Greasy, Grimy, Gross

September 18^th to September 24^th

I sat staring at my dirty feet while clutching my stomach hoping that I wouldn’t puke or have diarrhea again. Then I looked in the mirror and saw my greasy hair and I knew that at this moment, that I was the dirtiest and felt the grossest that I had ever felt in my life.

You see, on Tuesday the 18^th, we found out that the city was going to work on our water system and so we did not have any water for bathing or flushing the toilets upstairs. At first we thought that we had a tank with a water reserve of 5,000 gallons in it, but when Bruce and Kenny checked the tank, it was near to empty. So from Tuesday to Friday last week we didn’t have water. My greasiness was not only a contribution of not having showered since Monday, but also, having played volleyball with Caitlin on Tuesday and played soccer with the girls and Kenny on Wednesday. I could feel the grime of sweat and dirt caked on my face.

But it was worth it. The game of soccer was very competitive with all of us girls disputing nearly every goal. By the end of the game, we weren’t sure who had won because we didn’t know which goals to actually count. I am proud to say that I scored two goals. =) although one of them the other team didn’t want to count because the goalie had left for some reason. But of course, I still count it.

On Thursday of last week I packed my stuff for our Rwanda trip. We would be leaving the next morning. Then we headed off to eat at an Ethiopian restaurant. When we got there it was pretty cool because we were inside of these huts and given candles for light at the tables. But then they brought in the huge billowy smoke of incense. It was suffocating and so we had to ask the server to put it outside of the hut. There is definitely a difference between a small stick of incense tickling your nose and a whole bowl of incense pouring into every crevice of your body. Then they brought in the food and one of the servers held out a bowl and a pitcher for us to wash our hands with. We ate buffet style and used our hands to eat. The food had many spices and was very, very, very oily. I thought the food was okay, but at the time I was thinking that it would be a bit difficult for me to eat every day that I am in Ethiopia for practicum. The bread looked something like a tortilla, but spongy and strange textured. It was really sour so I did not like it at all. The food was mostly different sauces with meats and then there were some vegetables as well. Even the vegetables were oily. After dinner we walked back to the guest house and ten minutes later I started to feel ill. My stomach was very upset at me. At first I thought it was just reacting to the oil, but then I quickly realized it was much more serious than that. So I spent the next 4 hours in the bathroom either puking and having diarrhea or shaking and hoping I could keep my insides from coming out. So much fun. =P consequently, Julia and Kenny (the young couple who stays at the guesthouse with us) said that I did not have to go on the bus to Rwanda the next morning. I was very grateful.

The next morning, Friday morning, the rest of the girls left for Rwanda and I was left at the guesthouse. My parents called me very early in the morning to say happy birthday and it was so great to hear their voices. Interestingly enough, when I was talking to them, I felt the better than I did the rest of the weekend. It made me realize how much I really missed them and everyone else from home. So that day, which was also my birthday, I spent lying on the couch, hoping that I wouldn’t have to scramble to the bathroom. Whenever I sat up, I felt nauseated, so I laid down all day long except for when I was able to take a shower because amazingly, the water came on that day. It felt sooooo good to be clean again. The only things I ate that day were an orange and a little bit of salad. I was amazed I could keep those down.

Saturday I spent watching all three ‘Back to the Future’ movies and marveling and the acting skills and the use of ‘butthead’ as an insult. That evening I was able to have my only real meal of the weekend with the Nisleys. It was a delicious meal of pasta, bread, shish kabobs, and cookies. Mhmmm. On Sunday I was still feeling a bit sick, so I laid around some more and then went with the Nisleys to an American club. We played volleyball (it was pretty much a miracle that I had the energy to do that). Everyone swam while I sat on the deck. I bought a Snickers bar which cost me about a $1.50, but it was worth it. It tasted so good. Later that evening I was taken by Bruce to the airport so I could go to Rwanda. As I was checking in my bags, the electricity went out and I my faith in air transportation waned for a bit. But a minute later the generator kicked in and I sighed in relief. I would have laughed if I couldn’t have gotten to Rwanda because of the electricity. I would have probably decided God didn’t want me to go to Rwanda. =)

On the flight the man I sat next to was really nice and really helpful. He was born and raised in Uganda, but now lives in Rwanda. He helped me around the airport when we arrived in Kigali, Rwanda. When I got up to the desk for the visas I thought it would take a long time to get a visa, but luckily, all I had to say was that I was here with food for the hungry and the lady stamped my card and I went through. So easy. After I got my bags, I got a huge surprise. A girl whom I knew through bible quizzing was there to pick me up! Her name is Jennifer Clark and she is from Washington, but graduated from Greenville College in Illinois. Our professor in Rwanda used to be a professor at that college. His name is Dwight Jackson. He’s pretty cool. It’s not every day you go to Rwanda and randomly see someone you know! But once I realized all the connections, it made sense.

As we drove to the guesthouse, I realized that Kigali was much cleaner and nicer than Kampala. The streets were way less crowded with traffic and there was way less garbage strung about the streets. I decided I liked Kigali, Rwanda. We arrived at the guesthouse in Kigali 15 minutes later. The guesthouse has many bedrooms so that there are only 2 to 3 people in a room. There is a beautiful view from the back which overlooks the city.

That night I went to bed happy that I would see all my girls again and content that I no longer had stomach problems. The next morning (Monday) I laid around, read a book, talked to Melissa (the other girl who picked me up and who helps us out around here), and took a walk with Melissa. The girls finally arrived around 4 pm and I was greeted with smiles and hugs. It was good to see them again. It was nice to know I was missed. They told me a bunch of stories about all the animals they saw on the safari. It sounded pretty cool, but I knew it was wise that I didn’t spend 4 days on a bus with how I felt. That evening I had my second meal since Thursday, which was very nice (I had been scrounging and snacking).

While I don’t believe it was the food that made me sick, because everyone else would have been sick too, I still never want to see Ethiopian food again. No one wants to eat food they’ve puked before. Just ask my mom and how she will never eat that wonderful chili and cream cheese dip that we all love because she had to clean it up after my sister puked it up. Anyway, enough about that. I am a little more nervous about going to Ethiopia, so I’m hoping I can get over this fear of the food and everything will be all right. Just pray for me! Thanks a lot!