Day 1 in Uganda! Star-Struck

I have arrived in Uganda! PHEW!
I flew in to Entebbe Airport, which looks like the crystal waters and lush greenery of Hawaii, then I took an hour and a half van ride to Kampala, which has nearly 5 million people inhabiting the city and surrounding areas, and finally I took that same van to my coordinator's apartment in Jinja. (sigh) I Love Jinja. It is one of the most beautiful places, with big tropical trees that wind into each other, supporting several children on their tops as they chew on big sugar cane sticks. They wave to me as I pass and give me thumbs up with big smiles. Jinja reminds me of a beautiful remote surf town, accessedonly by bridge and sitting deep in the mountains north of Lake Victoria and slightly east of the Nile......THE NILE RIVER!
We arrived to a gated home with round the clock security guards and watch dogs; not to mention we have a back yard! It's very tropical feeling and with stucco walls and ceilings, it feels a little like an island.
There are four girls staying in the house and for dinner, we took what are called 'the bogo', little mopeds that you hop on the back of as taxi-like transportation, and went to eat at a gorgeous restaurant called 'Two Friends'. Half way through dinner I literally ceased to be able to use my motor skills, dropping my fork, delaying sentences (even more than usual)...from only 3 hours of sleep in the past 48 hours it was a conscious effort to speak!
The dinner was worth it however, if for nothing other than the stars. The sole reason to have a professional camera out here would be to take pictures of these glorious, innumerable stars. They are breathtaking. I asked 'the bogo' driver if he got distracted by them often and he laughed at me. ....what?! I was distracted! ( :
I am SO excited to be here and to get started- every child dressed in a school uniform, walking along the pedestrian-packed roads of Kampala, would remind me why I am here. Originally I was supposed to begin teaching our first organization on the 7th, but now, I begin tomorrow!
I will be getting an early start, and I am slightly delirious, so I'm going to sign off!


Tomorrow is the beginning!
Love always,
Carly