The Multi Tasking Soap

On Tuesday Dan got back from Jinja. He’s feeling much better now and doesn’t have hives or a swollen face anymore.

A group of girls and I went to the internet, bank, market and supermarket. While standing in line for the ATM a man totally just walked right up and started using it, even though it was our turn. I’m getting used to that now because that happens a lot. Oh well, don’t mind us. We were only in line for twenty minutes. It doesn't matter where you are, expect to be butted in line.

When we got back Ry and I did our laundry. That is quite the African experience. We fill up three buckets; one for soaking, washing and rinsing. We use this soap that is super classy. It is used for washing dishes, clothes and your body. I bet you all had a multi tasking soap just like me! By the end of my laundry I start getting so lazy that I don’t even care if there are still dirt spots on it or the soap isn’t completely washed out of it. Drying the clothes also takes forever because of the humidity. It seems like once they are almost dry, it starts pouring outside and they get wet once again. The clothes also stretch out super big (girls-remember the undies?) and get holes on them from rubbing them so hard in order to get clean. All of this only makes me gain more respect for the African women who do this for their entire families.

Later that day we drove to Mukono to go to a teacher training meeting given by the George Wythe group (contacts of Help international). It’s gotten to the point where it’s almost weird to see other white people besides us. Every once in a while one of us will come back to the house and announce that they saw another white person in town. Weird. During the training one of the ladies that was talking was telling about a story that happened like one week ago where she was laying in bed and all of a sudden she thought to herself, “Oh my gosh. I am in Africa. WHAT AM I DOING HERE?” It’s funny because there have been many times in the past three weeks where I have been laying in bed and have thought to myself that exact thing. It gets difficult sometimes and it feels overwhelming. There are times when I feel like there is no way that I could ever make a difference to these people because there is so much to do. Often times I have wondered if I am the only one here who feels like that. It’s nice to know that other people do. Anyway, the meeting was really great and we all felt inspired after.

We arrived home to a wonderful dinner made by Irene. You’d be amazed at how fast that food gets devoured. After dinner a bunch of the girls went to lay in bed and talk about home. I always love doing that. Ty also called so that was nice to talk to him.