We had to make a paint run to Masindi yesterday despite the fact that Moses has yet to wet a brush. But we have base coated the mural wall, white painted most of the interior and used a gallon of red oxide on the back. We took our time in town with an hour on the internet and lunch at Sally’s, and a stop at the bank for our ATM card. At the market we ran into the thatcher, Toto John, and Eve who was getting ready to start a new term at St. Theresa’s Boarding School. I guess we are getting known as the new Wazungu in town (plural of muzungu).
We had no right to expect to avoid rain on the trip home but we somehow succeeded. No mishaps either – all three gallons of paint and two six-packs of beer and a dozen eggs arrived intact. The rains came at night, too late and too light for a shower which, based on the butterflies perched on my leg for a sip of sweat I need. Storm clouds are a-buildin’ so there is hope. And the roof didn’t leak last night.
Geoffrey, a Ugandan, Zarin, a Harvard student from Toronto, and another Ugandan researcher from SANSO stopped by to talk to Ben. They have invited us to their research site where the chimps have been habituated for more than a decade and we will try to take them up on the offer. They have solar power, hot showers, and satellite internet. They are also associate members at the Sugar Works club so we should see them again there. Membership is 5,000/= a month; snacks, hot dogs and drinks available daily and dinner is served on Tuesday and Friday.
While painting this morning Connie asked Ben how he got involved with JGI. Seems he was serving at the head table at a function with some “conservation big shot” who turned out to be Dr. Jane herself. During conversation he told her he was studying shark breeding in Mozambique as a way to get his foot in the door for primate research upon which she invited him to be a volunteer in Uganda for two months. After his volunteer stint Debby offered him a site supervisor’s job for two years which he is doing now although he hasn’t been paid pending funding from USAID/Prime West. Not bad for a 24 year old.
I nearly finished the first coat of red oxide on the outside when a good sized thunderstorm hit, so I scurried back to the banda to bathe. To say it was brisk would be an understatement; but cold or not I am now clean. I made pasta with breaded eggplant and mozzarella with garlic toast for supper – yummy – washed down with a cold Castle Lager. Life is good!
