Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.

Tonight I’m getting on a plane bound for Norway. Firts it’s an 8 hour flight to Amsterdam and then another 2.5 hour flight home to Stavanger, Norway. There’s been quite a bit of snow in Europe, but the weather forecasts are looking good for tomorrow so I’m hoping there are no delays. My sister is not flying before Saturday so it’s just me – I hope there are some good new movies to watch!

Last night we had some lovely ladies over to say our goodbyes. We made some delicious cheese fondue and had chocolate fondue for dessert :) It was absolutely delicious! For dipping we had cauliflower, broccoli, red peppers, baguette and pineapple for the cheese, and banana, strawberries, honey cake squares and pineapple for the chocolate. You can pretty much use anything you like for dipping and it was really easy to make.

mmm cheese & chocolate fondue :)

It was sad to have to say goodbye to all the wonderful people I have met here..I have very mixed feelings about leaving Kampala…I’ve had so many great experiences and adventours, and I am so lucky to have been able to do this journey. I’m so glad to have been able to see where my sister lives and works, and who knows maybe I’ll be back to visit her again :) It’s also been quite an experience working here myself, it’s been interesting, learningful and it’s always sad to say goodbye to co-workers. There are so many things I am going to miss, but I also have many great things to look forward to and I’m ready for a new chapter.

Now, I’m first looking forward to come home to Norway to see my family and friends. Last year I had a lovely Christmas in Canada and this year I’ll be in Norway for Christmas and then in Austria for New Years - so I get to see all my family! I’m also really excited to go skiing again in Austria :) Then, in January I’m off to Canada again which I’m also really looking forward too! I’ve missed everyone in Norway, Austria and Canada and I can’t wait to see you all again!

So although I’m sad to leave and it’s always difficult to say goodbye..I have so many things to look forward to :)

  My room for the past 2 months. Almost finished packing & ready to go!

I didn’t get to post this before I left the house, all of a sudden I ran out of time! But I’m at the airport now waiting for boarding…Goodbye Kampala, I will miss you!

 

~ “Every goodbye makes the next hello closer” ~

Ndere Troupe

On sunday evening Sarah and I went to a Ugandan Cultural Celebration performance by Ndere Troupe. It is a three hour show with dances and music representing various parts of Uganda. The dancers were so great, they could really shake their body! Wish I could dance like that :) In addition, the host added some jokes and facts in between the performances. It was a really nice way to spend one of my last evenings here.

Kampala randoms :)

Here’s just a little greeting from Kampala with some pictures:

Every second thursday there’s a quiz night here at the Irish Pub (yes they have an Irish pub here!). I’ve been able to go twice since I’ve been here and it was always a good time. There’s ten rounds and whoever wins a round gets either beers or shots :) If there’s a tie then there has to be a drink off between the teams! Our team never won overall, but we did win several rounds and therefore always got some free drinks. The team who wins has to host the next quiz night, so I guess it was alright never coming in first place because then we wouldn’t have been able to participate next time haha :)

 

 

Me & Jessica at quiz night

 

 

 

As I’ve mentioned before we sometimes go to the fabric market which is in the heart of downtown Kampala. Going downtown is quite the adveture! It is chaotic, hectic, full of life, warm… There are so many people, cars and bodas everywheres. bodas are the moped taxi’s :) To get there we have to go through one area which is known as the taxi-park, or bus terminal. Here all the matatus (taxi buses) gather up and wait for passengers. However, there is not really a system to it, there’s simply matatus all over the place – I don’t understand how they even get in and out of the taxi-park, but somehow they do :) Anyways, it’s a sight worth seeing and here’s some pictures of it to really get the feel of how it looks like:

 

 

I also picked up my other sclothes at the tailor that I got made from fabric from the market. I got three skirts and one more dress :)

                 

                      

 

Right now there’s grasshopper season here. Which means crispy crunchy grasshoppers are being sold at every street corner – yummy! :) They fry them in a lot of oil and salt so they actually kind of taste like chips. I don’t have any pictures of the popular snack, but I did spot an alive one in the house so I snapped a picture of it haha. They’re huge!

The other day my sister and I went out for dinner and I ordered an ostrich burger. It came with onion, tomotaoes, cheese and pineapple and it was absolutely delicious! Who would have thought ostrich meat is good :)

Another night we were a group of girls who went out to a really nice restaurant for some Indian food.

Me, Mandana, Sarah, Jessica, Gabby & Ewa :)

 

While I’ve been here I’ve also visited the beautiful Lake Victoria which is only a short drive away.

  

 

On days off and weekends I’ve taking the advantage of the nice warm weather by often lounging at the pool and swimming :)

                   

Getting ready to jump on a boda & go to the pool :)            

Gabby is a pro at sitting side-ways :)

  Mandana & I enjoying some BBQ chicken!

Plant sale at the side of the road.

One can pretty much buy anything and everything from the side of the road here. Drive-through Kampala style :)

Sinterklaas!

Last weekend we had a Sinterklaas party at my sister’s house. The term and concept was new to me as it is a Dutch tradition. However, it’s kind of like the concept of secret santa. We were almost 30 people who each got one other person’s name in an online draw. The next steps are three fold; first, we buy that person a gift. Second, we wrap the present in a “surprise”, however, this “surprise” is actually something we have to make ourselves and should somehow relate to the perosn who is getting it. Third, we have to write a poem to the person which should entail some funny things about that person and maybe give a little hint on what the gift is. Then at the night of the party we all sit in a circle and read the poem that someone else wrote for us and then we have to guess who we think wrote it for us – so guess who your secret santa was :) The only issue with this was not just that we were 30 people involved, but that not all of us knew each other or had ever even met! So we all had to be rather creative and many turned to the the internet to search for some information about the other person when they had to write the poem :)

     

              Sarah                                       Me                               Mandana

At the night of the party, with almost 30 people doing this, it took quite a while before we were done revealing all the gifts, but considering the fact that many of us did not really know each other, there were a lot of impressive and funny “surprises” and poems. Needless to say, this was a memorable night and lots of fun!

 

People reading their poems and opening their “surprises” & presents :)

               

 

Everyone also brought a snack and drink so there were lots of goodies there :) It was a great way to get into some Christmas spirit here in Kampala, which I think is not very easy when it feels like summer everyday!

 

Here’s the poem that was written for me. I think it’s pretty good considering the girl who wrote it didn’t know me and had never met me before!

Once upon a time in a country far away,

a girl entered a plane and flew from Norway,

to write St. Nicholas poetry for the very first time,

and to experience the frustration when the words do not rhyme.

 

I realize this poem not up to standard and actually very lame

for that no one else but me is to blame.

During St. Nicholas even in Africa it is our plight

to write a poem as witty and bright

and come with a gift no matter what

is inventive, pretty and not a cat in a hat.

Whether it’s one million or only a thousand schilling

we only care about the way it is wrapped and not about the filling.

 

Birgit is new to the concept of Sint Nicholas and Black Pete

So all I could do to guarentee her tonight’s treat

was to google her name and visit her blogsite

so to know this girl on which I have to write.

 

I took a start and can say with my heart:

Miss Brun has been very good, as she very well should.

To her sister she has been very sweet

as it’s in her house that she took retreat.

 

Some weeks ago, she came to visit her sister in Uganda

and suddenly she found herself sleeping in a banda.

Her sister took her to Zanzibar and Entebbe beaches

or she had to listen to one of her UNIFEM speeches.

 

Warangi, matoke, posho and fried beans,

showering outside and peing in pit latrines,

African adventurous life is not strange to this girl

and as we all can see she sure gave it a whirl!

 

I think this poem should come to an end

as the box itself will reveal to certain extent

some things to do for little Birgit Brun when bored in this place

and for her now to unpack it without disgrace.

 

 

Our little Kampala Christmas tree :)

Happy Holidays everyone!

A Kampala Thanksgiving

Last weekend on saturday November 27th we had a little get to gether to celebrate American Thanksgving here in Kampala. Everyone brought something to eat and we had a big feast! The tradition is to eat turkey so Sarah tried to make this happen here. She called the butcher and ordered a turkey that they were going to pluck and have freshly ready for us to pick up on the day of the dinner party. However, when we got to the butcher they had mixed up the order and could only offer us a frozen turkey..so we had to get chickens instead. But that didn’t stop us from still celebrating traditionally. We had all the good stuff that goes with a Thanksgving meal; gravy, stuffing, salad, mashed potatoe, sweet potatoe, beans, peas, carrots, cauliflower and rolls. The red wine bottles were obviously also a must to this fabulous meal. We even went around the table to say our thanks :) For dessert Mandana made a delicious apple crumble which we had with vanilla ice cream. Another fun night with some wonderful people that I’ve met while here in Kampala!

Gabby cleaning & stuffing the chickens :)

 

The table is set!

The girls

 

      Saying Thanks :)                                Mmmmm apple crumble

 

       More wine anyone?                               Mandana & Sarah