avocados

Friday Night June 27, 2008

 

This morning we went to the IC house for conferences before lunch, and we heard from Houston, the assistant director of invisible children first. He gave us a talk about the local NGO organizations and what they were doing in Gulu district. There are so many people here trying to help, and ironically, the only organization that he said had a fairly bad reputation was the Salvation Army. Apparently the SA came into Gulu and built buildings that fell down pretty soon after they were erected. Since then they have pretty much left Northern Uganda, something I find kind of strange since in the states the Salvation Army is so prevalent. Kristen bought me a recorder for the trip and I’ve been using it almost daily for these conferences.

 

Houston finished speaking around 11, and after that we headed out in a group to town to have lunch and see the market place. The women here wear beautiful scarves and I really want one to take home with me. 

 

John, Kyle, Sarah Jen and I went over to Mac Café because we heard it was quick, and then we planned to head to the market to do some shopping. We were able to get a copy of the Monitor when we sat down, and there was a story about members from the LRA leaving the peace talks in protest of Joseph Kony. A lot of the information we are receiving about the failed peace talks is confusing, and I’m starting to get the feeling that even the members involved are getting shady information. Kyle and I were talking about it today, and we realized that since Kony is in the bush, maybe the members of his brigade are telling the international politicians different information that even he is giving them. Kony’s education is only up to Primary 7, so I’m starting to see the problem in negotiating peace talks with a man who left school at the age of 12. How can a president who’s family tribe runs most of the country negotiate with a man who doesn’t know anything but the bush? I’m trying to stay as informed as possible and I’m going to keep reading the monitor everyday to stay informed.

 

On the way to the café we walked past a primary school that must have been out at recess. As soon as we were spotted a little boy pointed at us from about 100 yards away and screamed MULUS! (white people) and about 60 kids ran up to the fence and were yelling out Hi and How are you? And sticking their hands through the fence to touch us and see how we felt. Their little faces were so adorable, and the pure innocence and curiosity in their faces was overwhelming.

 

Lunch was very good, but we went to the Mac café because we heard it was fast, but that wasn’t the case. Ordering food in Uganda is kind of hit or miss in terms of when it is actually going to show up at your table. I have been trying to play it as safe as possible and try foods sparingly, and the best option I have found so far is rice. I’m looking forward to trying more and more Ugandan food, but I’m taking baby steps. Thanks to my training at Rutt’s Hutt though my stomach is now made of steel. I ended up eating the vegetable stir fry, which came with beef (weird), and I found myself instantly jealous of Jen’s meal of avocados.

 

We didn’t have time after lunch to see the market, and we had to be back at the IC house at 2 so we just headed back. I wanted to take a boda boda (motorcycle taxi), but Phil and I met up and ended up taking the walk.

 

David, the Chief education officer for IC spoke to us after lunch about the effect of the war on education in Northern Uganda, and Norman, the father of Jolie (the directeor of IC’s dad), spoke to us about Acholi culture and dance. Norman was a little controversial because of his remarks about homosexuality and rape. Homosexuality is completely taboo in Uganda, and he made it a point to tell the group that as teachers we need tobe role models, and behavior such as homosexuality is completely unacceptable. He also made a reference to women being raped because of the clothing they were wearing, and that also didn’t sit well with the women in thr group. As a whole, however, I found his talk to be amazingly enlightening, and I look forward to going to Heals where he works to watch the students practice their traditional dances after school.

 

Dinner was planned at the Kope Café tonight where we met our new teachers that we would be working with. Kope café was actually put into action by an intern at IC named Jamie who stayed here in Uganda for a year to set it up. Donations can be made through Kope to Heals.

 

After I met Alice I felt immediately better about the entire trip as a whole. Aside from meeting my students it was the last roadblock I felt that I had to get through before really feeling comfortable here. Alice is 29 and has three children that are 7, 5, and 4. She was so welcoming and sweet, and I immediately felt like we got along. Our head mistress walked past us and cracked a joke that we look the same because we are both skinny. We spoke all evening about eduction and picked each other’s brains about cultural differences and how we could learn from each other. For example, I have to stop using the word “silly” because in Uganda its connotation means “stupid”, where as here the word “stubborn” means silly while in the States “stubbon” has almost a negative connotation. The schools also spell everything according the the British system, so I had to remind Alice that I may need some help remembering the words, although I think I know most of the differences. I was also worried about how I would get to school in the mornings, as it is about 20 minutes away from the compound that I’m staying at. A boda ride would be pretty rough on my butt because these roads are bumpy and unpaved, and buying a bike is an option but then I’m not sure what I would do when it was raining. Alice told me that she rides her motorcycle past the compound everyday though, and that she would pick me up in the mornings at 7:30.

 

After the teachers went home we had an impromptu dance party in the café. Ashley set up her Ipod and we danced our white asses off to Flo-rida and Dr. Dre with some of the locals and just let loose. It was so much fun, just one more memory that is making this the best trip of my life.

 

I’m going to go upload some of Matt’s pictures and then I’m going to shower all of the red dust off of me. I’ve never been so fake tan in my entire life. I spend all day looking tanned and as soon as I wash off I’m back to my white pasty French self.

 

I’ll write more tomorrow!