Dears! I'm an independent woman!!

hey all - this post will not have any caps since the keyboard im using is extra weird.

Anyways....I just finished getting my hair done it took nine hours but it was well worth the wait. These braids are the tiniest things you'll ever see and im so excited that it only cost me 18 bucks!! That price includes washing my hair, the actual hair and the three women who braided my hair!! Ahh the joys of Uganda :)

Anyways! I started my practicum/ISP on March 30 (or whatever day was Monday). I am working at an organization called the centre for women in governance. It was started by a former female MP named Miria Matemebe and basically what they hope to do is to ensure that the women who elected into government positions are empowered to work on the behalf of women in Uganda.

The organization is relatively new (about 2 years old) but it has already done so much! They have published 3 reports on the actual work of women in gov. and are currently working on creating a training manual for women in government and those women who are interested in joining politics. next week we are going to Lira (northern Uganda) to hold a workshop with womein government up there to brainstorm ideas for the training manual. Then the following week ill be going to Bushenyi (eastern Uganda) to do the same there.

Im am currently working on my ISP as well. Ive been researching land rights in Uganda and composing questions for interviews with parliamentarians. Im hoping that I get the chance to either interview or network with female MPs when I travel to both Lira and Bushenyi.

In other news.... ive moved out of my home stay house. No it was not because I did not like my home stay family....its becuase the program rules state that you can't live with your host family during practicum. I think its b/c they want us to experience different aspects of life in Uganda. Right now im living in a hostel that is located right near the university. Its a nice place...ill take pictures and post them when i get the chance. Anywho since i am now living on my own (minus all the kids from my program who decided to stay in Kampala) I feel like an independent woman. I cook dinner (with all the other kids) and have to negotiate my way around town.

Funny story but not really --- To get to my internship I have to take two different taxis going in two different ways. I didn't want to be late so i decided to take a diff. taxi that leaves my neighborhood. I thought this taxi was going to take me to my stop but once i got on it turned around and went some funky short cut. i was really getting worried but finally i heard the name of my stage (or bus stop). I decided to get down. But when i got out i had no clue how to get to the next stage which is where i pick the taxi that takes me to work. Thankfully im not shy at asking directions so i asked and finally made my way to the stage. i was extra late to work (oops) but now i know that if my taxi is running late....just wait the other way is def. longer and more confusing.

Alright - ill post more next week after ive returned from my trip to lira

Cynthia