Hot and Happy

Oli otya and greetings from Mukono Town.

I realize now that 30 minutes will not be long enough to list all my adventures of the past few days, but I’m sure that I’ll get the best ones down and for some of you tell the others in person!

Firstly, the New Vision (the main newspaper today) reads “Sudan makes Militia to stop Kone.” Well that is very nice and all Sudan, but isn’t Sudan having it’s own problems it should be dealing with? Just a queery. Oh and as well, yeah, people just walk around with guns here. Not anyone sure, but we live down the street from a prison, so all the guards have guns. Plus every morning the prisoners go together (tied up) down the way to fetch water for the day. It’s weird however how already, none of this really fazes me.

Okay I don’t know really where to begin. I met Yvonne yesterday (the girl I will be working with in Naggalama, the smaller village where I will be volunteering, about 40 minutes from Mukono Town). She is super rad and I know we’ll get along.

Last night, we went into Kampala to watch… get this… Blood Diamonds. It was really weird being like, “hey I’m watching Blood Diamonds in Africa!” We actually went to go and see the Last King of Scotland, but it was sold out, go figure! It’s are really really big deal to the Ugandans, and I can see why. They love it, and I think it’s gone back up in popularity because Forest Witiker won an Oscar.

So that was really great. Then today, after a chill morning and pinapple (yum, oh my, yum) we decided to go and check out Brian’s project.

Brian is this Vancouverite who came last year for four months, found this Skateboarding project, fell in love and then has been here for a year now. Too funny. He’s awesome, and he had some skateboards to bring over so I brought them. Today I got to go dwon (with some other volunteers and a Ugandan from our complex named Scarlet) to where it is. The kids are so amazing at skateboarding. It’s actually kinda scary. I got to try as well, but of course am no good. It was fun though, Scarlet made me do it and we had a blast.

Okay I’m feeling like I’m editing out too much of how amazing Uganda is, but only main points right? So hard!! Okay… but keep in mind that Uganda absolutely is amazing. There is something really crazy about being a Muzungu as well. Just being chased, pointed at, and touched by all these crazy kids. Its something else.

Anyway, after skateboarding we went into the shade (turns out I’m pretty much officially a pink Muzungu now, but whatever… that will pass). Scarlet (who lives in our compound, will be finishing college in her last semester starting next week and then wants to go into social work, which basically pays nothing here… she is also awesome beyond belief. I love her already). Anyway, we talked about soo much about the differences between Whites and Blacks. She asked if people in Canada point and call out “Black, Black” when they see an African walking down the street. A logical question if you ask me. She said she always thought so. But then we got into the differences between our two cultures. But the similarities. For example: I told her that I have never met a single African or Black person (no matter from where) who is not absolutely georgeous. She responded with… no! our skin is black! It is the Muzungus who are beautiful! Hahaha! So funny! Then we talked about hair, and how much Africans envy our hair because it can grow long and their hair does not grow. It turns out the reason girls all cut their hair is because hair in schools can not be longer then 1 inch. Then I told her about tanning, and how much we try to get darker. She looked at me with the weirdest look! Here, Africans … get this… dye their skin white with bleach!! They scrub and scrub and scrub with bleach so that their skin becomes lighter. This is so that they can be more beautiful like Muzungus.

Okay running out of time. Here are some other topics of discussion:
01. Albinos. Not accepted; they try and look like Muzungus with wigs and contacts
02. Canada. Ugandans adore beyond belief Canada because of all the aid we send. You don’t understand how much that has already helped me!
03. White teeth on Africans, how that makes them beautiful.

I also talked to this guy who was a complete alcoholic and couldn’t skateboard because as he told me “I drink too much.” He worked in the UNAMIR mission (for Rwanda, genocide) and learned about French and Canada so we talked about that.

Also met the Captain. He is this man who was an awesome soldier. During Idi Amin time killed two isralies. (as is portrayed in Last King… yeah that was him). He then hid in the bathroom as the westerners were looking to kill him. Got away, and then was promoted to Captain. He then went on to kill many others. He is a well respected man.

Okay, but Brian’s project. It is absolutely amazing you don’t’ understand. Seriously. It is this beautiful skate park in the middle of this tiny village. It is stupendous that he put this together. I am so proud of him and the others. They were so so thankful for all the skateboards and so such. It was fantastic. I have pictures I’ll send along or bring home… plus he has a website which one day I will find and post. Its crazy… skateboarding in the middle of Uganda. Oh, plus Tony Hawk is in contact with them and going to come down to visit. How rad is that?

Now we are back in Mukono, and it is getting cooler. Cooler meaning like 25 degrees. Man alive I love this place. I asked about the vegetation to this woman who runs a program called “House of Hope” Her name is Jennifer and is Ugandan and runs this school. Unfortunately it is way out there and she gets no volunteers. Debating visitng and spending my last month there. She said that the vegetation is all imported from other countries, so she didn’t know the names of trees. Too strange. Well that’s what you get from colonizing I guess!

Tomorrow, I will meet Lawrence, my director at MUMYO and then go into Naggalama with Yvonne. I will commence work! Haha! So excited to meet some African children, it will be really great. The kids here are super great… all of them. Muzungus are very well accepted here, so I am lucky
Lastly, the projects are stupendous. I’m already getting more involved. I will add more details when I have more time and more details. One woman however, Rose, comes from up North and takes volunteers there. So, Mom, Dad and others… Looks like I’m going up North. You talk to Child Soldiers, visit an IDP (internally Displaced People’s) camp and basically learn about some horrors up there. It will be insane but so important. I will take pictures and share my knowledge when I get home

Next weekend we will go to Jinja for a goodbye party for one of the volunteers. Meet Rose and see traditional African dance! Too exciting.

More updates to follow, for sure.

Keeping it safe and real here on the East Coast. Avoiding Tracey’s Scholarship e-mails, loving every moment of Africa and wishing I could write more. Every one is beautiful, everything is beautiful. I can feel myself falling in love, and that is hard because I know the end will come.

Jabale Ko (“thank you for your work” or like, keep it up!) heard that N1KD went well, please send details. Peace and Love… keep your thoughts on Africa and all the work left to be done.

Oh, PS… excitement has just erupted on the street as the desired team has won the football game! Cheers

PPS rode a "taxi" (14 pps to a van... and when they say 14 they mean like 20) for the first few tiems... hahah. ooooh my.