The One Where I Tell Stories

Time is flying by these days. I can't believe another week has ended.


There is this annoying noise everywhere I go. It this beeping, it sounds like the game catch phrase if you've played it. None of us could figure it out until I finally asked one of the interns what that beeping is. It's a bird!! I couldn't believe it. It sounds exactly like the beeps on catch phrase. It's so annoying! I am gonna find a slingshot and start shooting them.

So this spider that was living in my bed decided it was lonely and needed a friend. Through a mosquito net and blankets, it managed to bring in a mosquito. I woke up in the middle of the night and my feet were itching like crazy. I had to climb out of bed and smother my feet in benedryl cream and put on socks. Thank the Lord for that stuff! I fell back asleep and the next morning had many more bites on my legs. I have a ridiculous amount of bites all over me. I seriously tried counting but it failed. I was able to count my left foot though- 22 bites. I seriously look like I have chicken pox.

I got to take my bath last night with a couple guest-- a dead gecko and a live cockroach. I did not take my eyes off that cockroach. I also electrocuted myself last night. At first I had no clue what was happening to me until I let go of the plug. I didn't want my family to know because they would have freaked out, so I had to act all cool. That's hard to do when you think you are gonna pass out. It ran all the way through my finger, up my arm, and to my body. I guess I learned my lesson. When plugging in my computer, I should not plug it into an outlet while touching the exposed prong.

I love my family here! I've never had a sister so it's kinda cool now that I have at least 3 or 4 or 5. I honestly don't even have a guess on how many brothers I have (some are tecnically cousins but in this culture they are brothers) everyone comes and goes and I don't know who I have met and who I haven't. I still haven't figured out this family, but I am getting closer. I know Judie and Rachel the best. I share a room with Judie and we have even started to "rough house." Just what I love...
Boarding school is very common here and holiday is ending soon. I am aware of one brother leaving, Simon. It will be very sad--he is one I know. He will be in Jinja and wants us to visit, so we will try since it's only an hour and a half drive.

I am gonna end with a really funny and embarrassing story. It happened my first week here but I had somehow forgotten about it until the other day.
So I had just woken up and I wasn't paying much attention. I went to the bathing room where there is usually a bucket of water so I can wash my face (don't forget i was tired and not paying attention). I started washing my face and half way through i realized the smell was not right, like awful. I looked down and realized I had been washing my face with PEE!! What happened is the pee bucket that is used at night (too dangerous to go to outside to the bathroom) somehow ended up where the water one usually is. And the worst part is, it wasn't even my urine!!! But, don't worry i thoroughly washed up after that.



I am gonna add an advertisement on here. I love getting mail and I know a few of you have asked for my address, so here it is. Padded envelopes or something similar gets here faster. I do enjoy getting drink mixes & toliet paper!

Michelle Welke
Uganda Studies Programme
Uganda Christian University
P.O. Box 4
Mukono, Uganda