Congratulations, you have survived the night!

Yisuha owire.  In the language I'm learning, Lunyole, this is how you greet in the morning.  It literally means, congratulations, you have survived the night!  And, I've survived my first few weeks in Uganda and in Peace Corps training.  Obviously, this is the first time I've been able to access internet in the last three weeks, so sorry I've been so MIA and I won't be able to update you all on everything, but I'll do my best.  It also meant that I had over 100 emails to sort through.

Let me give you all a typical day in training, as if there was one!  Now that I am living with my homestay family, I have to wake up at 6:30 am and bathe.  My bucket baths are actually quite nice because the bathing area is outside (it's enclosed, don't worry) and I get to see dawn breaking.  I eat breakfast, which so far has been an assortment of things, including hardboiled eggs, yogurt, bread, muffins, apples and bananas.  I rush off to meet the other trainees so we can do the 2 km walk together to the training center.  Sessions start at 8 am, and they cover everything including medical, safety and security, language, teaching methods, learning aids, development strategies, peer teaching, life skills, etc etc.  They can be quite long with lots of group work, skits, discussions and questions, but it's a lot of information.  The first few days, I felt like I couldn't absorb anymore, but writing everything down has helped a lot.  We take break tea at 10:30- originally, we weren't all into the idea but now we almost riot if it seems like our break tea is going to be shortened or not taken.  It's obviously tea, but there are snacks there too, including popcorn on some days!  We eat lunch at 1, and we are supposed to be done at 5.  Usually it's more like 5:30, and I get home at 6.  I try to run or do yoga, but some days I just write in my journal or relax.  I usually bathe again around 7, right before the sun sets.  Some people in my host family bathe after dark, but I want to be able to see!  (Ugandans bathe twice a day, so I'm trying to follow their example.)  Dinner can be quite late at our homestays, but most days we eat by 8:45 or 9 pm.  For the most part, I enjoy the food!  The fruit in particular is absolutely amazing.  After dinner, I play cards with my host cousin and maid- they already knew crazy 8s, and I'm hoping to teach them some other games.  Bed time's about 10:30.

Just another note about language- I'm learning Lunyole.  We only found out last week, and so far I've only had 3 lessons.  The most exciting thing about it so far is I know where I'll be placed!  I'll be going to the southeast of Uganda, and the nearest big town is Mmbale if you want to look it up on a map.  Although the region that speaks my language is relatively small, it's a Bantu speaking language, which means most other Bantu languages will be able to understand me.  There are 54 languages spoken in Uganda, and Bantu languages are spoken in the south of the country, so it'll help a lot when I travel and get around.  In our training class, there are 9 languages being taught, the most out of all the other Peace Corps programs!

Today is the 50th anniversary of Peace Corps, so celebrate!  We actually sang happy birthday to Peace Corps and a current volunteer reenacted JFK's famous speech that started the Peace Corps iniative.  Also, a staff member baked us cookies and they were amazing.

Just a quick run down of what's next to come.  We're in Week 3 currently.  Week 6 we go on a week long trip with our language trainers and group to our region to be fully immersed in the language.  Week 8 we find out our official assignment and placement and actually go visit it.  Week 10 is the end!

So far, training has been a very interesting experience.  The first two weeks almost felt like adult summer camp because we couldn't really leave the compound due to security reasons.  People played their guitars at night, we lived in dorms, there was a dance on our last night, we ate all of our meals together, etc.  Now, it feels a little more real because we are living in the communities, finally getting to see the schools and doing more outreach.  It's been overwhelming too- there is so much information we need to know, so many things we need to get done and relationships to form.  One of the current volunteers said that training was the hardest part about her service.  I'm focusing on keeping a positive attitude and enjoying what I have right now- i.e. the access to internet, the supermarket close by (which has yogurt!) and all the new friends I've made.

I miss you all from home and hope all is well.  Sorry communication has been lacking- we're very busy most of the time, and I haven't bought a phone yet.  Working on it though.

(Note, I wrote this post yesterday at an internet cafe.  Moments before clicking PUBLISH POST, the power cut.  Go figure.)