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!