- I am constantly amazed at the number of people that can cram into a matatu (Ugandan taxi van). I've rode in a 14-seat matatu that was able to cram 20 people. If you come to Uganda and ride in a matatu, be prepared to sacrifice your comfort.
- Conversely, I am constantly unamazed by the meat sold in Uganda. If eating fat is your thing, come here. But I am unable to stomach it.
- I am debating whether or not to get a dog. Is the companionship and security that a dog provides worth all the costs and care? We shall see...
- My house will not be ready until December...at the earliest. It is a good thing that Peace Corps training taught me how to be flexible and patient.
- I am seeing first-hand just how vital learning the local language is to community integration.
- Despite wearing long pants and bug repellant, mosquitoes are biting me. A LOT.
- I am grateful for the invention of the belt due to, in large part, all the weight that I've lost in the first 3 months.
- Being called "fat" in Uganda is actually a compliment, meaning 'good physique' or 'healthy'.
- When Ugandans ask me where I am from in America, and I tell them Northern Virginia near Washington D.C., it is assumed that I am either related to or friends with President Obama.
- Hidden Passion, a Mexican soap that airs at night on NTV, is my replacement for the American shows/sports that I am unable to watch in Uganda.
- Living in Uganda is like experiencing two separate worlds. Uganda's rural countryside has some of the most beautiful landscapes I have ever seen, yet its cities' streets are filled with trash.
- If you are a football fan living in Uganda, you will either root for Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, or Liverpool.
- Driving (not that I would know) or riding as a passenger in Uganda are experiences in their own. There is no such thing as give-and-take. Speed limits, if any, are not really adhered to. Boda Boda (motorcycle taxis) accidents are one of the highest causes of death in Uganda behind malaria.
- I mentioned this in one of my previous posts, but it bears repeating: Ugandan women are some of the most hard-working, resourceful people I have ever met.
Hi Bryan, thanks for these long and thorough posts! It is such a joy to learn about your evolving thoughts and experiences.
ReplyDeleteI can imagine how you have become the center of gossip in the community -- perhaps not just for being white and American, but just for being so different in any way at all. Perhaps by living in very large cities we are more accustomed to seeing very diverse people every day -- be that ethnic, national, economic, etc. -- whereas in your new community I imagine that the range of diversity is smaller on nearly every dimension.
But, I also think it will help as you make a few closer acquaintances. Maybe as a small number of people get to know you well, they will realize that beneath the superficial differences, you are a pretty ordinary guy. And then they'll be able to tell everybody else :)
Julie tells me that you have three months during which your goal is to integrate into the community. I can see why it is important to learn as much as you can and make some friends before you try to do work that could be perceived as changing the community in one way or another. But, I can also imagine that it will be a hard three months! Sometimes it is more difficult to feel like you have *nothing* to do than to have something that occupies all your time. What do you think your day-to-day routine will be during that time?
Glad to hear that everything is going well, though, and please keep posting!
Fiery
Bryan,
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday! I know that it must have been hard being away for Thanksgiving, but I know that you were in the hearts and minds of those who love you. Carol and I love your blog posts and hope that you can find the time and energy to continue them. Thank you for doing this very important work, which does as much for the USA as it does for Uganda.