Greetings from Jinja!!! As I mentioned at the end of my last blog, my fellow interns and myself made the short trek to Jinja this week to raft the Nile. I was very nervous about rafting, as the course takes about five to six hours to complete and includes four grade five rapids and a few grade fours. Not only have I lived to tell the tale, but rafting the Nile is one of the funnest experiences I have ever had!!
Our raft had a great guide, who, despite deriving some pleasure from building up the rapids prior to us entering them, made me feel comfortable because of his wealth of experience. There were also a bunch of safety kayakers all around us who I found a few times after getting tossed out of the raft. I made friends with one of them who rescued me from the rapids once and then later chatted with me as I swam alongside the raft during the calmer parts of the river.
The first hardcore rapid we encountered sent everyone in our raft overboard, and I managed to land underneath the raft and had to feel my way to the side of it before I could come up for air. The big rapids were the best, even if you did get tossed because the current was so strong that it would shoot you forward and up out of the water within a few seconds, so it was never really that scary. One of the best rapids we faced included a fifteen foot drop over a waterfall, pretty awesome doing that in a fourteen foot raft!!
Not only were the stretches of rapids great, but there were also calm stretches of water where we could get out and swim. I couldn't believe that I was swimming in the Nile! The riverbanks were really beautiful as well, full of greenery and very few buildings. Unfortunately though, plans are underway to build six dams over the next few years, which will totally wipe out all of the good rafting. So if you have ever had an inkling to raft the Nile, better do it quick!! All in all, it was an awesome day which served as a nice break before the real work begins.
The SWB girls' team from Ndejje, Uganda
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Monday, August 23, 2010
If I'm sitting on the bench, I might as well eat some ice cream...
On Saturday we took two of the boys teams to play a friendly match near Kampala. We loaded about 40 kids and four of us adults into two, 14 seater vans. It was hilarious watching the kids pile in on top of each other and they had no problem sitting on top of one another and they spent the whole ride there and back chanting cool things in Luganda (well I assume what they were saying was cool, I couldn't really understand any of it). We won both games, the first was a 1-0 victory and the second 2-0, so that was exciting for the boys. Some highlights from the games: during the younger boys' match, in the middle of the first half one of the kids who was sitting on the bench decided that if he wasn't in the game, he might as well enjoy a cool snack. So he got up, walked over to a vendor selling ice cream, purchased it, then walked back to the sidelines to enjoy his treat while his teammates played. TIA. Another interesting phenomenon occurred when a pack of cows decided to meander across the field, totally oblivious to the action going on around them. There aren't injury timeouts here, there are cow crossing timeouts.
For Americans who think that church is boring, they need to experience an African service. I attended my first one on Sunday and it was awesome! It lasted about three hours, which was a bit long, but it's because they spent the first two hours singing worship songs and dancing all over the place. It was so cool to see this kind of unabashed worship, because many churches in the U.S. can come across as being so straight-laced. Seeing these Africans worship has totally changed my perception of what it means to "praise God."
Not only was the worship part of the service cool, but the message was also great. The pastor talked about how even with few resources, everyone could make a difference in a child's life. His main theme was, "If you care for one child, you could end up saving thousands." The examples he gave was those of the Pharoah's daughter saving Moses and Mordecai caring for Esther, and orphan. By saving those individual children, the Pharoah's daughter and Mordecai ended up saving an entire population of people by default. The other cool phrase was, "If you want to change the tide of a nation, start with it's children." This is so true, because it is by investing in the next generation of children that we are going to see positive changes made. It was a really encouraging message that helped me to reevaluate some of my goals here. My focus is going to be to simply try to create positive and meaningful relationships, one child at a time, because even if I don't get to see the fruits of my labor, those efforts may end up prospering in a more meaningful way than I could ever have imagined.
Also last week, I walked to Lake Victoria to check it out. It took about two hours to finally get within sight of the lake, and when I asked a local how I could get down to sit by the water, he was so confused. He wanted to know why I wanted to get to the water and when I told him that I just wanted to sit and relax and read a book by the lake, he was baffled. Apparently people do not sit and relax by lakes in Uganda, good to know. Instead of walking the two hours back to Ndejje, I took my first ride on a boda boda, which was awesome!! Boda bodas are basically scooters and it was so fun riding back, up and down the hills with the wind in my face!
We made an addition to our house in the form of a hammock on our front porch, provided by Adam. Our neighbor, Kakinda, looooooves the hammock and he can be found chilling out, listening to music in it morning, noon, and night. The other night he was laying in it for a while, singing along to his radio which was hilarious because he doesn't exactly have the best voice in the world. And the hammock is right outside my bedroom window, so it's a good thing I can fall asleep under almost any condition, I would feel bad if I had to tell him to stop singing. He and I would probably make for a phenomenal karaoke duet, seeing as how I have been told that my voice is slightly sub par.
Well, that is most of the excitement as of late. We have been working on sign painting and other projects in preparation for the kids' return to school on Sept. 6. Next week the other interns and myself are heading to Jinja for a few days to raft the source of the Nile! Sooooo stoked for that adventure! The next time you hear from me will probably be after that excursion, so I am sure there will be many great stories to tell. Until next time...
For Americans who think that church is boring, they need to experience an African service. I attended my first one on Sunday and it was awesome! It lasted about three hours, which was a bit long, but it's because they spent the first two hours singing worship songs and dancing all over the place. It was so cool to see this kind of unabashed worship, because many churches in the U.S. can come across as being so straight-laced. Seeing these Africans worship has totally changed my perception of what it means to "praise God."
Not only was the worship part of the service cool, but the message was also great. The pastor talked about how even with few resources, everyone could make a difference in a child's life. His main theme was, "If you care for one child, you could end up saving thousands." The examples he gave was those of the Pharoah's daughter saving Moses and Mordecai caring for Esther, and orphan. By saving those individual children, the Pharoah's daughter and Mordecai ended up saving an entire population of people by default. The other cool phrase was, "If you want to change the tide of a nation, start with it's children." This is so true, because it is by investing in the next generation of children that we are going to see positive changes made. It was a really encouraging message that helped me to reevaluate some of my goals here. My focus is going to be to simply try to create positive and meaningful relationships, one child at a time, because even if I don't get to see the fruits of my labor, those efforts may end up prospering in a more meaningful way than I could ever have imagined.
Also last week, I walked to Lake Victoria to check it out. It took about two hours to finally get within sight of the lake, and when I asked a local how I could get down to sit by the water, he was so confused. He wanted to know why I wanted to get to the water and when I told him that I just wanted to sit and relax and read a book by the lake, he was baffled. Apparently people do not sit and relax by lakes in Uganda, good to know. Instead of walking the two hours back to Ndejje, I took my first ride on a boda boda, which was awesome!! Boda bodas are basically scooters and it was so fun riding back, up and down the hills with the wind in my face!
We made an addition to our house in the form of a hammock on our front porch, provided by Adam. Our neighbor, Kakinda, looooooves the hammock and he can be found chilling out, listening to music in it morning, noon, and night. The other night he was laying in it for a while, singing along to his radio which was hilarious because he doesn't exactly have the best voice in the world. And the hammock is right outside my bedroom window, so it's a good thing I can fall asleep under almost any condition, I would feel bad if I had to tell him to stop singing. He and I would probably make for a phenomenal karaoke duet, seeing as how I have been told that my voice is slightly sub par.
Well, that is most of the excitement as of late. We have been working on sign painting and other projects in preparation for the kids' return to school on Sept. 6. Next week the other interns and myself are heading to Jinja for a few days to raft the source of the Nile! Sooooo stoked for that adventure! The next time you hear from me will probably be after that excursion, so I am sure there will be many great stories to tell. Until next time...
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
My Laundry Fiasco
STORY OF THE WEEK: So today I learned the art of washing my clothes by hand! It took me two hours and a great deal of scrubbing and rinsing, at the end of which my hands were thoroughly raw. I had almost completed hanging all of my clothes on the rope to dry when the rope broke and my clothes fell in a heap to the dirty ground. I wanted to cry. After all of my hard work, I was going to have to do the stupid wash again! However, somehow my frustration came out in the form of laughter and a bit of swearing instead of tears. Fortunately, not all of my clothes were ruined (I only had to rewash about half of them). The best part of the whole ordeal though, was that my kind neighbor, Kakinda, noticed what had happened and started to help me pick up my clothes off the ground and rewash and hang them with me! He can't speak or understand very much English, but his act of kindness really resonated with me and it totally turned my mood around. So, my first experience doing my laundry had its ups and downs, but was accomplished eventually, and definitely made for a story that I can look back on and laugh about.
...So, after somewhat of a rough start, I am finally starting to settle in and get used to the idea of being here for ten months. While I thought I understood what I was getting into from the beginning, I don't think one can ever really grasp the longevity of a ten month commitment in a totally foreign atmosphere until they actually find themselves there. I was really homesick at first, and uncomfortable serving as a spectacle for all of the locals every time I left my house, but those feelings are starting to slip away. I am sure that there are still times to come where I will feel lonely and will miss home a lot, but I am trying to stay positive and look at the next ten months as a learning experience, one that pushes me outside of my comfort zone and forces me to grow. Despite all of the emotions and doubts I may be feeling during this initial adjustment period, I do still believe in Soccer Without Borders mission and am very excited to be playing a part in the long-term goals of the organization.
By far, the time I look forward to the most every day is the time I get to spend with the kids at "training" (their terminology for practice). Everyone here loooooves playing football, the other day the boys program scrimmaged a rival team in town and the match got so heated that players from each team started throwing punches! It is a good thing that Adam (the other intern) is an imposing figure at 6'4" and was refereeing the game, he was able to put a stop to the brawl rather quickly.
I have made friends with some smaller girls too who hang around the field, and they have started to come back consistently, sometimes to play soccer, other times just to hang out. Yesterday I was coaching the girls and the younger kids and Deo (the coach from Ndejje who we work and live with) wanted them to do some fitness. At that age, they still think fitness is fun...except for Lillian the goalkeeper, who told us that she chose to play keeper because it is the one position where you don't have to run. Fair enough. Anyways, the older girls were doing their sprints up the hill, and the younger kids wanted to join in. I stood at the top of the hill and told them when to go, and somehow it turned into a race that was only completed once they were able to hug me. So I had about ten little four year olds racing up the hill and mobbing me, a bit overwhelming, but soooo cute! There are already about seven kids who I want to bring back to the states with me when my time here ends. Oh, and the only English they are taught in school when they are young is, "How are you?" and the response, "I am fine." Adam, Heather and I often wonder who decided that those were the phrases that should be taught. How often do English-speaking people even respond, "I am fine?" Not very. Most of the kids don't even understand what they are saying, it is simply a phrase that has been engrained in them. If you say, "Hi" as you pass one on the street, they respond, "I am fine."
On a whole different note, the guys here that are around my age, plus maybe ten years, are ridiculous. First they ask for your name, quickly followed by the second question of whether or not you are married. When I tell them no, they ask why not, and I tell them that I am too young and don't want to get married yet. When they discover that I am only 22, they tell me that I am getting old and that I should get married soon. No proposals yet, but still somewhat uncomfortable, especially when they start chatting with each other in Luganda following the conversation we just had and they look at me and laugh.
Another cultural difference concerns Ugandans' view on exercising. First of all, they call running "road work," and it is only done by people who are sick. Adam and I have been running every other morning and they must either think we are crazy or that we have some deadly disease. Deo won't accompany us because he only runs during the early morning hours when it is still dark out so that no one thinks there is something wrong with him. And the hills here, yikes, they are killers! Worse than running at home on Bainbridge! I was also doing push-ups and body weight exercises in our yard the other day and there were a few of Deo's friends who thought I looked hilarious and had fun mocking me. But, now they have started to join in and Adam, Heather, and I have fun trying to teach them how to do the exercises properly.
We are starting some of projects this week since the kids are still on a break from school. There is a sign for the community center that needs to be painted, programs to be scheduled, and mostly we are just meeting with different people who are involved here to organize and plan, etc. So, not too much has happened yet other than planning and meeting and then back to planning and more meeting. I have to adjust to the pace here, as meetings that could be completed in ten minutes take an hour or more. It has been very difficult for me to slow down and get used to Ugandan time...I like for everything to be fast!
Well, that's all for now! I will post again when something else exciting/funny happens...or when I have internet.
...So, after somewhat of a rough start, I am finally starting to settle in and get used to the idea of being here for ten months. While I thought I understood what I was getting into from the beginning, I don't think one can ever really grasp the longevity of a ten month commitment in a totally foreign atmosphere until they actually find themselves there. I was really homesick at first, and uncomfortable serving as a spectacle for all of the locals every time I left my house, but those feelings are starting to slip away. I am sure that there are still times to come where I will feel lonely and will miss home a lot, but I am trying to stay positive and look at the next ten months as a learning experience, one that pushes me outside of my comfort zone and forces me to grow. Despite all of the emotions and doubts I may be feeling during this initial adjustment period, I do still believe in Soccer Without Borders mission and am very excited to be playing a part in the long-term goals of the organization.
By far, the time I look forward to the most every day is the time I get to spend with the kids at "training" (their terminology for practice). Everyone here loooooves playing football, the other day the boys program scrimmaged a rival team in town and the match got so heated that players from each team started throwing punches! It is a good thing that Adam (the other intern) is an imposing figure at 6'4" and was refereeing the game, he was able to put a stop to the brawl rather quickly.
I have made friends with some smaller girls too who hang around the field, and they have started to come back consistently, sometimes to play soccer, other times just to hang out. Yesterday I was coaching the girls and the younger kids and Deo (the coach from Ndejje who we work and live with) wanted them to do some fitness. At that age, they still think fitness is fun...except for Lillian the goalkeeper, who told us that she chose to play keeper because it is the one position where you don't have to run. Fair enough. Anyways, the older girls were doing their sprints up the hill, and the younger kids wanted to join in. I stood at the top of the hill and told them when to go, and somehow it turned into a race that was only completed once they were able to hug me. So I had about ten little four year olds racing up the hill and mobbing me, a bit overwhelming, but soooo cute! There are already about seven kids who I want to bring back to the states with me when my time here ends. Oh, and the only English they are taught in school when they are young is, "How are you?" and the response, "I am fine." Adam, Heather and I often wonder who decided that those were the phrases that should be taught. How often do English-speaking people even respond, "I am fine?" Not very. Most of the kids don't even understand what they are saying, it is simply a phrase that has been engrained in them. If you say, "Hi" as you pass one on the street, they respond, "I am fine."
On a whole different note, the guys here that are around my age, plus maybe ten years, are ridiculous. First they ask for your name, quickly followed by the second question of whether or not you are married. When I tell them no, they ask why not, and I tell them that I am too young and don't want to get married yet. When they discover that I am only 22, they tell me that I am getting old and that I should get married soon. No proposals yet, but still somewhat uncomfortable, especially when they start chatting with each other in Luganda following the conversation we just had and they look at me and laugh.
Another cultural difference concerns Ugandans' view on exercising. First of all, they call running "road work," and it is only done by people who are sick. Adam and I have been running every other morning and they must either think we are crazy or that we have some deadly disease. Deo won't accompany us because he only runs during the early morning hours when it is still dark out so that no one thinks there is something wrong with him. And the hills here, yikes, they are killers! Worse than running at home on Bainbridge! I was also doing push-ups and body weight exercises in our yard the other day and there were a few of Deo's friends who thought I looked hilarious and had fun mocking me. But, now they have started to join in and Adam, Heather, and I have fun trying to teach them how to do the exercises properly.
We are starting some of projects this week since the kids are still on a break from school. There is a sign for the community center that needs to be painted, programs to be scheduled, and mostly we are just meeting with different people who are involved here to organize and plan, etc. So, not too much has happened yet other than planning and meeting and then back to planning and more meeting. I have to adjust to the pace here, as meetings that could be completed in ten minutes take an hour or more. It has been very difficult for me to slow down and get used to Ugandan time...I like for everything to be fast!
Well, that's all for now! I will post again when something else exciting/funny happens...or when I have internet.
Friday, August 13, 2010
TIA-This Is Africa
Where to begin? The first three days here have been a whirlwind of activity, trying to learn from the summer interns everything I need to know for the next ten months before they leave the country! To start, Uganda is soooo gorgeous, rolling hills covered with banana and mango trees, beautiful sunsets, and Lake Victoria is nearby which is very pretty as well. Our house sits towards the top of a hill and we can look out over the surrounding countryside and watch the sunset, so satisfying and peaceful.
My flight in was good, and I got to spend a night in Ethiopia which was an interesting experience. The guy who checked me in at my Ethiopian hotel was very interested in American politics and asked me if Americans like Obama. Thus began an interesting discussion in which I told him about the setup of our political system, the three branches of power, Democrats and Republicans, etc. Everything I learned in AP gov really came in handy that night and I got to learn about Ethiopian politics (or lack thereof) as well. Despite being exhausted from my flights, it was well worth staying up and chatting and it made me appreciate even more the freedoms we have in America to elect the officials we want, to criticize or support the current administration, and mostly to simply speak our mind without risking the suffering of harsh consequences as a result.
But back to Uganda...I live in a small town called Ndejje, and every time I step outside my house and walk down the street, I am greeted by calls of "Mzungu, mzungu!" (white person). This label isn't intended to be derogatory, but it definitely still gets some getting used to. Most people are very friendly and are so excited to have us here. Kids will come up and hold my hand as I'm walking down the street and it has been fun starting to get to know the kids and their families that I will be working with for the next ten months.
Although I am so happy to be here, there have definitely been some struggles and frustrations already. There is so much poverty here and so many things that need to be done and it is all quite overwhelming. Sometimes I question whether my few efforts are really going to make any difference, because there will definitely still be a ton of problems remaining when I leave...kind of depressing. It is hard to decide which problems to really focus on and try to help as much as I can, there are so many to choose from. You really start to see the effects of colonization on the people, the land, etc. It's crazy how events that happened so many centuries ago really set the stage for everything else that has taken place since. I just hope that what we are doing here will make a difference, even if small. I truly believe it will, it's just easy to get bogged down in all of the suffering and poverty sometimes.
The kids are on a break from school right now, so we haven't started to teach classes yet, but we went to our first soccer practice yesterday. That was the first time where I really felt at home and was uplifted feeling as though this is the avenue in which I can form relationships with the kids and really make a difference. The girls kind of get shafted, it's a cultural thing, so I jumped in and played with them yesterday and I really look forward to working with them specifically to increase their self-confidence and sense of self-worth. And the girls are pretty good too! And competitive! The keeper is tenacious and she will dive all over the place to save shots, despite the ground being rock hard and covered in rocks. Oh, and the entire field is slanted on a hill, you can't let the ball sit idle for too long or it will roll down the hill and into the bushes.
So, I'm still in the adjusting phase, learning as much as I can and meeting the people who are most involved with Soccer Without Borders in the community. Yesterday we went into Kampala to learn where some important spots are, such a busy city! There are a lot of cool crafts markets and food markets, and the city is alive with different cultural activities. I'm definitely looking forward to exploring it a bit more over my time here.
On another random note, the food here is amazing! Fresh fruit and vegetables galore! No refrigerator so we just buy food every day at the different stands and then cook them or eat it as we go. I learned how to make a fire last night, although I failed many, many times before it finally caught. Still need to perfect that skill. Next on the list is to learn how to wash my clothes by hand. It is so dusty here and all of the roads are red from the dirt so you are covered in red dust by the end of the day. The cold showers have been the hardest thing to adjust to, I can barely make myself stand in them for five minutes. Looks like I will be a dirty kid for the next ten months, I don't know that I can stand in cold water every day...
Well, those are the major hightlights so far! I am also learning Luganda, the primary language spoken here! Hope everyone is doing well back in the states, more to come soon!
My flight in was good, and I got to spend a night in Ethiopia which was an interesting experience. The guy who checked me in at my Ethiopian hotel was very interested in American politics and asked me if Americans like Obama. Thus began an interesting discussion in which I told him about the setup of our political system, the three branches of power, Democrats and Republicans, etc. Everything I learned in AP gov really came in handy that night and I got to learn about Ethiopian politics (or lack thereof) as well. Despite being exhausted from my flights, it was well worth staying up and chatting and it made me appreciate even more the freedoms we have in America to elect the officials we want, to criticize or support the current administration, and mostly to simply speak our mind without risking the suffering of harsh consequences as a result.
But back to Uganda...I live in a small town called Ndejje, and every time I step outside my house and walk down the street, I am greeted by calls of "Mzungu, mzungu!" (white person). This label isn't intended to be derogatory, but it definitely still gets some getting used to. Most people are very friendly and are so excited to have us here. Kids will come up and hold my hand as I'm walking down the street and it has been fun starting to get to know the kids and their families that I will be working with for the next ten months.
Although I am so happy to be here, there have definitely been some struggles and frustrations already. There is so much poverty here and so many things that need to be done and it is all quite overwhelming. Sometimes I question whether my few efforts are really going to make any difference, because there will definitely still be a ton of problems remaining when I leave...kind of depressing. It is hard to decide which problems to really focus on and try to help as much as I can, there are so many to choose from. You really start to see the effects of colonization on the people, the land, etc. It's crazy how events that happened so many centuries ago really set the stage for everything else that has taken place since. I just hope that what we are doing here will make a difference, even if small. I truly believe it will, it's just easy to get bogged down in all of the suffering and poverty sometimes.
The kids are on a break from school right now, so we haven't started to teach classes yet, but we went to our first soccer practice yesterday. That was the first time where I really felt at home and was uplifted feeling as though this is the avenue in which I can form relationships with the kids and really make a difference. The girls kind of get shafted, it's a cultural thing, so I jumped in and played with them yesterday and I really look forward to working with them specifically to increase their self-confidence and sense of self-worth. And the girls are pretty good too! And competitive! The keeper is tenacious and she will dive all over the place to save shots, despite the ground being rock hard and covered in rocks. Oh, and the entire field is slanted on a hill, you can't let the ball sit idle for too long or it will roll down the hill and into the bushes.
So, I'm still in the adjusting phase, learning as much as I can and meeting the people who are most involved with Soccer Without Borders in the community. Yesterday we went into Kampala to learn where some important spots are, such a busy city! There are a lot of cool crafts markets and food markets, and the city is alive with different cultural activities. I'm definitely looking forward to exploring it a bit more over my time here.
On another random note, the food here is amazing! Fresh fruit and vegetables galore! No refrigerator so we just buy food every day at the different stands and then cook them or eat it as we go. I learned how to make a fire last night, although I failed many, many times before it finally caught. Still need to perfect that skill. Next on the list is to learn how to wash my clothes by hand. It is so dusty here and all of the roads are red from the dirt so you are covered in red dust by the end of the day. The cold showers have been the hardest thing to adjust to, I can barely make myself stand in them for five minutes. Looks like I will be a dirty kid for the next ten months, I don't know that I can stand in cold water every day...
Well, those are the major hightlights so far! I am also learning Luganda, the primary language spoken here! Hope everyone is doing well back in the states, more to come soon!
Monday, August 2, 2010
And it begins...
It's so hard to believe, but this adventure that first started to form April is now about to take off. Tomorrow morning I leave for San Francisco where I have training with all of the interns for five days before heading to Uganda. After all of the preparation that has taken place over the past few months, and especially the last three days, I am so ready to just be on my way! It's hard to describe how I've been feeling the past few days. I've felt everything from awesome excitement to being completely scared and unsure of what I'm doing. But, I have faith that Uganda is where I am supposed to be over the next ten months and that God has been preparing me for this journey for the past four years of my life, and probably even before.
So, here I go! A girl who has never been off North America is about to head to Africa to start the next phase of her life!! More to come over the next few days, as I still have a lot of packing and organizing to do tonight before leaving. Thank you to everyone who has been supporting me in many different ways, please keep the prayers coming over the next few days as I travel and especially over the next ten months while I am there!
So, here I go! A girl who has never been off North America is about to head to Africa to start the next phase of her life!! More to come over the next few days, as I still have a lot of packing and organizing to do tonight before leaving. Thank you to everyone who has been supporting me in many different ways, please keep the prayers coming over the next few days as I travel and especially over the next ten months while I am there!
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