Gulu, In Pictures

I have made it back to Gulu after another week in Kampala.  The good news is, I made it through the week without any tragedies, calamities, or breakdowns.  I'm making progress!!  I had a bit of an odd day yesterday, though not entirely unique to Uganda.  As many of you probably already know, I love making lists, so here's another one:

1.  Mailed some stuff and licked stamps for the first time in years.  The stamps included one of the Pope's visit to Uganda in 1983.
2.  Got lost on a boda in an industrial neighborhood called Ntinda.  That was after the driver assured me he knew how to get me where I needed to go.
3.  Ate a grasshopper.  On purpose.  The lovely lady selling me seed beads and jewelry wire insisted.  So I finally caved.  It....really wasn't bad.  I'm not going to run out and buy a full serving for myself or anything (I can't take the eyes staring at me) but it certainly didn't make me gag.  This is huge for me, folks.  I don't do bugs.
4.  Was grabbed a little too aggressively by a fellow selling in the market.  I threatened to hit him (by, you know, swinging my fist quite near his face.)  He screamed like a girl and backed down.  He then tried to recover his bravado in front of his friends of course, but I think he'll think twice before grabbing/pulling the next "Mzungu" girl.
5.  Figured out how to cut a full day and $50 off my next and subsequent Kampala trips.  (Given that all goes well with the printers, that is.)  Yippee!
6.  Saw one of the huge cranes that fly around Kampala get hit by a car and get back up again.  I think he was gimpy and couldn't fly because he was just hobbling around both before and after the hit.  Poor little guy.  Or maybe he was drunk?
7.  Went grocery shopping at a real supermarket and dropped too much money starting my food supply for the next six months.  All the little spices and cans of chickpeas (!) really add up quick!  But I'm so excited to go home and cook!!!
8.  Ate dinner at the hotel to the soothing teenage rock tunes of the late '90s.  God must've spent a little more time on you!
9.  Finished the evening off watching a movie (Young Victoria) on my laptop thanks to the generous expat community's shared movie files....  

Quite a day!

Now, to make up for the last post with no pictures, I thought I would take you all on a picture tour through Gulu.  The following are most of the places I visit on a regular basis.  It's not exhaustive, but it'll give you a decent idea of my little world.  So......here we go!!

W E L C O M E   T O   G U L U ! !

We're starting at the house I spent my first four months in.  This is the front side that you would see from the main road that leads to Kampala.  I lived around the back side on what would be the left side when looking at this photo.  The middle there is the small shop they ran out of their home.

We're walking, we're walking....

This is where my office was.  I say was because David hired a few more people and there just wasn't room for me there anymore.  I'll be working from home now when I'm not with the women, which has been a whole lot more in the last month or so than before, so it's just fine by me.  Still, I spent an awful lot of time here my first few months, so I thought you all should see the place.  It's all locked up because I took the photo a few hours ago - Saturday afternoon.  It's usually bustling with people concerned about their savings.

Let's move on to the market.

This is the entrance/outside street of Owino Market.  Same as in Kampala, Owino translates to Everything, though it's MUCH smaller than the one in Kampala, and much less pushy.  Still, you really can find just about anything here.

Anyone care to stop and shop?  Table runners, anyone??

Here we've arrived at my church.  I visit every Sunday morning and often on Friday evenings (they do ward activities every week at 5:00pm followed by ward choir - recently started by yours truly.)  We'll be moving buildings soon for two reasons; one, as you can see, this place is kind of a dump....  two, we're busting at the seems in here!

These two women happened to be at the church when I went to go snap a shot of it and insisted I take their photo.  Ugandans LOVE  having their picture taken.  They want to see the display screen and they want you to have it.  That's all. 

OK, let's move people!  Follow the umbrella!!

We've now arrived at the Gulu branch of the Uganda Post Office.  I visit almost daily.  Though I rarely have mail.  Pathetic?  Maybe.  Mostly just desperate for some contact from the outside world.  Do you feel guilty now?  Don't feel guilty, just send me something!!  :-)  I really wanted to take a picture of the red side of the building for my Ugandan Profundities segment because it used to be HOT PINK!!  I laughed every time I saw it because where else can you find a pink government building?!  Nowhere, only in Gulu.  But then, they painted it while I was in Ecuador.  Tragic!!  I still lament the loss of pinkness regularly. 

 

Upwards and onwards, folks!  

Now we've reached the Momma Florence home.  They are one of my favorite families here in Gulu.  There are seven children and the mother (occasionally the father, but he's in the military stationed in Central Africa) staying in this tiny one room apartment.  When I say one room, think "old log cabin" one room.  As in, this door you see here is the only one in the home.  I'm not really sure how they manage it, but they do.  And they are one of those families where everyone is welcome all the time.  In fact, this photo has only one of their seven children in it (you can only see part of her head, she's hiding in the back.)  The rest are just neighbors hanging around waiting for the rest of the family to come home. 

This is Happy - she's the one hiding in the other photo.  She's standing in the alley you have to walk through to get to her home. 

Vhen du willst (that one's for you Meaux and DLJ!) let's stop here at Pece Stadium.  I wouldn't say I come here regularly, but lots of events are held here.  Rugby, football (soccer), political speeches, etc.  Today was the high school field day with lots of loud music blaring out of those over-sized speakers.  I seriously can't figure out how those kids can stand that close to them! 

We're now arriving at BJz.  This is the pub that holds the pub quiz every Thursday night and is where a lot of the expats hang out on the weekend.  It's also where I watched my first real rugby match and fell in love with it. 

Let's keep moving.

Here we have my current residence.  I moved in with my friend Tiziana on the first of June, and she has been a very gracious host for the last few weeks.  Thankfully though, I think I have found a permanent place to move in to (*fingers crossed*, *knocking on wood*) so I should be moving out again soon.  It's a house split in two, we live in the right side.

Good work, people!  We've reached our last destination; where I am seated right now, due to yet another power outage; Coffee Hut.  It's the place that has free internet, only with over-priced Americanized food.  It definitely serves a purpose, and I have been grateful for it on many occasions, but I think I have just spent too many hours in here.  As you can see, this is another expat favorite.  Or near necessity, take your pick.  Anyone care for a milkshake while we're here?

And there you have it, folks!  The wonderful, busy, small, dirty, and yet fairly enchanting town of Gulu.  That's my world for a year.  It's little, but I'm happy with it.  Thanks for visiting, we hope you have enjoyed your stay and we hope you come back soon!

You Are Now Leaving Gulu.