Howdy, so the bad news this week is that my computer hard drive decided to die for no reason (I swear, I didn't do anything to it...) and so now, unless I can fix it, which is looking doubtful, I brought my computer for nothing, and doing all my academic work from here on out is going to be really difficult. And I also hate that I need to be thinking about this when I should just be thinking about where I am.
So, besides that, this week went by pretty quickly. We've had some interesting site visits in class, like going to visit an AIDS project in the slums and talking to some women there. It still boggles my mind that so many people live on less than a dollar a day...definitely more easy to imagine in Uganda where stuff is amazingly cheap but still, that is not enough, especially for a single mother with multiple children who also is HIV positive. In another week when we get back from Rwanda, we begin out in-depth study, for which I chose the public health modal. We will be having importantish people come speak to us at the school of public health at Makerere University, and get to visit lots of places like sanitation facilities (sneakers required) and the ministry of health. In the meantime, we are going to western Uganda and to Rwanda, which I'm looking forward to. We will get to see the memorials and even an animal reserve (!), and there are also great crafts and jewelry and stuff so I will definitely have to do some shopping. We will also be in hotels, not homestays, so it will be easier to go out at night. I am also looking forward to not having to negotiate Kampala streets for a week. The other day a car INTENTIONALLY shoved me down the street, even though it was a jam and they couldn't go anywhere, I guess they just wanted to make a point.
Things at home are...ok. With Eddie gone, I make a point of talking and joking around with Wenie and the maid, but they can only understand me so much. And I was really hoping to form some sort of relationship with my hostmom but she is rarely home, and when she is, she is literally in her room the whole time. She doesn't even eat dinner. I wonder what is up....like if she understands that hosting me should be more than just giving me a room, or maybe she is depressed...I don't know. Sunday we have a project due that is a map of our village and a write-up about important places and transactions in the village, and she is supposed to take me around to show me, and I told her this so hopefully she follows through and it will force her to spend time with me....
Yesterday I stopped off at a huge grocery store which was like the first establishment that reminded me of something in the US....I even found chips ahoy cookies! Mmm. Today for Luganda class we went to the market to "practice" our market vocab... I bought the most delicious mango ever and a rolex, which is the bread, chipate, with a fried egg rolled up inside...BEST thing ever. Ok well that is all for now, despite computer disasters and antisocial hostmothers things are good, still loving the people in my group, and looking forward to Rwanda!
Friday, February 20, 2009
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Another week
I have realized that I really look forward to getting home in the afternoon—both because it is a relief to be out of the city and because I definitely feel more comfortable in my homestay. For reference, one of lecturers described the state of the streets of Kampala very well: “In Kampala, you can tell a person is drunk if they are driving straight down the street.” Because if they were sober, they would be driving all over the place to avoid the potholes, get it, get it????!
It is a frequent source of amusement in my house that I am trying to learn Luganda, a language that everyone here grows up knowing. Almost everyone in Kampala knows English, but they pretty much only use it in schools and to talk to Americans, from what I see. All the rest of the time they are speaking Luganda, even my family members—they all speak Luganda in the house unless they are talking to me. A little frustrating at times, for I can only pick out a few words as is. What’s ironic is that my little sister, Wenie, just starting primary school, which is when kids here start learning English. Yesterday my homework was to figure out introductions, like “My name is blahblah,” and that was the exact thing she was learning. Weeeiiiirrrd.
A few days ago the editor-in-chief of “Independent” magazine spoke to us—the magazine is this really great free speech publication in Uganda. He spoke about 3937492 words per minute but was really interesting. In the afternoon we went to the Buganda Parliament—Buganda is like a nation of people in the middle of Uganda that got unwillingly absorbed into the rest of the country, and they don’t really have any power anymore, which is sad. Then we went to the Kasubi tombs, where the Buganda kings are buried. After, I stopped over at the bushere shop that my friend Abbie’s host dad owns—bushere is like this non-alcoholic beer sugary type stuff with wheat floaties in it....kind of odd but I tried it. It was cool to hang out in the shop and talk to some people, and try new food. I do really like the food, though I’m sure it’ll get old soon. And Eddie has successfully weaned me off of his help getting to and from school....all has been successful so far. Today there was a little mishap when the taxi dumped everyone off at a new spot but after wandering for about 10 minutes I got reoriented and made my way to school.
I had to write my first proposal for the project I want to do for my practicum....I’m thinking of looking at health care in a refugee camp, specifically at prenatal and maternal health care. There’s a professor at the university who has that as his specialty so hopefully he can help me out. I’m also trying to read the newspapers and stay up to date on current events for ANOTHER paper we have coming up...it just never stops.
You know, I was not expecting Uganda to be as of need of development as it actually is. I don’t want to be mean, but they need help with like, everything. Kampala is the biggest urban area in Uganda, is there is still a lack of clean water, drivable roads, electricity, health care, etc etc (I think over in a Uganda, the doctor/patient ratio is 1/18,000....scary). There needs to be some serious overhaul here. A lot of class so far has been about how NGOs can help...or how NGOs cannot help. I’m still confused on what actually will work, because there are tons of organizations and people trying to do things but nothing seems to be changing. Everything takes time, of course, but to me Uganda seems to be stuck. It’s compared to Rwanda a lot, where there have been drastic changes and everything is developing really well (but of course, it took a genocide to do that which is not ideal). Ohhhh wellll.
Today my younger brother Eddie is going off to boarding school... which really stinks becasue he is the one around here that shows me everything. My mom isn’t home that often, so it’ll be me and Wenie and Irene (who I found out is 14, by the way...)
Yesterday was my birthday, which was a little weird cause it was the first day we didn't see anyone else in the group...and only Eddie knew and I don't think he told his mom (how rude). But he did take me to a swimming pool/bar/club place.... and I was the only white girl there of course which was wonderful and awkward but I dealt and the water was really nice. And I had my "first" "legal" beer... kinda silly cause the drinking age here is about 4, but oh well.
Talk to you later!
It is a frequent source of amusement in my house that I am trying to learn Luganda, a language that everyone here grows up knowing. Almost everyone in Kampala knows English, but they pretty much only use it in schools and to talk to Americans, from what I see. All the rest of the time they are speaking Luganda, even my family members—they all speak Luganda in the house unless they are talking to me. A little frustrating at times, for I can only pick out a few words as is. What’s ironic is that my little sister, Wenie, just starting primary school, which is when kids here start learning English. Yesterday my homework was to figure out introductions, like “My name is blahblah,” and that was the exact thing she was learning. Weeeiiiirrrd.
A few days ago the editor-in-chief of “Independent” magazine spoke to us—the magazine is this really great free speech publication in Uganda. He spoke about 3937492 words per minute but was really interesting. In the afternoon we went to the Buganda Parliament—Buganda is like a nation of people in the middle of Uganda that got unwillingly absorbed into the rest of the country, and they don’t really have any power anymore, which is sad. Then we went to the Kasubi tombs, where the Buganda kings are buried. After, I stopped over at the bushere shop that my friend Abbie’s host dad owns—bushere is like this non-alcoholic beer sugary type stuff with wheat floaties in it....kind of odd but I tried it. It was cool to hang out in the shop and talk to some people, and try new food. I do really like the food, though I’m sure it’ll get old soon. And Eddie has successfully weaned me off of his help getting to and from school....all has been successful so far. Today there was a little mishap when the taxi dumped everyone off at a new spot but after wandering for about 10 minutes I got reoriented and made my way to school.
I had to write my first proposal for the project I want to do for my practicum....I’m thinking of looking at health care in a refugee camp, specifically at prenatal and maternal health care. There’s a professor at the university who has that as his specialty so hopefully he can help me out. I’m also trying to read the newspapers and stay up to date on current events for ANOTHER paper we have coming up...it just never stops.
You know, I was not expecting Uganda to be as of need of development as it actually is. I don’t want to be mean, but they need help with like, everything. Kampala is the biggest urban area in Uganda, is there is still a lack of clean water, drivable roads, electricity, health care, etc etc (I think over in a Uganda, the doctor/patient ratio is 1/18,000....scary). There needs to be some serious overhaul here. A lot of class so far has been about how NGOs can help...or how NGOs cannot help. I’m still confused on what actually will work, because there are tons of organizations and people trying to do things but nothing seems to be changing. Everything takes time, of course, but to me Uganda seems to be stuck. It’s compared to Rwanda a lot, where there have been drastic changes and everything is developing really well (but of course, it took a genocide to do that which is not ideal). Ohhhh wellll.
Today my younger brother Eddie is going off to boarding school... which really stinks becasue he is the one around here that shows me everything. My mom isn’t home that often, so it’ll be me and Wenie and Irene (who I found out is 14, by the way...)
Yesterday was my birthday, which was a little weird cause it was the first day we didn't see anyone else in the group...and only Eddie knew and I don't think he told his mom (how rude). But he did take me to a swimming pool/bar/club place.... and I was the only white girl there of course which was wonderful and awkward but I dealt and the water was really nice. And I had my "first" "legal" beer... kinda silly cause the drinking age here is about 4, but oh well.
Talk to you later!
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Homestay!
Hello! So, I am now in my homestay. My family consists of my mom, Diane, as well as Marvin, who is older than me (he’s never really home). There is Wenie, who Diane adopted when her brother died. She only knows Luganda because she hasn’t started school yet. There is also Eddie who is 18 is my lifesaver. He talks nonstop and is really interested in what I like and the US etc. He is extremely smart; I think he knows more about US politics than I do. There is also Irene, the housekeeper who I share a room with her. She looks suspiciously young, I am quite curious about her. The house is on a dirt road in a village, and we have running water and sporadic electricity. There’s no hot water so we take bucket showers, which I have actually come to like. So efficient. There are a lot of little things that are so different about living here, which leads to a lot of awkward encounters. Like, I accidentally put my socks in the laundry that the housekeeper does, which is a huge no-no. Things have been interesting; last night my older brother stabbed someone outside the house and the police came...but don’t worry, it was because of some long standing issue and not anything that would involve me. On the bright side, Eddie loves the OC so we have been watching episodes on DVD. I really am busy all the time, by the time I take the taxi and get home and bucket shower and eat dinner and watch the OC, I’m dead...even though there are readings that I’m supposed to do. Oh well, we are here to live more than anything else.
By far the most overwhelming thing is transportation...I can’t even begin to explain the roads to you. They are just madness. There is more pothole than road. No lanes or speed limits or rules. Generally we take “taxis,” which are like really dilapidated minivans that everyone piles into and you hope they are going where you want them to and then you yell when you have to get off and you hope it’s the right place....and meanwhile you are the only white person ever so everyone is shouting “Muzungu muzungu!” Eddie has been coming which me to school so far, but this morning I made it all by myself! It is nice to have the support network of everyone on the trip so that we can vent to each other and figure stuff out.
In class we have guest lecturers come. Today one spoke about the health care system, which I’m very interested in, and in the afternoon we went to a rehabilitation center for malnourished children...really intense. That’s one of the places we can volunteer during our 6-week practicum. I’ve been thinking about what I want to do, perhaps looking at the health care available for refugees here in Uganda. We already have to be thinking about this even though it begins in around 6 weeks.
Well all right, that’s it for now, webala!
By far the most overwhelming thing is transportation...I can’t even begin to explain the roads to you. They are just madness. There is more pothole than road. No lanes or speed limits or rules. Generally we take “taxis,” which are like really dilapidated minivans that everyone piles into and you hope they are going where you want them to and then you yell when you have to get off and you hope it’s the right place....and meanwhile you are the only white person ever so everyone is shouting “Muzungu muzungu!” Eddie has been coming which me to school so far, but this morning I made it all by myself! It is nice to have the support network of everyone on the trip so that we can vent to each other and figure stuff out.
In class we have guest lecturers come. Today one spoke about the health care system, which I’m very interested in, and in the afternoon we went to a rehabilitation center for malnourished children...really intense. That’s one of the places we can volunteer during our 6-week practicum. I’ve been thinking about what I want to do, perhaps looking at the health care available for refugees here in Uganda. We already have to be thinking about this even though it begins in around 6 weeks.
Well all right, that’s it for now, webala!
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Oliotya!
That means hello in Luganda. I am here! It is been a whirlwind of a week. After spending what seems like days in airports (actually, it was), I am finally in Kampala. Firstly, the weather is beautiful. I have actually been cold more often than I have been warm, it's perfect. We are staying in a local hotel on the main road of the city, and we have begun venturing out into the city and using the little big of Luganda we have learned so far. The city is simultaneously the most dirty and also the most beautiful place. The people are incredibly kind and generous-- the will literally walk a mile out of their way to being you somewhere if you are lost. The people in my group too are great, we number 30 but we are all very close. I have been staying with my great roommate but tomorrow the homestay begins. I have a single mother and 3 kids of a range of ages, one my age so that will be good. And hopefully I will have running water... This past week has been orientation, so a flood of information before real classes start on Monday. Those also seem intense. I am looking forward to the trips we will get to take out of the city, and already we are thinking about our practicum during the last 6 weeks, which is like an internship during which we will be doing research and writing a big paper. For the first time, the program has opened up northern uganda to us (where the war has previosly been). Don't worry mom and dad, I probably won't end up there. Also, the program leaders and great and everything seems in very good hands. One of them has my birthday so we will hopefully plan something exciting. What else...ah the food. Lots of matooke with ground nut sauce...basicallyy mashed up plaintain with what tastes like peanut butter on top. Really good nan-type bread, and lots of beans and some meat, and amazing fruit. Oh, I just got a phone. The full number is 011+256+0775821667. the 011 is to leave the US and 256 is the ugandan country code, and then my cell number. and i get incoming calls free! so hoooopefully that works. Well I don't have much time left, but I shall write again soon.
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