The Chronicles of Nathan

Peace Corps adventures in Uganda, March 2006 - May 2008

Sunday, September 03, 2006

Moving Forward

The plan is for me to move out to my new village this week sometime. I have been in Kampala in the organization's office for about a month and it's time to get out of the office in the city and start tackling the plethora of challenges that await me in the village. I have started contact with an organization who has worked out a good methodology for doing what we want to accomplish in the village with sanitation and health. Hopefully I will be able to work toward implementing some of thier ideas along with David and the Captain, who will be my coworkers in the village. They live there now and so will be able to do a lot of good.

One of my first tasks will be to get my new house built. In the mean time I will live in a converted metal shipping container that serves as our rescue station. For a variety of reasons, we decided to hold off further work on my house until I moved there and I could be directly involved. I will also need to get a latrine built for me to use. My drinking and cooking water will come from a borehole (well) 4 kilometers away, so I will need to work out how to transport that water. I will need to figure out what I can eat and cook with what food is available in the village. I'm pretty sure there aren't any frozen burritos to pop in the microwave. I will need to become a part of life in the village. Based on activities people there have seen in the area recently, they will see me, as a muzungu, as having a lot of money and will naturally want to use that to thier advantage. I will have to overcome that by showing them why I am there and how I will be working along with them to improve thier health.

No time left in the internet cafe, so I'll stop there.

The next phase in the adventure is about to begin. I'll let you know how it goes.

1 Comments:

At 10/24/2006 6:08 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hi, Nathan,
So, is it too late for you to add a guest room with with glass windows and indoor plumbing on to your house? Where are Dad and I going to stay when we come visit?? Just kidding. We love seeing the pictures and are eager to see pictures of the finished product. We can't imagine what your life is really like, but I think it will be "better" when you have your own space again. Just keep on being you, and eventually those villagers are going to love you! I'm thinking the village woman probably already want to adopt you!
You know I love you much!
Mom

 

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