I was at a quiet motel-style place waiting for my field staff to come for the weekly meeting. An Asian looking guy with greying black hair came to my table and asked if he could sit down. I said of course. Always interested in why other people, but particularly non-business people looking Asians, are in Uganda, I asked what he was doing here. Turns out he’s from Ohio, USA, here on a two year Peace Corp volunteering trip. I meet […]
I was exhausted yesterday. Field visits on Wednesday and Thursday. (I’ve finally visited all four districts!) Field visits are usually already really long days because I have to get up early to get to the field, walk around the whole day in the scorching sun or pouring rain to visit farms, and then attend one or two farm group meetings at the end of the day. Then take a really long trip back home. I still don’t have a car […]
I went on a lovely holiday for Easter to the Ssesse Islands with my friends who are living in Kampala. A lake really can’t compare to the ocean, but it was nice to be near a large body of water and be able to relax without feeling guilty. Small flashbacks… Arriving in Kampala. Seeing my friend I haven’t seen for almost two years. Going to a restaurant with great ambiance and amazing spinach and ricotta cheese ravioli. All for about […]
Why is it so hard to vote in the Canadian national elections abroad?! I don’t have an address you can mail me with. Not even a P.O. Box! Even by the time you send me my vote to my remote town, I won’t be able to vote anyways! Why can’t I just vote online?! Why is it so hard in this day and age? I should be thankful I have internet! Can you tell I’m really mad? If Stephen Harper […]
On second thought, I’m really glad I didn’t take the other job in Tanzania. Just getting one report done in a week is killing me. (Although I’m told I’m actually good at writing reports. I’m fast and accurate? But I really don’t like writing them. Getting me to sit down and write for three hours is really hard unless it’s something non-boring) I hate reports. With a vengeance. With steam coming out of my ears. I’m so glad I have field […]
2. Farmers (and people in general) keeping problems a secret until they are on the verge of being discovered. I don’t know if it’s a trust thing. Or is it a culture thing to keep problems hidden (trust me, I know how it is. Saving face is huge in Chinese culture). But in any company, project, program, etc, it’s impossible to function when your own staff are keeping problems hidden from you. Last season, we estimate that only one-quarter of […]
Since I haven’t written anything of interest to anyone lately (those ranty, stream of consciousness posts are more for myself than anything else), I thought I would do a brief job update post. Not that I have much else in my life recently. Other than reading news and blogs and books. Plus, as much trouble as it is, I actually enjoy my work. Recap: the scheme I work with is basically trying to link small scale (minimum and mostly 1 […]
Woke with a big headache this morning. Felt feverish. Texted colleague. Fell back asleep. Woke up to knocks on the door. Lucy (my colleague’s domestic helper) came with delicious lunch. A minute later, colleague (M) arrives to see how I am. Apparently she told the other people at the factory, hence the delivered lunch. She also brought a chocolate bar. Felt so cared for that I get home visits. M says she had to come – I had no family […]
Sorry for the long absence my dear blog. Work is just crazy. No other way to describe it. But for once, things non-work related. I spent the last weekend in Kampala (the only time I ever got off!) with an amazing friend I met in Norway, who’s also working in Kampala. It was so nice to meet, chat, go to New York Kitchen (OMG – the brownies), have shisha, and go dancing. I really wasn’t ready to go back to […]
