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Recently my roommate Norah suggested that I start scrubbing my toes with a toothbrush.. I suppose that would finally get my feet clean, wouldn’t it?
All cooking, even in nice homes, is done on a charcoal stove. Gas is just too expensive.
It still takes me at LEAST two tries to get our damn stove lit every day.
My kitchen used to be a prison.
Tanzania is a HUGE country. Three times the size of the UK in fact. Do not attempt to travel to AND around Tanzania in 10 days or less. Total time spent on a bus during my attempted TZ travels: 60 hours.
I shared a beer with the loveliest rastafari Tanzanian at 10:30AM while waiting for our bus to leave the station… He wore his massive dreads in pig tails and bought me cookies. He was returning home from holiday in the city, back to Mom, Dad, and his cow. He never asked me to marry him, but he did kiss my hand when he said goodbye.
I went on safari. In the Serengeti. I saw one elephant, one crocodile, two leopards, six cheetahs, 20 hippos, 30 warthogs, 40 lions, and about a million giraffes, zebras, baboons and wildebeests. It is seriously like being in the Lion King.
Lions only mate for approximately five seconds. Leopards are the shyest of all big cats. Zebras love to cuddle. Wildebeest sound like deranged cows. Hyenas start eating their pray while its still alive.
I got stuck in traffic on a freeway while staring at skyscrapers in Nairobi.. could have been in California. WEIRD!
Never thought I’d say it, BUT I miss freeways so so much. You can only travel so fast when there are speed bumps through any and everything that remotely resembles a town.
My bus on the way back to the village was SO full that they were literally lifting women and children in through the windows.
Yesterday I discovered that my neighbor’s son’s name is Boy. HA.
My workmate Juma is buying a plot of land in the village for 200,000 shillings. That is the equivalent of $100. I lent him 50,000 ($25) to seal the deal.
During my time spent in Uganda I have meet one boy who is about to go to CC, one boy who graduated from CC the year before I started, and an old friend from CC that I haven’t seen since we graduated. Wonder what that says about my school. :)
The one and only package my parents sent me has FINALLY arrived. It had a Valentine in it. Yes, it took four months to get here. Still ate the chocolate though.
Apr
16
2010
Randoms.
It is possible to carry four adults, two babies, and a suitcase on one motor bike.
It is much easier to kill a chicken with a blunt kitchen knife than I would have thought.
My roof has several inconvenient holes in it. My favorite is located directly above the head of my bed. I love waking up to a shower at 1:00AM.
Baby goats are possibly the cutest thing on the face of the earth. Pregnant goats are possibly the funniest thing on the face of the earth.
My friend once overheard some village children discussing where white people come from. The conclusion: They come from the big things in the sky. Airplanes.
Popcorn actually comes off a corncob… not out off a microwave baggy.
It is common to greet someone by telling them “well done” even if they haven’t accomplished anything in the last 20 years.
Second hand clothes in Uganda are far better quality than first hand. I have purchased tops from Wet Seal, The Limited, and Old Navy each for approximately $1.
There is one thing more exciting than the white girl in the village, the giant tractor that comes through during the rainy season to repair the roads. Young and old follow it up and down as if it is the most fascinating thing they have ever witnessed.
The only solution to bad behavior in children in Uganda is caning. Just give em a good wack with a stick and they’ll be whipped into shape, right?
My next door neighbor gave birth to twin baby girls just under a month ago. We went to congratulate her were second hand baby clothes. She thanked me by letting me hold her five day old child. No words can describe what that feels like.
I shower out of a bucket by moon night on a regular basis. I use less than 5 litres of water to shampoo, condition, and wash my entire body.
I have developed a ferocious appetite. You may not believe it, but I can now eat an entire pizza on my own.
Mud and grass huts are way cooler than cement and tin shacks… both figuratively and literally.
I am routinely beaten by non-native English speakers at scrabble.
I went running in the village with my friend Emily the other evening. One poor girl was so frightened by the sight of two white people that she dropped the water she was carrying and fled into the bush.
I miss chocolate more than you will ever believe.
Over Easter my village got its first light bulb. Electricity you ask? Now don’t get ahead of yourself, it is powered by a generator. The population of Bukatabira crowds around the glow like moths to the flame.
The average radio play list in Uganda includes: Akon, Mariah Carey, Beyonce, Celine Dion, Dolly Parton, Kenny Rogers, Backstreet Boys, and Tony Braxton. I often feel like I’ve gone back in time.
It is much easier to kill a chicken with a blunt kitchen knife than I would have thought.
My roof has several inconvenient holes in it. My favorite is located directly above the head of my bed. I love waking up to a shower at 1:00AM.
Baby goats are possibly the cutest thing on the face of the earth. Pregnant goats are possibly the funniest thing on the face of the earth.
My friend once overheard some village children discussing where white people come from. The conclusion: They come from the big things in the sky. Airplanes.
Popcorn actually comes off a corncob… not out off a microwave baggy.
It is common to greet someone by telling them “well done” even if they haven’t accomplished anything in the last 20 years.
Second hand clothes in Uganda are far better quality than first hand. I have purchased tops from Wet Seal, The Limited, and Old Navy each for approximately $1.
There is one thing more exciting than the white girl in the village, the giant tractor that comes through during the rainy season to repair the roads. Young and old follow it up and down as if it is the most fascinating thing they have ever witnessed.
The only solution to bad behavior in children in Uganda is caning. Just give em a good wack with a stick and they’ll be whipped into shape, right?
My next door neighbor gave birth to twin baby girls just under a month ago. We went to congratulate her were second hand baby clothes. She thanked me by letting me hold her five day old child. No words can describe what that feels like.
I shower out of a bucket by moon night on a regular basis. I use less than 5 litres of water to shampoo, condition, and wash my entire body.
I have developed a ferocious appetite. You may not believe it, but I can now eat an entire pizza on my own.
Mud and grass huts are way cooler than cement and tin shacks… both figuratively and literally.
I am routinely beaten by non-native English speakers at scrabble.
I went running in the village with my friend Emily the other evening. One poor girl was so frightened by the sight of two white people that she dropped the water she was carrying and fled into the bush.
I miss chocolate more than you will ever believe.
Over Easter my village got its first light bulb. Electricity you ask? Now don’t get ahead of yourself, it is powered by a generator. The population of Bukatabira crowds around the glow like moths to the flame.
The average radio play list in Uganda includes: Akon, Mariah Carey, Beyonce, Celine Dion, Dolly Parton, Kenny Rogers, Backstreet Boys, and Tony Braxton. I often feel like I’ve gone back in time.
Mar
27
2010
Yesterday I woke up at five in the morning. I grabbed my bag and stumbled out the door taking a seat on the makeshift wooden bench on my front stoop and proceeded to wait for the overwhelmingly bright shine of headlights. The only bus that travels to Jinja from my village usually passes by my door around six in the morning, but in typical African style, you can never be exactly sure when it will arrive. As I waited I watched Bukatabira slowly come to life. As the sun rose the howling of dogs gave way to the bleating of goats, the chirping of bats became the chirping of birds, and the damn cockerels just continued to crow. Villagers slowly walked by on the way to the garden with hoes precariously balanced on their heads. Children dressed in bright green uniforms made their way to school shouting “Jambo Christine” (Hi Christine!). The smell of grease and dirt drifted through the air as the chapatti man fired up his charcoal stove. And the bus finally arrived at 8:00am.
Three hours later, I arrived in Jinja and made my way to the SPW headquarters. Every month one member from each placement team must travel to the office to review the past month’s work and finances. March, in a word, was BUSY, and there was much to be reviewed. Over the last 30 days my placement has completed over 14 sexual reproductive health lessons, 7 agriculture lessons, 7 livelihood lessons, and 7 gender lessons in both primary and secondary schools. We organized school clubs and held sessions in group management and development. We mobilized two out of school youth clubs and begun sessions on agriculture and entrepreneurship. We planned and carried out a massive football tournament, an HIV voluntary testing and counseling event, a community discussion on gender issues, and an exposure visit to a model organic farm for the farmers in our village. And yet, we did not meet all of the work “targets” set by the organization for the month. When you are in the village living SPW work and requirements it is very easy to get caught up in the little details and loose perspective on the task you are undertaking. Meetings never start on time, paperwork is never filled out exactly right, groups demand money and services you can’t provide. But when I step back and take a look at that long list of accomplishments I can’t help but feel satisfied.
After completing my duties at the SPW office I left with a lighter load, leaving behind a massive stack of paperwork and a bundle of worries and stress. I have spent the last two days reconnecting with the “real world” in Jinja with the international SPW volunteers. We make our way from one Western style restaurant to the next, spend hours upon hours chatting, and have some very well deserved fun. Tomorrow I will be trying my luck with the Bukatabira bus once again to return to the goats and the cheeky youth and the bats and the determined farmers and the impossible organization and planning… to my home.
Three hours later, I arrived in Jinja and made my way to the SPW headquarters. Every month one member from each placement team must travel to the office to review the past month’s work and finances. March, in a word, was BUSY, and there was much to be reviewed. Over the last 30 days my placement has completed over 14 sexual reproductive health lessons, 7 agriculture lessons, 7 livelihood lessons, and 7 gender lessons in both primary and secondary schools. We organized school clubs and held sessions in group management and development. We mobilized two out of school youth clubs and begun sessions on agriculture and entrepreneurship. We planned and carried out a massive football tournament, an HIV voluntary testing and counseling event, a community discussion on gender issues, and an exposure visit to a model organic farm for the farmers in our village. And yet, we did not meet all of the work “targets” set by the organization for the month. When you are in the village living SPW work and requirements it is very easy to get caught up in the little details and loose perspective on the task you are undertaking. Meetings never start on time, paperwork is never filled out exactly right, groups demand money and services you can’t provide. But when I step back and take a look at that long list of accomplishments I can’t help but feel satisfied.
After completing my duties at the SPW office I left with a lighter load, leaving behind a massive stack of paperwork and a bundle of worries and stress. I have spent the last two days reconnecting with the “real world” in Jinja with the international SPW volunteers. We make our way from one Western style restaurant to the next, spend hours upon hours chatting, and have some very well deserved fun. Tomorrow I will be trying my luck with the Bukatabira bus once again to return to the goats and the cheeky youth and the bats and the determined farmers and the impossible organization and planning… to my home.
Feb
25
2010
dancing in the rain.
I woke up to the sound of rain falling on the tin roof. Norah and Bob, my early bird roommates, were still in bed. I donned my trusty raincoat and bright pink gum boots and made the trek out back to the clean, yet unsavory outdoor toilets. Although it sounded like it was pouring inside our small house, in reality it was just drizzling. I made it back slightly damp but by no means drenched.. rain, it happens right? There was work to be done, survey’s to complete, budget proposals to plan, discussion groups to be held. I was ready for business.. but soon I realized as long as the rain persisted, no matter how insignificant by Western standards, no work would be done. In my tiny Ugandan village, Bukatabira, life literally stops at the first sign of precipitation. The dusty red roads instantly turn to slick mud pits and travel is virtually impossible… I decided to go back to bed.
Four hours later, I had finished my book and run out of patience. Ugandans have an amazing ability for doing, well, absolutely nothing for hours on end. I on the other had.. do not. The rain coat and boots went back on and I went back out in the rain. It was just me and the cows trudging down the muddy lane. And I began to wonder, what in the world am I doing here?
Later that afternoon, the rain stopped just as quickly as it began. And just like that, Norah jumped out of bed and started cooking lunch, Bob went to fetch water, and David and Juma (the community volunteers) arrived from their local homes. Soon we were on our way to meet with a group of community elders, winding down tiny one track lanes through the mist covered African landscape. I arrived to a compound of grass huts where a large group of woman sat on papyrus mats. The women were all dressed in the traditional Ugandan style, bright flowing dresses with pointed sleeves and shiny buttons. Toddlers swayed through the crowd and babies clung to their mothers’ breasts. Every week this intrepid group of women meets to pool their meager funds to sponsor a chosen member’s income generating project. As soon as we arrived the chairperson of the group ran to grab us chairs and warmly welcomed us to her home. Then she gathered her members.. mothers, children, and babies.. to give us a proper Ugandan welcome. The mats were pulled away and soon we were surrounded by singing, clapping, dancing, and the echoing of a cow hide drum. As I got out of my seat and began to dance, much to everyone’s amusement, I began to remember just why I was here.
Four hours later, I had finished my book and run out of patience. Ugandans have an amazing ability for doing, well, absolutely nothing for hours on end. I on the other had.. do not. The rain coat and boots went back on and I went back out in the rain. It was just me and the cows trudging down the muddy lane. And I began to wonder, what in the world am I doing here?
Later that afternoon, the rain stopped just as quickly as it began. And just like that, Norah jumped out of bed and started cooking lunch, Bob went to fetch water, and David and Juma (the community volunteers) arrived from their local homes. Soon we were on our way to meet with a group of community elders, winding down tiny one track lanes through the mist covered African landscape. I arrived to a compound of grass huts where a large group of woman sat on papyrus mats. The women were all dressed in the traditional Ugandan style, bright flowing dresses with pointed sleeves and shiny buttons. Toddlers swayed through the crowd and babies clung to their mothers’ breasts. Every week this intrepid group of women meets to pool their meager funds to sponsor a chosen member’s income generating project. As soon as we arrived the chairperson of the group ran to grab us chairs and warmly welcomed us to her home. Then she gathered her members.. mothers, children, and babies.. to give us a proper Ugandan welcome. The mats were pulled away and soon we were surrounded by singing, clapping, dancing, and the echoing of a cow hide drum. As I got out of my seat and began to dance, much to everyone’s amusement, I began to remember just why I was here.
Jan
31
2010
I never knew how much I liked pineapple.
WOW a lot can happen in a few short weeks. Where to begin? Well.. thanks to our marathon training sessions I now feel like a qualified business woman AND organic farmer. After long hours in the classroom I can write a killer group constitution and conduct some stellar market research. And after many hot hours in the field I know how to plant and manage a banana plantation, make organic pesticides, and make a fertile plot for vegetables.
Yesterday, as part of our training, the livelihood volunteers set out to visit several farms in a rural district just north of Kampala. We all loaded into several Matatoos (Ugandan taxis OR rather rickety old 14 passenger vans with worn velvety seats that are often filled to the brim with 20 or more people) and headed down the chaotic, dusty road where pedestrians, ancient bicycles, blinged out motorbikes, and towering trucks all compete for position as if they were in rally race. We even got the pleasure of navigating a long stretch of roadwork, which in Uganda is the equivalent of off-roading.. in a 14 passenger van mind you. After an hour of darting and weaving we finally arrived to a model pineapple plantation where we were greeted by the loveliest farmer I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. Who knew you could get SO excited about pineapples!? Yet as I stood in the tropical sun listening to this well dressed, weathered, smiling man talk about the life his small plot of fruit has provided him I became almost as enthusiastic myself. And dhen he cut one of the pineapples straight from the plant and expertly cut the first sun warmed, dripping, piece of fruit for myself, I must admit… I was sold.
My days of training are quickly drawing to a close! In just one week I will be headed out to placement as the only blond haired, blue eyed soul for many many miles. My placement village, Mulango, is apparently in the middle of nowhere.. even by Ugandan standards! But it is also reported gorgeous.. even by Ugandan standards. :) Mulongo lies right on the coast of Lake Victoria, the largest lake in all of Africa, which is home to thousands of species of birds and a hardy population of fish. I have even been told that there are monkeys there! What could be better? Besides the wildlife, I will be taking of residence with two Ugandan volunteers, Norah, an adorable, spunky girl that loves to dance, and Dennis Bob, who is the character is name suggests. The three of us will be working alongside two community volunteers who are from the village of Mulongo, Juma, the ultimate class clown, and David, who loves to talk for hourssss. There will never be a dull moment with this crew.
I must say I am quite excited to head off! I am ready to get my hands dirty and explore the country and my community.. anddd I am very excited to NOT live in a room with 7 other girls, to NOT be woken up at 7AM every morning by the radio, and to have some control over my diet (I swear I have never eaten so much rice and beans in my life!).
Here’s to the adventure (and a good nights sleep!)
Yesterday, as part of our training, the livelihood volunteers set out to visit several farms in a rural district just north of Kampala. We all loaded into several Matatoos (Ugandan taxis OR rather rickety old 14 passenger vans with worn velvety seats that are often filled to the brim with 20 or more people) and headed down the chaotic, dusty road where pedestrians, ancient bicycles, blinged out motorbikes, and towering trucks all compete for position as if they were in rally race. We even got the pleasure of navigating a long stretch of roadwork, which in Uganda is the equivalent of off-roading.. in a 14 passenger van mind you. After an hour of darting and weaving we finally arrived to a model pineapple plantation where we were greeted by the loveliest farmer I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. Who knew you could get SO excited about pineapples!? Yet as I stood in the tropical sun listening to this well dressed, weathered, smiling man talk about the life his small plot of fruit has provided him I became almost as enthusiastic myself. And dhen he cut one of the pineapples straight from the plant and expertly cut the first sun warmed, dripping, piece of fruit for myself, I must admit… I was sold.
My days of training are quickly drawing to a close! In just one week I will be headed out to placement as the only blond haired, blue eyed soul for many many miles. My placement village, Mulango, is apparently in the middle of nowhere.. even by Ugandan standards! But it is also reported gorgeous.. even by Ugandan standards. :) Mulongo lies right on the coast of Lake Victoria, the largest lake in all of Africa, which is home to thousands of species of birds and a hardy population of fish. I have even been told that there are monkeys there! What could be better? Besides the wildlife, I will be taking of residence with two Ugandan volunteers, Norah, an adorable, spunky girl that loves to dance, and Dennis Bob, who is the character is name suggests. The three of us will be working alongside two community volunteers who are from the village of Mulongo, Juma, the ultimate class clown, and David, who loves to talk for hourssss. There will never be a dull moment with this crew.
I must say I am quite excited to head off! I am ready to get my hands dirty and explore the country and my community.. anddd I am very excited to NOT live in a room with 7 other girls, to NOT be woken up at 7AM every morning by the radio, and to have some control over my diet (I swear I have never eaten so much rice and beans in my life!).
Here’s to the adventure (and a good nights sleep!)
Jan
17
2010
Greetings from Uganda!
After 3 days of travel and LITERALLY 24 hours on airplanes I arrived to the sweet tropical smell of the equator. Everything here hits you smack in the face. I thought we would be gently introduced into Ugandan culture, SPW training, and easily fall into our new lives... Oh but how I was mistaken. I was swiftly transplanted, tired and jetlegged, to the SPW training center on an organic farm where I was joined by 7 international and 30 national Ugandan volunteers. There we were thrown into 8 hours of intensive training a day. In a week we have already had crash courses in the history and practice of international development, monitoring and evaluation techniques, SPW standards and requirements, and cultural awareness. At meal times we are served GIANT plates of rice, potatoes, matooke (a kind of banana mush), pumpkin (delicious!), and meat gravy that leaves you absolutely stuffed for the first 2 hours and absolutely starving for next 2. In the evenings we escape into a fairy tale landscape. My eyes have never seen such a varied and contrasting landscape. Every shade of green you can imagine line dusty brick red roads. Bright yellow shops stand next to ramshackle clay and wood huts. Children run after you as you stroll down the dirt track, jumping, dancing, grabbing yours hands yelling muzoongo! muzoongo! (white! white!). It is as though I am are exploring the moon.
It is exhilarating, overwhelming, frustrating, exciting, and exhausting. I couldn't be more satisfied.
It is exhilarating, overwhelming, frustrating, exciting, and exhausting. I couldn't be more satisfied.
Jan
07
2010
You - Gone - DUH!
Well folks, its about that time. Time for me to leave the lovely shores of America for distant lands once again. Although I must admit, this time I am traveling much further and with much greater purpose than I ever have before. Tomorrow I begin an EPIC three day journey from foggy California to tropical Uganda where I will be working as a Youth Empowerment Volunteer with the non-profit Student Partnership Worldwide for the next seven months. After five months of living in a closet, three months of working two full-time jobs, a week of frenzied shopping, and two days of packing and repacking, I can say that I am now truly ready and, more importantly, EXCITED, for all that lays ahead. I would like to thank all of you that have helped make this day possible! I am truly grateful.
And with that... I am off!
Or, in the worlds of the lovely Tracy Gallagher... You – Gone – DUH!
And with that... I am off!
Or, in the worlds of the lovely Tracy Gallagher... You – Gone – DUH!
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