Kampala and training

A few more detrails on Kampala and training.....

Danny and I spent last week in Kampala at a hotel while he had his motorbike training with three other volunteers. I became very familiar with the shops in Kampala while he engaged in this. Kampala is huge with many modern areas, shops, houses. It is filled with mini-bus taxis and boda boda motorbike taxis who couldn't care less if they knocked down a pedestrian. Traffic rules are just meaningless here. To add to the usual congestion, CHOGM delegates, guests, heads of state packed the city.

This week we are housed at a conference centre on the edge of Kampala for more VSO training...much of it placement-related as well as history, culture, cooking, etc. Accommodation is good, not posh, and we are so thrilled to have a hot shower! Meals are provided which are fairly good, but with little variety.

A bit of course-skipping by several of us has taken place with outings into the city for shopping and dining.

We have our own internet!!

WOOHOO!!!!! We are now connected to the internet via mobile phone signal so we'll have it anywhere we go that gets a signal. We are surprised at how fast it is.

YEAH!!!!!

Kampala

We have been in Kampala all week and yesterday Danny passed his motorbike test. So we will soon have our own transportation!!

Kampala is crowded, dusty, and hot but the shopping is great as is the food. We highly recommend The Great Wall Chinese Restaurant on Kampala Road -- also the Indian restaurant (forgot the name) on the very top floor of the Garden City Shopping Centre. Kampala has slums but also has some very posh areas and posh shops.

This afternoon we are heading out to a conference centre in the 'sticks' for a week of VSO 'training'. At least we'll have hot showers.

We hope to have our internet connected at home by the time we return, but if not this will be my last post for about 2 weeks.

Hope all the Americans had a great thanksgiving.

PS. I made a correction to our postal address in the sidebar -- I had spelled the town incorrectly -- it is Mbarara.

PPS. Planning a trip to America in May!

New photos uploaded!

Finally! Uploaded a bunch of pics to our Flickr photo album today (see sidebar for link). We are in Kampala and the internet is quicker here.

Danny will be on the motorbike tomorrow for rough road training.

We will be in Kampala all this week but next week will be out in the country with NO internet...boo hiss...

A day in the life......

No two days are the same but typically…..
A gong is sounded outside at 6a.m. to wake the students. We pull back the mozzie net and tumble out of bed generally between 6.45 and 7. Breakfast might consist of fresh pineapple, tea, toast made in a frying pan (I guess we’ll buy one of the crappy toasters and hope it actually works!), and sometimes I have Temmy’s Corn Flakes (made in Egypt) –a crunchier version than Kellogg’s. Another option is Quaker Oats porridge. Mmmmmm…

In order to keep the laundry from becoming a massive job, I do the washing at least 4 days a week and I start this job first thing after breakfast. When I’m done with the laundry, sweeping, and other cleaning I take a (cold!) shower and change into appropriate clothing (not shorts). Sometimes I join Danny for the 11a.m. tea and banana break in the staff room. At this time of the day the tea is made up in big kettles with full fat unpasteurized boiled milk and a small amount of tea. We do eat lots of the small, sweet bananas, but neither of us drinks the milky tea – it makes Danny ill, and I don’t like the taste.

We sit outside at the nurse’s house/sick bay and have Runyankole language lessons for about an hour either just after the 11a.m. tea or after lunch.

Danny has been working tirelessly in the computer room attempting to make the antiquated computers function reasonably well. He wasn’t going to let anyone know about his computer expertise, but being a nerd at heart he couldn’t tolerate seeing a computer lab in such a mess. He’s been roped into teaching basic computer skills classes and I’ve been assisting. Four or five students at each computer! It’s simply amazing to both of us how well they cooperate and never argue or get annoyed because someone else is hogging the keyboard. The cooperation displayed leaves us in awe. Most of the students have never used a computer before, so when Danny used the term ‘left click’ they were baffled.

The education department is encouraging colleges to buy better computers as well as connecting the internet. Too bad they don’t want to give the money to the colleges to accomplish this! They generally cut budgets instead of increasing them. Anyway, Danny is helping to get bids and trying to look for funding for this.

Danny has also been teaching two physics classes one day per week. His job doing outreach in the primary schools has yet to take place, but will likely happen after the Christmas holidays and school begins again in February.

Danny's computer class

Lunch is served in the staff room – and to the students – at 1.30p.m. It doesn’t vary – rice, matoke, beans, and boiled cabbage. If the price of matoke has risen they serve porsho (maize) instead. Danny eats this every day but I just can’t! So I will eat lunch with the staff 2 or 3 times a week.

I have been teaching basic computer skills to the wife of one of the teachers. We spend about an hour every evening beginning at 7p.m. while Danny works on the computers. Interest in my computer tutoring has been expressed by the wife of another teacher and by one of the Deputy Principals.

Evenings – we watch a bit of the news, Danny partakes of Ugandan beer and I sip on South African wine. We have been re-watching 5 seasons of Still Game but will soon – thanks to an angel—have DVD’s to watch. Unless we have DSTV the programming is severely limited – unless one is fluent in the language or is a fan of a Spanish soap opera badly-dubbed with American accents.

Water from the tap is not potable, so we boil then filter it. We keep bottles of this ‘cleaned’ water, one of which is with our toiletries. We use this to wet and rinse our toothbrushes. It doesn’t seem an inconvenience anymore, we’ve become used to it. Making sure the mozzie net is tucked in all the way around the mattress is still a bit of a pain in the butt though.

It’s incredible to both of us how the concept of schedules/timetables/punctuality seems to be foreign here. Often the computer classes have 5 or 6 more students than are supposed to be there. Danny isn’t given a class list—they don’t like to use a lot of paper here. Students don’t have books—they learn by taking notes. They can use the books in the library – most of which are quite old and all are donated.

Taxi nightmare

As I described in a previous blog there are several modes of transport, one of which is a taxi—a 15-seat minibus. On our trip to Bushenyi for a meeting with other VSO volunteers we decided to travel by one of these. The main taxi area in Mbarara is a huge car park, which holds dozens of these all going to different areas. As soon as you walk into this area you are bombarded with offers of transport. “Are you going to Kampala?” “Are you going to Kasese?” “Where are you going?” When you select a taxi you barter with the person in charge over the price. We are always told a higher price than Ugandan passengers but we never agree to the first price quoted. The person who brings another passenger to a taxi is rewarded (cash?). The taxis do not leave until they are full—no schedule.

On this particular trip we waited nearly an hour and a half before we eventually departed. These taxis are checked on departure to be sure they are not overloaded. However, as soon as they leave they encourage more passengers. On this trip there were about 5 or 6 more people than there were seats. For quite a while there were 5 people in our row, which was meant for 3.

Men hawking cheap goods swarm on the occupants who are waiting for the taxis to depart. The items are cheap jewellery, combs, lace, mobile phone covers, fruit, assorted junk, etc. As muzungus we drew more attention than everyone else (wealthy is ‘tattooed’ across our faces). The hawkers are much more persistent with us. It got highly annoying as there was barely a few seconds break between hawkers.

By the time we departed Mbarara and jammed in a few more passengers we had both decided that we wouldn’t do a journey like that again. We’d rather spend more and get a special hire—our own private taxi.

On the way into Mbarara we often catch a lift from someone on campus who is on their way there. If not, we walk the 3km down to the main road and catch a taxi (mini-bus). This is not a problem as there is no waiting, we just flag one down that is passing and isn’t over-full, and we get to town within 20-25 minutes. The cost is only 2,000Ush each.

On the return trip home we have contracted a favourite special hire driver and an agreed rate—20,000 Ush to our front door. He is a safe driver, helps load and carry our purchases, and is very reliable and friendly.

Photos

The internet is quite slow today so I will save my photos for uploading until we get to Kampala. The connection has a chance of being quicker there......

Kampala, (lack of) electricity, language

Trip to Kampala
Tomorrow morning we leave for Kampala, the capital, via long-distance coach. Danny has a week of motorbike training on rough Ugandan roads and if…emmm…I mean when, he passes the test will be given a Ugandan motorbike licence and his own motorbike. The motorbike will be delivered to our house via truck – we won’t be returning from Kampala on a bike with a large suitcase and two backpacks!! While Danny is training to be a Hell’s Angel I’ll be shopping or at an internet café.

The following week we will be at the VSO Conference Centre outside of the city for In-Country-Training Part 2. The programme consists of sharing experiences and problems from our first six+ weeks in Uganda. There will be lessons in history, government, culture, and generally how things work here. A BBQ and socializing as well!

The continuing saga of (cue spooky organ music)….the LAUNDRY
When we came here I packed lots of Persil Non-bio tablets. Biological detergents make Danny itch and I am allergic to anything perfumed. I learned pre-departure that Persil can be bought here, which it can. But it’s not non-bio and is scented. I also learned that the most popular detergent here is Omo, which cleans the clothes but wears them out quickly because it is rough.

My first experiences at hand-washing everything has taught me:
1.Persil is way too gentle for hand-washing.
2.Therefore, the laundry doesn’t get clean.
3.Omo is made for hand-washing.
4.Conclusion: The clothes will wear out sooner but at least they will be clean.

Electricity
Electrical lines are being repaired in ours and neighbouring districts. Therefore, the power has been out every weekday from about 7a.m. until sometime between 6-9p.m. since the 1st of November. It is predicted to be finished by the end of the month. I’ll believe it when it happens. Just when we were counting ourselves lucky that we hadn’t been without power very often. Argghhh….

Many are convinced that the actual reason we have been without electricity is that it’s being diverted to Kampala where CHOGM (Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting) will be for a week this month. CHOGM is a meeting of all the heads of state of every country in the British Commonwealth. The Queen, Prime Minister, Prince Chuckie will, of course, be attending. Kampala has been getting ready for this for many months and built a posh hotel just for the occasion.

Odds and ends…..
-Women are addressed as madame, which I find complimentary.
-How to pronounce Mbarara—Im-ba-rahr-ah with no pauses or emphasis on a single syllable.
-I can’t recall seeing anyone lose their temper since we’ve been here. Showing anger in public is taboo.

Recently been having a serious craving for Lime Doritos!!!!! And we’ve got great guacamole to have with them as well – made from locally grown avocados and lemons.

Weather
We very quickly began taking the gorgeous weather for granted. In Scotland we would usually drop everything and go outside to sit or for a bike ride or hike with weather like this. How do you appreciate it if it’s good all the time? It usually gets cooler at night which gives us a bit of a change and feels cooler after a heavy rainfall. One would assume that being on the equator would make the temperature roasting hot all the time. Due to the elevation – we are at about 1400 metres – it rarely gets too hot.

Local language
A few words/phrases of Runyankole, the language of the southwest, we’ve learned:
-Thank you - Webare (way-bar-ay)
-Good morning - Oriere ota (ori rota)
-Good afternoon – osiibirota (o-see-bur-ota)
-Goodbye –osiibagee (o-see-ba-jee)
-Have a good evening – oraire gye (ora rejee)
-Did you sleep well/have a good night? – oriere gye (ori rejee)
-What do you want? – noyenda ki
-I want milk – Ninyenda amate

No photos this week

The internet is being torturously slow this week so I am unable to upload any photos. Gots loads of them as well!

A feast for the senses....

emm…well, not always a feast

See

• green hills dotted with cows and goats
• bright purple or pink school uniforms worn by barefoot children
• blue sky à a few white clouds à black clouds à downpour à blue sky
• brown mud houses
• acres and acres of tall, dark green matoke plants
• tshirts displaying UK sports teams, US cities, or foreign companies reddish-orange soil
• bicycles being pushed up hilly roads laden with tonnes of green matoke
• local markets on the sides of the roads featuring every colour—red tomatoes, green matoke, yellow bananas, green/gold pineapples, purple onions, green peppers, green avocados, orange carrots, brown aubergines, red chilli peppers, pale green cabbage, etc……
• bright, multi-coloured dresses, shawls, skirts, shirts
• big, brown eyes of smiling kids
• vivid dreams due to the anti-malaria medication
• buildings painted bright yellow with the MTN logo (mobile phones)



Hear

• drumming all night in a local village signalling an upcoming wedding
• chatter in the local language – Runyankole
• lovely singing of the college students – although we can’t understand a word of it (yet)
• thick Ugandan accents when speaking English
• rain beating down, boom of thunder
• the comforting, familiar accents on BBC World Service radio
• the buzz of a mozzie when we are safely in bed with the mozzie net tucked around us
• crickets as soon as it becomes dark

Smell

• pleasant smell of smoke from kitchens
• frequent BO (not mine!)
• goatmeat being roasted on kebab skewers
• common choking odour of burning oil from ill-maintained vehicles
• popcorn machines on the sidewalks outside the shops in Mbarara
• lovely aroma of the bakeries in Mbarara

Taste

• small, sweet bananas
• tea flavoured with tea masala—a powder made with cinnamon, ginger, cloves, cardamom, black pepper, nutmeg
• tender, juicy African steak
• sweet, juicy Ugandan pineapples
• sweet, thick mango juice
• smooth, creamy, fresh avocado

Feel 

• warm/hot sun
• coolness after rain
• frequent dust in the eyes
• cold shower—how good it feels to be done!
• itch of mozzie bites
• someone constantly wanting to shake your hand
• our ultra-soft fleece blanket on chilly nights
• lumpy pillows





Top 10, Culture, Imported Products, Internet at home!

Note: I intended to post this last Saturday but there was no electricity in Mbarara, so the internet cafés were closed. However,

Woohoo!! We will (relatively) soon have GPRS internet at home. This entails using a USB modem that works on the signal from the mobile network – same as our phones. It’s quite expensive in relation to Ugandan salaries and is slower than the old dial-up connections. But waiting a week for a couple of hours of internet connection is just too much to bear!

We will be in Kampala, the capital, for 2 weeks beginning Nov 17th. Danny has a week of motorbike training and the following week there will be In-Country-Training for both of us. Internet cafes are on nearly every corner, so I will be posting during that time.

Top 10 ‘events’ during our first month in Uganda (not in any particular order):
1. children running up to us to shake our hand, hug or touch us
2. finally figuring out the best way to wash our laundry by hand
3. weekly treat of fattening European food in Mbarara
4. discovering cheddar cheese, porridge oats, peanut butter, chocolate milk, and Cadbury in the supermarket
5. meeting up with fellow volunteers
6. getting our house (mostly) furnished
7. friendly welcomes by so many people – getting big smiles in return for a wave – kids always waving at us
8. discovering the scrumptious fruits and veg here
9. feeling less and less uncomfortable being the centre of attention when walking through crowded Mbarara
10. figuring out the currency here with so many zeros! Basically knowing where to shop for what items and what a fair price is.

While I do the ironing—a massive job since every item of clothing, towels, linens, socks, knickers, require ironing—I listen to audio books. I recently finished listening to Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert, which was recommended and downloaded for me by my SIL, Christie. It was an entertaining and thought-provoking book and certainly made ironing and housework much pleasanter chores. Current book is Star of the Sea about a voyage in 1847 from Ireland to NYC and the history of the some of the passengers.

You may wonder why everything must be ironed. If you weren’t wondering, skip to the next paragraph. When laundry is hanging out to dry the mango flies might lay eggs on them. The heat of the iron kills the eggs. If the eggs remain on the items and they get next to your skin, they burrow under your skin and later hatch. They can be felt squirming around under the skin and must be removed by sterile knife or razor. Cringe! Didn’t want to know all that, did ya?! Personally, I’d prefer to iron everything.

Cultural differences
During a discussion with the Principle and a couple of teachers we were asked if there were people in Britain who had no home. They are under the impression that everyone in Britain and America are rich. We enlightened them with facts about the welfare system which horrified them, especially regarding government money be given to unwed, unemployed mothers. We informed them that the minimum wage was about £5.25 an hour and upon converting this to Ugandan shillings they assumed that everyone must be very rich. I explained that people making this wage were poor because everything was much more expensive in Britain, but this fact did not seem to change their view. The Principle suggested they cut back to eating one meal per day, like is mainly done in Uganda. Right. Not likely!

We have asked various staff members how many children they have and 5 seems to be the most common answer. Soon after our arrival a second child was born to the wife of the art teacher. They now have a boy and a girl, but he says they would like to have a total of 5 or 6. This baffles me, but I'll bypass that discussion for the time being. It is thought odd that Danny only has one child and I only have two.

Many times we have been greeted with ‘you are welcome’ which means ‘welcome to the college’ ‘welcome to Uganda’, ‘welcome to our village’ etc. I’ve found this a charming way to be greeted.

The pleasant aroma of smoke is nearly constant. Every staff house has a separate building that is used by most as the room where they cook using charcoal or wood. We haven’t used ours but opted to use the 2 gas burners that VSO purchased for us. We are considering getting a charcoal or wood burner so that we can bake bread and have a BBQ (not goat!).

Behind the outdoor kitchens are outhouses for each house. A couple of years ago the World Bank granted the college money to upgrade staff houses which included the addition of indoor bathrooms. Some people though seem to prefer using the outhouses. Hmmm…..not us!

The curtains in our house are backwards – with the lining facing inside. We noticed that all the houses are like this, the design is apparently supposed to be seen from outside the house. I’m deciding whether to be rebellious and turn them around.

A former volunteer told us that hygiene standards always lessen when living as a volunteer. Yup, they certainly do.

Western products
Some of the familiar products I've discovered in Mbarara thus far:
Nutella
Cadbury sweets and hot chocolate
Snickers
Kit Kat
Coke, Pepsi, Fanta
Pringles
American Garden Creamy Peanut Butter (never heard of it, but it was made in NY and tastes similar to Skippy)
Knorr soup mix
Quaker Oats
McVitties Biscuits
Corn Flakes
Trix cereal
Weetabix (Yuck! Tried this for the first time and it’s horrid!)
Rice Krispies
Persil detergent (unfortunately it’s not the non-bio that we need)
Listerine
Macleans toothpaste
Crest toothpaste
Carex hand soap
Savlon & Dettol liquid

Laundry Fun

Okay, everybody who thinks laundry is a chore and American expats in the UK who whine about how tiny their washer is or that they don’t have a dryer…… this is my routine first thing in the morning at least 4 days per week:

-fill halfway 2 large plastic basins and 1 medium basin from tap in shower room (as there isn’t a tap outside)
-haul to back porch
-add more water using another container as they would otherwise be far too heavy to lift and carry w/o totally doing my back in
-add detergent to 1 of the large basins
-add a few kettles of boiling water to warm the water
-soak, scrub, wash, rinse, rinse……hang on line
-iron