Feb Photo update

January and February are hot months in Uganda.  Not my favorite, I'll admit.  But there have been some dry air, blue sky days with banana leaves blowing in the dry wind that makes you think, of course Africa is beautiful and relaxed and full of life.   And the picture of pity that is often depicted doesn't even compute as people are smilingly pushing their wares down the street, chatting with friends as they sell chapatis on the side of the road, bathing their children and dressing them for school, hanging out at night around the charcoal stove laughing, singing, recounting the tales of their day.  

Mary has started a sketch book of "the way Ugandans do it"-- cooking, carrying babies, growing food, etc.   And I'm grateful for my time here that will never really allow me to pity another culture-- all people merit compassion with sickness, war, corruption, lack of access, financial hardship, etc.  But there are really no broad-brush strokes to paint a culture and its way of life as more or less lacking than another.  

I'm not really trying to be comprehensive in any real worldview statement as much as I'm saying that despite my personal aversion for the hot months, I can see and relate to the joys of the sun, the joys of a culture that is more connected with the earth and its seasons.  I know that when we move back and I meet up with a Ugandan friend for coffee some fall or winter day, at what I deem to be a cozy, sentimental time of year, I will understand what they are missing.  They are missing the equatorial sun that really does feel a bit nearer, the sound of leaves flapping, the laughter, the crowds, the loud music and evangelistic sounds systems strapped to pick up trucks, the meals of matoke with family who somehow also includes whatever visitors/extended family/clansmen/church folk/ etc happens to be there that day, wheelbarrows of pineapples and mangos and the ever present social life of their home culture. 

Okay, ramble aside, here are some pictures from the last 6 weeks-- two kittens have now left home leaving us with momma kitty and Orie (yes, keeping the tolkien naming theme strong here) .  

3 kittens in a basket!

Nursing mother keeping Daniel company!

A sketch of crested Cranes on barkcloth

The colors of Uganda to me-- was trying to work on some t-shirt designs for USP

Jean's birthday-- getting some assistance for smiling!

The cat has definitely been under less duress than the dog with the whole feeding babies thing!

Rachel's birthday when my parents were still here

Rachel and Noll both have Feb 4th birthdays--Rachel turned 5 and Noll turned 2!

Rachel definitely growing out of young child stage to fun child stage!

While the girls may have finished at St. Elizabeths, Jean has just begun and seems to be doing well!

We're all watching the monkeys playing... I have a one minute video but can't get it to upload!  Suffice to say, pretty fun to watch monkeys playing with a wiffle ball and each other!

Noll's cupcakes--- have to admit that after Mark, Jean, Rachel, I find I'm pretty done with the birthday gig! Sorry, Noll.  Luckily, I think you won't really remember this. :) 

Was trying to capture the three kids swinging, one girl jump roaping and Noll in the background toddling around with a toy CD player-- playing the same song over and over.  

The closing of one chapter, the opening of another-- School for the girls

This video from the Christmas production: Rachel is there with the the mike and her gomesi!

Goodbye-St. Elizabeth's Montessori!  The girls enjoyed their term at a local Montessori school where many UCU faculty are sending their children.  It is very progressive in Uganda in that it only offers school from 8-2 (most schools go from 7am-5+pm).  It has more hands on activities.  The ratio of students to teachers is 1:15 ( the government schools are probably around 1:100; private schools probably range from 1:20 up to 1:70).  The school also was focused on helping the children learn phonics and good reading skills early.  The director has a daughter living in the US so she does buy many montessori materials-- especially notable in the math department as I think children do learn math better with more representational concepts (blocks, counting, etc).  I felt like the academics were strong (perhaps stronger than international schools) but the socialization is what is most different for our kids at a local school.  I do think that if we were committed to living in Uganda long term, I might commit to the process of helping the kids settle in there as I think children can adapt.  The girls would have found ways to fit into that setting but also to enjoy other contexts where they could socialize as Westerners. But the area of identity in a group is a clear place where culture diverges.  I could see how cultural values and backgrounds differ in the way we socialize children (communication, appearance, discipline, manners, social skills with peers, etc) 

So, as December rolled around, I faced the question of what to do with the kids.   I had some ambivalence about how they were fitting in (esp. Mary) but frankly at this point, I was also worrying about "me" time!  With the girls leaving at 8 am and coming home sometimes at 1pm, I felt that I really still didn't have chunks of time to begin to explore some work (perhaps grad school) options for me.  (Not aided by the fact that I was homeschooling Daniel for that term-- anyone who wants to hear more about that can, but can't say that's a great fit for me and Daniel!)  And the Ugandan schedule means the big holiday is Dec/Jan/early Feb, 3 weeks off in May, 6 weeks in august/half of Sept.  We often travel June and July and I thought, "I'm never going to get any solid chunks of time!"

And here I am writing because with the switch to the new school and the use of a driver at times, I am finding I can get more uninterrupted periods of time.  I won't promise you that the time is totally streamlined and productive yet.  But it can be.  And it will be.  Except when Mark travels for 3 weeks.  And the kids get sick.  And they have a week off for spring break.  And Mark goes on the Rwanda trip.   And the kids get sick.  Okay, I may be exaggerating but even as I anticipate having some time, I'm trying to be realistic about the extent of my work/mental commitments.  

At pick up at the new school

In the end of quarter production

Mary's class-- that is Teacher Becky leading them! :) 

The whole school-- Daniel is hiding in the back with a sprained ankle

Abby, at home alone! Yeah! :)