Last post

This is my last post on this blog. Our student that we co-sponsor, Doreen, is doing well in her classes. News of her progress will be on my Scotland blog. All further posts will be here:

http://solasachanalba.blogspot.com/

HOME!

After tearful goodbyes in Kampala and at the airport, we took the long journey home to Scotland.

We've been touring the Inverness area with Danny's daughter and her husband, and getting used to the drastic drop in temperature.

Here's a few pics I took yesterday and I'll continue blogging here:

Photos: Urquhart Castle, village of Drumnadrochit, Caledonian Canal in Fort Augustus

http://solasachanalba.blogspot.com/

Bye Uganda....turebane bwanyima (see ya later)

In about 18 hours we will say goodbye to Uganda and board our flight home to Scotland via Dubai. Last Friday we left the campus and said farewell to everyone. We have spent our last six nights in Uganda at the hotel where we spent our very first night in Uganda - the International Landmark in Muyenga, Kampala. We've stayed at this hotel so many times over the two years that the staff know us well and we are greeted with hugs when we arrive.
http://www.int-landmarkhotel.co.ug/

In preparing to leave here I am reminded of an incident at the Dubai Airport in May 2008 when returning from a visit with my family in the US. We were walking to our gate for the Entebbe flight and I heard the announcement for the flight to Glasgow (our home airport). I was overwhelmed by homesickness and nearly burst into tears. I wanted to board that flight, not the one to Entebbe. However, I did recover from the ensuing bout of homesickness and once we hit the one year mark in October I knew I'd be fine.

It's difficult to summarize two years of living in this small country in East Africa as we've had experiences we'd never imagined in the UK or the US. I will certainly never forget this country or the lovely people we've met. Has it made me realize how fortunate and spoiled I am? You bet! Will I remember not to take all the conveniences of the western world for granted? I hope so. Has it made me realize what is/should be important - more than 'stuff'? Yes! There will be reminders of our time in Uganda all over our house after we get home - crafts, carvings, masks, wall hangings, photos, etc. I imagine it will feel strange for a while to be surrounded by a very white Scottish population. It will feel strange not to be treated as a celebrity. And it will be bloody cold and wet!!

Looking back....as prepared as I thought I was, I suffered from serious culture shock when we first arrived and it took me quite a while to adjust and become comfortable. Danny had no problem adjusting at all except for figuring out the money. I thought I would never understand the accents!

Before we left Scotland for Uganda I scoured the internet for information on living in Uganda and especially for blogs by previous/current volunteers. I quickly realized after arriving here that the people who advised me that I wouldn't truly know what it was like until I was actually living here were spot on!

One of my favourite things about living in Uganda is that everywhere we go small children wave, jump and down with excitement and yell ‘mzungu, how are you?’ when they see us drive or walk past. Being a ‘celebrity’ and centre of attention most everywhere we go was intimidating at first, but I soon learned to enjoy it. It’s quite strange to be seen as someone special, a celebrity, just by virtue of something you have absolutely no choice in – being white. In some areas frequented by tourists we encounter kids with their hands out shouting ‘give me money’, which we refuse to do as it turns them into beggars. It’s unfortunate that many tourists don’t realize what they are doing when they give the children gifts or money. If the children do something to earn money, such as performing for us, that’s an entirely different matter.

Making a difference….a well worn out phrase….
We didn’t come here to save the country, but have we ‘made a difference’? Danny has made quite a lot of differences in many peoples’ lives and I’ve made a few as well. We’ve made some very good friends and we will miss them greatly.

By being retired and having an income aside from the meagre living allowance provided, we’ve made this 2 years much more enjoyable. By having a car we’ve had the freedom to explore the country, enjoying several of the nice lodges and national parks on many occasions. Mobile internet also helped tremendously to keep us connected to family and friends. We’ve been able to be very generous with a select number of Ugandans, but wished we could help even more of them.

Would I do this again?
I don’t regret coming to Uganda at all, not for a second. Knowing what I know now I would do this again. But two years away from home is enough. I would not agree to going on another two-year placement, although I’d quickly agree to a 3-month placement and might be persuaded to go on a 6-month placement.

We intend to visit Uganda in the future and hope to return to see our co-sponsored student, Doreen, graduate from university. We will also visit with other friends we've made here including dear friends Tugume, Mushabe, Ayebaze, Lwamafa, Evodio and their families, and others.

We have enjoyed living on the Bishop Stuart campus and always felt like a part of the community. The staff and their families are wonderful and we will miss them greatly. The campus is safe and in a lovely location. The electrical and water problems and frequent interruptions were simply part of a package that any volunteer can expect. I was always very thankful that we had a proper flushing toilet instead of having to use a long drop outside.

I willingly admit though that we enjoyed the campus much more when Lwamafa Javan was the principal (during our first year). The college was run more effectively, smoothly, and predictably, the atmosphere was happier and staff morale higher when he was there. Javan cared about the students, staff and college and would always listen to suggestions and opinions. We miss him as does everybody.

Uganda's future
I have many suggestions on what Uganda needs to do in order to make much more rapid progress, but since there are already plenty of people who do just that, I've refrained from putting in my 2 shillings except to say corruption and the acceptance of corruption as a fact of life in so many areas including government, roads departments, police, education, businesses, etc. is the main problem.

Last days



Lwamafa, college principal for our first year, and his wife Jovuline

 Seems like everyone has invited us for a goodbye meal and we've enjoyed them all immensely. We had our leaving do/party at the college yesterday and I felt quite sad to say goodbye. Danny wore his kilt which was cause for many giggles. He gave a lovely speech as well.

I was actually surprised at how sad I felt when I locked the door to our house for the last time. It was especially sad to say goodbye to many of the staff and their families. We will miss them all so very much but will be in touch by email, by my blog and by text messages. Many were nearly in tears when saying goodbye to us and I had to restrain myself from crying myself - which worked except for one time. Danny was also very sad to leave the students, especially the 2nd years.


A second year student





Some second year students prepare to go on teaching practice




Second year students



Some of the friends who gave us a going away dinner



Our dear friend Mushabe



Child of friends





After our leaving do



Mini-portrait of 2 years in Uganda

new arrivals.....

• trying to figure out how to phone the VSO office when nobody met us at the airport
• arriving at our campus house to find it had 2 beds, a table and chairs and nothing else! having to completely furnish the house.
• waking up every morning for a week or two hoping that when I opened my eyes I'd be in our lovely blue bedroom in Scotland
• trying to figure out the money. So many zeros!! Then referring to the money as.... 1,000 shs is a single, 5,000 shs is a fiver, etc.
• learning how to bargain
• trying to figure out how much we should pay for our household furnishings and trying not to pay the very highly-inflated mzungu prices
• most people not understanding my accent--me not understanding theirs
• being the centre of attention EVERYWHERE
• trying matooke, posho, beans, karo and liking them
• seeing just about anything being hauled on the back of a motorbike, including a family of 4
• roadside coffin shops and the coffin have windows!
• potholes the size of a childs swimming pool
• fearing for my life every time we were on the road!
• unreliable power, no guarantee of running water
• MOSQUITOES!!!
• extremely poor quality goods - rejects from China.

settling in....

• learning the local language and the delighted reactions of Ugandans
• feeling my severe culture shock ease considerably after meeting up with other volunteers at our first regional cluster meeting
• first trip to Garden City Mall in Kampala - wow. Stuff!!!
• finally figuring out the best hand laundry washing system
• finally figuring out the best system for doing dishes when water was off in kitchen
• figuring out how mozzies got in house
• getting comfy sofa and big chairs after 5 months of crappy and uncomfortable furniture
• our first meal at a Ugandan's farm and discovering that the children read Shakespeare and classic literature -- an atypical Ugandan family -- reading for pleasure is not common
• eating goat (usually good), grasshoppers (emmm...yuck)
• meeting all kinds of fellow volunteers--from wonderful and lovely and witty to totally obnoxious and argumentative and everything in between

difficult....

• trying to explain an Ipod, washing machine, lawnmower, central heating
• the number of times we've been asked why we have so few children
• explaining why I don't need to treat my hair--being told I've been blessed by God with such hair
• trying to teach someone how to use a mouse, what a desktop/folder/menu is, etc
• trying to answer the question 'what is the staple food in your country' to people that eat the same thing day after day after year after year
• explaining snow
• not being very surprised at how corruption taints so many facets of daily life
• saying goodbye to volunteers who've become our friends and are quitting and going home early
• trying to convince Ugandans that all westerners are not rich
• trying to get used to the almost total lack of timekeeping and punctuality and planning head

memorable or surprising or depressing....

• watching a Ugandan being amazed by his first time using binoculars
• red ants crawling inside my shoes and biting the hell out of my feet and legs. screaming bloody murder!
• lions, elephants, impala, chimps, giraffes, hippos, zebras, etc etc etc.....
• seeing pics of our former principal in snow in Dublin and him being so excited about it
• watching college students eating chocolate for the first time
• coming across a group of kids in raggedy clothes with patchy hair indicating malnutrition
• hearing our former principal talk excitedly about being in a plane for the first time and how excited he was to look out the window at the ground and how everything looked so tiny
• a toddler running away screaming and crying when she saw us because whites are scary-looking!
• finding that Ugandans put their curtains up 'backwards'--pattern facing outside and lining facing inside. getting strange looks when we turned ours around.
• being surrounded by chimps after they'd killed and were munching on a monkey
• the poor kids in the villages and having far too many siblings for them all to be fed and educated properly
• having our families visit and go on safaris with us
• staying in posh lodges and simple bandas or tents
• a mouth-watering fillet steak and chocolate mousse at Mweya Lodge
• the enormous room and claw footed bathtub at Katara Lodge
• the first time seeing the Great Rift Valley at Kingfisher Lodge
• having a serious drinking session at Lake Mburo with Nikki and Hillary and feeling intoxicated whilst on boat trip on the lake
• barefoot kids running on gravel and dirt
• barefoot kids walking to school in their pink or purple school uniforms
• people eating foods like rice with their hands
• people carrying just about anything on their heads
• being the centre of attention at a wedding
• all the thumbs up and cheers for Obama
• amazing people by telling them our ages and them thinking we are really really elderly/aged
• the college students realizing that Danny was a 'proper' physics teacher
• the students cheering when Danny went into assembly
• being surprised at the dirt poor people who have such happy smiles on their faces
• getting lost in the swamp on a game drive at Lake Mburo and being chased by a water buffalo

Lions and elephants and warthogs, oh my.....



Tugume, Danny, Merib





During this past weekend we took a Ugandan friend of ours, Tugume, and his wife, Merib, to Lake Mburo National Park. As is typical for Ugandans they had never been to any national park. The fee is only 5,000 shs ($2.50) for a Ugandan as opposed to $20 for a foreign resident and $30 for a foreign visitor. But the reasons most don't visit is transport costs and taking away the chance to earn a days pay.

The couple were amazed by the zebras, waterbuck, hippos, using the camera, water buffalo, the binoculars!, the cost of meals at the restaurant, the baboons, monkeys, etc.

Merib returned home prior to the next part of the trip but Tugume accompanied us along with 4 other volunteers to Ishasha Ntungwe River Camp. We were very lucky on the game drive in the Ishasha section of Queen Elizabeth National Park as we saw 3 tree-climbing lions sleeping in a tree, and further down the road we saw a big lion lying in the grass.

More pics are in my Flickr album - Tugume in the Parks:http://www.flickr.com/photos/anniedanny/sets/72157622181318587

Since we had a 24 hour park pass and we didn't need to return the next morning to attempt to spot the lions, we proceeded to the Mweya section of QENP. We spotted many elephants in various parts of the park as well as many other animals. The Kazinga Channel boat trip didn't have enough spots for all us so 2 volunteers and Tugume went. Tugume had never been in a boat before except for a canoe. He was absolutely thrilled with the 2 hour boat trip as he saw elephants, hippos, large crocodiles, birds, and water buffalo.

The final month

The college is on term break until September 7th so Danny and I have been taking short holidays the last couple of weeks such as two nights at Kingfisher Lodge overlooking the Rift Valley and three nights at Arcadia Cottages at Lake Bunyonyi.



Lake Bunyonyi

















On the way back from Lake Bunyonyi we stopped by to see the former principal of our college, Lwamafa Javan.

Danny and Javan

Yesterday we spent the day at the rural home of a recent Bishop Stuart graduate, Everisto, who graduated with Distinction, the first in several years at BSPTC. As usual, we were treated like royalty by the family and all the extended family arrived to see us. The kids couldn't stop looking at us and I got many good photos of them. I can't imagine what it's like to be a black child who had never seen a white person before. We must look very strange. Sometimes babies and toddler cry when they see us but most warm up to us after a while.

 

Danny, Evaristo and his parents

Tomorrow we return to Lake Mburo with a Ugandan couple who, like most Ugandans, have never been to any of their national parks.

In July when my brother's family visited we had to cancel a night at Ishasha Ntungwe River Camp due to illness. It was part of the Churchill Safaris package so no refund was possible. We were to go on safari at QENP and hopefully see the tree-climbing lions. The manager has offered us the 3 tents and full meals at no charge, so I have invited 4 volunteers to go with us. We will go on Sunday and hope to see the tree-climbing lions this trip. We did not see any on the trip with Danny's daughter and her husband in February and we've been told it's more likely to spot them during the rainy season which is now.

New volunteers

We are leaving our campus in just over 3 weeks and spending a week in Kampala before flying home. A new group of volunteers arrive Sept. 18th. There are a couple of posts on my blog with advice on what to bring or buy as well as other tips. Links to these posts:

Shopping/dining/hotel tips:
http://volunteersabroad.blogspot.com/2009/08/few-shoppingdining-tips-for-new.html

Tips on settling in - a shopping list:
http://volunteersabroad.blogspot.com/2009/01/tips-on-settling-in-for-volunteers.html

Not a tip but my post on what I will and won't miss and what I'm looking forward to:
http://volunteersabroad.blogspot.com/2009/03/what-i-willwont-miss-when-we-leave.html

Hair salons in Uganda

It is difficult to find a hair stylist in Uganda that knows how to properly cut mzungu hair, and most will refuse to try. I took my chances twice at salons and had my hair 'butchered'. So I suggest you only go to a salon which is recommended by someone.

A stylist was recommended to me by Maggie, a partner of a volunteer and she always has nice-looking hair. So I finally went to her and was very pleased with the result. I had it cut and two-tone highlighted. The stylist is from Serbia and has a salon in her home which is very near Garden City Mall and the golf course.

Mira'Salon
1-3 Coral Crescent
Kololo
077 404 7200

Socializing with Ugandans

Many (maybe most) volunteers don't socialize with Ugandans outside the work environment. When we first arrived on our campus one of the college staff told us that previous volunteers would never socialize with or accept dinner invitations to Ugandans homes. It seems that many refuse to eat or even try Ugandan food.

To live in a country for a year or two and never spend a day with a local family is a shame. Something important from the time living here will be missing.

Danny and I have been to two weddings and one funeral. We've been to dinners at the homes of 9 different families, some more than once. A massive quantity and variety of foods are offered and meat is always served as it's considered a very special occasion when they have mzungus for guests.

I always enjoy these outings and look forward to the ones we have planned for September before we go home. A few pics from previous visits......

Doreen, Makerere University student!

Doreen Nyamwija is now enrolled at Makerere University Business School. In three years time her degree will be a Bachelor of Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management (BESBM). She has a room in a pleasant and secure hostel within walking distance and is ready for classes to begin next week.

Doreen and her mother are extremely grateful and appreciative of the generous sponsors who have given her this chance at a secure and prosperous future. The vast majority of young Ugandans can only dream of having such an opportunity.

Doreen sends heartfelt thanks to the following:

Aillidh (a lovely and generous 6 year old who insisted on helping)
Bill & Roni
Cathy
Christie and Jerry
...and us.

Our gifted student, Doreen

Today at the secondary school Doreen attended there was a church service followed by a presentation of gifts to the top three recent graduates. We attended this function with Doreen's mother as Doreen is in Kampala. The girls school which is in Ibanda has 800 students and we were impressed by the school and the staff. Doreen had the second highest scores in her class for her A level courses. The gifts her mother received on behalf of Doreen were a large flask (thermos) and a fleece blanket--both very useful items. The headmistress and teachers were very pleased to know that one of their star pupils would be able to attend university. Without sponsorship Doreen would never have been able to find the money to attend.

In a week we will travel to Kampala for a VSO workshop for volunteers who will be leaving in the next 6 months. Doreen's mother will accompany us and whilst there we hope to sort out a hostel for her, get account numbers for wiring funds, and Doreen will register for classes at Makerere University. She is thrilled and we get frequent text messages from her expressing her gratitude! We have faith in her and know without a doubt that she will succeed and we won't be surprised if she goes on to get a master's degree.

A few shopping/dining tips for new volunteers

As we have been based in Mbarara I have some tips for those whose placement is in/near Mbarara.


Markets with imported goods

• Pearl
• Kirimi
• Lucky (limited choices)
• New Beka

Restaurants with western food

• Lake View Hotel - it's a gamble when ordering anything on the menu-might be good, might not. Lunch buffet is nice and has African and a few western dishes. Also has a nice pool which you can use for 7,500 shs.
• Agip Motel and Restaurant - we enjoy their food and a couple of favourites for omnivores - fillet for all seasons, and beef stir fry with rice
• Classic Hotel - food is good but service is very slow. The second floor balcony is a nice place to sit and enjoy a beer and watch the goings on in the street.
  

In Kampala near the VSO office in Muyenga

• Chez Johnson - do NOT stay there - we're heard many complaints about them and it's very noisy during the night as well
• DO go to the Indian Summer restaurant which is in the same complex as Chez Johnson. Great food!
• Fuego - down the road from VSO across from the Chinese restaurant - good meals - great beef - nice atmosphere in a large garden
• Italian Market across from the office - a very popular spot for volunteers and NGO employees who live/work in the area. The shop has many imported items, the sandwiches are good, and the ice cream in the cafe is also a good treat.
• Cafe Roma - on the same road as VSO but about a mile away - great if you order Italian food but we've been very disappointed in the other options such as pork or steak.
• Shalom Hotel - near the office - we haven't stayed there but others recommend it.
• International Landmark - close to the office - more expensive than others in the area but we enjoy it as it was where we spent our first night in Uganda and the staff treat us as old friends since we always stay there when in Kampala.

Other Kampala shops/restaurants

• Le Patisserie - in the Quality Hill shopping centre with Le Petit Village Hotel and Le Chateau restaurant near the US embassy. Good bread and pastries.
• Garden City Mall! - Uchumi is my favourite for stocking up on foods/household items/toiletries. You'll get more variety, large economy sizes, less items past their sell by date, and a cheaper price for many items than you'll get in Mbarara.
• Lugogo Mall - Game - If you need any small appliance or utensil for the kitchen they will have it. We bought a small fridge/freezer at Game for about 300,000shs. Shoprite is also good and has some items you can't get at Uchumi.

Entebbe

Airport Guesthouse Entebbe is a great place to chill when waiting for a flight. There is a small garden and a veranda with comfy chairs. Regular rate is $55/night for a double or twin. However, if you let them know you are a volunteer they'll only charge you $45. Dinner is $15 and is good but not spectacular. Beware of going in the rainy season though as you'll be bombarded by annoying lake flies when you sit outside and take care that they don't get into your room.

Products

Small appliances and other products that are made in China but would not be accepted by the American or European market are sent to African countries. We are on our third electric tea kettle.

I recommend a Philips iron as it can survive many falls to the floor and I've had the same one for 2 years.

We purchased a fan at Uchumi that was made in Japan - Nikai - and after frequent use over the past 18-20 months it's still working fine.

Toilet paper - I have tried every brand and the best one is Golden Lion. Don't buy Golden Camel as it's similar to using a newspaper!

Update on Doreen

Doreen, the young lady who is being sponsored to attend university by friends, family and us, has been accepted to two programmes. Unfortunately, the competition for the law programmes was fierce and she was not accepted to either one. She has chosen to accept the Bachelor of Business Management programme at Makerere University.

I will add details later as typing in a moving car on bumpy roads is getting to be a bit too much!

Holiday and other stuff......

For the past two weeks my family (brother, his wife, 2 kids) toured Uganda with a safari company. Memorable (and forgettable) experiences:

• Lake Mburo National Park - great game walk with more animals than we've ever seen on a walk - many buffalo, zebra, impala, waterbuck.....
• Arcadia Cottages, Lake Mburo - nice rooms, good food, very nice staff
• Great driver and guide - Lamech - from Churchill Safaris
• Lakeview Hotel, Mbarara - stayed too long due to food poisoning - no one was crazy about the menu options
• We had dinner with Doreen, the student we are both co-sponsoring for university. She enjoyed her first time in a swimming pool and splashed around with our niece, Gracie.
• Visited our college campus and house
• Had to miss out on Ishasha and the Ishasha Ntungwe River Camp due to illness
• Queen Elizabeth National Park & Mweya Lodge - good boat trip, good food, game drive but with sparse animals. On the way back from drive saw about 40-50+ elephants of all sizes!! (see pic below)
• Kingfisher Lodge - great view but lacking good menu
• Lake Albert Lodge - a stopoff on the way to Murchison Falls - nice but not spectacular
• Paraa Safari Lodge - on the Nile - good pool with a poolside bar - varying opinions on whether the food was good or not - good desserts - good game drive - did a follow-the-leader of other safari vehicles in pursuit of views of a leopard - brilliant!! giraffes, oribis and others - boat trip was very long and boring (agreement by all), we saw few crocodiles, the tail of a leopard, way too many tsetse flies, the falls were not very impressive.
• Roads from Fort Portal to Murchison were pure hell. Next time we would take the good road from Fort Portal to Kampala, stay one night, then go to Murchison via the good road through Masindi.
• Airport Guesthouse Entebbe was our accommodation for our first and last night since it is about 10 minutes from the airport - good place to hang out.

Will have news on Doreen's status with all the universities she applied to quite soon.
Our airline tickets home to Scotland have been booked and we fly out on Oct 2nd.

On a totally unrelated note...we went shopping in Kampala today and went into a new shop. I saw paper towels (not common here) and began to grab a roll even though I've done fine without them. It was a jumbo roll and I happened to notice the price was 8,000 shs (the equivalent of $4!). For one roll!! Yes, I put it back.

Mixed emotions

3 months from today we leave Uganda to return home to Scotland. As happy and excited as I am about going back to Scotland after being away for 2 years, I feel an overwhelming sense of sadness. Aside from missing Ugandans in general, I'll also miss friends we've made, the landscape, the weather, even beans and matooke and posho, and karo.

If I still feel sad on the flight home I've decided to play some of my favourite Dougie Maclean tunes!

Update on Doreen, future lawyer

Yesterday we met with Doreen who had just returned from 2 weeks in Kampala. Besides applying to Uganda Christian University she has also applied to Makerere and Kyambogo. She has applied for the law programme at all three as well as several alternate programmes, but her first choice is definitely law. Competition for the law programmes is fierce, so we are crossing our fingers that she's accepted to one of them. From what I've heard Makerere is the largest and best university in Uganda, so if she is accepted to that one her future will be very bright indeed!

While Doreen is waiting for the results she has been devouring most of our books as she is a voracious reader.

Results from the universities are expected the end of June and beginning of July. UCU results are delayed due to the university adding interviews with prospective students instead of simply accepting by exam results.

Danny is busy teaching IT classes (unless the power is out) so we won't be doing any travelling until mid July when my family comes. Since my family is one of Doreen't sponsors we have arranged for her to meet them while they are here.

A few more cultural differences

Rain

Everything and everybody stop when it rains. Students and teachers don't go to school. Employees don't go to work. This even happens in Kampala. It was explained to me by a university-educated bank employee that the reason they wait until the rain is off to go to work is that people will get their shoes and nice clothes wet and muddy due to all the puddles in the bad roads. No one seems to consider the fact that there are alternatives. People who can afford it can wear rainboots, long raincoat, or simply wear old shoes and casual clothes, changing into work clothes upon arrival at one's place of employment. People in the trading centres and villages are not worried about getting business clothes muddy, but seem to simply prefer not to get wet, even if this means losing money at their business.

I am sure this contributes to Uganda's slow journey to progress, along with little understanding of the importance of good timekeeping and punctuality.

School practice and trucks

PTC students partipate in several student teaching practices at local primary schools. The tutors at the core primary teachers' colleges observe, grade and advise them.

Transportation to these schools, most of which are a long distance down bumpy dirt roads, is by 4 door pickup truck. All the tutors can't fit in the seats so they sit in the back of the truck on the edge, holding on where possible. Many stand up as it's less jolting when going over the bumps. The back of a truck is a common mode of transport here, and, of course, in an accident many are killed. We've been met with disbelief when we point out that in our countries the driver would be arrested for this.

Cold bath/shower

Recently we were discussing cold showers and baths with a couple of our neighbours, and mentioned that we heat water for hot bath or camping shower. They found this incomprehensible, saying they prefer a cold bath/shower, even when the weather is chilly. One person thought taking a hot bath or shower would make you sweat!

Jacana Lodge - QENP

Over the weekend Danny and I stayed at a lodge we hadn’t visited before – Jacana Lodge.
http://www.geolodgesafrica.com/jacana_safari_lodge.htm

I inquired by email if there was a discount rate for residents and was pleased to learn there was. (so volunteers should always ask!)

Jacana is located inside Queen Elizabeth National Park and is on a crater lake in the Rift Valley. The lodge is in the forest and is located about 11km from the main road on a dirt track which is in good condition. The design and décor of this lodge is incredibly well done and full of character. There is a swimming pool next to the lake, many comfortable seating areas for lounging or taking meals, and a large fireplace in one of the seating areas, all of which overlook the lake.

The lodge has 10 self-contained wooden chalets and one family cottage. The rooms are fabulous – spacious, comfortable, tastefully designed, and the many windows are screened and has a seating area overlooking the lake. Hot water is available at all times as the water is heated by wood fire. There is a generator for electricity and is switched on between 6.30 am (5.30 am if a guest is leaving early on a game drive/walk) until about 8am, and in the evening from 6.30 to 10.30. Conveniences in the room include a torch/flashlight, candles, bottled water, a large umbrella, and a can of Doom. I am sure the Doom is mainly for bees which can get into the room as I did not notice any mosquitoes at all even though it was rainy during our visit.

Service was impeccable and the staff were very friendly and obviously well-trained.  Meals were delicious, creative and visually appealing! Breakfast was a buffet with fresh fruit, pastries, juice, cereals. Eggs and sausage were made to order. Pastries were not typically Ugandan (in other words they were good!) and the bread was homemade. Lunch was a full 3-course meal. Our first lunch began with a starter of avocado, mango, diced carrots and pineapple, onions, lettuce, nuts with a sauce (scrumptious). The main course (we had a choice of 3) was a generous portion of tender medallions of fillet beef, potatoes and vegetable. Dessert was a bowl of fresh fruit. Dinner that evening was equally impressive as were lunch and dinner the following day.

We took a one-hour pontoon trip in the lake which was very relaxing. We spotted a few red tailed monkeys, various birds, the Rwenzori Mountains. The lodge provides tandem ocean kayaks but we did not avail ourselves of one. The lake has hippos in certain areas, no crocodiles and only very small fish. We could hear chimps calling from the forest across the lake. You can also have a meal aboard the pontoon on a cruise in the lake.

Throughout the day, and especially at night, we enjoyed hearing a symphony of animal sounds – various birds, monkeys, chimps, baboons, insects, etc.  Before we leave Uganda we will return for a visit.

Lake Bunyonyi - May

The college is still on term break, so Danny and I took another wee trip and spent 5 days and 4 nights at Lake Bunyonyi, very close to the Rwandan border. Due to the high elevation (about 2500 metres) the weather is normally quite cool in the morning and after sunset, but since this is the tail-end of the rainy season it’s been very cool or cold most of the time. A plus side to this is there are very few mosquitoes and a mozzie net is not required on the beds.

We were at Lake Bunyonyi during the xmas holiday in 2007 but did not hike to the top of the mountain, so we did so this time. Since it had rained the day before we took the road to the top instead of the muddy shortcut through forests. On our journey we walked past many locals on or near the road and greeted them in their language, Rukiga, which is similar to the language in our area - Runyankole. As always, the response was giggles or smiles of delight.

As we walked through one small village the children literally swarmed us. One large group of 3-7 year olds (from an orphanage?) greeted us with songs. Many wanted their photos taken which I would have loved to do but declined due to past experiences of being followed and pestered non-stop. Since we were on our way to the tourist hotel located at the top of the mountain these children were used to seeing mzungus and many asked us to give them money or pencils/pens. Actually, they don’t learn this phrase as a question, but as a demand, ‘give me money’. Children aged 3 or 4 or older usually know some English phrases or words including ‘how are you’ and ‘I’m fine’. We replied to their requests for money with ‘ngaha, nikibi’ which means ‘no, bad’ and told them not to beg. Unfortunately, tourists or short-term charity/NGO workers give away pencils, other gifts and money, thus training the children to be beggars and to expect (rich) white people to give you things.

We passed a group working in a field and exchanged greetings in their language. On the way back we passed the same group and one of the men said in Rukiga, ‘kurakayo’ meaning ‘welcome back’, to which we replied ‘narugayo’ meaning ‘thanks, it’s nice to be back’. The group was thrilled that we knew these words and one man said ‘excellent’ and gave us a ‘thumbs up’.

When we reached the top we sat at Arcadia Cottages for tea and lunch and enjoyed the spectacular view. While there we inquired into staying in one of the cottages for one night and decided to extend our visit by one night.

We stayed at the same hotel as before for the first 3 nights:
http://www.traveluganda.co.ug/crater-bay-cottages/
65,000 shs (about $32 USD) for a double and does not include any meals. The cottages are near the lake and dugout canoes are free for guests to use. The cottages have electricity and hot showers. Since it was cold and kept threatening rain we decided against going out this time.

Meals were much better and the service much quicker than our previous visit. The vegetable curry with rice, the beans/matooke/vegetables, and the cole slaw were fabulous. Danny is not a fan of salads but ate the huge portion of cole slaw – a high compliment.

We spent our final night at Arcadia Cottages. The interior of the cottages is much brighter and more spacious and modern than Crater Bay. A double was 120,000 shs (about $60 USD) and included breakfast. It also had satellite TV but as is common in many Ugandan hotels this is restricted to whatever channel has been selected in the bar.
http://www.traveluganda.co.ug/arcadiacottages/

We were very impressed with the service, food, accommodation, gardens, and spectacular view and will return in August during term break and dry season.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/anniedanny/collections/72157602736722927/

Updates: Doreen, misc photos

Update on Doreen

We have sufficient sponsorship from some generous people and are now anxiously awaiting the results of her application to Uganda Christian University in the Law programme. If accepted she will begin UCU in September.

Pics uploaded to my Flickr albums

Bushenyi District (May Day visit):

http://www.flickr.com/photos/anniedanny/sets/72157617683856402/

Mweya Lodge (our anniversary weekend in April):

http://www.flickr.com/photos/anniedanny/sets/72157617690535128/

Kath and Riaan Tour (finally added pics taken by Kathleen or Riaan on their visit in Feb.):

http://www.flickr.com/photos/anniedanny/sets/72157613832067430/

Indulging on May Day weekend

Over the May Day holiday weekend Danny and I were guests at the homes of dear friends - one
family on Friday and the other on Saturday. (The goat in the previous post was one of the courses on Friday. And he was delicious!) The home is deep in the mountains in the Bushenyi District - a 30km drive down a rocky and sometimes very steep road. The scenery is simply spectacular with lush greenery and tea plantations and mountains.

Very few white people travel down this road as there are no colleges or NGO's and the road
does not lead to any tourist destinations. It would be safe to say that most, if not all, of the younger children had never seen a white person (mzungu) before. One child age 2 or 3 saw us driving down the road and she ran screaming and crying to her mother, tripping along the way. We were the object of much more attention than we normally get, which is quite a lot anyway.

The home we visited is high up a hill overlooking beautiful scenery. Our friend/colleague has a tea plantation and grows other crops as well. Many members of the extended family were there so we enjoyed meeting many people. The parents who are in their 70's did not speak English so there was a bit of interpretation needed. They were pleased that we spoke some of their language - Runyankole.

The food was plentiful, extraordinarily plentiful, and very delicious. It's customary in Uganda for the guests, senior male members of the family and the elderly to eat first while the females and children eat later.

Our meal the next day was a much quieter affair and we ate with just the husband and wife. Food was again plentiful and very delicious. (ebyokurya nibirungi - the food was good).
I'm beginning to feel very sad about leaving certain people here...actually, Ugandans in general, but certain people in particular.. We plan to return and see everyone on a holiday but that will likely be a long time in the future. Several people have asked us to extend our placement, but longer than 2 years is just too long to be away from our home.

It's a shame that people who visit Uganda cannot partake of a meal with a local family. Some
of my family will be visiting in a couple of months and we've racked our brains trying to figure
out how to arrange this. Unfortunately, our itinerary doesn't allow time for it.

Photos I took in Bushenyi will be uploaded to my photo album in a couple of days. The album will be called Bushenyi.

A goat.....and a passport....

No....the goat didn't eat a passport.

We have been invited to the farm of our next door neighbour for a big meal tomorrow with his entire family. In Uganda meat is always served when guests are invited. So tomorrow's special course is tied to a tree across the road from our homes. Personally, I like goat meat but I've never seen a live animal prior to consuming it at a meal.

And for totally unrelated news....I have finally got my UK passport!!! I was granted citizenship before we left for Uganda and did not have time to apply for the passport. I was under the impression that I couldn't get a first-time passport outside the UK, but discovered to my delight that I could. Last week we were in Kampala for a meeting so Thursday we went to the British High Commission to submit our applications (Danny needed a renewal). I was asked to return the next morning for the interview as a first-time UK passport applicant. The passports were ready later Monday morning. How's that for efficiency?!

In answer to a question I often get.... NO, I did not give up my US citizenship! I am a dual citizen.

Doreen, hopeful law student....cont.

A huge thanks to those who have committed to help Doreen attend university. The university will distribute acceptance letters in late May or early June. We informed Doreen yesterday that we had some contributors and she struggled to control her emotions as shown by her ear-to-ear smile and teary eyes.

Thus far we have committments for:

• £10 plus proceeds from car boot sales, etc. from 2 lovely wee girls (Aillidh and Roisin) in Scotland and their mum
• 25% of the total from a wonderful family in Michigan
• 25% of the total from a generous family in England

We need more contributors to guarantee Doreen's 4 years of university. There are a couple of my blog subscribers who are very generous and good-hearted people that I haven't heard from yet..... hint, hint.....

Since contributions will be in US dollars and British pounds and exchange rates with the Ugandan shilling fluctuate, the simplest mode of payment will be to me (via Paypal, check/cheque/cash) and will be wired from my account to the Uganda Christian University's bursar's office prior to each semester. Danny and I will supplement any shortfall in the totals each semester.

Updates on Doreen's progress will be sent to all contributors on a regular basis.

Correction to request for student sponsorship

RE: previous post:
I was misinformed as to the number of semesters per year at Uganda Christian University. There are 2 semesters per year not 3, so the figures will be much lower.

The cost per semester is as follows:
Tuition for Bachelor of Laws: 1,038,000 shilliings
Fees: 395,000
Room and Board: 500,000
Total: 1,933,000 per semester x 2 semesters per year

At today's exchange rate that would be an annual committment of:
If paying in US dollars:$ 920.00 per semeseter x 2 = $ 1840
If paying in British pounds:£ 622.00 per semester x 2 = £ 1244

If this is split between 2, 3 or 4 people the cost is quite small.

Sponsorship of student for law degree

Danny and I get many requests to sponsor students for secondary school or universities and since we haven't won the lottery and, therefore, can't sponsor them all, we have chosen a local girl. Doreen Nyamwija is 18 and has recently completed secondary school with good grades. Her mother has been a widow for 18 years and teaches at a school for deaf and disabled children. On a teacher's salary of 200,000 shillings ($100) per month she can't afford to send Doreen to university.

Doreen likes literature, especially the classics. Her favourite books are Romeo and Juliet and Jane Eyre. When she is not studying or doing tasks to help her mother she loves to read. Her ambition is to obtain a degree in law but is unsure yet which direction she'd like to go with a degree. The Bachelor of Laws degree takes 4 years with an additional year of internship.

The university she has applied for is Uganda Christian University.
http://www.ucu.ac.ug/

Uganda Christian University is located 23 kilometres from Kampala, in Mukono town, on the the main road to Jinja. It is a private university, chartered and fully accredited by the President of the Republic of Uganda, through the Ministry of Higher Education and Sports, and the National Council for Higher Education.

UCU is owned by the Province of the Church of Uganda, and has campuses in Eastern, Western and Northern Uganda.

The University was born out of Bishop Tucker Theological College. The college was founded in 1913 in response to a growing need for pastors in the Church.

Uganda Christian University has all the necessities for an excellent education. It is recognised internationally and nationally. The Most Rev. Henry Luke Orombi, Archbishop of the Church of Uganda is Chancellor, and the Rt. Rev. Dr George Carey is our Patron.

Uganda Christian University is the first African affiliate member of the Council of Christian Colleges and Universities in the United States, and a member of the Colleges and Universities of the Anglican Communion.
The cost per semester is as follows:
Tuition for Bachelor of Laws: 1,038,000 shilliings
Fees: 395,000
Room and Board: 500,000
Total: 1,933,000 per semester at 3 semesters per year

At today's exchange rate that would be an annual committment of:
$ 920.00 per semeseter x 3 = $ 2760
£ 622.00 per semester x 3 = £1866

Danny and I would like to share sponsorship of Doreen with other people. Tuition/fees/room and board would be wired directly from your bank to the university. Please contact me at: annie52lf-vso@yahoo.co.uk if you would like to help this deserving, intelligent young lady have a chance at a good future.
=========================
Correction to above costs as there are 2 semesters per year, not 3.

At today's exchange rate that would be an annual committment of:
If paying in US dollars:$ 920.00 per semester x 2 = $ 1840
If paying in British pounds:£ 622.00 per semester x 2 = £ 1244

If this is split between 2, 3 or even 4 people the cost is quite small.

Ummmm... a hardware bug?

Danny found this when he taking apart one of the college computers. He claims to have discovered the first 'hardware bug'. LOL.

Wasps make nests EVERYBLOODYWHERE! So annoying.

Computer books and CD-ROMs

The computer books and CD-ROMs arrived today. The box was smashed (as usual for Ugandan post) but contents are fine.

Thanks so very much to Linda and Ron and all who donated. It is very much appreciated!!

PS. Thanks for the chocolate!

Adventure?

Right. Aye, okay. Uh huh. Methinks the adventure of living in Uganda is well and truly gone! Evidence of this is that I'm very excited about finding this product:

As can be expected the dish soap/washing up liquid here is of even lower quality that the cheapest you'd find in the UK/US. Coupled with not have hot running water, this had made doing the dishes more difficult. This product is solid, cuts grease and has tons of lather and makes doing the dishes much quicker and easier.

Well, at any rate, it's good for future volunteers to know about.

Deafness in Uganda

This morning we were entertained with a play by a troupe of deaf Ugandans. They are called The Silent Theatre and they were very talented. The play was done in sign language but there was a woman who translated everything into English, and did it quite well.

In Uganda those who are deaf or have any type of disability are often treated as people who are useless or flawed and not capable of having a productive life. The troupes' message is 'disability does mean inability'.

This troupe is performing at many of the Primary Teachers' Colleges in order to enlighten future teachers about the capabilities of deaf students.

A few thoughts.....

A couple of cultural differences....

One of the cultural differences between the west and Uganda is that women are shocked to learn that my husband does all the cooking. I was told today by our neighbour's wife that men in this culture do not and should not do the cooking. Previously, another wife had told me that it would be shameful for a Ugandan husband to do the cooking and implied that I should be ashamed. I got the impression from both of them that they thought we would suddenly change this routine to comply with the Ugandan way. Ummm......no.

Another cultural difference must be the result of how Ugandans are taught English. A polite request is often made to sound like a command. An example is that a neighbour of ours wanted to borrow some DVD's to play for his family. However, what he said was 'give me some DVD's'. Not please, not may I, not would you. He didn't realize that in other cultures this would be extremely impolite and would be met with sarcasm, anger or a refusal.

Other volunteers....

It is very important for volunteers/partners to get support from fellow volunteers. A solid support network can make a difference between someone deciding to complete their placement and becoming disillusioned and leaving early. Volunteers have something major in common which can be a basis for bonding and creating long-term friendships. This is not to say that all volunteers get along with each other, because this is not the case. However, Danny and I have made some good friends here and plan to keep in touch after leaving Uganda.

Explaining the economic meltdown....

The economic crisis affects the world. In Uganda we've noticed prices rising and a leap in the exchange rate. This book is very relevant regardless of where you live.


Managed by the Markets: How Finance Has Re-Shaped America

by Gerald F. Davis



(hardback available May 15, 2009)
available for pre-order on Amazon for $19.97

http://tinyurl.com/d469ms


Editorial reviews:The meltdown of American financial markets has been catastrophic but the cause elusive. In Managed by the Markets, Gerald Davis offers a compelling explanation for it and so much more. To understand the disintegration of big corporations, securitization of just about everything, and transformation of our zeitgeist from producing products to making money, this is the book, a gripping portrait of the triumph of financial markets over all else."--Michael Useem, Professor of Management and Director of the Leadership Center at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania


"In this intellectual tour de force, Jerry Davis describes the evolution of the American economy to where we are now-where everything is a security or an option and, therefore, tradable in some sort of market. He also details the profound costs we have paid for this evolution. Timely, engaging, and filled with facts and analysis, Managed by the Markets explains how we got to where we are and maybe, just maybe, where we need to go next."--Jeffrey Pfeffer, Professor of Organizational Behavior at Stanford University and author of What Were They Thinking? Unconventional Wisdom About Management

What I will/won't miss when we leave Uganda

I read/heard from a few people who claim the 18 month mark in a 2 year volunteer placement is significant to many volunteers/partners. We’ll be at that mark in about 3 weeks. At this point I believe one becomes a ‘short-timer’. Volunteers will assess how much they’ve accomplished and have yet to accomplish.

For me, being a short-timer makes any wee twinges of homesickness relatively painless. It also makes me look around Uganda more closely and think about what I’ll miss.

What I will miss in Uganda:
~Many people on the BSPTC campus
~A few locals and the former principal
~Some fellow volunteers
~The Ugandan people in general as they are so very friendly and helpful
~The climate!!!!!!!!
~The pineapples and avocados
~The matoke and posho and kabaragara
~Fried goat (and chips) washed down with a cold Club
~The delighted reactions of Ugandans when I speak to them in Runyankole
~The beaming faces of the young kids shouting and waving at us as we drive/walk past
~The national parks and going on safari
~The cute geckos
~Our 4WD car that can get through ANYTHING
~Lush green scenery, lovely landscape, miles and miles of banana trees

What I won’t miss:~Agonizingly slow internet
~The mosquitoes!!!
~All the spiders!
~The useless task of sweeping dirt off the floors only to be dirty soon after
~Unreliable electricity and water
~Cold showers – not having hot running water
~The inconvenience of having to use a mozzie net on beds
~Hand washing the laundry
~SG (don’t ask!)
~The potholed roads and bad drivers
~The lack of variety of food in the grocery stores
~All the electrical and other stuff that doesn’t work!!
~Having to use boiled/bottled water

What I’m looking forward to at home in Scotland:
~Seeing friends and Danny’s family
~Our house, the location and the view!!!!
~Having breakfast in bed in our lovely blue bedroom with the view over the loch
~Wholegrain sunflower bread from our breadmaker
~My washer and drier!
~Big screen tv and Sky satellite
~Bacon rolls, scones, haddock and chips
~Proper fresh biscuits—Hob Nobs!
~Being able to drive
~Tesco!
~High speed internet!!
~Rubbish pickup