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July 03, 2006
mbale
Mbale. Surrounded by mountains and vibrant green trees. Bicycles and people crowd the streets. The air smells of charcoal. Reggae-like music is playing somewhere always. And everyone is smiling. It's hot, though. I think I told everyone it was winter here. It is not winter here - not even close.
I visited TASO today. They enrolled me in the TASO Experiential Attachment to Combat HIV/AIDS (TEACH) program, and I begin tomorrow along with other students/professionals from Nigeria, Uganda, and Ghana. It's a 4 week experiential learning program and we'll be working out in the community/villages - "this isn't TASO, TASO is out there" TASO-Mbale's director said to me, pointing out his office window. TASO is next door to the Joint Clinical Research Center, Marie Stopes International, ActionAID, and the AIDS Information Center (this is good).
I have housemates, too! Grace is a nurse from Lira, and she's working at CURE during her school holiday. Yesterday, Helen and Jen arrived from Kenya. Helen and I went shopping yesterday for candles. They sold candles, tons of long, skinny candles; but, no candle holders. So, I bought the skinny candles and a soap dish, and I tried to join the two together. I made a huge mess - Katie would be pleased. I saw three butterflies and two lizards today. Oh, some folks asked me to investigate the way toliets flush south of the equator. I've looked and I have no idea. It all looks the same to me. I'll ask around, though.
One more thing - the staple food in Uganda is matoke. Matoke is a green banana and it's served mashed with meats and chickens and other stuff on top. HHHMMMM.
Posted by kmf23 at July 3, 2006 04:06 PM
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