Tag Archive: training

I’m a Cessation

Author: April 21, 2017

Our last group photo. Ha ha, just before the shot, Andrei scooted over from behind me, leaving me floating. I don’t touch the ladies :-). I count 38 out of the original 45 making it to this point, a higher percentage than most cohorts.My Lusoga buddy Becky, second from right in the front row (between the Blue House PCVs) was ill and only came out ten minutes for this photo, Thursday night. She didn’t get better and was taken to the ICU Monday for malaria. She had tested negative the first time. She had stopped taking her meds a few months ago.

I spent last week with my cohort at a very nice resort.  It is low season right now, so I guess the Peace Corps got a good rate. They like giving us a nicer place at each conference. This was called Cessation of Service (COS) conference.  It’s all about wrapping things up and planning for the immediate future.

We learned about the three day process at headquarters before you “gong out”. Mostly because they drain a lot of bodily fluids (and solids 😉 ) the first day, and results are provided on the third day. And there are exit interviews and forms to fill out. I have already put together a booklet about Bugiri and ATEFO for my replacement.

There was a session about readjustment to USA life. No doubt it is sort of jolting, as I experienced. It was acknowledged that frequently a RPCV is asked to describe their experience, but often the inquisitor is just being polite.  Keeping it short, I will say: “I endured unbelievable hardships, while elevating my entire town out of poverty, and securing a lifetime of education for all the children.”  Yeah, that should cover it. See if they are paying attention.

The “Three Fossils” t-shirts were a popular item. It’s like we are a folk group. Ron on the right has lost 40 lbs. I spoke about Dave’s plans in an earlier post. Ron is either retiring to fishing in Wisconsin, or will open a restaurant in La Paz Mexico.

There were sessions on what to do after Peace Corps. I co-facilitated a session on resume writing. Thanks for assistance from back home from Mike and his daughter Michelle (an HR pro). I helped several volunteers revise their resumes. It’s been fun learning everyone’s plans. A lot of them are going to grad school. An alleged benefit of the Peace Corps is the designation of NCE (Non-Competitive Eligibility) which gives RPCVs an automatic competitive edge in Federal hiring for a few years. However, the hiring freeze and doubts about future funding for non-military activities, including the Peace Corps itself, have the negated the NCE benefit.

For me, when I was accepted, it was nice to think I had the next few years figured out. Now that time is running out. I am struggling a bit on the after-service question for myself. I feel lucky to have options, but each one has an impediment. [heh- started the paragraph in Uganglish “For me..” ]
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On our last night of the conference, I was honored to be asked to be the Agriculture PCV to thank the Peace Corps staff and speak to the cohort.  There was certainly some humor, but I am not one to waste an opportunity like this.  I have heartfelt love and admiration for the volunteers I served with. They represent our country’s best hopes. However, their future will not be easy. I urged my cohort not to go home and retreat behind their white privilege (“Especially you, Aruna”). RPCVs will know how to take on “secondary projects”, organize and interact with groups, make presentations, and otherwise lead with confidence. I would hate to see those skills go to waste. Sure, go to a march and take a selfie for Facebook. But what will you say to your grandchildren, when you take them to Disney World, now located next to a beach in Orlando, and they ask “Grandpa, what did you do …..?”

Ditch diggers in Iganga. No back hoes here! This was at least a kilometer on each side.

Across the street they are lining another ditch with stones.

They were out of these crazy taxi models when we passed through Fort Portal a few weeks ago, so I ordered one. I asked the artist to put one Muzungu in it. This one is crammed with nine altogether, but real taxis need a minimum of 19 (3-4-4-4-4) before they leave. Tires are bottle caps. One of my souvenirs!

While I was gone, Matthews built a fence around our gardens to keep out the goats. Were the fences in the old West that ramshackle?

The permagarden we dug in Kazo town. Picture was taken twelve days ago. They weren’t getting much rain there, but lately its been picking up..The garden at Blue House is not doing as well.

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Like John the Baptist

Author: March 10, 2017

Kayaking on the Nile during Nile River Fest in Jinja

Last  month, I took a nine day trip, staying at six different places for two different functions. I hate living out of my backpack.

First, I traveled to the town of Kazo, in Western Uganda. Kazo is the home of the Blue House, which is a girls orphanage supported by my sister Karen for many years.

The Blue House was founded by a native Ugandan, Beatrice, who was living with her husband in St. Paul MN. After being away 17 years, she made a few trips back to her hometown of Kazo. She came to bury her brothers, and was appalled by the scourge of AIDs in her community. Several little girls in town were particularly vulnerable – orphaned with no family support or shelter. Beatrice found an old shop for them, made repairs, and hired a caretaker. With an estimated 200 needy orphans in the vicinity, Beatrice decided to build dorms, a kitchen, dining hall and latrines. She purchased eight acres outside of town for this purpose.

Beatrice returned to America to raise funds, utilizing her St. Paul church and local connections. In 2004, just as this was underway, Beatrice suddenly and unexpectedly died. The USA Board of Directors decided not to let her passing deter their efforts. Today, the Blue House supports 40 orphaned girls. The ones who live at the dorm walk to the local schools and their school fees are covered. The Blue House also pays the school fees for eight others, who live in town with their relatives. Further, it still supports a few girls who grew up at the Blue House and are now at University or vocational schools. Blue House also built a vocational sewing school on its land, with 22 students from Kazo town, including one from Blue House..

Karen has just completed her term as the President of the USA Board, and has visited the Blue House twice. She is coming to Uganda next week with her husband Dave (his first trip to here) to visit me in Bugiri, and then we travel to Kazo.

I have recruited four other Peace Corps volunteers.to meet us in Kazo. We are going to meet with local Kazo farmers, do some financial literacy lessons, and dig a town demonstration permagarden. We will also teach how to make Reusable Menstrual Pads (RUMPs) at the vocational sewing school. The next day, we will put on a day camp for the Blue House girls, including RUMPs lessons for the older girls, and dig another permagarden.

I am so grateful to get the help from other PCVs. We are all in the same cohort and they are all good friends. We are on our last six or so months, so this will be a fun weekend for us too.

My preview visit last month was to find potential permagarden locations, meet the staff and girls (precious-each one came up and curtseyed) and get introduced to town leaders to explain our plans and get their support.  I spent one night in each of the local guesthouses to pick one for our “muzungu invasion”. The director of Blue House, Aine, said I was “like John the Baptist, preparing the way.”

When our time in Kazo is finished, Karen, Dave and I plan to travel another week in Western Uganda on vacation, with visits to many places I haven’t been able to see yet. So the rest of March is going to be exciting.
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After my scouting trip to Kazo, I returned to Kampala to participate in a panel and a workshop for the entire Peace Corps Uganda staff, and representatives from volunteer support groups in Diversity, Peer Support, LGBTQ, and Sexual Harassment. It was called Intercultural Diversity and Inclusion (ICD&I) training. In other words, sensitivity training, (I can just sense some eye rolls out there). It was really cool, actually. We can all use some self-awareness enlightenment.

I am an elected representative from my cohort for one of the four support groups. However, the Country Director Sean wanted my panel participation to be from the perspective of an older volunteer. My cohort friend Aruna represented first generation Americans (In  my cohort besides Aruna from Sudan, we’ve had volunteers born in India, Sri Lanka, Nigeria and Belarus- more than  the number of elder volunteers.)

I almost didn’t post this. I look so fat. I am still 30 pounds lighter than diabetes weight, but 20 more than my skinny low a year ago. It looks like man boobs too. This was my panel. CD Sean is upper left. Aruna is front right, and next to him is Sam from Littleton and CSU. Back row second from right is Anita from Denver. She went to a magnet school at DPS. Three out ten from Colorado!

Panelists were asked to speak about how they were marginalized or empowered by Peace Corps staff, other volunteers and/or in the country. There were some heartbreaking presentations. Hearing a school assembly chant “Kill the Gays”… the constant sexual harassment of the female PCVs (100% here- I admire their courage for what they have to endure here- although they are not unique from Ugandan women.)…. a black volunteer being a disappointment to his assigned town and marginalized because it did not get a white American… If you are an Asian-American volunteer, people shout “Jackie Chan” or “Ching Chong” and want you to show off your martial arts moves.

Teaching youth in a village while a mom next to me makes a mat.

Well as a panelist, amidst these stories, what could I say? Paul Sulley, who just became the Country Director in Jamaica, once met with the older volunteers during training (The Fossils!). He said we probably would not be invited for certain social events, but we had an opportunity to be a positive influence on these ‘kids’. So yes, there have been some comparatively minor slights, likely not intentional (that’s where the sensitivity training comes in!), and I try to be a good, but cool,  “in loco parentis.”

But in fact, I have not really been marginalized. The younger volunteers and Ugandan staff treat me well. In my town and throughout Uganda I have massive privilege as an older white American male. I am a celebrity with the neighbor kids. I attract good parental turnout when I speak to schools. More farmers show up to listen. On the crowded taxis, the elderly are often ushered up to the coveted front row by the conductor. (I admit I exploit this, because my knees take a beating otherwise). Sometimes before I can get in a food line at a dinner, someone brings a plate to my seat. I received immediate respect from my org and my supervisor. Of course I try not to act like a condescending jerk either. The other white male PCVs are generally privileged too, except fresh out of college, they might have to earn some respect from the older men in their communities. So I was honest on the panel about my status, and saw a lot of nodding in agreement by the Ugandan staff.  I can’t feel bad, it is what it is. Sean thought it was a good.

I also enjoyed different conversations that particular weekend with our Country Director Sean, the new Deputy Director Karen, and my supervisor Meital, about possible Peace Corps- related options for me when it is time for my service to end in six months. I am really trying to get my impending future figured out, since time is slipping away.

Local kids play video games at a shop near my house.

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Forever Young

Author: April 26, 2016

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My YTT team. Ronnie, Martin, Kevin, and myself

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Learning about budgeting. This photo appeared on the Peace Corps Uganda Facebook page. It’s proof I am here! My t-shirt is a care package gift from my sister: “I might be old but I got to see all the cool bands”

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Kevin presents her portion of the Chicken Rearing Action Plan

cheap viagra from india deeprootsmag.org In some conditions, the cell interaction will lead to fibrosis and tissue dysfunction. It will also cover important safety strategies viagra generic cheap before, during, and after the driving task to keep you safe. Well, that is not the case. viagra low cost Regular use of this herbal pill offers the effective way to treat weak erection cheap viagra no prescription problem in old age, you can buy Night Fire capsules and Mast Mood oil. Youth Technical Training was held last week in Jinja. I took along two young people and their faculty adviser from the Educate Club at Bukooli College. The term College is interchangeable with High School here (S-1 through S-6). Also there is O level (S 1-4 which is sufficient to get Sharon into Nursing School) and A level (S-5 and S-6 heading for University). Ronnie is 19 (S-6) and Kevin (F) 18 (S-5) and their faculty adviser is Martin (45 with 18 years at Bukooli). We started each day with exercises or yoga at 6 a.m. and attended sessions until 9 p.m. Subjects covered were Healthy Living, Gender Equality, Entrepreneurship, and Youth Clubs. The Youth who attended were between 12 and 27. In Uganda, up to age 35 is considered youth. It was the first time away from parents for many of them. The hotel rooms and meals were a big treat. Some of the material was a bit over the heads of the really young kids, but my kids thrived. Each of us also was taped for a radio show in Jinja the following day.
My Youth and Adviser used their newly found skills to put together an action plan to raise chickens on the college grounds and sell their eggs. There are some abandoned and isolated class rooms, and one will be renovated to be the chicken coop. All three have experience rearing chickens, so just like with the rice farmers, I don’t have much to contribute on that end. Just like my home stay family, they assumed in the United States chickens are free range everywhere, until I explained the way most are raised in crowded warehouses. We don’t have goats and cattle tethered everywhere either. (Westminster, like other metro cities, recently has allowed for backyard coops.) I will help guide them on their budget, fundraising, and how to keep track of profits to be distributed. If mistakes are made along the way, those are learning experiences. This all starts after their national competition in Kampala in May. They won the Regional, which was referenced in a prior post. I look forward to reporting on this group’s progress.

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Interviewing for my 30 second radio spot.

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Every Super Bowl, the NFL manufactures thousands of championship t-shirts for each team. The shirts for the losing team are donated to third world countries. This is Annie, Clark’s classmate from Stanley Lake, with a “Championship” Broncos shirt from Super Bowl XLVIII against Seattle. She bought it from a YTT participant.

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Happy Shiny People

Author: February 14, 2016

I have returned from traveling near Kampala for the annual All Volunteers Conference (“All Vol”) and then a trip with PCVs Karen and Dave to their sites, Queen Elizabeth National Park, and Lake Bunyoni. A separate blog post for each, posted so you can read chronologically.

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This is Annie, who arrived with the November 2014 Education cohort. She was a classmate and friend of my son Clark at Westminster’s Stanley Lake High School. Her childhood dream was Peace Corps, specifically in Uganda. Annie is thriving here. Small world, Anna, a health volunteer from my cohort, met her 5th grade teacher Sandy at All Vol. Neither had seen each other since, nor knew the other was in Peace Corps.

 

All Uganda PCVs met from February 1-5 at the same conference center where my June 2015 cohort had supervisors workshop last August, just before swearing in It was an opportunity to renew friendships, and meet many other volunteers for the first time. We received a security briefing in anticipation of the upcoming Presidential and Parliamentary election. Peace Corps has ordered us to “Stand Fast” in our home sites, no traveling, from the 15th to the 29th. Also stay away from polling places and large crowds, which is not easy for me. There are lots of opinions about the potential for violence. It’s a fascinating time here.

We had some training sessions related to “Feed the Future” which underwrote All Vol. If you were in a committee you met with your fellow members to discuss the upcoming year. I am one of two representatives elected from my cohort to a committee which I will explain in my email notification to subscribers. So far my contribution is drafting the committee’s Charter. Yuck, legal work!

In an interesting training attended by various committees, I took one of those psychological tests which identified how you form policies and how to collaborate with others who have differing approaches. No surprise, I am guided strongly by a need for empirical evidence more than any other factor.

Various PVCs provided a smorgasbord of programs of general interest. For example, I went to Becky’s program demonstrating how to make cheese, a rare and expensive commodity in Uganda. It’s incredibly easy to make some with just whole milk some vinegar, and no rennet. I’m going to try it. I also attended a presentation by an ambitious PCV named Steven who plans to stay in Uganda a few more years while he promotes an innovative approach to education. He wants to be the Steve Jobs of East Africa. You read it here first.

The evenings had social activities. I played Texas Hold-’em poker one night, getting eliminated by two “bad beats”. The last night was the annual “Prom”, this year with a disco theme. Raised on 60’s and 70’s rock, I consider disco a low point in music history, if not civilization, but whatever. I decided my lack of original outfit would be called “parental chaperone at prom”. Katie F. says I better do better next year.

Good to see my cohort again, many with mixed results getting work arranged with their orgs. It was also interesting to meet a few other older volunteers and learn about their histories and careers and how they arrived at the Peace Corps.

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This is Anita from my cohort at Prom sporting the 1979 big hair look, with Ray, who made his outfit from campaign materials promoting the President of Rwanda. Everyone wanted to pose with him!

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Left to right, Katie L., Mackenzie (Happy shiny ear ring?), Kelly, and Katie F. all from my cohort

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A market scene down a narrow street in Kampala, on the way to the taxi park after All Vol.

I continue to be impressed by the young volunteers. They are the cream of crop of America. They are smart, altruistic, and industrious. I am proud to serve with them. I read the other day the USA dropped 24,000 bombs on six Muslim countries in 2015. I would submit Peace Corps has been our best foreign policy, at a fraction of the cost.

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Raining Cats But Not Dogs

Author: November 17, 2015

My diabetes story got the second most reaction of all my blog posts, following only my tribute to Jan last August. I enjoy getting emails from all of you. I encourage your questions and comments. Sorry Uganda, you weren’t really in either top post.

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A road on the way to work after heavy morning rains

The rains have been loud and brutal at times on the roads. Tis the season. At least my bore hole doesn’t run dry. As a I hop over the mud and water patches on the road, I think of taking a bad spill with one misstep, so I have to focus. Most of the time I’m walking with my backpack carrying my laptop. I honestly worry about breaking my laptop in a spill more than my own bones!

My Lusoga language cohort friend Becky has a nice blog. She has posted a video you should watch. Her blog is here. The video is also on YouTube here. It does a fantastic job capturing the “Flavor” of our experience. Well done Becky!

When I try to click on Becky’s video, it says that its blocked in my country (Uganda) due to copyright. Only thing I can think of is the Kinks song she uses for background music. She showed it to me during IST so my comments are from memory of one viewing two weeks ago..

You will notice a few snippets with me in them. In one, I am sort of standing there like a lump while the others sing. This was our “entertainment” segment for the town dignitaries and home stay families at the Fare Well to Home Stay party. My language cohort is performing a song I did not know called “Day Man” from the TV show “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia”. I would have preferred a Ugandan folk song. Kids. I should have been more enthusiastic. I did give a good speech though, which is more my forte. It was a day mostly of speeches and eating.

One day I will upload my own video. Even with my 3G modem I can’t even send a short video by email. Becky used the free WiFi at Sol Cafe, so maybe I will try that.

As far as my work goes, it appears I will do intensive training starting with five farmer groups, presenting perhaps 4-5 programs to each, once a week at their VSLA meetings. Then we will take on five more farmer groups, while following up on the first set every month or so, to see if anything “stuck” with them. This will help me with variety, and I’ll get to know these farmers pretty intimately. I continue to want to establish four youth groups in at local Bugiri high schools. So that is what year one looks like for me.

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I went with Sharon, Hellen and Simon to admit Sharon to the Iganga Nursing and Midwifery School. It has a beautiful manicured campus and the dorm rooms look first rate. We were not allowed near the dorms. I met the Deputy Principal, who told me that 97% of their graduates find employment.

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Some PCVs report that neither their office locale nor their home site are amenable to a permagarden. At IST my counterpart Matthews showed the Agri-Business cohort how to build an elevated garden and a sack garden. He did great, although we ran out of time before they could be planted. He made a special trip back to Entebbe last week to finish both of them. Hope the nuns are pleased. Matthews says people in the villages are not well versed in these gardens, so we will add them to our teaching package.

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For the sack garden, use two grain sacks for durability. As you put dirt and manure into the sacks, you use a cylinder to build a column of rocks in the middle for aeration of the water.

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Draw 8-10 columns down the side of the sack, and then burn 5 holes into each column with matches. Plant Japanese Onion seedlings or other types, and have up to fifty plants around the sides plus a few more on top.

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Voila. This is a sack garden at my office. Trim off the green part of the onions as you need them, and this particular sack will grow for 2-3 years.

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These are scratch cards you can buy from little stands everywhere. You load the numbers you uncover into your phone to buy airtime. Our Peace Corps issued “burner” phones by Nokia allow unlimited airtime to anyone else from the Peace Corps, a Closed User Group. You can also convert this airtime into internet data. You can also use your phone for “Mobile Money”, by giving money to an authorized dealer and getting it credited on your phone like a bank deposit. You can transfer mobile money to others or buy airtime with it. Most PCVs seem to avoid mobile money, but my landlord wants me to use mobile money to pay my electric bill, so I have to learn it.

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Meet my new roommate, Meowi Meowseveni, named in honor of the exalted leader of the Republic of Uganda. I will just call her Meowri. . I use a basin with my carpenter’s wood chips for a litter box. I have been feeding her ground up silver fish and hard boiled eggs and whole milk. She’s about three months old. We are getting along fine. Kittens are so photogenic.

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She will, rise above

Author: November 8, 2015

We finished In Service Training, spending the last week with our counterparts. Good to be home. (“Charley! You were lost!”)

My counterpart Matthews showed the Agri-Business cohort how to make an elevated garden and a sack garden. There was a great session on Climate Change as it relates to Uganda. I am backed up on things I want to blog about! I also came home to new neighbors, a seemingly large family. It doesn’t appear they speak English. The mom put up extra lines, thankfully, as we both did a ton of laundry.

Matthews and I put together a one year action plan to present to our supervisors in the Peace Corps and ATEFO. More on that when it is reviewed and approved.

Today I’ll talk about gender equality, plunge into some depressing statistics, but end on some high notes.

Gender Equality in the developing world is a major issue, which is why Peace Corps puts so much effort towards empowering women. Michelle Obama started “Let Girls Learn” which is directed at improving the educational opportunities for women throughout the developing world. I will be honest and say that my own reaction initially to all this gender stuff was that boys seemed to be getting ignored, so I would strike a balance. But the culture and evidence demonstrates a disparity. I won’t neglect the male gender which is also needy, but the imbalance has changed my attitude. I seek truth, sometimes it requires a change of mind.gender cartoon

Looking at women in agriculture,
• 90% of rural Ugandan women work in agriculture, and are the backbone of the rural economy.
• The UN estimates that African women contribute an average of 70% of food production, and over half of all farm-related labor.
• Women typically work much longer hours than men:
• “paid productive” and “unpaid reproductive and domestic” duties
• Women in Africa typically earn about half of men’s wages, and are more likely to be paid at a piecemeal rate.
One of the fastest and broadest ways to improve rural livelihoods is to increase women’s share of household income
• Encourage female participation in cooperatives and farmers orgs
 Economies of scale
 Building of confidence, skills, leadership, and security

An increase in a woman’s income of $10 achieves the same improvement in children’s nutrition and health as an increase in a man’s income of $110.

Notwithstanding these stark statistics, Female Farmers receive only 5% of all Agricultural Extension Services from 97 countries. Only 15% of the world’s extension agents are women. Only 10% of the total aid for agriculture, forestry, and fishing goes to women. (Many thanks to Katie J, who presented a program with her counterpart which presented the above)

I can say that ATEFO has encouraged leadership positions for women in our VSLA farmer groups. Matthews is on board with the idea of one program of our package for the farmer groups be devoted to gender. I keep thinking about how permagardens would help the women too.

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HIV/AIDS is the second leading cause of death among adolescents, (trailing malaria).
66% of all new HIV infections are contracted by adolescent girls.
78% of primary pupils and 82% of secondary pupils have experienced sexual abuse in schools
58% of girls aged 15-19 have experienced physical or sexual violence
49% of girls are married by age 18
25% of girls age 15-19 have had a baby or are pregnant; compared to only 2.5% in America
45% of uneducated girls are pregnant compared to 16% with secondary educations.

Girls are traditionally taught the facts of life by an “auntie” (Ssenga), boys by an “uncle”. They are fonts of misinformation.

I have heard about the spread of HIV through the boda guys and truck drivers, but the shocking amount of sexual abuse suffered in school is the low point for me. It’s not hard to project my own children in these situations and get enraged. Schools should be safe. We get our predators in America but it is comparatively rare. And let’s not forget the abuse outside of school walls. Sadly, when parents learn about abuse to their children they are often mollified by a payment of money, and if their girl is pregnant, a marriage can be arranged.

These sessions make me think of the great work of the Blue House in Kazo Uganda, the girls orphanage supported by my sister Karen from St. Paul Minnesota. They have successfully raised funds to support their girls even at the university level. These orphan girls, clearly a vulnerable class of people, are getting protection, a more normal childhood, and a boost in life. Learn more about it here: http://www.hopemultipurpose.org/

Speaking of empowering women, this is a good spot to update everyone about Sharon, my home stay “sister” whom my Rotary Club is supporting for education. The High School did not work well for her. We did not know that “Victoria School” was Muslim. Sharon, a Catholic, was required to attend morning prayers in the mosque starting at 4 a.m., each day, plus the other calls to prayer. It was really distressing to her. Further, there was a misunderstanding about how much the funds we provided was going to cover, since it had been my intent to pay all the way to completion and they were telling me I was a year short.

So I told Sharon it would be OK to quit and we got a refund for about half the money. We looked for alternatives. She was invited to be an au pair for a Ugandan woman in Denmark (“Charles will that be close to your home in America?”) but decided against it. Then she successfully interviewed for the Iganga Nursing and Midwifery School pretty close to Simon and Hellen’s home. Only 25% of applicants were accepted. She shared that hearing about Jan’s nursing career is one of her inspirations. I really like the potential for this. Even if Sharon had completed Senior level, there would be a continuing need for University. And there are millions unemployed graduate at both levels. I have been encouraged with the potential nursing offers her for stable future employment, though nothing is guaranteed.  The program is five semesters, and my Rotary Club has stepped up again to pay her fees and boarding, starting with a guaranty for the first two semesters. There was also enough to cover her initial uniform and equipment costs. My heart is so gladdened by my Club’s generosity.

The school has me listed as her guardian, and Sharon wants me to take her to her first day of school and moving in on November 16. Like when I took my own kids to college! My host family is going to host another volunteer in December. A large cohort of education volunteers arrive in Uganda on November 11, and six will be placed in my eastern region. We won’t be the new guys any longer. Further, I understand that my town of Bugiri will host the Lusoga language cohort in the near future. In a year, my “celebrity” here as the only Muzungu will be diluted, at least for a month.

 

 

 

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In Service Training

Author: October 31, 2015

This is the end of the first week of In Service Training (IST). Essentially it’s an opportunity to learn some new skills, share initial experiences about our home sites and orgs, and provide feedback about our needs to our supervisors. Some requested to learn some Income Generating Activities to teach in the villages,so, as you will see below, we learned how to make Passion fruit and pineapple juice, and environmentally friendly cooking briquettes.

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I’ve been watching the World Series via the internet. I get up at 5 a.m. and join Scott on the right, at about the 5th inning. He worked in the marketing department for the Mets and is a huge fan, tortured until today His roommate Nick, not pictured, is from Kansas City. A real test of their friendship. Reeves on the left is a sports fanatic from Georgia. During the first game he was on his computer conducting a 13 round NBA fantasy draft with 9 friends in the USA. The first game went 14 innings and we had to leave on a bus. Scott was able to carry his computer and continue watching en route. This morning the power was out, so when Scott’s battery died, we switched to my laptop. Monday morning at 3:30 a.m. I’m hosting Packers fanatic Becky and anyone else who cares for the live Broncos game. She is looking forward to trash talking me, but she will have to do it quietly. I have the ability to replay it after Monday sessions too, for the ones who don’t want to get up early.

We are staying at a place called Ulrika Guest House, on the road from Kampala to Entebbe. It’s part of a pretty large complex, and run by nuns, who are pretty cool. They sell us beer. There are crucifixes everywhere. I don’t think I am ever out of Jesus’ eyesight. The nuns gave us older guys and a few others single rooms.

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Using different colored yarn we learned how to show the spread of the HIV virus. AIDs has left many orphans in Uganda. We drew cards to determine our risks, such as “Married with three wives, using condoms”, “Player who is unprotected”, “Loyal to single spouse” etc. I took this picture outside the circle because my card said “Abstinence” and the trainer told me to get out. Big laugh when that happened, Art imitating Life.

It’s been great seeing everyone in my cohort for the first time since our August swearing in. Training activities in the day, soccer or volley ball late afternoon until dark, and social stuff or relaxing in my room after dinner. We’ve had individual meetings with the PC supervisors, during which I indicated no real problems for me. Compared to stressors of the past two years, and my tired old law practice, I continue to view the Peace Corps as a long adventure vacation. I think I have the personality, skills, stamina and attitude to be a good volunteer. With 22 months to go, I only worry about my job getting boring, so I will try to keep it interesting. Of course I do miss my “family life” in the evening, but with grown kids leading their own independent lives, it wouldn’t be that much different in Denver. Lately I’ve been watching Game of Thrones at night on my computer.

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We took a field trip and learned how to make juice from these passion fruits.

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Here I am, ready to go to work making passion fruit juice and pineapple juice, while David photo bombs me.

It cures ED within an hour without any complications. generic viagra sale They include: Low sexual drive or low sexual libido are suffering from Hypoactive cheap viagra price Sexual Desire Disorder (HSDD). Actually, in this way cialis from india tadalafil you pay less money but you receive more quality. All of the reputed companies provide a lot to ads for getting the respective market in competitive market. uk generic cialis

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You scoop out the passion fruit and then put it through a sieve and cook it,

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We also learned how to make cooking briquettes (Ugandans pronounce it brick’- its) out of banana peels, cassava peels and husks, and maize cobs.  In the background is a barrel contraption to turn it into char, which is essentially covering the flames so no oxygen, and then it caramelizes.

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Harmony holds a small briquette

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A larger briquette which custom fits their stoves which the NGO also makes. After the waste is turned into char, it’s mixed with cassava porridge for binding, and 1/10 clay dirt for filler.

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It really glows when it cooks. These briquettes cook faster, burn longer, and are smokeless, so you can cook indoors.Using bio waste reduces the number of trees cut down for charcoal and firewood..It’s an easy sell as the word gets out about this process.

 

I’ve learned other PCVs have counterparts that don’t give them the time of day, NGOs that are running out of funds or don’t have challenging work, or there is too much work. It has really hit home how many of these PCVs plunged into the Peace Corps immediately following their college graduations, so probably it’s a bit of a jolt. The main psychiatrist for the Peace Corps visited us. He said last year 4,000 were chosen from over 20,000 applicants. He said when employers look through submitted resumes, they all show similar backgrounds but the fact you state you were in the Peace Corps will always stand out and give them something interesting to discuss in your interview. Not taking anything away from my own children, who could easily fit in, I continue to be impressed with the quality of the kids I am serving with.

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Put me in coach, I’m ready to play

Author: August 9, 2015

By a wide margin, my last post about Jan provoked more responses than any other post so far. So gratifying to know how loved Jan was, and to share with other readers who were not acquainted with her. Our story provides needed context for my current adventure, and provided me with some catharsis. Some of you took the opportunity to tell me that you have enjoyed my other posts too, and I appreciate that. I am always happy to hear from you and will always try to respond to your comments and questions. I never dreamed I would post so much, but it’s all so interesting to me! When I come home, I will have a heck of journal about this part of my life. The post about Jan was written two weeks ago, so it feels like eight days between posts for me.

This week, with local volunteer Ashley as our guide, we have stayed in Kibaale District, next to the town of Karuguuza. These little towns all remind me of the Old West I have seen in movies, with the dirt streets, the town market, and small businesses lining the main street. Only thing missing is the saloon and hitching posts. Boda bodas instead of horses. You would be hard pressed to differentiate among most small towns throughout Uganda.

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Ashley teaching about VSLAs. See the passbooks?

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Pit Latrine made from clay and bamboo

The first day, we went to a very rural village where Ashley taught them how to keep records for their Village Savings and Loan (VSLA). It was fantastic to watch, since I will likely do this in my time here. VSLAs are getting very popular and Peace Corps is helping Uganda increase a culture of saving. Each member has to put in an agreed weekly minimum amount or they get fined. They use ledgers and passbooks, just like when I was a kid with a church credit union account. Also a lockbox for the money with three separately controlled locks and two other money counters. Dusting off my accounting education about internal controls.

We also got more experience in teaching. This time we used translators, so it was good to learn to get into a rhythm while talking and pausing for the translator. On Thursday, Will and I spoke to a group of Boda Boda drivers about budgeting and saving. We did an exercise in which they tried to figure out how much their monthly income and expenses were, (a rare exercise for Americans too- hence our massive credit card debt).

Reviewing the budgets with the boda drivers. Our translator is is in blue.

Reviewing the budgets with the boda drivers. Our translator is in blue.

They all estimated lots of money left over to save, but couldn’t explain where it went. (A few snickered that women and booze is a good guess 😉 ) Ashley actually thinks I motivated them to keep track of their money for a least a few weeks. They also say they want her to help them form a VSLA.

We also learned about filing quarterly reports with the Peace Corps. I have not escaped the need to keep track of my time! Dave and I also spoke to a school youth group about saving without a translator.
I medically describe it in my EBook, medical and buy viagra from canada popular articles’. Moreover, cialis sale it can widely hit their relationship & sexual meetings. One sector that has grown exponentially for the past few years cialis online without prescription has been the market for impotence fighting drugs. Also we need to make it sure that their subscribers get them whenever they levitra properien want to.

Uncle Roy, do they have this breed in the USA?

Ashley, an agri-business volunteer, was serving with her husband Matt, a health volunteer. They started in June 2014. (The third type in Uganda, Education volunteers, arrive every November). A couple of months ago, Matt had a seizure and fell, damaging both arms. He can’t remember the incident, and the doctors can’t determine if the seizure or fall happened first. Still a lot of mystery. Matt is back in the USA, and because he can’t finish therapy for his arms and be back at his site within 45 days, he got early termination yesterday. Pretty sure Ashley will stick it out though, until August, 2016, because Peace Corps was her dream. Anyway, Matt is one of four ETs from their class this month, bringing it down to 29 out of their original cohort of 40 from last year, an usually high number of ETs.

Finally my first monkey sighting! White tuft on the tail.

Finally my first monkey sighting! White tuft on the tail.

Sadly, we had our first ET leave yesterday, one of the Colorado girls too. She was raised in Colorado Springs and a recent CSU grad (had a good friend in common with my son Clark). She was agri-business and knew more than almost everyone at training about agriculture. I would have never predicted this. I had reached out to her a few weeks ago when I heard she had issues through the grapevine (I am jokingly referred by some of these kids as their in-country “dad”- I give my advice freely of course- just ask my kids’ friends at home! The rest of the kids here generally mock me :-)). She was kind enough to call me from the Entebbe airport yesterday. She said since early on “it just didn’t feel right” and during each phase it just wouldn’t click in. She will look for a job in the Denver area, so I hope to see her again someday. I understand how a physical ailment could cause me to ET, but otherwise I knew from the beginning I would be horribly embarrassed if I didn’t stick it out. So far, it’s not even a thought.

Day off today before leaving to Entebbe for Supervisors workshop and swearing in at Kampala next week. The hike down was scarier than than the hike up. Nick, Katie, Carson, me, and James.

Day off today before going to Entebbe for Supervisors workshop and then swearing in at Kampala next week. The hike down was scarier than than the hike up. Will, Nick, Katie, Carson, me, and James. I picked up a cool feather on the way and stuck it in the back velcro of my cap.

The adventure vacation continues for me. Next week I will be officially a PCV instead of a PCT.

PS- I just can’t let go of current events back home. I use my phone for as a hotspot for internet access. This constant ability to communicate didn’t exist for PCVs just a few years ago. So sad about the Las Animus river. I would miss Jon Stewart, but Donald Trump- Wow! Karmic balance! I also can’t resist reading about Broncos training camp and I hope Tulo leads Toronto to glory.

 

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School’s Out For Summer! / Future Days II

Author: July 25, 2015

Yes, I even borrow from Alice Cooper. Pull up a chair, this is a long one. Two for the price of one.

IMAG1233The photo was taken today at a local hotel with a pool after our Language Proficiency Interview (LPI) Friday morning. To my friend Jay: You have a similar photo that inspired thisl My stomach doesn’t really look that way, I was trying to look skinny. Beer and swimming!

I needed to score Intermediate Low to avoid a requirement to hire a tutor in Bugiri for 14 hours (at Peace Corps expense) I have already decided to hire a tutor anyway, which also permitted. In the next three weeks I’ll forget half of this stuff anyway!

My LPI was a one-on-one dialogue with Ken and a recorder. I had to 1) exchange greetings; -it’s always important to exchange a few greetings or you are considered rude. (How was your night/day? Thanks for the work you do. How’s the family back home? What’s news? How is your health?) No one wants to hear anything except OK, thank you , not much etc. It’s a ritual. 2) Introduce myself, where I am from, what I did for work in America, why I am in Uganda, what work I will do, what does the Peace Corps do. 3) Talk about family, in my case, including my two children, wife, mother, four brothers and sisters- where do they live, what work do they do. I lied and said Mark was a cook because his real job was too hard to remember. I also added that Karen helps orphans in Kazo. 4) Answer questions: How old I am, what are foods I like/dislike in Uganda and America; What do I like about Uganda, and 5) Do a Role Play- what do I say in a restaurant, including bargaining, assuming they don’t have a menu. The interviewer asks harder and harder questions until he breaks me and thus establishes my level. I broke pretty early, but the bar is sort of low for Intermediate Low- Be able to greet and tell about your background.

Ken makes his own determinations and sends off the tape to a third party somewhere, who listens and draws his conclusions. Sometimes he consults yet another person if it’s borderline. Then they read Ken’s conclusion and see if there is a consensus. So I won’t know for sure until later but I am expecting to pass with Intermediate Low. Not bad for someone with only two years of Latin in 1968-69. Also not bad for three weeks plus one week to review. It was said we did the equivalent of a a semester and a half in college. I probably put excessive pressure on myself, because the brains of my younger mates are much more “spongier” and I hated being the worst student. Of course my classmates also passed, and two are in the running for Intermediate High. I called my fellow “fossils”, ages 66 and 56, in other parts of Uganda. They are less optimistic than I am. We fossils all had the same problem: we could understand it as presented, but had problems making it stick.

Here is the thing (Sorry Peace Corps if you reads this): I learned today that we will be tested two more times, in a year, and right before end of service (EOS). Apparently 90% fail their LPI’s at EOS. This because 90% of the time, all they do is exchange greetings. Ugandans, who learn English all through school, are excited to speak in English to Americans. Plus I will usually have an interpreter, such as my counterpart. When volunteers came through our training site and seemed so fluent, all they were doing were repeating numerous greetings. I didn’t know that then. So I guess I will see.

I will miss the fist bumps at the fence as they shout in unison "Charley, Charley"

I will miss the fist bumps at the fence as the kids shout in unison “Charley, Charley”

Before getting to my future schedule I wanted to interject a couple of comments about appreciation. First, I appreciate so much the efforts of Sharon, the 18 year old orphan who is a dependent in my family. She does so many chores, yet always was available to help me with my language training. She played the role of my interviewer all week as I endlessly repeated various statements I knew I needed to memorize. Sharon is smart as a whip and the exact type of person who deserves to be empowered. Unfortunately her schooling has stopped for now, two years short of finishing the equivalent of senior high, because they don’t have enough school and boarding fees. Innocent and Peace are starting to require fees, and Adrian is not far behind. The young ones go to Simon’s school across the street, but get no break. The Headmaster is Simon’s first wife and she wants the children of the second wife to pay. Hmmm. The victim of this family dynamic is Sharon. She wants to eventually study engineering but is stalemated at this time. I think of Cinderella. She is overqualified to be just washing clothes and cooking. I gave out gifts to my family tonight and gave Sharon the only paperback I brought, and wrote a dedication to her thanking her.

The second comment is the way Ugandans appreciate us. I am not shy about interacting, particularly when I am approached (“Who are you who walk by my stand every morning?”) Sometimes I’ll go up to a couple of men lounging around and tell them I am working on language. Just greeting them in Lasoga blows them away. (Then it’s often “Are you a missionary/preacher?”) Not all have heard of the Peace Corps, but I represent an country that they love and appreciate for what we have done for them (unlike the Chinese, who are also a presence in Uganda- maybe worthy of an another blog post). When they understand that an old greybeard actually wants to help them for two years, they thank me profusely. This is very fulfilling to me, and motivates me to represent my country well.

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Future Days II

Saturday there will be tents at our learning site for our Home Stay farewell party. Our Home Stay families and Iganga dignitaries will attend. We will throw out some Lasoga lines at them and each of us will make a little speech.

My Home Stay Family was terrific!

My Home Stay Family was terrific!

Sunday we go to Jinga for a day to present programs and act as counselors for a “GROW and BRO” camp (Girls Leading Our World/Boys Reaching Out) at a large local school that is the base for an Education volunteer, Vanessa. Nick and I will do a program about saving money. After the stress of the language test Friday, and the farewell party for our Home Stay families on Saturday we had hoped for a last day off before our busy weeks ahead, but it was not to be. I don’t think I have had a complete day off since I got to Uganda.

Our “Future Home Visit” begins on Monday, for four nights. Simon and Hellen insist on taking me- Bugiri is only about 1/2 hour east with no traffic. I have a lot of stuff to lug, so I appreciate it. The organization (ATEFOUG) will supply the bed frame but I will have to buy a new mattress the first day, since my home will be ready for me then. Many volunteers will stay at hotels because their homes are not yet ready.

Here is the website of the organization , African Trainers & Entrepreneurs Forum (ATEFO) I will work with. My Supervisor is Adams and my counterpart will be Matthews. Both plural first names. My PC supervisor Maitel met them recently and says they and their staff is very energetic. They were supposed to have a big staff meeting this week but it was postponed until next week so I can attend. Maitell thinks Adams has most of my time planned. Maitel also told me that my place will have electricity, but in Uganda sometimes it can go out, even for a week or more. But I am on the town’s grid. I will not have running water, but the tap is nearby. That’s the same situation as I have had at home stay. It just means I have to boil or filter the water first, and I have gotten used to bucket bathing. (With the so little rain lately, the tap in our courtyard went dry tonight. Simon went somewhere else for water.- Maybe an issue in Bugiri too?)  I won’t have any cooking stuff until I return for good on August 14. So I will be getting acquainted with the local restaurants. Adams probably will also take me to dinner.

During the next two years, my counterpart Matthews will be allowed to drive a Boda Boda with me on it. Carson’s counterpart is a progressive woman who will be permitted to drive him. I have yet to see a woman driving a Boda Boda in Uganda.

After I am at my future home for four nights, its off to Kibali, on the western side of Uganda, for a week of something called “Tech Immersion”. PC is very vague what this means. It’s whatever the volunteer in charge decides. I will be with three from my language class (all the guys, not Becky) plus two other guys and one of the Katies (There are four Katies in my PC class). All Ag volunteers. We will stay in relative comfort in a hotel or guest house. So I can leave my mosquito net and bathing bucket in Bugiri. After the tech immersion, all 46 of us will be reunited with our org supervisors for three days of “Supervisor Workshops” at some location between Entebbe and Kampala. Then we all get sworn in at the US Embassy on August 13 and disperse on the 14th to our new homes.

So, the adventure continues….

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Join Together

Author: July 11, 2015

Although English is spoken throughout Uganda, learning the local language is important. First, many farmers have not attended school, so their English may be fairly limited. Second, knowing the language will help us integrate into our communities. Acceptance provides us more security. The concrete workers at my home stay site light up when I greet them in Lasoga.

There are seven different language groups scattered throughout Uganda, each learning a different language for their region. They range from three to nine volunteers per group. Our Lasoga five will be in the closest proximity to each other during the next two years.

Lagosa language learning cohorts

Lagosa language learning cohorts

At class today, my mates and I were remarking how such a difficult learning experience has been made easier due to the fact we have all gotten along. I thought I would introduce my language cohort.

Starting on the far left is Becky, 30, from Wisconsin. In high school, she was a Rotary exchange student in Equador. Since college, Becky has been a kayak guide and a kindergarten teacher. She is always upbeat, has a big laugh, and never gives the short answer, which we gently tease her about.
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Second from left is Nick, 24, from a suburb on the Kansas side of Kansas City. He is a recent graduate of Kansas State, majoring in Agriculture Economics and Ecology Research. He is a big fan of the Kansas City Chiefs, poor guy. We are united in figuring out how to stream the NFL games during the early morning hours. He sees his future in me, and it terrifies him.

Carson, 25, hails from the Mad River Valley of Vermont, the home base of Grace Potter, a rock singer I enjoy. Their families are well acquainted, and Grace’s dad has promised to ship Carson some frisbees to distribute in his village. Carson is a fellow alumni of the University of Denver, where he double-majored in Digital Media Studies and Geography. Like my own son Clark, he keeps me in line when I get too “excited”.

Will is 25, is a native of North Carolina, and a recent graduate of N.C. State, where he majored in Business Management (Finance). After the Peace Corps, he aspires to attend law school.

Will and Becky will remain in our current location of Iganga, while the remaining three will live in towns around it, less than a couple of hours away. Becky loves to cook, so the guys plan to make Iganga an occasional weekend destination. I am proud to call these people my friends in service.

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