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!