Stuck in traffic photos...

I took these two photos when we were headed home, needless to say we wer stuck in traffic, random Ugandan life on the side of the road.

International School of Uganda...

Just a couple pictures from the school.

This is a third grade class

It was a lovely school,mosrtly outside with wide open spaces for kids...

Ugandan Independence

Finished at the school today, and the witch doctors are still keeping me up... Tuesday is Ugandan Independence day and the government hasn't decided yet if Monday is a holiday or not. I am noticing an increase in Military and police presence for sure, let's hope its for peaceful celebration. One can never be sure in this part of the world.

Witch Doctors...

Every night since I have been here, I have been woken up at around 3:00am to the sounds of chanting and drumming off in the distance. When I asked about it at breakfast, I was told " that's the witch doctor who lives up the hill... I mean traditional healer." 

Arriving in Uganda at night

Arriving in Uganda at night, I forgot how dark it is, not a whole lot by way of competeing lights. And I was reassured at the airport that the Ugandan government hasn't had a case of Ebolla since August 24th. .. why do they even mention that?
I am staying at the home of one of the teachers and her family, give the status of the hotels around here, I think I lucked out.

My bedroom, with mosquito net of course

Outside on the verandha- it is nice and cool here compared to India.

Cremation sites

Today we also went to one of the ghats that is a sacred cremation site for Hindus. It was an uncomfortable place for me.  People believe that dying here in Varanasi ensures a clear pathway, if they don't come here to die, families will often bring the bodies here from other parts. I have seen more dead bodies in the weeks here then ever in my life.  They carry the bodies through the tight alley ways on a wooden stretcher to this spot where the family selects the wood and the eternal fire, the better the wood the more expensive the cremation. They have it down to a science, about three hours per body. They cremate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. There are only men allowed on the site and typically the oldest male relative accompanies the body. The ashes are spread in the Ganges.  The cremation is done by the untouchable cast (contrary to what the Indian government says the caste system is alive and well.) You can pay one of the guys standing around to take up to where the pyres are built, smoke billowing off. I politely declined. 

These two

These two were on the there way to school this morning. You can see the boy has coal around his eyes which mothers use to ward off evil spirits.