Yes, that is me driving a steam roller.
Friday, November 9, 2007
Hanging Nets in Nakaseke
I have so many more pictures, but it seems that recently the internet has been very slow.
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Shaving With Toothpaste
This morning I decide to have a shave to go with my new slacks and nice shoes. I’m tired of wearing jeans to church. I wish I would have bought these clothes earlier, or even brought some with me. But I didn’t know what life was going to be like here really. But I’m looking sharp today and feeling more appropriate for where I’m going.
I shave with the peppermint shaving cream my dad bought me before I left. I smells and looks like I’m shaving with toothpaste. And I love it.
I walk by the nurses on the way to church and they run to get their cameras because I’m all dressed up.
None of my friends come to church today.
I get home and watch Salute Your Shorts on my laptop. I snack on Pringles and some weird brand of Fig-Neutons. I want to get all the episodes and watch them with Evan when I get home.
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Osama on a Belt
I wake up early and get ready quickly to go to Mukono. I say goodbye to Kate and catch a matatu from Nsumba and go through Ntenjeru and then just as we are about to leave Ntenjeru the driver turns around and we go all the way back to Nsumba.
“
“It’s OK, It’s OK”
At least I’m in the front seat. Kelley told me when I got to
When we get to Kisoga I get off and go see if I can find Joseph. He’s not at home and I give Kenny a call. I meet him at Mandela (the hostel his company is staying at). We sit around and talk, drinking sodas in the bar area. Kenny opens his drink with his teeth.
After a while we go out back to another sitting/eating area and watch cable TV and eat tomatoes and eggs. I can’t believe they have cable TV. We watch an old black and white movie and some boxing.
Pastor Simon is there and I realize that he’s probably not a pastor. He says for lunch he has a beer and a cigarette. He tries to buy me some drinks but I say no thanks. And teach him about the Word of Wisdom.
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I get to Mukono and go to the market that Meghan told me about. I buy a cool T-shirt and some slacks. The T-shirt smells just like the second hand ones from home. I like it. Living in
I meet Frank at church and give him another photo lesson. Ema from church is here and he walks around with us. I give Frank the assignment to find lines and circles. I teach him about composition.
After the lesson Frank and I go back to the market and he helps me buy some dress shoes and a tie. Then we walk to the internet café. I show him my website and help him check his gmail. He writes back other volunteers who were here earlier this year.
While we are on the internet a guy walks by wearing a
Frank and I go across the street to do some shopping before I go back to the village. I always stock up on milk boxes in Mukono and maybe some Pringles. I ask Frank if he would like some ice cream and he shakes his head no. He asks for biscuits (cookies) instead. Before check out I go to the freezers to get myself a cup of ice cream and Frank asks, “What is that?”
“It’s ice cream.”
“Oh! Yes I want that.”
I laugh and tell him to pick one out. As we walk towards the market again to find me a belt for my new slacks, I ask him how the icecream is. He just smiles as he continuously scoops spoonfuls into his mouth.
Then I ask, “Frank, have you ever had ice cream before?”
He hasn’t! I ask him to describe the experience and he tells me it’s like eating a bunch of éclairs (these kind of candies they have here with gooey centers). I tell him that I’m glad to introduce him to something so delicious.
At the market I’m looking at belts and come across a big belt buckle with a hologram of Osama Bin Ladin. I start laughing. “Why in the world do you have this belt buckle? Do you support this man?”
“Do you want it? You like it?”
“No I don’t like it.”
“Yes, but look.” He shows me that it’s a hologram as if the fact that I can have Osama’s face from the front, in three quarters, and in profile views all in one belt justifies my parading around with the terrorist on my waist.
“Why do you have this man on a belt?”
“He’s one of God’s children. God created him just like he created you and me.”
“Yes, he also created Adolf Hitler, do you have any belt buckles of him? Why isn’t your picture on the belt buckle or any other person? There are many of God’s children to choose from.”
As I’m saying this I see that right next to this belt is one of Saddam Hussein. This is hilarious. I’ve seen calendars of Saddam in the villages we visit. I don’t know how they get into the country but they are sold very cheap so the people buy them and hang them in their homes.
I think about buying the belt just to prove people at home that it exists, but I can’t bring myself to do it.
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At home Kate asks me some questions about my faith. I tell her how I’ve come to know what is true and how everyone can learn truth by asking the Source of all truth. I tell her my faith has matured into knowledge, not just belief. We talk about
Friday, October 26, 2007
My New Favorite Students
Slept in. Felt justified because I have been feeling sick.
I graded more papers.. more poor results.
I’ve seen some of their past tests, and they never seem to get a high score. But I still wonder if I have been doing these kids justice, or whether they should have a teacher with their accent. But then there are the kids that do so well. I can’t wait to hand these back and see who my new favorite students are.
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Because Even I Am A Boy
I wake up feeling so happy and think right away about the blessing I got from the missionaries yesterday afternoon.
I go to school and give the English midterm. I’ve been using the same lesson plans for the S1s and the S2s so they are the same test. For the first part I read out loud statements and they are supposed to answer true or false.
They have a hard time understanding everything I say and I have to write every other question
on the board. In on of the questions I said the word, “bird” and they had no idea what I meant.
Then I wrote it and asked them how they say it.
“Barday.”
“You people are ridiculous. Haha.”
I catch a girl looking at her neighbor’s paper and I mark her paper in red pen. After the test is over everyone hands in their tests. One pile for the blank cover sheets I gave them, and one pile for the test.
I notice some writing on a paper in the blank pile and see that the girl I saw cheating had used her other paper to complete the test so there would be no mark. But I know exactly who the girl is, because she was the one who skipped my lunch detention. I got to my list of students in detention and write her name really big in red pen and connect the page to her other paper.
“Everyone thinks I’m just some stupid Muzungu, don’t they?”
One of the boys helping me organize the papers says, “Not you, master. You are very wise.”
HA.
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On the English exam I gave them and extra credit question worth up to ten points. In our class we have read three simple stories. The Pot of Gold, A Giant in the
To fully appreciate what I’m about to share, let me give you a brief summary of each story:
The Pot of Gold: A mean man named Grumble finds and catches an elf in the forest. He demands that the elf take him to his gold or he won’t let the elf go. The elf takes him to a tree and tells him the gold is buried under the tree. Grumble marks the tree with his red scarf and, before going to fetch his shovel, makes the elf promise not to touch the scarf. He promises and when Grumble returns to the forest he finds that the elf kept his promise, but put a red scarf on every single tree in the forest.
A Giant in the
The Wonderful Day: Roger Rabbit finds a gigantic cabbage in the middle of the road. He pushes the cabbage home only to find that it won’t fit through his door. He cries and then tells himself that crying doesn’t help, thinking does. So he gets an idea and calls all the rabbits in the forest to come and have a cabbage party so the cabbage won’t be wasted. The rabbits eat and get full. The oldest rabbit tells Roger to remember to call them if he ever needs a meal. When they leave the cabbage is just the right size for Roger, who says this is the most wonderful day he has ever had.
The extra credit question was:
Out of all the stories we have read, who is your favorite character? Give reasons for your answer.
We don’t always understand their reasoning, but here are a few of our favorites – the best and the worst:
An elfe
Because it had apot of Gold.
Because even if we did the exercise I got 10/10
Because an elfe had a lot of Knowledge.
Because an elfe was small and he had big eyes.
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The reason on my answer is abig ugly giant.
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Grumbble was the main character in the story we have ready.
Because Grumbble is unkind man.
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My favourite character was Rodge rabbit.
1st reason Rodger was small rabbit but he managed to roll a big giant cabbage to home
Rodger at first he stared, stared and stared because of his discovery
Rodger had never had awonderful day like the one he discovered
Rodger cried but it didn’t help
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Grumble was my favorite character from all of the stories we have read. The reasons for my answer are Grumble was sobig.
Grumble had a good red scarf.
Grumble had a good shos.
Grumble had a big hand and head.
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It is Roger Rabit
He was avery care full one
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Who is your favoite character?
The giant
Reasons
He wanted to kill the boy.
He walks at night.
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The boy is my favorite character from all of the stories I have read.
This boy when he found a young bird on the ground, he had to put it back in its nest. This boy when he found a ugly giant, he ran to the lake where the giant can’t swim not only that he splash his soap and the giant steped on it and fel down.
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The rabbit.
It cried when the cabbage failed to fit the door
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Roger cabbage was my favorite character from the stories I have read. Because he mad aparty for the other o’rabbit young and old.
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My favorite character is “Giant”
Giant is my favorite actor because it tells us to fear walking at night when we are alone
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My favorite is to be busyman
Because I have sean the elf
Because “ “ “ the Grumble
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A giant in the forest is our favorite character from all the stories
Because a giant is a big ugly man in the forest.
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It was Grumble’s story.
Because Grumble was amean man.
Because Grumbe marked the tree with his red scarf
Because the boy was so mercy full he help the baby bird
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Out of all the stories we have read the story of the giant in the forest was my favourite character
The story of cabbage was my favorite character
The story of a big cabbage in the road
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Out of all the stories the giant in the forest was the favorite character for me because the giant slept all day and during in the night it started to look for things to eat and the boy’s mother warned him to be home before dark.
The giant was sloghtering getting something to eat and the boy saw it on the ground with the foorprint on the ground and the boy brought his bar of soap on the ground the big ugly giant slipped down in water.
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A little boy.
Because the little boy was living neer the cold green forest. The little boy was given every day a bar of soap to go and have a balth on the lake.
Because the little boy helped the babby bird to put it in the nest. When the little boy saw that it is getting dark he take his bath quickly.
When the boy saw a big anguly giant he slowen his bar of soap and when the anguly giant stepped on it he sceamed in the lake while the giant cann’t swim.
That is the way the boy saved him self from the giant. That is why my favorite character is the little boy.
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Grumble
Grumble was a mean man always he was saying that elf has pot of Gold which make Grumble to get Mr. elf. Grumble asked elf to show where was the pot of Gold. The elf took him on a big tree.
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The elf and a big giant’s character was my favorite character.
The first reason is that the elf was wiser than the giant. The second reason is that the giant was big for nothing with our knowledge in it’s hea to mark the tree with the same scave the elf has. The third was that the giant never know that what ever small anything is, never under mind it.
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The elf.
The elf was great man because he did not breake the promise he just put the red scarf on all the tree. The elf has a point of God
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The giant in the forest.
Becawe some children may sent by their perants and they tell “that you early and they just play and forgotten to go back home. They see when it is dark then they go home hence found wirld animal walking looking for food.
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My favorite character is elf because they following
He excused his mother advices
He found the baby bird on the ground and he returned it inot its next.
He saw a giant and put the soap on the giant’s right and it slippered into lake.
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Roger
He said him self I can sotp crying and I go to calling wood rabbits.
He can’t to push the cabbage alone
The cabbage it was big to fit through his door
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The cabbage was the main character because it was in the road.
And it was too big to pass throught the door.
It was the character because it made some one to cry.
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The story of agiant cabbage is my favorite character.
Because it shows me that there is a wonderful things in the world.
It shows me that there is the biggest cabbage.
It shows that all rabbits eats the cabbage
It shows that there is aful rabbits.
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From my favorite character it was Giant in the forest.
Reasons to my answer. According to my reasons, the little boy Rogger did avery good job of trapping abig giant near the forest.
Another reason was about the big cabbage, the ways of Rabbits making to be small.
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The favorite character of all the stories was mother of boy
Because gave his boy abar of soap every week. It wants his boy to take bath.
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Out of every stories we have read, My favorite character is Crying helps nothing, thinking helps.
Thinking helps because you get ensured of the thing you about.
Thinking helps because it brings about new idea for you.
Thinking helps because what he/she wants.
Thinking helps one to engage in what is right for he or she.
Thinking brings about development.
Thinking brings about happy.
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My favorite character is Grumble. Because Grumble he discovered the part of Gold. Addition no one would need to be poor at all.
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It was the wonderful day.
This is because Roger’s rabbit it was agood rabbit who wants his friends
And the Roger’s rabbit he laughed because the cabbage was too big enough and he didnot Know it is going to do but he called his friend which is oldest and biggest to enjoy cabbage party.
That story tells how to love your friends.
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My favorite character was the little boy.
Because even I am a boy.
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Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Midterms and Blessings
I wake up with the scratchiest throat. Maybe I slept to close to the mosquito net. I think I might be allergic the chemicals in the nets. I think I’m allergic to everything.
I am saying goodbye to the nurses and Fran gives me some extra strength cold medicine, some garlic pills, and throat lozenges. I’m so lucky they have come to
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I give my S2 class their math exam. The class is huge and it’s difficult to make sure no one is cheating. So many of them share things like rulers and calculators. I tell them that they have to clear the calculator before passing it to a friend. I make them show me their calculators before they pass them.
After the test is over, I tell them to fold the corners of their papers so they stay together. Then they tell me that there is thread for that. One of them goes to the office and comes back with a bag of small pieces of thread. The kids poke holes in the corner of their papers with their pins and feed the thread through, tying it in a double knot.
One kid ties his on the right side of the paper and I ask if he’s left-handed. He looks scared. “Which hand do you use to write?” He picks up his right hand. I start to ask him if he takes art class, and realize that I’m just confusing the poor boy, so I let him go.
The S1 class is much harder to monitor. There are 81 kids taking the test today. There are two columns of desks that are singles, but most students are sitting three to a desk. My test is late getting started because Moses was giving them an exam when he caught them all cheating. He erased the board and created an entirely new exam.
My class was about to go to lunch, but I called them back into the room and told them I had and
appointment in Mukono, and I was not going to miss it because they decided to cheat.
I tell them they must cover their papers with their other sheet. I can’t write the entire test on the chalkboard at once, so I split the test into three sections. I catch two boys cheating and dismiss them from the room and give them zeros. I tell the class as the boys leave, how unfortunate it is that there are only two tests to determine the grade for an entire term’s worth of work, and some people are willing to jeopardize that grade by cheating.
I go around and for every wandering eye I mark “-1” in red pen on their papers. That seems to do the trick.
I can tell that many of them are having a hard time with the test and decide that I’m going to grade on a curve.
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I leave school and hop on a matatu to Kisoga. Joe is meeting with the missionaries today and I’m going with him. I get to town and go to his house just as he’s leaving. I say hi to his wife and realize that she is very pregnant. It was very dark last time I saw her and I didn’t notice. His baby girl is in
I am so sleepy on the way to the church and fall asleep on the matatu. I can feel the effect of whatever it is I am coming down with. But I realize that it’s probably the medicine that is making me feel so spacey.
We are a little late meeting the missionaries, but they are out front waiting for us. It is incredibly
hot today. Elder Peterson is wearing sunglasses.
They teach Joseph about the Restoration. They talk about the Sacred Grove and I think about how lucky I am that I had a chance to visit the place this summer. The missionaries ask me to give my testimony of how I know these things are true. I talk about the experience I had this summer with my friend Rachel, to go and visit the places where such miraculous things happened.
They ask Joe who he would like to close the meeting with a prayer and he says himself. In his prayer he asks to be converted to the gospel.
Before the missionaries leave, I ask them if they would please give me a blessing. I tell that I haven’t been feeling well, and on top of that there is a Typhoid outbreak where I am living. It’s such a comfort when I’m sick or in trouble, to be able to rely on and have faith in the Priesthood - to be able to have confidence that because of their authority to act in the name of God, I will get better.
I am given blessings of health, strength and protection against the illnesses that are here. I am promised blessings because of my faith. I’m so lucky the Priesthood is here. I’m glad that Joe could see it in action.
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The rest of my time in Mukono is wasted trying to use the internet. I go to two different places, and they are both very slow today.
I go home and start grading the papers. I am disappointed with the low scores.
As I’m grading a get a text message from Jeff:
We are camping at 16,000 feet. Crap it’s cold. This is a large mountain.
We summit in the morning. 19,000ft. We got caught in a snow storm… in
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So crazy.
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