Appreciating the little things

Last Wednesday Lina and Lovisa, also from Sweden, came to Ssenyange to stay for a week. They are so nice and warm people and I am so happy that I got a chance to know them. For me it has also, in many cases, been more needed to have someone experiencing the same situation as I am than I actually thought it would. To be able to discuss and share thoughts and concerns at the very instant you are experiencing it has really meant a great deal and helped me in order to sort out some thoughts right away. I will truly miss them now since they left yesterday. This is why it will be even more important for me to write down everything each evening so that I can go back and reflect when I need to.

Sundays is the days of free time and play and what better way to spend last Sunday but having a beauty salon for everyone who wants colorful nails and top it with disco? All children who wanted could choose between red and pink nail polish and we sat almost two hours in the blazing sun and dusty air surrounded by happy and curious kids stretching their hands out for color. Afterwards, nearly 150 kids had been painted and it was time for disco!
In the big hall benches were moved towards the wall in order to make room for the dance floor. Finally it was time to start the disco and 200+ students filled the room with the most amazing dance moves!

Lina, Lovisa and I had decided to learn the kids the Macarena dance and what a success! Up we went on the stage showing them the moves and they are really fast in picking up new things.
What an inexhaustible energy these kids have, incredible!

Between classes, football, netball and playing we talk a lot. They are curious of how we have it in Sweden. From what kind of fruits we have to the members of the royal family and all in between and we learn from each other. The local language luganda is a beautiful, but difficult, language but I have learnt a few words such as sula bulungi (good night) webale (thank you), olyotya (how are you) and some more.

I have been blessed with a student that I am the sponsor of and she is really beautiful, lively, ambitious and has that spark. And she is an amazing dancer! She goes in P6, living in the school and will hopefully graduate next year. I am so happy and grateful that I have gotten the chance to meet with her and to be able to follow her journey onwards.

I have shared deeper talks with some of the older students and they are very perceptive, thoughtful and work very hard. I am convinced of that it will go well for them in the future and all this is thanks to the school.

I have also found my African mother here in Ssenyange. Beautiful, strong, wise and warm hearted Mrs. Zaweede Gertrude. She and the principal Mr. Mutesasira together with their whole family have really opened up their home to me and everyday I get to eat the most delicious mangos, avocados, jack fruits (new to me) and not to forget the amazing peanut sauce. Since I am nearly addicted to popcorn you can imagine my happiness when I got popcorn to breakfast this morning!
I can not repeat it enough, I have never experienced so much gladness and happiness of what life has to bring that shines through them even though some of them has experienced terrible things. It really makes you reflect and makes you grateful, we have it so good in Sweden. Things we take for granted in our everyday life such as free school, clean tap water, food on the table, clean streets, good healthcare and care for the elderly.

But I am going to be honest, it is not always easy to keep spirits up. Such a different reality from what I am used of and new impressions everyday can sometimes make it feel tough and feelings are flying everywhere and nowhere. But when you are with the students and the teachers all of that go away and you get carried away by laughter and joy. They truly amaze me. We have so much to learn when it comes to mind set and appreciating what we have.

“Enjoy the little things in life, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things”
– Robert Brault

With love,
Mirja