(we get a percentage of the sale) or by visiting our 
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Top 50 Travel Spots for Architecture Buffs
I was recently contacted by another blogger who wrote an article called "Top 50 Travel Spots for Architecture Buffs" - conveniently combining two of my passions. I don't think it is in order of architectural relevance, but the list is comprehensive and interesting, especially if you are planning a trip for the near future. Anyway, check it out by following this link: Top 50 Travel Spots for Architecture Buffs
Sunday, January 3, 2010
City of Lights
On Christmas Eve Eve we hopped on a plane and made our way to picturesque Paris (read: Paree). The best part of flying with a non discount airline (Ryan Air, Easy Jet) other than being allowed checked luggage is the complimentary drinks. Thank you for the crisp champagne Air France and for flying from Tegel to Charles de Gaule.
On Christmas eve, we were joined by a good friend and went for Raclette at a cute restaurant in Montmarte (home of Amelie Poulin and Moulin Rouge) and subsequently swore off cheese for the rest of 2009 (unsucessfully).
Of course we walked around looking for all the tourist sights and architectural gems the city has to offer, but I'll let Lucas cover that story. We constantly got caught in the trap surrounding Notre Dame Cathedral, where we took our Christmas 2009 photo.
We saw lots of other stuff too, among our favourites, Le Centre Pompidou and Avatar.
After many exhausting days of walking the city, we twice sat down to a movie. The second was Max et Les Maximonstres (Where the Wild Things Are).. those French, they have a new word for everything!
Thinking it would be a fun experiment, I only brought along our zoom lens (55-200) which Luke enjoyed at some times more than others ( we practically had to walk to les Champs Elysees to get a full shot of the Eiffel Tower).
Monday, December 7, 2009
Balancing like a Boda-Boda
I haven't had the inspiration to write since I moved back to Kampala...until now.
My life here over the past three weeks has been full of great ups as well as a few dips below sea level. However, I am finally settling in day by day. After weeks of being somewhat homeless, jobless, and overwhelmed, I have finally moved into a cute house in an area of Kampala called Kansanga. Kansanga is a few miles/km out of the central Kampala area, and only about a 10 minute drive to the beautiful Lake Victoria beaches. (This is where I happily spent my Sunday).
I am living with nice German woman, just a bit older than me, who is completing some research, and her puppy. Our guard, Mark, and our housekeeper, Grace, are both lovely and keep our compound very safe and clean.
Finding a home was a huge weight lifted off my shoulders though I'm still feeling the financial strain that most 20-somethings are feeling ...all over the world. Seems that jobs are not easy to find right now...anyone agree? :-)
Since coming to the conclusion that I should find an area of work to specialize in, such as teaching or counseling, I focused my sights on International Education. More specifically, Montessori Teaching methods (or something along these lines). If you don't know about the Montessori Teaching Method I highly recommend Google-ing it.
I found a local Montessori School not far from where I live here in Kampala and decided to check it out. This is an Integrated School which educates 28 students between the ages of 4 and 9, half of which have learning disabilities. Within an hour of talking to the Head Teacher I was offered a position as a Teachers Assistant at the school. This should be great experience in case I decide to pursue a career in International Teaching and go back to school for it next year. The children are presently out-of-class due to the holiday season but I will be helping with some odd jobs in the classroom during this month and officially starting my teaching internship come January. I am really excited about this new career choice!
As for a job with a salary....This is in the works.
Along with assisting with Mr.Tayeebwa's PhD research, I have a few leads on other jobs in Kampala such as working for a TV station, and collaborating on the creation of a Documentary film. We'll see what pans out...
Thanks to all my friends here who have been an enormous help with my house/job/life search.
A small anecdote:
Today, I walked up and down the lengthy Ggaba Road, where they make and sell any kind of furniture, wood carving, house decoration you could imagine. In search of shelves for my new bedroom, I bargained for what seemed like hours in the sweltering sun, to save what is the equivalent of $1.15. Now I am laughing at myself, but at the time, I was in so deep in the bargaining game that I truly lost track of how little money was really at stake. Eventually I picked out wooden shelf unit (something like what you would find at Ikea..except with an African twist) and a giant woven basket to put clothes in, paid the final "last" price and now had to figure out a way to get back to my house with all this. Solution: Boda-Boda.
The Boda-Boda, motorbike, driver strapped the shelves horizontally to the back of the bike with twine and rubber strings. Then behind that he somehow connects my gigantic basket. He jumps on his bike, then I sit squished between him, and my new shelves. I tell him to go slow (that was for you mom)...so of course every car, truck, lory, bicycle, goat/person walking, baby crawling passes us. As we are driving (balancing) the 4 km to my house he decides to strike up a conversation on the politics of Uganda vs. the rest of the world. I only caught every other word he said since the wind carried the rest, but lets just say he has issues with Museveni but loves Obama. I told him to join the club.
That's all for today. I will try to take some more pictures soon so you can all picture what I have described above.
Its funny how quickly you get used to seeing certain things while living in a new environment. I no longer think its strange to wait in traffic while a herd of cows walk down the center of the road, or see goats nursing on the sidewalk, or a bicycle carrying 15+ mattresses riding alongside a massive big-mac truck. This Is Africa.
Time to go eat the beautiful pineapple that sits in my kitchen...its calling my name.
Love to each and every one,
Hannah
p.s. Happy Birthday L.A.S.!
My life here over the past three weeks has been full of great ups as well as a few dips below sea level. However, I am finally settling in day by day. After weeks of being somewhat homeless, jobless, and overwhelmed, I have finally moved into a cute house in an area of Kampala called Kansanga. Kansanga is a few miles/km out of the central Kampala area, and only about a 10 minute drive to the beautiful Lake Victoria beaches. (This is where I happily spent my Sunday).
I am living with nice German woman, just a bit older than me, who is completing some research, and her puppy. Our guard, Mark, and our housekeeper, Grace, are both lovely and keep our compound very safe and clean.
Finding a home was a huge weight lifted off my shoulders though I'm still feeling the financial strain that most 20-somethings are feeling ...all over the world. Seems that jobs are not easy to find right now...anyone agree? :-)
Since coming to the conclusion that I should find an area of work to specialize in, such as teaching or counseling, I focused my sights on International Education. More specifically, Montessori Teaching methods (or something along these lines). If you don't know about the Montessori Teaching Method I highly recommend Google-ing it.
I found a local Montessori School not far from where I live here in Kampala and decided to check it out. This is an Integrated School which educates 28 students between the ages of 4 and 9, half of which have learning disabilities. Within an hour of talking to the Head Teacher I was offered a position as a Teachers Assistant at the school. This should be great experience in case I decide to pursue a career in International Teaching and go back to school for it next year. The children are presently out-of-class due to the holiday season but I will be helping with some odd jobs in the classroom during this month and officially starting my teaching internship come January. I am really excited about this new career choice!
As for a job with a salary....This is in the works.
Along with assisting with Mr.Tayeebwa's PhD research, I have a few leads on other jobs in Kampala such as working for a TV station, and collaborating on the creation of a Documentary film. We'll see what pans out...
Thanks to all my friends here who have been an enormous help with my house/job/life search.
A small anecdote:
Today, I walked up and down the lengthy Ggaba Road, where they make and sell any kind of furniture, wood carving, house decoration you could imagine. In search of shelves for my new bedroom, I bargained for what seemed like hours in the sweltering sun, to save what is the equivalent of $1.15. Now I am laughing at myself, but at the time, I was in so deep in the bargaining game that I truly lost track of how little money was really at stake. Eventually I picked out wooden shelf unit (something like what you would find at Ikea..except with an African twist) and a giant woven basket to put clothes in, paid the final "last" price and now had to figure out a way to get back to my house with all this. Solution: Boda-Boda.
The Boda-Boda, motorbike, driver strapped the shelves horizontally to the back of the bike with twine and rubber strings. Then behind that he somehow connects my gigantic basket. He jumps on his bike, then I sit squished between him, and my new shelves. I tell him to go slow (that was for you mom)...so of course every car, truck, lory, bicycle, goat/person walking, baby crawling passes us. As we are driving (balancing) the 4 km to my house he decides to strike up a conversation on the politics of Uganda vs. the rest of the world. I only caught every other word he said since the wind carried the rest, but lets just say he has issues with Museveni but loves Obama. I told him to join the club.
That's all for today. I will try to take some more pictures soon so you can all picture what I have described above.
Its funny how quickly you get used to seeing certain things while living in a new environment. I no longer think its strange to wait in traffic while a herd of cows walk down the center of the road, or see goats nursing on the sidewalk, or a bicycle carrying 15+ mattresses riding alongside a massive big-mac truck. This Is Africa.
Time to go eat the beautiful pineapple that sits in my kitchen...its calling my name.
Love to each and every one,
Hannah
p.s. Happy Birthday L.A.S.!
Friday, November 13, 2009
The Big Move
So, after many sleepless nights and days of my wheels turning, I finally decided that Nairobi, Kenya was not the right fit for me. The city and the University of Nairobi had much to offer, but despite the effort I put in, I did not feel settled nor comfortable in my surroundings. A combination of the need to be immersed in intense security in Nairobi due to a high crime rate, and time spent re-evaluating my future education focus** led me to make a big decision... 'I will move back to Kampala, Uganda.'
Making this big change was something I had to decide on my own, which was not easy. The thought of 'giving up' on a place I had only lived for 2 months bothered me, however I truly feel that life is too short to settle for something that just is not clicking. Impulsive or not, I am very happy with my decision.
I am now re-settling into a life in Kampala. I have only been back here a few days, yet I already feel at home in this vibrant, warm, bustling, little city. My friends here have welcomed me like family and I have so many helping me with the apartment/job search.
Starting in January I will be working as a Research Assistant for the brilliant William Tayeebwa, a great friend I met at Concordia University in Montreal. William's PhD Research focuses on land conflict in different areas of East Africa. This experience will allow me to work in the field and gain knowledge on a topic that is presently feeding the refugee crisis in East Africa.
My blog will be updated more regularly now that I have finally rooted myself. I put up some pictures of the 15 hour road trip that I took with 2 friends from Nairobi to Kampala. It was quite an adventure to drive that long and winding road, including real zebra crossings, giant craters, passing through the equator, and many monkeys!
I miss you all who are not here with me now, but thanks to skype, g-chat, facebook, email, etc I don't feel too disconnected. So please, keep the emails coming! (hannahwillowgray@gmail.com). I love hearing from you all.
xoxo
Hannah banana
p.s. Happy almost Thanksgiving to all my lovely Americans.
**I have recently come to the conclusion that it is important to have some sort of tangible skill in order to find work in the future. I am now considering different options such as becoming a Teacher or a Counselor...a skill I can combine with my passion for international development in order to truly make a positive impact in this world.
More to come on this topic...
Making this big change was something I had to decide on my own, which was not easy. The thought of 'giving up' on a place I had only lived for 2 months bothered me, however I truly feel that life is too short to settle for something that just is not clicking. Impulsive or not, I am very happy with my decision.
I am now re-settling into a life in Kampala. I have only been back here a few days, yet I already feel at home in this vibrant, warm, bustling, little city. My friends here have welcomed me like family and I have so many helping me with the apartment/job search.
Starting in January I will be working as a Research Assistant for the brilliant William Tayeebwa, a great friend I met at Concordia University in Montreal. William's PhD Research focuses on land conflict in different areas of East Africa. This experience will allow me to work in the field and gain knowledge on a topic that is presently feeding the refugee crisis in East Africa.
My blog will be updated more regularly now that I have finally rooted myself. I put up some pictures of the 15 hour road trip that I took with 2 friends from Nairobi to Kampala. It was quite an adventure to drive that long and winding road, including real zebra crossings, giant craters, passing through the equator, and many monkeys!
I miss you all who are not here with me now, but thanks to skype, g-chat, facebook, email, etc I don't feel too disconnected. So please, keep the emails coming! (hannahwillowgray@gmail.com). I love hearing from you all.
xoxo
Hannah banana
p.s. Happy almost Thanksgiving to all my lovely Americans.
**I have recently come to the conclusion that it is important to have some sort of tangible skill in order to find work in the future. I am now considering different options such as becoming a Teacher or a Counselor...a skill I can combine with my passion for international development in order to truly make a positive impact in this world.
More to come on this topic...
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Airfare Deals
This sponsored post is about a website specializing in personal airfare deals. You sign up, fill in some simple forms and they send you personalized emails featuring airfare deals and air ticket sales. I haven't used the service so I can' vouch for its effectiveness. However, as more and more of us are galavanting around the globe cheap flights could come in handy. Anyway, feel free to check out the website and see if it is useful - while you are there look into flights to Berlin and stop by for a visit. Beer is on me (well, Kristi actually).
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