On the 141st day, Fay said “Let there be light…”

…and then there was light, and it was good!

(Note: post written on September 15, 2010)

I got solar! It’s nothing fancy, but it does take (some of) the edge off at night. In fact it is quite a small system: 5W panel (measuring about 1’x1’), which charges a 12V 5Ah battery, and can be connected to four separate LED lights as well as a phone charger. Although the light is great, if I am to be honest with you, there is another, more influential motivator for purchasing this system: MUSIC! If you have ever lived with me, visited me, or even know who I am, you probably know that music is a BIG part of my life. Although I can not even best Mr. William Clinton on the alto sax, I can listen to music like none other! The only electronics equipment I brought to Uganda (besides my wrist watch, which coincidentally also has built-in mini solar arrays for charging) is my Zune, an Mp3 player. I used to bike 13km to Soroti town just to charge my Zune, but not any more! Thanks to my new solar kit (and a few nifty adapters) I can convert the all-too plentiful sunrays baking Gweri everyday into juice for my Zune; it is literally music to my ears!

Another little groovy gadget I recently acquired (about a month ago from a PCV returning from the states) is the X-mini “sound beyond size”. Basically it’s a very small battery-powered speaker that still manages to put out surprisingly good sound quality. The best part: it's rechargeable via a USB cable, just like my Zune! No more earbud headphones, which are extremely uncomfortable to fall asleep with and have forced down your ear canal while tossing in your sleep, subconsciously fighting off those pesky mosquitoes. So even though I am currently using one of the lights supplied with the solar kit, as well as charging my cell phone about once a week, the dominant energy zapper is my “sound system”. We all need something to keep us grounded and sane while abroad, and one of mine happens to be music. (I feel this is also helping keep my neighbors sane as they no longer see a headlamp floating around my residence, “dancing” to inaudible noise, but rather just a tall goofy white guy jumping spastically to-and-fro while strange music blares from a tennis-ball sized object) I’m happy.

After talking to my parents this morning (they hadn’t heard my voice for about seven months), I realized that I hadn’t painted a correct image of my living conditions to those of you back in the states. The romanticized jungle/bush life that many initially imagine when they hear Africa (including myself) is far from accurate. For example, I do not have to dig a hole and bury my “business”, as someone once asked me. I would compare my living situation to long-term cabin camping. I have my own three-room house, made of cement with tin roofs (bring it on Big Bad Wolf!). Averaging around 10ft by 12ft each, the three rooms are used accordingly: one is my bedroom, one my kitchen, and the last... ummm... I guess it can be called my “dirt and lizard-feces collecting room”. In my “backyard”, I have two small cement sheds: one stores my tools and beast of a bicycle, while I bathe in the other. Lastly, even further into the backyard is my pit latrine. I’ll spare you the details of this last one, but if you ever think about visiting, be forewarned that I share it with others of the non-humanoid type. Example: taking care of my “business” at night can be dangerous for my leather-winged latrine-mate, who likes to flap up between your legs and say hi while you’re “assuming the gargoyle”; very unprofessional of him if you ask me. (If you are confused by all the terms in quotes, they are used in an attempt to keep this blog G-rated for the younger readers out there) I also have a one acre garden, which has produced more headaches than results though, and is actively being destroyed by weeds and neighbors' animals simultaneously. Light (prior to this solar system purchase) was provided via a small rechargeable reading lamp (also solar powered) or a kerosene lantern. Water is fetched 40 liters at a time (via two 20L jerry-cans) from a borehole no more than a couple hundred yards from my house. All in all, it’s not a bad setup and has even begun to feel like home, somehow. New house and yard remodels/additions are currently being discussed, but the homeowner(me), contractor(me), workers(me), etc are not cooperating at the moment, and delays are expected. I’ll keep you posted.

Of course, if you can’t bear to wait, you are all most welcome to visit anytime and learn the true secrets about living in a Ugandan village (ie the correct technique for how to slap-shot a frog out of your house). Enticed?

Future posts to look forward to:
-"Grabbing the Cow by the Horns"
-Common Ugandan phrases that might make you say "Whaaaat???"
-Revelations and poem(s) written by yours truly while daydreaming during mind-numbing meetings/workshops...

The Mango Trees are in Bloom!

(Note: post written on August 28, 2010)

Yes, that’s right ladies and gentlemen, the mangos are coming! It’s a beautiful sight to see the hundreds of trees around my village start to flower; not because it is appealing to the eye, but rather to the stomach! With each tree having the capability of producing hundreds, if not thousands of mangos, there will be a plethora of this delicious fruit in the upcoming months for all to enjoy! I doubt whether or not you are truly grasping the magnitude of the upcoming fruiting (I know its not a word, but it feels right so I’m leaving it). I’m told there will be such a surplus of mangos, that one won’t even be able to purchase them at the local market! This is due to the fact that anyone can pick a basin-full within minutes, while many more fruits will lie rotting on the ground due to the lack of takers. Now how did these mangos earn the prestigious and coveted title of my post (besides the fact that they are delicious)? Three words: GLOBAL climate change. Close to the time I arrived at site in April is the normal peak of mango season. However, for reasons unknown to the Ugandans, the seasons here are shifting, making life unpredictable and just that much harder (especially since a vast majority are sustenance farmers). I conveniently forgot to chime in about how back at home I, along with much of the “developed” world, drive a personal car everywhere, use an exorbitant amount of electricity, fill large bins with trash every week, support numerous unsustainable and environmentally unfriendly industries/companies/products... (the list goes on and on). Even though this 21st century buzz phrase has been on the tip of everyone's tongue for awhile now, living in a comfortable city/suburban setting doesn’t directly expose you to the consequences. Therefore, I find it quite interesting to see the affects happening to such an extent all around me. Alright, its time to take off my little hemp hippie hat and get back on track.

Now I’m sure all (two) of my loyal blog followers (thanks mom & dad!) want an explanation for my sorry excuse of a blog, and the lack of posts. Well, one critical factor is I’ve been gone from site (home) for three of the past four weeks. First week was due to illness; anybody heard of Rickettsia? Tick-bite fever? No? Me neither, until three weeks ago. Supposedly it’s a much tamer cousin of Lime’s Disease, contracted via the bite of an infected tick (surprise surprise). It consists of fevers (and the chills/night sweats that come with that), entire body aches (especially head), a rash, an infected lesion, and possibly more. I’m assuming I had a milder case of it (which I attribute to my superbly in-tune and strong physical body…), but Peace Corps was nervous because none of the local health centers could diagnose me. Therefore I was called into Kampala, where two health centers and two days of testing later, Doxycycline was prescribed and I was on my way to a full and quick recovery. However, only a couple days after returning to site, I was off again for two weeks of “In-Service Training”. Although somewhat boring, I was able to see many of my American friends, as well as have another bout with Giardia (that persistent punk). After popping some more pills, I was “A-Ok” just in time for probably my most epic weekend yet in Uganda: RAFTING THE NILE!!! That’s right baby, a full day of chasing hippopotami and crocodiles over class 5 rapids on one of the most famous rivers in the world! (For the sake of my mother’s heart, I’m going to come clean and admit there are no hippos or crocs on that part of the Nile, but it was still EPIC!!!) Just another incentive for any/all of you to spontaneously hop on a plane, fly across the world, and say hi!

So as you can see, I've been quite busy running around and fighting off disease. However, I'm thinking things might slow down now and I'll be able to regularly update this blog. So, a sincere thank you for all your patience in bearing with me. Please keep reading (and hopefully enjoying)!

Take care all.