Organized Chaos

I love when I learn about some reason or meaning for typical parts of life in Uganda, especially concerning their language. For example: A Rolex (no not the watch) is Chapatti rolled up with a fried egg omelet and costs around 1000/= Ugandan Shillings (Again not the watch for $.50 USD, that would be too cool). Anyways, it was named a Rolex because you take the food, and roll it up. Plain and simple, and delicious.

Also I have learned so much about Boda Bodas this week!

First interesting fact is that their name was shortened from border-to-border. Motorcycle taxis provided cheap transportation across the border in the East to Kenya and became known for taking people from one border to another. Convenient name? I think so!

The second thing I learned is that they are incredibly organized! While visiting Mallory and another intern, Nick, in Bugembe on Wednesday I arrived rather early with no idea which way to go. A colleague was dropping me from work (hence the early arrival) and instructed me to sit with the bodas and wait. Among the ten bodas at this boda stage, I met the Bugembe boda Chairman! They have a chairman! So does Jinja apparently, and everywhere.

After being introduced to each by their name and religion, I asked about how they got stationed at this particular coaster stop. It is a prime location, and I am not sure how some end up working that corner, and another guy sits all day at the end of my street waiting for someone to come by. No clear answer emerged from the conversation. All I know though, is it may be more competitive than I first thought!

I'm so curious about this taxiing industry, I have many follow up questions for my new friends next time I visit Bugembe, but perhaps I will save that for a sunny day!

(View of Lake Victoria from some hilltop in Bugembe)

People, Pleasantries, and a Little Trash Talk

“How do you find this place?” “It’s good. Bulunji.”My friend Lillian, a University student from Central Uganda, has been the only one to follow up with, "Why do you only have positive things to say?" Lillian, Mallory and I met at the source of the Nile, she is in Jinja completing her student teaching for her education degree. It is a very reasonable question, and Jinja is not exactly paradise, but her question made me laugh all the same. The experiences of being in a new place seem to have had more positives than negatives, we will see if this changes with the more time I spend here.

(Mallory, Lillian, and I in the middle of the Nile River)

A positive experience has been how nice people are. Ugandans rave that they are the nicest in Eastern Africa, and my colleagues assure me that they, the Busoga who live in this Jinja district, are the kindest tribe, the others are stubborn. And generally, people have always been very pleasant and friendly to me. It may have something to do with the customary greeting of "You are most welcome." That just makes a person feel good!

To be fair to Lillian’s question - I dislike the trash removal system here. Of the Ugandans I have interacted with, I have realized that I generate more trash than they do. Our family trash can is a small bucket emptied just a couple times a week. Much of what is thrown out is paper product or compost waste and so burning seems to be the removal method of choice. Dumpsters are found with smoke pouring out and trash spilling over. Once or twice I have seen a man with a shovel gather the trash back into the dumpster, but never have I seen it emptied. Through some curiosity and investigation, I learned that there is a city garbage removal, which takes the dumpsters away, empties them and then returns them. Those near the marketplace are emptied maybe every other day. You can see in the image to the right some mid day trash burning outside my office in Mafubira.

Now I don't want to leave you on such a negative note, so getting back to the discussion of the Busoga and tribes, those cultural ties are very strong. Heading to Mafubira I always pass the hill the tribe king is building a house on. One of my favorite questions to be asked is, do different tribes in America speak different languages? It reminds me of the differences between ourselves, where people do not always know their heritage, and this youthful country which became independent in the 60s. Could you imagine if each US state spoke at least one local language?

African Business Guide - African Time?

Working in Africa has given me a first hand look at doing business...on African time. What's African time? Basically, people in Uganda don't live by the clock like Americans do - scheduled events can happen half an hour, and hour after.

Here's some handy translations to help you get around!

Let's meet at 9:00 = Let's meet half an hour to an hour later

I'm ready to go = I'll be ready to go in fifteen minutes after I get distracted by something.

I'll do it today = I'll do it tomorrow.

This is the last question I'll ask = I have to ask about 50 more questions

The biggest lesson I've learned about working in Uganda is being flexible. You can't get bent out of shape because your schedule got messed up. And above all, have a sense of humor!

Musibye motyamo Bannyabo ne Bassebo!

Good afternoon Ladies and gentlemen!

In addition to Luganda language lessons, our first two days in Uganda have been very busy and eye opening.

I think our language lessons have been the most culturally enlightening so far. The phrase in the title above is more than an afternoon greeting, it asks, "How have you spent your day?" A typical greeting consists of a response to that question, reciprocation, and appropriate small talk follow up such as "Weebele emirimu" or "Thank you for the work you have done today." Our questions of how to say hello to people we see in passing were always answered with the basic conversation we had just learned. Until our pronunciation improves, that conversation could easily stop more than minute. The Ugandan social network and personal relationships are very important, and I see that reflected in this small piece of language. I hope to understand more of this as I begin my work with Organisation for Rural Development and move in with my host family on Tuesday.

For now, orientation continues at our hotel on the Nile. It is beautiful, and very green! Mallory and I have enjoyed travel luxury from free eye masks and socks from the floating palace which is Ethiopian Air, to the free wifi at airports and our hotel! It feels like a vacation. The other interns, we number eight total, seem great and have come from all over the USA. We make quite a scene walking around town, but I am proud to say none of us fell off the boda boda bike taxis today, fingers crossed we can make it through the summer!

Edit: view of the Nile from the garden behind our hotel