See Ya Next Fall

I am sure you are familiar with the saying, “I hope you had a nice trip… See ya next Fall!” when one stumbles over their feet or face plants it into the grass.

Now, I never claimed to be a person of poise but was truly hoping that this unflattering characteristic of mine would not make the journey with me to Uganda.

But oh it did.  It packed itself in my bags and chose to make an appearance once I moved up to Kitgum. 

In my four months up North I have epically fallen three times, all of which were witnessed by a handful of people. 

Fall #1.  I was on my way to work and was taking my trash to the back of the compound, where the burn pit is.  Now let me explain some landscape for you.  From my small porch you can either step off the front onto to an uneven brick step or off the side, which will lead you to the grass.  I prefer the latter.  For some odd reason on this morning, I decided to brave the brick step and instead of landing solid on my two feet, I ended up face first in the grass with my black plastic bag of trash spread over the yard.  As I graciously gathered my composure and trash, I noticed the security guards peering from the hut.  As I hobbled out of the compound I could only imagine the good laugh the guys got that morning.

Fall #2.  Peace Corps Volunteers will do almost anything for a good meal.  When Mikael was still in country she called me craving a burger.  Luckily next to my compound is a quaint little restaurant, Fugly’s, which serves the best hamburger I have had in Uganda.  Since Mikael was coming from town, I decided to head over and place our orders because Lord knows that to prepare and cook two burgers in Uganda takes two hours.  I let the early evening rain storm finish before braving the 80-yard muddy terrain to the restaurant.  I was nearing the gate but first I had to walk down a very, very slight grassy knoll.  In front of me was a man, also heading to the same place.  I attempted to follow his footsteps to avoid any embarrassment but I slipped in the process and completely biffed it.  I went into a jazz split, one leg fully extended in front with the other leg behind, bent at the knee.  Mud was found from in-between my toes all the way up my back.  The man was hesitant to help, which I cannot blame him being that he would have probably found himself in the same situation as me.  He addressed me with his sincere apologies and let me wash up before going home to change.  After a quick bucket bath I returned somehow cleaner and waited for Mikael and our delicious dinner.  Lessons learned?  Do not venture out in flip-flops and never think that you have finally conquered muddy dirt roads in this country.  Never.

Fall #3.  Northern Uganda is a much flatter landscape than the Southwest and because of this I walk up any and every inclined road.  Luckily for me, outside my compound is a hill that I would put at an incline of 10 of a treadmill.  I choose to take this route to the office but have been avoiding it for the past couple of days, allowing my knee to heal.  One Tuesday morning I made it to the top before heading down the opposite side.  Now let me explain that one side of the hill is paved, with many potholes, and the other is rocky and full of loose gravel.  I was walking down the loose gravel.  I was just coming down from the top when my untrustworthy flip-flop slipped, and I went with it.  As I braced myself with my hand (mistake), my book bag went flying in the opposite direction; all while dirt and rocks greeted my knee.  A group of Ugandans watched from the bottom of the hill as I attempted to put myself back together.  Whenever someone notices my scratched up lower extremity they are not afraid to point it out and explain that they will pray for it.  Hopefully they will pray for not another fall.  Three is enough.

Four random thoughts. 

One.  Why Uganda chooses to pave random pieces of street amongst its majority dirt roads, I will never understand.  And they truly are random… A 30-yard stretch in the most arbitrary of spots. 

Two.  Why a restaurant is named Fugly’s, I will truly never understand.  Did the owner never watch Mean Girls?

Three.  Time to break out the Chacos again.  ASAP.

Four.  I will be seeing you next Fall.  So excited… And nervous… And excited!