How to say “Hello”…
March 2024. We drove seven hours in the heat up to Lira and saw many people on their way to church carrying palm fronds. Passed a few herds of cows (a sign of wealth), crossed the Nile, passed my favorite traditional huts (which remain quite cool inside) and wound up in a parade! The traffic jam was hilarious with lots of honking and tons of boda bodas, (motorcycles).. I should have figured it out that football (soccer here) was the cause! The Lira team went to Kampala and came back as victors with an enormous trophy. Tomorrow starts our school visits. Each class I meet has their own way of welcoming us. Just like when I attended Howard School, pupils are required to stand up when an adult enters the room. This group was pretty happy with their creative approach to saying hello!
What a day! We are so tired. Left Lira for remote schools in Aleppo and you can see just how challenging the roads were. Loved passing traditional mud houses and according to Levi, I was the first white person these kids had ever seen. There was quite a ruckus as the word spread through the schoolyard. Most of these kids have very basic English phrases down, but are quite confused when you try to have a conversation. They will need these books to build up their vocabulary for their big exams in November. The Unite to Light solar lights were a BIG hit!
