the borch porch: Home from Uganda!!

We are home! Well, we've been home for 4 weeks now, but it took us a good 2 weeks to catch up on sleep and switch back into the "American lifestyle" of go, go, go!! I honestly think this is the hardest part of our reverse culture shock. The pace of life here is so incredibly fast and so full all the time, every day and every week that it definitely takes some adjusting to get used to it. On the other hand, the "fullness" of friendship and family mixed with life is so what we love, cherish and missed!!

I had grandiose plans to finish up a few stories from our last 2 months in Uganda for this blog post but unfortunately I haven't put them together. So,..instead I thought I'd take the easy way out and just post some fun photos from our last trip to Arua, Uganda. I do have so many stories to share and will get to them as soon as I can. For now, enjoy some pics from the pearl of Africa!! (Uganda)

This is a common practice in Uganda called "smearing". They use a mixture of mud and cow dung and they plaster their homes. It gives the huts a really beautiful look.

Hanging with Jeff's co-workers for a International Conference on Rodent Biology and Management...in South Africa!!

Fatu and O looking for seashells on the shores of Lake Victoria in Entebbe, Uganda.

One of the few Muslim mosques in the city we live in, Arua.

Our favorite Indian restaurant in Arua. They make a mean chicken masala and chicken tikka masala!! Our "usual" table was the one on the far left on the outside patio.

Our really tall friend Robert and the kids. Robert works at the plague lab and he's an amazing guy. We've known him for 5 years now since we met him on our first trip to Arua in 2005.

This was a gift from Jame's mom, Grace. He is the boy that had severe double club feet and is currently walking around on his new feet!! Our church community, Bridestone and our fam' helped to pay for his surgery and needs. His mom arrived at our house in Arua with a bag full of food to say thank you!

A man taking his load of coal to sell at the market or bringing it home for his own use.

Had to take this shot because it's so common to see random signage in Africa or lots of misspelled signs! This is actually our friends funny mistake and the sign was taken down in a day.

Our friend carrying timber very gracefully on her head. The women are incredibly strong, it amazes me!!

A cutey pie on Palm Sunday playing with her palms.

Palm Sunday. This was one of my favorite days. The dirt roads were packed with people waving their palm leaves and singing worship songs. The roads were dotted with palms everywhere you walked, it was beautiful.

My girlfriends found the very first coffee shop in Arua! This was like finding a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow! There was a real espresso machine and yes, a steamer!! Still can't believe I had latte in Arua...wow!!

Soccer in the capital of Uganda, Kampala

THIS IS OSUUBI! Yup, this is the dried beans of the Osuubi plant. Jeff made a killer good Osuubi soup for the whole family! We decided as a family to try all of the local foods, although we didn't succeed. We missed the grasshoppers and well, we passed up the opportunity to try the fried ants, but maybe next time!!

Fatu and friends at Ombachi church.

Another day at the water well in Ombachi village.

This is Katrin, our friend in Arua, and Osobie during some of the filming for the 2 minute documentary film that was submitted to a BBC competition. Katrin did an amazing job and Osobie was real trooper while we filmed for many days.

I had to take this photo so I could show our families and friends what some of the latrines will be like when they all come to visit us in Uganda!! :) hint, hint

The beloved fabric market!! I LOVE this place and the beautiful designs on the wax material and kantenge's! I could spend hours here if it wasn't for running out of spending money and the intense heat of the market.