I want to extend my most sincere and deepest apologies to those who read this blog. The severe lack of postings in the past year must have been frustrating for you. I know the feeling as I follow many a blog and when after even one week of rechecking and finding the same post, I find myself disappointed. And here I am, having you recheck and recheck for months only to find the same old post. I hope to remedy this starting here and now, at least until I have some very demanding, time-consuming, and important job.
There are quite a few things to share since I last typed to you, but I am going to start slowly as not to overwhelm you with a really long rambling post that you only peruse for pictures.
The question I hear most these days is, 'How's the job hunt?' and if you are tempted to ask me this the next time you Skype, email, or see me in the flesh, don't. I assure you that I will be the first to share the wonderful news of my excellent employment opportunity. I will cut you off mid-sentence as you try to ask me how I am doing or share your latest adventure. I will not let you get a word in edgewise about your recent vacation, your battle with a brief illness or your excitement about OSU football. I promise that when I have landed the job of my dreams, receiving regular paychecks, health insurance, and yearly flights home that I will not hide my light under a bushel but instead shout it from the mountain top! Until then, please know that I am networking, searching the internet, and visiting offices in Kampala in search of a job. As I have only been at it for about a month, I am not yet distressed. I feel sure something will come along and after Christmas really suits my schedule better any how, since I have a month of jollying planned around graduation and New Year's.
As a matter of fact, I am not completely unemployed. I have a new yoga teaching gig. I have my own class once a week and usually sub another class an additional evening. I'm really enjoying teaching and learning more about ways students best react and adjust to my instruction. I hope to expand the number of classes I offer over time, once I have built up more clientele. In addition to teaching yoga, on Saturday evening I led a large group of adults in get-to-know-you games and general silliness for a corporate retreat. A friend of mine has her own events company which provides tables, chairs, decorations, DJs, etc for events and was also solicited to provide a games session. Speaking in front of large groups is not really her thing, so when she thought of a loud and crazy party girl willing to do such a task, she called me. I really enjoyed doing it and I think everyone had a great time. Maybe my future is not actually in international development, but in professional gaming. Call me for your next event!
As adjusting to life back in Uganda has taken a little time, the process was made easier and more gradual by the first visit of a University of Manchester crony. Sian had a month-long working holiday in Rwanda where she assisted in the PR department for a hotel in Gisenyi. She decided to take a week away to explore the Pearl and allow me to cook her an English fry-up which she was missing the most on her stint away from the UK (for you Yanks, that's a breakfast consisting of sausage, bacon, egg, toast, and baked beans - sometimes hash browns, cooked tomatoes and mushrooms and blood pudding are also present, but not usually at my house). Although the rainy season was in full force (and still is), we were able to get out for some nice meals, craft shopping and a cultural show at the Ndere Centre. But the highlight was spending the weekend at the Hairy Lemon, not only visiting our friend Hollie who manages the island, but also getting to catch up with Claire, our first landlady in Uganda and long-time friend. On Sunday Sian dared to face the raging rapids of the Nile, nearly missing her raft due to some confusion about the location of the put-in point since the new dam has changed the rafting route. But we finally found it, throwing Sian aboard and sending her off to a day of fun and some pretty intense sun.
Now I said I'd start slowly but have already gotten carried away and written quite a spiel of random tidbits. Keep checking in as I update with more of what's been going on in my world. Also, please email me with updates of your lives. Thanks for reading and not completely losing faith in me and this blog.
There are quite a few things to share since I last typed to you, but I am going to start slowly as not to overwhelm you with a really long rambling post that you only peruse for pictures.
The question I hear most these days is, 'How's the job hunt?' and if you are tempted to ask me this the next time you Skype, email, or see me in the flesh, don't. I assure you that I will be the first to share the wonderful news of my excellent employment opportunity. I will cut you off mid-sentence as you try to ask me how I am doing or share your latest adventure. I will not let you get a word in edgewise about your recent vacation, your battle with a brief illness or your excitement about OSU football. I promise that when I have landed the job of my dreams, receiving regular paychecks, health insurance, and yearly flights home that I will not hide my light under a bushel but instead shout it from the mountain top! Until then, please know that I am networking, searching the internet, and visiting offices in Kampala in search of a job. As I have only been at it for about a month, I am not yet distressed. I feel sure something will come along and after Christmas really suits my schedule better any how, since I have a month of jollying planned around graduation and New Year's.
As a matter of fact, I am not completely unemployed. I have a new yoga teaching gig. I have my own class once a week and usually sub another class an additional evening. I'm really enjoying teaching and learning more about ways students best react and adjust to my instruction. I hope to expand the number of classes I offer over time, once I have built up more clientele. In addition to teaching yoga, on Saturday evening I led a large group of adults in get-to-know-you games and general silliness for a corporate retreat. A friend of mine has her own events company which provides tables, chairs, decorations, DJs, etc for events and was also solicited to provide a games session. Speaking in front of large groups is not really her thing, so when she thought of a loud and crazy party girl willing to do such a task, she called me. I really enjoyed doing it and I think everyone had a great time. Maybe my future is not actually in international development, but in professional gaming. Call me for your next event!
As adjusting to life back in Uganda has taken a little time, the process was made easier and more gradual by the first visit of a University of Manchester crony. Sian had a month-long working holiday in Rwanda where she assisted in the PR department for a hotel in Gisenyi. She decided to take a week away to explore the Pearl and allow me to cook her an English fry-up which she was missing the most on her stint away from the UK (for you Yanks, that's a breakfast consisting of sausage, bacon, egg, toast, and baked beans - sometimes hash browns, cooked tomatoes and mushrooms and blood pudding are also present, but not usually at my house). Although the rainy season was in full force (and still is), we were able to get out for some nice meals, craft shopping and a cultural show at the Ndere Centre. But the highlight was spending the weekend at the Hairy Lemon, not only visiting our friend Hollie who manages the island, but also getting to catch up with Claire, our first landlady in Uganda and long-time friend. On Sunday Sian dared to face the raging rapids of the Nile, nearly missing her raft due to some confusion about the location of the put-in point since the new dam has changed the rafting route. But we finally found it, throwing Sian aboard and sending her off to a day of fun and some pretty intense sun.
we learned lots of interesting things about various Ugandan tribes
balancing vases on her head
that's us joining in the fun, playing gourds and dancing
taking the boat to the island - Phil, Sian and Claire
Ang! I didn't realise you had a blog! And that I'd featured in it! Well, I feel very important now! I'm now going to read all of your posts and find out about your life, because we really don't speak anywhere near often enough. xx
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