This may be one post of many parts to come because even though I’ve only (or already, depending on how you look at it!) been here for six weeks, least one thing surprises me here everyday—so many in fact that it’s often hard to keep track of them. As with all places, people, and things, there is much good, and bad to be found in Uganda, and Kampala in particular. I will try to share just a few of my specific impressions on some of the issues that keep resurfacing constantly. Let’s start with the good:
THE GOOD
1) Friendly People
I was told the Ugandan people were friendly and this have certainly been true. I haven’t experienced other African countries, but I’ve had my share of interactions in European countries, and there are definitely cultures that make one feel more or less welcome. The Ugandans I’ve encountered have been helpful, smiling, kind, inquisitive, and interested for the vast majority of experiences. In fact, a simple “hello” will not due here—it is always followed by a “how are you?” no matter if it’s your coworker or a stranger on the street.
2) Pearl of Africa
Uganda really is breathtaking. I spoke to a friend of mine who is working in Gabarone, Botswana, last week. We were comparing our present locations and I was trying to describe Uganda and asked if Botswana was as green as Uganda. “Green?! Nope, it’s essentially a desert,” my friend replied. Oh. Aside from feeling the need to look at a map and brush up on my geography, I thought, gosh I’m spoiled by the green landscape to which I’ve become accustomed. The palm trees, banana plants, endless varieties of flowers that perfume the night air, it can really just be mesmerizing. The land here is so fertile that just about anything can grow, which brings me to…
3) The fruit
It is good, really good. Ah, the tropics!The avocados are huge. I know I’ve mentioned this before, but really they are—the size of a nerf football (my brother should understand this comparison). And then there are mangoes, watermelon, pineapple, and of course more bananas than one can stomach. And it’s so plentiful and cheap. It’s just glorious to go a whole pineapple for 60 cents and gorge J
But now of course, here’s a dose of THE BAD:
1) Traffic
The traffic and the roads are, for the most part, horrendous. There is just no way around it. Today, on my way to my second running hash, the school driver kindly agreed to take me to the starting location which was just north of the city center. But, well, maps here are really just a testing ground, and so while I dutifully tried to guide the driver in the right direction we were waylaid by blocked roads (for the president, they’re ALWAYS blocked for the president) standstill traffic, matatus and bodas reaking havoc, and also roads that appeared to simply not exist or at least where they were supposed to. I was dropped off a good 2 km from my destination after an hour long journey of anxiety, but just relieved to be out of the truck! I’ve also started driving Amy’s friend’s car that I have access to. It’s quite an experience to drive on those roads, so I definitely give all the drivers credit, but it’s near insanity.
2) White Food
Unfortunately, I find the traditional Ugandan food to be slightly lacking. I’ve sung the praises of the fruit, so clearly it’s not all bad. But seriously, all the food on my lunch plate is usually one fairly consistent color—white. (Isn’t that what Oprah says is the death of you?) Rice, posha (stiff maize porridge), potato, and matoke (thick mashed bananas—okay, this is dark yellow). The food is certainly filling, satisfying on some level, and I’ll admit that I've found myself craving it from time to time, but it is also very repetitive and often quite bland. It's just the kind that makes me want to whisper to those around me, "you know, there's so much more out there!" But everyone around me really loves what they're eating! Unfortunately, despite pre-Africa good intentions, my African diet is possibly having the reverse effect—hence the need for the weekly runs!
THE UGLY:
1) Corruption City
You can see it everywhere, especially if you start to look. Police stand at checkpoints along highways less to secure safety procedures as to secure some extra pocket money. Muzungus play a bizarre role in all of this as well as the general held belief is that if you’re white you can get away with anything as long as you’re willing to pay enough—1, 2, 3 million Ush and up. And well, the truth is here, they usually can. The potholes are another huge symbol of the corruption that plagues the country. Money meant to repair the enormous craters that plague 2/3 of the streets here never reaches its final purpose, or at least not for years. I’ve heard numerous Ugandans express their frustration over this embarrassment on behalf of the government, as the state of the roads are a daily reality that add to the chaos of city traffic.
2) The value of life
This of course is very difficult to write about fairly from my perspective. I come from a comfortable western upbringing, so I really can’t begin to comprehend some of the practices that go on here, but some of them really are confusing coming from a western perspective. The mortality rate is much higher, and you can see this in how children are treated with less permanency, as there may be 15 children in a family (with several fathers or mothers) and not close to as many will survive. Still, to see children who are 5, 4, even 2 or 3 years old wandering around the dirt streets near Meeting Point is very unsettling. It is also quite common for children to be beat in families, or in school even (although it is technically illegal) because parents go so far as to request they be “well disciplined” in school as they are at home. This is very hard for me to wrap my head around, as child services would be on such a case before the stick was out of the hand.
So there are just a few observations for now. But I know there will be many more to come.
It’s only Monday and it feels like it’s been a long week (I know all of you at your desks are rolling your eyes right about now!), but really those kids are TIRING. I have total respect for all my “real” teacher friends! I had really nice weekend in Jinja, complete with some cute kids trick o’ treating from palm tree studded banda to banda (decorated with whatever skeletons, ghosts, and pumpkins we could scare up—actually they use watermelons more here to carve. How’s that for a tropical Halloween?!) and plenty of lounge time by the pool that overlooked lake Victoria in the distance. Then today it was my first day of the rest of my life. Not quite, but I had the children working with “clay,” more specifically pink saltdough, which is really the kind of work I’d like to do later in life: art programs, specifically ceramics related, for underprivileged kids. The kids loved it, and actually really impressed me with their creativity. So not everyone made pink pigs—there were plenty of cell phones, snakes, bugs mixed in with the pigs, but I think they all really enjoyed having the freedom to make whatever they wanted.
But these were the oldest kids, P-3. Tomorrow, it’s on to P-1. Wish me luck, I will need it.
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