May 6

Today was an awesome day because on Fridays the clinic has outreach
days, which means the whole clinic goes to a more remote village to
treat the AIDS victims there. The village we went to is called Msangi.
I can’t remember if I told you, but in Uganda some people are hesitant
to write wills because they believe they will die the next day. The
belief has largely dissipated in the city, but in the country it is
still running rampant. However, there was still enough to do to keep
us busy.  It was very fun because although the people in the city are
not used to seeing white people, it is even more rare for the people
in the country.  The little kids would run around saying “Morungu!
Morungu!” which means white person. It was hilarious because every
time I said “Oliotia” to someone, they would crack up. I guess they
didn’t expect that from the blonde girl.  Mum, dad: I learned today
that in Uganda, you are honored if you have twins. They even add a
title to your name. Nalongo for the mother of twins and Ssalongo for
the father of twins. And no, I did not type that wrong, there really
are two ss. So, good job guys.
Today after the clinic we went to a fruit stand, which was just like
you would expect an African fruit stand to be like. I got an awesome
pineapple that cost all of about 15 cents.
We started P90X today. Let me tell you, it was like working out in a
sauna. We were all pretty disgusting afterward. But with the way I am
eating (aka very little) and all the exercising, look out world, I am
going to be SUPER HOT.
Ok, I started most of that email yesterday (Friday) and now this is
from Saturday, so this is from the next day. Yesterday night we were
invited to a wedding party. Not the actual wedding, but a wedding
party, which I guess is a cultural thing here. The groom invites his
family and close friends to a party where he presents his plans for
the wedding (because I guess the groom plans the weddings here) and
tells everyone how much everything is going to cost. Then, they make
suggestions about where to cut costs and stuff and then they all offer
money to pay for different parts of the wedding. It was really
interesting, plus we got free food! After the party there was a dance.
It was awesome! The Africans were beside themselves with excitement
that we were there. It was hilarious because EVERY SINGLE SONG was
reggae. At one point, Mark went and requested that the DJ play Single
Ladies (in honor of us unmarried women in the program, aka all of us)
and it was a reggae remix! At one point Savannah and I started doing
the Macarena to whatever reggae song was playing, and the Africans
LOVED it. So, since that was so popular, we decided to try the boot
scootin boogie. Oh man, they were beside themselves. Who knew my lame
Provo dance moves would make me the most popular girl in Africa? After
awhile, Mark asked me what my signature dance move was, so I showed
him the bend and snap. All of a sudden all of the Africans, including
the men, were bending and snapping. HAHAHAHHAHAHahaha. It was just
like that salon scene in Legally Blonde. They kept coming up to me and
saying “show me how to do it! Teach me to do it better like you!” I
was very flattered.
Here is something you might find amusing: everyone here calls me
Steven, though with there accent it sounds life Stefen. I guess the ie
is just too much to handle. So everyone I have met thinks I have a boy
name.
I feel like Africa has already made me a better person. Like, there
are things that I often want to complain about (like always having a
cold shower and I think there are bats in my bathroom), but when I
really think about it, it would be incredibly ridiculous of me to
complain about those things because I don’t have AIDS. In 2 months I
will be back in the states with you guys and I can have all the hot
showers I want, but these people I am working with will die of AIDS.
It’s really humbling.
Hmm. The internet is being really slow. I hope this will send.
Herm Niccole, your life sounds awesome. I hope the concert was super
fun! I am not sending the emails to everyone. I’m not sure I have
everyone’s emails because they don’t just come up when you are using
the basic HTML (which I have to because the connection is so slow). So
could you continue to send them on? Thanks so much. And I totally
found you a baby. Yesterday in Nsangi, a woman we were writing the
will for was holding a tiny tiny TINY baby that was here great
grandchild. Seriously, I’m not even sure this baby was old enough to
be blessed in church yet. Anyway, the baby got really fussy at one
point, so I offered to walk around with her for a bit while Karen
finished writing the will. It was the best thing ever. I wanted that
baby so much!!!! But I didn’t take her.  Because that would have been
wrong. But I will stay on the lookout for an actual orphan that I can
bring home. (kidding mum. Kind of)

Lady Gaga is blasting from the hotel office. Oh, American culture.

Miss you all!
Love, Stefanie