29 Sept 2011
As I sit here in my comfortable room and watch/look through my window, a green field with green trees and green Rwenzori Mountains of Western Uganda, I wait for the morning rains to halt. I have completed everything I possibly can on the computer without internet. I’d have to sit in the rain in order for my Orange stick to work to access the internet; I’m not in the mood for that this morning, and I am lucky I have nothing of too much importance to complete. But the electricity is on, I have been able to heat 2 kettles of water for a warm bath (which I really needed) and lots of tea (you know, the electric British kind of kettle – much more efficient I must say), and a hornbill just landed near my window to feed on the insects near the porch light from last night.
Life in Kibale is simple and wonderful. Other than dusty bodacycle rides which are still fun, it is nice to see the change in seasons, from dry/wet to wet. I’m sure later today when I attempt to complete some Wildlife Club activities in the chilly rain, traveling to and fro the school on a boda, in the mud, I will not be so reflective. But for now, I feel like I’m camping in a quiet scenic, green National Park, because well I am. No I’m not in a tent as I mentioned before. I live at Makerere University Biological Field Station (MUBFS), in a dorm. But since the “summer” season with hundreds of volunteers and university groups has come to a close, I have this place nearly all to myself. Ahhhhh (sigh), how I do love my quiet time. What will I do if I have kids? I do want kids, and I’m not getting any younger, but enough about that. Maybe I love quiet time because it makes me concentrate on tasks at hand. I like to accomplish things, but when writing is on my lists of things to do, it is not my forte, and it’s hard to sit down and write. I’d rather pick up a hoe and farm. So when it comes to grant writing, I need solitude to do it. Right now is the perfect environment, yet I’m not writing a grant, I’m writing to myself, and to you of course.
Enough tea and caffeine for me; yikes I’m giving myself a headache. A little update on the Wildlife Clubs: I am very impressed with the 5 schools I am working with, but even more impressed with 3 of 5. Of the three, one school has completed the following, in just 4 months (on their own with no funding!): tree nursery beds of indigenous trees, rubbish bins around the school compound re-using plastic jerry cans; they dug two pits for rubbish one for compost and one for non-biodegradables; they planted 8 fruit trees, and when some of these trees were “uprooted” a.k.a. stolen, by nearby community members during a school break, some WLC members/students donated their own trees from their houses. The WLC teacher organized for an employee of the Kibale Fuel Wood Project to visit the school to demonstrate how to build a fuel wood efficient stove, which some of the students built in their own homes. They learned a conservation song in one day, called “World Above the Ground” (thank you Peace Corps manual), and tackled their own debate: National Parks and protected areas should/should not be accessible to the communities. I am thrilled to continue to work with these groups and look forward to more fun conservation activities/projects developed by all!
But in a week, I must travel back to Kampala. Normally I don’t look forward to the bus ride, but sometimes I run into someone traveling there and am invited for a lift, which is a huge treat. I stay about half my time in the forest, and half in the capital city. Good thing I’m adaptable and grew up for 30 years in the third largest city in the USA, Chicago. I’m already used to hours of traffic, exhaust, loud noises, huge trucks, cement, and people, people, people. I look forward to spending quality time with Dominic; we will socialize with all our colleagues and friends, go out to a few nice dinners, have some drinks, get dressed up, maybe watch some tv, and maybe even go bowling. I can work on the computer on all my projects (personal and Kasiisi) in our apartment, once again in solitude. I am very OK with my new life consisting of computer work, as long as it continues to include field work.
Well the rain has become a mist and the sky is brightening up. I better get on the internet and then start the field work part of my day. I can’t believe the electricity is still on. A baboon just jumped onto my window stoop to sneak a look inside to steal something. Luckily my glass windows are closed (I’m lucky to have glass). Thanks for listening!
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