The Final Countdown/Murphy's Law

8-30-12
Jinja was amazing. Rebecca and I left Gulu Monday morning at 6:30/7am and arrived in Kampala around noon. Once we were in Kampala we walked to “Taxi Park” (where all the matatus are) and got on a matatu headed for Jinja. We had to wait for a good 45 minutes for the matatu to fill up so we could go, but we were off by around 1:30ish. We got to Jinja at around 4:30 and then took bodas from town to Nile River Explorers (where we were staying). Our room was small, but perfect for just the two of us, plus it had four walls, a roof, and a couple windows. There was a bunk bed and a double bed in the room, but since the mosquito net over the bunk beds was a little questionable we decided to just share the double bed. Monday night Rebecca and I spent getting showered, eating dinner, watching the sunset (the place where we stayed was right on the Nile), and then we went in our room and watched One Tree Hill. Tuesday we spent all day shopping for souvenirs. We headed into town via boda at around 9, got dinner at this cute little place called “The Keep” (which looked like a castle on the inside) and then hit up the crafty stores on Main Street. I got myself a couple really cool paintings for my room (I’m planning to redo it once I get back) and a custom made t-shirt. I also got souvenirs for the rest of my family and friends. Rebecca and I headed back to NRE at 4 or 5. We got some couches by the bar that overlooked the Nile, read our books, chatted for a bit, got some dinner, and then went back to the room at around 8:30 and watched Once Tree Hill again. Then Wednesday morning we checked out of our room, got a boda to town, and were on a matatu toward Kampala by 9:15.

We got into Kampala at 11:30ish, then we walked to Babies Home where we’d get picked up with the rest of the volunteers to go to the volunteer meeting. I got to see my boys in the special needs room for the first time in a month. It was so good! But it was also a little weird being back. Justin looks as cute as ever, but he’s lost a lot of weight since I last saw him. When I left they were just starting to take him off tube feeding and doing mouths feeds, but he had a hard time with it. Apparently they’ve kept him doing mouth feeding (because he does have to learn eventually, and I know he can) but he’s not eating as much as he did when he was tube feeding and he didn’t really have to work to get his food. It was hard seeing him thinner, not that he was skin and bones by any means, but it’s just a really sudden change, and one that I wasn’t expecting. We went to the meeting around 2pm and that lasted until 4:30ish.

Rebecca, Ashley, Annelise (a nurse/volunteer who will be here for a year), and I decided to go out for dinner last night. There’s a restaurant here called Mish Mash, and it’s really cool and has really great food. On Wednesday nights they show movies outside, so we thought that would be a pretty cool last-night-adventure (it’s the last night Rebecca would have with Ashley and I). At 7:15 our cab picked us up from the apartment and we went to Mish Mash. The movie screen and seats were all set up on the front lawn, it looked so cool; there were a handful of couches near the front (but the bottom cushion part was really wide so you would lay pretty much flat and be comfortable), and then picnic tables behind that. We grabbed a couple couches, sprawled out, covered up with some sheets we brought from the apartment, ordered our food/drinks, and then waited for the movie to start. The movie playing was Momento—I’ve heard about it before and always wanted to see it, so I was super excited when I found out that’s what the movie was. It was like a drive in movie, but with comfier seats and a better sound system…plus the food and drinks were amazing J. It was such a fun night…it made we want to open up a coffee shop back home and show all kinds of movies outside J--Friday night at 6pm kids movies, 8pm new shows, Saturday night classic movies, Sunday night black and white movies J

Today Rebecca and I went out for breakfast at Café Pap (the Starbucks of Uganda), did some grocery shopping, and went to the babies home for a little bit so Rebecca could say goodbye to everyone. She just left for Gulu a few minutes ago, and it’s weird knowing that I’ll never see her in Africa again. We’ve talked about getting together once we’re both back home and I really hope that happens. We’re 12 hours away from each other, but I know we can take the time at least once a year to catch up. It’s crazy thinking that I leave soon---like really soon. Yesterday I started to pack up my bags and it started becoming real that I don’t have much time left here. Tomorrow and Saturday I’ll be volunteering at the babies home, but I’ll probably just do half days. Friday or Saturday night will probably be my appreciation dinner with some of the Watoto staff too. Sunday will be pretty full, I’ll go to church and then Annelise and I are going to get coffee, get pedicures, and then get apple crumble from Mish Mash (we passed on getting dessert last night, but I really want to try it before I leave), and then I’ll have a quiet time for a while. Monday I’ll sleep in, shower, make sure everything is packed in its proper place, maybe grab some lunch, and then I’ll get picked up to go to the airport at around noon. And some odd hours later I’ll be back in the States, back in Wisconsin and driving to Stetsonville. Man, time flies.

9-1-12
September  1…only 2 more days left in Uganda. It’s so weird how torn/conflicted I am about leaving here. I’m really excited to see friends and family, start looking for a job, applying to graduate school, redoing my room, and starting this next chapter in my life. But this chapter of my life, this brief stay in Uganda has been so amazing—it’s really hard saying goodbye to this place and the people here. In some ways it feels like I’ve been here a lot longer than three months and sometimes it seems like I only just got here. Uganda has sort-of become comfortable, I guess that’s when you know it’s time to go. In June I would never have guessed I would fall so in love with this place; in June I barely thought I’d make it until early September J.
Last night was my appreciation dinner with Fred and Barbara—the heads of the volunteer department and basically our guardians this summer. They took me to a really nice Indian restaurant, which I was excited about because I’ve never had Indian food before. It was delicious! We had really good conversation, they thanked me (a couple times) for coming to volunteer, and they really build me up/encouraged me with the things they said about me. And at the end of dinner Barbara prayed for me, it was so great! I got a couple pictures with them which I’ll upload on here so you can see their beautiful faces. I couldn’t have asked for a better team/better go-to-people than Barbara and Fred—they’re so fun and hardworking.
Yesterday I also got to hang out with some babies for a while. I was only at the babies home for 3.5 hours yesterday, but I got to hang out with my boys in the special needs room for a couple hours and then I cuddled with a new baby—Marvin. I’m going in for a little while today too, but it will probably only be for an hour or two. I have to hand in an evaluation form, and say goodbye to my boys, and then I’ll probably cuddle with Marvin for a little bit again, and then head back to the apartment. My last day seeing/holding/playing with Watoto babies.

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I just got done saying goodbye to my boys. I’m really glad I went; part of me was thinking of skipping out on the goodbyes because I don’t like them, especially when it comes to cute babies. Today all of them were so happy and beautiful. Elisha was smiling practically the entire time, Christian was smiling and talking up a storm, and he let me hold him. Usually Christian likes just laying down and doing his own thing, but today I picked him up, he smiled and he laid his head on my chest; it was perfect. And Justin was as adorable as ever. I think he was the hardest to say goodbye to because he can’t really talk and he can’t see, so it’s hard to read him. With Elisha and Christian they smile and make eye contact with you, but with Justin it’s all in his facial expression. He seemed content today, which is all I could ask for. He didn’t cry at all in the time I was there, and he and I just sat in a rocking chair for a bit and I just kissed him and told him I loved him. I can’t even count how many kisses I gave those boys today; I’m estimating somewhere around 50. I was only there for about an hour; I was there to say goodbye and I didn’t want to prolong it—it got harder and harder the longer I was there. It’s weird knowing that I’ll most likely never see those boys again. It doesn’t feel like it was the last time because it’s habit/normal to see them every day. But now all I have are pictures and videos of them, and memories.

9-2-12
My last day in Uganda---well technically it’s not my last, but tomorrow I’ll basically just be going to and waiting in the airport for my flight. 24 hours from right now I’ll be at Entebbe airport, probably reading To Kill A Mockingbird. Last night Annelise and I went out for dinner, which was one of (if not the) best dinner I’ve had in Uganda. We also got dessert which was fantastic; I got a hot peanut butter and fudge cake with a scoop of vanilla ice cream (SOOO good!). And today we went to church, got some coffee, and then got manicures and pedicures. It was/is such a relaxing day, I’m so thankful that these past few days have been so laid back. I also checked my flight status’ and they’re all still the same as they were when I booked them three months ago, praise God! I got to skype with my parents yesterday which was really great, and today I get to skype with one of my friends (Sarina) and I’m going to call another one of mine (Amanda) so I’m really excited!! J It hasn’t hit me yet that I’m leaving tomorrow, maybe when I finish packing things up tonight it’ll become more real, maybe it won’t really hit me until I’m waiting at the airport.

9-3-12
It’s nearly 1:30am back home, which mean in about 36 hours I’ll be in Chicago hugging my parents. I spent last night packing and I just have a few last minute things left to pack after I finish getting ready today. In 2.5 hours I’m getting picked up and taken to the airport (I’ll be waiting there for a good 3+ hours). My flight from Uganda to Ethiopia leaves at 5:25pm and arrives at 7:35pm. My flight from Ethiopia to D.C. leaves at 10:15pm and arrives at 8:40am. My flight from D.C. to Chicago leaves at 12:35pm and arrives at 1:42pm. I’m actually pretty excited to go home, it’s getting easier thinking about leaving here, but that could just be a defense mechanism…J says the girl who graduated with a psychology degree. I’m sure after a few days back home I’ll be missing this place like crazy. I sort-of feel like I did when I was coming here—at peace, even though I knew everything was going to be different. Maybe the thought that I’ll come back to Uganda someday is making it easier to leave too, who knows.

9-4-12
Right now I should be over the Atlantic Ocean near the States, instead I am in a hotel room in Ethiopia. My entire day was the definition of Murphy’s Law. I’ve been praying for God to give me more patience and to help me trust Him more…today he gave me an opportunity for both. My day started by getting to the airport at 3pm (on the 3^rd) because my flight was supposed to be at 5:25pm. At 7:30 we finally boarded the plane. From there we were supposed to go straight to Ethiopia (a 2 hour flight) but instead we first went to Kigali Rwanda, a 40+ minute flight. We dropped off and picked up people from Rwanda, but the stop in Rwanda was not told to anyone on our flight. We then headed to Ethiopia, which would take around 3 hours to get to from Rwanda. When we got to the Ethiopian airport the fog was too heavy to land (our pilot tried twice, but pulled up because of the lack of visibility). So we went to Djibouti—I’m not sure where that is or how to spell it without the help of google, but after today I officially hate Djibouti. We were told we were going there (an hour flight away) to refuel and wait out the bad weather. We got to the Djibouti airport at 12:30 and we sat on the runway in 90-100 degree weather until at least 3:30. We finally headed for Ethiopia again and landed at around 5am. Ten hours to get from Kampala to Ethiopia…it usually only takes 2 hours. Due to the delay (with all the Ethiopian flight, not just ours) there were MASSIVE lines at the transfer counter. I stood in line to get a new flight from 5am-6:45. I am getting to D.C. 24 hours later than I was originally supposed to, and I don’t even have a new ticket from D.C. to Chicago yet…I’ll get that after I go through customs in D.C. In the past 24 hours I’ve slept maybe one hour total—I’m so thankful to have a bed and several good hours to sleep! I can’t wait to get home. This day has definitely been a test of my patience and trust in God, and I have to say I’m kind-of surprised at my lack of freaking out. There were definitely times of inner freaking out, but overall God gave me a lot of strength and peace about it all. It’s also helpful that at least 200 other people were in the same boat as me. A few of us just had breakfast in the hotel, and it was nice to just talk and vent a little and joke about today. I just hope that the flight tonight goes smoothly and that I can get to Chicago without any major problems. But for now I’m going to sleep! J
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The bed here is great. I got a few hours of sleep, was able to skype with my family (minus my sister) and I am feeling a lot better. I’m also thinking about taking a nice hot shower before getting dinner downstairs and heading to the airport. So excited to get on that plane in five hours and start heading home!!!