Children of the Corn

Just to recap some of my experiences so far, let's just say, that my stay at the Red Chilli Hideaway in Kampala was much better this year (my roomm wasn't as scary) and the monkeys running around and coming in for a close up to my camera are so cute and funny!


This year there are 10 volunteers unlike last year there were only 3 of us. They are an amazing group of people and getting to know them over the last week has been a blast! I had the pleasure of meeting with Benedict again- the headmaster of Almond school and now goood friend of mine- as well as my friend Jane who does some work with Right to Play, and helps us out on kids day in Kampala.

So far, I have not been yelled at for wearing shorts this time- I smartened up and brought more skirts with me. Our drive to Lira in Northern Uganda was good, minus cutting myself on barbed wire in the bush while taking a 'rest' stop (thank you tetanus shot!) We also stopped long enough to feed some monster sized baboons just after crossing the Nile river and finally our arrival at Almond was BEYOND welcoming! The students, came running up to us with hugs and loving words it reduced me to tears! They're so amazing words cannot express how much I love them! The schools welcome did not disappoint as many students performed poems, songs and dances as they graciously accepted us back at their school. We even jumped in and started to dance traditional Acholi style but I don't think I was able to shake my butt as hard as they did!


One of my favourite moments was bumping into a little village girl that I met last year and took so many pictures with (my students in Canada would recognize this girl since she's framed on my work desk)I wanted to put her in my suitcase and take her home with me she's so adorable. I found out her name is Dukas (I've impressed myself with my expanded Lango vocabulary when I asked her name) and she recognizes me from last year.

She played shy with me at first but quickly opened up and has not left my side (along with 10 other kids) since! Note to self: do not give out candy until the day you leave...I've been chased by the little kids who chanted for the mzungu's (or munu's in Lango) to give them sweets... the scene resembled an African version of the horror movie "Children of the Corn"- they really were coming out of the corn/maize fields! Lol! Not a day goes by where the little kids come running after us, hoping for us to chase them in return. They're always laughing and smiling its hard not to fall in love with these kids!