Conservation Day

The morning began with the kids from the five schools arriving at MUBFS. Then Helena, from a wildlife organization, came. We first learned about Chimpanzees and other great apes. We played games and built puzzles to compare the sizes of all the great apes with the Ugandan students. Then came the main event, a walk in the Kibale forest. We saw monkeys and spiders and learned about the different types of trees. While we had forest guides, we found that the Ugandan students were the best teachers about the animals and plants in the forest. When we got back we tested our new knowledge with more games. We played a game about chimps and resources and I added a part involving humans. When then had lunch and dropped the kids at school. Next went to Knaywara
The school known as Knaywara is near a dusty dirt road not far from the field station. It is a school built on a ridge overlooking a forest. That forest is Kibale National Park. The school itself is perhaps three or four small brick buildings, each itself built neatly, somewhat a strange reinterpretation of the American dream school, the redbrick schoolhouse. As the afternoon had grown late; we were preparing to begin after school activities. We first made a clay model for chimp masks. It was amazing to see the detail and time the kids put into each mask. They were very realistic and I was almost scared to help the kids they were so good. After that I caught sight of a scene of a simplistically wonderful feeling. There was the superintendent and my Principal teaching baseball. It was not baseball in the traditional sense; it was more like batting with base running, no teams, and no score’s, just fun. The kids caught on pretty fast. One kid, Bashir, even pitched. I also pitched. I am a good pitcher, but not amazing or even great. I played little league when I was six, but besides that, I am only a fan of the game. It amazing though how much fun we were having. The kids basically were pushing to get a turn at bat when we left.