I only have 1 more week in Uganda. I am happy to see all of my friends and family back home. And I will be glad to partake of some of the comforts of home – sweet tea, cheeseburgers, and ice cream. Yet, I am also really sad because I will be leaving my new friends here in Uganda.
Last Friday, St. Cyprian Chavanod (the Secondary School where Tabitha and I worked) threw us a going away celebration. Tabitha was the lead teacher for Senior 2 and I was the lead teacher for Senior 1. Each class planned a special program for their lead teacher. My Senior 1 students planned a really nice celebration. They sang songs, prayed for me, read from the Bible, gave me letters they had written, presented some speeches, and danced for me. They wanted me to give a speech. I started crying in the middle of it. Then some of my students started crying. We all just cried together. Then, we took lots of pictures. I am going to print these pictures out and give each student a picture of me and the student. The headmistress had bought some fabric and last week Tabitha and I were measured for skirts. The students gave me my skirt and the headmistress had bought a yellow Tshirt to go with the skirt. So now whenever I will wear my skirt, I will think of my students.
On Saturday, I went with some of the boarding students from the primary school to a field where we harvested maize (corn). Picking corn is not bad. We sang songs and talked while we worked. We finished early so then we used hoes to start digging in the field to get ready for beans to be planted. It still makes me laugh that people here think that I am delicate and that I do not know how to do manual labor. I don’t dig as well or as fast as the primary school students, but I can do it. I may get tired and I may sweat A LOT, but that does not mean that I cannot work.
Then, yesterday (Monday), Tabitha and I went to Kampala to do some shopping. We were going with one of the priests, Father Bonny, and we were all going to take the taxi from Kasana to Kampala. When Father Joe found out our plan, he was worried about us in the taxi park so he had his driver take us to and from Kampala. (Since the bombings, public places in Kampala have stepped up the security or added security. They are now searching people and bags as people enter and leave the taxi park. I think Father Joe was nervous about us going through these extra security measures and running into trouble because we do not speak fluent Luganda.) The driver dropped Father Bonny off for his meeting and then he drove or walked Tabitha and I around Kampala as we did our shopping. He was so nice and so helpful. He never once complained that we took too long or bought too much stuff. He even helped us barter to get reasonable prices on our purchases. We treated him and Father Bonny to lunch at a Mexican restaurant in Kampala (Lotus Mexicana) to show our appreciation for them putting up with our female bazungu (white people) ways. I had chips with queso, a quesadilla, and a passion fruit margarita. Delicious! I have not had cheese all summer and I ate that cheese like it was going out of style. We made it back to the parish safe and sound.
The next few days will be busy. I am trying to spend as much time with the people here as I can in my remaining days. Especially my students. Saturday is the Silver Jubilee Celebration for Father Joe (he is celebrating 25 years as a priest) and that will be a big day with a long mass, a big lunch, and lots of entertainment!
I probably will not write again until next Tuesday after I have arrived in London. Know that you are in my thoughts and prayers as I prepare to head home. I am looking forward to seeing you soon!
Love y’all.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Bombings, a Wedding, and Power Outages... Oh my!
First of all, I am safe and sound. I know it is over a week after the bombings in Kampala and I am just now writing to tell you that I am okay. During the World Cup and during the time of the bombs, I was on the phone talking to Mom and Dad. They knew I was safe. So if you had not heard about me, sometimes no news is good news. :-)
The bombings occurred on Sunday, July 11th. Father Joe said that the date was another thing that Uganda has in common with America. I don’t think Ugandans will think of the World Cup or July 11th in the same way ever again. The bombings took place at a large public meeting space where people had paid an entry fee to watch the World Cup on large screens. People of all ages were there: families with young children, adults, and young people. The TV news and newspaper have been filled with images of the wounded, the deceased, the grieving, and the scene of the disaster. It is a tragedy when over 70 innocent people are killed. Funerals have been taking place all over the country. This past week was declared a week of mourning. Security has been tightened and increased in large public places in Kampala such as large shopping centers, taxi parks, and bus terminals. FBI officials are even here in the country to help with the investigation. Here in the small town of Kasana, things have not changed much. People are of course shocked and saddened by the tragedy and I suppose some people are scared, but life here continues on. I think that situations like this remind us that life is precious and that life can end at any moment. It has reminded me to pray for my safety and for the safety of Tabitha and those with whom I live and work. So please pray for the safety of Tabitha and I that we get home safely, but also pray for Uganda that this situation may be resolved quickly and peacefully.
Life continues on. I taught at both the primary and secondary schools this past week. Last Friday, the Cathedral hosted a very large wedding. The headmaster from a secondary school in the diocese was getting married. Father Joe is good friends with the headmaster and he was the Chairman of the Organizing Committee for the wedding. The Bishop officiated the wedding and the celebratory mass. Over 20 priests were in attendance. Moreover, around 1,200 people attended the wedding mass and reception. It was by far the largest wedding I have ever attended. Here, weddings are a big deal. In America, couples are engaged for a period of time before the wedding. They may have an engagement party, but the wedding is the main event. American weddings can be large or small, expensive or reasonably priced. In Uganda, the woman and man introduce each other to their families. This event is known as the Introduction and it is a large party. After the Introduction, the man and woman live together and are essentially married without having an actual marriage ceremony. Years may go by without there being an actual wedding ceremony because the couple saves up their money to have the wedding. If people are going to get married and have a reception, then it will be a large, well-attended, expensive event. If it is not a big event, then it is not held. Since they are large celebrations, the husband and wife cannot be expected nor can their families alone be expected to pay for the wedding. An organizing committee for the wedding is formed to plan for all of the details as well as to fundraise for the event. People contribute money to either pay for a certain part of the wedding (like the drinks, the programs, the flowers, etc) or they give money to the wedding as a whole. Father Joe as the Chairman for this wedding’s organizing committee had a big job to do. Yesterday’s wedding was really nice. The mass was beautiful. The reception was fun – good fun, good music, and good dancing!
Life goes on. On Saturday morning, I was at the parish getting ready to come to the Internet Café when one of my students called out my name. This little girl wanted me to come help her carry water to her house. The majority of people here do not have running water at their homes. They carry water in yellow jerry cans from neighborhood pumps to their homes. These 2 little girls were instructed to carry water from the pump at the primary school back to their homes. Each girl had a jerry can about 2 feet tall – I am not sure how many liters each jerry can held. These girls are aged 8 and 9. They are each about 4 feet tall so the jerry cans were half their sizes. I walked with them back to their house with a jerry can in each arm. (At least I was balanced.) I had to stop a few times because the jerry cans are awkward to carry and they were slipping out of my hands. People tend to stare at me any time I am walking around, but this morning they really stared at this white girl carrying water. I am sure they had never seen that before. The girls’ aunt saw us a little ways down from her house. She came and carried the jerry cans the rest of the way. She thanked me for the good work of carrying water. I hope my assistance does not get the girls in trouble. I visited with the children and their parents welcomed me inside to eat – 1 hard boiled egg, some matooke (cooked banana), and a Mountain Dew. I visited for a bit and then I left.
I have tried for several days to come to the Internet Cafe to send y'all an update, but either my schedule or power outages have prevented me. Uganda loses power a lot. It is funny, but during the World Cup, we did not seem lose power on the days that soccer(football) games were held. When the power goes out, it can be out for a few minutes or all day. You never know. We also seem to lose power more during the day. With the natural sunlight, you do not need power to see. Also, most people do not have refrigerators or other appliances that have to run on power. People do not have AC so they are not suddenly hot. The biggest inconvenience is when you are trying to use the computer or the internet because that just does not happen when the power is out. So I am here on Tuesday morning trying to take care of the internet business while we have currently have power because you never know what this afternoon will hold. I am learning how to be patient and trying not to get too frustrated. However, you have permission to beat me if I ever complain about the internet or the internet speed once I get home.
So in the midst of tragedies, celebrations, and frustrations, we cannot forget that basic jobs such as carrying water must still be performed. We may take a break for a while to grieve, to celebrate, or to complain, but real life goes on and we need to go along with it.
I will be home the first week of August – a little over 2 weeks. I am preaching on August 8th at the FUMC of Auburndale. I will be sharing a little bit about my experiences in Uganda and how this summer has enriched my reading of the Bible and my understanding of God. I will be returning to Durham on August 15th. Then it is back to work and school. I look forward to seeing you all and catching up on all that is going on in your lives. May God bless you and keep you safe. With love and prayers, Emily.
The bombings occurred on Sunday, July 11th. Father Joe said that the date was another thing that Uganda has in common with America. I don’t think Ugandans will think of the World Cup or July 11th in the same way ever again. The bombings took place at a large public meeting space where people had paid an entry fee to watch the World Cup on large screens. People of all ages were there: families with young children, adults, and young people. The TV news and newspaper have been filled with images of the wounded, the deceased, the grieving, and the scene of the disaster. It is a tragedy when over 70 innocent people are killed. Funerals have been taking place all over the country. This past week was declared a week of mourning. Security has been tightened and increased in large public places in Kampala such as large shopping centers, taxi parks, and bus terminals. FBI officials are even here in the country to help with the investigation. Here in the small town of Kasana, things have not changed much. People are of course shocked and saddened by the tragedy and I suppose some people are scared, but life here continues on. I think that situations like this remind us that life is precious and that life can end at any moment. It has reminded me to pray for my safety and for the safety of Tabitha and those with whom I live and work. So please pray for the safety of Tabitha and I that we get home safely, but also pray for Uganda that this situation may be resolved quickly and peacefully.
Life continues on. I taught at both the primary and secondary schools this past week. Last Friday, the Cathedral hosted a very large wedding. The headmaster from a secondary school in the diocese was getting married. Father Joe is good friends with the headmaster and he was the Chairman of the Organizing Committee for the wedding. The Bishop officiated the wedding and the celebratory mass. Over 20 priests were in attendance. Moreover, around 1,200 people attended the wedding mass and reception. It was by far the largest wedding I have ever attended. Here, weddings are a big deal. In America, couples are engaged for a period of time before the wedding. They may have an engagement party, but the wedding is the main event. American weddings can be large or small, expensive or reasonably priced. In Uganda, the woman and man introduce each other to their families. This event is known as the Introduction and it is a large party. After the Introduction, the man and woman live together and are essentially married without having an actual marriage ceremony. Years may go by without there being an actual wedding ceremony because the couple saves up their money to have the wedding. If people are going to get married and have a reception, then it will be a large, well-attended, expensive event. If it is not a big event, then it is not held. Since they are large celebrations, the husband and wife cannot be expected nor can their families alone be expected to pay for the wedding. An organizing committee for the wedding is formed to plan for all of the details as well as to fundraise for the event. People contribute money to either pay for a certain part of the wedding (like the drinks, the programs, the flowers, etc) or they give money to the wedding as a whole. Father Joe as the Chairman for this wedding’s organizing committee had a big job to do. Yesterday’s wedding was really nice. The mass was beautiful. The reception was fun – good fun, good music, and good dancing!
Life goes on. On Saturday morning, I was at the parish getting ready to come to the Internet Café when one of my students called out my name. This little girl wanted me to come help her carry water to her house. The majority of people here do not have running water at their homes. They carry water in yellow jerry cans from neighborhood pumps to their homes. These 2 little girls were instructed to carry water from the pump at the primary school back to their homes. Each girl had a jerry can about 2 feet tall – I am not sure how many liters each jerry can held. These girls are aged 8 and 9. They are each about 4 feet tall so the jerry cans were half their sizes. I walked with them back to their house with a jerry can in each arm. (At least I was balanced.) I had to stop a few times because the jerry cans are awkward to carry and they were slipping out of my hands. People tend to stare at me any time I am walking around, but this morning they really stared at this white girl carrying water. I am sure they had never seen that before. The girls’ aunt saw us a little ways down from her house. She came and carried the jerry cans the rest of the way. She thanked me for the good work of carrying water. I hope my assistance does not get the girls in trouble. I visited with the children and their parents welcomed me inside to eat – 1 hard boiled egg, some matooke (cooked banana), and a Mountain Dew. I visited for a bit and then I left.
I have tried for several days to come to the Internet Cafe to send y'all an update, but either my schedule or power outages have prevented me. Uganda loses power a lot. It is funny, but during the World Cup, we did not seem lose power on the days that soccer(football) games were held. When the power goes out, it can be out for a few minutes or all day. You never know. We also seem to lose power more during the day. With the natural sunlight, you do not need power to see. Also, most people do not have refrigerators or other appliances that have to run on power. People do not have AC so they are not suddenly hot. The biggest inconvenience is when you are trying to use the computer or the internet because that just does not happen when the power is out. So I am here on Tuesday morning trying to take care of the internet business while we have currently have power because you never know what this afternoon will hold. I am learning how to be patient and trying not to get too frustrated. However, you have permission to beat me if I ever complain about the internet or the internet speed once I get home.
So in the midst of tragedies, celebrations, and frustrations, we cannot forget that basic jobs such as carrying water must still be performed. We may take a break for a while to grieve, to celebrate, or to complain, but real life goes on and we need to go along with it.
I will be home the first week of August – a little over 2 weeks. I am preaching on August 8th at the FUMC of Auburndale. I will be sharing a little bit about my experiences in Uganda and how this summer has enriched my reading of the Bible and my understanding of God. I will be returning to Durham on August 15th. Then it is back to work and school. I look forward to seeing you all and catching up on all that is going on in your lives. May God bless you and keep you safe. With love and prayers, Emily.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Shopping
On Mondays, vendors go into the "downtown" part of Luweero to sell produce, fabric, clothing, and pretty much any other item you can imagine. There are stores that are open 7 days a week, but this market is only open on Mondays. I guess it is the day when people from the villages can try to sell their wares in town. Suze and I went to the market! It was definitely an experience that I could not miss.
We took a motorcyle (Boda Boda) from the Cathedral parish to the market. Then, Suze led the way and I just followed her. We were looking for some dress shoes for me. I have bought a Gomas (traditional Ugandan dress) and I cannot wear my Chacos with the dress or I will look silly (according to Suze). So we are in search of some high heels that will match my Gomas. We walked through the market, but we did not find any shoes. I did find a couple of ladies selling fabric so I bought some material. Think wonderful African prints and that is what I bought. And when I say that I made purchases, I paid for them, but Suze did all of the negotiating. I would have been lost and afraid if it were not for Suze. Suze is truly a blessing from God. After I made my purchases, we had to buy the food that we needed for the parish. Suze had a list and she wandered around from vendor to vendor enquiring about their prices for the stuff we needed. We bought what we needed and we got ready to head back to the parish. We were going to take a motorcycle (Boda Boda) to go back to the parish. Suze flagged down a motorcyle/motorcycle driver. I thought, "How in the world are we going to get back home with all of this food?" (potatoes, tomatoes, lettuce, green peppers, onions, bread, flour, and eggs). The driver put the big bag of potatoes in front of him (between him and the motorcycle handlebars). Suze and I were to both ride behind him holding onto the other bags. The only way we fit was for me to ride behind the driver straddling the motorcyle while Suze sat "side-saddle" behind me. This would be perfectly fine if I were wearing jeans or pants. Instead, I was wearing one of my skirts made by the talented Jo Sterling. Thankfully the skirts are long and flowy or else I would have been a spectacle riding down the road. :-) We made it back to the parish alright and with all of our purchases. Success!
Speaking of buying stuff, I had my eyes open for pretty jewelry. People in Uganda make beads out of paper and then varnishing the beads so that they are water resistent. I wanted some of these beads, but had not really seen very many. I was talking to Sister Goretti from the primary school and she told me that the primary school students can make these beads. So the students as well as some of the parents are making beads and making jewelry for me to buy. This is a way for the school to make some money and it helps me buy gifts for my loved ones back home. A "Win-Win." I have seen the women and children making the beads. They are so talented. They are teaching me how to make the beads too. Don't worry, my beads are going into a special bag so that Emily's beads don't get mixed up with the good beads made by the women and children. The beads are beautiful and will make beautiful jewelry. And they go to a good cause. Even better!
I am doing really well. I am treasuring my time here in Uganda as much as I can. The people here are really wonderful. I recommend that if you ever get a chance to visit Uganda, please do. The country is beautiful and the people are so nice. It will change your life. I hope you are all doing well. Stay safe and "out of trouble!" :-)
Love to you all.
We took a motorcyle (Boda Boda) from the Cathedral parish to the market. Then, Suze led the way and I just followed her. We were looking for some dress shoes for me. I have bought a Gomas (traditional Ugandan dress) and I cannot wear my Chacos with the dress or I will look silly (according to Suze). So we are in search of some high heels that will match my Gomas. We walked through the market, but we did not find any shoes. I did find a couple of ladies selling fabric so I bought some material. Think wonderful African prints and that is what I bought. And when I say that I made purchases, I paid for them, but Suze did all of the negotiating. I would have been lost and afraid if it were not for Suze. Suze is truly a blessing from God. After I made my purchases, we had to buy the food that we needed for the parish. Suze had a list and she wandered around from vendor to vendor enquiring about their prices for the stuff we needed. We bought what we needed and we got ready to head back to the parish. We were going to take a motorcycle (Boda Boda) to go back to the parish. Suze flagged down a motorcyle/motorcycle driver. I thought, "How in the world are we going to get back home with all of this food?" (potatoes, tomatoes, lettuce, green peppers, onions, bread, flour, and eggs). The driver put the big bag of potatoes in front of him (between him and the motorcycle handlebars). Suze and I were to both ride behind him holding onto the other bags. The only way we fit was for me to ride behind the driver straddling the motorcyle while Suze sat "side-saddle" behind me. This would be perfectly fine if I were wearing jeans or pants. Instead, I was wearing one of my skirts made by the talented Jo Sterling. Thankfully the skirts are long and flowy or else I would have been a spectacle riding down the road. :-) We made it back to the parish alright and with all of our purchases. Success!
Speaking of buying stuff, I had my eyes open for pretty jewelry. People in Uganda make beads out of paper and then varnishing the beads so that they are water resistent. I wanted some of these beads, but had not really seen very many. I was talking to Sister Goretti from the primary school and she told me that the primary school students can make these beads. So the students as well as some of the parents are making beads and making jewelry for me to buy. This is a way for the school to make some money and it helps me buy gifts for my loved ones back home. A "Win-Win." I have seen the women and children making the beads. They are so talented. They are teaching me how to make the beads too. Don't worry, my beads are going into a special bag so that Emily's beads don't get mixed up with the good beads made by the women and children. The beads are beautiful and will make beautiful jewelry. And they go to a good cause. Even better!
I am doing really well. I am treasuring my time here in Uganda as much as I can. The people here are really wonderful. I recommend that if you ever get a chance to visit Uganda, please do. The country is beautiful and the people are so nice. It will change your life. I hope you are all doing well. Stay safe and "out of trouble!" :-)
Love to you all.
Friday, July 2, 2010
Over 1 month down...
Friends,
I am sorry that I have been a derelict in updating you on life here in Uganda. I did not realize how much time had passed since my last update.
Life has been good here. I am really enjoying teaching the students. I teach religious education to P4 (4th grade) one day a week. I decided to teach them about Moses. After we learned about Moses and the Exodus, then I taught them the song "Pharoah, Pharoah." They love it! Especially the motions. Yesterday, Thursday, July 1st, Father Joe came to the primary school for an official visit. Hospitality is really important here and people love to make visitors feel welcome. Tabitha teaches religious education to P5. The headmistress, Sister Goretti, wanted Tabitha and I to have each of our classes present a song as part of the entertainment for Father Joe. So my P4 students (who just learned "Pharoah, Pharoah" on Monday) got up and sang for Father Joe. They did an amazing job! I am so proud of them. I have taught "Pharoah, Pharoah" to some of the boarding students and now other classes want to learn the song too. Hopefully before I leave I can take video of a bunch of the children here singing "Pharoah, Pharoah" to show you all (particularly my camp people) how I brought a part of camp here to Uganda. :-)
I am learning so much. Suzan and Natalia are the two women who work here at the parish. They are teaching me how they do different domestic duties here. Natalia does all of the cooking over a wood fire or a portable charcoal stove. Imagine cooking without a stove or oven. Suzan does all of the cleaning and laundry. I help Suze wash dishes and set the table for our meals. I have also helped Suze with the laundry. She washes all of the clothes for the 3 priests, 1 brother, 3 seminarians, and 2 Duke students here at the parish. And she does this laundry by hand. Imagine washing towels or jeans by hand. It is very difficult - trust me. I try to help Suze as much as I can because I know that the addition of 2 more people results in a lot more work for her. I have helped with the laundry a couple of times and I look forward to helping her some more before I leave. So I can now say that I have washed clothes by hand. I really admire how hard these women work. I don't think I will ever complain about doing laundry in America again.
Ugandans love to dance and they have many different traditional dances. I am in the process of learning these dances. Most of these dances involve butt shaking, hand motions, and different steps. The students at the primary and secondary schools are teaching me to dance. I am sure that I generate more laughs than anything else. Yesterday, for Father Joe's welcome at the primary school, I got to show off some of my dance moves. Some of the students were dancing during mass. Sister Goretti saw me dancing at my pew and she made me go up to the front with her and dance with the students. So I went. Then, after lunch, the school choir and dance group were entertaining Father Joe and the parents in attendance. Sister Goretti made me get up and go dance with the girls. Sister Goretti is one of those people that you do not say "No" to. So I got up and started dancing with the students. People in the crowd were shouting, but I was concentrating on the dancing so much that I did not know if they were shouting from pleasure or fear. Then, people from the audience (parents, Sister Goretti, and Father Joe) started coming up and giving the dancers money. Including me. Apparently, that is a custom here in Uganda to give dancers money in exchange for their good dancing. I gave some of the money I received to the other dancers, but I had received a bill of 10,000 Ugandan shillings (equivalent to $5). I could not split this money up among the dancers so later I bought some cookies (they are called biscuits here) to share with the boarding students. I had so much fun dancing and I think I surprised people with my talent. :-) Father Joe is celebrating his silver jubilee (25 years as a priest) on July 31st. I am supposed to dance at his celebration. I need to practice more. So when you think of me, know that I am here teaching the students, loving the people, working hard, dancing, and trying to soak up as much of Uganda as I can.
I will leave Uganda 1 month from tomorrow. Weird. In some ways it feels like I just arrived and in other ways it feels as though I have been here much longer. One thing is for certain ... I have never felt more welcomed than I do here. People here go out of their way to welcome you and make you feel at ease. I have received so much love and kindness from everyone. And while I try to love as many people as I can, I feel as though I am getting more out of this experience then I could ever give.
Love and prayers to you all.
I am sorry that I have been a derelict in updating you on life here in Uganda. I did not realize how much time had passed since my last update.
Life has been good here. I am really enjoying teaching the students. I teach religious education to P4 (4th grade) one day a week. I decided to teach them about Moses. After we learned about Moses and the Exodus, then I taught them the song "Pharoah, Pharoah." They love it! Especially the motions. Yesterday, Thursday, July 1st, Father Joe came to the primary school for an official visit. Hospitality is really important here and people love to make visitors feel welcome. Tabitha teaches religious education to P5. The headmistress, Sister Goretti, wanted Tabitha and I to have each of our classes present a song as part of the entertainment for Father Joe. So my P4 students (who just learned "Pharoah, Pharoah" on Monday) got up and sang for Father Joe. They did an amazing job! I am so proud of them. I have taught "Pharoah, Pharoah" to some of the boarding students and now other classes want to learn the song too. Hopefully before I leave I can take video of a bunch of the children here singing "Pharoah, Pharoah" to show you all (particularly my camp people) how I brought a part of camp here to Uganda. :-)
I am learning so much. Suzan and Natalia are the two women who work here at the parish. They are teaching me how they do different domestic duties here. Natalia does all of the cooking over a wood fire or a portable charcoal stove. Imagine cooking without a stove or oven. Suzan does all of the cleaning and laundry. I help Suze wash dishes and set the table for our meals. I have also helped Suze with the laundry. She washes all of the clothes for the 3 priests, 1 brother, 3 seminarians, and 2 Duke students here at the parish. And she does this laundry by hand. Imagine washing towels or jeans by hand. It is very difficult - trust me. I try to help Suze as much as I can because I know that the addition of 2 more people results in a lot more work for her. I have helped with the laundry a couple of times and I look forward to helping her some more before I leave. So I can now say that I have washed clothes by hand. I really admire how hard these women work. I don't think I will ever complain about doing laundry in America again.
Ugandans love to dance and they have many different traditional dances. I am in the process of learning these dances. Most of these dances involve butt shaking, hand motions, and different steps. The students at the primary and secondary schools are teaching me to dance. I am sure that I generate more laughs than anything else. Yesterday, for Father Joe's welcome at the primary school, I got to show off some of my dance moves. Some of the students were dancing during mass. Sister Goretti saw me dancing at my pew and she made me go up to the front with her and dance with the students. So I went. Then, after lunch, the school choir and dance group were entertaining Father Joe and the parents in attendance. Sister Goretti made me get up and go dance with the girls. Sister Goretti is one of those people that you do not say "No" to. So I got up and started dancing with the students. People in the crowd were shouting, but I was concentrating on the dancing so much that I did not know if they were shouting from pleasure or fear. Then, people from the audience (parents, Sister Goretti, and Father Joe) started coming up and giving the dancers money. Including me. Apparently, that is a custom here in Uganda to give dancers money in exchange for their good dancing. I gave some of the money I received to the other dancers, but I had received a bill of 10,000 Ugandan shillings (equivalent to $5). I could not split this money up among the dancers so later I bought some cookies (they are called biscuits here) to share with the boarding students. I had so much fun dancing and I think I surprised people with my talent. :-) Father Joe is celebrating his silver jubilee (25 years as a priest) on July 31st. I am supposed to dance at his celebration. I need to practice more. So when you think of me, know that I am here teaching the students, loving the people, working hard, dancing, and trying to soak up as much of Uganda as I can.
I will leave Uganda 1 month from tomorrow. Weird. In some ways it feels like I just arrived and in other ways it feels as though I have been here much longer. One thing is for certain ... I have never felt more welcomed than I do here. People here go out of their way to welcome you and make you feel at ease. I have received so much love and kindness from everyone. And while I try to love as many people as I can, I feel as though I am getting more out of this experience then I could ever give.
Love and prayers to you all.
Saturday, June 12, 2010
A red neck and dirt under the fingernails...
Greetings my friends and family! Uganda is still great! We just completed our second week of teaching. The classes are still going well. The students are so well-behaved. I am reminded how I need to slow down when I am talking and try not to use so many "Emily-isms." For instance, the students do not know the word "Cray Cray." They just laugh and say "Emily, you are a silly mzungu (white person)."
Wednesday was another National Holiday... Heroes Day. Similar to our Memorial Day. So we only taught 4 days this week. The primary school has 4 acres of property where they have planted cassava. The primary school has boarding students who live at the school during the school term. These students live too far from school to walk to and from school. Either that or the students are orphans and their guardians send them to stay at the school. So the headmistress of the primary school is also responsible for the boarders too. The headmistress is a Catholic nun, Sister Goretti. She wanted to plant this cassava and harvest it so as to supplement the diet of the boarders. The students helped plant the cassava and help to do the work of weeding and harvesting. Since we did not have school on Wednesday, Sister Goretti was taking the boarding students to the "garden" to work. Remember this is a 4 acre plot of cassava (a small plant with pointy leaves. You eat the roots of the plant). She invited me to come to the garden and work with the students. You do not say no to Sister Goretti so I went to the garden.
We got to the garden at 9:30am and began weeding around the cassava. The cassava is not planted in straight rows. Instead, it is planted in a scatterplot formation. All around the cassava plants have grown grass and other weeds so we needed to dig around the cassava. I took a hoe and began to dig. It was hot. It was hard work. When I got tired, I looked around and saw these students who are younger and smaller than me still working so I kept working. The students showed me how to dig/weed properly. At times I got tired of using the hoe so I would plop down in the dirt and use my hands. The students thought that was really funny. We took a break for lunch. The students picked mangoes from a tree in the field so we supplemented our lunch of rice, sweet potatoes, groundnut sauce, and greens with mangoes. The students got the mangoes out of the tree by throwing sticks and clods of dirt at the mangoes. It was fun to watch. We worked again in the afternoon until about 5pm. In the afternoon, nearby villagers were passing by the field. They stopped and stared because they had never seen a white person (mzungu) doing field work before. I waved at them. I am sure I was quite a spectical.
Now I confess, I did not hoe the entire time. I took a break in the morning and in the afternoon to play with the students who were too young to dig. Still I have not worked that hard in a really long time. We had to wait for the truck to come pick us up. We finally left the field at 6pm and we got back to the parish after 6:30pm. I was exhausted and dirty. I was covered in dirt (think red clay like in Georgia) from my head to my feet and even under my fingernails. I got a little sunburnt ... you cannot work and sweat outside for over 8 hours without getting a little sun. I did not put sunscreen on the back of my neck so I have a red or pink neck. (Insert Polk County comment here). :-)
Still I was glad that I got the experience of hoeing cassava in Uganda alongside my Ugandan friends. This work reminded me that we have it easy for the most part in the USA. We go to the store and buy the food we need. Here in Africa, the majority of the people have to grow, harvest, and gather the food they need for every meal. It has made me appreciate food in a new way. "Give us this day our daily bread" means something totally different when you have to work that hard for enough food to feed your family. I am amazed at the willingness of the students to work so hard for their school. I mean they are working to grow cassava for their own meals, but still, the work all day long without complaining. I have much to learn from these students.
Love to you all. Know that you are in my thoughts and prayers.
Wednesday was another National Holiday... Heroes Day. Similar to our Memorial Day. So we only taught 4 days this week. The primary school has 4 acres of property where they have planted cassava. The primary school has boarding students who live at the school during the school term. These students live too far from school to walk to and from school. Either that or the students are orphans and their guardians send them to stay at the school. So the headmistress of the primary school is also responsible for the boarders too. The headmistress is a Catholic nun, Sister Goretti. She wanted to plant this cassava and harvest it so as to supplement the diet of the boarders. The students helped plant the cassava and help to do the work of weeding and harvesting. Since we did not have school on Wednesday, Sister Goretti was taking the boarding students to the "garden" to work. Remember this is a 4 acre plot of cassava (a small plant with pointy leaves. You eat the roots of the plant). She invited me to come to the garden and work with the students. You do not say no to Sister Goretti so I went to the garden.
We got to the garden at 9:30am and began weeding around the cassava. The cassava is not planted in straight rows. Instead, it is planted in a scatterplot formation. All around the cassava plants have grown grass and other weeds so we needed to dig around the cassava. I took a hoe and began to dig. It was hot. It was hard work. When I got tired, I looked around and saw these students who are younger and smaller than me still working so I kept working. The students showed me how to dig/weed properly. At times I got tired of using the hoe so I would plop down in the dirt and use my hands. The students thought that was really funny. We took a break for lunch. The students picked mangoes from a tree in the field so we supplemented our lunch of rice, sweet potatoes, groundnut sauce, and greens with mangoes. The students got the mangoes out of the tree by throwing sticks and clods of dirt at the mangoes. It was fun to watch. We worked again in the afternoon until about 5pm. In the afternoon, nearby villagers were passing by the field. They stopped and stared because they had never seen a white person (mzungu) doing field work before. I waved at them. I am sure I was quite a spectical.
Now I confess, I did not hoe the entire time. I took a break in the morning and in the afternoon to play with the students who were too young to dig. Still I have not worked that hard in a really long time. We had to wait for the truck to come pick us up. We finally left the field at 6pm and we got back to the parish after 6:30pm. I was exhausted and dirty. I was covered in dirt (think red clay like in Georgia) from my head to my feet and even under my fingernails. I got a little sunburnt ... you cannot work and sweat outside for over 8 hours without getting a little sun. I did not put sunscreen on the back of my neck so I have a red or pink neck. (Insert Polk County comment here). :-)
Still I was glad that I got the experience of hoeing cassava in Uganda alongside my Ugandan friends. This work reminded me that we have it easy for the most part in the USA. We go to the store and buy the food we need. Here in Africa, the majority of the people have to grow, harvest, and gather the food they need for every meal. It has made me appreciate food in a new way. "Give us this day our daily bread" means something totally different when you have to work that hard for enough food to feed your family. I am amazed at the willingness of the students to work so hard for their school. I mean they are working to grow cassava for their own meals, but still, the work all day long without complaining. I have much to learn from these students.
Love to you all. Know that you are in my thoughts and prayers.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Uganda Week 1!
Friends,
Sorry it has taken me so long to update you. I have been busy, busy, busy. Uganda is great! The weather here is very similar to Florida. Maybe a little cooler than Florida and definitely less humid. The late afternoons/early evenings cool off and are a little breezy. Uganda grows a lot of crops that we have in the US, particularly in Florida. I eat bananas with pretty much every meal. Rice, potatoes, avocadoes, pineapples, watermelon, and corn show up at the table pretty regularly. Everyone I have met has been so welcoming and nice. The people at the parish have welcomed me into their family. Father Joe (our supervisor) is really kind. The parish has 2 other priests (Father Bonny and Father Joseph) as well as a seminarian student in residence (Jude). Father Bonny, Father Joseph, and Jude are young men in their 20s-early 30s. They are my friends and they are helping Tabitha and I to adjust to Uganda. They are teaching us Luganda (the native language) as well as helping us with whatever we need. The parish also has nuns here - the nuns are really great as well. The nuns that teach at the primary school have invited us over for tea every morning. We go visit the nuns to get some time with other women. The rest of our meals we take with the priests at the parish house so it is nice to have variety. In a nutshell, this has been my first week in a nutshell:
Sunday, May 23rd - Left Orlando for London-Gatwick. Flight was great. Plane food was good. Watched 2 movies on the plane and slept 2 hours.
Monday, May 24th - Arrived at London-Gatwick. Took a shuttle from London-Gatwick to London-Heathrow. I put my luggage in storage and then I took the train and the tube (London subway) into London town. I walked around London and saw Trafalgar Square, Buckingham Palace, Parliament, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, some big Methodist building, the Thames River, and the London Eye. I took a lot of pictures and soaked in the sun. Took the tube and train back to Heathrow. My flight to Nairobi was delayed over 2 hours. Waited a while in the airport. Finally left London for Nairobi, Kenya.
Tuesday, May 25th - Arrived in Nairobi, Kenya. The delay caused us to arrive late in Nairobi so I missed my flight to Entebbe, Uganda. The airline got me on the next flight to Entebbe, but I had to wait all day in the Nairobi airport. The airline also gave me a free lunch so that is nice. I was so tired. I finally left late afternoon and arrived in Entebbe at 7pm. I made it through customs alright and picked up my luggage. Everything made it to Uganda! Father Joe picked me up at the airport and we went to eat dinner. We drove to the parish.
Wednesday, May 26th - Father Joe told me that my job today was to rest. I calculated that since I woke up on Sunday morning, I have been awake for around 48 hours and have only slept about 6 hours since Sunday. I woke up to eat breakfast, then went back to sleep. Woke up to eat lunch, went back to sleep. Father Joe and I went back to Entebbe to pick Tabitha up from the airport. She arrived here safe and sound with all of her luggage too.
Thursday, May 27th - I have spent the day touring the parish and the 2 schools. We saw the parish, the cathedral, the bishop's area, the primary school, and the secondary school. The parish is a compound. Everything but the secondary school is all together on one area of land that is fenced in with a big fence/gate. The property is beautiful. When you see the parish you almost forget that it is Uganda. It looks like property in Florida. Outside the parish gates, you see you are in Uganda. The soil is clay so the roads and buildings are coated with a fine layer of red dust. The secondary school is down the road, about a 10 minute walk from the parish. When we walk to the secondary school, we pass shop buildings, fields, and people's homes. You cannot avoid the poverty that exists around us. Despite the poverty, the people are so joyful. The small children shout "Bye Muzungu!" That means "Bye, white person." I stick out a little bit here. We met with the headmistresses at both schools and found out when we will be teaching and what subjects we will be teaching.
Friday, May 28th - We spent the day resting and preparing for our classes next week.
Saturday, May 29th - Went to early morning mass at 7am. Went to the bank to change some money and visited high school students. Rested some more.
Sunday, May 30th - Attended 3 mass services. 7am English service, 9am Luganda service, and 3pm Healing Service in Luganda. By the time the Healing Service was over, it was time for dinner and bed. Had a great dinner with Tabitha and the priests. We all get along really well together and laugh A LOT!
Monday, May 31st - 1st Day of School for the American Teachers. We missed our first PE class because the Bishop wanted to meet us. When the Bishop calls, you answer. Returned to the primary school for my first Religious Education class with the P4 class (think 4th graders, but the students are all different ages). I wanted to see what the students knew so I asked them questions about different biblical characters. I taught them about Pentecost and the birth of the church. The primary teachers were in a meeting so I stayed with my class from 11am-1pm. I was hoarse from all of the talking. Imagine that! In the afternoon, Tabitha and I went to the secondary school. The Headmistress gave us our schedule and her ideas for what we would teach the students. She wants us to teach Religous Education, but she wants us to do so in a way that conveys our faith and love of God to the students. She wants her students to know that God loves them. We will do our best and God will do the rest. She also wants her students to practice their English so we will have the students memorize and recite scripture. We only went to the Senior 1 class today. The students (think High School freshmen) were so well behaved and polite. They are smart, too. I am really looking forward to working with them.
Tuesday, June 1st - 2nd Day of Class! Went to morning mass at one of the convents for nuns. The nuns had us stay for breakfast. They are so nice. Taught PE with the P1 and P2 students (think over 100 kindergarten and 1st grade students). It was fun, but a little crazy and overwhelming. Went to the secondary school in the afternoon to teach the Senior 1 and Senior 2 classes. They were good, again. In all, it was a good day.
Wednesday, June 2nd - 3rd Day of Class! Taught PE again. The Headmistress has decided to split up the P1 and P2 instead of combining them for PE. That is good. When they are together it is just too many students to interact with them all. Did some lesson planning and taught at the secondary school in the afternoon. After school and before dinner, the primary school students who board at the parish saw me. They invited me to play with them. So I ended up running and chasing after kids for about an hour. A great way to end the day!
Thursday, June 3rd - Uganda Martyrs Day! No School because it is a national holiday. Father Joe took Tabitha and I to Namagongo, the site of some of the martyrs' deaths back in the 1860s. Every year, the Catholics recognize the deaths of these martyrs with a huge mass. Thousands of people gather together to worship and remember these courageous people. Even the President of Uganda and the First Lady made an appearance. We woke up at 5am to go to Namagongo. I sat on a wooden bench from 8am to 3pm. Now I am tired. So I think I will go to bed. Uganda is 7 hours ahead of EST. So at 10pm here, it is 3pm Florida time. Crazy!
I love you all! And look forward to hearing all about what you have been up to. I think of you all and hold you in my thoughts and prayers.
Love from Uganda,
Emily
Sorry it has taken me so long to update you. I have been busy, busy, busy. Uganda is great! The weather here is very similar to Florida. Maybe a little cooler than Florida and definitely less humid. The late afternoons/early evenings cool off and are a little breezy. Uganda grows a lot of crops that we have in the US, particularly in Florida. I eat bananas with pretty much every meal. Rice, potatoes, avocadoes, pineapples, watermelon, and corn show up at the table pretty regularly. Everyone I have met has been so welcoming and nice. The people at the parish have welcomed me into their family. Father Joe (our supervisor) is really kind. The parish has 2 other priests (Father Bonny and Father Joseph) as well as a seminarian student in residence (Jude). Father Bonny, Father Joseph, and Jude are young men in their 20s-early 30s. They are my friends and they are helping Tabitha and I to adjust to Uganda. They are teaching us Luganda (the native language) as well as helping us with whatever we need. The parish also has nuns here - the nuns are really great as well. The nuns that teach at the primary school have invited us over for tea every morning. We go visit the nuns to get some time with other women. The rest of our meals we take with the priests at the parish house so it is nice to have variety. In a nutshell, this has been my first week in a nutshell:
Sunday, May 23rd - Left Orlando for London-Gatwick. Flight was great. Plane food was good. Watched 2 movies on the plane and slept 2 hours.
Monday, May 24th - Arrived at London-Gatwick. Took a shuttle from London-Gatwick to London-Heathrow. I put my luggage in storage and then I took the train and the tube (London subway) into London town. I walked around London and saw Trafalgar Square, Buckingham Palace, Parliament, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, some big Methodist building, the Thames River, and the London Eye. I took a lot of pictures and soaked in the sun. Took the tube and train back to Heathrow. My flight to Nairobi was delayed over 2 hours. Waited a while in the airport. Finally left London for Nairobi, Kenya.
Tuesday, May 25th - Arrived in Nairobi, Kenya. The delay caused us to arrive late in Nairobi so I missed my flight to Entebbe, Uganda. The airline got me on the next flight to Entebbe, but I had to wait all day in the Nairobi airport. The airline also gave me a free lunch so that is nice. I was so tired. I finally left late afternoon and arrived in Entebbe at 7pm. I made it through customs alright and picked up my luggage. Everything made it to Uganda! Father Joe picked me up at the airport and we went to eat dinner. We drove to the parish.
Wednesday, May 26th - Father Joe told me that my job today was to rest. I calculated that since I woke up on Sunday morning, I have been awake for around 48 hours and have only slept about 6 hours since Sunday. I woke up to eat breakfast, then went back to sleep. Woke up to eat lunch, went back to sleep. Father Joe and I went back to Entebbe to pick Tabitha up from the airport. She arrived here safe and sound with all of her luggage too.
Thursday, May 27th - I have spent the day touring the parish and the 2 schools. We saw the parish, the cathedral, the bishop's area, the primary school, and the secondary school. The parish is a compound. Everything but the secondary school is all together on one area of land that is fenced in with a big fence/gate. The property is beautiful. When you see the parish you almost forget that it is Uganda. It looks like property in Florida. Outside the parish gates, you see you are in Uganda. The soil is clay so the roads and buildings are coated with a fine layer of red dust. The secondary school is down the road, about a 10 minute walk from the parish. When we walk to the secondary school, we pass shop buildings, fields, and people's homes. You cannot avoid the poverty that exists around us. Despite the poverty, the people are so joyful. The small children shout "Bye Muzungu!" That means "Bye, white person." I stick out a little bit here. We met with the headmistresses at both schools and found out when we will be teaching and what subjects we will be teaching.
Friday, May 28th - We spent the day resting and preparing for our classes next week.
Saturday, May 29th - Went to early morning mass at 7am. Went to the bank to change some money and visited high school students. Rested some more.
Sunday, May 30th - Attended 3 mass services. 7am English service, 9am Luganda service, and 3pm Healing Service in Luganda. By the time the Healing Service was over, it was time for dinner and bed. Had a great dinner with Tabitha and the priests. We all get along really well together and laugh A LOT!
Monday, May 31st - 1st Day of School for the American Teachers. We missed our first PE class because the Bishop wanted to meet us. When the Bishop calls, you answer. Returned to the primary school for my first Religious Education class with the P4 class (think 4th graders, but the students are all different ages). I wanted to see what the students knew so I asked them questions about different biblical characters. I taught them about Pentecost and the birth of the church. The primary teachers were in a meeting so I stayed with my class from 11am-1pm. I was hoarse from all of the talking. Imagine that! In the afternoon, Tabitha and I went to the secondary school. The Headmistress gave us our schedule and her ideas for what we would teach the students. She wants us to teach Religous Education, but she wants us to do so in a way that conveys our faith and love of God to the students. She wants her students to know that God loves them. We will do our best and God will do the rest. She also wants her students to practice their English so we will have the students memorize and recite scripture. We only went to the Senior 1 class today. The students (think High School freshmen) were so well behaved and polite. They are smart, too. I am really looking forward to working with them.
Tuesday, June 1st - 2nd Day of Class! Went to morning mass at one of the convents for nuns. The nuns had us stay for breakfast. They are so nice. Taught PE with the P1 and P2 students (think over 100 kindergarten and 1st grade students). It was fun, but a little crazy and overwhelming. Went to the secondary school in the afternoon to teach the Senior 1 and Senior 2 classes. They were good, again. In all, it was a good day.
Wednesday, June 2nd - 3rd Day of Class! Taught PE again. The Headmistress has decided to split up the P1 and P2 instead of combining them for PE. That is good. When they are together it is just too many students to interact with them all. Did some lesson planning and taught at the secondary school in the afternoon. After school and before dinner, the primary school students who board at the parish saw me. They invited me to play with them. So I ended up running and chasing after kids for about an hour. A great way to end the day!
Thursday, June 3rd - Uganda Martyrs Day! No School because it is a national holiday. Father Joe took Tabitha and I to Namagongo, the site of some of the martyrs' deaths back in the 1860s. Every year, the Catholics recognize the deaths of these martyrs with a huge mass. Thousands of people gather together to worship and remember these courageous people. Even the President of Uganda and the First Lady made an appearance. We woke up at 5am to go to Namagongo. I sat on a wooden bench from 8am to 3pm. Now I am tired. So I think I will go to bed. Uganda is 7 hours ahead of EST. So at 10pm here, it is 3pm Florida time. Crazy!
I love you all! And look forward to hearing all about what you have been up to. I think of you all and hold you in my thoughts and prayers.
Love from Uganda,
Emily
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Uganda in a week!
In exactly one week from today I will be in Uganda! It is hard to believe that this trip is finally here. I am finished with my 4th semester of seminary with 1 year (2 semesters) to go! The freshmen moved out of the 2 buildings that I supervise. Thank goodness. This year's group of students were a little loud and crazy. One thing is for sure, I will not forget some of the shenanigans that went down in Aycock. I flew home to Florida for a few days to get run some errands and get stuff done. Then, my Mom and I flew to Missouri for a quick visit with family. We had a great time talking, eating, watching my cousin Sarah perform improv, laughing, playing with my younger cousins, and watching my little cousin graduate from preschool. Unfortunately, we did not get a chance to visit with everyone, but that just gives us another reason to visit again soon! Now I am back in Florida until this Sunday. I am busy making last minute preparations for my trip, packing, and spending time with as many friends as possible in these last 6 days. I fly out of Orlando on Sunday late afternoon for London-Gatwick. I arrive in London early Monday morning and I have to travel from the Gatwick airport to Heathrow for my flight to Uganda. Luckily my flight to Uganda does not leave until Monday night so I have plenty of time to make the airport transition. And maybe sightsee along the way. :-) I fly from London directly to Entebbe, Uganda. I arrive in Uganda on Tuesday morning. My supervisor, Father Joe, will pick me up from the airport on Tuesday morning. Father Joe (Father Joseph Kakooza) is our supervisor this summer. He is a Catholic priest who is serving in a Catholic parish in Luwero. We have communicated over email and I cannot wait to meet him in person. He sounds like such a joyful and kind person. I have been saying "I" a lot, but I am not by myself this summer. Another Duke Divinity School student, Tabitha, will be with me in Uganda. We had some difficulties trying to coordinate our travel plans so she will meet me in Uganda. Tabitha and I will live and work together this summer. I am excited to get to know her better over the course of our Ugandan adventure.
Speaking of Uganda, I thought I would provide a little more information about the country. I have attached a picture of Uganda so hopefully you can see where I will be this summer. The airport is in Entebbe which is in a city along the coast of Lake Victoria. The capital of Uganda is Kampala. I will be living and working in Luwero (Luweero) which is a city 47 miles north of Kampala. Luwero can be spelled with 1 "e" or with 2 "e's". Right now I am spelling it with 1, but that may change over the course of the summer. As you can see we will be in south central-ish part of the country. Hopefully we will take some side trips to see the beautiful lakes in Uganda as well as other parts of the country. Don't worry, this Florida girl who has grown up swimming in lakes will NOT be swimming in Uganda's lakes. Currently, the political situation in Uganda is pretty stable. To clear up confusion I want to say that Idi Amin is NOT in charge of Uganda. He was the dictator in Uganda during the 1970s, but he was ousted in 1979. The country has had a pretty stable government since 1986 which coincidentally is the same year I was born. Pretty good sign if I do say so myself. A stable government does not mean that Uganda does not have its share of issues. The country has faced severe economic issues. About half of the country lives on less that $1.25 (US) a day. Illiteracy is a problem in Uganda. During the late 1990s and the early part of the 2000s, the northern region of Uganda was not stable. Rebel groups were trying to gain control of the region in hopes of seizing control of the whole control. These rebel groups began using the strategy of kidnapping children from their homes in the middle of the night and forcing these children to be child soldiers. These children are brainwashed and threatened with beatings and potential death so that they will do what their commanders order. Often, these children would have to kill their own family members or friends in order to not die themselves. Both boys and girls were kidnapped. The boys were used as shields for the adult soldiers and the girls were taken as sex slaves. In order to prevent being taken by the rebel groups, children began to commute every afternoon to public places such as lighted parking lots, churches, and other public places. They wanted to be with lots of other people in these lighted or safe places before dark. The large numbers of witnesses as well as light detracted the rebels from kidnapping these children. Perhaps you have heard of the Invisible Children documentary and movement. Well, this campaign educates people of the horrors of child soldiering in hopes of stopping this atrocity. The use of child soldiers has decreased in Uganda, but it is still a common practice in southern Sudan and I am sure that it still occurs in northern Uganda. I have also attached a link to a Wikipedia article on Uganda. If want to read and learn more about Uganda, feel free. If not, no worries. I will not quiz you later. This will be my last post from the US. The next post will be the first chapter of my adventures in Uganda! Thank you for your love, support, and prayers. I greatly appreciate them and I will be needing them over the course of the next 10-11 weeks. Lots of love to you.
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