We are all safely back in Kampala after a long 9-hour bus ride...not fun. On our way to Kampala, we actually picked up a salesman who stood in the middle and tried selling things for an hour and a half. He offered a variety of lotions, cold medicines, and even womanizing power (it was a liquid which was kept in a small flask...very sketchy). He also tried to marry all of the Mzungu women in the front of the bus. Ah Uganda...how I had forgotten its chaotic streets filled with garbage. This week we are trying to fit in some last things before we leave this beautifully colorful country. Go-Ed has us pretty busy this week with debriefing sessions and final presentations for class.
I would have guessed that this week would be so sad and stressful but I have had the best peace about everything. I am neither anxious to leave nor worried about the weeks to come. I can only just keep telling myself never to forget this amazing semester or the people I have met that have made a permanent impression on my heart. I thank God for it all. He has surely granted me this unmistakable peace that calms my heart and fills my mornings with joy.

An interesting observation

While our group was in Uganda, we would be asked about Obama almost daily. But since our arrival in Rwanda, our President's name is rarely meantioned....until yesterday. This Rwandan named Oscar made the best remark I have ever heard: "So, do you know what Obama stands for? It stands for:

Obama
Born in
Africa to
Move to
America

The above picture was from our adventure through Nyungwe National Park. We were all given these regal-looking walking sticks to aid us in our six hour trek through the rain forest. We were told that the only animals living in this forest are the 7 or 8 types of monkeys. Our hopes were high to see some primates but we must have been too loud because we only heard one from a distance.
Although, we DID see some amazing tropical birds. Their colors were beautiful. I thought the vibrant reds and blues that these birds flashed were colors only man could make.
Next weekend there is a planned trip to another national game park where we will be able to see some African mammals.

Reflections

The enjoyment of interacting with the kids and learning from the staff in Mbale was awesome. I actually went through a naming ceremony where they gave me the name "Sangalo." This means "always happy" and I can only guess that they took it from my own name.
But at the beginning of the third week, I had a very strong awareness of my homesickness. I had the stomach flu one afternoon after working hard in Makhai and I wished so badly that I was in the comforts of my own home, in my own bed with all the familiar smells and sounds of New York. I really had to work through this bought of melancholy because I didn’t want it to distract me from my time in Mbale. I didn’t want to be embittered or cynical about the place I was in. I made a list of all the things that I missed about home; family and friends arrived first on my list, then smells, sounds, and objects to follow. I noticed that most of the things that I missed were more of a feeling than an actual object. For example, I missed learning from my dad in our long conversations about society, or I missed the adventurous feeling of camping with Jamin and Mom, or I missed feeling completely at ease with my roommate over a cup of coffee in our university’s coffee shop. So, it was not necessarily my dad’s house that I missed, or the Sacandaga river that I wished to bike around, or the Irish-mint latte that I longed for, it was the feelings that were associated with it that I pined for.
So I can only conclude that these feelings of comfort and joy come from my Lord. And if He is forever with me, then I know that I can experience these feelings even here in Uganda. And sure enough, it was revealed to me that I could find these feelings away from home. Breakfast and dinner times at the office, our makeshift home, was always a time for revealing some novel idea about our stay here, and my time out in the villages with the staff was one of the pinnacle points in my stay in Mbale. I loved learning from my colleagues while we trekked which seemed liked for miles and miles to the different homes in the villages. Morning devotions always made me think in new ways as we took part in their time with God, and laughing with the other workers made it easy to see that humor is God-given.
And I must keep in mind that time will slip away and before I know it I will be in the comfort of my home, wishing that I could visit the streets of Africa once again.
P.S. Tomorrow we leave Kampala for a 9 hour bus trip to Rwanda. The SAFARI is NEXT!!! Oh and my address there will be:
Food for the Hungry
Joy Knowlton
PO Box 911
Kigali Rwanda

Now that I am back in Kampala, internet is abundant and I again apologize for the lack of info. But here is the picture from the top of Wanale Mountain.

When Jess and I first arrived in Mbale, the mountain was the first thing we saw. And my first thoughts..."By the time I am done here, I will have climbed that mountain!" And that we did. About eight of us went up in the back of a pick-up - against all I was taught as a kid. No seat belts, no going slow, no nothin, haha! It was a grand time. Half way up, our truck broke down and so we hiked the rest of the way up. Needless to say, none of us were prepared for the journey up there. And boy did we get some funny looks! The view from the top was breath taking but because we had to hike half way, it made it all the better!!!
And by the way, sorry for the lack of communication. The internet has been very sparse. I tried to upload a picture of the view but that will have to wait for a later date. But hey, TIA (this is Africa.

A New Home

So here I am, four hours away from Kampala in town called Mbale. It is the second largest city in Uganda. And don’t be fooled. There is a major gap in between them. Where I live is a very short walking distance from the main market (this is much better than having to catch a taxi every time you want to go into town). In town, there are lines of markets with fresh produce and grocery stores with some canned goods that I have been well-acquainted with; things such as Zesta (jam from a can), Blue Band (as close to butter as one can get in Africa), Nido (powdered milk that isn’t so bad; really), teas, coffees and even drinking chocolate (or more affectionately known as hot coco). I think the biggest and most visible difference between the two cities is that Mbale has a much more mountainous landscape.
Being in Kampala, I have learned much Luganda, but here in Mbale, Lugisu is spoken. Starting from scratch is a bit frustrating but exciting nonetheless.
Every morning there is a devotional with the entire staff at the Mbale office. Songs are sung, verses are read, devotionals are shared, and prayer requests are taken. What better way to start off your day than to begin it with the word of God. A week in and I have had so much fun as the staff here is unbelievably friendly.

So, this is the NILE!!! It was actually our view from where we spent the night on site. And to the left...that is where six of our group went BUNGEE JUMPING! Yeah, they were crazy.

The Nile.

So, besides flying to Africa, this is definitely up there on my list of the craziest thing I have ever done. We left our house at around 6 am for Jinja. When we got there, we were fixed with a helmet, a life jacket, a paddle and a banana for good luck! Before we even started down the rapid river, we took a few kilometers of practicing instances of a boat flip, if someone fell off and how to swim down a rapid if we did get thrown off. Throughout the day, there was plenty of lathering-up with screen, but the raging Nile would just wash it off and the equator sun was relentless. Between the each set of rapids were 5 kilometer stretches of paddling where many of us jumped in the Nile for leisurely swims. We went a total of 31 kilometers, or 19 miles! On some of the rapids we had a choice of going either Mild or Wild. Our group took the Wild side every time. We had a great guide and a great group: we never unintentionally flipped. After the first 2 hours, we stopped at Lunch Island. And I bet you can guess why! We were all very hungry from the intense excitement. Oh, and lunch was extravagant. There was plenty of amazingly good food; sandwiches, little pineapple boats and papayas, potato salad...if you can imagine, it was like Heaven on Earth at that point.
On the very last leg there is a class 6, which we all had to get out of our boat and walk around. Class 6 means it is impossible: certain injury or death. After situating ourselves back in, the last rapid of the day had three choices: a leisurely rapid (where one might get wet), 50/50 (a 50% chance of flipping the raft), or the BAD PLACE (everyone who goes down this one is guaranteed to flip). And guess which one we did? That's right....the BAD PLACE. When I saw what we were going through, I nearly wimped out, haha. It was great. Our leader, Clarky, instructed us that if we feel like we are falling out (which is inevitable) we should just let go; it would be VERY dangerous to hold on. Being attached to that massive raft on those ripping waves has torn arms out of their sockets before. He also mentioned that we will be under the water for quite some time and we should not worry if we don't pop out of the water right away. Going down was like a roller coaster. We all stayed on for a second or two and our raft tipped sideways, spilling everyone out. I was quick to abandon the raft and my paddle as I didn't want to hold on for too long. While under water, it felt like I was in a washing machine. I felt bodies and paddles and the raft swirling all around me. I am not going to lie, I thought I was gonna die. I remembered though that we would be under for a while and continued to hold my breath even though it felt like I couldn't. And after what seemed like a lifetime, I popped right up, half way down the rapid. I was picked up by a safety boat and waited for the rest of our crew to be rescued. Our boat was still stuck in the curling wave of the rapid like it was dancing all alone. After the BAD PLACE my heart was beating faster than ever and there was a permanent smile on my face the rest of the night.
Instead of paying too much for food there, we packed sausage and potatoes for dinner and used the site's barbecue. We spent the night in a nice hostile and this morning some of our group even went bungee jumping, right over the Nile! I, of course, didn't have the balls to do that. But other than being in complete and utter pain from the sun burn, I was completely satisfied with our adventure the day before. Plus, what better place to get sunburned! I don't regret a second of it and I wish everyone I knew could have been there enjoying the experience with me.

Wangala Obama

So, Ugandans take much pride in the fact that America's president is African. Nearly every day that you walk down the street I hear exclamations of Obama's new presidency. They see my our white skin and his name is always a topic of discussion. As a matter of fact, I have met Obama's cousin (which I highly doubt). "Wangala Obama" in Luganda is translated to English as "long live Obama!". This phrase our group quickly learned as we prepared to head out into the city of Kampala to watch his inaugeration. It was to be held at 8 o'clock, because of the time differnce.
The city of Kampala was alive with anticipation as our group rushed to a site called Magic Park. After some negotiating with the doorman of the park about the price of our group entry, we rushed in and sat down at a table. What a joy to hear the cheers from fellow supporters of our president...even though we were in a different country. We had our picture taken as we stood up when our national anthem was played. Never have I ever felt such a sense of pride in my country. I guess it takes a little traveling to do bring about such feelings.

Rural Family Portrait :)

This is my newly made Ugandan family. I acquired them on my weekend scheduled rural visit to the small town of Rakai (southern Uganda). They lived pretty much out in the bush but the sense of community was still strong. The person to my left, his name is Counselor, this was his family. But the shining star of the entire group is the woman to the far left in the reddish dress. Her name is Marie Claire, or more affectionately known as Mommy!

Kasubi Tombs

Today, January 20, our African culture and tradition class took a visit to the Kasubi tombs in Kasubi. This is the place where four kings are buried. It seemed like the drive to get there was longer than the tour itself. I think maybe just because of the abundance of early morning traffic which slowed us down.
When we walked in, our tour guide, Fred, who had a very good informing voice, stopped us to describe a little about what we were going to see. As we walked through into the courtyard, it was explained to us that this is where the first king had lived. The tin-roofed huts along the side were designated for all 84 of his wives. And today, the symbolic widows of the king still reside. But, because there are so many, they are on rotation – every 30 days a new family of widows comes to live and keep the tradition.
I really respected their drive to keep the tradition. They still keep this small burning hut lit on the inside out of a ritual of respect. The symbolic widows still wear the boarding outfits with the big shoulders and teach the children how to weave just as their ancestors did. When we crossed the courtyard in to the biggest hut in the world, Fred made us all take off our shoes. As we walked into the gigantic hut, and onto the beautifully colored straw mats, our attention was drawn to a stuffed leopard which served as King Mutesa’s pet. Then, we were asked to “sit as Baganda” with our feet facing away from the tombs, in respect to the kings. So much information was then provided such as the acceptance of Christianity by King Mutesa and how he wrote a letter inviting the Christian missionaries to introduce their beliefs to the people of Buganda. Also, we learned how the kings are said to have disappeared into the forest instead of saying that they have died, how King Mutesa stopped the tradition of beheading the deceased person, how exactly the kings were buried and many other small, interesting facts.
I really enjoyed my time there because I was able to put the information that was given into the picture of what I had already learned. Having some background of the culture was most definitely helpful in understanding the architecture and traditions. All of the things learned today just added more color to my tapestry of African culture. Everyday, a new piece of the puzzle is fixed into place and everyday I can see the African history and culture more clearly.