I see that I am not getting as many replies and comments on my blogs…perhaps I haven’t tickled your interests lately? Sorry about that! I’ll try harder.
March can be summarized as Easter, rain, boredom, and rain…and a little errrrrrrrrr!
Let me just recap a little, so no one is lost:
This year we started classes in March. The entire school was on strike almost the entire month of February and then needed some time to prepare for classes…so we began in March. I was under the impression (as I was so many times here) that our class fieldwork would last 3 weeks (as it did in the years before) and this year our class was going to Rwanda. I was so excited thinking we would have almost one month in Rwanda…after moving to Uganda I have heard so many wonderful things about Rwanda and how hard they have worked to pull together after the genocide. For the first time since August I thought, “Wow I am really going to learn something”. The arguments started and the complaints of the travel feaing classmates could be heard echoing from the walls and before I could blink we were only going for four (4) days. (Ok…for those of you geographically impaired...Rwanda is about an 8 hour bus ride South-southeast…) Therefore I am counting one day of travel and two days for Ugandan confusion aka what do we do now? I was so letdown and didn’t see any point in going for that short time (for the money it was going to cost). They chose the dates and I stayed home. Those four days I never went to class, because there were no classes, and I caught up on reading and cleaning! On that Friday, I went to the University to see one of my good friends who works for my host father. After I finished my visit I was walking to the bus when I heard someone yell, “Hey you are walking the wrong way…classes are this way” I looked around and saw a car full of my classmates heading to another building. I just continued walking…a little more hastily and with my blood starting to bubble. I called my American Classmate and explained. After about 6 phone calls we found out that the class had NEVER gone to Rwanda and they were attending lectures for those four days. I NEVER RECEIVED ONE PHONE CALL OR EMAIL…and every classmate has a class list. To make matters even worse on the following Monday when I got to class NO one spoke to me. NO one apologized; NO one asked me where I was.
The competition here for grades and good students is brutal and I wouldn’t be surprised if there was bloodshed over this in the past.
There is a Japanese girl who is a student at Makerere, but she is here on exchange for her undergraduate degree. We have become friends and complaint buddies. She experiences the same problems, obstacles, confusion, and sexism as me. After I explained the situation to her she said “lets go to Rwanda for longer and do everything that your class was suppose to do and MORE!” Therefore, I have suggested that we travel there and spend time so that we are there during the anniversary of the genocide on April 14th, 2008. I have read some great books written about the genocide and while I was at Penn State University I even had the privilege of meeting one of the United Nations Forensic Anthropologists and asked her some questions. I want to visit the sites that she spoke of. I am also going to find and attend a Rotary meeting to get more questions that I have answered! We are scheduled to be in Rwanda from the 9th to the 18th of April.
So… on the school front…no progress…I am still a white, FEMALE, scholarship recipient! (or…as I assured its understood…a colonizing, no-rights, rich, threat…If that seems harsh…you are welcome to come visit and see for yourself)
Next…Easter…
I assumed that Easter would be a big celebration in Uganda as Christmas was. There were no classes from Thursday to Tuesday, so I expected to rest. On Thursday I came back from town and when I walked up the stairs the Sudanese neighbours were preparing their foods for their weekend feast. They had huge pail fulls of onions, okra, and carrots among other vegetables. Then…as my eyes left the vegetables and focused back onto my path I noticed their meat of choice. Sadly, her four feet were tied to the second story railing this poor, beautiful goat. (It reminded me of the Bugs Bunny cartoon when they would put a pig on the spit…all that was missing was the apple in the mouth) I bent down beside her and patted her face and told her how sorry I was. (yes…I am an animal lover)
The next morning I woke up and opened my door, curtains, and windows to let in the warm breeze and I could hear this loud obnoxious noise. A second of concentration later my eyes finally caught up with my ears and I almost vomited. They had murdered that poor goat in the courtyard. Then, they decapitated, and allowed their eight-year-old son to take an iron pole and repeatedly beat the head of the animal. I thought about how much I wanted to become a vegetarian again.
All day the family cooked like busy bees and I was busy cleaning the apartment. A couple hours later I started smelling a very strange smell. I was unable to place the aroma; however, I was witness to the goat murder and the psychology of the whole thing was a rot in my stomach. I decided that I had to get out of the apartment for the day. As I left the courtyard I saw about 30 large fish heads being stewed.
I returned very late AFTER they were finished feasting.
The rain…
I would assume that it is the rainy season, but who knows anymore. Global warming is a huge problem…and its sad…maybe if Al Gore would have won Florida we would be doing something about it rather than dying and killing in Iraq. (Yes…I am feisty today!) Anyway…Its been raining and raining here. I am not sure how clean my apartment can get. I have been reading a lot (thanks to John and the books that he sends me). It rains so hard sometimes that the floor in my bedroom has become a swimming pool. This might not be understood at home, but try to think about it for a minute. Uganda is so incredibly dirty and dusty…not to be mean…just that there is a lot of dust in the air. When you walk on the street and a car drives by you can literally chew the air. Now, one would think that with all the rain (12-15 hour downpours 5 times a week) that the dust would settle…NO…it doesn’t…it’s an anomaly…it doesn’t really matter, but it’s a head scratcher!
Let me just say a little more about school (aka the not so educational-educational institution)
I really want to know my grades from last semester. I am an overachiever that has had the love from education ripped out from beneath me. Last night in class the teacher comes in and starts talking about grades and how some people never handed in their papers. (I’m like..phew…I handed my in!) Then he proceeds to say how the papers that he received where just regurgitated class lectures and some people based just on their paper would have failed. I’m starting to sweat…THEN…looks at me and says that my paper went beyond the class lectures and had been researched and well thought out!!! I didn’t look around, but I can bet my life that those classmates were squirming. THEN he proceeds to read the list of the papers he NEVER received. Guess what? My name was on the list…and my group was on the list. Therefore, he complemented me on my paper that he read, but never received. AND…therefore, could not be graded.
Oh…and just to put the cherry on the top on the 15 layer cake…students from the program who just graduated, from the 2 year program, JUST received their grades from the first semester, a month before they graduated- after completing 4 semesters!!!
So…I rest my case.
Comments please?
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Another meeting...
March 17, 2008
Rotary Mengo
Speaker: Rotarian Stephen Mwanje
Attendance: 39
Today’s meeting was a little different because our president was in Northern Uganda working on prospective Rotary projects, so we had a substitute!
The meeting started as usual with the four-way test, introductions, and a salute to the president of Uganda. Followed by announcements:
The final report is being written about “home of champions” project in Iganga and that a provisional club that is sponsored by the club will be holding a meeting a new hotel in town, Imperial Royale, on Friday’s at 6pm.
Then a Rotarian summarized the February edition of the Rotarian, but paying special attention to polio facts. He stressed how important it was to support and continue to support the 4 pandemic areas: Nigeria, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India.
Guest speaker Rtn. Mwanje spoke about literacy and explained that after to water, literacy is the most important. He asked Rotarians if they understood the meaning of literacy and then explained that of the 60% of countries that are illiterate 50% of them are in Sub-Sahara Africa and of those most are women and children.
Mr. Mwanje told a story to explain that literacy leads to poverty. He explained that in his village people sign things without understanding what is written and people take their property, land, and animals.
He went on to talk about an election that was held and how over 50% of the votes were voided because the voters did not understand what they had to do. People were crossing out all of the boxes except for one thinking that they couldn’t place an X beside the name of the person that they wanted.
Ugandan Rotarians were urged to help think of ways to educate, but more importantly the speaker urged the importance of planning. He said, “Planning helps us to focus, to appreciate, to inform members, and to iron out failures.”
Mr. Mwanje’s speech was short, but his words were clear and concise. Too many Ugandans are illiterate and there is no time like the present to start to end this problem.
After the speech there was a time for questions and comments. I will share one of the questions. “Can someone be illiterate if they can’t speak the language: for example; if I were to go to China and I cant speak Chinese does that mean I am illiterate?”
The speaker did not really answer the question…but again this is an all to common problem here in Uganda. A majority of people are too quick to find excuses and point out why problems exist or find someone to blame the problem on. In my opinion, it doesn’t matter that Ugandan’s are illiterate. The national language is English…that means people should be able to read and write in English. Let’s stop finding people to blame and excuses for the problems and lets work on solving it.
Isn’t part of a solution admitting that a problem exists in the first place?
Rotary Mengo
Speaker: Rotarian Stephen Mwanje
Attendance: 39
Today’s meeting was a little different because our president was in Northern Uganda working on prospective Rotary projects, so we had a substitute!
The meeting started as usual with the four-way test, introductions, and a salute to the president of Uganda. Followed by announcements:
The final report is being written about “home of champions” project in Iganga and that a provisional club that is sponsored by the club will be holding a meeting a new hotel in town, Imperial Royale, on Friday’s at 6pm.
Then a Rotarian summarized the February edition of the Rotarian, but paying special attention to polio facts. He stressed how important it was to support and continue to support the 4 pandemic areas: Nigeria, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India.
Guest speaker Rtn. Mwanje spoke about literacy and explained that after to water, literacy is the most important. He asked Rotarians if they understood the meaning of literacy and then explained that of the 60% of countries that are illiterate 50% of them are in Sub-Sahara Africa and of those most are women and children.
Mr. Mwanje told a story to explain that literacy leads to poverty. He explained that in his village people sign things without understanding what is written and people take their property, land, and animals.
He went on to talk about an election that was held and how over 50% of the votes were voided because the voters did not understand what they had to do. People were crossing out all of the boxes except for one thinking that they couldn’t place an X beside the name of the person that they wanted.
Ugandan Rotarians were urged to help think of ways to educate, but more importantly the speaker urged the importance of planning. He said, “Planning helps us to focus, to appreciate, to inform members, and to iron out failures.”
Mr. Mwanje’s speech was short, but his words were clear and concise. Too many Ugandans are illiterate and there is no time like the present to start to end this problem.
After the speech there was a time for questions and comments. I will share one of the questions. “Can someone be illiterate if they can’t speak the language: for example; if I were to go to China and I cant speak Chinese does that mean I am illiterate?”
The speaker did not really answer the question…but again this is an all to common problem here in Uganda. A majority of people are too quick to find excuses and point out why problems exist or find someone to blame the problem on. In my opinion, it doesn’t matter that Ugandan’s are illiterate. The national language is English…that means people should be able to read and write in English. Let’s stop finding people to blame and excuses for the problems and lets work on solving it.
Isn’t part of a solution admitting that a problem exists in the first place?
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Rotary Mondays...
It has been a while since I wrote all about a meeting so I am going to write about my Rotary Mondays so everyone can get a feel for what exactly takes place in the meetings here.
Rotary Club: Mengo (Located a 10 minute bus ride from my house)
Est. January 7th 1988
From 1:00pm -2:00pm (working lunch)
Attendance: 38
The afternoon meeting starts off with a shirt prayer and the four-way test. The president will appoint a different Rotarian every week to lead the two.
Next are introductions of visiting Rotarians, Rotaractors, Interactors and guests. (There are usually many introductions because there are 25 clubs in the city of Kampala).
Following will be announcements and this Monday was my turn to talk about my experience in Egypt and the projects that Egyptian Rotarians were involved in.
Usually the meeting is then directed to the guest speaker who has around 35 minutes of talk time, however, this meeting was a little different and time was divided between a guest speaker and a club assembly (exclusive to Mengo club members).
The guest speaker (a Mengo Rotarian) spoke about land policy and Uganda’s lack of one. The Ugandan government has a huge problem with allocating and distributing land. Unfortunately corruption, money, and greed, are fuel to this ever-expanding problem.
The problems as discussed by the speaker are that everyone sells land when “legally” the only body allowed to do so is the land commission. Apparently 680 acres were set aside for mentally and physically challenged Ugandans, but when you visit the area everyone there BUT the mentally/physically challenged have land titles, even children as young as six years old, of that 680 acres there are 150 that remain.
From my understanding of the speech Ugandan citizens and Ugandan parliament are at a loss. No one knows how land should be given out or distributed, what the process is, what the laws are according to constitution or the land commission.
The speaker also mentioned external organizations and people as the problem (this is not uncommon in Uganda and I hear it all to often in class and in public). The speaker used China as country to blame, stating that Ugandans feel pressured and have to give into the demands of China and their search for minerals.
The speaker concluded by saying that a firm law or amendment needs to be made in the constitution and needs to be followed. Once everyone knows that is there only one law or rule things should even out. As for now there is just too much confusion to understand the facts.
After the speaker was the final toast to Rotary International.
At lunchtime Rotary meetings there is usually a buffet lunch and they range from $5-20 a meal.
During the club assembly (which takes place once a month)
1) Achievements of the club:
20th birthday celebration of the club
Increased fellowship (meeting)
More lively fellowships
Better speakers
Sponsoring of a new club
Strong work in Rotary Community Core (RCC) projects
2) Problems:
Club participation
Poor participation during in country trainings
3) Reports:
Research is being done on Microfinance and scholarships
4) RCC
Buyuki water project is almost complete: Three (3) wells are being constructed and each contains a pump.
There was some confusion about a wheelchair volunteer project, but it will be cleared up at next weeks meeting?
Then the last thing that was discussed was the president asking why Mengo club members are not going to other Rotary meetings in the city. As I mentioned there are 25 clubs in Kampala and the president asks for Mengo members to participate in one other meeting every week to learn about what the other clubs are doing.
There is a club meeting everyday of the week…usually one every lunch and every evening. The president says that finding a club to attend is no excuse!!!
Rotary Club: Mengo (Located a 10 minute bus ride from my house)
Est. January 7th 1988
From 1:00pm -2:00pm (working lunch)
Attendance: 38
The afternoon meeting starts off with a shirt prayer and the four-way test. The president will appoint a different Rotarian every week to lead the two.
Next are introductions of visiting Rotarians, Rotaractors, Interactors and guests. (There are usually many introductions because there are 25 clubs in the city of Kampala).
Following will be announcements and this Monday was my turn to talk about my experience in Egypt and the projects that Egyptian Rotarians were involved in.
Usually the meeting is then directed to the guest speaker who has around 35 minutes of talk time, however, this meeting was a little different and time was divided between a guest speaker and a club assembly (exclusive to Mengo club members).
The guest speaker (a Mengo Rotarian) spoke about land policy and Uganda’s lack of one. The Ugandan government has a huge problem with allocating and distributing land. Unfortunately corruption, money, and greed, are fuel to this ever-expanding problem.
The problems as discussed by the speaker are that everyone sells land when “legally” the only body allowed to do so is the land commission. Apparently 680 acres were set aside for mentally and physically challenged Ugandans, but when you visit the area everyone there BUT the mentally/physically challenged have land titles, even children as young as six years old, of that 680 acres there are 150 that remain.
From my understanding of the speech Ugandan citizens and Ugandan parliament are at a loss. No one knows how land should be given out or distributed, what the process is, what the laws are according to constitution or the land commission.
The speaker also mentioned external organizations and people as the problem (this is not uncommon in Uganda and I hear it all to often in class and in public). The speaker used China as country to blame, stating that Ugandans feel pressured and have to give into the demands of China and their search for minerals.
The speaker concluded by saying that a firm law or amendment needs to be made in the constitution and needs to be followed. Once everyone knows that is there only one law or rule things should even out. As for now there is just too much confusion to understand the facts.
After the speaker was the final toast to Rotary International.
At lunchtime Rotary meetings there is usually a buffet lunch and they range from $5-20 a meal.
During the club assembly (which takes place once a month)
1) Achievements of the club:
20th birthday celebration of the club
Increased fellowship (meeting)
More lively fellowships
Better speakers
Sponsoring of a new club
Strong work in Rotary Community Core (RCC) projects
2) Problems:
Club participation
Poor participation during in country trainings
3) Reports:
Research is being done on Microfinance and scholarships
4) RCC
Buyuki water project is almost complete: Three (3) wells are being constructed and each contains a pump.
There was some confusion about a wheelchair volunteer project, but it will be cleared up at next weeks meeting?
Then the last thing that was discussed was the president asking why Mengo club members are not going to other Rotary meetings in the city. As I mentioned there are 25 clubs in Kampala and the president asks for Mengo members to participate in one other meeting every week to learn about what the other clubs are doing.
There is a club meeting everyday of the week…usually one every lunch and every evening. The president says that finding a club to attend is no excuse!!!
Saturday, March 1, 2008
Egypt-land of sand, police check points, and true hospitality!
I bet some of you are wondering where I have disappeared to, right?
Since University is on “winter break” I decided to explore a little to see a different culture and get an idea of what Rotary is doing in the rest of Africa! So, I skipped off to Egypt!
My tour of Egypt started in Alexandria, a beautiful city on the Mediterranean coast. I received a very warm Egyptian welcome by two extremely kind Rotarians, Alex and Dalia, and their three-month-old baby, Joe!
When I first arrived they gave me a tour of their beautiful home and explained where the shower and washing machine were located and also informed me that there was wireless in my bedroom. I can’t imagine that anyone was ever so ecstatic as I was. All I could think about was HOT water! It was wonderful…
Dalia spoiled me with amazing food and warm hospitality and makes the thought of going back to Uganda, so much more difficult.
I attended a Rotary meeting and was taken to a wonderful clinic that the Egypt Rotary operates and has fully stocked with brand new, high quality medical equipment. A service that is provided to Egyptians living in the slum areas. The clinic can treat just about anything from small to larger operations, eye care clinic, dentistry, and beyond that has a computer room, children’s classrooms, sewing rooms, meeting rooms, and a pharmacy. It was easy to see that this project receives a lot of TLC from Rotary and is one that they are very proud of.
I was also taken care of by Rotarian Raggie, his wife, and daughter, Ingy. Ingy is a few years younger than me and is very active in Rotaract. She was so generous with her time and took me around to many sights in Alexandria (and to Starbucks…I know its not Egyptian, but oh how nice after months without it!)
A very special thanks to Dr. Raggaie, the very first Rotarian to respond to my e-mail and welcome me to Egypt/
After spending a week in Alex with my wonderful hosts, new friends and an exceptional Rotary I headed to Cairo to pick up my friend Amber and view some of the other sights that Egypt offers.
We started by taking the sleeping train to Luxor where we spent days exploring tombs and temples and walking along the Nile. Luxor is a historical importance to Egypt, but too overrun with tourists and pushy money hungry locals, for my liking. . The Nile River, creates the East and West bank, divides the city of Luxor. Locals say that the sun rises in the East and sets in the West, so life is on the East bank and death belongs on the West bank... and that is where we find all the tombs of the pharos. It was very interesting places, but the obnoxious and hassling touts made it just about unbearable.
Next we headed by bus to Hurghada through the Eastern desert and Red Sea Mountains to the Red Sea Coast. After over-nighting there we took a two-hour ferry across the sea to Dahab where Egyptian culture seems to be lost somehow, and money and partying come into the spotlight. It was nice to be on the Red Sea, but depressing at the same time. It is winter and too cold for me to dive (and many of the fish and coral life are more numerous in the summer).
Next we explored Sinai where we took a desert safari and climbed though, in, over, and around boulders! The Land Rover we were in got stuck in sand…that was pretty exciting!
The last stop was Cairo…now my advice for anyone who travels to Egypt…spend more time in Cairo and Alexandria then anywhere else. I was very lucky and two of my new friends from Alexandria came to visit me in Cairo. Amber had already gone back home so it was nice to have someone to chat with! Rotarian Mostafa, an extremely welcoming and friendly individual is a true give to Rotary. He showed me some wonderful sights in Cairo such as the pyramids: the ones at Memphis (which were the original pyramids…later replicated by the ones at Giza), dinner on the Nile, a huge market. I have forgotten the spelling! Islamic Cairo, among other things…
Egypt was a wonderful place, but the Egyptians are what made it! I was warmly welcomed, treated with care and kindness, and hospitality that is truly for the record books.
Thank you to all Rotarians, Rotaractors, and Interactors that made my Egyptian voyage a blast!
Since University is on “winter break” I decided to explore a little to see a different culture and get an idea of what Rotary is doing in the rest of Africa! So, I skipped off to Egypt!
My tour of Egypt started in Alexandria, a beautiful city on the Mediterranean coast. I received a very warm Egyptian welcome by two extremely kind Rotarians, Alex and Dalia, and their three-month-old baby, Joe!
When I first arrived they gave me a tour of their beautiful home and explained where the shower and washing machine were located and also informed me that there was wireless in my bedroom. I can’t imagine that anyone was ever so ecstatic as I was. All I could think about was HOT water! It was wonderful…
Dalia spoiled me with amazing food and warm hospitality and makes the thought of going back to Uganda, so much more difficult.
I attended a Rotary meeting and was taken to a wonderful clinic that the Egypt Rotary operates and has fully stocked with brand new, high quality medical equipment. A service that is provided to Egyptians living in the slum areas. The clinic can treat just about anything from small to larger operations, eye care clinic, dentistry, and beyond that has a computer room, children’s classrooms, sewing rooms, meeting rooms, and a pharmacy. It was easy to see that this project receives a lot of TLC from Rotary and is one that they are very proud of.
I was also taken care of by Rotarian Raggie, his wife, and daughter, Ingy. Ingy is a few years younger than me and is very active in Rotaract. She was so generous with her time and took me around to many sights in Alexandria (and to Starbucks…I know its not Egyptian, but oh how nice after months without it!)
A very special thanks to Dr. Raggaie, the very first Rotarian to respond to my e-mail and welcome me to Egypt/
After spending a week in Alex with my wonderful hosts, new friends and an exceptional Rotary I headed to Cairo to pick up my friend Amber and view some of the other sights that Egypt offers.
We started by taking the sleeping train to Luxor where we spent days exploring tombs and temples and walking along the Nile. Luxor is a historical importance to Egypt, but too overrun with tourists and pushy money hungry locals, for my liking. . The Nile River, creates the East and West bank, divides the city of Luxor. Locals say that the sun rises in the East and sets in the West, so life is on the East bank and death belongs on the West bank... and that is where we find all the tombs of the pharos. It was very interesting places, but the obnoxious and hassling touts made it just about unbearable.
Next we headed by bus to Hurghada through the Eastern desert and Red Sea Mountains to the Red Sea Coast. After over-nighting there we took a two-hour ferry across the sea to Dahab where Egyptian culture seems to be lost somehow, and money and partying come into the spotlight. It was nice to be on the Red Sea, but depressing at the same time. It is winter and too cold for me to dive (and many of the fish and coral life are more numerous in the summer).
Next we explored Sinai where we took a desert safari and climbed though, in, over, and around boulders! The Land Rover we were in got stuck in sand…that was pretty exciting!
The last stop was Cairo…now my advice for anyone who travels to Egypt…spend more time in Cairo and Alexandria then anywhere else. I was very lucky and two of my new friends from Alexandria came to visit me in Cairo. Amber had already gone back home so it was nice to have someone to chat with! Rotarian Mostafa, an extremely welcoming and friendly individual is a true give to Rotary. He showed me some wonderful sights in Cairo such as the pyramids: the ones at Memphis (which were the original pyramids…later replicated by the ones at Giza), dinner on the Nile, a huge market. I have forgotten the spelling! Islamic Cairo, among other things…
Egypt was a wonderful place, but the Egyptians are what made it! I was warmly welcomed, treated with care and kindness, and hospitality that is truly for the record books.
Thank you to all Rotarians, Rotaractors, and Interactors that made my Egyptian voyage a blast!
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