This first week seems to have gone by at lighting speed and we fit an incredible number of new people, places, and experiences into our first few days here. There has definitely been culture shock, starting as soon as we got into the bus at the airport, but it seems to be getting better every day that we're here. Hopefully, as time continues to pass we'll feel less like foreign tourists and more like we belong here. It may never be our permanent home, but at least we might be comfortable and fit in. Here are some of my experiences and impressions from our first 7 days.
Once we landed in Uganda following our 24 hours of travel, we took about a 45 minute bus ride from the airport in Entebbe to Makerere University in Kampala. We got to see part of the city at night and it was a bit of a shock to pass through portions of the Kampala that were pitch black. Since city street lights are such a common occurrence at home, the ability to see the stars was a welcome change. The reality, however, was slightly unexpected. Professor Stewart told us that, although there are power lines running through the area, people in these parts of town can't afford electricity. Something as simple as the ability to see where you're walking at night, which I take hugely for granted at home, is not a luxury that many people here in Uganda have. I think that was my first official wake up call as to how I couldn't expect life in the U.S. and here to necessarily be comparable.
On a more trivial note, the lack of internet, hot water, and water pressure, combined with the need for mosquito nets and bottled water, definitely made me rethink and appreciate more the life that I live in the States. Most days seem to bring a new challenge that we must face in our living situation, but at the end of this experience I think looking back on our accomplishments will be well worth it.
Once our group settled in and started touring the city of Kampala, it was hard to ignore all of the people who looked at us. Driving down the street in the big University van everyone turns and stares, which is a rather uncomfortable feeling. Hopefully I will get more used to the fact that the color of my skin is seen as a novelty by many, but this was definitely one of the first times where I felt particularly out of place or like I stood out. Perhaps over time we'll start to feel a bit more Ugandan and less like silly tourists, but it seems like no amount of adjustment will change what people see when they look at our skin.
As we explore the area around the University, one of the first places we have frequented is Wandegaya, a market just a few minutes walk down the street. But, walking down the side of the busy street is a feat in itself. Trying not to get hit by cars, accosted by the taxi and boda boda (motor bike taxi) drivers, and watching your footing at night is quite tricky. Once we reached the market, though, the walk was worth it because the place is fascinating. The combination of tiny convenience stores, hole in the wall restaurants, hair-braiding salons, and the fruit and vegetable market is a site unlike anything at home. Stores and people are on top of each other, but in this market it seems like you can find just about anything you might need.
One of the most memorable experiences of the first week was the three hours we spent at a tiny gas station along the side of the road in a town called Kakooge. After a blown tire on our way to our safari at Murchison Falls, we waited at the gas station for the tire to be fixed. As soon as we got off the bus an ever-growing group of children started to gather around. At first our group and the kids stood around rather awkwardly. We tried to smile and wake, but the kids seemed to be very shy. But, once we took out our cameras and started taking pictures of and with them, they opened up, started posing, and interacted more. They absolutely loved when we showed them the picture of themselves on the little digital screen. We learned that some of the older kids spoke very basic English so we were able to communicate a bit. As we continued to wait for the tires to come back, the kids decided to teach us some circle games which was very fun. They were basically cat and mouse games and dancing while the group sang a little song. Very fun and much less awkward since everyone was closer to being on the same level! 3 hours later, the tires were repaired and we were on our way again. The experience at the gas station was our first real interaction with children and it was truly enlightening. They were all very curious about us and wanted to interact. I feel like spending time with children was easier than adults because we can relate more to each other, there is less judgment, and more acceptance.
After our first week I think we've seen many surprises and experienced things I didn't think possible before this trip. As the tourist feeling wears off and we continue to settle in, I look forward to our first week of classes and our site visits to different NGOs around the city.
Location: Entebbe, Makerere University, Wandegaya, Kakooge
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