Africa and Laura: Favorites of the week!

Favorites of the week!

Madame Florence and I had some great classes together! The students did an amazing job on their presentations. The students started exams this week, so I have been helping them study.

The students taught us how to carry jerry cans on our heads. Eventually, I could walk across the classroom, but not as gracefully as an African! The students taught us the traditional dance, and laughed at the way we moved (I thought I could definitely get the dance down, but the laughter told me different! We all know I’m better at freestyle dancing. Learning steps is not so easy for me!).

My roomies in Anaka killed the chicken for our dinner! I videotaped it without looking (I knew this was something I had no desire to do because I would not be able to get the images out of my head). After preparing the chicken, we cooked Mexican food for the priests and the staff at the Perish, this meal was inspired because a former American resident had left a pack of Trader Joe’s taco seasoning—sautéed chicken, Spanish rice, salsa (I made the salsa!), guacamole, and black beans. Everyone enjoyed it!

After making our Mexican food, we had so many left-overs, so I decided to eat lunch with my drama club. This was probably my favorite moment! We sat outside in our meet-up spot and kneeled in a circle around the food and ate like a family—we prayed and shared plates. By the time I looked up, many other students had joined us! The students eat posho and beans lunch and dinner, so I think this was a nice break for them. Most of them loved the food, but one student, Alfred, hated it and did not hold his feelings back, “Madame Shockley, your food is no good!” I had a good chuckle. Most people here are extremely honest. This week, I also was told that my Luo language was “crummy!”

My drama club gave me my Acholi name, Aber, which means a good person! I’ll take it!

Many students have really opened up about their lives. David, my drama student shared his experience with the LRA with me. He escaped within 12 hours.

Running club was amazing this week. The boys we run with asked a beautiful woman carrying firewood if I could take her picture. People here either love their picture taken or are very hesitant, so it is important to ask. I am a bit timid sometimes, so it was nice to have the running club ask for me! The women here are so physically strong, they walk with heavy loads and then carry their children on their back.

I sat in the girls’ dorm and ate ground-nuts with my favorite students from running club and drama. Winnie is a great runner and the only girl in her grade. Prossy is a talented actress who plays the mother in the play the students developed.

My favorite moment by far was my day in Gulu market. I met up with one of the girls I met the first week I was here. We had some laughs and then I told Juliet that I wanted to hold a baby on my back the way the African women do. She promptly found me a baby from a woman a few booths down from hers’. She tied the baby, Aber (my namesake), to my back and I walked around the market with her. I thought the baby was going to fall off my back, but she was perfectly content back there (even though in the pictures she looks terrified!). Then I tried to put something on my head. It was not easy!

My time here is coming to an end and I have many mixed emotions about it. I am extremely sad to leave, but excited to go home and see you all! Uganda and its people are so special and I feel so blessed to have had this opportunity.