Life at the lodge

Life at the lodge begins with breakfast at around 7.30.  This consists of tea, coffee, bread and jam (peanut butter or marmite if you buy some in Kampala or Kabale!), pineapple and dough balls (which every morning without fail brings a worrying amount of excitement).

The vans leave the lodge at around 8.30, dropping the volunteers off at their schools and returning them by about 5.00 to tea, coffee, popcorn or peanuts.  Then before dinner there is time for a run or a “refreshing” cold shower, or both.  In fact, going for a run makes the cold shower much more pleasant!

Dinner is at around 7.15, prepared by the two of the most cheerful people on the planet, Dennis and Mackie.  It’s incredible to see the meals they prepare in the tiny kitchen!

At around the same time, the electricity comes on for about three hours a day.  So after dinner, you can check email or prepare lessons.  Alternatively you can buy a Nile beer or two from the bar, play pool and join in whatever fun VU have in store*.  After the electricity goes off, it’s either time for bed or to sit around the fire playing more games or putting the world to rights.

*Update…this has included:

• Monday night football – really popular with the local kids
• Movie nights
• Fancy dress parties
• Speed dating – just for fun, so all the volunteers could get to know each other
• Board games (Monopoly, Articulate etc.)
• Card and dice games
• Pool tournaments (yes I won!!)
• Quiz (yes, my team won!!)
• Drinking games (yes, my team won the beer pong!)
• Talent show (boo, second!)