why hello there!!!
so yesterday was my last day as a teenager and it was pretty eventful!!! we went to jinja by way of these falls (of course i can't remember the name now). the waterfall was gorgeoous and many pictures were taken- hopefully to be posted later!! we went for a mini-hike around them and our guide, Christopher, pointed out all the different trees and bushes and their medicinal purposes or fun stories. There was this one type of grass that when you touched it, these little leaves all coiled into a ball and then after they would go back to normal. It was like the thing was shy or something. pretty sweet and the best part is that i got a video of it! :)
next we went on to jinja. we had lunch at a hotel overlooking the nile and then went to the Source of the Nile and had our homestay debriefing! I learned that my homestay parents have 6 children and 2 grandchildren! So I'm excited to meet them!! :) After, we walked to the river and sat on these rocks and just watched it flow by. It was definitely pretty strong where we were and there was a gorgeous breeze!! Pretty sweeet way to spend your last day as a teenager!!!
When we got back, we went to Java, which is this pretty americanized restaurant down the street from our hotel. i got a delicious grilled cheese with tomato and had an iced coffee!!! yummmmy!!! we also ate brownie sundaes which were to die for!!!!
Our whole group met on the roof of our hotel to hang out for the night. They got ice cream and a little candle for me to blow out and everyone sang happy birthday!! It was really very special!! <3 Next we all sat in a circle and had a little 'show and tell' with our picture albums. It was really cool to hear everyone else's stories and see their pics!! Pretty awesome last day if I do say so myself!!
Today...meeting the homestay family and going home with them! Tomorrow...first day of class!!!
<3cm
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Dust, Dust, and Indians
hi all....
so i've been here for a couple of days. here are a couple of observations:
-lots and lots of crazzzzy traffic! there are these mini-buses running around that are taxis that fit 14. there are two taxi parks where you can pick them up...i haven't ventured there yet, but will have to once we enter our homestay. there are also boda-bodas, which are motorcycles that you hop onto. they have passed laws about wearing helments...but i think i've seen two...including one old, pink softball helment without a cafe. hehe. we're not allowed to ride those because they are SUPER unsafe (good news to my mom!) they were a british colony, so they drive on the wrong side of the road. i can't quite figure out if they walk on the wrong side of the sidewalk too...hopefully i can clarify that soon! :)
- it's super dusty. lots and lots of dust. gets everywhere. you notice it when you wash your feet or your face. also, i'm blowing my nose a whole lot here!!!! ahh!
-but...people keep their clothes very clean. when you're driving along, you'll notice men on boda-bodas with very clean, nicely pressed collared shirts. during our cultural immersion lectures, they've told us that people will really expect you to keep things meticulously clean-- so no spills!
-the internet is very slow. one of the guys told us that when we're frustrated over slow internet, just take a moment, pat yourself on the back and say, 'Welcome to Africa"!!! i've said that a lot lately! :)
We've had different people come in and speak to us. Yesterday there was a security officer from one of the universities who discussed security with us. he was very informative and really funny. he was really interested in alaska and sarah palin. pretty funny! There are a lot of stores around named after Obama: ie Obama's Chicken! hehe!
We also a cultural immersion class. It was super interesting. For example, you are not supposed to ask anyone how many children they have. That one threw us all off, as back home that's perhaps the 4th question you would ask a stranger. It is very rude to eat while walking or standing. ouch. How I survive at school is by running to class eating a sandwich. Just now, on the way to the internet cafe, I walked out with a banana. (by the way, their bananas are DELICIOUS!! so sweeet and tasty!) I started to peel the banana and then realized I couldn't eat it. harsh reality. :(
Last night, after dinner, a bunch of us ended up wandering around the hotel. WE had noticed before that next to the hotel, a couple houses down was this complex with lots of lights and music. So I suggested we do a walk-by and see what it was. When we got there, the entrance was up a large alley, so we hestitated. I asked a man leaving on his boda-boda what it was. he was indian and said that it was an Indian festival to pray for a god (i couldn't understand who) and that we should go up and eat. now, everyone in uganda will apparently invite you anywhere and offer you food. and it's true. we walked up just to get a closer look and four different people told us to go in and eat. so we did, to not offend them. but it was sooo awkward (for me at least) walking into this compound as the only mzungu (white person). people just stared. but i ended up talking with this nice old man who said that they prayed form 730 to 830 pm and then everyone ate and that we should eat too! (people like to eat here. my kind of culture). so we went up and got a plate to split among us, as we had just eaten dinner. the food was DELICIOUS! yummy indian food!! :) one of the older ladies ran up to our little circle, said 'eat more' and then ran away. it was funny and i looked over and we shared a laugh. so a little later, i walked over and asked her about the ceremony and the festival. her friend couldn't speak english and she had a thick accent, so there was some lost in accent-translation. but she said that it was ceremony honoring a god, they eat, and that also on friday there would be dancing and we had to come. so she invited us back to come and watch (she kept on pointing to her eyes to signify watch). again- so many kind invitations!! it was pretty cool to see a different side of kampala in the indian community. they were all very nice and of course, dressed so very beautifully! hopefully we'll get to go and watch the dances on friday! maybe some more stories! :)
So I'm running out of internet time...so i guess that's all for now! i hope all is well in the States!
<3cm
so i've been here for a couple of days. here are a couple of observations:
-lots and lots of crazzzzy traffic! there are these mini-buses running around that are taxis that fit 14. there are two taxi parks where you can pick them up...i haven't ventured there yet, but will have to once we enter our homestay. there are also boda-bodas, which are motorcycles that you hop onto. they have passed laws about wearing helments...but i think i've seen two...including one old, pink softball helment without a cafe. hehe. we're not allowed to ride those because they are SUPER unsafe (good news to my mom!) they were a british colony, so they drive on the wrong side of the road. i can't quite figure out if they walk on the wrong side of the sidewalk too...hopefully i can clarify that soon! :)
- it's super dusty. lots and lots of dust. gets everywhere. you notice it when you wash your feet or your face. also, i'm blowing my nose a whole lot here!!!! ahh!
-but...people keep their clothes very clean. when you're driving along, you'll notice men on boda-bodas with very clean, nicely pressed collared shirts. during our cultural immersion lectures, they've told us that people will really expect you to keep things meticulously clean-- so no spills!
-the internet is very slow. one of the guys told us that when we're frustrated over slow internet, just take a moment, pat yourself on the back and say, 'Welcome to Africa"!!! i've said that a lot lately! :)
We've had different people come in and speak to us. Yesterday there was a security officer from one of the universities who discussed security with us. he was very informative and really funny. he was really interested in alaska and sarah palin. pretty funny! There are a lot of stores around named after Obama: ie Obama's Chicken! hehe!
We also a cultural immersion class. It was super interesting. For example, you are not supposed to ask anyone how many children they have. That one threw us all off, as back home that's perhaps the 4th question you would ask a stranger. It is very rude to eat while walking or standing. ouch. How I survive at school is by running to class eating a sandwich. Just now, on the way to the internet cafe, I walked out with a banana. (by the way, their bananas are DELICIOUS!! so sweeet and tasty!) I started to peel the banana and then realized I couldn't eat it. harsh reality. :(
Last night, after dinner, a bunch of us ended up wandering around the hotel. WE had noticed before that next to the hotel, a couple houses down was this complex with lots of lights and music. So I suggested we do a walk-by and see what it was. When we got there, the entrance was up a large alley, so we hestitated. I asked a man leaving on his boda-boda what it was. he was indian and said that it was an Indian festival to pray for a god (i couldn't understand who) and that we should go up and eat. now, everyone in uganda will apparently invite you anywhere and offer you food. and it's true. we walked up just to get a closer look and four different people told us to go in and eat. so we did, to not offend them. but it was sooo awkward (for me at least) walking into this compound as the only mzungu (white person). people just stared. but i ended up talking with this nice old man who said that they prayed form 730 to 830 pm and then everyone ate and that we should eat too! (people like to eat here. my kind of culture). so we went up and got a plate to split among us, as we had just eaten dinner. the food was DELICIOUS! yummy indian food!! :) one of the older ladies ran up to our little circle, said 'eat more' and then ran away. it was funny and i looked over and we shared a laugh. so a little later, i walked over and asked her about the ceremony and the festival. her friend couldn't speak english and she had a thick accent, so there was some lost in accent-translation. but she said that it was ceremony honoring a god, they eat, and that also on friday there would be dancing and we had to come. so she invited us back to come and watch (she kept on pointing to her eyes to signify watch). again- so many kind invitations!! it was pretty cool to see a different side of kampala in the indian community. they were all very nice and of course, dressed so very beautifully! hopefully we'll get to go and watch the dances on friday! maybe some more stories! :)
So I'm running out of internet time...so i guess that's all for now! i hope all is well in the States!
<3cm
Monday, August 24, 2009
here
I"M HERE!!!
yah!
so many people all around!
we're in kampala in a hotel for this week...
more to come. this is my last minute at an internet cafe!!!!!
gotta run!
<3cm
yah!
so many people all around!
we're in kampala in a hotel for this week...
more to come. this is my last minute at an internet cafe!!!!!
gotta run!
<3cm
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Last Night in Granby...
Hi All,
Tonight is my last night in Granby. I've had quite the whirlwind tour of goodbyes, starting with our last trip to Maryland!! My Mom's family surprised me with a little party-- including CAKE!! Yum! It was so enjoyable to see everyone and share laughs! Mary Jo had the best goodbye quote: "I only have three letters for you: S-P-F-!!" hehe!
Next up: Our weekend trip to Sue and Bob's lake house in NY. We enjoyed some lazy time in the lake and a day at the races. Then we popped over to the Dolans and enjoyed some delicious appetizers with Katie, Caitlin, and Monica!! Last night, I had my Paige, Anna, Jeana goodbyes and today I went over to the Orchard to see Mrs. Wutka! What a whirlwind trip...and I haven't even left Granby yet!
Tomorrow...we're off to NYC. Meag is going to meet us and then they'll drop me off at JFK on Saturday night! EEEEEKS!!!
Also...this morning I got a HAIR CUT! We decided that I haven't had my hair this short since I was 5. But I really like it and I'm hoping it will be low maintenance!
Now to switch gears....here's a rough schedule for my program! When I first got this email, I was at my internship and couldn't stop dancing in my chair all day!! :)
Week 1: Orientation in Kampala and Jinja, visits to historical and cultural sites; Sezibwa falls and to the source of the river Nile.
Week 2&3: Homestay, language and culture study, development studies seminars, field study seminars, NGO site visits, and progressive preparations for the development practicum.
Week 4: Educational excursion to western Uganda and to Rwanda; visits to NGOs, Ankole culture, visits to genocide memorial sites, Queen Elizabeth National Park.
Week 5&6: Continued homestay, language study, development studies seminar, in-depth study, field visits, and progressive preparations for practicum.
Week 7: Educational Excursion to eastern Uganda, including a rural homestay
Week 8: Continued homestay in Kampala, language study, development studies seminar, field study seminar, final preparations for practicum.
Week 9–14: Practicum Period
Week 15: Practicum paper presentations, semester evaluation, preparations to leave Uganda.
Okay...back to packing!!
<3cm
P.S. Here's my mailing address, in case anyone wanted to send a card:
Regular Mail:
Courtney McGuire
Kati House, First Floor
Plot 2, Kyagwe Road
P.O. Box 23431
Kampala, Uganda
DHL/FedEx Address:
Courtney McGuire
SIT/World Learning
Resource Centre
Kati House
Plot 2, Kyagwe Road
Kampala, Uganda
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Thirst
Thirst: I found this powerpoint slideshow while researching how to prepare a good powerpoint presentation for my internship. It immediately caught my eye because of its strong and direct message!! Enjoy!
More soon on the endless packing and a few fun end-of-summer activities!
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Summer
On 
a non-Uganda note: I've had quite a relaxing and family-filled summer! It's been quite a pleasure!! I wanted to include some pics from our recent McGuire Summer 2009 Celebration at Maureen's house in Northern Vermont! SO BEAUTIFUL and quite the blast!!Pictures:
Me and Aunt Monica
Driving over the Bay Bridge on the way to Gran & Papa's
Meag at Maureen's
Me and Lady
Meag and I with Seven
Meag with Seven
The first Zucchini from my garden! YUMMMM
Skype!
Mom and I are just sittin' here on the sofa setting up our Skype accounts!! It went smoothly and now we're almost fully in business! :)
My account is: heyjello899
SKYPE ME SOMETIME!!!!
Now we just have to figure out how to use Skype in country and make phone calls. Which plan should I buy? I'm a bit confused...but I guess I just need to read more on it and maybe google it a bit!!!
<3cm
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