7/25/08
This is our last night in Gulu. There is an air about the monastery tonight that has not been prevalent regarding our departure. Despite the fun times and wonderful relationships we have developed here, everyone is ready to leave. Even though we are entering the most exciting part of our entire trip, I think most would forego the rafting, bungee jumping, and safari to be on an earlier flight. Its very sad that we are in such a beautiful exotic place and people are just focused on sushi, burritos, and Batman. I am not an exception to the crowd either, but in spite of my longing for a little Chipotle and some quality time with friends and family, I am very excited for the upcoming week.
Two days ago I got to follow around a mentor from IC. They are full time mentors (all are former teachers or counselors) who make contact with the families of the children who are sponsored by IC as well as meet with the children themselves at least once a month to make sure everything is well. They build relationships with families to help solve any problems that might arise such as poor grades, discipline problems, or lack of materials.
On Wednesday, I climbed in the back of an IC Land Cruiser and we were off to Amuru. Although I waited for almost 2 hours for them to find someone to follow around (this was the third time I tried and was there by 8am), it was well worth it to be paired up with Marilyn. Amuru is the second largest IDP camp (Internally Displaced People) in the country; only Pabo is larger. The ride out to the camp was not unlike many of the other journeys we’ve had here Uganda that consist of driving way too fast, honking to have peasants and those traveling on bikes move off the road, and fishtailing to avoid potholes and areas where there were bikers on both sides of the road. There were reeds over 8 feet tall for most of the trip causing our driver to honk viciously as we rounded each corner at high velocity. The only thing we slowed down for were very large puddles that forced us off the road and to travel on a ready made path through the fields for a brief time before returning us back to the “road”.
The IDP camp was bittersweet at best. The beauty of seeing thousands of huts lined up one right after another was stunning while the situation and conditions the in which people live turned my stomach. Cows meandered down the center of the road, goats took refuge in the shade of the huts, children stood by the roadside waving at the vehicles passing by. Their faces lit up each time we drove by and they saw one white person in our Land Cruiser, causing an even more fervent wave and a mouthed, “Munu Bye!” that went unheard. Thousands of huts holding 7 or 8 people each covered the hillside with no yards for playing. Animals are driven out of town every day to eat before returning back later that day to sleep near their owners huts. The livestock just roam free and I was told that everyone just knows if it is theirs or not and no one takes what doesn’t belong to them because everyone is doing so badly.
After meeting with the mother of a student who’s grades are slipping, we left Amuru and went to Awer. For those who follow IC, Awer is the only camp where the bracelets are made for their bracelet videos. As I was the only white person, we did not feel so much like a parade as we do when we all travel together. I got to meet several of the people who are employed by IC to make bracelets and even got to watch several being made. Although the women working there graciously shook my hand and wore smiles that absorbed their whole face, the babies that many had with them began crying when I got too close (many small babies are scared of white people). Although Pabo was on our agenda to visit, the driver told us we did not have enough fuel to get out there and back.
Later that evening, Kyle, Breawna, Adam, and I were invited to my teacher, George’s house for dinner. We had drinks and watched music videos from the 80’s. Most of them were classic country: Dolly Parton, John Denver, George Jones, etc, but some of them were Christian. I think they were Christian. Every video had people who did the same dance and repeated “Jesus is coming. He is just around the corner.” Dinner was delicious and ended a little abruptly when my teacher’s wife informed us it was going to begin soon. George and James Opira (Kyle’s teacher), both made speeches following Uganda custom. James even told us that “due to the climatic changes in weather, I will be brief.”
As soon as Brea and I got on a boda, the monsoon began. I don’t know how the boda driver could see anything let alone manage to stay on the road. Every minute or so, water permeated through another layer that it was not supposed to get through, causing even more laughter. The best part of the night was passing Adam, who did not have a boat, while he flipped us off. He couldn’t really see us, but maybe he could feel our presence and knew we were laughing at him. Even his boda driver laughed the whole 20 minutes we were in the downpour. The puddles we ran through did not make us any wetter than we already were by the time we got to the Sacred Heart Gate. The drivers could not get through the gate so even after a 20 minute boda ride in monsoon type conditions, we still had a 20 minute walk ahead of us without a flashlight.
All in all, it was a very memorable day and despite our more than dampened bodies, our spirits were high and we were laughing at the circumstances. Some of the other people who were out with their teachers did not make it home for another 2 hours because the rain was so bad. Sister Apolonia had to pick them up in the truck, but because the cab was so small, Casey was the only one who got to ride up front. Everyone else rode home in the bed of the truck.
Last night we went to Sophie’s house and I met her daughter, Aber. This is the single cutest child that I have ever met. I know that family is amazing and I absolutely love all the children that my friends are privileged to have, but Aber wins. Maybe if you ever have the chance to meet her, you’ll realize that you either want your boy to marry her, or your daughter to be best friends with her. She is not quite two, but when I arrived, she greeted me and bowed. After some time, she gave me her sandal and bowed again. Once a few more white people began showing up though, she became a little more shy and hid for a bid. She put on her mom’s shoes and took some shillings that were sitting on the table and started to walk off the property. When we asked her where she was going she informed us that she needed to go to the market. This was the best part of my day.
Pope Paul VI threw us a going away party today and there only 40 minutes of speeches, for which we were so grateful. The meal was good and we said our farewells to all the teachers. The only downer of the day was that we saw 2 more canings today; that brings my total for the week up to 4. The really ironic part of this is that IC just had meeting yesterday about not caning the kids as the government of Uganda has declared it illegal. The head teacher told us that the parents wanted their children caned, but the sake of IC, they would begin to warn the children more. They will not hit the children more than twice from now on and that is their warning. I thought Adam was going to walk out and not even say goodbye. He stayed around though and we all had good time.
I’m packed and ready to begin my slow journey home for the first time nearly 8 weeks.
This is our last night in Gulu. There is an air about the monastery tonight that has not been prevalent regarding our departure. Despite the fun times and wonderful relationships we have developed here, everyone is ready to leave. Even though we are entering the most exciting part of our entire trip, I think most would forego the rafting, bungee jumping, and safari to be on an earlier flight. Its very sad that we are in such a beautiful exotic place and people are just focused on sushi, burritos, and Batman. I am not an exception to the crowd either, but in spite of my longing for a little Chipotle and some quality time with friends and family, I am very excited for the upcoming week.
Two days ago I got to follow around a mentor from IC. They are full time mentors (all are former teachers or counselors) who make contact with the families of the children who are sponsored by IC as well as meet with the children themselves at least once a month to make sure everything is well. They build relationships with families to help solve any problems that might arise such as poor grades, discipline problems, or lack of materials.
On Wednesday, I climbed in the back of an IC Land Cruiser and we were off to Amuru. Although I waited for almost 2 hours for them to find someone to follow around (this was the third time I tried and was there by 8am), it was well worth it to be paired up with Marilyn. Amuru is the second largest IDP camp (Internally Displaced People) in the country; only Pabo is larger. The ride out to the camp was not unlike many of the other journeys we’ve had here Uganda that consist of driving way too fast, honking to have peasants and those traveling on bikes move off the road, and fishtailing to avoid potholes and areas where there were bikers on both sides of the road. There were reeds over 8 feet tall for most of the trip causing our driver to honk viciously as we rounded each corner at high velocity. The only thing we slowed down for were very large puddles that forced us off the road and to travel on a ready made path through the fields for a brief time before returning us back to the “road”.
The IDP camp was bittersweet at best. The beauty of seeing thousands of huts lined up one right after another was stunning while the situation and conditions the in which people live turned my stomach. Cows meandered down the center of the road, goats took refuge in the shade of the huts, children stood by the roadside waving at the vehicles passing by. Their faces lit up each time we drove by and they saw one white person in our Land Cruiser, causing an even more fervent wave and a mouthed, “Munu Bye!” that went unheard. Thousands of huts holding 7 or 8 people each covered the hillside with no yards for playing. Animals are driven out of town every day to eat before returning back later that day to sleep near their owners huts. The livestock just roam free and I was told that everyone just knows if it is theirs or not and no one takes what doesn’t belong to them because everyone is doing so badly.
After meeting with the mother of a student who’s grades are slipping, we left Amuru and went to Awer. For those who follow IC, Awer is the only camp where the bracelets are made for their bracelet videos. As I was the only white person, we did not feel so much like a parade as we do when we all travel together. I got to meet several of the people who are employed by IC to make bracelets and even got to watch several being made. Although the women working there graciously shook my hand and wore smiles that absorbed their whole face, the babies that many had with them began crying when I got too close (many small babies are scared of white people). Although Pabo was on our agenda to visit, the driver told us we did not have enough fuel to get out there and back.
Later that evening, Kyle, Breawna, Adam, and I were invited to my teacher, George’s house for dinner. We had drinks and watched music videos from the 80’s. Most of them were classic country: Dolly Parton, John Denver, George Jones, etc, but some of them were Christian. I think they were Christian. Every video had people who did the same dance and repeated “Jesus is coming. He is just around the corner.” Dinner was delicious and ended a little abruptly when my teacher’s wife informed us it was going to begin soon. George and James Opira (Kyle’s teacher), both made speeches following Uganda custom. James even told us that “due to the climatic changes in weather, I will be brief.”
As soon as Brea and I got on a boda, the monsoon began. I don’t know how the boda driver could see anything let alone manage to stay on the road. Every minute or so, water permeated through another layer that it was not supposed to get through, causing even more laughter. The best part of the night was passing Adam, who did not have a boat, while he flipped us off. He couldn’t really see us, but maybe he could feel our presence and knew we were laughing at him. Even his boda driver laughed the whole 20 minutes we were in the downpour. The puddles we ran through did not make us any wetter than we already were by the time we got to the Sacred Heart Gate. The drivers could not get through the gate so even after a 20 minute boda ride in monsoon type conditions, we still had a 20 minute walk ahead of us without a flashlight.
All in all, it was a very memorable day and despite our more than dampened bodies, our spirits were high and we were laughing at the circumstances. Some of the other people who were out with their teachers did not make it home for another 2 hours because the rain was so bad. Sister Apolonia had to pick them up in the truck, but because the cab was so small, Casey was the only one who got to ride up front. Everyone else rode home in the bed of the truck.
Last night we went to Sophie’s house and I met her daughter, Aber. This is the single cutest child that I have ever met. I know that family is amazing and I absolutely love all the children that my friends are privileged to have, but Aber wins. Maybe if you ever have the chance to meet her, you’ll realize that you either want your boy to marry her, or your daughter to be best friends with her. She is not quite two, but when I arrived, she greeted me and bowed. After some time, she gave me her sandal and bowed again. Once a few more white people began showing up though, she became a little more shy and hid for a bid. She put on her mom’s shoes and took some shillings that were sitting on the table and started to walk off the property. When we asked her where she was going she informed us that she needed to go to the market. This was the best part of my day.
Pope Paul VI threw us a going away party today and there only 40 minutes of speeches, for which we were so grateful. The meal was good and we said our farewells to all the teachers. The only downer of the day was that we saw 2 more canings today; that brings my total for the week up to 4. The really ironic part of this is that IC just had meeting yesterday about not caning the kids as the government of Uganda has declared it illegal. The head teacher told us that the parents wanted their children caned, but the sake of IC, they would begin to warn the children more. They will not hit the children more than twice from now on and that is their warning. I thought Adam was going to walk out and not even say goodbye. He stayed around though and we all had good time.
I’m packed and ready to begin my slow journey home for the first time nearly 8 weeks.
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