Thursday, April 30, 2009

Would You Rather....sleep with bats or coakroaches?

If we were making a list of things I dislike in this world it would be rather short, but it would most certainly include bats. Last night I spent my first night in my new home; I had been warned that there were some holes that would need to be repaired to keep the bats out, but at the time I did not think too much of it as long as I had my beloved mosquito net to keep me safe. Because it gets dark here around seven, I do not have electricity, and because it is not safe to be outside after dark I found myself going to bed around nine only to wake up two hours later to the sound of what I thought was someone trying to unlock my back door. I was so frightened I just about peed myself. Schools are on holiday so all of my neighbors have left and the closest neighbor is about two hundred yards away and I doubted they would hear my screams. I immediately went through the list of phone numbers I had recently acquired of community members. I had recently went to the police station to let them know who I was and all I found was a man out of uniform and a room all but empty except for the empty desk. I took his number and he told me to call if I need anything, but he has no car and no motorcycle. I was not sure how much of use he would have actually been. I decided that the bars on my windows, and the pad locks on the steel doors would most definitely keep me safe and that they were probably hoping that I had forgot to lock up, so I tried to get back to sleep. After while I realized that this was not at all the sound of someone trying to break in, but rather the sound of some kind of winged animal coming through the holes in the walls. While I now at least felt safe, they were incredibly loud as their wings would flap against the tin roof. I now regret only wanting a tin roof and no ceiling. Around six in the morning they finally decided that they were tired and would leave me; at least one of us would get some sleep. Once I left the safety of my net, the status of the type of animal was confirmed by the presents they left me all over my house. Luckily I just received a call from Amber informing me that her and Moses, one of the most incredible people I have ever met, will be over tomorrow afternoon with concrete and bat repellent. Just another example of how fabulous the people of Uganda and my PCV friends are!

Upon arriving at my new home yesterday I unloaded my only furniture, a twin-sized bed, a table, and chair, all borrowed from the college. I am constantly reminded of who I work for by the name imprinted on the table every time I sit down to eat a meal. I was introduced to a student from the college who lives near while on holiday; her name is Carol and is sweet as can be. In exchange for her showing me around the village I have offered to help her with her homework. Yesterday, the deputy of the primary school were I live, a man who never stops smiling and is wonderful to say the least, told me that it would be arranged for water to be brought for me. I was confused because I was told the water was near my home and figured that because I am a muzungu he too believes that I am not able to do manual labor by myself. I asked to see the water regardless and he just laughed saying that I would not want to use that water. I was fully convinced that the water would be just fine until I saw children standing in a swamp collecting water next to the broken borehole. He was right, I will not be collecting my water from the swamp. Well, unless I want to be guaranteed to contract some sort of bacterial infection during my Peace Corps years. Throughout my training we talked a lot about sustainable development and how a lot of water projects fail to be sustainable. The problem seems to come in when groups with money come in, give a community a borehole, and leave without training community members on how to maintain the borehole. Therefore, the borehole breaks and the community waits for the organization to come and make the repairs, which most likely will never happen. I asked the deputy how long the borehole has been broken and I was told three months. It is frustrating to see a community collecting unsafe water when there is a bore hole that just needs repair. However, it will give me an opportunity to work with the community and hopefully get the borehole back in working order.

After looking into the water situation I asked Carol to show me where the market was to buy some food. I was told that market day is every Monday and switches locations every other Monday. One location is near my home, the other not. Yesterday happened to be far away market day. Carol gave me the option of walking through the forest, I was told this was the short cut, so of course I choose this route. An hour later we had finally arrived at the market which was actually a clothes market and not a food market at all. However, we found some food along side the road and made our way back home just before night fall. I decided that getting food is a huge hassle and I’ll think twice before I eat out of boredom. On the plus side, the walk to market is one of the most beautiful walks I have ever taken. Once I get to know my community a bit I will take some pictures and once again attempt to post pictures. I tried posting last time, but of course the electricity went out just as I was about to finish. I want to wait to get to know my community before I bring out my camera to try to combat being labeled the rich muzungu. People see the color of our skin and automatically assume that we are rich. Yesterday I had a small child yell to me, “Hey muzungu, give me my money!” We always have to barter much more than a local and while I understand where they are coming from, it can be frustrating at times when you’re trying to fit in. Carol also told me that her dad was so proud that she was the one who gets to show me around and went on for awhile about how happy he was going to be to see her with me. Here is a man that knows nothing about me, except that the color of my skin is white and it is like I am some kind of celebrity. I asked her why he would be proud and she told me because he knew that I would teach her many things because I am very educated. While he doesn’t know exactly how educated or uneducated I am, people from the Western World are thought of as being incredibly educated. According to Carol and her father, I know just about everything there is to know. It’s interesting to see how people on the other side of the world view us Westerners. While I am happy to at least be singled out in a positive manner, I would rather not be singled out, and I most definitely wish I did not have these expectations of me. I guess I can just look at it as another teaching example; that just because we are muzungus doesn’t mean that we are any smarter than any of them. Knowing me, I am sure I will be able to prove this on a daily basis.

Because of the holiday and the fact that my counterpart has not yet moved into his new home, I have little to no work to do for the next couple of weeks other than get to know my community. My days usually consist of twenty-two children of all ages surrounding me on the porch. I’ll usually talk with them until I exhaust my Luganda which takes about twenty to thirty minutes. Then I read my book while they watch me closely in hopes they will see me do something strange. After awhile I get tired of being a freak show and decide to move inside. My movement indoors only encourages them to peer into my windows and try their hardest to coax me back outside with the ever famous word of “Muzungu.” While I enjoy their company and their beautiful faces, I hope the novelty of me will soon wear off a bit. Today I have also received an abundant amount food from neighbors. So far I have received four of both avocados and eggplants, two yams the size of my head, sugar cane, soybeans and greens galore, mangoes, passion fruits, papaya, squash, two eggs and a bunch of other things I have yet to figure out what they are. I’m just waiting for my jello mold to arrive and I’ll be set.

Anyway, I could go on forever about how amazing my community is, but I’ll stop for now. As always, I hope everything is happy and well at home!

Peace and love,

Autumn

p.s. Amber’s mom, I hope I posted this is a timely fashion! : ) Thank you for reading!

p.p.s. I just wanted to add that I just caught my very first bat. He was sitting in the corner of my room and because of the new cement installed today, he had no way out. I, of course, called my savior Moses to ask him what I should do. He of course offered to come over and take care of it or suggested that I hit it with a broom until it dies. Instead of bludgeoning it to death, I opted for capturing him in a box and setting him free outside. I’m sure I’ll have to do this everyday until he gets the point that he’s not welcome, or until Moses comes and beats him with a stick.

p.p.p.s. for those of you wanting to send things. The only things I wouldn't like to receive are sardines and cilantro. Other than that I would welcome anything! However, it is expensive to send things so keep it small! My mom said you can get a prepaid envelope and stuff it with as much as you like for 12 dollars. I would love to have any packaged foods like noodles or whatever that is small. Spices and seasonings are also always a wonderful and convenient thing to have while I'm slaving over my stove in the dark while dodging bats! :) Oh, and due to a lack of better things to do after 7 pm I would love any old book you have lying around! (That includes the last two of Twilight Aunt Di)! I will get a post box today and post the address soon! Thanks!

Saturday, April 25, 2009

PCT to PCV...finally! : )

Greetings everyone! As always, I hope this message finds you all happy and well! Here is Uganda things are more fabulous than I could have ever dreamed! Because I have not been able to write for awhile I will try to fill you in on the past few weeks! Training has been exhausting to say the least and a couple of weeks before the end we had a talent show in which trainees and trainers preformed. While many of my fellow collegues are incredibly talented musicians, dancers, and performers in general, I have yet to find my talent. Therefore, along with the rest of my language group we decided to make complete idiots of ourselves doing a Spartan Cheerleader skit which ended with our Ugandan teacher wearing a dress and topping off the top of our all female human pyramid. Overall it was a great day and couldn't have come at a better time, we were all in need of a relaxing and fun day. The following week was again a bit stressful because we were all preparing for the presentations of proposed secondary projects. Once those were finished we had our language test which must be past in order to be a volunteer. If one did not pass then they would be retested again in three months and if at that point they still did not pass the country director would decided whether they could stay on as a volunteer or not. Despite my many awkward laughs throughout my test, I passed! It is incredible the amount of Luganda I can actually speak and understand in such a small amount of time! After our language test we had a ceremony to thank our home stay families for accomidating us for the past nine weeks. It was requested that each language group perform something demonstrating both Ugandan and American cultures. We decided that we would demonstrate Ugandan culture by singing an Ugandan fable in Luganda. For our American culture segment we decided to showcase American dance through three different dances. We first started off with Soulja Boy's "Superman," then line danced to Alabama's "Lousisiana Saturday Night," and finished with "Land of a Thousand Dances." For those of you who know me, you know that choreographed dancing is not my thing and I was probablly a step behind the whole time, but it was a great time regardless! After the homestay welcome we left Wakiso for the country's capital, Kampala, where we met the people we would be working with for the next couple of years. We had a very long and tiresome lecture, dinner at the country directors house, and finally our swear in ceremony! Immediately following we left for our homes for the next two years!

My new home is in the Masaka district and I could not be more happy about this placement! My good friend Amber is also posted in this district and is working at the college my center is connected with. Because students are on holiday I have been staying with her for the past few days. She has a very nice house complete with a toliet (this is very rare), elecricity, and running water. Over the past few days we have been getting to know Masaka and the people we will be working with over the next couple of years and after meeting everyone I am super excited to begin my work! While I won't move into my house until Monday, I was able to visit my house the other day and I am so excited to move in! My house is located on the grounds of a primary school in the middle of no where, has no electricty, no running water, and no toliet. While I'm sure I'll regret saying this later, I am happy for my lack of water and electricity! In general, my home is beautiful and much larger than I had expected complete with a back porch overlooking some of the most beautiful land I have ever seen! I cannot wait to sit on my back porch every evening and just take in the beauty of Uganda! Everyday I find it more and more beautiful. Oh, and did I mention that I can see Lake Victoria (the second largest lake in the world) from my village? Oh, and it's in a swamp of sorts! I am in love!

While we're on the subject of being in love, everyday I love the people of Ugandan a little bit more! I have met very few people in my life that I have met and fell completely in love with them at that moment. In the short time that I have been here I have made many great friends amongst Peace Corps Volunteers, but I have also made some fabulous Ugandan friends. The people here are so loving, caring, and genuine. They are the kind of people that you miss when you don't see them for a day. My language teachers is one of the most kind and patient people I have ever met. For the past nine weeks he put up with five girls who sometimes cried or were just plain moody and he always came to class with a smile on his face. He would do just about anything for us, including putting on a dress doing some ridiculous dances in front of his peers. He always treated as one of his own children, regardless of how much we probably frustrated him. The same could be said for almost all of the trainers. Now that I am site I have met even more amazing people. The driver for the college had drove us around a lot helping us get things for our houses and meet people and I could not be more thankful for him. He is probably the happiest man I have ever met in my life and he actually gets our jokes! The other night I rode with him to town and I was being my normal self asking a bazillion questions and we both began to reailze that we have a lot in common. After awhile he looked at me and said, "You know, a week ago I didn't know I was going to meet you and you didn't know you were going to meet me, but here we are sitting as friends and we're from different sides of the world." It was so good for me to hear him say those words because it reminds me of one of my reasons that I am here. We are all one people and despite our many differences, we have more in common.

Anyway, I could go on forever, but I want to go explore and get a few more things for my new house! I'll warn you now that I am also too lazy to proofread this; please don't judge me. : ) I hope it is finally begining to warm up where you are!

Peace and Love,

Autumn, Nalubega, Toomie, Toom, Button', or Awtoom...or any other crazy name I get called here

Saturday, April 4, 2009

God Bless the Rains, but not Cockroaches

Despite my many attempts to learn all of the words to Toto's "Africa" I still could not tell what the song is really about. However, I do know he's got something right when he sings "God bless the rains down in Africa." While living in Indiana rain is something I thought very little about and if I did it was usually about how it was ruining my day. However, here in Uganda I find myself wishing for rain on a daily basis for many reasons. The first reason being that without the rains it is incredibly hot. When I first arrived here I was sweating constantly. I would go to bed sweating and wake up sweating; it was ridiculous. The family I am staying with also relies on rain tanks for our main source of water. However, due to the late start of the rainy season our tanks have been dry which means that the work boys have to travel a ways to the nearest boar hole where they attach five twenty liter jerry cans to their bicycle and push it up the incredibly steep hill upon which we live. The town we live in is also composed of mostly dirt roads. While these are beautiful, they are a disaster when it is dry. Cars passing by are constantly covering me in red dust that sticks perfectly to my immense amounts of sweat. As of last week the rains have finally arrived, of course on the day the American Ambassador invites us to the embassy for a pool party (which was fabulous by the way), but I am beyond happy they are here. I can finally sleep under blankets, wear a coat, and the rain tanks are overflowing! It is fabulous! So, I do believe Toto got it right; God bless the rains!

Now for the cockroaches. It would not be odd for you to find me "saving" caterpillars and worms. However, when it comes to cockroaches, I feel that the world would be a better place without them. They have infested my room. Okay, maybe not infested, but they do like to visit me at night and they creep me out. For those of you who may not know much about cockroaches here's a few things you should know: 1. They are creepy. 2. They are incredibly loud. 3. They are large. 4. They can fly. My first encounter with the creepy crawlies woke me up one night. They were flying around my room, running into walls and falling down. I'm not a light sleeper, they are loud enough to wake me up. I tried listening to my I-Pod to block them out, but I could still here them. The fact that I had my mosquito net to protect me did not help me fall asleep. I decided to by myself a can of doom and now I sleep with it next to my pillow. I haven't seen them as much lately and I am thankful for that. However, I did wake up to the most ridiculously large seven legged spider I have ever seen on my wall the other day. My friend tells me that a spider that large eats cockroaches, so I made the decision to let him stay. Maybe someday I'll have decent internet and be able to post a picture!

In other news, training is almost over! I have about two more weeks at home stay before I am sworn in as a volunteer. At that point I will be sent to a village by myself for the next two years; I am nervous, but incredibly excited all at the same time. If you are wanting to send me something, please wait to do so until I get my new address! Language is going pretty well. It can be kind of frustrated at time, but we had a mock language test a few weeks ago and I scored rather well. We have our real test before swearing in, so hopefully that will go well! Today we also built a stove completely out of mud, which was kind of cool.

Well, I hope all is well at home and that this message has found you all happy and well!

Peace and Love,

Autumn aka Nalubega (my new Ugandan name)