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Friday, March 9, 2012

Two Easy Ways to Learn About Uganda

Well, I'm still a little jet lagged and haven't exactly jumped right back into crafting since my return from Thailand so today I'm going to share something a little different than the regular Friday Tutorial with you.  (Make sure to check back later this weekend though because I do feel a little crafty vibe coming on).

All of this is actually perfect timing because while I was away I made a decision to expand what I share with you here on Etcetorize from time to time.  You know I love to craft and sew and enjoy fashion but did you know that I also love travelling, gardening, reading, playing guitar, and loads of other things?  So, I'm going to let you into my funny little world bit by bit...starting with a wonderful book I read while I was on vacation.

I bought this book for next to nothing at a second hand shop so that I could leave it behind while I was travelling but it was actually quite hard for me to let it go.  I enjoyed it so much.  It's called The Worst Date Ever by Jane Bussmann (click on the link to view loads more excellent review on this book):

Worst Date Ever

I picked it up because it looked like a good humourous and easy read.  And it is just that...even though it's about the war in Uganda.  I never would have thought that someone could write an entertaining book about something so serious, but Jane Bussmann has done it.

She doesn't poke fun at the war or the insanity of so much of what is happening there, no one could pull that off, what she makes fun of is herself and her own ignorance and the ludicrisnous of so many other things.  She shows us how caught up our society is in things that are completely pointless and useless.  While chasing down a totally hot peacemaker across the globe, she transforms from a celebrity gossip writer in L.A into a real life war journalist in Africa.  What's really crazy is that this is all based on her real life, it's not fiction!

The best scene has to be when she finally gets her "date" with the hot peacemaker and goes on the hunt for lip plumping serum in Gulu, Uganda.  I was actually laughing out loud while reading it.

The other reason this is perfect timing is because there is an incredible video trending on YouTube right now that everyone absolutely must take 29 minutes out of their life to see, and in a way it's related to the book.

Uganda has a very special place in my heart.  I've been there.  I've seen the beauty of the country and felt the warmth of the people.  It's an incredible place, one of my favourite in fact.  And even while I was there, I knew something bad was happening in the north but I'm ashamed to say that I had no clue of how horrendous it was...is...until I returned home and did more research.  That was 5 years ago and all of this has been going on long before that.

Now there is a movement, to bring the war criminals of the LRA to justice to account for their crimes in Uganda.

Read The Worst Date Ever and/or watch the video below to learn more.



"Nothing is more powerful than and idea whose time is now."

1 comment:

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