As I mentioned in a recent blog, there's been a cohort of Welshies over here as part of the PONT education partnership (randomly, Ponty is twinned with Mbale!) and the stragglers, Matthew and Gerry, started their journey home this afternoon - possibly with the remnants of a Last Night in Town Nile Induced Hangover.
I don't know if this is just me, but, as parochial as it may seem, hearing a friendly, familiar accent really raised my spirits when I was feeling seriously down and daunted by the issues I was facing as part of every day life.
For example, a child of about 4 is walking down the street on her own playing with a razor blade in her mouth. Do you stop and take her 'toy' off her and risk being the big bad muzungo? Get her attention and hope she forgets about it? Ignore it? How about all the other unaccompanied small kids doing similar thing? Tough call.
Anyway, since I met them and the other PONTers, life been so much easier, just having someone to talk to that 'gets it'.
Not even I know what I mean by 'gets it', but I think I mean they understand and feel the range emotions I've been going through - from the shock, bewilderment and wonder of seeing all these new, strange, exciting unknowns, to the deep frustration of desperately wanting to improve things here but being unable to for a huge variety of reasons, none of which are within our power to change - something that no amount of fundraising or hours sitting in an office can change.
We were saying today how it's going to be so difficult explaining to people what it's like here - the smells, the hilariously appalling waitress service, the smiles, stares and laughter you see just because there's a new muzungo in town, the obvious poverty on every street, the constant burning plastics and sugar cane stalks, Africa time, dust, diesel, fumes ... all of it.
I don't think I'll ever be able to describe the vibe, colour or feel of life here and do it justice.
As I didn't have much on, I joined Gerry and Matthew for a day in their partner schools in Bududa (the district Alex works in) on Tuesday and it was brilliant! Gerry is the deputy headmaster of my old school (Cardinal Newman) and that day, he was officially opening Newman Hall, an extension paid for by Newman fundraising. So as a former Head Girl, I felt it my duty to represent pupils past and present and gate crash the gig!
(Well done Rachel Toms for knowing someone from Newman was here to do just that!)
So many brilliant things have happened here, I can't possibly write about them all, but some of my favourite memories* over the past few days have been:
* Where's Wally
* that banana leaf photo which makes me laugh out loud every time I look at it
* "It really is much funnier in 30 minute programmes"
* the boda boda race home from Wimpy
* curry induced hiccups
* sniggering at far too many phrases that wouldn't be out of place in Scott Mills' Innuendo Bingo
* "I think we just killed a chicken"
* "where's the little boy that pulled the funny face?" "Erm, SHE'S there!"
* kids and teachers falling on the floor and crying with laughter at Matthew's Moona Moona (sic!)
* "Hey lady, flash me"
* seeing the excitement on the faces of almost every kid in the school when they realise they were getting some new footballs
* "Sooo mae Cardinarl Noooman schooooool. Croeso I Ooooganda"
* Skeletor
* "You should name your blog Anal in Africa" ... Er, no, not even for 30,000 shillings - that suggests something quite different to my ten tab packing spreadsheet!
So Gerry and Matthew, I'm mostly sad but also kind of glad you've gone now ... Don't think my liver could take any more! See you in June - wonder if we'll be able to find any Niles in Cardiff!
Ps, Gerry, make sure my name gets on that Honours Board or there'll be no assembly visit from me!
I still can't figure out how to put photos up in order or with captions so :
Photo one : Mr Mc at the official opening
Photo two : boda boda race
Photo three : kids realising there were gifts in the back of the car
Photo four : one of my favourite pics so far!
Photo five : pied piper muzungos in Bukalasi!
Photo six : 'the gang' out for dinner.
Photo seven : Newman hall
(M&G, I'll send you the rest of the photos as soon as I can. Electricity / internet has been playing up)
X
* I know these will mean nothing to any of you at home, but I'm planning to put all these blogs into a blog book when I get home, but I don't want to forget any of them happening - so this is for my benefit, not yours sorry!
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