Snakes...argh...

Ciao!

Rainy season has started. Not much rain up to now, but more cloudy and definitely cooler!

Last Sunday a new volunteer arrived: Anna. She'll stay a few weeks.

I have to say that being here made me realize how precious the access to health care is. Of course we all realize that, even though we often forget, but being here leaves you endlessy grateful for the health care we are provided with back home. As a woman I'm particular touched by maternal mortality during child birth: here is a gamble, and way too many times a gamble which women lose.

On a more cheerful note, two Saturdays ago me and Rosa decided to go to Jinga and it was a great day!

We had lunch at Flavours and for couple of hours we were far away from dust and beans (you would understand after more than a month eating them almost daily!!)

I had a moka and its taste reminded me of Oxford SO much.

I also saw my first (and second after few days) snake. No worries. Small one. After making sure that having baby snake didn't mean that mum snake was around (apparently they are not too keen on motherhood, which is great news to me!) and after having killed them, I regain my normal heart beat (after all...one was in the backyard...but the other one was in my bedroom!!!)

I'm also enjoying interesting conversations with my colleague Robert.

As old as me and very smart, he was brought up as traditional Ugandan, so he can gives me the best insights about Ugandan culture. For example, did you know that the in laws (wife's side) are not allowed in the house? I know few people back home who would be happy to take up this tradition :)

We also went to a quiz night on Thursday where we were amongst all Mzungus (whites) and I met a girl from Oxford who lives almost next door to where I lived and, funniest of all, she works in Oxfam in the Oxfone team! We could almost be interchangable, if it wasn't that she is 10 years younger (yes I know...feeling old!!!)

That's it for now.

Hope you are all well.

Love

Fede

The new volunteer is here!!!

Hi all!!

So this was the week of the 'first times'.
My first time chewing a sugar cane...which I really enjoyed because the first bite released something really similar to fresh honey :)
My first time in Jinga, the closest big city. I went to the source of the Nile and I had a really nice day out. On my way back, on the 'taxi', I realised that for the first time I was relaxed....I wasn't clunching my teeth as I do most of the time.
Another first time was when I realised that maybe..after all...I'm gonna make it! :) Such realisation came after seeing Rosa, the new volunteer, walking through the gate where I live. She'll stay 3 months, working on HIV.
She is a really nice 20 years old American, from Washington D.C (I see a pattern here...Grace, Danielle? :P)
So, it's like if all of a sudden the place has brighten up...and me with it!
Last night we didn't have power, but we chatted until 10...LOVELY!!

News also on the workside.
Now I'll be working at the Integrated Disabled People (IDP) SACCO every Mondays and Tuesdays, and in Baitambogwe the rest of the week.
IDP SACCO is planning to organise the official launch of the Sacco with a trade fair, and I'm the organiser. Cool!!!
So...all good! I still dream of cheese and fresh tomato on fresh baked bread...but you know me....:P

That's it for now.
Good week-end guys!!!

With love

Fede



Third week....

Hi all!

As usual my luck didn't work and the volunteer who was supposed to come this week...postponed two weeks!!!Now...that makes 1 month and 4 days of me alone here. You can't really say I'm not making the effort!!

So, after a day spent in a miserable mood because of the news...I pulled myself together and here I am...end of my 3rd week!

I got used to some things, but still struggling with others.

For example I can't help it but get upset when they pack you in a taxi meant to drive 14 people...but if you count you see 26 heads...26! A bit too much I think! It also looks that I'm not getting used to the tireless and endless request of money/sweets/balloons from children, everywhere you go. Yes I know...I do love children...and I still do. I don't dislike them...I dislike the attitude that they have been 'thought'.

Religion is another difficult issue...especially because I'm always speechless when I find myself in fornt of a poster about a crusade (I didn't know it, they are like collective moment of prayer and singing in the name of God)...and the poster reads: 'Bring along oppressed, sick and Demon possessed...God will heal them'....(a bit too much for me, but I carefully avoided to discuss about it).

Also, people here don't smile (exception made for children). If you go in a supermarket, office...you name it...people don't smile. Not just to me...they simply do not smile.  Tough!

The real positive note, which is also what is really pushing me to go ahead, is the work at the Baitambogwe SACCO. Slowly slowly we are putting together a business plan (can someone explain the manager that no, it's not ready yet because doing it properly it actually takes some time AND the fact that they have almost nothing saved as soft copy doesn't help?).

I also went for my first appraisal, which means going around the village on the boda-boda (motorbike) assessing whether the conditions are positive or not  for a loan.

The biggest issue at the moment is the repayment rate, between 49 and 51%. So this is what I'm working on: to find a way to improve the pay back percentage. However, changes happen slowly and the attitude is difficult to fight, amongst the community and the SACCO itself.

The common perception is that they ask a loan, they get it, and IF they can, they pay it back...if not...not a big issue. No further action had never been taken anyway until now....(of course they are not so worried to pay back...would you??). It's a bit like fighting against the windmills...but still, we must try.

At times I feel a bit stronger and more capable of coping with the whole situation....some other times I'd like just to be on a plane, heading back home.

Anyway, a lot depends on the other volunteer's arrivale. So I just wait and see...

In the meantime, I send you a lot of hugs.

And a special thanks to Arjuna. Your Christmas present is revealing itself as a real blessing :)

Love

Fede

'Freedom has a high price, as high as that of slavery; the only difference is that you pay with pleasure and a smile, even when that smile is dimmed by tears'

 (The Zahir: a Novel of Obsession-P.Coelho)