They are playing xmas music

Sitting on the balcony of Medair teamhouse here in Kampala, Uganda, sleep lines still on my face and arms, in my scrubs and a tank-top, coffee next to my side, hair pulled back, glasses on, computer on my lap. There is a cool breeze in the air, which is a nice treat. I can look out over the barbed-wire security fence from here see part of the city. While it is warm here and I looking forward to finding a pool to swim in and lay next to this afternoon, I tend to forget what month we are in. But... I am quickly reminded as I hear George Michael's voice singing "Last xmas I gave you my heart..." coming from the neighbor's radio.

I have been in Kampala for two days now. My first "r&r" (rest and recooperation) from the field. Personally, I did not feel I needed the "recooperation" but maybe just a little extra rest. I love what I am doing but, a little extra rest never hurt anyone. I have been three months with my contract now, which at times seems difficult to believe. Part of me feels as if I were just home, visiting with friends, running on the dirt roads around my parents house, getting coffee with my dad in the mornings and playing with my nephew Aidan whenever humanly possible. And the other part feels as if I have been here much longer than simply three months.

It is a little strange to be in Uganda right now. Getting out of the plane at Entebbe airport the other day was very odd. For one, everyone at the airport spoke English and I found myself constantly wanting to respond in French. Not that my French is very good, but maybe it is promising that I wanted to respond in French?? The hard part of landing in Entebbe was that there was an international flight there, boarding, headed towards Europe. the initial thought which ran through my head was "you know... from Europe you can catch direct flights to the States. From wherever I end up in the States, I can usually catch a direct a flight to Kansas. Wouldn't that be nice right now?" I will admit, while I have not felt homesick at since my first few weeks here, seeing something that was going that much closer to home... it was hard not to make a run for it and jump on the plane myself. There was a jump in my stomach that longed to be boarding that plane as well.

I love what I am doing, I love where I am, it is just sometimes difficult to see things so close to home and not be able to grab a hold of them.

My plans for r&r are fairly simple and relaxed: headed to the Nile River for a few days, starting either tomorrow or Wednesday, for a little whitewater rafting, camping, sightseeing, and just relaxing. Should be interesting and I am sure I'll have more to report when I return. I return to Isiro on the 18th, work for the week, then to Bunia for xmas and possibly New Year's, while working all in between.