Loved and... I'm here!

Dear Friends, 

I am here and things are going great.  Sorry I haven't posted yet, and there is so much to share, yet when I sit down to write it out, all I can think is, today is good.

Lets start by going over what its like living here. I feel like I am a princess. I live in the back of the compound and up some stairs - which in my head I refer to as my 'tower.' I have a canopy bed (also known as mosquito netting).     And I have a bathroom in my room (read: look for a post about my struggles there).  

My 'tower' has two rooms - the front room, and a bedroom (which the bathroom is in). Currently Tawni is sleeping in the front room, but after she leaves it will just be for me to do school in/have as an entry way/have a refrigerator. (p.s. I have a refrigerator and a fan and electricity and hot water).

View from my 'tower'

so tiny!!

Kitty doesn't like flash photography.

We also have a pet kitty, I don't seem to be nearly as allergic to him, as I am to every single cat in the United States.  He (actually we are unsure if its a boy or a girl) is very cute and enjoys meowing loudly at night (keeping me and Tawni awake) climbing in his cage, and playing/exploring.

I have met many Ugandians here. As far as white people go... a couple from Australia, a retired pastor from Virginia who we met while we were just out one day, a girl from Georgia a little older than me who teaches in town, and a boy (also a few years older than me) from Texas (although I am incredibly confused on what he does).  I walked into uptown Mityana with Tawni and Elizabeth (the owner of the orphanage's 11 yr old daughter) and the children yell at us "mzungu" which means "white person." You are constantly on display. Everyone stares at you all the time.

We saw a two white people in uptown yesterday, which is very rare. The grocery store here is run by two Indian men. There are a lot of people from India here. I asked Angie (the orphanage owner) and she said that they own a lot in Uganda and don't always treat Ugandans well.  To me, they were very nice.  One that helped me the other day was teasing me because I cannot figure out the money(look for a post on money coming soon). 

I am still working on getting settled but it is so beautiful here and the kids are sweet and all is well. 

Lots of love, 

Michelle!