communication!

Got the full African experience today after lunch (no Mom, I didn't get hit by a boda-boda).
After classic lunch of rice and beans (which I LOVE- this place is a vegetarian's dream!) I got the full guided tour of campus by Lazarous - picture below- and then he even took me and another USP girl Becky down the hill into Mukono town to find the post office (finally!) and some other cool shops he knew about that we absolutely could not find on our search yesterday. And he even kept us from getting run over in Mukono traffic- no easy feat. People here are not phased one bit if you get within 5 inches of their vehicle- be it dump truck, car, or boda boda. They don't slow down, and you better book it. Everyone and no one has the right of way (sounds like Boston traffic).
On the way back to campus, Becky and I passed the library window and both caught ourselves looking in the windows as we passed and realized we have no mirrors anywhere on campus. It's so relaxing though to roll out of my creaky metal bunk bed in the morning, wrestle with the mosquito netting, and throw my hair back, clothes on, and just leave the room. I'm so much more relaxed throughout the day when I have no clue what I look like. And, oddly enough, I find my confidence is so much greater- especially in interacting with strangers here (which is often). I laugh easier, I talk more freely, and embrace everyone without a thought about what's on my face, what my hair is doing, nothing- and apparently there's nothing too drastic happening because people seem very friendly and not to be staring at anything in my teeth when I'm talking with them. :)
After town Becky and I went to play volleyball with the Ugandan team- which ended up being really late to their practice, so we played 2 on 2 with Edwin & Jeff- - two very intense, very hilarious, very patient Ugandan men who cut us NO slack. Ha ha
Also met a beautiful little boy called Rollins tonight. Before dinner as I was waiting for Lazarous to finish up with basketball to head over to dinner- I was sitting on the stone bleachers looking through pictures I've been taking here and this kid from one of the courts below came bounding up the stone steps to my side, a huge smile on his face. He sat right next to me wanting to see my camera and look through the pictures I had so I let him take a few pictures and he was in all in his glory :) He got a huge kick out of the zoom button on my dear ol' Kodak.
Time is flying here. The common room at night has become skip-bo & dutch blitz tournament zone as well as technology central as we get wireless up here more often than anywhere else. Playing a card game tonight we were talking about some conversations we'd had today and realized they only happened today, when it feels like things have happened weeks ago. Lunch today with Lazarous, Michael & Alan- new Ugandan friends- jumped all over from comparing the pros and cons (I almost made a Gilmore-style list Hannah & Lacey & Lynnsay!) of living on and off campus at college, to African politics surrounding the upcoming elections and about the LRA's movement, to American dress and the reasoning behind the naming of African children in families here. It's so enriching to be able to sit after a meal and just engage in these kinds of conversations that last for hours with the other Ugandan students here. In general they are so receptive to learning about the cultural differences between here and America and genuinely want to get to know us (USP students). One Ugandan student here is majoring in political studies and international affairs and is forever encouraging us to communicate! Communicate! Communicate! With people back home to tell America that Africa is not just a place of suffering and hurt- Africa is a beautiful, thriving, alive continent. He is constantly pointing out that America's perception of this country especially, and Africa in general, is based solely on what other people say so it is our duty to communicate the truths and the beauty of this place to our family and friends back home. So this is for Alex- this is my communication.