Eat, Pray, Peace Corps: You are lost!

You are lost! A common phrase said to someone here when they have not seen you in awhile, a phrase i have been receiving quite often this past week from all the people along my walk to work, as i had been away from my site for about 3 weeks. As i walked with my friend Tony to go buy eggs from people who rear hens in their homes, I heard a man call out Chelsea! I had met this man, Patrick, walking home one day from work and recognized his face as someone i had recently traveled on a taxi with to a town outside Jinja. We became friends chatting, him curious about my work and me also curious about him as he was so friendly (not in that way where he wants something from you!) and never once called me "muzungu". Anyway, i stopped to chat with him and the first thing he says to me is "ah but you are lost these days! We have not seen you around Nakabango and we were all beginning to think you had left and went back to America." I laughed and explained to him that i had been in Kampala and Mukono for some work trainings, reminding him that i still have 1 year left here in Uganda. I had gone away for a few days sometime back and had not told my friend Tony that i would be gone. When i returned he said to me "I was so worried you had left back to America!" with a concerned look on his face. So, this time i made sure to inform him i would be gone because i can not imagine the anxiety that 3 whole weeks would have caused him! There is really no sense of privacy here, everyone must know your business and your whereabouts. Just yesterday my neighbor said to me "ah i did not see you yesterday so i thought you had gone to Kampala since we had no electricity!". As if i am not used to having no electricity sometimes? I find it funny that because i had been away in kampala for sometime he now assumed i would just pick up and leave for the capital if he didn't see me around for one day (by the way, i was at work that day).

When i finally made my journey back to work after being gone for 3 weeks (in the US for my sister's wedding, and then after away for PC trainings), it was as if i was having to integrate into this community for the first time. Kids were shouting muzungu, forgetting my name, yet i had worked tirelessly everyday for the past 3 months to teach them my name and not to call me muzungu. Anyway, i guess this is what happens when you are lost for a long time! It only took one walk to work and a few reminders for them to remember my name and continue shouting "Kyomugisha, Byeeeeee!" as i returned in the evening.

I have also realized that i have been "lost" from blogging. Sorry sorry! The past month has been so busy with visiting home, all volunteer conference and then mid service conference (MSC). Its hard to believe i have been here now for 15 months, to be quite honest it has FLOWN by. MSC reminded me that my time here is short, although to people in the states 2 years may seem like forever, it really is a short time to volunteer and try to create some sort of sustainable impact in your community. I struggle with this everyday, thinking to myself, "is what im doing here making an impact and will anything im doing actually continue on after i leave?" The two biggest questions every PCV struggles with. Anyways i am trying! The next week will be busy busy busy. I received 100 mosquito nets through PC to be given to my community and health center. I am working right now with 2 local counterparts going door to door identifying homes that do not have a net. These homes then receive a voucher i made for 1 bed net and must come to the health center next Tuesday where they will receive health education from the nurses, my 2 counterparts and myself on malaria symptoms and treatment, bed net maintenance and repair and the importance of sleeping under a net every night. This coming up weekend i will be traveling out far east to Mbale for welcome weekend - a fun weekend hosted by older PCVs to welcome the newest PCVs to Uganda. I will then rush back home on Sunday, prepare myself to look "smart" and head to my neighbors wedding! Then in just over a week i will be receiving my final visitors to Uganda, my mom and dennis. I am so excited to see them and travel around Uganda. Lots to look forward to this month! Enjoy the random pictures of my babies.....