RHS

... Or Rural Home Stays. Since 80% of Ugandans live in rural areas, it wouldn't do to have students here for four months and NOT experience life in a rural setting. Last semester I went to Soroti (or Sere in Soroti), this semester Gwyn and I swapped, she took her group to Soroti and I took mine to Kapchorwa-- a town/area up in the foothills of Mount Elgon, which straddles the Kenya/Uganda border. Oh, it was a fun fun week...

Going, the students were nervous and anxious. Excited, but nervous. I was absolutely confident that they'd have a terrific time, but no matter what I said, they were still just worried.

Drop off, Friday afternoon:

Unloading the van:

At Heathers house:

See ya, Amy!
Daniella and her mom:
AJ has a pretty great set up...
Katelyn is Heidi for the week:
So with the students out, Vincent (who drives the program van), Meg (the intern) and I settled into our home for the week at Noahs Ark-- a little hotel in Kapchorwa town, to wait for any emergencies/ student needs to arise. We of course had some fun of our own...
We hiked up the road one morning, and enjoyed the vista....
Lake Kyoga out there in the distance on a clear day...
We visited a co-workers wonderful mother and had deeelicious tea, freshly roasted g-nuts, fried eggs and matoke for lunch. MMmmm...

And passed waterfalls on our drive abouts...
But, so, would you believe it we didn't have ANY student issues all week?? No upset stomachs, illnesses, cuts, falls, injuries, or even breakdowns (for all their worry...). Which- GREAT- don't really enjoy those sorts of things, but we decided we should pop in anyhow... just to make SURE all was well with everyone. So 11, students 2 or 3 a day... And of course, as expected, they were all doing marvelously and having a whole lotta fun.

We went to church with the good reverend Moses and his daughter Caitlin and family.
And followed them home for an all afternoon cooking affair, to eat our 'lunch' at 7pm.
Cody was having a great week, he had killed no less than three chickens and had learned to make chapati. Here with his little sister, Precious:
Kate was busy feeding all the workmen building her families new house and taking care of her one month old little brother, Sunday.
We found Daniella sorting rice with her mom and the whole family one evening.
And Melody, had just finished 'mudding' the floor with her mom in their house...
'Go big, or go home,' thats the idea. Well, the students have amended it to "Go big, or go home. Or go home big." Which is I think is fairly apt! Particularly after a week of visiting families and being served delicious snacks and meals absolutely everywhere we went. The hospitality of people is remarkable. Ah, but it was SO worth it.

And all those nerves? Pah. The students were having a fabulous time. What fun to see them relaxed and enjoying their family members, recounting for us great tales of (attempted) cow milking, or chicken killing or plowing or whathaveyou... I loved it. Just LOVED it.

After a most successful week, we picked everyone up, said our sad goodbyes and went to the Crows Nest in Sipi where we were joined by the group from Soroti for debrief.

Saturday those who wanted, could hike to one, two or three waterfalls... Down into valleys and up the other sides, one beautiful waterfall after another... up, up, up higher into the mountain we went. Last semester I only went to the first, this semester I went for all three (go big or go home, right?) (And truth be told, I wanted it to help with the whole going home big bit...) it was a lovely hike and a nice chance to catch up a bit more with the students who went to Soroti (or Soroasti, as it was affectionately referred to... apparently down in the plains it was H O T ! ).

Jones, myself and Molly (the other two interns) at the top of the second waterfall...
It is (or was last weekend at any rate) the end of the dry season, so the waterfalls were pretty wispy. (Last semester- during the rainy season- was quite a different story...)

There was enough water in the second one for a pounding shower. Medaline, our Canadian rockstar:
The way across one part of the river. Beautiful old treelog...
Oh... what glorious, beautiful fun.
Let me get this posted now as I need to get to bed and ready for tomorrows adventure... Class 5 rapids on the Nile! Whoop whoop!