Knees are the Boobs of Africa

Yes that’s right. Girls, cover them up!  Knees and above are considered scandalous and rather risqué, so we good Godly women are doing our best to adhere to this new level of modesty and keep the kneevage under control. It’s been a bit crazy the past few days… we have driven at least 20 hours and all across Uganda. Today we arrived in Kigali, Rwanda. But let me back up and talk about the latest happenings in Uganda…

Well first of all, driving in Uganda, the air smells as sweet as the people who live there. The air smells like jasmine, weed, roasted maize, bananas and tea. It is wonderful! We are learning new things like, do not sniff a Ugandans food or drink, it is considered very rude. Squatty potties are becoming much less of a dramatic, troublesome experience to becoming the norm (I am getting quite good at it, actually J). Driving through the countryside was in no way like driving ten hours in the States. There is so much to see, it feels as if your eyes are not big enough to take it all in. There is a really fun game to play called “wave”. Its were you smile and wave out the window at the people in the villages and children wave back wildly yelling, “Muzungu, Muzungus!” (meaning white people in Swahili).

We went on a safari, which was really cool. We woke up early in the morning and went for a game run. We saw African guinea fowl, tons of warthogs (they just hung out in the yard of our rooms), baboons (they are scary and make the most terrifying barking noise), buffalo, waterbacks, elephants and even hippos (we had the great pleasure of seeing two hippos mate; it was just lovely!).

We are now in Rwanda and I am all unpacked. Our house here is amazing! We have a wonderful view because we are seated on a hill, which is common because Rwanda is called “the land of a thousand hills”. Tomorrow will be our first day officially living here.

More updates to come! Let me know what you want to hear more of.

Love, Noël 

UGANDA!

So we arrived safely in Uganda at 7:45 am, however for my body it is the middle of the night. We are now at the Uganda guest house were we will be living later in the semester. I am sitting at a table with my team and a bird just made a noise like it was giving birth to a dog. A little frightening. Its hard to say exactly how I feel right now. Its definitely a surreal thing, being in the place that you have been anticipating for so long. My eyes and body are so sleepy because of jet lag but the inside of me wants to be crazy and excited. I'm just going to have to kick this weird time change thing. More to come later! pics too soon!

Arizona

Alright, well I am sitting in the airport in Phoenix. we are boarding in 10 minutes and heading for london, where we will have a 9 hour layover... fun fun fun! My group is great... more to come later!! 

First Timer

Well, I am not exactly sure how to blog. Actually, I lack in computer skills in general, so not only is this a first time blog post (hopefully that is the correct terminology) but this happens to be a large stab at modern technology that I have been a bit hesitant to take. I do realize that this is much easier and letters are a tad out of date and less convenient and efficient, therefore I have become a blogger. I am arriving in Arizona on August 21st and will be leaving for Africa on the 22nd. We are flying into Entebbe, Uganda and then traveling to Rwanda where we will spend the first half of the semester. 

I cannot express my excitement, my fears of something totally new and completely unknown to my experience of life for the past 20 years, and I especially cannot express my great need for prayer. God is wonderful and mysterious; we certainly do not serve a boring God. Please pray that I will have the constant willingness to submit and surrender myself to His use and to His greater plan.