a fair, a gig, missing tentpoles and another goodbye

My friend Mike here at the guesthouse went on my blog the other day at work and told me that I need to update more frequently. So I'm going to work on that- especially becuase Mike has a wireless internet thing I can plug into my laptop now in the evenings and actually go online more often! HI MIIIIKKKKKEEEE GO BACK TO WORK AND STOP READING MY BLOG! hahahaha.

ok so recent happenings in Uganda!

There has been this massive "Agricultural Show/Fair" in town for the past week. apparently it's the 17th annual, but two years ago I had left town by the time it happened. This year I got to go..twice. The first time was a typical adventure- Lindsey, Laura, Kara and I went with Baby Justine to pick up oh, about 45 school children from her school in a nearby village, fit them ALL plus about 4 teachers into a 14 passenger local transport bus. let's just say that on it's own was a sight to behold! Of course, as we drove down the road one of the back tires blew, so we had to pull over, get everyone out of the van while a couple of Ugandan guys repaired it.. at last we pulled into the fair grounds in Jinja- into THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE AND SCHOOL CHILDREN and I'm just sitting there going "oh my..oh my..oh my....". Somehow we had to keep track of 45 kids in this insanity??? The day was sweltering, yet the kids were beside themselves with excitement to be there and filled with gratitude to be given one chapat and a baggie of juice for lunch. Laura was overwhelmed, as we talked about it over a beer at the end of the day back at Zamo. Laura is a teacher in Canada and just couldn't believe how well behaved the children here are/were during that madness, and was thinking of how her own students would have acted- gone in ten different directions as soon as we entered, whined about the heat, not enough lunch, not being allowed to go on rides..etc etc etc.

Take two on the fair was last evening, with a few friends Charlie and Claire and a schoolteacher Charlie works with. We went just as it was starting to get dark which Claire and I weren't too keen on- honestly there are thousands, we are the only white people, and I am clutching Claire's hand with one hand and my bag to my cheast with the other and making Charlie promise we will go after one drink with his collegue.. MADNESS! I will never complain about crowds at home again!

The missing tentpoles come in with Laura, Lindsey and Kara being on Safari this weekend and calling me distressed yesterday saying that the guide brought the wrong tentpoles for their tent........ I'm not even going to go into that, except that it's "So African" that it's worth mentioning briefly... (All being sorted out of course, as it does, but just one of those things....)

The band at Campsite was our friend Jared's last night, Campsite being the Nile River Explorers rafting start base, and known for a good fun evening..especially when there are lots of people and a good band playing music that everyone knows and can sing and dance to under the stars, and that's just what we did. It's really great seeing the volunteers make new friends and become comfortable here, as all the girls I have left are settling into routine and really starting to "LIVE" here...already saying the "I don't want to go home!!!" 's.

Another leaving party tonight at Reflections, as Charlie departs at 4am. He is sitting at the kitchen table right now making a guest list.. "who else do we even KNOW?!" he yells from the table to me in the living room as I type this. Today is one of those "last everything" days...last African meal at Highways, last boda ride,last night with a mosquito net... though I myself have 6 more weeks to go, I don't look forward to my own "last everything" day