The Simple Life.

Hello!

I am back at the University in Mukono after a 10-day trip to Soroti and Sipi Falls. It is hard getting back into the aspect of school as my mind is still loving my rural home stay and hiking up to the most beautiful waterfalls I have seen.

On Saturday Oct, 24, we were all dropped off at our different homestays to be there for five days. I was super nervous because I was thinking I was going to being away from people who spoke my language and knew my sense of humor. Sounds immature I know, but it’s the truth. In Soroti they mainly speak the Ateso language, which I am not fluent in at all but managed to pick up a few conversational words well I was there (I found out that just saying “Eh” in response to things either got a laugh or an “eh” back). But basically my family consisted of a Poppa Nathan who was 70 something, a Toto Joyce (which is mom in Ateso) who was 50 something, and Sister in law named Scovia who was 30 something and she had 3 young sons living with her. Scovia and Poppa Nathan spoke English, so that was kind of a relief.

Anyways, mostly, my days consisted of me getting up early (6ish) to garden sweet potatoes and casava with Scovia, then to help prepare breakfast which we usually did not have till noon. In the afternoons we would rest a lot, maybe visit other people around the village. I also did things like spread cow dung on a kitchen floor, cut of a chicken’s head and slept in a faulty mosquito net that resulted in numerous mosquitoes attacking me in the night and buzzing around my head. But overall the experience was amazing. I can’t explain how impressed I was with the community and self sustainability these people lived on. They basically ate everything they grew (which was delicious) and there was always so much to eat too (always enough for any number of visitors).

On this program we have been talking a lot about the definition of poverty. I feel in our North American stereotypical view, that these people I stayed with appeared to be impoverished. But in the way they take time for others, provide for others, and live these beautiful, simple, self sustainable lives, I feel as if I am the one who has been impoverished. I learned so much on this stay; about their education, agriculture, and traditions and I will perhaps share more when I return home. After the home stay we had a debrief at a place in the mountains called Sipi Falls and it was wonderful. We went for a hike to see three different waterfalls and this whole time a friend and I had Saeglopur by Sigur Ros playing in our heads; epic. It was so amazing to be in the quiet of the mountains and truly appreciate God’s creation.

Well that is it for now… I miss you all, it is hard to believe it is November already! I hope life is good wherever you are.

P.S. The internet here is very sporadic so I apologize if I have not responded to e-mails.