I'm Officially a Peace Corpse.

Add It Up:

How many months I’ve been in Uganda: 24
How many months without running water: 15
How many liters of water I need to bathe: 4
How many books I’ve read: 53
How many movies I’ve watched: 510
How many TV shows I’ve watched: 55 seasons of shows, 4 miniseries
How many computer cables I have replaced because of unstable electricity: 3
How many nursing students I’ve taught: 11 in Social Psychology, 144 in Computing
How many camps I participated in: 5
How many trips to the Peace Corps Medical Office: 6 (mostly dental appointments)
How many times I shit my pants: 0 (there were a few close calls, but it never happened)
How many parasites I’ve had: 2 (Giardia at the beginning of my service and now again at the end)
How much weight I’ve lost or gained since arriving in Uganda: +10 pounds
How many snake encounters in my house: 4
How many other vermin I’ve had in my house: too many to count [various spiders, ants, termites, cockroaches, wasps, mosquitoes, flies, beetles, millipedes, moths, silverfish, misc. African bugs, lizards, and 2 mice]
How many towns/villages I’ve stayed (overnight) at in Uganda: 26
How many African countries I’ve visited: 4 (Uganda, Tanzania/Zanzibar, Rwanda, Egypt)
How many care packages I received: 38
How many pictures I’ve taken: 2,827 (plus 2,334 from other people)

Adventures:

Safari in Queen Elizabeth National Park
Two nights on an island on Lake Bunyoni
Safari in Murchison Falls National Park

Hiking at Sipi Falls

Camping and safari at Lake Manyara, the Serengeti, and the Ngorongoro Crater (Tanzania)
Two vacations in Zanzibar: snorkeling in the coral reefs, parasailing, spice tour, swimming in the Indian Ocean
Gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

Visited Rwanda: saw Genocide Museums, Hotel de Mille Collines, hot springs, Lake Kivu, and an active volcano at night (from far away)

White water rafting on the Nile River
Egypt tour: 6 pyramids, the Sphinx, 5 temples, the Valley of the Kings, snorkeling in the Red Sea, Egyptian Museum, Khan El Khalili bazaar

Kuluva Accomplishments:

Created a school brochure
Created lesson materials and taught Social Psychology to Diploma students 
Taught computing to Diploma students (Sets 1 and 2), Certificate students (Sets 9 and 10)

Created 2 different inventory databases (because the principal didn’t like the first one)

Created exam questions database
Wrote a grant for computer technology upgrade and internet connection (but it was denied)
Typed 30 pages of notes on Disaster Management for the principal

Peace Corps Accomplishments:

Was elected Secretary of Gender and Development Committee
Was a Camp Counselor at Northern Camp GLOW 2012, Girl Tech, Eastern Camp GLOW, and Northern Camp GLOW 2013

Taught nutrition at Eastern Camp GLOW

Taught nutrition to women’s group in Adumi
Was group representative on Volunteer Advisory Committee
Completed 5 trimester reports (with limited electricity and internet)
Wrote grant for Girl Tech (and was approved)
Co-Director of Girl Tech 2.0: coordinated staff and camper applications, created budget spreadsheet

This is Africa (TIA)

Monkey at my back door

Stuck in the mud

Snakes - one more time for your viewing pleasure

 

A small child with a machete - this is a common sight in Uganda 

Me on a boda in Rwanda (where helmets are required)

PEACE OUT!