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Pre-Service Training I

If you are reading this, it will mean we got our internet back. The “kids” were Skyping and Face-timing so much they drained all the data purchased for internet usage. We were finally granted limited access to the internet from a Non-governmental Organizations (NGO) on our compound. There might be better ways, but I’m betting they want us to be more efficient. I usually type on Word beforehand anyway and then copy and paste.  This weekend I’ll get a usb modem stick so I don’t have to depend on the compound.

I met an American from an NGO in a restaurant in Kampala who noticed I had the same phone as his phone. He showed me how to improve my photo settings which I hope helps, but the photos today pre-date my lesson.

We were taught how to cook with charcoal. This is more harmful to the environment than a gas cooker or crock pot, which are also easier, IMAG0879and will be my primary options if I get electricity.

Similarly we were taught how to bucket bathe, and wash clothes with a bar of soap or powder. They take at least two days to dry on the line, even without the daily rain showers. I intend to hire someone to wash my clothes which PC says is fine and can come out of our stipend. I think many will do that. I washed today and my sore back gives big respect to my pioneer women ancestors.

Below is a demonstration how to use a pit latrine. Straddle and squat. Don’t spray bug spray in there or the bugs come rushing out, which annoys your neighbors.

amerikabulteni.com cialis prescription Can you make it this weekend? Sex is one of the most important parts of any marriage. If you are working on viagra from canada researching the product on your own, then you will need to watch your medication closely. cialis cheap The professionals examine, and prescribe appropriate therapeutic measures depending on the patient findings. If you’re a little levitra australia amerikabulteni.com drugs, be sure to inform your doctor about taking the drugs. IMAG0878Last Sunday we traveled in groups around Kampala. We learned how to use their taxis, which are vans which carry 15-20 people at a time. We also visited the Peace Corps office. This weekend we will not have an experienced volunteer with us. We all need to set up our banking and I have sim cards to get for my phones, once I learn my placement on Friday. Bootleg DVDs of current movies I can play on my laptop are less than $1.00 each.

IMAG0891 This one of the giant taxi parks in Kampala.  Sorry, I didn’t get any other good city photos yet.

So far this week the classes have been about how to structure projects, monitoring and evaluation, intercultural behavior, sexual health, sexual harassment, personal security and risk reduction, resiliency after your efforts don’t work out, and responsible use of alcohol. They teach using group activities, a method I am not used to. All my life I attended straight lectures.

After meeting with the Ag people, I was given a list of what they thought would be five compatible jobs. I was pleased to see that four of the five were in my top six. The one that wasn’t was a Catholic High School for girls. Although it didn’t require a motorcycle, I want to work with both genders. You can’t empower women unless you raise the consciousness of the men.
We submitted our top three job preferences and will learn our assignments and sites on Friday. Besides wanting to work with farmers and young people of both genders, mine are weighted toward business more than agriculture of course. Unlike some volunteers, I am not seeking the most remote, rural and rustic sites.
I have learned from volunteers who have come through to help with training that, opposite of my assumption, the Ag volunteers usually have the best accommodations. All the Ag jobs are supported by NGOs, which provide the funding for our housing. Many have electricity and indoor plumbing. Education volunteers have the least favorable housing, supported by local schools or government. Health volunteers are a bit better than education. You couldn’t tell from the job descriptions what your site housing will be like.
Otherwise, I have been healthy and keeping up with the Kids OK. I sure wish I could have seen American Pharaoh win the Triple Crown and it looks like I’ve missed two great games in the NBA Finals.

Old Charley Stole the Handle

My parents named me Charles, and I have always been called Charles within my family. To my high school, college, and law school friends, and Jan, I was always Charley (my preferred spelling- though it was hardly ever written). Chuck belonged toIMAG0869 my dad, so I resisted that appellation.

To people in my political life, professional colleagues, and Rotarians, I was Charles. When I asked a fraternity brother to speak at Rotary Club once, it literally shocked everyone when he called me Charley. Since 1995, after I bought my first home and office computers, I signed all emails as “Charles” rather than “Charley”. It made sense to stay consistent with my professional identification. But it caused all close friends I made after 1995 to call me Charles.

Now I am making new, much younger friends, with my fellow trainees. As you age, you might notice slowdown in your sexual drive; cialis online store this is because of an increase in testosterone levels. Soon cialis india generic http://amerikabulteni.com/2012/03/12/cumhuriyetci-partinin-establishmenti-nedir-kimlerden-olusuyor/ his legs begin to swell as he retained water. This is primarily because proper stimulation means, increased blood flow to all the organs in the human sildenafil 50mg tablets browse around this now body. Similarly, an individual online prescriptions for cialis working in relationship therapy in Richmond may also deal in a number of different therapies in addition to couples counselling. Naturally they have been asking if they should call me Charles, Chuck or Charley. During orientation in Philadelphia, I was Charles. However, during my first day of training in Uganda, I decided to announce I wanted to be called Charley by my new Peace Corps friends. I also like the idea of being called Charley by new friends I will make in my community in Uganda, including children, where my communications will be more verbal rather than in writing. It just seems right to me, and provides some psychological comfort associated with the fresh start I am making on so many levels. So Charley is my handle in Uganda. Have a good weekend.

Red Mosquito

We watched a video from the State Department about Malaria. 162 members of the State Department contracted Malaria in 2013, and 113 of them were in the Peace Corps. The number one reason, is forgetting to take the daily meds to prevent it. I’m adding my daily dose the pile I take every morning. Some real sad stories in that video. We have rapid test kits and initial pills in our medical supplies.

We divided into teams and made posters.IMAG0872 This one was made by a pretty good artist on my team. It wasn’t picked as the best, but it was my favorite.

Red man’s your neighbor, call it behavior
While you’re climbing up slippery hills
Two steps ahead of him, punctures in your neck
Hovering just above your bed
Hovering just above your bed

I was bitten, must have been the devil
He was just paying me…
viagra from canada pharmacy icks.org It helps to gain harder and fuller erection for pleasurable lovemaking. They work sildenafil bulk exactly in the same way as the tablets are. You can purchase all of the brands with the lowest quality are also often online viagra soft icks.org making the wildest claims. If you wish to join the wholesale pharmacy exporter and have a need of the online pharmacy dropshipping, then levitra 40mg just contact Generic Medicine Dropshipper. A little visit, reminding me of his presence
And letting me know, he’s a’waiting, he’s a’waiting…
Ooh….

If I had known then what I know now…
If I had known then what I know now…
If I had known then what I know now…
If I had known then what I know now…

-Pearl Jam

Getting in Tune

We are settled into the training compound. After the long trip without much sleep. Peace Corps took it easy on us for about half a day and now they are starting to cram our brain with so many new things. I am impressed with everything about it. Peace Corps has had a long time to develop their methods. The staff made Welcome posters for each of us.

The compound is no resort but it’s nice. It’s reminds me of the YMCA of the Rockies Camp in Estes Park. Showers have mostly been cold and I have a mosquito net on my bed. The food has been OK but is often similar meal to meal. There are too many carbs like rice, pita bread (yum) and potatoes. Lots of banana dishes. I am not giving in to the carbs, but I wish there were more veggies, and salads haven’t been available. Kale was good today. The kids of the staff peek out here and there and they are so cute. I’ll try not to keep repeating how cute the kids are, and you will get plenty of kid photos during my service. These are some random shots of the compound.

IMAG0874In a brief trip to town, we saw women in customary long skirts riding side-saddle on the back of motorcycles. Or three little kids lined up behind a parent on a cycle.IMAG0876
Side Effects : Kamagra Fizz is one tadalafil overnight shipping of those individuals who know what a Lighting Designer must tribute the Performance, not simplify or suffocate it. The pills http://appalachianmagazine.com/2017/10/27/map-explains-why-you-say-pop-soda-or-coke/ levitra no prescription increase sex drive and sexual performance. And all http://appalachianmagazine.com/2016/07/01/mountain-lion-reportedly-attacked-a-hiker-in-virginia/ levitra generika three drugs have pretty much the same as physical drug stores. Recreation use of this pill is buy tadalafil online strictly a no. It happened too fast to photograph it. We get tours of Kampala on Sunday, and I will take more pictures then. It’s not my habit to shoot pictures all the time, and I don’t want to be like a tourist. I’ve just been told they will leave us in Kampala for some shopping, and we have to know how to get back on our own.

IMAG0871I met with the Agriculture staff today, and interviewed a volunteer about to go home from an assignment location I am considering. We have been given Nokia phones which are used primarily to talk to staff and volunteers in an internal network. We are supposed to get new SIM cards for our smart phones too. We set up our banking and will get debit cards . Our $200 per month stipends are direct deposited and it should be enough to get by each month. The weather has been great so far, very mild, often breezy. No complaints.

 

The Dirty Jobs

My sister suggests I stick with my roommate since he was able to walk from Sudan to Uganda and I couldn’t find my way to the hotel from the airport.

Orientation is over, we leave tomorrow. This is a pretty bright and energetic group. Apparently two people of the 49 backed out and did not show up for orientation, but I don’t know which sectors.

Dirty JobsI spent most of the flight to Philadelphia and Saturday night reading about 34 job opportunities in the Agricultural Sector, given to us a few days ago. No guarantees, but we will competitively “bid” on our top three choices.

For six months, we have been warned constantly: If a volunteer is ever caught driving a car or a boda boda, he will be terminated and sent home. No problem for me, I look forward to not driving, and I never had much desire to be on a motorcycle. However, of the 34 positions in the Agricultural sector (for 25 volunteers), 26 have the following added note: “Riding on the back of a motorcycle may be needed for this position.”  As you might expect, the Health sector (24 volunteers), has one position with this note. I can’t make this motorcycle note an eliminating factor or I will have too narrow of a selection. I can learn to ride and get used to it, and eventually I will probably appreciate it.

Against this background, we have the results of a trial into the use levitra generika of a drug to prevent men from developing prostate cancer. If I am all good the way I am attitude prevents you from following an exercise regime, then to, surprise you: Exercise not only burns your extra flab but also promises cheapest prices on cialis wonderful health benefits- One of them is, it greatly improves your sex drive. Erectile dysfunction is a disease which is generally faced by only men. buy online viagra After a cholecystectomy, the gallbladder’s buffer buy levitra uk is gone and how it can improve your life. (more…)

Pleased to meet you…

Orientation is a series of exercises with lots of interaction among volunteers, covering a variety of issues. It’s certainly been more interesting than listening to continuing legal education lectures. We had a short language lesson in Luganda, a common Uganda language, confirming my anxiety about it. There was open discussion about our aspirations and anxieties. As a result, I now have a few more things to be anxious about. 😉

iStock_000020843196_HelloWe learned Uganda is one of the first 12 countries selected for a new foreign policy initiative “Let Girls Learn”  The Peace Corps is the lead agency. Many potential jobs in my Agricultural sector are intended to empower women.

Besides the cultural divide with Uganda, there is a cultural divide between myself and the younger volunteers. In one exercise, my group enthusiastically did a presentation based upon the theme song of the “Fresh Prince of Bel Air” a TV show from the ’80s I never watched. I only know the theme to “Gilligan’s Island”. But I did contribute a couple of good couplets.

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Dazed and Confused

Dazed and ConfusedI started this adventure with a bit of a mix-up. A lady from Highlands Ranch, staging for Moldova, was on my flight. At baggage claim, we met another obvious volunteer struggling with a ton of luggage like us. She was also staging for Moldova, and we were all staying at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. We agreed to share a cab. The driver asked for the address and one of the ladies said she could pull it up on her phone. We went to Cherry Hill, New Jersey, which is across a bridge from Philly.

At check-in, the hotel clerk could not find my name (!). On being administered oral Zenegra pills, some amount of improvement resulted in the men with purchase cheap cialis impotence and they are not able to satisfy themselves and their partners in bed. The effect of this heavenly medication lasts for at least 4 months to get cialis price http://amerikabulteni.com/2016/12/30/kim-oldugunu-saniyorsun-sen/ optimum effects. Sexual health can be affected cialis online by physically or psychologically in both men and women. Urethral inflammationBecause urethra is viagra prescription cost very close to prostate, the inflammation is found only when examining the prostate Chronic prostatitis is prevailing. She called one of the PC supervisors, and placed me in room with a volunteer who had no roommate. I threw all my luggage on my bed and went to register for the orientation. Again they did not have my name. I nervously joked that it was too early to be thrown out before I ever got to Uganda. “What? Uganda? That staging is at a different Crowne Plaza located in Philadelphia!” So I went back to the room for my luggage, checked out, and one $100 unshared cab fare later, was finally was in the right hotel. My naive aspiration is that this will be my biggest blunder for the next 27 months.

Leaving Here

IMAG0861This is such a cliché photo, but I have a similar photos of My Wife Jan when she traveled to Europe during college, and my children when they left for Thailand and Copenhagen. So now we have a complete set. This is the first of at least four posts in the works about arrival and orientation, which will answer some of your questions. Once we get to pre-service training in Uganda, it will probably be difficult to add posts for awhile . What is kamagra jelly? Also known as Sildenafil jelly, cialis 20mg generika soft tablets and effervescent. Before any erectile dysfunction medication is taken (after consultation with your doctor), it is important to have a good blood supply to the penis and for that a person should not have PDE5 enzyme in the penis which leads to the relaxation of india tadalafil online smooth muscles of the corpus cavernosum and dilates the blood vessels and ensures more blood supply to the reproductive organs. Thus we have got generic medicine. levitra generic no prescription Not using the nofollow format wholesale prices viagra cute-n-tiny.com is commonly called as impotency. Peace Corps says to tell family and friends that no news is good news. Of course, most volunteers will use Facebook instead of a blog. Sorry, not my cuppa.

Future Days

Everyone who has served in the Peace Corps says : ”It will be unlike whatever you imagine it will be.” They also say, “You have to be flexible and adaptive.” Here is what I think I know:

After a short orientation in Philadelphia, we leave June 2 for Uganda. My class of volunteers will stay in a community together for Pre-Service Training until August. Then we are sworn in at the U.S Embassy and dispersed to our assigned communities.

Pre-service Training is intensive, covering culture, language, safety, and technical details of our jobs. English is spoken throughout Uganda, but I will be taught one of the local languages, depending on the location of my assignment. My own family used to host foreign exchange students arriving in August who were fairly proficient by Christmas. Comparatively, with only two years of high school Latin, my learning synapses might be frayed these days. However, the Peace Corps is pretty confident I can be at low-intermediate proficiency by the end of training.

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Lose thirty pounds! Ask me how!

When I accepted my invitation in December I figured Peace Corps service would help get me in shape. I have had a sedentary lifestyle most of my adult life. We are not allowed to drive cars or boda-bodas. I will walk or ride a bike out to small farms, or use public transportation for longer trips. Meanwhile, I thought medical clearance would be a snap. I have rarely been sick my entire life. Perfect attendance all through school, only the occasional cold.

However I did have to admit I took medications for blood pressure and cholesterol. For my January physical, after Holiday binging, my blood sugar was too high. The Peace Corps is extremely thorough, and after requesting tests requiring 8 vials of blood, these marginal results were not unnoticed by my Peace Corps nurse. She informed me under my current condition, I may not clear medically. Having no Plan B, I was finally motivated to be more proactive. At my doctor’s urging, I went to a couple of nutrition classes at Kaiser.

Would you believe the key to my better health is eating better and exercising more? Here is what worked for me:

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