Football Madness!

Well I can’t believe that tomorrow is Nate’s last day.  I am not going to lie he couldn’t be more excited to get to NYC and start his job, or he might even be more excited for a hot shower.   I get pretty sad just thinking about him leaving.  I know it will all be okay but I think my life is going to change dramatically. It’s been such a GREAT week!  

We went to Kampala on Saturday and went to the Football (soccer) Game it was a BLAST! We had so much fun cheering with all the fans.  I have never had my ears ring as hard as when we were in that stadium.  The fans went nuts! We played Congo and won 4-0 it was a really exciting game.  The game started at 4 and they told us to be in the stadium no later than 1 so we were there 3 hours early.  You know how people get loud once the game starts? Well that isn’t the case here, they were blowing their horns and dancing and yelling well before we even got there.  It was definitely an amazing experience being there with all the excitement.  Nate started a fight because this guy was throwing water on us. I will let him tell the story.

We had pork at this restaurant and it was delicious!! Nate made himself sick eating so much pork we had to leave church early because he thought he wasn’t going to be able to hold it down.  This poor boys stomach just isn’t cut out for Africa. 

Sunday night was probably on of the best experiences we have had so far here in Uganda.  Thomas, Bruno, and Monday (all brothers) had us over for dinner.  They prepared this wonderful meal.  I even was allowed to pour some sugar in the juice.  I asked to help and it was like I was the annoying 5 year old that wants to help but is incapable so she let me put 4 spoonfuls of sugar in the homemade pineapple/mango/passion fruit drink. They were so kind and told us, (lets be honest it was Nate) how much we had done for them.  They gave us these gifts, you should see Nate’s shirts and the purse they gave me it was so nice.

 I met this cute little boy that is disabled today his name is Sam. Sam has just been put on the floor his whole life so he can't walk and his legs have become deformed.  It is pretty sad because many of the children with disabilities will have mental disabilities but not physical and because the parents don’t know what to do with them they become more physically disabled than they were. We are working with this man named Moses to build him a chair and help make the house a better situation for Sam.

Things are going really well. I really love it here in Africa.  It definitely won’t be the same without Nate.  I have found a few more schools that we can do “Proud to be a Girl” with and I am really looking forward to that.  I am sorry to be missing all these Birthdays and Father’s Day but I hope you know that I love you all and think of you often!

Hi all,

We have had a great week this week.  On Saturday we went to Kampala for the Uganda vs. Congo soccer game.  I don’t love soccer, but I wanted to experience a game in a place where soccer is life.  It is literally the only thing that many of them have to look forward to.  We wanted to make sure that there was absolutely no question which team we were rooting for so that we didn’t get beat up if the game didn’t go well.  We bought Uganda jerseys, painted our faces, and got bracelets.  The people were so excited that we would cheer for their team.  I think we only saw two other white people in the entire stadium of 40,000 people.

The game is unlike any other sporting event I have ever been to.  We were told to come extremely early to the game, and we still have no idea why.  There were probably only a few hundred people there three hours early but it was already louder than any college football or Jazz game I’ve ever been to.  Uganda ended up winning 4-0 and when we left the stadium our ears were ringing for hours.  I don’t think I’ve ever been anywhere so crazy or so loud in my life.

Many of the people like to throw water on all the other fans when something good happens.  We had a drunk guy throwing water right on me and Liz one row down from us.  Without thinking, I reached down and pushed him.  I guess I forgot how light Africans are because he fell a few rows down.  It was lucky that I reached around someone else to push him and he didn’t know who it was because I could be in a hospital right now.  He got up screaming and yelling at got mad at a few people around us.  Several people grabbed him before he could throw any punches.  I just sat back and acted like I didn’t have any part in it:)

I think Liz talked a lot about our experience Sunday night with the family that owns the furniture store and travel agency.  I think it was a great experience to see that we had made a difference somewhere.  We have become very good friends with their family and that was the second time that we were invited over for dinner.

I was also able to go golfing today at the golf course here in Lugazi.  It was built by the Indian family that owns all of the sugar cane fields around here.  I think it is basically a personal 18 hole course in their backyard because the clubhouse is attached to their mansion and no one else in town can afford it.  It was an absolutely beautiful course.  It was quite the change in price from Scottsdale to here.  I got 18 holes, a personal caddy, balls, club rental, and water for 30,000 shillings.  (About $12)

It will be my last time at the Naggalama and Lugazi business classes tomorrow.  The have been a lot of fun and very successful. (Especially in Lugazi)  I think overall our time here has been a great experience and has taught us a lot. 

 Love, Liz & Nate