October

October was overwhelmingly full of good people and a lot of fun things: a visit from Katie, rural homestays, Sipi Falls, Meg's visit and all of a sudden we were in November. Just a few photos below of all the fun. (If you wondered at all why I've been so MIA here.)

Art exploration day in Kampala with Abby and Katie

Lunch at Touch of Class with Jones and Katie (Katie sampling all foods Ugandan)

Dinner with Lisa and Eddie and Katie

A fun trip to Jinja

Dinner at the Opols... Katie Margaret and I

Me and Karis

A week of rural homsetays with Tiffany

Meg and I enjoying some quality G&T's and golden delicious sunshine

Jordan, Tiffany, Ruth, Jones and Meg. Only missing Molly, Julie and Brendah! 

And here we are and November is almost half over. Last month of the semester and we're heading into Christmas and all that good stuff. CRAZY.

hope.

Yesterday I drove down to Entebbe and spent the better part of the afternoon enjoying the lakeside with Meg before dropping her off at the airport. It was a perfect, glowing Entebbe evening as I headed back. The golden scintillating sunlight behind, and in front of me, Kampala-- over which hung dark and heavy clouds. The contrast between where I was and where I was going made me a little giddy. A mass of storm clouds all piled on top of themselves on the horizon is always far more intense than when one is directly under them, but it was still dark overhead in town... dark with the Entebbe evening sun sneaking in from behind making it all absolutely gorgeous. 

When driving through Kampala from Entebbe you come into the city on the Entebbe Rd, go through downtown and then head out on the Kampala/Jinja Road. Once you pass Lugogo, you are on your way home. Granted, this last leg (15 miles-ish?) can easily last an hour and a half or more at the wrong time... but on a Sunday afternoon it (usually) only takes 45 minutes. I passed Lugogo and was enjoying relatively clear roads, great music and the weather and I noticed a piece of rainbow to the left. A rainbow! 

Now a cynic might say that its not all that surprising to happen upon multiple rainbows during the rainy season. True. However, I don't think they should be taken for granted. In the last month, I have seen some spectacular rainbows. And I have been in need of visible, tangible, beautiful hope. Hope outside of myself, beyond my capacity and regardless of my own ability TO hope, and these rainbows have been that for me. Last weekend in Sipi falls, I saw a beautiful rainbow. A couple of weeks earlier in Jinja, I saw perhaps the most complete and brilliant rainbow I've ever seen. I wanted another. 

So I was driving home... on the home stretch of going home, and there it was... this sliver of rainbow to my left... I could appreciate that, it didn't have to be full to be hopeful. So, at probably more risk than I ought to admit to (to myself and all others on the road) I got out my camera (yes, while driving) to take a picture or two. And as I drove-- it got brighter and brighter. And it started to extend higher, arcing up and over... I kept snapping with a growing sense of excitement. 

To my right was only clear blue skies, but my eye kept tracing the path of the would be full rainbow, and after a while, there on the horizon to my right (exactly where the pot 'o gold should have sat) was the other end of the rainbow. Its not like in itself it was all that shocking, except that it just seemed unreal to want it, to look for it, and to actually find it there. Not only that, but I kept watching it (and the road), and it too started to brighten and stretch upwards.... and somewhere around Seeta- the two halves met and over me stretched a beautiful full rainbow.  

I don't know the future. I don't know what lies ahead or on the other side-- but I was heading home, and there it was, a beautiful, hopeful gateway for me to pass through. Not only metaphorically, but quite literally. And right now, when hoping on my own feels shaky, it was remarkably solid. 

I strung together the contraband images I took (while driving), and like the rainbow itself, am surprised that they actually tell the full story. (And that I am still alive to post the story...!)

when in doubt, make banana bread...

My mom is wonderful. And famous for her incredible hospitality that comes always with a hot cup of tea and fresh banana bread. On days like these, when I feel a bit loose ended, and a longing for soul connections... I make a loaf of banana bread, my moms, which is the best ever. And have another cup of tea. (Wishing it was a pot and that you were here to share it with...) 

a little bit older.

Feeling loved and celebrated here after my 32nd birthday weekend... Last night good friends/coworkers took me out for a progressive birthday celebration. We started at AfriArt, an art gallery in Kamapala for some art viewing and appreciating... progressed to MishMash for drinks and appetizers... then on to Kana Kazana a delicious Indian restaurant for dinner... the ended at The Bistro for coffee. So fun AND delicious! And a much needed break for all after the Rwanda trip and an incredibly busy first week of classes. Thanks Bartels and Tokpas!

Some questions that got asked along the way:

1. Birth story: My parents were living and working in Nairobi with my two-year old sister. They had just started working for the St. Lawrence Kenya Semester Program. I was born one of the first days of their second semester with the program, in the Nairobi Hospital. My parents were with SLU KSP till Spring 1999-- when I graduated from high school. (Is that right, mom and dad? Any other exciting details I should know?)

2. Great birthday memory: Growing up they all kind of blend together... we had quite the crew of families and kids... and birthdays were often afternoon barbecues with everyone and sleepovers afterwards. And I thought of a few more after the fact: Once in middle school Rita and I had a combined rollerskating 50's party, we were obsessed with Oldies at the time. Freshman year of college Jules Grant, the wife of one of my dads former students, came to Gordon and took me out to get sandwiches from a little deli and have a picnic on a nearby beach. She gave me a passion plant which is still around (my mom is taking care of it these days). My senior year of college, my roommate Molly and the rest of the girls in the house woke me up to a delicious breakfast. (and that takes some serious dedication if you know anything about my early mornings). In grad school my sister had a surprise party for me. (The party may have been leaked a few hours prior by a "reply all" email response that somehow I was on, but I was still delighted by it. My 28th birthday I threw myself a party in Baltimore.... which I realized was a slightly scary thing to do after I'd invited everyone, but it ended up being good fun.

3. What is something I'd like to be doing or somewhere I'd like to be on a future birthday of my choice: On my 33rd birthday I'd like to be doing a sunrise balloon safari over the Mara. :) (No pressure, Than.) And anyone who wants to join... :) So yeah, see you all NEXT year!

And thanks again for birthday wishes and love from around the world. Much love back!

a new semester...

The summer has been officially over since August 2, our back-in-the-office day, but this weekend felt like the last weekend for reals, as we get ready for our new batch of students due to arrive en masse early Tuesday morning. Their arrival will launch us in to full go-mode for the semester; two and a half days of orientation, home stay drop offs, 10 days in Rwanda and back on the 2nd to start classes on the 3rd. Craziness! So long carefree, easygoing days of summer and far less responsibility... Hello work! But its good, and always exciting to start a fresh new year and a new semester. 

Tuesday we went on our annual staff retreat day in Jinja. There are several new faces this year: Lisa and her husband Eddie (back left) and our two new Program Assistants, Tiffany (front left) and Ruth (front right). Missing old faces, but harnessing lots of good new energy!

Friday night several of the American families and folks on campus went to Hairy Lemon for a get-a-way. Lots of good time relaxing in the sun, watching the world go by, playing badminton, reading, chatting, swimming... Perhaps Hairy Lemon is a pre-fall semester tradition for me! One I'm very ok with. 

Cormorant drying out on rocks in the river

Lisa and Eddie playing badminton

Check out this fleet of dragon flies perched on this tree...

Mary and Rachel, the cute Bartel girlies enjoying the water...

Sunrise....

Tiffany enjoying her milk tea, wading in the river....

So 24 bright-eyed students are somewhere between here and there... on the ground, we're ready, everyone anxiously anticipating a good, full semester ahead.

mongooses take II

Well hello my sweet Nikon 55-300mm zoom lens, where have you BEEN all my life?! CHECK IT OUT! Same place as yesterday, but with my brilliant razzle dazzle zoom lens, you can actually see these guys faces and bands! Not just a little streak of fuzz in the corner of the photo, I'M PUMPED!

I was sitting in my house, lamenting the sluggish tired feeling that ALWAYS seems to find me Sunday afternoons. Not wanting to waste a whole afternoon feeling unmotivated and energyless, I thought... let me pull out that new lens I really haven't had a chance to use yet, and head out on a walkabout. Actually I was inspired be the fact that this morning I saw some cute little squeaky parrots outside of my window but couldn't get a picture because they were too far away. SO... I got my new lens on and headed out. No sooner out my door than I hear the rustle of the mongooses scuttling across the hedge line. Camera already in hand, my zooming lens on and ready to zoom... I let the shutter fly! Much BETTER pictures of the crew of banded mongoose that frequent our compost pile and keep the snake population down.

So, thanks dad for talking me into getting this lens. I have a feeling I'm going to start enjoying...

WAIT WAIT, I GOT IT!!! This blog is unfolding as I type... and I'm so excited! I just heard the squeaking parrot outside my window in the guava tree, so grabbed my camera and went out to see if I could get it-- and I DID!!! (The pictures are a little dark- its kind of a dark afternoon, and I'm still learning my camera... but you can clearly see a sweet little green parrot!)

I'm about as excited about the picture as the subjects! I love Parrots-- they are such happy-go-lucky little birds that-- as far as I can tell- love life and delight themselves with all the curiosities of it. I LOVE that there are multiple species of wild parrots here. I love their squeaks and squabbles...

Right now I have to say I feel totally energized! This is how I'll keep the sunday afternoon drag away... start a tradition of sunday afternoon walkabouts. I will step from the house to see what I see and hear- and I will praise it! (MO)

Mongooses!

FINALLY... caught on camera. 

Toenails telling time.

I find it rather interesting measuring the passage of time through different things that change at different rates. Like the moon for example-- "last full moon I was in the US, this full moon I'm in Uganda and next full moon I'll be in Rwanda..." Or haircuts, "I've gotten my hair cut three times since christmas..." Or TOENAILS. Exactly a month ago I got them beautifully pedicured in Missoula for my sisters wedding. They've grown about a sixteenth (?) of an inch in that month. The line of color/no color clearly visible as they grow out. Its like that line marks an important moment in history for me. And three months ago I climbed Mt. Elgon, which is all but forgotten- physically I mean, except that my two middle toe nails just fell off this past week, making my otherwise still decent pedicure look a little goofy. So tomorrow I'll cut my toenails, and restart my toenail clock with a fresh coat of paint. What will I be doing NEXT time I have to cut my toenails, and remembering back to this moment of blogging about it, a week before the students arrive?

(Or this is just a window into a bizarre way of thinking about things.)

The Morton Arboretum

                          

One of the hard things about leaving home this time was that my parents are moving, and next time I go home, it will not be to the same place. The move is right. The time is now. I absolutely believe it will be really really good for everyone in the end. Still it is hard to say goodbye. 

The Morton Arboretum has been a sacred space for my family during our time in Wheaton. It was one of the first places we went when we arrived in 1999.... and has been a place we've gone to regularly over the years and throughout the seasons. There were many long sunday morning walks through the woods in the summertime, snowy hikes in winter with thermoses of chai back at the car, drives with grandma and grandpa through the daffodil glades surrounded by the dazzling bright fresh greens of springtime, and the glowing golden cathedrals of trees in the fall. In the bizarre world of suburban America, it has been a sweet and beautiful respite, and I will miss it. 

Before I left, mom and I went for a last drive and walkabout. 

Wedding!!

A smattering of photos- a few from before the ceremony and many from the reception. Photos of the wedding itself were taken by the photographer and are not yet out.

 (the bumper sticker immediately preceding says "Keeping it Wild") (Someone had to do it)

Thanks Kara and Mark for a most magical and lovely wedding! 

**I swiped some of these photos from Carolyn and some from Elizabeth... thank you guys for taking and sharing such fun photos!