Hi everyone Day 6 - Tuesday 30th March 2010
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Today's projects were a day trip to Sipi, painting the new classrooms, sourcing new mosquito nets and carrying on with the playground for the children.
Most of the children who went on the outing hadn't travelled before and found everything from the bus to climbing hills, a new and exciting experience. Having counted and re-counted the children we were off on the journey to Sipi falls. The children pointed and wriggled excitedly in their seats and we gamely fought off the near riot when the sweets were passed around.
It had rained heavily on the way and the path up through the lush undergrowth to the falls was steep and slippery. It was touching that the older children automatically helped the smaller ones up. We were told that the children weren't really used to steep hills like this and hence needed a lot of help. The first resting stage was immediately behind the falls and the spray washed over everyone. While we were there the teachers took the opportunity to give a geology lesson on the formation of the rocks and to tell the children about the salt that has been mined from the rock in the past.
The smaller children came back down the way they went up and the bigger children continued up to the top. While we were waiting for the older children to return, even the trip to the toilets proved a learning experience with some of the children having never seen a 'proper' toilet before - in the school they have traditional holes in the ground. Some of the children tried to stand on the toilet seat to squat, not realising you could sit!
Lunch was in a traditional shack-like restaurant where they had meat stew, rice and local vegetables. Then it was back on the bus to return back to school (Sarah Brewster).
The people who stayed at school spent the day building a see-saw, working with the children in the classroom and painting the new school block. The children really enjoyed a juggling lesson from Peter, a science lesson on the colours in a prism from Wilf, Peter and Dave and the four girls working with Gillian learnt about the anatomy of the body followed by a magic tricks. June, Megan, Paul, Luke, Anna F and John all spent the day painting with the thinnest paint and stubbliest brushes imaginable.
We all had a fun time playing with the children at lunchtime with snap/pairs cards proving a hit as they had never played with them before. The village children are always around the 'Muzungu' (white people) wanting to touch us and be included in the play. Anna F and Gillian gave a impromptu version of 'Heads, Shoulders , Knees and Toes' and were surrounded by about 30 village kids copying their every move. An enjoyable day was had by all.
Anna Freshwater
The remaining people went to see Marion's African son, Michael, in Tororo in Eastern Uganda. We were very privileged and got to travel in a luxury minibus with comfy seats and electric windows. After a comfortable journey we arrived in Tororo one hour later. We telephoned Michael to be told to wait for him in the town centre. We then drove around to find a shady spot to wait under a tree and paid a parking attendant for the privilege of parking on the main street. Soon after, Michael arrived on his motorbike and apologised profusely. There had been a problem buying petrol in the town and he had to drive around all of the petrol stations to find fuel. We agreed to follow Michael and Godfrey on Michael's motorbike. Godfrey looked super cool with his sunglasses on on the back of the bike. They sped off in to the dust and it was hard for us to find where they had got to. Ten minutes later, we found Godfrey on the side of the road taking a photo of the Tororo Rock. We continued on our way and soon arrived at Michael's family home. Michael works in the Tororo cement factory and his family live in the complex next door. We were given a fantastic welcome by Michael's wife Betty, his two sons Brian and Peter, Augustine (Michael's father), Margaret (his mother) and Mary (his mother-in-law). We were asked to take a seat in the lounge area and drinks were served. Marion had bought Michael's children some colouring books and they absolutely loved colouring in the pictures. Betty then brought in a brilliant traditional welcome cake which she had made in a handmade oven. It was delicious and decorated with icing in honour of Marion coming to see her African family. We were then served a very tasty lunch which consisted of liver, potato chips and turkey. Gifts between Michael's family and Marion were exchanged and then it was time to leave. It was a fantastic day and one which we will never forget.
Anna and Peter
Most of the children who went on the outing hadn't travelled before and found everything from the bus to climbing hills, a new and exciting experience. Having counted and re-counted the children we were off on the journey to Sipi falls. The children pointed and wriggled excitedly in their seats and we gamely fought off the near riot when the sweets were passed around.
It had rained heavily on the way and the path up through the lush undergrowth to the falls was steep and slippery. It was touching that the older children automatically helped the smaller ones up. We were told that the children weren't really used to steep hills like this and hence needed a lot of help. The first resting stage was immediately behind the falls and the spray washed over everyone. While we were there the teachers took the opportunity to give a geology lesson on the formation of the rocks and to tell the children about the salt that has been mined from the rock in the past.
The smaller children came back down the way they went up and the bigger children continued up to the top. While we were waiting for the older children to return, even the trip to the toilets proved a learning experience with some of the children having never seen a 'proper' toilet before - in the school they have traditional holes in the ground. Some of the children tried to stand on the toilet seat to squat, not realising you could sit!
Lunch was in a traditional shack-like restaurant where they had meat stew, rice and local vegetables. Then it was back on the bus to return back to school (Sarah Brewster).
The people who stayed at school spent the day building a see-saw, working with the children in the classroom and painting the new school block. The children really enjoyed a juggling lesson from Peter, a science lesson on the colours in a prism from Wilf, Peter and Dave and the four girls working with Gillian learnt about the anatomy of the body followed by a magic tricks. June, Megan, Paul, Luke, Anna F and John all spent the day painting with the thinnest paint and stubbliest brushes imaginable.
We all had a fun time playing with the children at lunchtime with snap/pairs cards proving a hit as they had never played with them before. The village children are always around the 'Muzungu' (white people) wanting to touch us and be included in the play. Anna F and Gillian gave a impromptu version of 'Heads, Shoulders , Knees and Toes' and were surrounded by about 30 village kids copying their every move. An enjoyable day was had by all.
Anna Freshwater
The remaining people went to see Marion's African son, Michael, in Tororo in Eastern Uganda. We were very privileged and got to travel in a luxury minibus with comfy seats and electric windows. After a comfortable journey we arrived in Tororo one hour later. We telephoned Michael to be told to wait for him in the town centre. We then drove around to find a shady spot to wait under a tree and paid a parking attendant for the privilege of parking on the main street. Soon after, Michael arrived on his motorbike and apologised profusely. There had been a problem buying petrol in the town and he had to drive around all of the petrol stations to find fuel. We agreed to follow Michael and Godfrey on Michael's motorbike. Godfrey looked super cool with his sunglasses on on the back of the bike. They sped off in to the dust and it was hard for us to find where they had got to. Ten minutes later, we found Godfrey on the side of the road taking a photo of the Tororo Rock. We continued on our way and soon arrived at Michael's family home. Michael works in the Tororo cement factory and his family live in the complex next door. We were given a fantastic welcome by Michael's wife Betty, his two sons Brian and Peter, Augustine (Michael's father), Margaret (his mother) and Mary (his mother-in-law). We were asked to take a seat in the lounge area and drinks were served. Marion had bought Michael's children some colouring books and they absolutely loved colouring in the pictures. Betty then brought in a brilliant traditional welcome cake which she had made in a handmade oven. It was delicious and decorated with icing in honour of Marion coming to see her African family. We were then served a very tasty lunch which consisted of liver, potato chips and turkey. Gifts between Michael's family and Marion were exchanged and then it was time to leave. It was a fantastic day and one which we will never forget.
Anna and Peter
