This is for the birds!

Literally!

"I don't ask for the meaning of the song of a bird or the rising of the sun on a misty morning.  There they are, and they are beautiful."

Each morning I open my front door, sit down with a cup of fresh brewed coffee, and watch iridescent blue and green sunbirds sip the sweet nectar of my trumpet flower shrub.  I might see a slender black-headed heron gracefully walk through the tall grass field or catch a glimpse of a red-billed fire finch flying by.  The birds of Uganda are fascinating!

According to Birds of East Africa by Terry Stevenson and John Fanshawe (I totally recommend this book if you're into birding) there are 1388 bird species in the countries of Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi.

I'd like to share a few pictures, (okay, maybe more than a few) taken by my boyfriend and me.  They were taken in southwest Uganda along the Kazinga Channel, near Queen Elizabeth National Park and out my front door.  We used a Kodak Easyshare camera and I edited with iPhoto.

Red-billed Firefinch

Goliath Heron

Yellow Billed Stork

Malachite Kingfisher

Striated Heron

Egyptian Goose

Pied Kingfisher

Long-tailed Cormorant

African Fish Eagle

African Fish Eagle

African Fish Eagle

Spur-winged Lapwing

Hamerkop (with lunch!)

Hamerkop

African Wattled Lapwing

Weaver Bird Nests

 Male weaver birds build several nests to entice their future mates.  The female picks the one nest she likes the best then cuts down the rest. Sorry guys, but you gotta please the ladies.

Baglafecht Weaver

Pin-tailed Whydah

Speckled Mousebird

White-brown Robin-Chat

Grey Wren-Warbler

Black-and-while Minnikin

Red-billed Firefinch (female)

Puffback

African Golden Oriole (I think)

Variable Sunbird

Variable Sunbird

Hadada Ibis (NOISIEST BIRD ON THE PLANET)

Black-headed Heron

Uganda's National Bird, The Grey Crowned Crane

 "A bird does not sing because it has an answer.  It sings because it has a song." Chinese Proverb

Dancing with the Batwa

The Peace Corps Mission:  To promote world peace and friendship by fulfilling three goals.

1.     To help the people of interested countries in meeting their need for trained men and women

2.     To help promote a better understanding of Americans on the part of the peoples served

3.     To help promote a better understanding of other peoples on the part of Americans

These are the big ideas. These are what guide me as I work as a PCV in Uganda. As I work at the grassroots level toward sustainable change that lives on long after my service.   Hmmm...as  of right now, I’m hoping more than knowing I will make a substantial, sustainable contribution, and I’m at peace with that.  Mpora, mpora. Slowly, slowly.

Because what I do know right now, what I’ve learned these past seven months in country, is everyday I have the opportunity for a friendly conversation, a teachable moment, a cultural exchange, an observation or even a spontaneous dance lesson.  They happen anywhere and everywhere.  And it is in these shared experiences, these serendipitous moments I realize I am working towards fulfilling the goals of the Peace Corps...by promoting a better understanding between two cultures. And having fun too!

Such as...

Hiking the hills of my village with a surprise meeting of my favorite P4 student and her family

Preparing and sharing a multicultural meal with everything from matooke to pizza.

Teaching our taxi driver about geocaching then scoring an FTF (first to find).

(Tom gets all the credit)

My boyfriend, visiting from the US, playing volleyball with the college tutors and students.

Learning how to peel matooke from my “sister”

P7 students writing letters to pen pals in America.

My teachers at Kibingo giving me a pumpkin so I’d make them more pumpkin bread.

Celebrating Alvin’s 15th birthday.

 

And finally, dancing with the Batwa pygmies in Bwindi Impenetrable National Forest.  An explosive expression of humanity.  My dance moves need work!

   

“A nation’s culture resides in the hearts and in the soul of its people.” 

                                                                                                            Mahatma Gandhi

Leka tuzine!  Let’s dance!