A Lazy Sunday in Kampala

Isn't it nice to just have a lazy day once in a while and a Sunday over the Christmas / New Year holiday is the perfect time to have a lazy Sunday.

We had breakfast on the balcony listening to the singing from a church drifting across the valley. Yesterday we took out Ugandan Shillings from the Christmas money given to us by the boys in the UK and went to the furniture market. This is amazing and consists of lots of small businesses making and selling mainly wood, cane and raffia furniture alongside the main road into Kampala. With a bit of bargaining we bought two raffia chairs with removable cushions and a small wood and woven raffia coffee table for the balcony. These were freshly varnished so today was the first time we could make use of them. It was so peaceful and lovely to sit on the shady balcony and chat over breakfast.

When we finally dragged ourselves back inside we got on with some washing, e mails and letters to complete the job of closing things down in the UK for 2 years. We had a UK classic for lunch, sausages, mash and gravy with some fresh pineapple and banana to follow. Then an afternoon of reading. At about 5 we thought about going out for a walk, but it was too much effort so we just went downstairs and had a drink and chat with our neighbours for an hour or more.

Our Christmas was also shared with fellow volunteers and friends. There were 5 of us in the flat for Christmas dinner with home-made crackers and everyone providing some of the meal.

We couldn't organise a Christmas Tree this year and anyway all of our carefully accumulated decorations are at home in York, but Glen did a great job with a set of Christmas lights. The little decorations are locally made and sold in craft shops. These will go home and add an African feel to our decorations in years to come.

A Christmas Eve visit to the Equator

Christmas Eve is usually a very busy day of cooking and preparations. There are mince pies and sausage rolls to make, the turkey stuffing to do, the gammon to prepare and all the vegetables to get ready for Christmas day. With a 2 ring gas hob and no oven none of that is happening this year so we've been able to use the time to have a day out.

We are just 90km from the equator here so having never been to the southern hemisphere we decided that today was the day to visit. Kampala was still very busy with the usual traffic so it took us over an hour to get clear of the city. After that it was a pleasant drive along the road south towards Masaka. The road is mainly good tarmac but there are also the ubiquitous Ugandan roadworks where you are driving on hardcore or dodging potholes in a red dust cloud.

Just to prove we have been there, Glen at the equator.

Of course the first thing to do when you arrive is to find a cafe! There is a good one run by the Charity AidChild where we had a cold soda and a burger. In Uganda all bottled fizzy drinks are known as sodas. You then ask for the brand name you want, Cola, Fanta, Cresta etc. You can see our Rav 4 in the background.

A typical Ugandan street market we passed on the way.

We got back around 6 feeling very tired. It's not very far by UK standards but with the Kampala traffic at both ends of the day and the bumpy dusty sections of the road it feels much further.

Christmas Preparations

Uganda is getting ready for Christmas. This is the main annual holiday here with the schools closed for nearly 2 months and the new school year starting at the end of January. It's also an opportunity for people to take a well earned break with most offices shut for 2 weeks or more and some of our partner organisations are shut for a whole month from 13th Dec to 13th January. Most people go back to their villages and meet up with their extended families. This means that the roads are very busy as so many people are travelling.

I'm also lucky enough to have two weeks off for the Christmas holiday. I finished work on Friday (20th) and the office doesn't reopen until 6th January. We all went out for dinner on Friday night to a lovely restaurant on the edge of Lake Victoria, or to be more exact Murchison Bay as Kampala is north of the main lake. As well as dinner we also had a version of Secret Santa and all received a gift. I'm delighted with a set of Ugandan woven place mats that will look great on the table. Up to now we've been using some pieces of cardboard as the place mats from home didn't make it into the suitcases. We'll use them for Christmas day dinner - watch this space for a picture!

The VSO end of year party was also on Friday night. This was at a restaurant / club / music venue called Jazzville. I went after the dinner to meet up with everyone and join in the dancing! In fact overall it's been a busy week socially. On Tuesday several of the VSO volunteers went to an Indian restaurant for a meal and to say goodbye to people heading back to the UK. On Thursday we went to a Thanksgiving Service at a local church at the invitation of a Ugandan work colleague. It was certainly different from anything in the UK, preceded by a meal and with lots of singing and dancing.

Over the weekend we've been relaxing and getting shopping done for Christmas. Much the same as home really but in warm sunshine instead of cold and dark days.

Working in Gulu

This week I travelled to Gulu in the North of Uganda with two Ugandan colleagues to meet and introduce myself to the staff at 4 of the partner organisations. Everyone was very friendly and welcoming. We looked at the monitoring forms which are due back straight after the new year break, the minimum governance and financial requirements for funding being introduced for all partners and the financial systems in place at each of the partners. It was good to have the opportunity to discuss the challenges the partners are facing and think about ways I can help set up systems to make things easier. This week I need to create a template for re-profiling their second year budgets and plan a timetable of visits for the new year to spend a longer period of time with each partner. I think I'm going to be getting to know Gulu much better!

We travelled up on Monday, allowed a day to meet each partner, and travelled back on Saturday. Thank you to my colleagues for being such good company and for teaching me more about the Ugandan way of life. I've been introduced to a range of Ugandan foods this week. A traditional Ugandan lunch includes several types of carbohydrates, matoke, posho, sweet potato, potato, rice and chapatis with either fish, chicken, beef or goat. An alternative to the meat or as a side dish is beans, assorted types of beans in a tomato based sauce often including other vegetables. Matoke is a staple made from green bananas and posho is made from cornflour.

VSO have a significant presence in Gulu with an office there and several international volunteers based in the town. I got in touch with a Gulu based volunteer I had met in Kampala and we met up with several of the other volunteers at a restaurant for dinner on Wednesday night. A bit challenging as it had rained heavily during the day so the road to the restaurant was flooded meaning we had to go around a different way. It was great to meet up with the volunteers in Gulu and I'm sure I'll see them many times on my travels to Gulu.

Deserted Gulu streets in the rain

While I've been away 'up country' my sister in law has visited Glen's mother and step father back in the UK. They have been looking after the teddy bear that Glen gave me for my 22nd birthday, who is simply called 'Bear'. Bear has obviously been having some adventures with his 'aunt'!

Getting Around

Well we've done it - we've finally given in and got ourselves a car! It's a little Toyota RAV 4 - RAV stands for Recreational All-terrain Vehicle, which seems to describe it rather well. It certainly seems to bump over the many speed humps and potholes rather well. Glen is busy sorting out light bulbs that don't light, washers that don't wash, air conditioning that only blows out hot air and strange noises.

Other volunteers who've got a car say it's really changed their experience as suddenly they can go and explore. We're certainly looking forward to getting out of Kampala and discovering more of this beautiful country.

Yesterday we went over to one of the shopping areas on the other side of town and went to a big home store and supermarket. It was great to be able to buy what we needed at a reasonable price without having to worry about how we were going to carry our purchases home.

For the past 2 months I've been getting around without a car or bike. This basically leaves 4 means of transport:

1) Walking. The advantages are that it is free and improves fitness. The disadvantages are the heat, especially in the middle of the day and the number of hills. This means that you inevitably arrive at your destination hot and bothered even where the distance is perfectly manageable in the UK.

2) Matatu. These are the 14 seater minibus taxis that go on set routes all over the city. The advantages are that they are cheap (about 30p to get into the centre of town) and reasonably comfortable and fast. You need local knowledge to use them as there are no route maps, timetables or numbers. Sometimes you get a seat on one straight away, other times you can wait half an hour or more for one to arrive with a spare seat, especially if you are travelling in a group.

3) Boda Boda. The motorbike taxis that are everywhere in the city. They are more expensive than a Matatu, at least 2 to 3 times the price or more depending on your bargaining skills. They are quick as they can weave between the cars and Matatus but can feel very insecure depending on the rider. They are also notorious for accidents. Also if you are using Bodas you have to carry your motorcycle helmet with you for the whole day, into restaurants, supermarkets, meetings etc. However, there is nothing quite like zipping through the town in the warm sunshine on the back of a Boda!

4) Special Hire. Basically what we would call a 'Taxi' with a price to match. Not unreasonable considering the cost of cars, parts and fuel here but outside the means of most volunteers. Anything from £7.50 to £10 depending on the distance travelled and your bargaining skills. Useful if you need to bring home big items (I got my fridge into a special hire!) or for several of you returning home late.

Finally I've copied Glen's description of a journey into the centre of Kampala in a taxi (Matatu)  as it is a brilliant, graphic description.

'You choose to take a taxi so walk along Tank Hill Road, there are stops but who knows where they are. Behind there you there is the Phut Phut of a knackered diesel engine and a persistent toot toot, A rusty white Toyota van with windows and a blue and white checked stripe comes up behind you zigzagging wildly from side to side on the road at about 15 mile per hour with the conductor hanging with an imploring arm out of the side window trying to catch the eye of every pedestrian, shop keeper or stray dog, (they don’t like travelling if they are not full). A slight raise of an arm and the thing veers in your direction right across the path of other traffic and the question is “Nakasero?” (The central Kampala square taken over as a bus park).  A slight nod, with the thought I should ask how much this is, and you are offered an open door to wall of bodies, thank heaven for going caving with Alan Crossley, you twist and gyrate your way through and over the people, bags, chickens and other food stuffs to find a perch on the once lushly upholstered red and gold patterned upholstery.  With a cough and a splutter and a disappointing, thurrrr, tut tut the vehicle staggers into movement as the bus conductor hops along beside trying to become paper thin so as to hold his place next to the window between wall to wall seats and the door so as to wave his arm imploringly at any other potential customer. The vehicle bumps, grinds and clangs its way in a cloud of black smoke, regardless of whichever side of the road it should be on, trying to steer a path between the pot holes and least raised pieces of speed bump. All while it is surrounded by a swarm of Bodas like flies, none seems to be able to actually overtake, undertake or keep apart yet none give up the struggle. Soon you catch up with another taxi as it pulls out from the side of the road and friendly rivalry develops because each wants to be in front to catch the next passenger.  This performance staggers to the end of Tank Hill road and launches from a junction where it has neither priority or care onto Kabalagala a street of shops and thatched stick built night clubs, (think Tortuga form Pirates of the Caribbean) before wedging itself sideways into the traffic jam which is Ggaba road.  From here on down it is push and shove with no intention to leave handlebar room for the Boda Bodas in between all the way to the Roundabout (and I use the term lightly) to cross the Entebbe Road. Here revving of engines and small jumps forward to assert the right to the next foot of road ahead with much gesticulating and paper thin gap judgement between drivers on all sides is the order of the day, until finally you emerge on the Nakasero side and race, halt, race, halt to the turning to the old taxi park. This is a turn right up what looks like a driveway, which you are trying to make from the left hand lane in order to steal a march on all those who got to the right and got stuck in the queue. Somewhere here without regard for anyone else the conductor opens the door and you pile out paying your 1,200 shillings (about 30p) and the taxi disappears into what appears to be a shop front but is actually the entrance to the Old Taxi Park. The theme parks of the UK have missed this ride.'

A Different World

A very interesting and different day today and not at all what I expected when I left home this morning! I was expecting a quiet day working on a report and spreadsheets in the office. However I was invited to go with the project officer to the Land Awareness Conference which is being held this week in Kampala and run by one of the partners I'll be working with.

The trip started with a boda ride across town. As we wove our way through the Kampala traffic in the warm sunshine I thought about how different life is here from life in the UK. For a start I can't get my head around it being less than a month to Christmas as it's still summer weather! Also in Uganda the Christmas decorations and presents are only just going up in shops and hotels unlike the UK where they will have been around for several weeks already.

And the modes of transport! I can't imagine riding across York on the back of a motorbike to a meeting! Perhaps that's something to think about Garry? When I arrived 2 months ago I didn't intend to use the bodas but it is just the easiest way to get around.

The conference was at the Sheraton Hotel in the centre of Kampala. Yes it is a member of the international chain and one of the big international hotels in Kampala. It was a different world from our usual places in Kampala. Looking around the lobby you could be anywhere in the world. And the lunch! As well as a good selection of Ugandan food there were lovely salads and steak pie, potatoes and vegetables. And puddings!! These are not often available in Kampala so to see a selection of Black Forest gateau, strawberry cream cake or Danish apple tart was a real treat!

The Sheraton had just put up their main Christmas display outside the front entrance. A soft top red VW beetle pulled by reindeer and full of flowers and Christmas presents. This must look spectacular at night when it's all lit up.

The conference sessions we sat in on were really interesting and gave me an insight into some of the issues the partner organisations are tackling. There isn't a national land registration system here yet. One of the outcomes of the project I'll be working on is around settling land disputes, particularly in the North which is just recovering from 20 years of conflict. Traditionally women don't have land ownership rights but with many households headed by a women this is one of the groups the partners are targeting for help in establishing land ownership rights. I've got so much to learn and understand about the issues here. I can help with finance capacity building but it's great to get a chance to start to learn about the work the partners are doing.

Life with an African Beat!

Life here definitely has an African drum beat! From the dancing, singing and music at the Ndere Cultural centre last Sunday to the band and singer at Jazzville on Wednesday evening to the drums and music we can often hear in the evenings from the flat and the singing at a BBQ we went to yesterday evening. Ugandans have a wonderful natural sense of rhythm we don't get close to in the UK. A colleague at work is trying to find a proper Ugandan drum, one made for musicians to use not just for the tourist market, to take back to Ireland with her. Hearing the sounds and wonderful rhythms will transport her straight back to East Africa. Although carrying it on your head is optional!

Life is starting to settle into a routine here in Kampala. The day starts with a climb up the track to find a boda boda to take me into work. Although it should be possible to arrange a regular driver to pick me up from the gates and save the walk up the hill! Then the arrival at work and the routine of greeting everyone and asking how they are, did they have a good weekend / evening etc. A proper hour lunch break either going to a local restaurant for rice and beans with colleagues or having a sandwich and reading the papers in the office. Then home via the fruit and vegetable market stalls to collect the lovely fresh seasonal fruit and vegetables for dinner. I don't have to walk very far carrying a motorcycle helmet before a boda boda stops to offer me a ride.

There is a lovely group of VSO volunteers and honorary volunteers here in Kampala and we usually meet up for dinner on Wednesday and Friday evenings at one of the local restaurants. One of the joys of living here is the range of restaurants available with meals for a very reasonable price. In fact eating out is nearly the same price as eating in. The weather is always warm so we can sit outside to eat all year around, although you need the insect repellent to keep the mosquitos at bay.

Welcome Home Glen!

Glen arrived into Entebbe airport at 22.40 Uganda time yesterday. He arrived on the same flight as the next group of VSO volunteers so we were both able to travel back into Kampala with them.

It's great being back together again and I'm looking forward to introducing him to Kampala and the other VSO volunteers. However, he's brought out 3 more suitcases of useful and not so useful stuff, so more things to find homes for!

I've taken 2 days holiday from work to show him around. We're going to the Ndere Cultural Centre with the new volunteers tonight. I really enjoyed the evening when I went in my first week so I hope Glen likes it.

It's a warm humid afternoon in Kampala. This is the view from the balcony, now that Glen has finally managed to get the door to open! There are so many odd jobs I need doing around the flat, it's a good job he's brought a mini tool kit.

A week in Lira

This week I travelled to Lira in the north of Uganda to meet one of the partners I will be working with. I travelled with two colleagues and we had some useful and interesting meetings with the partner organisation. I'm sure there is a lot I can do to help build their financial management systems and knowledge. I'm hoping to travel back before Christmas to start to look at setting up a cost centre for their central costs and then allocate these across the various grants that they have.

We left at 6am on Monday morning to try and avoid the worst of the Kampala traffic. There are some major roadworks on the main road to the north on the outskirts of Kampala with a long stretch where there is only a hardcore layer and no tarmac. Uganda also has a lot of speed bumps, particularly where any work is being done on the road. Overall it took us 5 hours to get to Lira with a short breakfast stop on the way. We then had Monday afternoon and all of Tuesday and Wednesday with the partner and then travelled back on Thursday. We weren't able to avoid the Kampala traffic on Thursday so it took 7 hours to get back. But we did stop at a market on the way back and got some excellent fresh fruit and vegetables. I got a large bag of tomatoes for 2000 UGX, which is around 50p.

In Kampala I'm gradually getting settled into the apartment and getting things put away. I need to go back to the furniture market to get some more storage, especially when Glen arrives next week as I've filled up all the spaces already! I've started to use the Boda motorbike taxis as they are the quickest and easiest way to get around. It's definitely the best way to get to work. A 40 minute walk with 2 uphill climbs or a 7 minute motorbike ride? Which would you choose?

A Day out to Entebbe

I've now moved into the flat and have been busy cleaning, tidying and finding homes for everything. Everyone else is doing much the same, starting our placements and getting settled into our accommodation so a group of the VSO volunteers decided that we needed a day out on Saturday. We decided to go and see Lake Victoria and headed to Entebbe.

We decided to travel by Matatu. These are the 14 seater minibuses that travel all over Kampala and to nearby places such as Entebbe. They are cheap and effective if you know the route you want to take. However there are no timetables, bus stops, numbers or route maps so you need some local knowledge to be able to use them. The trip to Entebbe took about an hour and cost us 3000 UGX each or around 75p!

Once there we looked for the botanical gardens. It was amazing to see mahogany, ebony, frankincense and nutmeg trees growing in the gardens. There are also the most beautiful large flowers on several of the trees.

However, I think the highlight of the trip was our meeting with the group of velvet monkeys living in the gardens. Especially as there were 2 new babies in the group which were only a day old.

After all that excitement it was time for lunch. This was a shared feast of fish and chips in a little cafe on the shores of Lake Victoria. As much as the 5 of us could eat for 60,000 UGX = £15!

Patience

That has been the word of the week - Patience!

Moving into the flat has been moving along, but oh so slowly. We were going to get the keys for both flats on Monday but the work was still being finished. Then on Wednesday, then on Thursday, then on Friday and then today, Saturday. The two of us who are moving into the two flats have been down there today and everything is nearly finished. We've also got details of the water and electricity meters for each flat so that we can read the meters when we are ready.

The flats are looking lovely, all freshly painted with curtains up and light bulbs in. We tested everything today and apart from a couple of small things to finish everything is working fine. The balconies were still in the shade today at 1pm so breakfast and lunch will be on the balcony and then an evening drink with a view of the sunset over Kampala.

The current plan is to get the furniture on Monday and move in early next week! We'll see!

I've also been struggling with the wifi connection at the guest house. I think there are more people trying to use it than there is availability. So it can be very slow or just suddenly disappear completely. It's taken me half an hour of trying to get the blank page to write this blog post - Patience!

Settling In

Kampala is starting to feel a bit more like home. I've got a flat organised, just waiting for the landlord to do some redecoration and cleaning. Two of us 'new' volunteers have flats in the same block so we are able to work together to get everything sorted, which is great. Tomorrow is Saturday and we are going to visit and measure for curtains etc.

Yesterday we went to the furniture market with another volunteer who was ready to buy the furniture for her flat. It was a totally new experience for me! There is a big field by the side of the road with row after row of furniture laid out for sale. This is the best place in Kampala for buying wooden furniture but you need to be able to haggle, preferably in Lugandan. One of the VSO staff came along with us and did a fabulous job of getting good prices for the items needed. We plan to go again next week once we have the keys so that we can get what we need. I think we both now have a good idea of what we are looking for. The flats are completely empty so we need everything, bed, dining table and chairs and 3 piece suite.

As well as the wooden furniture we also need soft furnishings like curtains and bed linen. And then there's the gas hob and kitchen equipment. We plan to visit various shops recommended by other volunteers over the next few days to start to pick up what we want.

I've been having a few quiet days as I've not been feeling too well. I think it's the total change of everything combined with a bacterial infection. So I've been on antibiotics, no wonder I feel tired.

The VSO office and garden and the garden at the guest house have been a haven of tranquillity. It's lovely to sit outside in the shade with summertime temperatures as the UK heads towards Autumn and Winter.

The First Week

What a lot has happened in a week!

We've now completed our In Country Orientation training, which was excellent. As well as sessions on the Country Strategy, Phones and Wifi, Accommodation, Finance, Corruption and politics we also went on a tour of Kampala on Saturday and a visit to a cultural centre on Sunday evening.

The centre of Kampala. Yes it really is this chaotic. There is traffic everywhere with 14 seater minibus taxis going all over the town and the Boda Boda motorbike taxis weaving in and out of the traffic. I'm not sure whether I am ever going to have the courage to use the Boda Bodas but the other volunteers do say they are one of the best ways of getting around.

I think all of the volunteers would agree that the visit to the Ndere cultural centre on Sunday evening has to be the highlight of our time here so far. A real opportunity to see the dances and songs from the different areas of East Africa with an excellent compere who kept us all entertained and explained the different dances. The evening ended with the whole audience on our feet joining in.

Hello Uganda!

So here I am!

Yes it was a very hectic weekend and the packing took longer than I thought possible! So I didn't manage to do another blog post before I left the UK. We flew out of Heathrow at 21.00 on Tuesday evening (1st Oct) and landed at Entebbe at 7.30 on Wednesday morning after a very comfortable flight, but feeling somewhat jaded after a night with little sleep!

There are 5 of us 'new volunteers' joining an established and growing team of staff and volunteers in Uganda. We met for a nice lunch at a cafe near our guest house in Kampala yesterday but otherwise had a quiet day to unwind, unpack and catch up with sleep.

Feeling refreshed we started our In Country training today. I now have wifi again and can send another blog post. We also had a fabulous Ugandan lunch, with lots of different dishes to try. If the food is going to be this good I'm in the right place! There is a lovely covered area in the garden where we do our training sessions - I'll add a picture to the next blog.

The weather here is perfect, warm enough to wear a T shirt with a wrap in the evenings but not so hot that you can't move or think. It's the start of the rainy season so we've had some heavy spells of rain but after an hour or two the rain stops. We've also had some sunshine but generally cloudy. It's very green here and both the guest house and VSO office have lovely gardens.

I'm looking forward to the next week finding out more about my new home.

My VSO Journey So Far

For anyone thinking about applying to VSO I thought I would give a brief summary of the past 6 months.

A placement overseas has been something I've wanted to do for a long time. It simply wasn't practical while the boys were small so it went on the back burner. When our youngest son moved out last November we started thinking about the next stage in our lives. We went to a Meet VSO event in Lincoln early in March and I decided to apply.

The application process is very thorough and includes a two stage online application, online video interview and assessment day in London. I heard that I had been successful in mid May. The next step is to match the volunteer to a placement. I completed a CV and profile and waited to see if any partner organisations offered a placement.

I didn't have to wait very long. I heard that I had a placement offer while on holiday in France early in June. This gave us plenty of time to research Uganda and talk through the options before accepting the placement in the middle of June. I then had a wait of a couple of weeks for confirmation of the placement.

At the end of June I handed in my notice at work and starting preparing in earnest with the first two online training courses and a long list of things to find and do.

VSO have helped every step of the way. I now have my passport and visa ready and am busy packing, sorting out my life in the UK and preparing for stepping off the plane in Entebbe. It's going to be a busy weekend and sad to leave my home in York and say 'au revoir' to our many friends. It's exciting and scary both at the same time.

Adventures of the PSC Mug - Part 1

For the past week we've all been in the Lake District for a family holiday. It's been a lovely break between finishing work and the final preparations and packing.

Of course the PSC Mug came with us!

Near our holiday cottage in Portinscale.

Out on the fells. I'm afraid autumn has arrived in the UK and we've had a rather cold and damp week. But the weather doesn't matter when the food and the company are fantastic.

With friends at Honister slate mine.

One of the family!

Sampling the beers on the Hawkshead Brewery tour and tasting!

The End of an Era

After nearly 3 months of handover and completing tasks I had my final day at work yesterday. I'm still officially on holiday for 10 days but won't be in the office. I've been at CVS for over 18 years so can't quite believe yet that I won't be going back.

We had a fantastic leaving event on Wednesday with lots of current and former staff and trustees and some key contacts. Thank you to everyone who came and thank you for all of the lovely cards and presents. It was so good to catch up with everyone.

Note the Priory Street Centre mugs on the table. As is the tradition I was given a mug (in fact 6 on a mug tree) when I left. Watch out for the mugs in future blogs - they are going to travel to Uganda!

Yesterday evening we all went out to an Indian restaurant for dinner. I've heard that there is a very good Indian restaurant in Kampala. It will be hard to beat yesterday evening, good food and good company. Thank you all and I'm going to miss you!

New Beginnings - One Month to go!

Sunday 1st September.

The month of September has always been a new start. A new school / academic year, clubs, societies and village activities starting up again after the summer break and the evenings drawing in. This year, today marks one month before my flight to Kampala. And there's so much still to do!

A returned volunteer has sent me some pictures of Kampala and the other areas of Uganda I will be visiting as part of my work, including this picture of the Old Taxi Park in Kampala.

A Few Days Away

Last week we went away for a few days to visit friends and family in the South West before we fly out to Uganda. We also made good use of our National Trust membership! We visited Stourhead in Wiltshire on Sunday and Coleton Fishacre in Devon on Monday. We were particularly impressed with Coleton Fishacre with it's beautiful gardens and human scale Art Deco style house.

Gardens at Stourhead

House and Garden at Coleton Fishacre

View of the sea from the garden of Coleton Fishacre

With thanks to everyone who gave us a bed or a meal. It was lovely to see you all and we'll keep in touch. I hope you enjoy following our adventures in Uganda!

Music, dancing, fun and fundraising

Yesterday evening was our fundraising ceilidh in aid of VSO. Everyone seems to have had a good time and I think the band managed to get most people up and dancing. We had a raffle to boost the total and a short game with a bottle of champagne for a prize. We wanted to let people know a bit more about VSO so we each did a short presentation about what we will be doing when we go out to Africa and had a display about the various VSO programmes.

A bonus was to have both of our sons around for the weekend helping to set up, run and clear up after the ceilidh. They also joined in the dancing and helped out with the buffet! It was really lovely to have the whole family together again working to organise a successful event.

SKWID

Over the weekend 23 enthusiastic VSO volunteers and 3 trainers descended on the VSO training centre in Birmingham for the SKWID course. Pronounced 'squid' this is the Skills for Working in International Development course, which runs over 3 days. We discussed how to demonstrate the impact of our placements, practised our facilitation skills, built bridges and tried to trade carefully cut paper shapes. The weekend finished with a very helpful and eye opening health and security briefing.

We all learnt so much and it was great to meet other people going through the same journey. Good luck to you all on your placements.  

Yorkshire Day

Yesterday (1st August) was Yorkshire Day and also exactly 2 months before I fly out to Kampala.

I cycled into work alongside the river and listened to the steam train building up a head of steam in the railway museum next door to the path. It was a beautiful sunny morning, by the river, in a beautiful city. I thought about how much I'm going to miss living in York for two years and all the very good friends we have here. Then I thought about the wonderful opportunity we have got to live in Uganda for two years.

There's an article in the Local Link for July about living in York:
You know you're from York when:

• You pass the minster and don't look up
• You use the medieval city walls as a short cut without looking away from your phone
• At some point you've uttered, 'Oh, another royal visit?'
• You walk past a Viking, a Roman and a completely purple man - and don't bat an eyelid.
• There is no question in your mind where Richard III should be buried.

Yesterday evening our son came over to see us and we went out for a drink in the Morris Minor he and Glen have fixed and got on the road. It was a balmy summer evening, we only needed shorts and T shirts even at 10pm. Uganda weather!

Preparation and Relaxation

This week I've been working through the preparatory course for the VSO residential training weekend next week. I've been finding out a lot more about the political and economic situation of Uganda in comparison with other countries. I've also been finding out about the VSO Uganda strategic plan and my placement objectives.

Preparations for the ceilidh are continuing with baking and planning. There are still tickets for sale at the Post Office and Cardlands if anyone would like to join us.

We also took time out this week to visit Hardwick Hall with my mum last Sunday. We had a lovely lunch in the National Trust restaurant and a good look around the Hall and gardens. We were lucky that we had chosen a weekend when the attics were available to view. This got us talking about how we are going to pack and store our furniture and belongings while we're away.

 Yesterday evening I went to a party at the Community Centre where we will be holding the ceilidh in 2 weeks time. It was a lovely evening and chance to catch up with lots of friends. Now we don't meet up each day at the school gate it's much harder to keep in touch! Lots of ideas for making the hall look great for the ceilidh!

Every week is hectic!

I was thinking I've had a very hectic week when I realised that at the moment every week is hectic! 

Now that I'm into my notice period I'm starting to hand over my work and the accumulated knowledge from 18 years in the job. This week we've made a plan for my final 8 weeks at work and we're starting to work through it. I'm glad that I've given 3 months notice. My last day will be Thursday 12th September and we're starting to send out invitations to my leaving event. 

When I get home after work, I start on the preparation for the placement. I've had two injections this week, the first one for rabies protection and a booster for Hepatitis A and Typhoid. I've not had any problems with the injections so far I'm pleased to say and it's infinitely better than getting the diseases!!

Planning for the fundraising ceilidh in aid of VSO is moving forward with the tickets now on sale and posters up around the village. It should be an enjoyable evening as well as, hopefully, a successful fundraiser.
 I also joined the local York VSO support group at their meeting on Wednesday evening. It was great to hear about the experiences of returned volunteers. Unfortunately with the summer holidays upon us it is the last meeting I will be able to go to before I leave. But it's good to know that I will be able to bring back my experience to share with the group in 2 years time. I also now have some knowledgeable people to ask the very many questions I have. 

Starting Out

Welcome to my blog!

As I've started to let people know about my adventure over the past couple of weeks lots of people have said 'you must start a blog'. So here it is.

For those who don't know I've been selected as a volunteer with VSO and I will be going to Uganda at the end of September. I will be based in Kampala but working with lots of my employer organisation's partners mostly in the north of Uganda. I will be helping them with financial management and monitoring their funding.

For now my time is filled with training and preparation. There is so much to do! And of course I'm working my notice and trying to finish things off and pass on my work and knowledge.

I hope you enjoy following my adventure.

Alison