Safari ants will carry away children and elderly

Hello!

I have time for a brief post. It is Sunday here which is the only day that we trainees are not swamped with training. It is in good form to spend much of our weekends with our families, seeing as we see them so rarely during the week. Today I woke up early to go to mass with my host sister. I figured it was an experience that I could not miss, even though I am not religious. It was really nice--- the music was beautiful and the sermon was in English (as many things are here). After that, I had an epic battle with my laundry while my family watched me in hysterics. I'll totally get the hang of it someday.

Yesterday was special because we had a teacher's fair done by Peace COrps Volunteers in Uganda. THe volunteers have been here for about a year now and so we had the opportunity to talk to them about such topics as secondary projects, fitness, making rocket stoves, ugandan counterparts, the school systems, alternative female menstrual pads, etc. It was really nice to meet volunteers who have been here for a while but who were not that long ago in our shoes. After the fair, I went on a long dusty walk to find a phone and finally did! Let me know if you want my digits. Then, I met up with a huge group of trainees and volunteers at this cool bar on the main highway before I had to head home to my family. I try to get home every night before dark, or else they start to worry.

Starting tomorrow, us trainees in the primary school sector are off to see coordinating centers, which are resource centers usually attached to a primary school. Each coordinating center has a catchment of about 50 schools, and it provids in-service training to teachers. I very well may be placed at a CC, and if so, I will work with a variety of local schools, teachers, adn teacher colleges. There are three things that I could end up doing for my primary job:
1. I could be at a Primary Teachers College (teach pre-service teachers)
2. I could be at a Coordinating Center and have many schools that I assess, and teachers that I give in-service training to
3. I could be at a Primary School and be a teacher (AND also provide training to the staff there)

It will be interesting to see which avenue I end up taking. The week after this, we will be spending al ot of time at a Primary Teacher's COllege.

In other news, there is a drought in Uganda. My family is praying that it rains soon. Also, My Uganglish is getting better. People don't understand me here if I speak like I normally do at home. I must make a conscious effort to eliminate fillers like "um" "yah" and speak slowly and generally more British-like. For example, Instead of saying "Where are you going", we say, "you are going where?" for example.

I have two minutes left so I must sign off. OH! I had pizza for the first time in a while a few days ago and it was marvellous. I can't believe I already miss it. AND my host mother has told me seven times today that I will become nice and fat soon. That's the wierd thing asbout Uganda...the guys get skinnier and the girls become fatter.

Sorry about terrible writing/bad grammar.

Love and LIons,
ILse