Snacks, Snacks, And More Snacks

Thanks to everyone who sent the great presents! AND WE REALLY LOVED ALL THE SNACKS! Now we have an entire cabinet full of snacks! These are a few examples,

• Wheat thins
• Cheezits
• Candy
• Doritos
• M&M's
• pringles
• Oreo's

Those are just a few of our snacks, if I would have said them all this post would be too long to read! For those who did send snacks, send more whenever possible. For those who did not send snacks, please do send snacks.
Christmas is usally about seeing our family, but this time we saw our friends. Please if you can come to Uganda, come. Also, you should get Skype, it really helps.

Musings from Mum & Dad

Happy Christmas as the Brits say. Christmas was pared down to the spiritual essentials this year--no crowds, no last minute shopping, hardly any decorations. On Christmas Eve, we had an early dinner of drunken lamb with a houseful of friends (only a few friends were drunk), then enjoyed a service with the British Resident's Association where there were readings and a lot of Christmas carols. It turns out that British carols are different-same lyrics (sort of, if Beth-lee-hem counts), different notes. As it became darker, we lit candles and sang. We then went back to the house for dessert and "It's a Wonderful Life" (family tradition). I was very worried that we wouldn't get the movie, but the last mail pouch which came in on Sunday night (sorted out on Christmas Eve by generous Embassy volunteers) had the package. Christmas was quiet and just the family--I kept feeling like we needed to pack up the car and start driving North. Things really shut down here--a lot of other muzungu leave town and most of the Ugandans go up-country to visit their families. Kampala is refreshingly unjammed with less smog (cars here would never pass a Maryland emissions test--in fact many of the cars are those that fail emissions tests in Japan.) This week-end we are busily packing, cooking and freezing for a camping trip to Murchison Falls http://www.uwa.or.ug/murchison.html. The falls occurs where the Nile bursts through a narrowing in the rock escarpment of the Rift Valley. It is named after Sir Roderick Impey Murchison, a influential Scottish geologist who was a past President of the Royal Geological Society. We are looking forward to our first game drives. Apparently the strategy is to leave camp early in the morning and eat breakfast in the car while driving, come back for a late large breakfast, take an afternoon siesta break then head out in the late afternoon again to see the most wildlife. In the afternoon drive, it is customary to have "sundowners," drinks on the roof of your car (hopefully while watching lions, giraffes, elephants and buffalo).

Not your traditional watch the ball fall, we know. But, we will be sure to sing Auld Lang Syne and think about all of our blog faithful as 2008 begins at the Equator. New Year's Resolution:

Jimmy: Play "Ants Marching" like Dave Matthews

Yuka: Fill up all the time I used to use watching bad TV by keeping in touch with friends

Meeting the Ugandans Across the road

The other day, my brothers and I finally got up enough courage to go and try to talk and play with the locals across the road. It wasn't easy, but we tried to communicate and play American football (ya, I call it that now) with them, but they were pretty shy. Maybe after a couple of tries we can actually get a decent game of catch going. One really big obstacle is that there English is terrible, and our Luganda is even worse.

Seeing the Tanks up the Hill

The hill that we live on is famous for the huge water tanks up at the very top of it. In fact, the hill that is called Muyenga has been nicknamed Tank Hill. We live so far up the hill that it's a pretty short walk up to the tanks, or, as close as you can get to them. It's not a really special sight, but its interesting.

Christmas Break

Well, it's officially our second holiday here in Uganda and boy are we pumped! We got off school on Friday the 15th of December and spent the first week just chillin...

AND GUESS WHAT???!!! WE GOT A DOG!!! Her name is Mpologoma, or Mpolo or Polo for short, which, in Luganda means "lion". We named her that because her species, Rhodesian Ridgebacks, were originally bred as lion hunters. Everyone is so happy. These are pictures of her. She is 6 weeks old.

For the holiday we are going to Murchison Falls for 3 days, where we may get our first look at wild elephants and giraffes. Then, we're headed to Sesi Island for a day, also known as the Chimp Island because it is chock full of chimps. Supposedly, there is one that loves to throw things at people. Maybe we'll get a repeat of our video!
http://www.kilimanjaro.com/uganda/mfnp.htm: Link about Murchison Falls National Park.

When these trips are over, I'll post about them in more detail.
Later!!!
and we'll keep you posted on our new pup too!

The First Poll Answered Incorrectly

Come on guys! Jack isn't holding matooke, it's bananas, and you could've figured that out by reading the post. Reread it and see what you come up with. It's the first post that you answered wrong, but don't worry, I'll get you again. Matooke is on the left. Bananas are on the right.

Moshi was GREAT!!!

CLICK THE TITLE AND MAKE IT A HABIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

At Moshi, there were 4 teams in all: The International School of Uganda (ISU), The International School of Tanzania (IST), Arusha (ISMAC), and The International School of Moshi (ISM). ISM is a boarding school and the host of the sporting event. I competed in basketball, volleyball, and soccer/football as it is called here for boys in grades 6-9. It was tons of fun. The ISU boys went undefeated in all sports except soccer in which we lost only one game to our rivals IST.
Sorry it took so long. I was waiting for pix but they didn't come. If I can I will post them later.