Toy Airplanes

            The Marsh Family has left Africa with no cuts, scrapes, amoebic dysentery, or run-ins with the law.  Brenda behaved herself and she actually made quite a few new friends; maybe it’s something about the air over here.  And you all were worried… (Okay, I was too!)

            After the Serengeti, we headed to Zanzibar for a much needed three-day beach vacation.  We were all happy to not have to set an alarm and drive in a car for three days.  The flight over to Zanzibar was interesting to say the least.  We flew out of the “air strip” in the Serengeti, which was just a long dirt road serving as a runway.   When the planes took off, we were all drowning in the dust that encircled us.  Also, I am not even sure these aircrafts can even be classified as planes.  They were tiny one-prop planes with twelve seats, which I am pretty sure they sell at Toys R’ Us.  We flew to Arusha first, which was about a 30 minute flight, and I was gripping my sister’s hand most of the way.  Surprisingly, my mom, who hates flying, was perfectly fine.  I, on the other hand, wanted to take her whole bottle of Xanax.  We flew from Arusha to Zanzibar in another toy plane, but this flight was two and a half hours.  I am not quite sure how this plane held enough fuel for two and a half hours, but some things are better left unknown.

            If anyone had more anxiety than me about this flight, then it was the pilot.  My dad sat next to him in the cockpit because the toy plane was full and it was considered a passenger seat.  The pilot was biting his nails and biting a portion of his wrist and sucking on it the whole flight.  At the same time, he was reading the emergency handbook – what to do if the fuel ran out, what to do in a rainstorm, etc.  I guess we should be happy that he was actually reading the handbook; better late than never!  I know what you’re all thinking, “Thank God it was Brett sitting next to the pilot, not Brenda or Robyn.”  Robyn was sitting behind the pilot and could see him biting his nails, which grossed her out, but she was unaware of the emergency handbook.  I’m pretty sure that could be an SNL skit – someone call up NBC. 

            Zanzibar was beautiful and relaxing.  We lounged on the beach and hardly anyone was there.  We basically had the beach to ourselves – white sand and the water was so warm, it was like a bath.  We also had really great seafood, which was nice for me because I can’t get that in Uganda.  I could have used another day or two at the beach, but unfortunately, we all set out for home after three days.  I was sad to say bye to my family, but I am so happy that I could see them and that they made the trip to visit me. 

            The flight back was uneventful, and I thankfully got a real sized plane.  Herbert, our driver while we were in Uganda, picked me up and drove me all the way home.  I was so happy to not have to deal with public transport and get home at a reasonable hour.  Herbert used my latrine before he headed back home – and he swept out all of the rat poop and critters!  He really is the best. 

            I thought that coming back to site after being pampered for two weeks would be hard, but it feels like I never left.  I do miss showers and toilets, but I am actually quite happy to be home.  School doesn’t start for another two weeks, so I am just hanging out and not doing much of anything.  I am starting to study for the GMAT (ew!) because I feel like I should have some sort of plan for when I enter the real world in a year.  My dad loves to constantly ask me what I plan on doing after I finish the Peace Corps even though he knows it’s a source of anxiety.  He seems to think, however, if he phrases the question differently each time, it’s okay. 

I went with Sauya to an orphanage outside of Jinja the other day.  Her friend, Godffrey, recently started the orphanage and she wanted to introduce me to him and show me around the school.  Also, she wanted me to consider donating some of the “Libraries for Life” books to the orphanage.  The school was very small and the classrooms were tiny – P1 and P2 are taught in the same room, which must get confusing/loud.  Godffrey took us to his house afterwards for a “simple” lunch, which was a small feast.  The amount of food he put on my plate could have fed a family of four.  I told Godffrey that I would donate a portion of the books to his school, but only if he built bookshelves in the next three months in order to prove he was committed to taking care of the books.  (Otherwise, I know the books would just sit in a box).  Godffrey’s neighbor came over after lunch, but she spoke no English.  She scrutinized me for a little and then turned to ask Godffrey why I was there.  He explained, and then she said something that made both Sauya and Godffrey laugh.  All I caught was “mzungu,” so I knew they were talking about me.  She kept talking and I could just catch bits and pieces – I was getting the idea she did not like mzungu.  Finally, Sauya translated for me and she said, “She told Godffrey that you better not be like the ‘other’ mzungu.”  Apparently, last year, other wazungu (plural for mzungu) came to the town and said they were going to sponsor the children to go to school.  The town fed them and gave them necklaces as gifts of thanks, but the wazungu never delivered.  Hence, wazungu kind of have a bad rep in the town of Nakirubi.  I really hope that Godffrey builds the bookshelves so that I can bring the wazungu back to Nakirubi’s good graces. 

Lastly, thank you to all those that donated to Libraries for Life – we reached our goal, and raised all of the money that we needed!  The books should be delivered in 3-6 months (I’m sure they will get stuck at customs).  I will be sure to keep you updated and let you know when the library is all set up.  Thank you, again! 

            Also, here are a few more photos from our trip:  

Leopard

Taking a snooze

Baby cheetah cubs

The awesome staff at Nomad Camp 

Toy Plane

Not the best quality photo, but you get the idea of how small the plane was!

The beach in Zanzibar

Getting thrown out of the boat is always fun - that's me with my legs up in the air!

Ladies Love the Sausage Roll and Other Tales From Tanzania

            Brenda is still alive!

            We left Jinja on Thursday and headed to the airport really early in the morning.  The drive took way less time then we expected, so we had some time to kill at the airport.  We sat in the cafeteria in the airport and there was a food warmer labeled “Hot and Fresh” at the counter.  There were samosas and other various fried foods, including something that my sister dubbed a “hotdog pie.”  A woman sitting next to us was enjoying one of the hotdog pies, so my sister kept telling me to go get one.  Finally, my mom said, “Will you stop encouraging her! She will actually go and eat one of those things.”  I did, eventually, go up to the counter because I was hungry (and considering a hotdog pie just to gross out my mom).  Upon getting to the counter, I realize the hotdog pie is actually called a sausage roll.  Here is the conversation I had with the male cashier:

Cashier: Hello.  Do you want a sausage roll?

Me: No, thank you.  I want a vegetable samosa. 

Cashier: Oh.  I know the ladies love a sausage roll.

Me (laughing awkwardly): Uh, ya.  I’ll just have the veggie samosa.

Cashier: Ok.  Are you from the US?

Me: Yes.

Cashier: I knew it.  All the beautiful ladies are from the US. 

Me: Thanks…

            After eating my soggy, gross vegetable samosa, we headed for our gate.  We had to go through another security checkpoint and I was really mad because I forgot to pack my Leatherman in my packed luggage.  Thankfully, my knives somehow bypassed security.  My mom’s lighter, however, was confiscated.  You have to love Uganda!  We boarded the plane, and immediately started dry heaving.  Three grubby American girls were eating sandwiches filled with hot gym socks fashioned as meat.  These had to be from the “Hot and Fresh” counter.  They smelled so disgusting; I would have preferred the smell of tuna fish sandwiches.  My mom looked at us and said, “You made fun of me, but now you totally want to use some of my Viks, don’t you?”  My sister and I followed my mom’s lead, and I have to admit, the Viks worked wonders.  The plane ride was lemony fresh the rest of the way!   

            We arrived in Arusha, and spent the night at Onsea House, a cute little bed and breakfast (with amazing food!).  The next morning, we left early to go to the Ngorogoro Crater, which is about three hours from Arusha.  We met our driver, Ami, who was amazing.  He was so sweet and we immediately fell in love with him.  On the way to the Crater, we passed through a town called Kituru.  There was a chapatti stand that said Obama ’08 and Hilary Clington, but the “g” was whited out.  Awesome!  While tempting, we did not stop to buy any of the “political” chapatti. 

            We arrived at the Crater, which was absolutely amazing.  For those who don’t know, the Ngorogoro Crater is a collapsed volcano where tons of animals roam around.  Before we entered the Crater, we had a picnic lunch next to the zebras and wildebeests, which was pretty cool.  We went into the Crater, and Ami was an excellent guide.  We saw a cheetah, hyenas, lionesses, elephants, flamingos, and warthogs.  The one problem there is that you have to stick to the roads, so the animals are kind of far away.  Ami kept saying, “Don’t worry, once you get to the Serengeti, you will be super close.”  Nonetheless, the Crater was beautiful and had amazing topography.  We still had a great time and didn’t really mind that we weren’t that close to the animals – it was still far better than a zoo. 

            We spent the night at Sopa Lodge, which is right on the rim of the crater and has amazing views.  The travel agent recommended the lodge because of the views, but he did warn us that the lodge was a little dated.  He wasn’t kidding.  My sister said the furniture in the lodge looked like it was furnished from the set of the Golden Girls and/or Three’s Company.  The place actually reminded me of a ski lodge, especially because it was so cold.  The views, however, were incredible.  After dinner, we went back to the room and the maids had already come in for turn down service.  My sister was in the bathroom about to take a shower, and I went to my bed to read.  I pulled back the covers and immediately started laughing and called my sister to come check out the beds.  They had left a rubber water bottle, filled with hot water, to warm the sheets. 

            The next morning, we got up early to head to the Serengeti.  As we were heading out of the long hotel driveway, Ami said, “You guys wanted to see an elephant up close, right?”  At the side of the road, there was a huge elephant!  He was standing there and munching away on some grass.  It was so cool, I could have reached out to pet him if I had wanted.  We sat there for a while taking pictures, and then continued on.  About ten minutes later, Ami said, “Hey, want to see a lion?”  Up ahead there was a huge male lion walking in the road.  He was marking his territory by rubbing his mane in the trees along the road.  We drove right up to him, and he walked right along side our car for about five minutes.  He was probably only about three feet away.  Of course, it was a great start to our day.

            We drove for about two hours to get to the Serengeti.  Along the way, we saw tons of zebras, wildebeests, and giraffes.  When we arrived at the entrance to the Serengeti, Ami passed us off on to our new guide, Rem.  We were so sad to say good-bye to Ami.  My sister, mom, and I gave him a huge hug and we kept saying, “We don’t want to say bye!”  Robyn looked over at Rem and said, “Not that we don’t think you will be good...we just love Ami”  Rem laughed and said, “Don’t worry, I don’t get jealous.”  (Rem, if you're reading this, we miss you already!)  We headed to the Nomad tented camp, which is where we spent the next four nights.

            The Nomad Tented Camp was awesome.  The camp is set up with 8 luxury tents that are huge and have the most comfortable beds.  We arrived just in time for lunch, and we headed to the dining room tent.  When we passed the tent, I realized that it was just one long dining table.  I looked at my mom and said, “Uh oh, is it a communal dining thing?”  She laughed and said, “You’re worried that this is going to be an issue for me, huh?”  Thankfully, the other people at the camp were awesome!  There were two different families staying at the camp, and my mom played nicely.  Phew.  Plus, each tent/family had their own driver, so we didn’t have to be with strangers all day.  

            Rem took us out on a game drive in the afternoon and it was amazing.  The Serengeti was a lot different from the crater because you can go off road and get really close to the animals.  It is also calving season, so we saw a ton of baby animals!  Rem turned out to be an awesome guide, and definitely catered to what we wanted to see.  We told him that we wanted to see lions and lion cubs, and he delivered.  We saw lion cubs that were three weeks old, and they were adorable.  There were four of them, and they were playing with each other like puppies.  I could have watched them all day.  We also saw more giraffes, elephants, zebras, ostriches, etc.  We also saw another pride of lions, with more cubs.  These cubs were about three to four months old, so they were a little bit bigger.  Of course, they were still cute, and the whole pride was just sleeping in the middle of the road.  On the way back to camp, we spotted a leopard, which is apparently rare to see because they are nocturnal.  We followed the leopard around for about ten minutes because she was hunting.  We saw her almost kill a tik tik (a small antelope), but she was a little too slow.  Shucks! 

            The Nomad Camp was by far the best place that we stayed.  When we arrived back at camp, the staff handed out cool towels to clean off.  We headed to the dining tent for cocktail hour, and then went over to the campfire.  We all sat around the campfire and ate delicious snacks until dinner.  The food at this camp was amazing – I seriously don’t know how they cooked such good food in the middle of the Serengeti.  We were all in heaven.  Also, since we were camping, animals would just roam outside of our tent.  We had zebras, wildebeest, giraffes, and elephants just chilling in our camp.  Pretty cool!  Plus, the hot showers were great considering they were quasi-bucket baths.  You would have to order a shower, and someone would come fill the bucket outside your tent, which was connected to the shower inside.  Obviously, it was a limited amount of water (Robyn ran out her first time), but it was still wonderful.  A man would also stay outside your tent to refill the bucket for the next shower…hilarious.  I need a contraption like that for my house in Budaka. 

            The next three days we went out for game drives in the morning, came back for a siesta, and then headed out again in the evening.  We saw a lot of different animals: hippos, cheetah cubs, a cheetah running to catch a gazelle, and a crocodile. One morning we even had a picnic breakfast in the middle of the Serengeti.  Rem laid out lawn chairs, a table, and a huge breakfast spread.  We had coffee, egg & bacon sandwiches, granola, and fresh fruit.  Zebras, wildebeests, and gazelles surrounded us – seriously the best morning.  

Unfortunately, on the third day we were at the camp, both of the other families that we liked had left.  Frank the Tank and Susan the Snooze Button (names courtesy of Robyn) replaced them.  We immediately did not like them and their negative attitudes, and we came very close to a BIA attack.  Brenda had the “look”: nostrils flared, eyebrows raised, and lip curled.  Thankfully, we avoided any embarrassing altercations!  Plus, a couple and a family from London arrived, and they were awesome.  They definitely made up for the boring and annoying couple.  

            On our last full day in the Serengeti, Robyn and I were sitting in our tent reading during our siesta.  She told me to look outside our tent because there was an elephant literally right outside.  She decided to go next door to our parents’ tent to let them know.  She walked outside and waved to the elephant while saying, “Don’t charge” (she learned this from our guide Rem).  She turned and continued to walk to my parents’ tent.  I was taking pictures of the elephant and I see him kicking up his foot like he is about to charge.  Then he starts running after my sister, so I yell, “Oh my god, Robyn!  He’s charging!”  She looks behind her, screams, and runs into my parent’s tent.  I started cracking up laughing, and then look to see that the whole rest of the camp was watching.  One of the guides, Ali, then came by with a Land Rover to pick us up to drive us to the dining tent (so we wouldn’t have to walk near the elephant).  He looks at my sister and says, “Stay inside your tent when there is an elephant outside!”  Of course, my mom and I are still laughing because my sister’s scream was hilarious and the whole camp saw her run for her life.  (Ok, I know you are all thinking we are mean…but it was so funny!).  Rem later came up to Robyn with hands held up in an expression of “what is wrong with you?”  He was laughing and saying, “You don’t wave to an elephant, especially a male!  And stay in your tent!”  In Robyn’s defense, whenever we saw elephants with Rem, he would wave at them and say, “don’t charge.”  However, we were in a huge Land Rover and he was making a joke…

            We left the camp today, and we were so sad.  A big shout out to the staff – especially Lawrence and Reuben, they were awesome!  Our guide, Rem, was amazing, and major props for putting up with the crazy Marsh family.  At one point, he even stood up for my dad, which we know never happens when all us girls are picking on him.  I seriously did not want to leave, and I considered chaining myself to a tree.  I could go on and on about the Nomad camp – best family vacation, ever.  Sorry Turks & Caicos, you have officially been beat. 

            We are now in Zanzibar and we are going to spend the next three days relaxing by the beach.  I am so sad the vacation is winding to an end, but I have had an amazing time.   Until next time….




Here are some photos!  I'm running low on internet time, but I think this should be enough.

Robyn and me in Jinja

The kids and me

I'm "cooking" with Eva and Janet

Sauya in her "I love LA" t-shirt

Robyn with Innocent and my mom pumping water!

Robyn carrying the full jerry can

Our sweet ride in Uganda

Me at the meat market...mmmm

AMI!  We love him

Waiting to enter the Ngorogoro National Park

Pumba and Pumba Jr.

The lion we saw on the side of the road

Who says you can't eat red meat for breakfast?

He had his breakfast, we had ours.

We love Rem too!

Baby elephant...I think Robyn still likes these

Cheetah siesta

Lion yoga

Outside our tent on the Serengeti 

BIA = Brenda in Africa

            I know you have all been itching for me to update my blog because you want to hear about “Brenda in Africa” – now dubbed BIA, thanks to the Magur Family.   For those that don’t know, Brenda is my mother, and there is always a story with her.  She is very nice, but she has a sarcastic sense of humor and if you piss her off, she is going to let you know.  Many keep saying, “Oh boy, what is Brenda going to do in Africa?”  Well, there have been no altercations…yet.

            Maggie and I headed to Entebbe on the 23^rd because she was catching a flight to London, and I wanted to go to the hotel a few days early.  I wanted to avoid traveling during the holidays and I was anxious to get out of Budaka.  I was in heaven when we arrived at the Serena Hotel because it felt like a completely different world.  King size bed, flat screen TV, air conditioning, walk-in rain shower, and flushing toilet.  Maggie and I kept saying, “Uh, are we still in Africa?”  We gorged ourselves at the restaurant and spent all day in bed watching MTV.  (Please, someone explain to me why Audrina Partridge has her own reality show.  It’s awful, but we still spent the day watching because it was great to watch trashy, reality TV from America).  Maggie left that night, so I had the next day to lounge around and wait for my family to arrive on Christmas. 

            Christmas Day I was beyond anxious for my family to get there, which I’m sure some of you know from my multiple Facebook statuses.  At around 12:30, I sat in the Lobby reading my book because I couldn’t wait in my room.  I was alone, sitting in a chair reading, and frequently glancing at the front door.  I’m pretty sure I looked a little pathetic next to all the dressed up families.  A man came up to me and said, “I see that you’re sitting here all alone, and you are really into that book.”  I explained that I was waiting for my family, and he gave me a little Christmas gift.  Afterwards, I felt pretty lame, so I texted Robyn to tell me when they arrived at the hotel. 

             My family finally arrived at the Serena and it was so great to have them there.  Robyn, of course, cried when she saw me.  We went for a late lunch/early dinner because they were starved after their long journey.  I kept saying, “Isn’t this food soooooo good?”  Everyone looked at with me raised eyebrows and my mom said, “Uh, I mean, it’s okay.”  I guess it’s safe to say that my standards for “good” food have really gone down since I have been in this country.  My dad went to the restroom in the restaurant, and a little Ugandan kid came up to him while my dad was washing his hands.  The kid asked, “Where did you get your haircut?”  My dad laughed a little and told him that it was his natural hair.  The kid responded, “I’m going to tell my dad to get hair like that.”  My sister and I could not stop laughing after my dad got back to the table.  Who knows, maybe the Brett Marsh hairdo’ will be all the rage in Uganda soon.  Bald in the middle and hair on the sides is such a classic look…

            The next day, we set out for Jinja.  We had an awesome driver, Herbert, who even took us on a different route so we didn’t have to take the busy/scary road.  I was so happy to not have to take public transport and be squished between three other people.  Our hotel in Jinja is amazing.  The rest of my family agrees, so I know it’s not just my low standards.  After all, I’m used to $5 hostels and having three people to a bed. We are staying at Wild Waters Lodge, which is located on an island in the Nile River.  All the rooms are set up like tents, have porches, and overlook a part of the Nile.  I’m not even sure pictures will do this place justice, but we are all in heaven.  The food is really good (my family agrees on this too), and now I’m starting to remember what real food tastes like.  I am going to be sad to leave this place…

              On Tuesday, we set out to go visit my site.  The drive was about three hours, but it was great for my family to see more of Uganda and all of the little towns.  When we arrived in Budaka, we all really had to go to the bathroom because we drank too much coffee before the long drive.  My family was super excited to use my latrine.  My mom packed Vicks Vapor Rub to put under nose in case she ever had to go anywhere with “bad” smells.  (She reads a lot of crime/thriller novels, and learned that cops put this under their nose before they go into a morgue).  I guess a latrine has the potential to smell like a decomposing body, so she put Vicks under her nose.  My sister and dad, however, said my latrine surprisingly did not smell bad.

            We went around to my neighbors’ houses to greet them and pass out gifts that my parents brought (t-shirts, calendars, toys, baseball caps, Frisbees, etc.)  The kids were pretty shy at first, but they were ecstatic when we passed out bouncy balls and a jump rope.  They were going nuts and came running outside to play.  The kids were also pretty enamored with my dad – the big, tall, white man.  When he was standing in the doorway of my neighbor’s house, a little kid started stroking the backs of his legs.  We went to Sauya’s house last (she is the one who feeds me all the time), and she was thrilled to see my family.  She gave us all a big hug and kept saying, “Thank you for coming, we are all so grateful.”  She loved her presents and had us sit down to drink sodas that she had specially bought for my family and me.  She then left the room because it’s customary in Ugandan culture to leave the visitors alone.  This is probably something I should have mentioned to my family before we went to greet my neighbors.  They all looked at me with their eyebrows raised and asked if we should leave and go back to my house.  (I also failed to mention to my mother that women who smoke are considered prostitutes in this country...I only mentioned it before her first cigarette).  After we finished the sodas, I told Sauya we were heading back to my house to unpack a few things, and she said we had to come back because she was preparing us a “simple” meal. 

            Thirty minutes later we returned to Sauya’s and she had showered, done her hair, and put on her new “I Love LA” T-shirt.  She was so excited and proud, and even put on her new Laker baseball cap.  Then she put on the TV (Spanish soap operas dubbed in English) and left the room.  My family kept laughing and my mom said she wished she could do this when she had guests.  Sauya then brought over her neighbor’s baby, Innocent, because she knows I love holding him.  My sister, however, was all over him and I think my mom started to really consider adopting an African baby.  Sauya and her daughter, Eva, brought out our “simple” meal, which was nowhere near simple.  She had special silverware and plates (which I have never seen and I eat there all the time) and had six different dishes.  We had greens, sweet potatoes, rice, millet bread, eggplant, and cabbage.  My family got to try a lot of the local foods, and they said it was all pretty good.  Herbert, our driver, also joined us for lunch, and I think he was pleased that he got a big Ugandan feast. 

            After lunch, my family really wanted to try pumping water.  We decided to fill one of Sauya’s jerry cans because I had no need for more water.  We walked to the borehole and my mom kept saying, “Oh my god, Aubrey. You made it seem like it was so far away.”  I kept saying, no, it’s not that far, but just wait until you pump and have to carry the jerry can.  We all took turns pumping, and they all said, “Oh, this is actually kind of hard.”  The jerry can was also heavier than they expected, and they couldn’t carry it very far.  Watching my sister try to carry the jerry can was probably my favorite moment of the whole day.  She was hunched over, shuffling her feet, and she could not walk very straight.

            Sauya took my family on a tour of the school, and they got to see the classrooms and dorms (which look like a prison).  We then walked into town so my family could see Budaka.  My family got to experience the shouts from kids, “MZUNGU!  How are you?”  I showed my family the town and the market where I buy my vegetables.  My dad took a lot of pictures, which I was happy about because I have never really brought my camera to town (it seems a little weird since I live there).  Everyone was so excited to see the camera, and kept asking him to take a “snap.”  I had to be in every picture, of course – pretending to buy a tomato, sitting with a lady selling greens, and standing next to my chapatti man.  I’m pretty sure “the big, mzungu man with the camera” was the talk of Budaka when we left.

            I am so happy that my family got to see my site and meet my neighbors.  I don’t think that you can really grasp what I do or how I live until you see it with your own eyes.  My family all said that it was taking them a while to process and that they are not sure how I do it.  They had a great time – they loved my neighbors and actually enjoyed the food.  However, after seeing my house, school, and town, they have an idea of what I deal with.  After we arrived back in Jinja, we gave Herbert one of the t-shirts and baseball caps.  He was so excited, and he wore the t-shirt the next day when he picked us up for white water rafting.  He kept saying, “Ah, look at my new shirt! I look so smart.”  Too cute – Herbert is the best!

            White water rafting on Thursday was a lot of fun.  We were a little worried about who would end up in our boat – as in; we were worried if they would piss off Brenda.  Thankfully, these two Danish girls joined us, and they were hilarious.  One of them was sarcastic and had a biting sense of humor.  Hence, her and my mom got along wonderfully.  We flipped once and on the last rapid Robyn and I both got thrown out of the boat.  (We have an awesome picture of me going head first into the water with my legs sticking straight up in the air).  My sister and I had to ride the rest of the rapid because we were thrown so far from the boat.  We could not stop laughing, and kept choking on the waves hitting us.  At one point, my sister got caught in a whirlpool and kept spinning around and around.  My sister and I made friends with the cameraman, Steve-o, and sat next to him on the way back to the lodge.  He was awesome, and he kept taking one-handed bandit photos with us.  He also showed us how “mzungus” dance, and he was dead on.  Robyn and I started doing dance moves for him – the shopping cart, fax machine, sprinkler, etc.  Steve-o loved it, and started making up his own, which included: the kayaker, the cow, and the boda driver.  I think Steve-o is my new Ugandan best friend, especially because his name is Steve-o. 

            We are headed to Tanzania next, and we are all excited.  I will be sure to update you on that part of the trip as soon as I can.  Sorry for the long post!  Also, pictures will come eventually (not enough time to upload!).  

Ghost With Fire

            Ugandans can be quite superstitious – many believe in the existence of bad omens, ghosts, witch doctors, etc.  A while back, a man in Caroline’s village warned residents not to leave their houses in the early morning because he saw a ghost with fire.  Caroline’s neighbors did not take long to figure out this “ghost” was Caroline running in the morning, and the “fire” was her flashlight.  The man, however, is not convinced that he mistook a ghost for an mzungu.  He continues to warn residents there is a ghost with fire and they should not leave their houses before the sun rises.

            My neighbors and a few people in Budaka keep mentioning to me how happy they are that I have become “fat.”  Betsy, my neighbor, recently said to me, “Your family is going to be very happy to see how big and fat you are.  They will know that we are keeping you well here in Uganda!”  In Uganda, it is quite a compliment to be called fat; so in a way, I am honored.  Ugandans, along with many other East Africans, believe that being fat is beautiful.  Fat is associated with wealth, because if you are a little on the chunky side, then it means you can afford to eat well.  “Slim” is often referred to those who are infected with HIV/AIDS because they are usually very thin.  Therefore, if you are called slim, then it is most likely an insult.  I have explained to a few of my neighbors that in America, other people’s weight is a taboo topic of conversation and they should probably avoid calling mzungus fat.  I mean, let’s be honest, if I told the average American girl that she was fat, then she’d bitch slap me, cry, and then run for the diet magazines and laxatives. 

I know what many of you are thinking, “Alright, Aubrey, you are in Africa.  How do you gain weight?”  A common misconception of Africa is that you will come here and lose a ton of weight because everyone is starving.  After all, our parents did always tell us to finish our plate of food because “there are starving children in Africa.”  Yes, this is true, many Ugandans do not have enough to eat and they do go hungry.  Those that can afford food, however, eat a lot.  The amount of food that the average Ugandan can pile on a plate is quite impressive.  I am sure you all remember how my host family made fun of how “little” I would eat at meals.  Also, the typical Ugandan meal is about 75% starch, 20% carbohydrates, and 5% protein.  This is probably an exaggeration, but I feel like you get the point.  If I eat with my neighbors, then I will usually get a heaping plate of posho (maize flour and water), matoke, potatoes, or rice, and then a small bowl of either beans or greens.  It’s safe to say that Uganda is not the place to go if you are on the Atkins diet (no, I am not and have never been on the Atkins diet.  Actually, I’ve never been on any diet). 

In addition to eating an insane amount of starches and carbs, I am also able to get pretty much any type of American food in the big cities like Mbale, Jinja, and Kampala.  Unfortunately, whenever us Peace Corps Volunteers go to the big cities, we gorge ourselves in American food like we will never have the opportunity to eat it again.  We all feed off of each other like some sort of mob mentality: “You’re getting another milkshake?  Ok, then I’m going to get a soft pretzel with cheese, and then maybe we should split a brownie with ice cream.  Ohhhhh look, they have hummus and pita – we should probably order that too.”  It is pretty disgusting the amount of food we can all eat in one weekend.  We have yet to learn our lesson, however, and we continue to eat ourselves sick.  Sometimes we will spend an entire day in a restaurant just sitting around and eating.  Laurie, the missionary in Budaka, has recently started a bakery business in Budaka to support the orphanage.  Caroline, Ryan, and I will probably keep the place in business – after all, it does go to the kids.  The amount of cinnamon rolls, cakes, pies, and cookies we have eaten is pretty gross.  Yesterday, Caroline and I went to Ryan’s and we ate an entire pumpkin pie.  Caroline kept saying, “Oh my god, what is wrong with us?  We are animals!”  We did play some basketball afterwards, so as the Ugandans say, “It’s okay!” 

Thankfully, I have never been one to worry much about my weight, so I don’t mind that my neighbors are calling me fat.  Don’t get the wrong idea; I have not turned into a Two-Ton Tess.  My dad, however, seems to think I was serious when I told him I gained 15 pounds.  My parents have asked if they need to bring me some “big girl” jeans when they come and visit.  The reason that I decided to finally write this post is because weight seems to be an issue among some volunteers.  A sad reality of Peace Corps Uganda is that most men lose weight, and most women gain weight.  So if you think that coming to Africa is a great diet plan, then think again.  Africa is like America – you are going to have to eat properly and exercise if you want to lose weight.  Unless you are afflicted with amoebic dysentery the whole time, you are not going to drop a pant size. 

School has been out for a couple of weeks now, and I am surprised that I have not gone insane with boredom.  It has been nice to just relax and read, but I am anxiously waiting for my family to get here.  Thankfully, my neighbors’ kids are home from secondary school, and they are a lot of fun to hang out with.  We have all been watching movies on my computer (they love movies about high school in America).  We also just chill listening to music and play cards.  Now that all the students have left campus, I do have to fetch my own water.  I finally pumped my own water and carried it back to my house two weeks ago.  I have a newfound appreciation for Ugandans that do this every day.  I used to find it a pain to ask my students to get me more water, but it is obviously a lot different when you are the one who has to fetch the water.  I am even more conservative with my water, now.  I probably only use around 80-100 Liters a week because I dread going to the borehole.  Sometimes I can have Eva or Isaac (Sauya’s kids) help me, but I always feel bad asking since they have to fetch their own water. 

12 days until my family arrives – and soon after that I’m sure there will be many posts about the Marsh Family in Africa.

A nice ad on the back of a taxi in Mbale

The kids love coming over to sweep.  They wait at my door until I wake up and then ask to come in and sweep.

Emmit - he is so cute. 

Francis and Faith