Laurie's house is a wonderful safe-haven of equal parts comfort and rest. Sometimes after our long teaching days, we arrive home to the smell of Laurie's cooking filling the front lawn. Laurie creates delicious things like baked garlic cloves spread out over toasted bread, and lemon pepper Tilapia straight from Lake Victoria with rosemary carrots and potatoes...oh my yum! On the nights we eat in we play movies like 'Julie&Julia' (and I think of y'all when Julie writes on her blog) and 'My Sister's Keeper' (of which I opted out...isn't Uganda intense enough?). Lots of down-loading about our days, about each other, and about ourselves, which helps to cope with most issues that we face on a daily basis- very healthy and very appreciated.
Sometimes, however, our living situations are a test to us all! It's like living in a dorm- but instead of one roommate, you have six, and instead of a known and comfortable culture- it's Uganda. Awaking to the smell of burning trash because Uganda doesn't have a trash-removal system, so they burn huge dumpsters of decomposing food, plastic bottles, and paper on the corner of each street (sorry if you're just finishing your breakfast...). The preventative medication for Malaria is also no help to the moods of the house-hold; while most are taking weekly Doxycycline, which holds symptoms of upset stomach, several of us, including myself, are taking a daily Malarone pill that is a known hallucinogenic (one of the reasons why I take it at night even though it's been producing some very vivid dreams of bats?). These kind of conditions are enough to make any person 'sort of' on edge. In actuality, each female is her own well of strength with deep compassion to match, and it has been beautiful to watch as each one of us comes out of the wood-works to support another. All-in-all, we are all here for the same reason of betterment and growth for this struggling up-coming generation, so the support system we're creating for each other is far stronger than the trials of culture shock.
Perhaps I'm speaking too soon, but I have yet to feel like I'm in the throws of culture shock. I certainly have been crying a lot- mostly happy - but even when they're tears of frustration or helplessness, it has been healthy and helpful to cry. I have not been feeling lost or scared, afraid or beyond upset...maybe it's because I am used to New York? New York City is not all that different from Uganda; you must watch with extreme care before crossing the street, keep your belongings close to you and always attended, and you have the occasional bartering with local transportation conductors. I realize walking around in Jinja or Kampala is not exactly the same as walking through New York City, but the preparation for seeing a homeless man asking for money five minutes after leaving your house is certainly not something I'm unaccustomed to. It doesn't make it any easier, by any means, but perhaps the reason I am not feeling overwhelmed.
Today, however, is not in the least overwhelming- It's my sorta-kinda- day off!! Sort-kinda because I planned to teach my final day with TAOST this morning, but when I went out to work with the newly appointed music teacher, Paul, (who is also the 4, 5, and 6 English teacher as well as the 3, 4, and 5 Math teacher...but what's one more class right?!), Paul ended up needing to be in town and no one knew when he'd be back! Thus...my sort-kinda-half day off! Tonight before dinner, I'm also going to be sort-kinda teaching a (very relaxing, less sweating) yoga class to some of the other ladies working for Fount. We all are bringing towels to this shaded lawn over-looking the Nile at the 'Hotel Paradise'- aptly named and precisely why we chose that spot.
While I sorta-kinda make my way around town today, meandering and weaving my way from place to place, I'll be replaying the visions of this past week in my mind, contemplating just HOW I managed to fit everything in and still have a brain.
I'll share some with you if it let's me! Enjoy!
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