Random RHS

A smattering of random photos from a week on rural home stays in Serere with my co-workers Jones and Jordan and Margaret.

Coaster ride up!

Kate meeting her host grandmother:

Jones and Jordan ghosts:

Sunset through the school window:

6:42pm:

pretty little flowers:

An evening walk:

Scary chicken:

Crazy seeds:

Sodas with students and their host families:

Sunset on top of the hill:

After the rain:

Early morning walk:

Brilliant mango tree:

...blowing in the wind:

The bobsey twins and their host mama:

Home for the week:

Descending:

More visiting:

Random staff album cover gone wrong:

Sipi falls whisper:

Great week!

Some more Rwanda...

I always wonder, can I sum up a whole trip in just one picture, maybe two? Sadly, no. I can never decide, so I give up and post far more photos than necessary. This was my 5th trip to Rwanda since I moved to Uganda a year and a half ago, but this time we saw and did a whole host of new things...

My coworker Abby and I flew to Rwanda for a 5-day planning trip. (Seriously, what is this job I have?!) We had a fabulous time. We expertly navigated a good deal of planning for our upcoming trip with both old and new sites, visited some places just for fun, had endless good conversations and it was made all that much more enjoyable with plenty of coffee stops along the way.

(Some of) what we saw and did:

1. Ivuka Arts Gallery... VERY COOL. An artists cooperative/gallery space in Kigali.

2. Dinner with the Karyegesa's... Emmanuel is a former honors college student, now doing very cool micro-finance work in Rwanda, and his new wife, Julianna (also UCU graduate).
3. The fabric market. OH. MY. GOODNESS. Totally overwhelming, glorious colors, patterns, stacks and stacks of FABRIC. And this was just ONE shop! (Abby and I each came back with an extra bag loaded with fabric...)
4. Hillywood. Thats right folks. The land of a thousand hills.
5. Golden Crested Cranes at the Stipp Hotel in Gisenyi. (Where we revamped with a cup of coffee.)
5. Sunset over Lake Kivu- which lies between Rwanda and Congo.
6. Plants seen from the top.
7. Who says latrines can't be beautiful? They didn't necessarily smell as beautiful... but, what a lovely spot, hey?
8. Barefoot Artists project: The Rwanda Healing Garden. A memorial just outside of Gisenyi that has been beautified by community artist, Lily Yeh. What does it mean to have memorials? What is the difference between one showing the stark, horrific reality, and one that is beautifully and sensitively designed to offer solace and hope? (A conversation I'm excited to engage the students in when we come back in April.) Here I am with Jean Bosco, the community organizer who helped with the development and implementation of this project, and the woman who cares for this memorial.
9. A woman's sewing project in Gisenyi.
10. Another project with Lily Yeh. She held drawing/painting workshops with the children of this village, and then transposed their drawings onto the walls of their houses. The sum total a very exuberant effect: each house donning its paintings proudly. Whimsical, colorful, unselfconscious children's artwork, larger than life for everyone to enjoy...

11. A Batwa Pottery Project. Here a woman whips up a large coil pot with skill and ease.
12. The Virunga Mountains, which you drive by on the way to Gisenyi. This is Muhabura I believe. The Virungas are an extinct string of volcanos famous for their mountain gorillas. (Diane Fossey did her research here.)
13. Three of the mountains.
14. Coming back into Kigali... the late afternoon sunshine hitting the hills and the city just right.
15. Abby and I enjoying out last lunch at O Sole Luna restaurant. Yum.
Such a good trip. I'm throughly pumped (and planned!) for April when we will return with the students.

Oh, and PS- our returning flight was routed through Bujumbura, Burundi. I can now officially say I have been to all east african countries. WHOOT!

Iced Tea time

Hot, hot, dry, dusty days call for iced tea. Brewed long and slowly in the hot hot sunshine. I'm making and drinking it by the gallons these days.

Or at least by the pretty green Bajjo glassful. Its just so refreshing!

Same time, same place, just ICED, baby! Ahhhhh...

The last four days...

... have felt very full with lots of good things and good people.

Thursday:

Thursday started with an IMME breakfast at my house. The interns and I hosted the 24 IMME students for breakfast burritos- scrambled eggs, black beans, guacamole in chapatis, fruit salad, juice and coffee. Oh and coffee cake. All freshly made and deeeelicious!

It was NRM day/Liberation day here in Uganda, a national holiday, so Gwyn and I decided to return to Vision For Africa for a lovely afternoon by the pool like we did last year. This could be, and maybe will be my annual NRM/Liberation day tradition. Its a good one!
Our natural beach umbrella:
Friday:

I found a freshly hatched butterfly in the grass outside my kitchen-- at least I think he was freshly hatched. He was brilliant, vibrant and seemingly just getting used to the world with his new wings. He let me get real close.
After work Jordan, Julie, Brendah, Jones and I decided to go into Kampala for Ethiopian food. Friday afternoon traffic was a beast, but we had a glorious golden sunset along the way. The long tedious ride in was totally worth it for the best ethiopian food I've had here in Uganda.
Saturday:

I stayed close to home and got lots of odds and ends done... laundry, emails, cleaning, flat stanley, etc. etc. Yes, thats right, Flat Stanley. My freshman roommate from Gordon is a elementary teacher in the US. Her school is doing a "flat stanley project," and she asked if I would be willing to be their Africa Flat Stanley. Well, sure! He's this little (flat) dude who travels around the world and sends pictures back of his adventures. So, I printed this guy out and need to take fun photos of him enjoying his trip in Uganda for her fellow teachers second grade class. Fun fun, hey? (I wonder if I'm not more excited about this project than the second graders are??) (maybe... who knows, I'm pretty excited.)

Here is flat stanley learning about Matoke... what we eat here in Uganda.
And here is Flat Stanley looking up at the enormous old forest tree. This one isn't all that great, I will be taking more for sure, but just a few to get started.
Sunday:

This afternoon some friends and I went to MishMash... a fun gallery here in Kampala. On the last Sunday of every month they have a new exhibition opening, along with a number of Kampala craft vendors selling their work, performers, good food etc. Its a great sunday afternoon socializing sort of event.

A pretty flower on the ground....
A painted pot on display outside:
The drummers drumming under the flame tree. They were brilliant.
And now... oh my. I really ought to be preparing for class tomorrow. Just trying to hold on to the loveliness of the weekend for a leetle bit longer.

learning from the little things...

Earth is crammed with heaven, and every common bush afire with God;

but only she who sees, takes off her shoes.

-Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Gone....!!!

The great and mighty Bujagali Falls...

... are GONE!

Uganda has one dam-- has had it since the early 50's? I think... Its presence disappeared Rippen Falls, at the Source of the Nile back in the day... and another big hydroelectric dam has been in the works for forever. There has been talk of it and the effect it will have on the river for years. I mean YEARS. Essentially Bujagali falls would disappear. My dad and I were just there in August and the falls were still pounding. But this past weekend I went back with some friends only discover to my disbelief and incredulity... It finally happened. The falls are just... gone! Its shocking.

Ok, they not GONE... as one friend insists, they are still there under water. And is it bad? The dam will be really good for Uganda, right? Hopefully it will bring jobs, electricity and economic growth/development... its true. BUT AT WHAT COST? IS it a worthwhile sacrifice?? Are aesthetic, natural wonders worthy of being in and of themselves? Or, perhaps the benefits to Ugandans outweigh the need for one more set of rapids. And the landscape just changed. Its still a pretty spot. And maybe in the grand scheme of things, these falls are a worthwhile sacrifice. I just can't help but feel a bit sad for the loss of something magnificent and good.

And to be there was just rather shocking. In place of what WAS roaring class 5 rapids, is now a placid, meandering river. What?

Sara, who was visiting, and I went to the Nile Porch with Gwyn for some dam consolatory drinks.

I still feel rather shocked.

Missing: GG&B Blogjuice

I seem to have lost or misplaced my blogjuice. Its just gone... I keep looking for it, but can't seem to find it. Motivation? Inspiration? New directions... Any thoughts, ideas or suggestions? Where can I find it?? I'd really like to find it again....

2012

2012 is here in all its shining, hopeful glory. I'm excited. I don't know exactly why. I just feel hopeful. Who knows... maybe its just the usual "New Year" hopefulness that everyone gets this time of year... But maybe not. Maybe this year really IS going to be grand! I'm ready. Ready to do the work. Ready to embrace what comes. Ready for 2012. BRING IT ON!