Greetings from Uganda!

Well hello there!

Nsanyuse okukulaba (it's nice to see you!)

It's been a coupe days and I'm happy to say...I've made it to Uganda!

We left Philly on the 3rd and arrived here on the 4th. Thank you to everyone who wished me a happy birthday :) it was very memorable birthday! My training group sang me happy birthday at the airport. Everyone stared... =)

We arrived in Luganda thursday night and are currently staying in banana village. This little resort (I guess it's a resort?) is quaint and great. It's got monkeys, horses, cats, dogs, and a rooster that wont shut up.

So far, the weather has been a constant and extremely nice. But that may be just this little area im in as it seems to have a micro climate. LOl.

So far...I've met 45 other people and have had my intro interviews, started survival Luganda language lessons, and have been in lectures from 830 am to 7 pm.

Anyhow, I now have a phone (cheap to call back to the US!) and data plans arent currently working on my iphone....I'll just have to wait to get a internet modem. We leave this week for homestays for the next 9 weeks before we see our potential site. I will be located in the West Nile region (next to congo and sudan border) and will be learning Lugbara, which has arabic influences. So if anyone has the Rosetta Stone for Arabic, please send it to me!

Some facts about my current training group:

-16 males and 30 females
-ages: 19 between 22-26 years, 12 between 27-32 years, 1 between 33-50 years, and 14 over 50 years old. We have the most diverse group they've had in terms of ages.
-there's 5 couples serving together, one of which actually met when they served as volunteers in another country a couple years ago.
-Cali is representing! lol. We have the most volunteers with Texas coming in second and than Florida.

Moving on, I also met my new country director. A very nice armenian woman. Thank you to the Helmich Family for the Armenian phrases. Not that she won't remember me...I'm the only Asian in my group.

Shout out...Hey Alex! there are no starbucks currently in Uganda.

Final note...I think I'm on sugar withdrawal =(. I'm definitely not feeling 100%. And I've got the runs... sorry if TMI! But some people here are actually sick! And I have no jet lag.

So currently participating in the following:
bucket baths
pit latrines
night poo poo buckets
tons of starch (that I've not been eating...)
cold showers

good news...I have SOME electricity here. and occasionally warm water. Who knows after this week.

Alrighty,

I'm off. I'll try to update as soon as I can.

Cheers,

Tiffany