Dance Performance@ CRO

Today @ CRO was definately the highlight of my time here in Uganda so far. I met a local dance troop called Hallelua Yesu Akwagala and asked them to perform @ CRO for the street children. I was expecting a few performers to come but the whole team showed up with costumes & instruments. It was the last day of the break so many of the street children were returning to school so it was a perfect way to send them off. Most of the performers were also orphans & previous street children so it was so amazing to connect them to CRO. Many of the children got up & danced & sang & were able to be children for a change. Many people from the community came to watch as did my colleages. Well pretty great to be apart of the culture here & even though I am only here for a short while our motto is to help support sustainable projects that continue after we leave & I hope the connection between this dance troop & CRO is one that will continue not only to instill hope but also to make for a better future for these street children. Honouring their culuture with music & dance is not only healing but also empowering. Well pretty hard to beat this week but I will definately strive to.To be continued...Michelle

KCSS Social Work Field Trip

Well it was another great day of social work @ KCSS. Today we took the youth on a big social work field trip into town from the village. They started out at the internet café which they were very excited about to conduct some research & set up email accounts. Then we went to TASO(The Aids Society Organization) which was such a great learning experience for them as well as a great resource for them to access. From there we went to the Mental Health ward in the hospital which was quite an eye opening experience for them. Many people in Uganda believe that mental health issues are caused by Witchcraft, so it is difficult for people to get proper medical treatment. Next but most importantly we visited the woman with the broken back that we had taken to the hospital earlier in the week. She looked much better as she had been seen by the doctor & was receving treatment.After the hospital tour we proceeded to CRO in an EXTREME rainstorm. Oh well always an adventure in the field of social work. We arrived at CRO & the street children were very excited. This was definately the highlight of my day seeing the KCSS students teach to the CRO children. They taught in Launga with such authority & conviction on topics such as HIV/AIDS, child aduse, food/nutrition, child rights,health & social work. As this project was such a great endeavor the goal will be for the students to return in the future & provide more support & modeling for the street children. The KCSS students definately enjoyed the day & my colleage & I thought it was one of our best days here as well.Stay tuned..Michelle

back to school

i have officially been away from home for five weeks which totals exactly one half of my time in uganda. i have mixed feelings about what today symbolizes in regards to my africa experience. from one perspective i feel i've had five great educational weeks that have gone by slowly enough for me to grasp the experience fully. but on the other hand i sometimes feel like time is going by so quickly that i don't have enough time to really root myself in this experience and absorb everything there is to learn. it makes living life quite confusing when i cannot comprehend everything that is happening to me and around me. i think i must be patient and wait to see what i'm taking from this experience once i get home and have time to make sense of it all.

my work at the daycare today was very brief; there were only two young children at the center since the new school semester begins today. this means many families are busy arranging for their children to get to, and settle in at school. as a result many of the younger children who i would typically see at the daycare are out with their families accompanying their older siblings to school. not only that, the older children who i am accustomed to working with at the daycare will no longer be attending the service because they start school today. they had only been attending the center during semester break.

i have mixed feelings about this as well. on one hand i am happy to hear that most of the children i've been working with have the opportunity to go to school, but on the other hand i am sad they will no longer be coming around the center. i've built some very strong relationships with these children over the past four weeks and feel i must mourn the loss of some of those bonds today.

it is a strange and saddening feeling i must deal with because now, during school time, the primary function of the daycare is to support children who come to uganda cares for hiv/aids testing and treatment. i hope to see the children i've come to know so well again, but will find myself constantly reminded of the many challenges they face living with hiv since their visits will fall on clinic days (tuesday and friday) alone. don't get me wrong, their visits to the uganda cares clinic for hiv/aids treatment are extremely positive and i am very thankful the clinic serves children. but from my emotionally-connected perspective it is very difficult to look forward to their visits now, as i will be constantly reminded of the challenges they face living with hiv. i witness and attempt to understand/believe that these children live with such a debilitating disease every day but continue to find it very challenging to comprehend. until today i had almost completely forgotten that these wonderful, innocent little children were hiv +.

who knew something as simple as a new school semester would elicit such emotions and ignite a profound learning experience.

till next time,

-rachel-

my second practicum placement

originally i planned to work on masaka regional referral hospital's many wards as a social work student completing tasks such as arranging transport for individuals who have been discharged, locating attendants for individuals left at the hospital without anyone to care for them, and getting birth certificates for orphaned children. however due to a change in interest i have decided to narrow my focus at the hospital to one ward in specific. due to my increased interest in hiv work and my drastic increase in comfort around individuals who have hiv, i've set out to complete my second praciticum practicum at the m.c.h. ward. i will work here wednesdays and thursdays for the remaining duration of my practicum in uganda.

m.c.h. which stands for the 'maternal and child health' clinic offers many services including hiv/aids and health education, antenatal care, child immunizations, routine testing and counselling (r.t.c.) for pregnant women and their husbands, postnatal care, and gynecological services. this ward is funded through an initiative working to reduce parent to child transmission of hiv.

working at m.c.h. i have the opportunity to experience a variety of situations. for example i spend time with women awaiting hiv testing, offer a listening ear and a hand to hold while women/children are being tested, and partake in post-test counselling as individuals receive their tests results. last week i managed to spend an entire morning in the laboratory as individuals were test for hiv. this was a huge accomplishment for me since i am known to have a fear of needles and ill stomach at the sight of blood. i was very nervous entering the laboratory but managed to stay strong and confident for the individuals being tested; i did not want my fear of needles or blood to project onto the clients and increase their already heightened anxiety. i told myself 'rachel, if these individuals can have the courage to test their hiv status then you can handle the sight of needles and blood'. miraculously after about three clients i was able to comfortably watch the entire testing process.

being present for hiv test result delivery was my next fear to overcome. since i am present for testing i know an individual's status before they do. i feel an uncomfortable sense of power over the clients in this situation, but am working to understand that service providers are automatically placed in this power position over clients. i am trying to gain a better understanding of how to competently work within this power imbalance without coming across as agreeable to it.

nurses have the responsibility of delivering the test results where my role is to assist in post-test counselling with individuals who understand and are comfortable with speaking english. post-test counselling consists of emotionally supporting the client, making sure they understand what is the next step in their situation (positive = hiv treatment, negative = how to protect themselves from this point forward). i speak with the client about their fears or concerns prior to result delivery, what they know about keeping themselves healthy, and help to empower them to take control of their situation once they know their status. i am very nervous in post-test counselling sessions but have wonderful support from my supervisor. i am confident that my comfort level with this will eventually increase as i become more familiar with the process and gain more experience.

well, that's it for now. thanks for reading :)

-rachel-

Social work @ Kittengessa Secondery School

My practicum at Kittengesa Secondary School has been really amazing and rewarding. We are working with a group of 12 youth to do social work projects in the community. They are working with a disability group in the village to teach english, business, games & educating them on several relevant social issues that the people of uganda face. They have been working with families in need in the villages with various projects such as farming.Today was quite an eventful social work day we did some home visits and some outreach work. WE embarked on some sustainable farming projects in two homes where both caregivers could not afford to feed their families, so we supplied them with seeds & supplies.As well we took a very sick relative to the hospital. She had a broken back and in the advanced stages of HIV. She was in so much pain and could not afford medical treatment for three months. We avocated for her with her docotor and arranged for transport with her to the hospital. The hospital was a whole nother experience so many people in tough situations and not enough doctors & nurses. The social worker & I launched into more work while at the hospital such as carrying patients into the emergency room doors and fixing iv drips. After the events I experienced today as much as I was exhausted & overwlemed I had this sense of amazement & hope watching these social work students give back to their community & the gratitude of the people recieving the support was so deep. Our next project will be this thursday the big trip to town for the youth to connect with the services & gain more support. Also they will be teaching valuable lessons on drug abuse, hiv/aids, health/nutrtion, & education. Stay tuned.Michelle

feel the energy and the movement!

happiness

Last Sunday, the Introduction was another interesting cultural experience. There were over 200 people there for the celebration, many of which walked miles in their shiny outfits (the gomez) to be a part of it. It was my first Ugandan-Muslim Introduction so I do not have anything to compare it to, but from what the locals were saying, it was quite extravagant. There were live performances, a drama put on by the bride and groom's families, and a procession of gifts that was over one hundred people long--complete with a truck full of cows, goats and chickens that were a gift from the grooms family to the bride. Wearing a gomez was fun... but terribly uncomfortable. It is all about the hips and butt in Uganda** so underneath the gomez I had to wear a skirt, a thin blanket folded over twice and then the dress on top of it--in order to create the illusion that I was curvy. I thought I was going to feel ridiculous but I am so glad that I wore it otherwise I would have been the only woman out of hundreds that was not dressed appropriately for the occasion. There was a lot of laughing and finger pointing when I entered the wedding accompanied by two other Muzungus in traditional garb, but many people told me that I "looked smart" and they thanked us Muzungus for putting in the effort.
**For those women out there who are unhappy with their curvy figures, come to Uganda--your beautiful body will be loved and appreciated!

My week began with an exciting celebration on Nurse's Day up at the new hotel in Masaka. The Schizophrenia Fellowship choir/performance group had been practicing all week to be the opening performers in front of nurses and health workers from all across Uganda. They had organized costumes, choreographed dancing and rented drums. As I have mentioned before, the choir is made up of people that are dealing with mental illness, caretakers, family members and friends of those with an illness. The amount of support is incredible. The performance began and it blew everyone away from start to finish. The energy coming from the group was like nothing I have ever seen before. They really put their all into the performance. They had the audience up and dancing and people were throwing money at them! When they finished every member was grinning from ear to ear and hugging each other--their sense of pride was infectious.

Over the past weekend we took a trip to Lake Bunyoni and Queen Elizabeth Park. It was a great wellness weekend complete with a sunset canoe ride and a day lying around a pool, sunbathing and swimming. We went on two safaris where we got to see a lioness and her three sweet little cubs! When we arrived home from our first safari on Friday night we drove up to our hostel and were face to face with a male lion!!!! He was just sauntering around the hostel checking things out.... Once he was gone and we got settled in bed we could hear him roaring and making loud snorting noises all night. It sure had our adrenaline pumping!

It is hard to believe that we have been here for a month already. I feel settled and happy with my life here. I also feel very comfortable at the Schizophrenia Fellowship so walking up to the hospital each morning to start my day of work isn’t so anxiety provoking anymore. I have developed relationships with many of the patients so it is nice to be greeted and welcomed by familiar faces each morning. I have also been practicing my Luganda--a Muzungu speaking Luganda is quite funny to the locals and it works as a great ice breaker when greeting patients. There is nothing easy about living here, but life in Uganda is not easy for many people so I do not expect it to be any different for me. -K

gotta love ugandan children

the children of uganda are inspiring. they are independant, strong, agile little people who care for themselves and others like no other children i have ever met before. it's as if there is an upspoken social code that teaches these children to care for anyone smaller than themselves. for these reasons, working at the daycare has become one of the highlights of each week. i look forward to the days i get to spend playing with, teaching, and learning from the children at the center.

i'm currently spending mondays, tuesdays and fridays at the daycare center. we have structured activities in the morning (i.e. crafts, storytime, writing and mathematics), offer a limited but adequate lunch (i.e. african tea, buns and fruit), and have general play each afternoon. the facility consists of a tent (approximately 20x15ft.) with 2 benches and a large grassy area equipped with 4 swings, a merry-go-round, a teater-totter, and 2 slides. materials and supplies are also limited but adequate since 95% of the time the children graciously share everything amongst themselves.

since i began my work at the center i have had some opportunities to chat with parents, guardians and older siblings of children who use the service. everyone expresses their great appreciation for the daycare and their gratitude for my contribution to the service. at times i do not feel as though i have a wealth of knowledge or experience to bring to the daycare since i am not trained in early childhood education or other related services. however i do have love and compassion that i bring with me each day, and i am beginning to understand that this is enough.

each day as i walk onto the hospital grounds i here the children calling my name from the center which is located at the top of a hill. they wave with excitement as i make my way up to them and run for me once i reach their location. they love to hold my hands, stand near me, feel my skin as different from theirs, and investigate everything about me. i do anything from pushing them on the swings, teaching them games, to comforting them when they are upset. it truly amazing to witness the lives of these children. they have so many challenges to face in life yet they are so happy and thankful for the lives they have been given. i only hope to grow to love life as much as they do, and to always remember their beautiful smiling faces.

thanks for listening. till next time...

-rachel-

week 2

Well week two @ CRO was incredible. I went on their camp to Kalangala island with 105 street children which was definitely one of the most challenging & rewarding things I have ever done. The opportunity to connect with these children on the camp was so great. I believe by going on the camp I have connections that I would not have otherwise. The journey was quite remarkable as all the children were loaded in a local transport truck to endure quite the long haul. At first I was concerned about their safety & then it occurred to me the reality the face every day is much more dangerous. They were so excited to be going on the camp & they had the chance to be children again. We arrived to the camp i.e. Ssese farm school to face some adversity as it was quite late & there was no water on site. The team was incredible & the older children pitched in to help feed the masses. The first night was a difficult one & there was a savage fight between two boys. The nurse operated on the one boy who took a club to the head for many hours & she was able to stop the bleeding. Again I was amazed at the resourcefulness & skill of the workers. On the camp the children were able to sing, dance, play football & not have to worry about food, shelter or the harsh conditions of the street. Even the group of children that take drugs had a few days clean. I really made an effort to connect with these children as they are difficult to reach & as it is my speciality in Canada I thought I would give it a try. The language barrier is great as most of these children cannot speak any English as they have not been in school, so good thing I can connect in creative ways. I found the boys playing poker in the jungle so I pulled out a deck of cards & started to play cards with them a bit risky yet successful. While we were there one of the boys spotted a monkey which was a great chance for a photo shot so I showed a few of them how to use the camera. The oldest really enjoyed it & asked to use it on other occasions. I knew I could trust him, yet it was still a risk as if we were back in Masaka he could fetch a fair price for my camera. (I did have a moment of clarity & was glad the boy had not used drugs that day or he might have acted differently.) We went to the beach one day which was so amazing to see the children filled with excitement & happiness. They played on the playground, in the sand, swam & went for a canoe ride. Beach day was definitely the highlight of the trip. The next day there was a football game between the CRO team and the local village team (which was hardly fair as they were men & CRO were boys) Despite the challenges i.e. no shoes & facing the giants, they played quite well. Each group performed a presentation on the finally night which was so incredible. They sang, acted, and performed so well. Some children wrote songs & poems & despite not understanding the language as it was all in Luganda I really appreciated the chance to be there & felt honoured & inspired by their lives. I contributed with my group & did some very bad dance moves which everyone loved & laughed needless to say I heard a lot of dance Mazongoo dance after that. The last day was a relief for some children & a sad time for others to be going back to the streets. One boy ran away after getting of the ferry. I ran after him & thought to myself what I can do I don’t speak Luganda & he does not speak English. However after calling his name several times & luring back with candy & a hug he got back on the bus. We arrived home safe & exhausted, yet the camp was totally worth every minute & hopefully lives were changed & the children have hope for their future & if not then even a small break from their painful harsh lives was worth the effort. Yet I can’t help feeling overwhelmed & sadden by the harshness of the lives these children have had to face. They have definitely taught me even in the toughest of places there is still hope. I am looking forward to building the connections I have made on this camp & hope that I can make some difference even it is only a drop in the bucket as with every drop there is a ripple effect. Stay tuned...

Michelle

week 1

Today was such an amazing yet challenging day at Child Restoration Outreach. There were children as young as five who are living on the streets. The social worker took me into the slums to look for some of the missing children from the center which was an eye opening experience. The level of poverty and desperation is like none I have ever seen and yet the people have this incredible resiliency and heart that most of us could learn from. Regardless of the language barriers there is still the unspoken language of the heart which was how I got through most of the day. It is so easy to connect with most of these children because they are craving attention so desperately. One boy told me I had a face like a mother which spoke volumes to me that what they are looking for is someone to care for them. The journey thus far has had some challenges, i.e. lost luggage, jet leg, lack of sleep ... yet being at CRO today made up for all of that and then some. I am excited for the opportunities to come and will keep you updated as much as I can.

Michelle

experiencing uganda

hmm where to start... i guess i should let you know that my health has stabilized. ugandan food is no longer upsetting me as it once was and actually i'm beginning to grow quite fond of it. who knew fried flat bread (chapatti) and bioled beans would become a staple part of my diet, and that i would actually like it?

anyways... since i first blogged i have experienced many exciting, challenging, and simply interesting things. for example:

1) i had to visit a local clinic which was quite a cultural learning experience. coming from canada it is hard to adjust to ugandan life and my clinic encounter definitly challenged my ability to do so. there are no formal line ups so patients are expected to maintain order amongst themselves as they wait to see the doctor. as well, there are numerous different waiting areas which patients are directed to for various clinical services. i personally felt lost within the entire system but ugandan people seem to understand how to navigate these situations quite well. what seemed chaotic to me appeared to make perfect sense to individuals who live here. i'm sure i will become more comfortable with this system as time goes on.

2) i've developed a great appreciation for automatic washers and dryers. it is a daunting task washing clothes by hand but it is and important aspect of my cultural experience while here in uganda. i've only taken on the washing challenge twice since i arrived, as it can be quite painful since my knuckles get small cuts from scrubbing the red dirt out of my clothes. i have learned very quickly that wearing outfits 2-3 times before washing them is very reasonable considering the cleaning process that follows deeming an article "dirty". canadian and ugandan standards for cleanliness are quite different. i wish i could find the words to explain my thoughts better but i'm afraid i cannot. all i can say it that by ugandan standards my dirty shoes or shirt is acceptable or even above average compared to what is considering normal here in uganda.

3) lacey and i were followed home by young child yesterday. we took a moment to wait and let them catch up to us after approximately 15 minutes of being stalked. they had a well prepared message about needing money to continue their studies as they have no family and live on the streets. it was difficult to listen to this young child (12yrs old?) explain their situation but i did not feel compelled to start dishing out cash. lacey was carrying a gift of corn so she shared one cob with the child and explained that this is what she had to offer. i agree with her choice to give in this way because i know how the corn will be used. i do not believe that handing money to children on the street is an answer to their problem though it may help them in the short term (i.e. buy them something to eat). i feel as if giving money will only perpetuate a cycle of dependance and teach this young child that hands out are the answer to all of life's problems which i don't believe to be true. the child continued to follow us but i feel as ease with the way the situation ended.

so much for shortening the length this time. i guess i had a lot to say. thanks for tuning in.

-rachel-

shaking your hips can be therapeutic

This week I was lucky to experience the benefits of music and art therapy. The Fellowship choir was practising a drumming and singing routine that they will perform on Nurses Day on May 12th. They attracted a crowd of in-patients who joined them and were thoroughly entertained. One young woman who is often sitting alone or walking around in a lethargic daze heard the music and whispered to me that she loves to "traditional dance." We walked over together and before I knew it she was shaking her hips, smiling and clapping. It was an unbeleivable transformation.
That same day I had brought some art supplies (that was donated by someone wonderful at home) and sat down with a few of the in-patients and we painted and drew pictures together. The stimulation instantly changed the mood, and we had a great time chatting, laughing and singing. One of the woman said to me "this is so good, when I do this it helps me to not focus so much on my problems." It was so neat to hear her say that. It really has troubled me that there are not many activities for the in-patients to do during the day. Many of them sit on their beds for hours and hours unstimulated. The painting and colouring was such a hit that I will definitely bring them along with me again.
Everything at the library at Tekera (TRC) is going very well. The local librarian and I have been working hard to get the books catalogued, decorations up, and plans in order for the library to open to the community on May 25th. There will be a quiet study area, comfortable loungey area, storytime every Friday followed by creative writing and Adult English classes three times per week.
We have brought a lot of donations with us and have found ourselves faced with the challenge of what to do with them now that we are here. How do we be charitable to people in an empowering way that helps to maintain their dignity? One of the foundations of our project is to empower people and their communities and we are concious of the fact that handouts can be disempowering but at the same time we see a need for them. There is an expectation that as a white westerner I have brought donations for people. I am constantly asked for things whether it is for money or the shirt on my back. It seems that some people have become accustomed to handouts and it is almost expected. So the struggle is that we have come with the intention to give to people but do not want to continue the pattern of dependence. Or maybe we should just stop being so social worky about everything and just give the stuff away.

I will be going to an "introduction" this Sunday. An introduction is when a woman takes the man she wants to marry to meet her family and the dowry is discussed. Apparently it is a large and serious celebration with lots of food and dancing. I get to wear traditional garb! Google "Uganda Gomez." They are awesome. --K

Ugandan Days

Two weeks into my praciticum at TASO has been challenging. I am very impressed with TASO and the work they are doing. They are helping to improve hundreds of lives by providing HIV testing, couselling and treatment, however, I still need to find my place within this organaztions. I have seen HIV testing in remote villages and HIV counselling at the centre in Maska. On tuseday TASO loads their buses full of medication and a number of counsellors , nurses and doctors to go to a village and set up for a day to do HIVcounselling, check ups and drug distribution to people who would otherwise have trouble reaching theses services at the centre in maska. TASO helps so many people in need, to improve and extend their lives! I feel fortunate to be witnessing it all. My last two weeks have been mostly observing. I get furstrated with not understanding the language. The counselling sessions are in Lugandan. Even with a brief translation I still feel like I am missing a lot of interesting information. The TASO empoyees are all so nice and they joke around and laugh a lot but mosly in Lugandan so as a foreigner I am definitely challenged in fitting into a place where I look different, speak differently and think differently. Ugandan people are very happy and kind from what I have observed. I am also however challenged by the strict religous views that many Ugandan's have. Yesterday I was upset when a conversation with my TASO colleagues went sour. We were all coming home in the TASO van from an outreach mission in a remote village doing HIV testing, when the led conversation led to the topic of homosexuality. I was shocked by their strong feelings against homosexuals, but I was not yet sure if I wasn't going to say anything when someone else said, "in her country homosexuality it is ok," pointing to me. I was happy to respond by saying yes it is ok in Canada to marry the same sex and that homosexuals are born that way, it is natural. Everyone looked disgusted with me and for the rest of the van ride a man was trying to convince me that it is wrong and it is just as bad as rape or incest. I was happy to go home after that day to debrief with my roomies as I was and still am quiet frustrated and disturbed that Ugandan's have such a strong dislike to homosexuals. Many days at TASO I have come home discouraged because of the language barrier but this was something different. I am so thankful for having such great roommates to greet me at home with warm smiles and concerned looks so I can then normalize my feelings.
The other day I spent a day at a daycare as I am considering other practicum placements. The children in Uganda are so fun to work with. They love waving at you yelling hello muzungu !! At the daycare I was able to overcome the language barrier by playing with the children. It was refreshing to be able in engage with the children instead of observing. I may go to the daycare two days a week now. Right now I am waiting to speak with my supervisor at TASO to discuss having more of a role at TASO and to maybe go part time or maybe go to another practicum altogether. Wherever I am, there is always learning taking place by just being here. Uganda is a beauitful country and I am taking it all in !!
Blessings Chandra

Crazy 8s is International

We have all been very busy trying to get settled into our practicums. Each day I am feeling more and more comfortable in my new environment. Last week at the Fellowship we had a big monthly general meeting. There were around 60 members that arrived. There was more wonderful singing and dancing as well as some important business that was attended to.
I have spent a lot of time socializing and chatting with the members of USF as well as the in-patients and their family members. I have been surprised at how many people are able to speak English with me. I have met so many different types of people-soldiers, students, mothers, farmers, teachers, and so many more. It has been great to hear people's stories, but also talk about subjects unrelated to their illness. I find myself feeling frustrated though. The hospital does not have access to new medication so many patients are experiencing debilitating side effects from older medication. I know that the mental health workers are doing the best with the resources they have, but it is difficult to witness the level of care that they receive when I am aware of the level of care that is available in Canada. There is a thirty bed psychiatric ward that is being built at the hospital. In the mean time, the patients and their caretakers are crammed into a tiny room with very few beds and many people are forced to sleep on the floor.
On a lighter note, I discovered today that the card game ‘Crazy 8s’ is played in Uganda. I have been able to interact with many more people now that I carry around a deck of cards! Tomorrow is National Epilepsy Day so there will be a big meeting and celebration at the Fellowship. Epilepsy is treated as a mental illness as the Masaka Hospital. Some days a majority of the people I interact with are there because they are seeking treatment for their epilepsy. National Epilepsy Day helps to raise awareness about Epilepsy and break down certain stigmatizing attitudes—such as the belief that Epilepsy is contagious.

We had a nice weekend in Kampala visiting a former Douglas College student who now resides there with her husband and many many children that they take care of. The children that I have met in Uganda, and there have been very many, have been so sweet, well behaved, grateful, respectful and…. hardworking!! I woke up on Saturday morning to a nine year old changing her baby brother’s diaper, and a six year old sweeping the backyard. The children were very shy around us but on Saturday night we brought out our drums and began drumming and dancing with them. Music and dance is in their blood. The children were teaching us djembe beats and how to dance traditionally. They came out of their shells in no time. It was very funny.
It was nice to be in the city—although I think we all have come home to Masaka very grateful that we have settled here and not the capital.--K