Week 2 - Meeting People, Dancing, and Getting around the City

This week we started classes, began our dance training, visited the NGOs and other organizations where we will be interning, and took our first ride on a matatu. Needless to say, it has been a full week. I know last week a lot of us were feeling like tourists, and I think this week we have started to find our place in Kampala. We are not experts by any means, but we have met some new people and visited some new places.

In meeting people, I have noticed differences in the ways that Ugandans (versus Americans) greet people. Although variable, handshakes here tend to be longer than those in the United States. Usually, you clasp hands, rotate them so that your still grabbing hands but your thumb is pointed toward your own body, then rotate your hand back to the customary hand shake position. And don't be surprised when the other person continues to hold onto your hand for a prolonged period. This seemed strange at first, as I am most familiar with the brief, firm handshake that most people use in the United States, but I have become accustomed to this greeting now. This is not to say that this is the only way that people greet you in Uganda. I have also received quick handshakes and hugs, as well as handshakes accompanied by "Hello" and "Praise be to God." The commonality in all of these greetings, however, comes in the form of warmth. Everyone has been so kind and welcoming.

Dance training has been fun but frustrating at times. The traditional dances of the Buganda region involve a lot of hip movements and footwork. Olivia (our dance instructor) started us out with the footwork (step left - one, step right - two, step left - one, etc.). Then she added leg lifting (step left, raise right leg from the waist - one; step right, raise left leg from the waist - two; repeat). And then she added the "shake it." (I think that one is self-explanatory.) Some in our group caught on right away, but I would say the majority of us tried with occasional interjections of, "My body just doesn't move that way." Olivia has been supportive, and I am sure with practice we will get it before our performance next weekend.
When we haven't been doing traditional Ugandan dances ourselves, we have seen many performances. Last weekend we saw an amazing performance by the Ndere Dance Troupe. This week some students at Mulago Bright Standard performed for us, and so did some children at Peace for Children Africa. The integration of music and dance in Ugandan culture is really cool. It serves as a means of communicating cultural and social messages, and it seems to bring joy as well as a source of income to many dancers. It's truly amazing to see children who do not have parents or any possessions or who have come from the streets embracing performance and using it to explain their situations to other people.

Getting around on mutatus has not been too bad so far, but then again, Centurio and Olivia have either been accompanying or organizing most of these rides for us. I have learned a few things about riding in matatus, though. 1. Be prepared to get very close to the person sitting next to you. 2. Pay around the time you are about to get off. 3. Watch your head upon exiting the matatu. I have hit mine several times now. 4. Make sure that a matatu driver who has been hired to take you to a specific place actually knows where that place is located. He will get you there eventually, but expect some pauses for directions. 5. Sometimes matatus get pulled over by police for inspections. I'm not exactly sure what these inspections are about, but again your ride might take a little bit longer than you originally expected. (Believe it or not numbers 4 and 5 happened on the same matatu ride.)

Overall, it has been a busy and enjoyable week. Remembering to have a sense of humor and to stay open-minded has made everything easier. Plus, it doesn't hurt that everyone has been so welcoming and helpful.

Location: Kampala