY: JUNE 18^th Last weekend was spent Kampala for a Peace Corps meeting and playground supply gathering. Conveniently I was also able to spend the weekend in Mabira Forest with a bunch of PCVs at an event we called Burning Ssebo. It was fantastic! More about that later…

I spent over 300,000 UGX ($125 USD) on cheap screws that are barely long enough and found some wood preservative. Screws are not easy to come by. Since I needed longer screws and more ‘heavy duty’ ones I went to the construction shops downtown and found what I needed for about 4,000 shillings ($1.75) a piece. Yea…. I feel like I was screwed over. I’m over it.  Wood preservative is great because I want to plant some poles in the ground for pull up bars and other fun things… unfortunately it is also rare to find in Rukungiri.

Today I spent over 7 hours at the carpenters. Emanual, my carpenter, procured the nice wood posts that I need while I was away in Kampala. He got them delivered just as I was entering his shop. They looked rough on the outside but once we peeled the bark away, chopped the knots off with a ponga (machete), cut the poles to size, and sanded them… they did not look too shabby. I was bored while managing so I asked them to teach me how to use some of the tools. I love unplanned educational opportunities! The holes are drilled and I have someone coming in the morning to paint them for me… because my paint also came in while I was away!

Things are moving into place :)

smoothing the posts for my pull up bars

'Old school' drill. AKA what you use when there is no electricity

Tools at the carpenters

TODAY: June 19^th

Spent all day painting… then it rained and spoiled my work. Fail.

I am limited with time and it hasn’t been raining in Rukungiri… until now. Go figure.


9 days left at site = 9 days to finish the playground!

On the bright side of things I accepted a job offer teaching English in Taiwan :) Starts at the end of September when I am finished traveling around Asia!!! Yay for new adventures!

This needs a new paint job after the welding

Obstacle course? No. Pull up bars and balance beams!

Art time



SIPI!!! Taken June 7th 2014