Wednesday, August 5, 2009: Flight to Uganda

Leave Peace Corps staging in Philadelphia by bus to JFK in New York City. From here, we have a short layover in Brussels, Belgium, and I’m secretly hoping for a delay so we can spend some more time in country. That doesn’t happen…but I do get to enjoy two 50cL pints at 8:00 AM local time with Steve Wright and some new Peace Corps friends in the Brussels airport. We figured out we were actually just making last call for beers in the U. S. Eastern time, and I think this is the first time I’ve bought beer by the centi-liter. Overall, the two flights go well, but long…and we make it to Entebbe, Uganda, at midnight, August 6. We’re welcomed at the airport by the Peace Corps Country Director (CD) Larry Brown, his family, and some of his staff. The airport accommodations in Entebbe are very nice and we make our way to the Leweza Training Center with the staff for our first few days in Uganda.

Tuesday, August 4, 2009: Staging and Trainee Introductions

I arrived in Philadelphia today from my Dads in Washington DC for my Uganda Peace Corps staging event. My Dad, Brother, and I spent our lunch walking around the Historic District of Philadelphia and quickly grabbed a Philly Cheese Steak before showing up at the Holiday Inn. This wasn’t my first time in Philly, and not even my first time to this hotel. I was just here last year on a short weekend vacation with a friend, and already know the area and the roof top pool. The staging event for Peace Corps is the first time trainees (soon to be volunteers) meet each other and get fully briefed by Peace Corps before leaving for country. I have never been to Uganda and was excited to learn more about the country at staging. I’m even more excited about going though. This visit to the Holiday Inn wasn’t like the others…

During staging, I met the other 42 trainees and PC staging staff. People are from all over the U.S. and range from ages 21 to 70-years old. One (out of two) of the 70-year old women is on her 2nd Peace Corps assignment in the last 10-years, and has also worked as a Peace Corps Crisis Corps volunteer and health worker in multiple East African countries. She’s told me she has a son who very much resembles me, and would like to act as mom over the next 2 years. I’m happy I already got back up and now two moms looking out for me. There are also two married couples here, one of which have served in Peace Corps, but both great, and then a lot of younger, recently graduated, college students. There are 8 other Master International (MI) students, including myself, in the group of 43, from various departments and universities around the U.S. Most notably among these, is Steve Wright, a good friend and fellow MI student I met this year from Michigan Tech. Steve also got his placement in Uganda as a Water/San and Community Health volunteer from the Michigan Tech MI program, and will definitely be nice to have around and grab a beer with when needed. But again, when is a good friend not needed. The information sharing and conversation will also definitely also be a bonus. There are also two guys from the same program and department started by Jim Milhelsik down at South Florida University. Both of these guys were ready to come to Michigan Tech, before accepting their offer from Jim to head down to South Florida. Interesting how we’re all here in Uganda, though. I’m definitely looking forward to this all.

So, I’ve skipped a head a bit on the introductions, but I’m also backtracking and late on writing these posts. More next time...

The Start

My blog starts in Houghton, MI. I moved up to the upper peninsula of Michigan, more notably known as the U.P., from Milwaukee, WI., where I finished up my undergrad degree in civil engineering from UW-Milwaukee. I moved into my house in Houghton August 30, 2008, and started graduate school early September. I was just beginning my Peace Corps Master's International (MI) program in environmental engineering at the Michigan Technological University, where I would spend one full year in the U.P. taking classes and preparing for my Peace Corps assignment. At the start of the year, I did not know when, or even where I'd be going for Peace Corps. That was also half the fun, along with meeting the other new and returned MI students in the various departments around campus. Kind of strange, but I was actually born in Ann Arbor, Michigan and have now returned to the state 24 years later. While that's lower Michigan, I do smile each time I see it on my passport. While it quite doesn't feel like home, there is a draw..part of the season. Fall in the U.P. was by far one the best seasons I've experienced. You couldn't beat the colors or change this time of year. Winter is a longer story, because it's also a much longer season. I'll try to get everyone up-to-date on that sort of stuff, my life and goals and keep posting when possible. I may also let the pictures do most of the talking. Till next time..