My last post for a while (Maybe)

Time is very limited this week with me being out in Pabo, so I will be posting only briefly this weekend. The chances of me posting again are getting small, so I may not be able to fill you in on everything until I get home.

I am back in Gulu for the weekend. Tomorrow morning though, I will be heading out to Masindi Rhino Breeding Grounds to go see the great beasts in their real life habitat. I won't return until Sunday afternoon at which time I will have to probably hop into a matatu and head back out to Pabo. Next weekend, we will be leaving for our slow trip back to Kampala with stops in Jinja for rafting on the Nile (Nick, I'll pick up your parasites here) and Murchison Falls National park for a 1/2 day safari. I do not know what the internet access situation will be.

This past week in Pabo has been fantastic on all fronts. I spent some serious time reflecting on Monday, gained some new perspective, and changed my approach at the school. Charles and I have made tremendous progress this week. My frustrations and worries have been assuaged, and I know that (however small), I have had an impact on his teaching practices and the school. I also decided to focus less on the teaching aspect of the exchange this week and spend more time interacting with the students and community. Kids in Pabo now love frisbee, many were very sad when they discovered that I was not staying for the weekend (there will be a celebration at the school), I am working with a large group of students on an African essay competition, I have visited with a few teachers and have taken dinner at on of their homes, and I have been interacting with people from the community. One of the people I have talked with several times is the treasurer of the Pabo S.S. PTA. He has passed along several gracious and very heart warming comments that he has received about me from students and parents in the community. Small successes are becoming the food that sustains me.

I will leave you with a few thoughts from my experience so far:

Red clay is impossible to get out of your clothes.

Hospitality really is lacking in the United States, and we should really reach out to each other much more.

Never give your phone number to a drunk Ugandan woman.

Friends make it all worthwhile.

And most importantly, warm beer can be quite delicious sitting under a Eucalyptus tree out of the hot African sun or sitting on a porch in the cool african evening.

Best wishes to all in the states! Let the adventure continue!

Best,
Matt