Well, this is my last day in Uganda. FSD picked us up from our various homestays and all 14 of us are together again in a hotel on Lake Victoria. We spent most of yesterday driving, though we did goof around in Jinja for a little bit. I had some nostalgia for Kakira, like the I'm-leaving-and-probably-will-never-come-back kind that everybody gets when they leave a place when they've stayed there a while.
On Friday morning, Becky and I got up early to await the arrival of our handlers. At about 8 am four of the girls from work showed up at our house to tell us goodbye. It was really sweet; we took about ten minutes to do pictures and hugs. Then we went back to packing/watching TV with Fina's grandkids (Cynthia, 7; Douglas, 4; Cindy, 3). We had spent the night before playing with them and they drew me some pictures in my notebook which I plan on keeping. Cynthia saw that I was getting addresses and phone numbers in there, so she drew me a house and wrote her full name, the school she goes to, and her grade in lieu of a proper address. I think we were driving the adults crazy with all the noise we were making, but Becky and I were like, "Well, we have been pretty tame. We're playing with these adorable children."
Anyway, FSD came to get us at about 10:30 am and we took some time saying goodbye to Mama Fina, Ruth, and the kids. It was pretty sad; Ruth teared up a little bit. Mama Fina is sweet, even though she drives me a little crazy, and I really think that she will miss us. She is a remarkable woman.
Then we went and picked up Billy and Robert up the road and their mom, Mama Denise, was actually crying, like tears running down her face crying. Becky and I got out and hugged her, since she's always been nice to us and we always go to see her in the market. We shook hands with Johnson, their host dad, and got in the car and headed to Jinja for the last time. After lunch and some wandering, we headed to Entebbe and got here last night at about 6 pm.
I can't believe I'm leaving today! It's been a crazy trip. This is not going to be my last post on Uganda, though--I have a few days of classes in Chicago to finish up the program I'm doing for Northwestern that this whole experience has stemmed from. After all that's over, and I'm home for real in Cincinnati, I may have some other reflections to post and wrap up this whole adventure. For now, I just want to focus on getting back to the U.S. in one piece and not having another three-day odyssey like the one that this trip started with. Stay tuned...the journey begins (continues) again tonight. Wish me luck!
Aw. I can't believe that you had this amazing trip. Like, just to be able to have an effect on so many other people's lives and for them to do the same and then just never see them again. It's kind of surreal.
ReplyDeleteGood luck getting home!!!
I for one am glad you're back in the USA. Love, YO MOM
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