Bead Sale Day

When I left home, I knew I was forgetting 12 things...but didn't know what they were. Ever get that feeling? So, two things that I forgot...my ipod charger and an alarm clock. Last night I was attempting to download an alarm clock application...and I was so tired that I fell asleep during the download. Luckily I woke up at 5:30...so I had an early start to the day. After skyping home and letting everyone know I am okay, I headed to breakfast...more fresh fruit and fresh fruit juice (mango, I think), scrambled eggs, toast, and some sausage? thing that looked like those little red hot sausages you buy in a gas station (it wasn't hot though). My group told me I was brave for trying it...I was hungry.

After breakfast we headed to the bead for life office. Every two weeks a group of beaders make the trek to the office to sell beads that they have made in the last couple of weeks. The sale began with all 50 women forming a big circle. Some drums started...and they all began to sing and dance. It was a really cool sight to see. It began to rain during the singing and dancing (No Robert, it wasn't a rain dance). So, we all rushed down to a big white tent (in the mud) and began to introduce ourselves. When I said I was from Kansas, there was quite a few quizzical looks...like, where? The rain stopped and the bead sale began. During the course of the sale I experience each step of the process. I began with a brand new product they are coming out with, Shea butter soap...make from Shea nuts. It was interesting...and they actually sold us a little bit. Then I had some free time to just walk around, visit, and take pictures. I went outside and visited with a mother...and her two year old son (who was asleep on her back). I hope the pictures turn out! I say the boy was on her back...let me explain. They use a piece of cloth that is about the same feel as a bed sheet and about the size of a towel to form a holding device (poor wording, I know. It is difficult to explain). Try bending your knee...the throw a towel over it...and pull on both ends. It is the same concept...except it is around your back and there is a baby in it. It allows the mother to hold on the ends at about waist level.

I then went inside and began "bundling" beads. We would pick up 5 different colored necklaces and tie a piece of something ( it looked like some sort of dried grass) around them. Finally, the toughest part. I went back outside and was responsible for "buying" the beads. What does this mean? Well, the women, with all of her necklaces draped on one arm sits down in front of you, hands you the necklaces, and you have to decide if they are acceptable or not. That is to say, will an American buy them? It REALLY sucked! I am far too nice for that job. I kept trying to pass beads along and my Ugandan helper would keep telling me no...hand it back to the woman and tell her this or that is wrong with it. I did this numerous times (one time I actually handed back about 20 of the most beautiful color necklaces...because there wasn't enough varnish on them). :-( For those who don't know, I guess I should tell you that these beads are made out of strips of paper. The paper is cut into a long triangle shape...then rolled very tightly, dipped in varnish, the varnish is rubbed smooth, then the beads are strung together to form a necklace or bracelet). Finally, a beautiful necklace came through and I thought hmm there is a surefire sale. My Ugandan helper handed it back to the woman. I reached back for the necklace and looked at it again...then asked why she would return this necklace. She explained that the little "seeder" beads between the paper beads were too bright. I told her I disagreed...and that someone in America would love to buy this necklace. Without so much as a blink, she wrapped a piece of plastic around the necklace and said, "yes, someone in America WILL buy it. You just did, congratulations." It really made the woman selling the necklace happy. I was a bit shocked...but it was pretty cool. The other women sitting around starting saying muzungu, muzungu...they wanted me to buy theirs too. :-)

Buying beads is exhausting! I can only imagine how tough it is to make them. Well, I guess I can say that because over the next two days I will be living with a woman in the village, helping her make beads, and participating in her daily life...so, I guess I will know exactly how tough it is!

Finally we had lunch...more of the same. Matoke, Posho, rice, Irish, sweet potatoes, steamed pumpkin (which is STILL amazing...instead of carving them, Americans need to start eating them), and all the different sauces. I tried the beef sauce today...it was tasty. I still haven't seen an ice cube...but I did see my first stop sign (nobody stopped at it). I was told there were 5 stop lights in town (but three of them don't work..and the other two are turned off). :-)

I am resting now...but will try to get photos up later when the internet is working better. If found out I will have internet up in northern Uganda...so I will only be offline for a couple of days (hopefully).

Until then...