Real life in Uganda

Most of you know that my residence here in Uganda is somewhat unusual in that I live on the top floor of God Cares Nursery & Primary School. I like to call it my penthouse, but it's really anything but a penthouse. My biggest complaints here are the lack of privacy and the noise in the mornings. Well, this month I have moved temporarily as I house sit for some friends who are currently in the U.S. to experience what most ex-pats do.

I began house sitting on February 1. It was a very weird move for me. First of all, the house is WAY on the other side of town. The other day it took me about 45 minutes to get to the school from there and it's only a few miles away. I realized how comfortable I am at the school as I prepared to bring necessary items to the house. At the school, I can wake up and just get on my computer and begin working right away. Now, I have to shower, get dressed, lock up the house, open the gate, drive outside, close the gate then drive to work. It's not something I'm used to in the morning or the evening.

The second thing is I really miss my kids. They've just returned and much of what I do is ministering to them. I even miss the noise that they make. The noises at the house are foreign to me, but I find comfort in the noises of our children. After all, the reason I moved to Uganda was the kids.

Lastly, living on the other side of town makes hanging out with people difficult. Most of my friends are on the school side of town. This week I've been invited to a game night and to watch the Super Bowl but they're all away from where I'm staying. I'll figure it out, but it just seems inconvenient.

All I'm saying is that it's just weird to be living a "real life" now. What I mean is that it's like being back in the U.S. in some ways. Living somewhere and working somewhere else. I'm not sure I'm cut out for this while I'm in Uganda. Thankfully I've been blessed with the opportunity to live with my kids and minister to them full time even if it means sacrificing my privacy. However, this month I am trying to appreciate my privacy and the beautiful house that I'm staying in.