Peace and Happiness
Greetings. The good news is that my tooth is fixed, and people are not calling me Ilse Blackbeard. The bad news, is that I just wrote a 5 page blog post and the computer shut off. I'm bummed, because it was a funny blog that completely used up all of my funny and creative storage space in my brain, so now all I am capable of doing is blandly listing the same things I was going to tell you in a wildly creative prosey way.
So. There is deadly lightning in Uganda. I have not been hit. I count this as extremely good news.
Tom's name, when followed by mine, translates to "Peace and Happiness".
I attended a church feast last Sunday where we were "guest of honor" and took our meals in a private room with an ordained Lugbara Cardinal and all of the local councilmen in Arua. They were all dressed approximately like James Bond or Fifty Cent (think sunglasses and three piece suits) except for the Cardinal who was dressed like a cardinal. Tom and I wore our African style clothes to blend in. We didn't blend in. Somehow we stumbled upon a ceremonial tree planting to celebrate 40 years of the church and were selected to plant the last sapling together. Somehwere there exists an awkward photo of Tom and I squatting in the dirt with a baby tree in our hands, looks of bewilderment spreading across our faces. I hope I see it someday.
I am happily being distracted in town for the day by all the cold sodas, loud noises, and shiny objects. I am purchasing things like love seats and curtains to make my place feel more at home, but curtains mostly to dissuade Ugandans from peeking into my house and kitchen to watch me do fascinating things like boil water, read a book, or stare into space.
I'm going to publish this before the power goes out again. For a good read--- check out the South Sudan independence and the Ugandan fiscal crisis.
Love and lightning,
Ilse
So. There is deadly lightning in Uganda. I have not been hit. I count this as extremely good news.
Tom's name, when followed by mine, translates to "Peace and Happiness".
I attended a church feast last Sunday where we were "guest of honor" and took our meals in a private room with an ordained Lugbara Cardinal and all of the local councilmen in Arua. They were all dressed approximately like James Bond or Fifty Cent (think sunglasses and three piece suits) except for the Cardinal who was dressed like a cardinal. Tom and I wore our African style clothes to blend in. We didn't blend in. Somehow we stumbled upon a ceremonial tree planting to celebrate 40 years of the church and were selected to plant the last sapling together. Somehwere there exists an awkward photo of Tom and I squatting in the dirt with a baby tree in our hands, looks of bewilderment spreading across our faces. I hope I see it someday.
I am happily being distracted in town for the day by all the cold sodas, loud noises, and shiny objects. I am purchasing things like love seats and curtains to make my place feel more at home, but curtains mostly to dissuade Ugandans from peeking into my house and kitchen to watch me do fascinating things like boil water, read a book, or stare into space.
I'm going to publish this before the power goes out again. For a good read--- check out the South Sudan independence and the Ugandan fiscal crisis.
Love and lightning,
Ilse
Ilsers - you are a great writer, even when racing against time and lightning strikes. Can you ever post photos? Please always wear shoes and stay away from trees in storms - I know you have common sense!! There is a nonprofit that provides shoes for children in Africa who lack shoes - do you know anything about this organization? Love, Mumsy
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