Monday, July 9, 2012

Happy Birthday to America and Me!

Well, for all of you who have missed my posts dearly (i.e. my sister and betsy's parents) I thought it was finally time to post something.  Mostly because it would be nice to organize my thoughts and goings on the past 6 months.... so enjoy my rambling!


America celebrated it's birthday last week, and I, my second one since being here! That got me thinking... what the HELL am I going to do when this is all over.  It's easy to lose time here.  You look forward to events like the 4th where you have an excuse to meet up with a bunch of people and act a little crazy.  Then before you know it life comes knocking with plans and expectations.  Things have always had a way of falling into place for me but now I feel that I need to get a little more proactive.

One thing I realized I needed to do was travel! I have lived here for almost 17 months and I haven't left Uganda.  So in true college cramming fashion, it's all going to get done at once at the tail end of my service.  So if you are reading this and you want to jump on the bandwagon for any of these trips hit me up!

The family is coming and I am sooooo stressed about planning their trip so nothing goes wrong! First, I need to tour them around Uganda, which even I haven't explored enough of.  That means checking out my site, hanging with some gorillas in the southwest, rafting the nile AGAIN, hitting up Murchison falls, and getting in a little luxury time in Entebbe and Kampala.  I also am planning a trip to Tanzania with them to check out Serengheti, Tarangire and Ngororo Crater.  YAY!

Then literally the day after they leave it's off to South Africa.  Five days in Capetown, then to Zanzibar and finally to Ethiopia.  Christmas on the beach in a bungalow.... be jealous!

Finally, it's time to start looking at the COS trip.  The countries I am planning to go to (and hopefully I will have enough time) are India, Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, Sri Lanka and South Korea.

What will I do after all this crazy adventure you ask? Well I am taking three tests in order to keep some options open.  The GRE, the GRE subject test (psyc), and the FSOT (foreign service officer test).  I've been studying and it's super strange I must say.  Do I really want to go back to school? Or do I just think it seems like the sound and responsible next step?  Who knows!  Maybe I'll find a job in Indonesia and continue to live on a dollar a day for a little longer.   Either way.... the future freaks me out!

Site is the same as always.... teaching, counseling, running clubs, coaching softball, having fun and feeling lonely.  I can't believe I only have two more terms left.  I am also working on writing a manual for teaching sexual education in East Africa.  It looks like it may be over 100 pages (yikes!).  When I started teaching this at my school I found that peace corps didn't offer a lot of resources.  I had to do my research and also keep in mind of WHERE these topics are being taught.  Uganda is very sensitive to a lot of subjects like virginity, HIV and other things that are probably inappropriate to put on my blog.  So I wanted to compile all this information and other references for volunteers who may have wanted to talk to youth about these issues but don't know how to.  This includes lessons, activities, physical resources in different regions, cultural approach to topics, content, helpful websites and books and  strategies for starting a program.  I'm considering calling it "The Birds and the Bees and Much Much More...".  Hopefully it will be published by the end of my service!

So that's the haps with me! Here are some entertaining pictures for you to enjoy as my words this time are not so inspiring.  As always miss and love EVERYONE!

xoxo

Nik

Teaching girls how to play rock, paper scissors at Camp GLOW North

My absolute two favorite students Ritah and Sandra.  They made me a disney princess drawing, wrote me a song and even bought me dairy milk chocolate for my birthday... so friccan sweet!

Fourth of July! I found that shirt the day of... Jacque and Liz went with the All American JORTS! also found and cut the same day!

Geared up for softball! Minus the shoes

Ziplining and Recreation Project in Gulu

Fourth of July 2012... will henceforth be known as.... The best dance party EVER!

Soccer players after winning the district tournament!  After was the most insane celebration at the school I have ever seen and wish I had had camera battery to document.

Teachers from the school helping in counting ballots for student elections

Me teaching reproductive health and safe sex at Camp GLOW North