Yesterday I made 6 months in Uganda! Can you believe it!?
I'm not lieing when I say I have never felt months fly by as I have here!

When we first arrived we were asked to complete a form for Project Trust called 'First Impressions'
I wanted to share my first impressions with you and how I'm feeling now :)

Arrival
My initial feelings stepping off the aeroplane was panick... I didn't have any suncream on and it was hot! This red head was going to burn on her first day.
All of walking towards the airport, we were like little childre, giggling away, all giddy with excitment. Seeing the 'Welcome To The Pearl Of Africa' sign, it was so surreal, we were finally in Uganda!
I remember being in the car with Vic driving to our project. My heart was racing, due to the fact I had just realised what exactly I had let myself in for. We were driving down a hill full of pots holes or what Ugandans say, we were driving down a ROAD! I just remembering stopping and looked around at the wilderness, we were in the middle of green nowhere!
Our bags were taken by a little lady and plonked in a dark green room. The house was pleasant. Better than I expected. For starters it was a brick structure, Vic and me thought we going to some kind of mud hut :)
Vic and me were just sat in our new house in silence. People were passing by, greeting us and then we couldn't remember their name when they walked past again.
I had left one of my bags at Isabels and James bouse so that didn't help settle my nerves.
For some reason Vic and me just sat whispering, as in fear of something!

Food
In the Ugandan dictionary food means, Carbohydrates and lots of them! You can't get away from them and if it isn't a carb then it would of defiantly been fried!
Madam Jane had already made us lunch so we guessed that she would be doing dinner too. It was coming to half past 9 and we were starving and yet no food had come. We had come to the conclusion that they must not eat dinner in Uganda! Then 10pm Jane walks in with a plate of rice. We were so happy - A year without dinner yikes!

Smells
The first smell that hit me was the long drop! It certainly wakes me up every morning I pop along!

Market
"Allo Mzungu, Allo Mzungu" this being shouted at us from all directions. Everyone was friendly though and helped me when paying for the vegetables - I was getting the 10,000 and 1,000USh notes confused.
It's certainly alot different to walking to Tescos but I prefer it this way - Atleast we get service with a smile here ;)

School
Bulenga Modern Primary School had gone back to school a week early, so there were only a handful of children who attended the first week. I was glad though, it was a goo way to settle in, get a grip on our surroundings and have a chance to observe other teachers in action. It was a lovely first week playing with the children - They taught me how to make a Grasshoppers house :)
It wasn't as basic as I had thought. There were desks (not enough) but there were some and the children had a book and pencil. But still the roof leaks, windows are broken, holes in the floor but it doesn't really matter what the school looks like aslong as they were having a good education and I was very pleased that the teachers I had met really enjoyed teaching.

And now...
I've now got used to the climate of Uganda and find myself very cold in the mornings. Who would of thought I would of been wearing a Craghoppers fleece in Uganda!
The long drop still hums and we are still munching away on Carbohydrates - Some things you cant change :)
You can't get away from "Mzungu, Mzungu" that's always shouted at you but the children are so excited when they see a white person walk by and sometimes the adults get excited waving too.
School stil has a roof that leaks etc but we've tried to brighten up the walls with wall charts, displays. That's all we can do really..

So 6 months down the line and I'm still very happy. I'm still very happy with my Ugandan lifestyle and all the people who surround me.
I've made some wonderful, wonderful friends. We're all so close, like a little family, it's great as we're all from such different backgrounds.
And everyone in the compound, they're my great family too! 6 months ago there were strangers but they have been so good to us. They didn't have to be, I know some of the others haven't had nice neighbours. I don't think we would of been able to do it all if it wasn't for Madam Jane. She showed us everything, taught us everything and we're still learning so much from her. She's our Mumma Jane and we love her very, very much!

Yours, Madam Emma x x x