A Week in the Life of Nansamba Emmy from the Ngabi Clan

Happy 4th of July to all of those US citizens out there!

Thank you again to all of those people who contributed money for the mosquito nets. Each of the boarders has a net on her/his bed now and the house mothers are making sure the kids are sleeping under their nets each night. Webele nyo nyo nyo!

The Schedule (loosely defined)
*Monday: Working with Musawo Lucy as she gives health education and family planning talks to women who are pregnant or at the clinic to immunize their children.
*Tuesday: Teaching life skills to the P2, P3, P4 students and then the P5, P6, P7 students and then off to kyotera to check mail and get lunch sometimes with B (the peace corps volunteer in Kibale – 21km west of me). If there is something particular I need in Ssanje, I get it on a Tuesday because it is market day. In the evenings, R the newest volunteer at Sabina who is staying for 1 year and teaching English and creative writing to the P5 and P6 kids, and I, have started a reading time to encourage the younger kids (P1-P4) to read or listen to stories. Later I often go with R and C to the trading center where we go to our favorite bar for sweet banana wine and a chat (similar, but a little cheaper 1 bottle = 400ushs (20 cents) as compared to 1 pitcher = $3.75, to Tuesday Moes and Joes outings in Atlanta).
*Wednesday: Travel to Kalisizo where I teach qualitative data analysis to the qualitative team at the Rakai Health Sciences Program. Often during lunch I meet up with my friend, J, after saying hi to her family. Depending on the day, I either go to Masaka where I spend the rest of the evening using internet, shopping at actual supermarkets, or hanging out in my hotel room watching a movie, OR, travel back to Ssanje.
*Thursday: Prepare for Club GLOW meeting. Club GLOW meeting.
*Friday: After lunch I travel to Ssanje Primary School where they have started a Club
GLOW and in the evening I walk to St. Mary’s for the health club which was started there.
*Saturday: Free day
*Sunday: After lunch I meet with the 6 girls (wishful thinking…often times more like 3 or 4) of the leadership from Club GLOW to discuss the coming weeks agenda. Afterwards, I either do computer with R, training with 4 kids or meet with Musawo L and the Ssanje women’s group (sounds like the name of a band) which is currently in the process of making reusable menstrual pads. In the evening, R and I have started a reading time for the older kids (P5-P7) to encourage them to read novels and not just picture books.

*Working in the library to help better the checking out process - continuous
*Teaching Nutrition/Cooking (funny…I know) to the Sabina Staff - TBA

**Obviously I have a lot of free time. During this time I read, prepare a lesson, or try to contact someone to discuss a club. More often than not I also use this time to decide/panic about what I am going to be doing with my life when I get back to the states. Presently the options include going back to school to get yet another degree (possibly an MSW/PhD in Social Work) or getting a job. I am leaning towards going back to school because it seems like the safest and most practical transition process.

FYI: This “day in the life” blog, dedicated to G and G from Louisville, KY (impossible to guess), exemplifies the limited routine in my life while I am living in Uganda. Some activities, depending on testing schedules, other school events, the inability of a teacher/coordinator to show up, or holidays, may not happen. I meet with Musawo L probably 2 or 3 times per week to sometimes plan for our women’s group meetings or just to say hi because she is awesome! Additionally, I also work with the parish clinic nurses and the committee to improve attendance as well as the facility. We just received a grant for solar power…good things are about to happen. Other, not as common events such as introductions (engagement parties which are approximately 6+ hours long and completely in Luganda) and seeing friends around the Rakai area also occur.