omukka nnyo

So these past few weeks have been good. I have been teaching English to a 50 student class. Some highlights have included:

*teaching them My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean and watching them fall into hysterics as they try to stand up and sit down

*trying to teach them the chorus to Hot N Cold and having them guess the words (it's all opposites so it was a good song to teach them)

*telling them to make me a craft for homework and receiving all types of creative games and dolls and pictures

*them laughing at my pronunciation of their Ugandan names, but them not exactly being able to pronounce mine

I'm going to be doing a project with the school, and it will probably helping them build a new kitchen. Right now, they have an illegal kitchen in a classroom, and when I tried to interview the cook (an amazing cook by the way- her matooke is the best) she couldn't speak English very well but she kept saying "Omukka nnyo" which means "A lot of smoke." There isn't a good way in the classroom for the smoke to escape, and consequently she has to cook in this room all morning, and furthermore keep her kids in the room with her. I'm looking into an option of using cassava as a type of cement.

As far as other problems with the school, they have many. Their biggest one is the 5mill shilling electricity bill (about $2,500), which is frustrating because if that could be solved so many problems would fall into place. They would be able to use their computers and printers to print tests for the students, and type up documents, and use their phone. Also, they can't use the bathrooms in the school building because they can't afford the water bill and don't have running water. Plus, there are many parents that can't pay the school fees but Kyabakuza doesn't turn the students down. Many students don't have uniforms, even more don't have socks and shoes, and some don't even have a notebook or pen. There aren't enough teachers at the school, hence the large classes. Many more problems. I will not be able to solve all of these in one summer.

Other than that, I have been traveling a little bit- I went to Kampala, the capital city, 2 weekends ago with a few other interns. We ended up going on the right weekend- we found ourselves at the first silent disco in Africa! How it works is when you get there they give you headphones and there are 2 DJs, and 2 channels on the headphones so you are flipping back and forth and trying to communicate with your friends which channel is currently better... we had a blast, and also enjoyed seeing the city. Last weekend I spent a day at Lake Nabugabo, a beautiful place. This weekend some of us are thinking of going to the Sesse Islands, which are on Lake Victoria and supposedly beautiful.

I'm really enjoying Ugandan music- especially the song Bread and Butter, which is played everywhere! Very catchy, with a nice beat just like most of the good songs here. Also, I'm learning that Ugandans love Celine Dion and play her music everywhere. In fact, my host dad was giving me a full bio of her life just the other day.

This blog is called Omukka nnyo because there are still a lot of things that need to be cleared up here. Even if there is a lot of smoke, it is becoming more clear and even though my expectations are constantly being proven wrong I am starting to see beyond the fog. I am getting my project figured out, but there are still speed bumps and dust in the air. Once the dust settles, I will start the project and hopefully help this school. I just need a way to unclog the smoke that is piling up, and realize that some of it is inevitable.

My roommate (turns out if you try to pick up a lizard its tail falls off and wiggles in your hand for 5 minutes)
the cook's son, who stays in the smoke-filled classroom all morning
the cook in her traditional gomez making her delicious matooke in banana leaves
Sarah and Ashley rocking out to Bread and Butter at the silent disco
Joey, Andrew, me- my host cousins/brothers
Charles and Andrew
Helen! my beautiful host sister
some of the students in the classroom at break wanting to hear some American music fom my computa
another student hangin' out