So I've been trying to get interested in some topic to study for my praticum later this semester and nothing seems to be interesting me too much. I dont know if Im over stimulated or under stimulated. I have a bunch of ideas but nothing that I have became all that passionate about. And honestly the only thing I think I really want to do at this point is go back to Sudan and study there.
I feel like me heart is still with Sudan. It's been hard for me to enjoy and appreciate all that Uganda is because I keep thinking about how it was the same or different in Sudan. I don't know if its because when I was in Sudan I stayed in a more rural area and I just dont like being in the city as much or because in Sudan there was a sense of community and this great joy despite unbelievable tragedy that was insipiring. I'm not sure but I'll figure it out. I think once I'm not in Kamapala or once I stop living with the upper middle class in Uganda things will change but for now thats where I am.
I'm leaving for Western Uganda and Rwanda on Sunday. I am really excited and preparing myself emotionally for the genocide memorials. I probably won't post again till I get back the following Saturday. So expect a long blog entry once I get back.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Monday, September 15, 2008
I miss pillows and cheese
So there isn't all that much news to report so I thought I would just write about a couple of things really quick. Also my brother mentioned that my spelling was bad in the last blog so I'll try to work on that but I'm typing really fast and don't have much time to proofread cause I'm on my way to class but we'll see how it goes.
Anyway lately I've found myself missing really simple things from home. For example I love pillows, I use them all the time usually keeping at least 6 on my bed at a time. At my homestay here I don't have a pillow not one. Its not really a cultural thing I just dont have one. I'm finally getting used to sleeping without one or I could just be too tired to care. Also there is no cheese. And ifyou get lucky and find cheese its not good cheese. Theres a whole bunch of other stuff too that I miss but those I think are the top on my list right now.
One of the things that has really surrised me about being here is how dressed up Ugandans get. It doesn't matter what job they have if there are going to Paliament, to teach or even to sell things on the street men are in suits and women are in heels (Which is amazing in itself given the way the sidewalks are here) Also many people bath twice a day. Which makes since because you get so dirty during the day that the first thing you want to do when you get home is wash it off. So I'm in Uganda getting very dressed up for class and bathing twice a day...not exactly roughing it.
Someone asked me aout my daily routine so heres the jist of the way it is at the moment but it will change in a couple weeks...
My daily schedule involves waking up at my homestay, washing, eating bread, and getting a taxi (not the kind of taxi you would think of though) going to Kampala. Navigating my way through downtown (which is like the shadiest, scariest part of the city at least of the plaes Ive been so far) Luganda class, then drive to Makerere for lectures lunch and either more lectures or site visits. Then walking back to the Taxi Park/downtown area at "rush hour" and its crazy congested. Then take a taxi home and study and work on Joyce's (the housemaids) reading and writing and english then supper then bed. Sometimes we watch movies. On Sunday my homestay family watched American Pie all day...did you know there are 8 of them...there are.
Ok well thats all for now. More later
Anyway lately I've found myself missing really simple things from home. For example I love pillows, I use them all the time usually keeping at least 6 on my bed at a time. At my homestay here I don't have a pillow not one. Its not really a cultural thing I just dont have one. I'm finally getting used to sleeping without one or I could just be too tired to care. Also there is no cheese. And ifyou get lucky and find cheese its not good cheese. Theres a whole bunch of other stuff too that I miss but those I think are the top on my list right now.
One of the things that has really surrised me about being here is how dressed up Ugandans get. It doesn't matter what job they have if there are going to Paliament, to teach or even to sell things on the street men are in suits and women are in heels (Which is amazing in itself given the way the sidewalks are here) Also many people bath twice a day. Which makes since because you get so dirty during the day that the first thing you want to do when you get home is wash it off. So I'm in Uganda getting very dressed up for class and bathing twice a day...not exactly roughing it.
Someone asked me aout my daily routine so heres the jist of the way it is at the moment but it will change in a couple weeks...
My daily schedule involves waking up at my homestay, washing, eating bread, and getting a taxi (not the kind of taxi you would think of though) going to Kampala. Navigating my way through downtown (which is like the shadiest, scariest part of the city at least of the plaes Ive been so far) Luganda class, then drive to Makerere for lectures lunch and either more lectures or site visits. Then walking back to the Taxi Park/downtown area at "rush hour" and its crazy congested. Then take a taxi home and study and work on Joyce's (the housemaids) reading and writing and english then supper then bed. Sometimes we watch movies. On Sunday my homestay family watched American Pie all day...did you know there are 8 of them...there are.
Ok well thats all for now. More later
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
"I sweated into a shadow"
Hey!
So its been about a week since my last post and I thought I would give a quick update on whats been going on. I had to do a reading for class about culture shock the other day and it had this quote in it about sweating into a shadow and I thought it was so funny and so true. It is so hot here during the day and we have to walk pretty much everywhere...uphill on unstable rocky sidewalks.
Anyway we finished up orientation type stuff last week and last Saturday we went to the Sezibwa Falls and Jinja, where the source of the nile is. It was so beautiful. While at the nile we were getting a lecture about homestays and in some trees near us there were monkeys playing around. Everyone of course stopped listening to the speaker to look at the monkeys yet she still continued to talk like nothing was going on. But how cool is that just monkeys chillin in the trees!
On Sunday I met my homestay family. I was told it would be a big family but the two kids that are still in school are at boarding school but there are two older ones who are in Univeristy. So far with the program we have been staying at a really nice place, going to nice plays to eat...living the good life. So I was hoping with the homestay I would get to experience typical Ugandan life and maybe even rough it a little.
Thats not the case. My family has a really nice home, indoor plumbing and everything. The also have a maid and there home is in this gated compound. The parents run a hotel or 2 and have 2 stores and next week a couple of them are going to Dubai for a busniess trip.
One of the other things I had hoped for is that my homestay family would be like a family. When I was in Renk, Sudan even if it was just for a few days I felt like a part of the family. The since of community between friends and family members was what I enjoyed most about bing in Sudan because it stood in such a contrast to what I am used to back home and was one of the reasons I was so excited to come back to Africa.
Unfortunately my family is never home and works till late at night so I have yet to find the sense of community that I was hoping for. But the made Joyce is really nice but she only speaks Luganda so I've started to try and teach her English while she helps me with my Lugandan. Its kinda cool!
On another note to some of my Happening/Episcopal friends I went to All Saints Cathedral here last Sunday (its Anglican) and it happend to be the Youth Sunday service and the sang Prince of Peace! It was so much fun to be able to sing along with them.
Ok thats all have to go to class. Hope everything is going well!
So its been about a week since my last post and I thought I would give a quick update on whats been going on. I had to do a reading for class about culture shock the other day and it had this quote in it about sweating into a shadow and I thought it was so funny and so true. It is so hot here during the day and we have to walk pretty much everywhere...uphill on unstable rocky sidewalks.
Anyway we finished up orientation type stuff last week and last Saturday we went to the Sezibwa Falls and Jinja, where the source of the nile is. It was so beautiful. While at the nile we were getting a lecture about homestays and in some trees near us there were monkeys playing around. Everyone of course stopped listening to the speaker to look at the monkeys yet she still continued to talk like nothing was going on. But how cool is that just monkeys chillin in the trees!
On Sunday I met my homestay family. I was told it would be a big family but the two kids that are still in school are at boarding school but there are two older ones who are in Univeristy. So far with the program we have been staying at a really nice place, going to nice plays to eat...living the good life. So I was hoping with the homestay I would get to experience typical Ugandan life and maybe even rough it a little.
Thats not the case. My family has a really nice home, indoor plumbing and everything. The also have a maid and there home is in this gated compound. The parents run a hotel or 2 and have 2 stores and next week a couple of them are going to Dubai for a busniess trip.
One of the other things I had hoped for is that my homestay family would be like a family. When I was in Renk, Sudan even if it was just for a few days I felt like a part of the family. The since of community between friends and family members was what I enjoyed most about bing in Sudan because it stood in such a contrast to what I am used to back home and was one of the reasons I was so excited to come back to Africa.
Unfortunately my family is never home and works till late at night so I have yet to find the sense of community that I was hoping for. But the made Joyce is really nice but she only speaks Luganda so I've started to try and teach her English while she helps me with my Lugandan. Its kinda cool!
On another note to some of my Happening/Episcopal friends I went to All Saints Cathedral here last Sunday (its Anglican) and it happend to be the Youth Sunday service and the sang Prince of Peace! It was so much fun to be able to sing along with them.
Ok thats all have to go to class. Hope everything is going well!
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
So I've been in Kampala about 4 days now and its been interesting filled with both highs and lows. The transition is really hard. The food is especially hard for me to get used to especially this dish they call matouke(probably spelled wrong) which is mashed up plantains. My whole group is also supposed to be experiencing gastro-intestenal problems sometime next week so...something to look forward too.
The city itself is so beautiful. There are hills everywhere so now matter where you are in the city you have a view. You can also clearly tell that the more well off people live at the top of the hills and in the valleys are the slums.
The city is also so busy. Everywhere you go there are cars and boda bodas which are like motorcycles taxis...from what I've heard about 60% of people in hospitals are there because of boda boda accidents...so our program had forbidden us from riding. there is endless car honking and pedestrians have no right of way not even at the zebras (crosswalks).
From when the flight landed till now I find myself constantly comparing Kampala to my experiences in sudan and I might have to blog about that in more detail later but let me say that it is so different while being so much the same.
We had our drop off yesterday where we were sent out into the city with a partner for the first time by ourselves. It was scary only because there aren't really any street signs so its really hard to figure out where you're going at first but luckily you get used to it pretty quickly. Also the people here are so friendly and at times will even agree to walk with you where you are going if you don't know the way.
Sorry for the jumbled thoughts I've been writing this in a rush because I'm at an internet cafe and out of minutes but I'll write more on that soon to.
The city itself is so beautiful. There are hills everywhere so now matter where you are in the city you have a view. You can also clearly tell that the more well off people live at the top of the hills and in the valleys are the slums.
The city is also so busy. Everywhere you go there are cars and boda bodas which are like motorcycles taxis...from what I've heard about 60% of people in hospitals are there because of boda boda accidents...so our program had forbidden us from riding. there is endless car honking and pedestrians have no right of way not even at the zebras (crosswalks).
From when the flight landed till now I find myself constantly comparing Kampala to my experiences in sudan and I might have to blog about that in more detail later but let me say that it is so different while being so much the same.
We had our drop off yesterday where we were sent out into the city with a partner for the first time by ourselves. It was scary only because there aren't really any street signs so its really hard to figure out where you're going at first but luckily you get used to it pretty quickly. Also the people here are so friendly and at times will even agree to walk with you where you are going if you don't know the way.
Sorry for the jumbled thoughts I've been writing this in a rush because I'm at an internet cafe and out of minutes but I'll write more on that soon to.
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