Days 1 & 2: Landed!

Thu 1/29 - 9:50pm We are here! It's almost 10pm in Kampala, here at Entebbe Airport. We had a fairly easy travel day. I slept through the entire six hour flight from DC to Amsterdam and we had a nice four hour layover at Schiphol Airport. Since I usually sleep so easily, the eight hour flight we just took made me a bit nervous. In order to beat the jet lag I knew I needed to stay awake and push through so that I could actually sleep tonight in Uganda. I decided to watch a few action-packed movies to pass the time. I saw Gone Girl, which was intense and excellent, and Lucy, which was intense and ridiculous. I took a three hour nap between movies (oops!) and ate a few small meals, but the time passed quickly. Dad worked on his computer, researching biodigesters and sorting through emails and reports from different vendors that we'll be meeting with tomorrow in Kampala. 10:20pm - Welcome to Africa! We're now in line for a visa, after passing through a long, circuitous maze of stantions that took us to the first entry point manned by nurses with face masks, giving us hand sanitizer, taking our health forms, and taking our temperature via an infrared gun (how modern!). It is very warm here, about 80F, and it smells faintly like a fireplace. There is a child crying down a hallway out of sight and people are quiet and focused, like everyone usually is entering customs anywhere in the world. 10:35pm We got all of the bags no problem at the baggage claim and I picked up wi-fi for 10 seconds and sent you each a text that said "In Kampala!" but I'm not sure you got it. Marissa, the AAH Volunteer Coordinator (who is from Wisconsin originally and has worked here for 16 months), met us outside with a young Ugandan driver named John Bob. As we walked into the open parking lot, lit by harsh fluorescent light, I took a deep breath and the fresh air smelled fantastic. It was unique scent, and yet also reminiscent of the dirt of Bali, the streets of Guadalajara, and the breeze in Costa Rica, mixed with campfires from childhood. The climate here is warm and humid - and peaceful. 11:45pm As we drove in the small car (which somehow miraculously fit all of us and our extra luggage of gifts and school supplies we carried over for the school), John Bob explained to us that he was inspired by our work and the love we were bringing to his country. It turns out he was sponsored himself by a woman in Pennsylvania, who paid for his school fees from age second grade on. It set a really lovely tone for our first moments here and as we drove along the dark roads away from the airport I felt myself relaxing and getting very excited for the adventure ahead... We have now arrived at Sam's house, where we will be for the next 36 hours, before we head into the village in the mountains. He doesn't have wifi, but hopefully at some point during the day tomorrow I'll find a place in the city to log on and send this. Sam and his family live in a very nice home by Ugandan standards. They served us a delicious, simple meal and we each have our bedrooms, so I'm hoping to get a solid night of Z's. Please email me for the next few weeks - I have no clue if I'll have Internet access whatsoever in Bupoto or Budada or Bumwalikani, but I'll write to you when I can. I know we'll have service at the Speke Hotel when we return to Kampala on Mon Feb 9, but I sure hope to reach out before then.