Post #5: Love is Patient

What a week! Earlier this week, I taught the Ugandan equivalent of nursery school/Kindergarten at Faith. At first, I was thrilled as a group of wide eyed 4 year olds walked into the classroom. They were absolutely adorable, but I very quickly realized that teaching 4 year olds is not as easy/fun as playing with 4 year olds. This group was taught very early how to sit at desks, hold their pencils, and copy down whatever is written on the chalkboard. While they know how to be in a classroom, this group still gets distracted just as much as any group of 4 year olds. One student named Patience had a particularly hard time focusing and I had to keep saying her name to get her attention. Saying “Patience!” out loud so many times ended up being great reminder of what I needed most with those kids!

Without printouts and worksheets, learning to write letters/numbers becomes quite difficult. I’m not sure if you remember learning those fundamentals, but for me, I learned by tracing over dashes that made the shapes of letters/numbers and practicing over and over. Since there aren’t any printers, I drew my own dashed letters for the kids to trace over. This was a bit time consuming but really good practice for them. My handwriting tends to be pretty messy, but I really tried to step it up when making these trace over sheets because my disproportionate lines could make learning letters very confusing!

As the week went on, the number of kids in the classroom increased as well as the ages. Thursday and Friday morning, I was teaching math and English to 6 different class levels in one classroom! I felt like I was running sprints, dashing back and forth between different sections of the chalkboard. Once more kids are back and the teachers return, classes will be separated by age but with only a few kids from each grade level this week, it was easiest to keep them together.

Teaching English is not easy! For the younger students, I felt like I was performing “Sesame Street Live” as we practiced sounding out words and putting letter sounds together.  This can get a little confusing because of my accent but I’ve been trying to adjust my pronunciation of some vowels (a and i) to help. For the older kids, I structured the lessons like my high school Spanish classes. Since Spanish was my second language, the way I learned to speak and write it is the same approach taken to teach these kids English. Learning English is hard because there are often more exceptions to the grammar rules than words that follow them!

Teaching math is fun! Numbers and operations have a much more universal language and there are very few exceptions to the rules. This week, I worked on number writing and counting with the youngest class, addition with carrying to the tens place with the middle class, and very basic cross multiplication with the oldest class. Running between different levels of work made it difficult to work with students one on one but I tried to sit down next to struggling students and explain concepts in new ways as much as I could.  Faith needs a math teacher this term so I will be teaching 3^rd, 4^th, and 6^th grade math once all the students return!

Teacher Betty has given me guidance on how students are typically taught which has been super helpful! She’s a pro and specializes in teaching the youngest group. This week, she’s been running around getting the classrooms ready, making sure every student has a notebook, and organizing the curriculum book collection. The curriculum book collection is filled with a textbook, activity book, or lesson plan book for each grade and subject. They usually contain learning objectives and activities and are used by the teacher of the class. The publishers vary and many of these curriculum books were written over 15 years ago. While they’re not the most consistent and it would be ideal if every student had one of these books to study from and work through, it’s helpful that the teachers have some standard to teach from.

In addition to teaching classes, I played games with the kids at Faith and Good Hope this week! I have to make sure I explain directions slowly and simply or else the kids have no idea what to do. They’ve loved learning sharks & minows and tunnel tag!! I also brought jump ropes the other day and the kids loved playing with those, especially as a whole group (2 “spinners”, 1 person jumping in the middle). The students at Good Hope taught me their versions of tic-tac-toe and hopscotch- both which were very fun!

This week, Shadiah and Sami, two of my hosts at the volunteer house, left to go back to school. They’re both in Secondary School (Jr. High and High School combined) and live at school while it’s in session. Most secondary schools are boarding schools which makes it easier for students to focus on school work while they’re there. While we’re thrilled these girls are returning to school (both are sponsored as they’re families can’t afford school fees), the volunteer house is not the same without them! Mo, the other American volunteer, and I decided to throw a dinner party last Saturday to celebrate Shadiah and Sami!

Dinner prep started in the afternoon. We bought 2 chickens from a nearby market and made mashed potatoes, gravy, and guacamole! The avocados here are so fresh and abundant! Mo and I both share a love for avocados and are hoping to introduce Guacamole to every Ugandan we can. So far, those we’ve fed it to love it!

We invited Derrick, George Mike, the other KACCAD workers, and some of the teachers over for dinner. Everyone loved food (especially the guac) and ate plenty. Hidden, one of the KACCAD workers, brought over a speaker. Dinner was followed by over 4 hours of dancing. While I usually opt for a food coma nap after a large meal, dancing immediately after was a much better way to burn it off! The popular music here is a blend of American pop remixes, music from surrounding countries (Kenya and Nigerian are 2 big influences), and music made right here in Uganda. I’ve learned some of the music and some dancing basics thanks to Shadiah and Sami these last few weeks and a lot of it is really fun! The dancing styles match the music and range from reggae to hip hop. There are also a lot of traditional African dancing influences in most dancing styles. People here know how to move their bodies! Everyone dances and does it with incredible endurance.

I’ve downloaded some of the popular songs here onto my iphone and sometimes play them at school when we have a break. The kids are AMAZING dancers. Almost every one of them can do a split and cartwheel. They’re moves are creative and fun! I’ll take some videos to share in the weeks to come!

Thank you all for reading and cheering me on while I’ve been here! I’ve been learning a ton and hope these posts have given you at least a peek of what life is like here! It’s not always easy but encouraging notes, texts, and emails as well as frequent dance breaks help to get through the tough days. I’m so grateful!

Love,

Hannah

Working on some simple words and lowercase letters! Patience finishing up her work before joining her classmates for a break!

The walls at Faith were recently painted (yay!) but they're completely empty right now. The young kids get distracted so I'm making some things to hang up. Better to zone out at numbers than a blank wall! 

John, Ibrahim, and Steven, some of my friends at Good Hope, dancing on a rainy day! John loves my rain coat.

Steven and I have become good friends. Steven is usually laughing hysterically or crying hysterically. Life isn't always easy for a 4 year old at Good Hope!  He's a middle child and is often trying to keep up with his older sister. He loves playing with the older kids but sometimes gets lost in the shuffle being the little one. 

Shadiah and Sami joining me at Faith one afternoon to read story books!

A fun and delicious trip to an international cafe in Kampala before the girls left! 

Hanging out on the porch of the volunteer house- Saturdays are usually very relaxing!

"Dinner" and "Party"! Meat, including chicken, is a delicacy here! Each hen cost about 7 US dollars each

Preparing some veggies to flavor or dinner with

Pre-4 hour dance party!

Post #4: See You!

I’m loving being in Bulenga and day to day life here!! I decided to take the post to reflect on what the hardest adjustments have been so far and also include some pictures!

1. Timing- Even though I’m usually not a “watch-wearer”, I decided I should probably wear one while in Uganda (a new place, teaching classes, getting places, seemed like a good idea). Despite my plan, my mint-green Target-made watch broke the moment I stepped off the plane. While I was bummed at the time, I now realize how symbolic it was. Time barely exists here and a watch would be an unnecessary bracelet.

Bulenga functions around 3 “times”- Morning, Afternoon, and Night. There are no established hours determining when these times stop or start. If someone has to get something done, they’ll do it when it works out. The word “deadline” doesn’t seem to exist here and neither does the concept of “being late”.  Occasionally times are set for things, but it’s never a problem to arrive several hours late.  Even sunsets seem to be at inconsistent times - I’m convinced the sun sets here when it feels like it.

This has been the hardest thing for me to get used to. I’ve grown up being taught how important “being on time” is. Over the past couple of years, I’ve lived fully relying on a schedule that has “everything I need” carefully built into it- classes, meetings, events, coffee dates, study time, friend time, family time, church time, travel time, and sometimes even sleep time. Planning my time weeks in advanced has seemed like the only way to ensure everything would happen. Having a full schedule also has allowed me to live life calendar event to calendar event. If anything threatens to interrupt the pre-planned routine, I can simply say “I’m sorry, I have somewhere to be”.  I’ve worked hard to try to figure out how to optimize the 24 hours of each day factoring in personal productivity and efficiency depending on the time of the day.  I’d like to think that all of this put me in control of my time, but despite my significant efforts, 24 hours is never enough time to do everything and I usually end up weary as a result of not allocating enough time to sleeping.

In a place without iphones, outlook calendars, or expectations of being “on time”, people live free of the rule of a pre-planned schedule. People are far from lazy and still get plenty done, they’re just not concerned with the timing of it.  People go about their days starting one thing after they finished the last.

I’ve had absolutely not control over timing since my arrival. While living without a clock should be relaxing, I’ve gotten stressed out about the whole thing in a few instances. For example, no matter what time I set my alarm clock for and how fast I get ready in the morning, I can’t leave to teach until my hosts serve breakfast. They have a lot to do in the morning and while having 3 meals made for me a day is a huge blessing (the girls hosting me are amazing cooks!!), I’ve found myself stressed out from having to sit and wait and “waste time”. I’ve been trying to make the most of this idle time- some extra time in the morning should be a great chance to relax and pray before the day begins! It helps to nobody will be upset if I arrive late to school.  

Walking is the primary method of transportation within Bulenga. It’s not uncommon to walk a couple of miles to get somewhere. If the people here had fit bits, they would be dominating the steps per day competition. I usually walk over 2 hours a day (both Faith and Good Hope (the school/orphanages I’m teaching in) are 30 minutes away from the volunteer house and I try to make it to each weekday). At first, my walks felt inefficient, filled with stopping and talking to people on the way. Conversations can go on for a long time as people typically don’t say, “I’d love to talk, but should get going”. I’ve gotten more comfortable with it as time has gone on and hope to be able to make the most of these spontaneous heart to hearts.   And even though it takes a lot of time, I’ve come to really enjoy my walks!

While it’s been taking me a while to get used to, I think living without the rule of a calendar is a great thing for me. It’s reminded me that as much as I would like to believe I can “optimize” a 24 hour day with a tightly squeezed calendar, I have no control over time.  Not relying on my outlook calendar has forced me to rely on God and others more.  I’m slowly becoming ok with the idea of waking up and having only a vague idea with what the day will look like. And not planning everything in advanced means that I have time to help people on a whim and spend time getting to know people. I haven’t been bored yet!

(I just spent a lot of time writing this and you just spent a lot of time reading it! I hope it was time well spent!)

2. Sticking out: The first word I learned in Luganda was “Muzungu” [moo-zoon-goo, really fun word to say!] It means “White Person” and is shouted to me regularly by the children in the village. “Shouted” is probably not the right word- it’s more of an enthusiastic squeal or chant.  When I walk to school, I pass over a hundred of young kids. They’re usually helping their parents around their house, bringing water from the closest well, or playing outside. Most of them are too young for school or can’t afford the fees so they don’t know much English.

Spending my life up to now in America, I’ve never “stuck out” because of the way I look. When I imagined “sticking out” in Uganda, I predicted it would be a little awkward for the first few days but people would eventually get used to me. It’s only my 3^rd week here so people might get used to me with more time. But currently, I don’t fit in at all.

Walking around as a white person in Uganda is an experience unlike nothing I’ve experience before. I’ve been trying to think of something to compare it too. It’s kind of what I imagine walking around as Taylor Swift is like.  As I walk through the village to go to schools, I pass a lot of houses and shops. Kids come running up to me shouting “SEE YOU MUZUNGU!” and touch my skin or hair. Some will walk with me for a bit and others just stand back with a shocked looks on their faces. Their parents usually stare, some people say “hi!” and start to chat, and others just laugh. I’m usually unsure if they’re laughing at or with me but I usually take the opportunity to laugh with them because the whole scene is pretty hilarious.  As soon as one group of kids has left my side, another group joins and repeats the routine.

I try to talk to the kids when they walk with me but as I mentioned, they usually don’t understand English. Sometimes we’re able to exchange names and ages, other times just smiles and high fives. The one phrase all the kids know is “See You!” which can mean both “hi!” and “bye”. It’s a funny way to be acknowledged but it conveniently serves multiple purposes.

There is another American, Mo, volunteering with KACCAD while I’m here.  When the two of us walk together, it’s like we’re leading a parade. Everyone shouts “See you Buzungu!!!” (plural form of Muzugu) and large groups of kids excitedly join our journey. Aside from Mo, the only other white people I’ve seen in Uganda have been in an International Mall in Kampala. Even walking around the capital, it’s very rare to see another “Muzungu”.

It’s odd getting so much attention simply because of the way I look. Unlike Taylor Swift, I’m not an international Pop Star with a collection of Grammy Awards to prove my accomplishments. I didn’t achieve anything to earn this extreme recognition. Yet so many people are thrilled to meet me and want to be my friend simply because of the color of my skin.

While I’m still adjusting to the hype, I’m trying to take time to acknowledge my greeters and match their level of excitement! I love meeting new people and even though I re-meet some of the same kids I walk by on my way to school, I’m truly touched by the open hearts they welcome me with everyday. 

3. Kids with Sharp Things: This one is much more minor but it’s one more thing I still haven’t adjusted to yet. Growing up, I was regularly told to stay away from sharp things. There are habits I learned such as how to hold and use a knife properly, the dangers of running with scissors, etc. When I’m home, I still ask my parents to cut certain things for me because of my own clumsiness and the risks associated with blades.

One of my first days walking around Bulenga, I saw a little boy in diapers holding a long knife for his mom as she cooked. I gasped and resisted the urge to run over there and take the knife out of his hands. Diapers and knives just don’t go together in my head. I thought it was a one time case of neglectful parenting and considered the possibility that the mother was starting her son early for a career in knife juggling. But in the past few weeks, I’ve seen dozens of kids with knives in their hands. I’ve realized that in Bulenga, children are considered “responsible” at a much younger age. 

I first realized this when I saw girls as young as 8 or 9 carrying their infant siblings on their back. Girls learn how to care for babies at a young age and often help raise their younger brothers and sisters. Kids help out around the house and sometimes that means cutting things and holding knives. There are no knife drawers, knife covers, or kids scissors here. Kids have to learn with the real thing.

I still wince when I see knives in the grass near a group of kids playing or my students taking razor blades out of their pockets to sharpen their pencils. It’s shocking at first, but when I take time to watch, I realize these kids usually know what they’re doing. One of my students knows how to cut onions better than me!

I know that with time, I will probably get used to these things! Some things just take longer to get used to than others!

More updates to come soon! Thank you for reading!!

Love,

Hannah

I usually don't take out my camera out when walking around the village but here are some pictures from this week.

The picture was taken near our volunteer house by Sami, one of my hosts.

A popular past time for kids in the village- wheel + stick=hours of fun

Most of the roads in Uganda look something like this! Many are bumpier and more narrow

A woman who seems fruit, vegetables, and chicken on one of the main roads takes an afternoon nap

Laundry at the volunteer house! Hand washing clothes takes a lot of time but can be fun!

Going for am Eid day celebration with Mo, and Shakira,  Sami, and Shadiah, our wonderful hosts! A large portion of the Ugandan population is Mulim so the country observes September 12 as a national holiday

Post #3: Back to School

Hello!

My second week here has been going well! I’m still adjusting to life in Bulenga. It sure is different, but the less I compare it to the culture I’m used to, the easier it is for me to accept and embrace the “new norm”! I’m meeting more people, getting to know my way around the village, and even learning a little bit of Luganda!

The last stop for my orientation rounds was to the two school/orphanages that KACCAD sponsors. Education isn’t a public good in Uganda. Parents need to pay tuition for their child to attend school starting with Primary 1 [equivalent to 1^st grade in America]. Most parents want their children to receive an education but as you can imagine, this becomes quite difficult when money is tight and many families have multiple children!  As a result, a large number of kids in Uganda grow up without receiving an education.

For a child who is orphaned, getting an education is usually out of the question. In the Wakiso district alone, over 20,000 children have lost both parents. When a child is orphaned, they may go to live with grandparents, neighbors, and relatives. The household they join won’t receive any type of compensation for caring for an extra child, so in most cases, the new guardians of this orphan cannot afford to send him or her to school.

KACCAD started two school/orphanages, Good Hope and Faith Children’s Foundation, to ensure that this population that is usually overlooked had the ability to receive a primary education.

Good Hope and Faith are schools during the day. Students spend most of their days in classrooms learning Science, English, Mathematics, Literature, and Social Studies. Children don’t need to pay tuition for this education. The schools lack many resources as a result of limited funding. The first day I walked into a classroom at Faith, I felt like I was back in elementary school participating in a “One Room Schoolhouse” simulation of what school was like for kids a couple hundred years ago. There are no books, worksheets, posters, or reference guides. The classroom I’ve been working in contains a chalkboard, benches that wobble between holes in the ground, slightly taller benches that act as tables, a notebook for each student, a box of pencils for the class, and a box of chalk fragments.

While resources as severely lacking, the fact that these schools provide primary education to kids who would not otherwise have the opportunity to learn is very valuable. Many of the kids live full time at Good Hope and Faith. They sleep in dormitories right across from the classrooms and help out with daily chores & activities.

Right now, students across Uganda are on “holiday”. Instead of a big “summer vacation” every year, students have a few weeks off after every 3 months of school.

I’ve been to Faith nearly every day since my arrival! The dormitories are closed for the holiday to allow the caretakers to take a break. Most of the kids are staying with relatives but there are a handful of kids who don’t have relatives to stay with.  Those kids are staying with an incredible woman named Teacher Betty who lives down the road from Faith. Her “house” is tiny but her heart is huge. The kids that don’t have anywhere to go for the holiday are living in there with her right now. If that’s not love, I don’t know what is.

The kids that are staying with Teacher Betty as well as some kids that live close by still come to the “class” every morning. Not only does coming to school give them something to do, but it also gives them a chance to “keep their minds sharp” while reviewing material they learned in the previous term!

Despite my lack of teaching certification and experience as an educator, I’ve been leading “class” for the past week! Usually about fifteen kids show up for class, so we’re all together in one classroom even though the ages range from 4 to 13. I’ve been separating the group by age/grade level and assigning a few different levels of work (Math and English). Since it’s a small group, I’ve gotten to hop around and watch the kids work through certain problems. This has been a great opportunity to get to know them each individually, learn a little bit about how they think, and figure out what some of their difficulties are with the material they’ve learned.

After a couple of hours of work, the kids get to go outside. I’ve loved joining them for this part! I’ve taught them several group games & songs, and they’ve taught me some games & songs.  One day, I brought a storybook version of “The Lion King” with me to read to them while we took a break in the shade. When I pulled it out of my bag, it was as if I’d just pulled out a special-edition-never-before-seen Harry Potter Book. They were amazed and loved every morsel of what I considered a “standard story”. While earlier that day it had been difficult to find activities engage all ages, that picture book united everyone seemingly magically.

While the teaching has been a little informal, I’m so grateful I’ve had this opportunity to get to know this smaller group from Faith before over 100 other students come to join us on the 19^th! It’s been really nice to get to know each kid at least a little bit one-on-one. It’s also been a chance for me to review some of the things I’ll be teaching in the weeks to come!

I’ve only spent a few days at Good Hope so far. They have a class of Primary 7 [7^th grade in American] students who ranked highly last term and are staying for some pre-Secondary School “booster classes”! I got to teach them math the other day and was blown away by this group! They were so excited about learning and had such an evident thirst for knowledge. I moved quickly with them through some intermediate algebra problems and even gave them a difficult bonus problem that nearly all of them attempted!

There are also some kids who are living at Good Hope during the holiday that just kind of hang out in the schoolyard for most of the day. I’ve gotten to spend time with them when I’m not teaching and they are a wonderful group. I’ve enjoyed playing games with them and getting to know them. I look forward to having some of them as students when class is back in session and will continue to enjoy our time together becoming friends in the mean time.

While I’m starting to do some teaching, I’m still taking every opportunity I can to learn everything I can about life in Bulenga. I think I’ve been asking an average of 150 questions a day. I don’t think I can be an effective teacher unless I understand where my students are coming from.

Although this post was mainly logistics & details, I promise posts to come will be more reflective!   In the meantime, enjoy the photos below! Most of them were taken by kids at Faith or Good Hope- definitely some future photographers in the group ;)

I’m having a hard time getting the “subscribe” feature to work on this blog :/ You may have signed up but for some reason the “new post!” email notifications aren’t sending. I will continue to look into the problem but in the meantime, you can expect another post by next Saturday! 

Thank you all for the continual support and encouragement!

Love,

Hannah

I gave the kids my camera! They had lots of fun taking pictures of eachother! Here are a few:

Peace, Brennie, and Patrick from Good Hope!

New Friends John and Josiah!

An afternoon outside with Sheba from Faith! She's a jump rope champion! This day, we had fun playing in the yard across from Teacher Betty's house

The one and only Teacher Betty! She has the most incredible handwriting

John Paul from Faith teaching me Luganda

The classroom and schoolyard at Faith! It's small but over 100 students receive and education here

The classroom I've been teaching in at Faith!

Post #2: Settling In

Greetings from Uganda!!

I’ve arrived safely and have been welcomed so lovingly by the group hosting me! It’s only been a couple of days, but let me tell you a little bit about my time here so far:

After 2 long days of travel, I was thrilled to finally reach the ground when my plane landed in Entebbe Monday afternoon! I was greeted by Derrick who works with A Broader View. He and his coworker, George Michael, are from nearby villages and have fully devoted themselves to the betterment of this community (Bulenga and the Wakiso district as a whole). More about them later. As a Grey’s Anatomy and Arrested Development fan, I was excited that these were the first 2 names I learned!

After driving about an hour from Entebbe, we arrived at the volunteer house! This house is kept secure with a locked gate and was recently redone. It’s beautiful! Pictures below! The 4 girls who run the home greeted me. Shakira 1 and Shakira 2 are in university (both in their final year)! They’ve had to work very hard to make it where they are. Shadia and Sammy, 15 and 13 respectively, help out as well and are so much fun. We all sleep in a room together (3 bunk beds + suitcases) with the other volunteer here this fall, Mo. The six of us live out of this room. The house also contains a small kitchen, toilet & shower, and main room that serves as the living room, KACCAD office, and dinning room. It’s very different from a typical American house/apartment but in comparison to most houses in Bulenga, it’s luxurious! I’m still getting used to having an occasional cockroach scurry by, but besides that, feel very settled!

My first night was very relaxed! Shadia, Sammy, and I passed a volleyball back and forth for a few hours! I asked them tons questions about themselves, the volunteer house, and lifestyle in Uganda as we volleyed. They’ve gotten to know a number of Americans through hosting A Broader View volunteers so they were really great at explaining some of the key differences here. They made me a delicious dinner of spaghetti and potatoes and the 3 of us ate it while watching some of the DVD’s I brought with me- Frozen and Princess Diaries.

Tuesday and Wednesday, George Michael led me through orientation. He and Derrick lead KACCAD [Kyosiga Community Christian Association for Development], which supports a number of projects that seek to raise the standard of living of the underprivileged people in Bulenga. They received help from A Broader View volunteers and are partnered with a couple of other organizations with similar visions.  Orientation meant that George Michael took me around the village to learn about the different projects.

Walking through Bulenga the first time was very difficult.  I’ve seen pictures and heard stories of “poverty”. Seeing it living and breathing right in front of my eyes though absolutely broke my heart and continues to shatter it. I can’t figure out the best way to explain the standard of living in Bulenga but as I spend more time here, I will try to get more pictures and stories to give you a glimpse of what it’s like. Despite what I consider tragic living conditions, people here aren’t walking around crying “my life is so miserable!”. The ones I’ve met so far are very hopeful and content with the simplicity of having very little. They aren’t waiting around wishing for things to get better. They’re working hard and making the best of what they have.

As I walked with George Michael, he introduced me to projects past and present. We started at a nearby well that has provided clean water for residents of Bulenga and nearby villages. “Nothing will ever get done if people don’t have water”, George Michael explained. This man is incredible at his job. In a place with so many huge needs, he’s able to pinpoint which are the most critical.

After the well, we went to the health clinic which has an emergency room, delivery room, and vaccination room. It’s extremely limited in both resources and space. I was shocked to see that the emergency room is simply a closet-sized room with a bed and less tools than you’d find in a “Baby’s First Doctor Bag” toy.  The clinic is equipped with a refrigerator, which allows for vaccinations to be given. Additionally, there is a huge emphasis placed on education. HIV/AIDS and sanitation awareness are both key to keeping people out of the clinic and healthy on their own.

I spent most of yesterday (Wednesday) at Sew Much Hope, a sewing shop that employs women with disabilities. I met Rita and Winnie who both have difficulty hearing and speaking. They are able to support themselves through their jobs at Sew Much Hope. They make shoes and bags in addition to repairing clothes that people bring in. The man who runs the store, Hidden, communicates with them using some sign language and various facial expressions. It’s incredible what they are able to get done there.

The biggest challenge I’ve had adjusting to life in Uganda has been meeting people. While many people here speak English, it is not the same as the English I’m used to. Additionally, most of them learned Luganda first and that is the language they use to chat and talk to others on a day to day basic. The girls in the house and KACCAD peers are able to converse easily with me using english, but most people I’ve met in the village only use English formally.  As a result, most of my conversations with others stop after a “hello”, “my name is”, “how are you”, and “fine”.  I miss easygoing conversations, catching up, and heart to hearts, but am slowly learning to communicate and connect better with those I meet here! (Having George Mike and  Derrick to translate in addition to Mo, the other volunteer from the US also help a ton in the mean time)

My day spent at Sew Much Hope was very eye opening. Getting to know Rita and Winnie showed me that speech is not essential in interactions and communication. Although it’s difficult to exchange words with the people here, we can still share smiles, high fives, laughs, and nods of agreement.  Rita and Winnie and I had a day filled with laughter and learning without any talking! They taught me how to make sandals! It was a day long “craft” filled with labor and lots of recycled materials, but I really enjoyed spending time there!

Orientation wrapped up with visits to the orphanages I’ll be spending most of my time at! I’ll write about that next post J

I have so much more to say but you’re probably getting tired of reading and I’m getting tired of writing so I’ll save all that for the next post. I’m so grateful for the encouragement I’ve received and mounds of love, prayers, and support from home <3 thank you all! Feel free to reach out to me with questions and/or comments!

Love,

Hannah

PS I don't really think the "subscription" feature is working currently so I apologize if you didn't receive a "new post" notification! I will try to get that fixed ASAP! In the mean time, feel free to shoot me your email address at hannahkraus253@gmail.com and I'll add you to a mailing list to notify you when there's a new post!

The volunteer home/KACCAD office/vollleyball court

Shadia and Sammy after styling my hair into a pipe cleaner crown! They love selfies ;)

The lovely Rita with some sandals she's made! They currently can't afford the electricity to use the sewing machines but are able to hand sew things in the mean time! 

The sandals I made!