Ok Proper Update
So it's been quite a while since I wrote a proper post. What have I been up to in the past couple of weeks? Let's see.....
Went to a district coordination workshop on peacebuilding one day and got to listen to the LCV (sort of like the premier of the district) discuss his conversation with Kony and the rest of the LRA leadership of the day before. Very interesting to get first hand information about world news which actually affects me.
The TOT training has started and ended. In this two week training we trained the team leaders from the new subcounty groups and some members of the municpal youth group as trainers to train the youth in the communities in peer to peer counseling, peacebuilding, conflict mediation and recreational leadership. The first day was such a nightmare, one of the trainers only showed up to say he couldnt' come that day - thankfully Mercie took over for the two hour session or else I have no idea what we would have done for those two hours, the district youth officer who opened the workshop invited Mega FM the big radio station without telling us so as I'm running around registering the participants, finding the trainers, getting contracts signed etc there's this guy trying to interview me. The interview did not go well - I never finished it. After that things went ok I think (I haven't read the training evaluation forms yet) except for me being an idiot and playing the recreational games on the first Tuesday in my super cute black flats (while they may be super cute they are not exactly ideal for sports) and ending up with blisters so large on the bottom of my feet i could barely walk for the next two days.
Had dinner with Alexa McDonough of the NDP who was visiting Gulu on a fact finding type visit. So Mercie and I along with a number of other NGO people had dinner with her to discuss the situation and what Canada can do, what areas she should advocate for in Parliament etc. She asked me to send her a short discussion of the impact of Canada's declining Mine action funding which I did today.
Went to Kampala last weekend to see people, go to the bank, and chill out. It was crazy - the bus ride down was hell, but when i get there and meet up with Chelsea and Chris it turns out i was the final piece of a oak bay high reunion in Kampala. There was myself, Chris, Emily Shelton (Grad 01), Elliot Bicknell (Grad 01) and Sandy Paulin (Grad 02) all in Kampala that weekend. Chris and Emily are volunteering at a hospital in Kampala and Elliot and Sandy are travelling around Africa.
On Wednesday night after the training, myself with the assistance of two of the male participant cooked a western style (pasta, cream sauce and veggie) dinner for the whole training. It was pretty funny the guys helping me didn't know how to chop veggies or anything but it went over ok though some people didn't like the food. But that's ok - I dont' really like Ugandan food.
Ok I think that's enough b/c I'm having one of those days when nothing is really wrong but you just sort of woke up thinking 'man I'd like to be home right now where things are so much easier and people know me etc' so I'm gonna go watch some episodes of friends or sex and the city until i feel better.
Went to a district coordination workshop on peacebuilding one day and got to listen to the LCV (sort of like the premier of the district) discuss his conversation with Kony and the rest of the LRA leadership of the day before. Very interesting to get first hand information about world news which actually affects me.
The TOT training has started and ended. In this two week training we trained the team leaders from the new subcounty groups and some members of the municpal youth group as trainers to train the youth in the communities in peer to peer counseling, peacebuilding, conflict mediation and recreational leadership. The first day was such a nightmare, one of the trainers only showed up to say he couldnt' come that day - thankfully Mercie took over for the two hour session or else I have no idea what we would have done for those two hours, the district youth officer who opened the workshop invited Mega FM the big radio station without telling us so as I'm running around registering the participants, finding the trainers, getting contracts signed etc there's this guy trying to interview me. The interview did not go well - I never finished it. After that things went ok I think (I haven't read the training evaluation forms yet) except for me being an idiot and playing the recreational games on the first Tuesday in my super cute black flats (while they may be super cute they are not exactly ideal for sports) and ending up with blisters so large on the bottom of my feet i could barely walk for the next two days.
Had dinner with Alexa McDonough of the NDP who was visiting Gulu on a fact finding type visit. So Mercie and I along with a number of other NGO people had dinner with her to discuss the situation and what Canada can do, what areas she should advocate for in Parliament etc. She asked me to send her a short discussion of the impact of Canada's declining Mine action funding which I did today.
Went to Kampala last weekend to see people, go to the bank, and chill out. It was crazy - the bus ride down was hell, but when i get there and meet up with Chelsea and Chris it turns out i was the final piece of a oak bay high reunion in Kampala. There was myself, Chris, Emily Shelton (Grad 01), Elliot Bicknell (Grad 01) and Sandy Paulin (Grad 02) all in Kampala that weekend. Chris and Emily are volunteering at a hospital in Kampala and Elliot and Sandy are travelling around Africa.
On Wednesday night after the training, myself with the assistance of two of the male participant cooked a western style (pasta, cream sauce and veggie) dinner for the whole training. It was pretty funny the guys helping me didn't know how to chop veggies or anything but it went over ok though some people didn't like the food. But that's ok - I dont' really like Ugandan food.
Ok I think that's enough b/c I'm having one of those days when nothing is really wrong but you just sort of woke up thinking 'man I'd like to be home right now where things are so much easier and people know me etc' so I'm gonna go watch some episodes of friends or sex and the city until i feel better.
posted by Erin at 3:36 PM
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