Wednesday, May 16, 2012

I think I'm Getting Busier


I think. I'm starting to get busier. I think.

Ugandan Quote of the Day: "God created all of us. He started on Monday and went to Saturday. On Saturday, He was VERY tired . . . that is why see you people who are VERY ugly."

So...this past week: I went to the dentist! And I have to say...it was good!

Cost of a cleaning: $38
Cost of teeth whiting take home kit: $204
Cost of laser whitening teeth treatment: $260-408 depending on the number of sessions
Cost of an xray: $12-18 depending on location of xray
Cost of them having newer equipment than my dentist at home: priceless
Sorry! It's lame. I know but I just had to write it.........

Not so lame news...I was on the radio! Promoting my upcoming 5k/10k for charity. It was interesting! Of course no one understood me cause I spoke in English on a Ugandan station and probably spoke too fast but hey! I made it on the radio =) O.

And this conversation:
 -Sat-
Tiff: I'm sad, I wasn't chosen as a trainer for the new group. Man, I really want to be part of some PC group. LOL
Friend: Same.
-times skip to Wed-
Tiff: Hi. I'm Tiffany. In for dental work.
Joanna: HI. Joanna. O! You're Tiffany. Have you been contacted about being a trainer?
Tiff: ??? My name wasn't on the list.
Joanna: Ya. Things changed. Someone was supposed to contact you 2 days ago. You have to be at the training center this Sunday. Actually, let me reconfirm that you're a trainer.
Tiff: Okay?
-10 mins later-
Joanna: Yup. It's all good. You're in.
Tiff: Cool. See you Sunday.
-----so I go home on the 5-6 hours bus Thursday morning and tomorrow get to catch another bus to Kampala and then another matatu to the training center. Nice.

Other news. I think I may try to help at one of those children's camps we do....even though I don't like children. Hopefully, I'll get an easier slot. Bleh. + 3 koreans moved into town--they make AMAZING korean food and homemade kimchi! I guess that's more or less it. Pool table is still doing very well YAY!

How Dogs Save Lives and How Tiffany Helped Save A Dog


Hello!
 I got the opportunity to hang out with a Ugandan women from the Northern region of Uganda (Gulu) thanks to couchsurfing (of all things!). She ended up telling me about her past, growing up during the time when the rebels still ran freely around Uganda. She talked about walking pass land mines (set to go off for heavy vehicles) on the way to school and other horrible things.

This was my story... “When I was a young girl living in Gulu, my family had dogs. During that time, the rebels were still around. Sometimes, the dogs would start barking. Whenever the dogs started barking, the people in my village would hurry and escape to town. The dogs were right, when they barked, the rebels were around. They protected us. They saved our lives.”

After this conversation, we got to talking about dogs in general and I told her that there was a shelter nearby. So we decided to go check it out and she adopted a puppy!

So Tiff’s good deed of the day: helped rescue a puppy.

 Ps. I feel like we have the most ginormous flies here...they buzz SO LOUD and are probably about a centimeter wide and long. Char tries to eat them but she always fails.

I am not lost.


Hello!

No. I am not lost. Or well maybe I was but now I'm found. <--When you haven't been around for a while here in Uganda, people tell you you've been lost.

This past weekend, I went to Lake Kyninga, a nearby crater lake with some germans for a swim. The water was super clear! and the lake was a couple hundred yards wide and doubly long. It was great! Char liked it too...sort of. She doesn't actually like water. She did get in though, although I'm not certain if that's because she slipped in or jumped in.

I seem to be accumulating more and things. Someone gave me an iron yesterday. It came with a toaster oven. hmm... and of course I have a fridge too but I must say, does keep me eating healthier! I'll have to post a picture of the contents of my fridge =) www.tibbyme.tumblr.com

I feel like I spend a ridiculous amount of time thinking about my next meal. Which leads me to browse the internet (when I can) for simple and Uganda-feasible recipes. I think I'm going to come out of Peace Corps either 1. MUCH more conscious of what I'm eating and therefore healthier or 2. can cook but still choose not to or 3. cooking more. I'm not exactly sure which of the 3 I want lol.

Tried this one today (without mangoes) and it was really good! Thought I'd share.

Asian Cabbage Mango Slaw:

2 cups shredded cabbage

.5 cup shredded carrots

1 mango, not yet ripe

3 med scallions chopped (if you want, I have green onions)

3 tbsp rice vinegar (I used regular)

.5 lime, juiced

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp sesame oil

1 tsp sesame seeds (opt)

Peel mango and cut into strips. Combine with cabbage, carrots and scallions. Toss in large bowl. Prepare dressing by whisking together vinegar, soy sauce, and the lime juice. Slowly whisk in the oil. Pour dressing over the cabbage mixture and toss to coat. Let sit 15-20 minutes for dressing to coat. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Servings: 6 Serving Size: .5 cup Cal: 62.9 Fat 2.7g Protein 1.1g Carbs 10.1g Fiber 1.9g Sugar 6.3g Sodium 114.8mg

+quarter chicken. Viola! Lunch.

Pool table is still doing fabulously! Carrots and peas are now out of season =( and green peppers are fading. My org is taking a 2 week break so my supervisor can finish his coursework at the university where he is pursuing a certificate in special needs. Fun..break after break it seems. Anyhow = Char gets her pin removed!

I'm utterly bored right now. I should probably go study my GMATs or learn Rosetta Stone French or something. But I'm going to town in 30 minutes and I don't feel like working. In town, I'll be working on Fort Portal's First Annual Tour de Charity. It's a 5k run/walk and 10k bike ride for CA Bikes (they build bikes for orphans and disabled children) and it's on May 26th (dad's birthday!).