You just can't make this stuff up!

So far, I feel like we've experienced some c r a z y things. Sometimes I just chalk it up to a different way of life, or maybe a cultural tradition. Sometimes though, it's just plain bizarre no matter how you slice it. This time, well you decide...

We had a meeting on Tuesday with the headmaster of Hope to rearrange our schedule and surprising, it went really well. Like a little too well. Then we has class with the P6s (about 6th grade, give or take) and it was so much fun. * I have lots of pictures of the kids, they are so awesome! I'll post those soon!* Anyway, after class we met with another guy about some pretty mundane maintenance issues with our Youth Center. Everything was moving along really smoothly until he, ever so casually, mentions that our new neighbors who are in about week 3 of construction, are with the Uganda government.

"Oh..cool" we all thought and nothing more. That was until we learned by "Ugandan Government" he meant undercover, illegal operations team.. Like "secret service" was the best translation our friend could come up with. The 'house' would look like a house from the outside. Even the inside, should we ever get a peek in, would look like a home but whatever would be happening inside I doubt would be very family oriented.

Our housemate Deo told us there are some other buildings around town like this - one he knows of has a warehouse inside which takes expired condoms and slaps a new date on the package, preparing it for resale. And I thought a lack of education was just the issue ...

"Oh shit" we all thought, our minds racing. On top of this news, our friend says, again very nonchalantly, that we will more than likely need to vacate our Center - it's nothing urgent- but just something to keep in mind. The officials don't want the youth running about. DUDE?

I thought a cow time out during a football game was odd enough. This is just..truly something we couldn't make up, expect, predict. I think I am pretty easy going, but I am definitely learning to adjust my frame of thought and drop any assumptions I may have still carried up to this point. There just seem to be so many issues I feel like we can dissect here and that translate to any of the bizarrOness we experience. One glaring issue is just the plain lack of foresight amongst most people here. It seems obvious enough to us as Americans that, if you don't want kids around, check out the buildings already standing! Don't build near a school! (Hope School is maybe 100 yds away). Then again, this is the Ugandan government and something tells me they don't so much mind who is inconvenienced.

So, as I try to conclude, I am thinking I should have used a code word for 'government' but I guess if I don't post within 2 weeks or so, contact Adam or Courtney. Unless they've been taken by The Man too.. Just kidding Mom.

This is certainly one TO BE CONTINUED