In a whirl wind of activity this past week, students have been arriving at YY Memorial College (High School). It was nice to arrive in Kitgum during school holidays so I could focus on learning the language and settling into my new home. It's also nice to now live on a campus that is busy and full of activity. YY is a secondary school for girls just outside of Kitgum town. The total enrolment is more than 1000 girls and they all live in three dormitories. Each girl is allowed to bring a small metal trunk for storing her clothing and other personal items. The girls are also allowed to bring a bucket or basin for getting water and bathing as well as a mattress for the bunk they are assigned. It was very fascinating to watch as girls streamed in through the gates with their various belongings balanced precariously on their heads. Many girls arrived alone without parents. This was very different from how I imagine a European or American boarding school would be.
The girls are very friendly and love to try to talk to me in Lwo (which I am still learning). They also love to laugh at the hat that I have begun wearing when going to town The concept of a sunburn is totally foreign to them.
On Tuesday I attended a staff meeting which lasted 6 hours and ended at 4:30 with a hearty "lunch" of meat, beans, rice, and the local posho (flour and water paste, eaten with hands). Wednesday the girls began their beginning of term exams and next Thursday my computer classes will actually begin. I will be teaching 5 "small" sections (40 students) of S2 (grade 8) some basic computer skills like creating, saving, and modifying files.
This past Monday my other job began. I am also teaching one section of grade 5 English at Kitgum Primary school across the street from YY. I am learning how to "scheme" and do lesson planning as well as grade the way teachers do here (with a red pen). My section has about 70 students in it and only 30 student text books and 15 dictionaries. The children do a very good job of sharing with each other! Because I speak English a bit differently then the children are used to, I have had to slow down and teach much slower. This means that I can not cover as much in the short 40 minutes I am given, but it is teaching me how to pace myself. The students are very good and enjoy laughing at the way I say certain words, especially with the letter 'r' (Hershberger, for example, sends them into fits of laughter). Today I marked (graded) their books for the first time and it took me 3 hours of solid grading to get through all 70 books! The teachers at both schools are very friendly and helpful and joke about me becoming an African teacher soon. Teaching here as really helped me to be thankful for the things that I had in my classroom as a student teacher in the U.S. Things like posters and a textbook for each child are things that I can easily take for granted.
On a slightly unrelated note: I have adopted two stray cats and enjoy their company every evening when they come to get fed. I also seem to have a knack for attracting frogs in my room in the evenings (I hope they don't attract any snakes!).

It's hard to believe that in less than 24 hours I will be meeting many of the other SALTers who will be arriving on the MCC campus! My last couple weeks have been full of packing and preparing to go to Uganda for the next year and I am glad to finally have most of it done.
Thanks to all of you who donated money to my SALT term. I have reached my goal of $4300 and I could not have come that close without all of your help and support. Thanks also to those of you who have been remembering me through prayers and emails. I have definitely felt very supported this summer!
After this week of orientation, Kristina Lewis (fellow SALTer) and I will travel together to Uganda. Please be thinking of us especially on the 16th as we will fly out that day and arrive in Uganda the following evening.
My assignment for this year is to teach English and some basic computer skills at an Anglican school. I will be living on the school campus and understand that I will have fairly regular internet access. If this is the case I will be updating this blog periodically. I will also try to check my email (emily.hershberger@gmail.com) regularly. If you'd like to have the privilege of sending me a care package (or just a card) you can send those to: Emily Hershberger c/o Y.Y.Okot Memorial College, P.O.Box 68, Kitgum, Uganda, East Africa. More later.
Peace.
eh