Why does 2011 look so funny? That is a question that I can and will not answer but I pose it to you to digest. 2010 is somehow attractive with it’s two 0s. 2009 was a sweet little number; somehow 9s always look fancy because their curvature. 2008; you can’t go wrong with an 8 because rotate it 90 degrees and you’ve reached infinity. 2007; well 7 is my favorite number so don’t even argue there. I could break down each year in depth but I will leave it at this…2011 appears to be a rather ugly looking number. Though the number appears ugly, I am rather looking forward to the year; so my plan is to make this little ugly duckling to be a beauty queen of a year. But 2011 hasn’t even arrived, why am I beginning to focus on the future? Well I have been there and it looks grand and sweet. Doc and I have fixed the flux capacitor and I can tell you that 2011 holds good fortunes, but I can not tell you any details, so let me leave you with my best wishes for the New Year now, and if you are willing, let me divert and bring you up to speed on the past months.
Quote of the Moment
“Last night, Darth Vader came down from planet Vulcan and told me that if I didn’t take Lorraine out that he’d melt my brain.”
- George McFly (Back to the Future)
1. Your Ex-Lover is Dead Stars
2. My Life Would Suck Without You (Glee) Glee
3. Homesick Kings of Convenience
4. Breakable Ingrid Michaelson
5. Two Birds Regina Spektor
7. I Wrote A Simple Song Billy Preston
8. All The Morning Birds Jolie Holland
9. Geese in the Flyway Rogue Valley
10.The Bottom of the Riverbed Rogue Valley
11.Faded Coat of Blue Jolie Holland
12.That’s The Way God Planned It Billy Preston
15.You and I Ingrid Michaelson
16.The Weight Of My Words Kings of Convenience
Take my hand and draw a map
Of the places you’ve gone and will go
Connected by a thin line with
Homes and places of friends and foes
The one you entered yesterday may
Not be the one that you enter today
Be curiously cautious with each step
If the laces become untied its as easy as
Blinking to see your old front door
Painted colors never seen before
But no one ever said that the past would
Remain as though you had never left
The city planner stayed awake all night
Dreaming of things as though
The world was a neighborhood
So don’t forget to remember that
You helped plan this city
That park where we used to play
Got turned in to a tobacco shop that we’ve
Seen on TV, where our tax dollars go
To protect and serve or cheat and steal
Though maybe this time around the block
We’ll turn it back in to the park
The city planner stayed awake all night
Fighting to make it all right
Connecting the West and East
So don’t stay in one place
Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Camp GLOW Uganda
What was Camp GLOW Uganda?
Camp GLOW is an initiative by the United States Peace Corps in Uganda. It started in the country of Romania in 1995. This camp, generally for all girls, focuses on empowerment activities including, but not limited to, health education, life skills, career goals, sports, creative arts and Ugandan women in leadership roles (business, government, etc.). The activities help the girls gain skills to lead a happy, healthy and successful life. This year is the first-ever Camp GLOW in Uganda. Approximately 150 girls are attending from all over the county. All the girls are between the ages of 13 and 15 and are either in primary school or secondary school. The camp was run by Peace Corps Volunteers, along with the Ugandan female community members, acting as counselors. Female guest speakers spoke to the girls each day about how they became empowered, chose a career and are leading Uganda in today’s world.
Camp GLOW Uganda was an incredibly enriching experience (from my observational point of view). 153 girls aged 13-15 traveled from all over the country to attend this week-long camp being held at St. Theresa Kisubi Girls Primary School in Wakiso District, just outside of Kampala. What struck me most was the noticeable growth and friendships developed by not only the campers themselves but with their counselors (the girls were divided in to 16 groups being counseled by both a Peace Corps Volunteer and a Ugandan counterpart) and other staff. This camp was a unique experience for all involved and will be held in the memories of all for a lifetime. More information can be found on the site http://campglowuganda.yolasite.com.
Condom Demonstration Session at Camp GLOW Uganda
On Tuesday though I spent the day doing Camp GLOW's session on Condom Demonstration. Emphasized throughout the session was the point that this session and the use of condoms is most importantly for the girls' safety and protection. The use of condoms is not to bee seen as a gateway but as a means to be safe when the girls have become older and are ready, to most importantly protect themselves but also others in the process. This session was integral to the girls' health and upbringing as many of them had been aware of what condoms were but had never ever been introduced by them. While we always pray and hope that sex will be consensual and age-appropriate, if that is not the case this knowledge is integral for the protection of these girls lives. The session involved a description and proper steps to ensure that the condoms are not expired/spoiled and how to put a condom on and take it off. Each girl was given the opportunity (not forced) to follow the steps to check that they have grasped the knowledge.
At Camp GLOW I primarily worked as a staff member—to get my geek on I was a 'Media Specialist' along with the awesome crew of Tony Markon, Caleb Henderson and Thomas Hanno—moving around constantly taking photos and videos while concurrently updating the website.
Lastly, in regards to Camp GLOW I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks and appreciation to all the campers, counselors, Peace Corps Volunteer Staff, Peace Corps Staff, Sr. Valentine and others of St. Theresa's, USAID and other donors helping in this event. Without the integrated efforts of everyone above the camp would not have been as successful as it was. Due to the incredible response, I hope and pray that Camp GLOW Uganda can become a regular event in the lives of many more in Uganda.
Wild Life Club NTC, Kaliro
Though our requisition from the college for tree saplings failed, we managed to scrape up a few saplings to attempt the planting of a few trees. These are just a few members of the Wild Life Club at NTC, Kaliro along with Mr. Okello Yuventino (far right), one of the agriculture lecturers at the college. His guidance is integral in many of our projects. The members take time out of each weekend to work on various projects.
Wild Life Club NTC, Kaliro and Trees for the Future
Even though this day was the Muslim Holiday Eid, nearly every member of the Wild Life Club showed up for the visit by Mathius of the organization Trees for the Future. Mathius gladly came to give a presentation/Q&A with the club members, gave a demonstration on stating a nursery bed for trees, provided the club with numerous species of tree seeds and remained for lunch (which was prepared by some of our hard-working club members) before taking off for the day. The day was an incredible success and was integral for the club members to have a guest come and be hosted by us. The information that Mathius brought was valuable to the students not only for their time at the NTC, but for the future when they become teachers themselves.
Who are you?
This photo was archived many months ago to analyze the individual seen here. It is obvious that upon viewing his reflection in a mirror that he could hardly recognize himself. Do you know the man in the photo? Why does he feel that he looks so gangly?
ACYC Day NTC, Kaliro
On November 20th, 2010, our club AIDS Challenge Youth Club (ACYC) of NTC, Kaliro held a special day at the college to recognize the importance of staying aware of HIV/AIDS and keeping community members involved in continuing the fight to reduce the affects of HIV/AIDS through a series of activities including: music and songs; skits; speeches; discussions, testing and counseling. The day ended with an amazing meal and members of ACYC (including myself) played against the college soccer team. Unfortanately we lost, but the whole day was an amazing success.
ACYC Day Football Match
At the end of the ACYC Day, we celebrated a successful eventful with a tough football match between members of ACYC and the college football team. Though ACYC lost, the whole day was an amazing success and hopefully the day will be a tradition for years to come.
CHRISTMAS 2010!!!
ACYC Day Football Match
2 comments:
Happy New Year!!
New Year's 2011 Fireworks Celebrations Around the World
http://fireworks2011.blogspot.com/
Demo on YouTube
http://youtu.be/QlQ3b0TfiFM
haha gangly
Post a Comment