June 29^th  

We are rained in today. It is almost 10 o’ clock and it has been pouring down rain all morning.

Yesterday I got my dress made, I tried it on in the shop and according to everyone there I am hot stuff in a Gomez, but I’m not sure anyone at home will appreciate it as much. It was expensive, but I’m glad I got it. I think everyone here appreciates me trying to learn more about their culture.

If I ever make it to the office today, Festus wants me to write a grant. Once again (much like teaching English) it is something I’ve never done before, but that doesn’t really seem to matter much.

We are going to a funeral Saturday, and the Introduction on Sunday. I think it will be a good weekend in the village.

7 pm

I just got back from the office. Oh man. Today was one of the longest days ever. Joe and Lydia went to a meeting in Mokono, Festus went to Kampala on business, and Julie went to go help out at the house of the person who just died (apparently when someone dies in the village, everyone who knew that person or the family stays at the house and helps out until the funeral).

So that left me, at the office, all by myself. The electricity was on (thankfully) so I decided to start phase two of this ginourmous project we have going on for the sponsored kids. Right now, none of the sponsors have information on their kids (unless they are past volunteers and have met them). So Erin went and collected info on all 80+ kids (where they live, where they go to school, what they have, what they need, their health, their home life, their interests, ect.). They just finished gathering all the information last week. Phase 2 is entering it all into the computer. It literally took me 8 hours to do it, and I kind of feel like throwing up. But Phase 3 will be sending out letters with the information to the sponsors (the idea is that if sponsors get reminders and information on their kids, they’ll be more likely to make their payments-which many have not been doing). So it is a good thing, but I still feel like throwing up.

Julie went by and picked up the one spare textbook (the other one textbook belongs to the teacher), along with my schedule for next week. I start Monday from 11:00-12:20 with S1 (freshmen) and then on Tuesday I have S1 again from 11:00-12:20 and from 3:20-4:30 I have S2. And Wednesday I have S2 from 11:00-12:20. I’m excited, but I also have no idea what the crap I am going to do. I’m pretty nervous, hopefully they won’t fire me after my first hour and twenty minutes of voluntary teaching-but you never know.