Visitors to Kuluva!

Last weekend I had the pleasure of having David and Catherine all the way from Nyahururu, Kenya! (Just over 1000km away!) They came by road and broke up the journey with a stop in Kampala.

David enjoyed my magazines! :-)

I had a lovely time showing them the surroundings, introducing them to friends, and showing them the hightlights of Arua Town - the material market.

We visited the dam which supplies my electricity in Kuluva.

We enjoyed the luxuaries of 'The White Castle' Hotel. Swimming and eating there.

We even went to the boarder of the Democratic Republic of Congo - which is just 20 mins away by car.

Christmas is coming

Yesterday we had Christmas carols for the students before most of them go on holiday. We gathered in the School dining hall for the special occasion.




We all dressed up!

The program only ran behing by one hour at all times! I think that was partly because there were so few speaches. The guest of honour was unable to attend - so I had to speak instead - being the Matron of Focus at the school. My speech was very brief! :-)

Here are some of them singing "We wish you a Merry Christmas!"

We sang some carols together.

Played some games!! Who can get to the sweet first and the fastest!

This was the christmas tree - it had fruit, sweets and biscuits hanging on it. For a small fee we were allowed to harvest something.

So altough we finished in good time, just as the final song was being sung, the heavens opened and rain beat down on the tin roof of the Dinning room. We were then stuck in the Dining room for a further hour and a half waiting for the lightning and thunder that were directly overhead to pass!

Some of my School work

So here at Kuluva School of Enrolled Comprehensive Nursing we wear Uniforms! The motto of the school is 'Called To Serve'. The students have two uniforms Polo shirts and skirt / trousours for when they are in the class room. Dresses and aprons for the ladies and tunics and trousorus with a white coat for the gentlemen when on duty on the wards. I have a white dress that I struggle to keep clean through the day and have to wear a petty coat despite the heat!

Every first Wednesday moring of the month we have school assembly. Students and tutors gather together and sing the National Anthem, then the Nurses Anthem and lastly we sing the School Anthem. Then any notices that need to be conveyed are given. Including disipline issues, smartness, upcoming exams, payement of fees etc etc...


Students are expected to clean their class rooms every friday afternoon. Here they are scrubbing the floor and cleaning the slatted windows!

Soon after I arrived I found various models tucked in a cupboard being unused. I have dug them out and been giving practical sessions to groups of four students at a time. Here they are learning the mechanisms of a spontaneous breech delivery. We then went on to learn emergency manouvers in a breech delivery.

Here the students are learning all about suturing on a sponge model. I have done this session with 3 classes now! We discuss the theory - revising what they learnt in the class room and then they all get to practice on the sponge models. I have had students come to me later and tell me of how they have had the opportunity to practice what they have learnt with me.

The least enjoyable work of a teacher is exam setting and marking. Here are a pile of papers I have marked this year. I have one more stash coming my way tomorrow!

Laura's Little House!

Here are some pictures for you to get an idea of my new home! I moved into this house in September - the other house had become rather large and lonesome. This house became available in September so I requested to move. It is still on the same compound just 5 door up from my previous house!

The back of the house - the gardner is making a good effor at bringing some plants amoung the rocks!

The approach from the back of the house!

This is my living room/ dinner

Kitchen! I am without an oven - my neighbours have kindly lent me a bread maker so I can make bread and was able to have a birthday cake!

These are my enemies - they build up very quickly - termites - the main war is above the bathroom door- I sweap them away and blast the hole with 'Doom' (insetc spray) but the return in time!

My office where I do all my lesson preparations! On the wall are my deadlines, term plan for lessons and the school calender!

My bedroom is nice an spacious. I get the sunrise shining in.

Laura as a brides maid back in May!

Here are just a few pictures from May when I was a brides maid for my friend Esther.

Here are Joseph and Esther signing the resister.

We were 6 brides maids. Here you can see us preparing to enter the church.

Here we are after the church service........

An here are all the maids and grooms men!!

Culture and Language

I've been here for 9 months now. Last week I caught myself say a very non - English sentence!
I was just nipping out of my office, at the school, to see someone in an office at the hospital, when the secretary asked me if I was on my way home. My reply was “ I”m just coming”. In England I would have said 'I'll be back in a mo...' or 'I”m just nipping out...'. So Uganda is beginning to rub off on me – you'll have to bear with me and my English when I come back!!

Here are some of the other things I've heard!
'You are lost!' often a greeting a received when I've not seen someone for a while. I used to reply 'I've been around!'. But I have now come to realise that they are just saying haven't seen me for a while.
When I'm out and about in trousers (happy to be out of my uniform dress!) I often get complimented 'You are smart!'. At first I wondered if my uniform was scruffy!! But it's just a compliment stating that I'm looking well dressed.

The classic one I received when I came back from my Easter Holiday “you have put on weight”. It really is ingrained here that to put on weight is a good thing – indicates prosperity and being well fed.
These days if I'm trying to arranged a lift to somewhere I now ask them to 'pick me' at ...... For some reason the 'up' is dropped from the statement. I've not worked out why yet!
When ever I get back from being in town or visiting a friend I am told 'Wellb back!' an abbreviation of welcome back!

What I haven't got used to is being told 'well done' when I meet people. I usually reply – what for?? But I am coming to realise that in fact it is just part of a greeting, like saying hello!!! So when I see you, you will now know what I mean, when I say 'I'm just coming'. And you will understand when I tell you to 'pick me' that I am without car and need a lift!

I found this poem in a book and liked it- here it is for you to read!
We and They
by Rudyard Kipling
Father, Mother and Me
Sister and Aunties say
All the people like us are We,
And everyone else is They.
And They live over the sea
While we live over the way.
But – would you believe it? -
They look upon WE
As only a sort of They!
We eat pork and beef
With cow-horn-handled knives.
They who gobble Their rice off a leaf
Are horrified out of Their lives;
While They who live up a tree,
Feast on grubs and clay,
(Isn't it scandalous?) We look upon
As a simply disgusting They!
We eat kitcheny food.
We have doors that latch.
They drink milk or blood
Under an open thatch.
We have Doctors to fee.
They have Wizards to pay.
And (impudent heathen!)
They look upon We
As a quite impossible They!
All good people agree,
And all good people say,
All nice people, like Us, are We
And everyone else is They:
But if you cross over the sea,
Instead of over the way,
You may end by (think of it!)
Looking on WE
As only a sort of They!

Moths!

Just couple of pictures for you to admire! I have discovered these outside my house. Usually around where the security lights are!

This one has see - through bits on it's wings!! I had to inspect it very throughly to be convinced that it hadn't just been nibbled by some enemy!!

A Home Birth!

This morning I was called out for my first ever home birth!
Three months ago I was asked if I could help provide some midwifery care for one of the missionary ladies here. When I went for the first check up, I was then asked about providing labour care as well! I discussed it with 2 other midwives here and we formed a team providing care for her. As we prepared for the birth we discussed all eventuallities - what to do in an emergency, investigated flights out of the town etc!! It was interesting discussing all these things as we are midwives from varying countries - British, Netherlands and America!
This morning I had a text message at 4.30am saying that she thought it was time for me to come. I quickly had some breakfast, as I checked my bag of 'might be useful' things! I then rung my neighbours who had kindly agreed to be my transport!
When I arrived things were calm and the other 2 midwives were there debating if it had been a false alarm. However you never know...... So we stuck around to see how things would go.
By 08.30am things started to look more promising and by 09.55am we had a smooth birth of a beautiful little girl! Praise God for her safe arrival!

P.S. For photographs have a look at this address http//coppedgeafrica.blogspot.com I'm in one of the pictures.

Flowers...

One thing that is nice about this compound is that there are many many trees. They provide good protection from the strong sun in the heat of the day. The only thing about the many trees is that there are so many leaves to be swept up during the dry season!
We have many fruit trees, including: lemon, mandarin, avocado, mango and mulberry bushes. When they are in season it is lovely – you generally have to compete with the children to get any fruit – as they leg it up the trees and take what ever is going! As well as competing with the children for fruit we have to compete with the monkeys! They tend to come especially for the mulberries. (frustrating when you want to make mulberry jam!) Of course no one competes for the lemons!
This compound also has many beautiful flowers – I've been enjoying some lovely ones in my small flower beds. They spring up on their own – without much attention from me or the gardener. So the place is colourful and I benefit through the differnt seasons.......