Mudding and Running

The New Year has started with a bang for Trav and me (and the ladies). We are finally feeling settled in our new office space and the ladies are excited about the change of environment (who wouldn’t love a new compound with 8 mango trees, banana plants, and papaya trees).

We are working with some local yarn until we receive our new shipment of yarn from the states. With that, our product line is expanding. Woohoo. We’re now making scarves and toddler hats. That’s right, get excited, they’re looking good.

Aside from all of those changes, we had a fabulous time “breaking in” our new huts. The structure of the huts were built over the break, but the mudding of the huts we left for the sake of having a team bonding experience. All the ladies have mudded huts before, so I think that Trav and I probably had the most fun. We mudded that hut in no time, ahh the power of teamwork.

So for a completely unrelated topic, Trav and I have started our journey of getting in shape. It is a journey, especially with the heat. There are a few blogworthy things worth noting in the Ugandan running realm. First, Trav and I have an established running route that is “relatively” less populated than the busier, larger roads. Trav runs just a touch faster than me, so I always have more company on my runs. Here’s the scenario:
A large group of little kids sees Trav running (I of course am way behind him). They laugh, yell at him, and try to run with him, barefoot and all. Unfortunately, they can’t keep up with him. But, just as their sadness begins to set in, I come into the scene. Their excitement returns tenfold and then begin to run again. This time, they can stay at my pace for at least five minutes, all the while laughing and trying to hold conversation. The conversations usually go something like this, “Muno hi-bye, how are you be my friend you give me money.” My favorites are the little 2 year old who stubble out of huts and yell with the shrillest of shrill, loudest of loud voices ‘muuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuunnnnnnnnnnoooooooooo hi.” They are relentless and I’ve learned that it is best to appease them immediately. My favorite running day so far was about two weeks ago. I just nearing the last ¼ of my run and the usual small group of children were giggling and running behind me. I kept passing small clusters of huts and more children were running out to greet/run with me. Kids from everywhere (from the left and right) we joining the ranks. It was like when many little tributaries meet the large, flowing river. Anyway, the laughter and giggling was at an all time high, so I looked back at my running companions and was astonished at the numbers. There were at least 70 children running behind me…..all giggling ferociously!!!! I was laughing so hard I could hardly breathe, let alone keep running. I finally had to tell them (in my limited Luo) to go home as I began to cross the busier road. I only wish someone was there to record it. It was priceless. I only feel so sorry for Trav, that he is too fast to have an experience like this.

Sorry for the novel. Peace.