Typed on the morning of the 9th of June at Sankofa Internet Cafe

Today’s Hero’s Day, so I’m enjoying my day off at the cafe and typing up a blog!  Anyways, yesterday was my second day of work and I did very much the same thing. I sat for a bit.  Took tea. Sat some more.  But Steven and I were talking and we’re trying to think of ways to be more proactive.  I also asked for proposals of the projects so I read a lot about NACWOLA’s field projects in Lira.  Now hopefully I can go out there? Called it a day early again, and I went into town to inquire about some portable modems.  Stopping here at Sankofa for a couple hours a day will cost me about 180,000 Shillings, plus I use my phone to call back home some.  Having a modem would cost more but I’d have internet more often and maybe cut down on phonecalls as well.  So later today I’ll go take another look and probably get one.  Yay!

Yesterday evening I went with Erik, Annett and Martin and we played badminton for about an hour and a half with some bad shuttlecocks (stupid other English).  It was fun though! And it was nice to get a little bit of sport in as well.  From there, we went to a party to see off some mizungus that were leaving Lira.  It was quite a gathering of people at the International Lifeline Fund.  I got to meet a lot of people!  The farewell was for Hoi, a Vietnamese-Australian who now lives in the U.S. and is going back to his pregnant wife after spending some time with ILF and Marco, an Italian who was moving to Kampala – they were also welcoming Amandine, a Frenchwomen who has lived in Uganda for eight years and is now the director of ILF.  Also also, I met an American named Alison and guess what – she was in Masaka with FSD when Heidi was in Jinja and they know each other – small world I guess.  Also small world, ILF is working with Invisible Children on a project?!

So!  After meeting all of these people and eating a bit of dinner, some music started playing and I got to just hang out with everyone.  I got to know everyone and heard a lot of fun stories.  One thing I did learn, speaking with an Australian, a Brit, and three Germans who learned British English, is that I will never not be surprised to hear the letter Z pronounced “zed.”  Also I was forced to dance a few times, and I don’t think dancing will ever not be awkward for me.  Ever.  Anyways, enough talk! Enjoy some pictures.

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