School Function with Mr Otim & a chicken!

What a lovely day...I accompanied Mr Otim (Director of one of the other vocational training institutes) to a school function. Mr Otim was the guest of honour and as his friends we were treated extremely well...

 

 

Again, school children sang a welcome song and entertained us with a creative dance, poetry, speeches & a debate.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Later Mr Otim was given a gift of a goat as the guest of honour – then completely unexpectedly I was given a live chicken to share with my fellow volunteer, Kul. Unsure what to do with the chicken – we left it in Mr Otim’s care.

 

  Mr Otim receiving his goat

 

 

Inside the school

 



 

Honoured to receive our gift!

 

 

A very warm welcome at the school

 

 

Guests at the school function

 

Billy on his way to his new home with Mr Otim

Not only did I gain a chicken today, but I was also given a local name – update to follow as not sure how to spell it!

Life in Lira

I have been settling into Lira nicely and most of the initial fear of walking around town dodging the motorbikes, bicycles and cars because there are no pavements has gone.

 

 

 

 

 

Typical street scenes in Lira town above



 

It still amazes me to see what people can transport by bicycle or motorbike and what they can carry on their heads. It seems quite common to transport a whole bed for example by bicycle!

We are still exploring the town but have found a couple of good restaurants/cafes where you can buy African, Chinese, Indian, Italian & American food – you can eat out quite cheaply. We have also had a couple of fun evenings at the Lira Hotel which can draw a big crowd on its outside dancefloor.
 

 

My birthday, Lira hotel, with Carly (volunteer from Holland)

 

and with Kul (volunteer from India)

 

I am getting used to being called a Mzungu (meaning foreigner but not in a negative way), there are not many in Lira and at times this seems to be a great source of amusement, particularly to children who I have seen in fits of laughter as I walk past and they shout out Mzungu (unless it is just me?!).  

Not sure that I will ever get used to all the bugs here – it seems to be bug central in Lira – I have never seen so many bugs, flies, lizards and bats -  so far I am coping though! The hotel where we are staying is very nice, we have electricity most of the time and water most of the time (although usually cold) as well as wireless internet – not always so reliable. Weather is mostly hot hot hot with some rain.

 



 

Gracious Palace Hotel - home for now!

Going on holiday?!

 

Following extensive VSO training and lots of fond farewells to some great friends & family I set off for Uganda on 17 March to volunteer with an NGO called CEASOP (a vocational training institute). I left with mixed feelings of excitement and anxiousness but the truth is that I felt like I was going on holiday and wondered when the reality would set in?! Since arriving in the chaos of Kampala we have been very well looked after by VSO and gently eased into life in Uganda.

 

VSO Uganda - training venue

 

Kampala
 



 

 Cultural night out Kampala

 

 

We spent a week training in Kampala before joining the bumpy roads heading to Northern Uganda. First stop Gulu for a few days before being formally welcomed in Lira - much to the disappointment of our VSO boss we were not suitably dressed for the occasion - if only VSO had warned us of the need for formal dress - Ugandans typically dress very smart! Once in Lira, a group of school children sang a welcome song, a priest blessed the building where two of my fellow VSO volunteers will be based, there were many speeches, introductions, prayers followed by a formal signing of the 3 way agreement between VSO, the host organisations and each volunteer - I couldn’t help but feel like I had very publically just signed away my life for the next two years! The next day my employer collected me from our hotel and gave me a tour of Lira town – I would guess it is about the size of Woolwich, but you don’t have to travel far before you reach the rural areas. I was taken to see CEASOP’s vocational training centre – courses include garment making, cooking, bicycle maintenance, carpentry, masonry & agriculture. Again, I was made to feel very welcome and given a typical Ugandan lunch of rice, potato, millet, beans, beef stew with greens. I think any hope of coming here to lose weight is a lost cause as most Ugandan meals seem to be a carb fest – and they do seem to like to feed you.

 

 

 

CEASOP office, Deputy Director, Charles & Project Officer, Emmanuel

 

 

Project Officer, Kenneth and my half of the desk!

At Easter we took advantage of the long weekend and took a day trip to Murchison Falls – a beautiful National Park next to the Nile river. We saw giraffes, impala, baboons, monkeys, a vulture, lots of hippos and a crocodile that decided to come out to play football after some children lost their ball in the Nile river!

 

 

 

 Despite a few days in the office - still thinking that I am on holiday this point!