# 46 July 24th- Friday

Friday last day…bittersweet
My last day in Gulu was really bittersweet. I brought gifts for David to the school. I gave him an atlas, a Schools for School t-shirt, and Gulu special shirt, a journal for creative teaching ideas, and a nice wristwatch so that he can keep time better. All he really wanted was an apple. They were out of them at Prince, so I couldn’t get him one. I enjoyed getting to know David. In many ways we couldn’t be more different. He is a farmer first and a teacher second. I don’t know anything about farming, but I feel at home in the classroom. He is quiet and I can be pretty loud. However, I feel like we learned from each other this summer. He seemed to take some of the things we did to heart, but as teachers we both have a long way to go. I’m glad that he now has a moped to drive to school instead of the bike. It should cut down his commute considerably. I wore the shirt I was given by the Gulu SS staff to school and everyone said I looked smart. They all gave me a double take on my haircut. Some of the teachers came up and said that they didn’t recognize me. I was still having the same sensation when I would look in the mirror. Thankfully there aren’t many mirrors around.
I’ve been so impressed with my teammates at Gulu SS. Annie not only set up a play for the students, but she also created a really cool t-shirt for us. It is based on the Nile beer label and it is a big hit. I’m so impressed with her ability to use her talents to make an instant impact. Matt might have had the most dynamic teaching partnership of us all. He really invested himself in helping Okali John with his responsibilities. They work so well together as a team. There is a really good chance that Okali John may come to the USA this January. He would be a great choice for this exchange. I think kids would love his teaching and that he would learn so much. I know that he and Matt have developed a strong bond this summer. Michael and his teacher Opoki James (aka The Red Python) have really connected outside the classroom as well. James is a singer and rapper. He created a song for Michael to rap in. They actually filmed part of the video at Katarina’s. It actually sounded really good. Michael is a really talented guy.
I was able to snap a shot of the first ever Gulu SS rugby team. I hope they continue to play after I am gone. It really relies on Nyeko and Simon who I think are committed to keeping it going.
It felt strange leaving Gulu SS for the last time. I will keep the memories I made there in my heart for all my life. I hope that this experience helps me become the teacher I need to become. What will Gulu SS be like in years to come? What impact did we really make there? Was it worth the time and effort? I can’t help but be optimistic that the situation in Northern Uganda will continue to improve. The opportunity will eventually catch up with the ability here. To be honest, I feel sad in leaving and that feeling makes me want to leave even more. I can hardly believe that it has been 6 weeks. I still remember Julia crying in my arms on the night before I left. “Six weeks is so long.” It was, but this time was well spent. I feel like we made the right call on doing this. I don’t ever want to be away from my family this long and I do think that missing my family really colored everything I did here. I sometimes envied the freedom that my single friends seemed to have, but I wouldn’t exchange my girls for the whole world.
Okelo Geoffrey met me back at the hotel with his friend Denis. We were able to load them up with gifts of things that we were leaving behind. I hope that they are able to use these few things to get ahead. I’m going to miss this friendship. Part of me would love to take Geoffrey home. I can just imagine him in my AP World class. It seems impossible and it might not even be the best thing for him. At least he has a connection with Mike and Dennis from the Watoto Bible Study. Those guys are solid and I hope they look after him. They really welcomed him in when I was there. Some things you just can’t know, but I’m hoping for the best.
In the night we dressed up and went to Bamboo (now called Fuglys) for one last night out together. Matt was really good to put the meal together. I ordered a hamburger and I was really disappointed. I hung around for a bit, but I was feeling sick and homesick so I left early again. I felt like a turtle in a shell just waiting for the wolf to pass by. I have been carrying around this strange fear that I’ll die right before I get home. The song Ironic goes though my head a lot. I’ve been hoping that I don’t end up stuck in the bottom of the Nile with a crocodile. I’m holding that in tension with the reality that God has numbered my day and I will go in his time. It’s a strange place to be. It doesn’t really lend itself to celebration. I locked myself out of my room so I crashed on Ryan’s bed until a key arrived around midnight. It was ok. It gave me time to think, to let things go, to give thanks, to cry, to smile, to rest.