Buziga Country Resort Kampala

After spending just over two months here in Uganda, I am still assiduously working on blending in with the crowd, which is kinda hard given the fact that I am rather easily spotted; so instead I am striving for that almost perfect assimilation! The goal: talk like the native! The result: well…I guess I succeeded, because this guy told me that, unlike other Bazungu, I speak really good English, almost like a Ugandan! (I really gotta learn to accept compliments!) In ...

In order to prevent me from getting in any form of visa-trouble, I thought it would be a brilliant idea to start processing the procedure of renewing my visa in good time. So, with 26 days left on my current visa, I went to Kampala to get started. (Okay, I planned on visiting Josephine and Sam and hook up with Helene and Adholla and used the visa-thing as an excuse, but hey…the thought was there and that's what counts!)

Josephine went with me to Immigration ...

... slightly terrifying sounding mummy Emma..eek! The two new volunteers are both very nice - Ian 26, ex drama student, once wanted to be a midwife, recently worked in senior management at weatherspoons, like cigs, alcohol, coke, choc..etc etc and Vicki 31, works for friends of the earth, has done a lot of volunteering, bit intense but also shares a love of gin.

Well as always, I hope that you are all well back at home.

Lots of love
Amy xxxx

... time and energy (and those of the other people involved) are the pledges: friends and family and neighbours and whoever can pledge to donate a certain amount of money to contribute to the kwanjula. Now, it is not a requirement, but rather a 'gift'. Yet, surely if one pledges to give money, one should also give it or else just do not pledge! Yet, I was told that many people may say they will give money in order to show off, as well because these pledges are made in ...

... and many policemen and security guards with rifles i dont fancy getting on the wrong side of them to be honest.\ after a rubbish morning and eventful we decided to have a lazy afternoon back at base, and after rubbush food and the staff not so nice, i think we're definitly gona move onto a new place tomoz!! all well otherwise\ peace out courtz p.s havent got a phone so number is pretty useless now, but i wll give new number and details on new phone when i get a new one, soz xxxxxx

... mzungu speaks better Luganda than Teacher David.' David is a Langi from the North. I take that as a good sign. So, David came to me to challenge me: after my 7 months we will meet for a Lugganda competition. I swear, I will win that one!!!

Today, Josephine, Birgitte, Sam (BiA volunteer) and I are in BiA's office. They had a meeting about Eden School. It was very interesting to be able to participate. However, the highlight was ...

... walk we were next to inseparable. She climbed on my back, and I was relieved that she weighed less. When we would stop in the forest she would climb down, but not let go of my hand or my arm. She stayed by my side, with a tight grip to remind me that they have the equivalent strength of up to 5 men. At times, she would sit like a child, her legs wrapped around my hips and arms holding tight, and then instinct would take over, and she would hold onto my hips with her feet, freeing my ...

... me to learn a little that I could use in the future. One a personal level Paul Kabanga was one of the most inspiring people I have met here. Admittedly he had an advantageous start, being well educated at Kings College Buddo which is one of the oldest and best schools in Uganda (founded in 1906 under the British and didn't have a Ugandan head until the 1970s) and at university but he still works so hard to find paths to development. He has a network of ...

The first week on the project has been very hard work! Our first task has been to collect rock on the mountainside that can be used to fill the foundations of the school. The land is prone to seasonal flooding so the foundations have been made to raise two feet or so out of the water and now they need filling with rock before a cement floor can be laid. I totally underestimated the amount of water I'd need on the first day and was struggling after just a ...

... cela pour nous rapprocher d'Okya, le male le moins farouche de la troupe et l'observer à moins de deux mètres de distance se nourrir de feuilles et cogner contre son torse avec véhémence. Un moment magique donc, mélange de peur et d'excitation, au coeur de la nature à l'état pur. Bilan de cette deuxième étape : un diplôme, des courbatures et une belle frayeur. Il est alors temps de se reposer quelques jours sur les rives du lac Bunyoni, dans la tente safari sur pilotis à la vue ...