Where in the world is Brittany??

Lately, I've been getting a lot of questions from Rotaractors via Facebook "Are you still in UG?" "Where are you?" "It says you're in Bukoto, are you lost?".  And the ones that I run into in Kampala ask "why are you still here?" Well, I can understand why they're asking these questions, for the most part. I've been MIA (Missing In Action) from Rotary events this past month or so. That's because I wanted to do some other exploring in Kampala, see a different side.  I've come to learn over the years that volunteering is the best way to learn about different issues. So, I decided to volunteer sans Rotary.

I originally wanted to volunteer at Mulago Hospital and see burn victims or children and hand out things to encourage them, whether that was a Bible, books, or something of that nature. But I realized that my friend has a charity that I keep hearing about in church, at Sunday lunches, at Bible studies, and even from my flatmate. So, I decided to check it out. I was really inspired and so happy that I decided to go. I was a little uneasy at first, but now I've come to realize how much it's a great thing and want to continue to be a part of it.

My friend and her husband have a charity called Tomorrow's Heroes. It's a program for the street boys of Kampala. Every Tuesday and Thursday, I volunteer to teach P2 English and Math with the boys. I was a little nervous at first cause I have no background in teaching, but after a while, I've come to enjoy it. This is what has been occupying my time for the past month. I've come to realize how much I want to help in Uganda and it extends past just volunteering on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I've also come to realize the other part of Kampala outside of Rotary events and Rotarians. It is amazing to see how affluent Rotarians can be, but a teenage boy or girl on the streets or slum lives in such a tough living condition that the rest of Kampala doesn't seem to realize or it goes ignored.

Although it is such a joy to teach the boys, play football with them, and even dance with them during Bible talk and worship, there are certainly challenges that cannot be ignored. Many times I wonder "where do these boys sleep?" (my friend who runs the charity has a system of placing them in homes or resettlement into their previous home). Other questions are "how often do they eat?" "what if they get hurt one day? What happens?" Their environment often times is worse than people from the West would expect, but it has definitely changed my perspective to see this first hand. I walked through a slum one time with one of the uncle's and some of the other teachers. It wasn't scary, no, I've gotten used to seeing many people live in some tough conditions. It was just sad once you realize that the young boy you were just teaching English to, that has that bright smile every morning, comes from a home like this that barely one person can live in,  yet he shares it with many people.

Since I've come to Uganda, my heart for children has really expanded and I have such a pressing need to help them. Everyday, I wonder how I can help them and if I should come back after the summer to help them. Who knows if I'll come back so soon. But I am certain that I will do so much to help the youth in Kampala and eventually expand it to all of Uganda. I know many  scholars go back home and get jobs or further their education once they finish their scholarship year, but I have a pressing desire and passion to help the youth in Uganda. They are, after all, the  next generation of leaders. So why not invest in them?

Please feel free to leave a comment or question. If you have any questions please feel free to email me at BCBennett11@gmail.com. If you would like more information on Tomorrow's Heroes, please visit the website or you can contact me as well.

Culture Shock!!!

It's been a while since I've written a post, I'm sorry about that. I've been trying to readjust to being back in Uganda. Who knew that two weeks back home could cause such a culture shock - in the U.S. and in Uganda. It seems that I walk to slow in the U.S. and walk too fast in Uganda. Differences like that seem to really standout. But! Since I've been back, I've been getting more involved that just Rotary/Rotaract events. I'm beginning to volunteer outside of Rotary with other organizations to promote Rotary/Rotaract as well as just to meet new people and see different parts of Uganda. There is one way that I have volunteered that promotes cultural understanding back in the states.

A year ago, at my scholar orientation, a woman from the World View - UNC at Chapel Hill offered the scholars an opportunity to be pen-pals with middle school and high school students in North Carolina. I was a bit reluctant at first, but decided that it would further my mission. So, after some months of coordinating with the teacher at a high school, the students had finally send me there first set of questions. Below, I've posted some of my responses. Now, for those that are in Uganda, keep in mind that I'm responding based on my own experiences and knowledge (which makes it even more interesting in my opinion). If you have anything to add, please feel free to contact me. :)

Here are some of the student's questions and my responses (I couldn't include the pictures):

3. What type of clothing do most people wear in Uganda?

Great question! People wear very similar clothes to what we wear in the States. Most of the clothes here are second hand from donations from countries like the U.S. and U.K. or even Europe.

There are traditional clothes for each tribe/kingdom. In the Buganda Kingdom, the traditional wear for women is the Gomez (pronounced “go-mezz-ee”). The men where a long tunic with a suit jacket, forgive me, I can’t actually spell the name of the outfit. It was inspired by the Arabs in the Northern part of Africa.

You would normally see these traditional outfits at weddings. Older women will wear the Gomez on a regular basis more so than younger women. The men will only wear their traditional clothes during a wedding or when going to the king (in Buganda, he is called the Kabaka – “Kaa-baa-kaa”).

5. What is the dominant religion in Uganda?

Another interesting question! Many people would assume that Uganda is a Muslim country because of Tanzania and Kenya (and even Somalia) having a large Muslim population; however, Uganda is predominately Catholic Christian – taking up 85% of the population.

However, Uganda tends to be quite a tolerant country to other religions. There is a big mosque in Kampala, as well as a Baha’i Temple (there are only 7 in the world), and many cathedrals. You will also find that there are many Hindu’s and Sikh’s in Uganda as well. There was a big migration of Indians to Uganda a while back. Even though Christianity is the dominate religion in Uganda, many of the public holidays are Christian and Islamic. Religion doesn’t seem to be a topic to cause people tension here, it is rather accepted that people have different beliefs.

 

6. What are you studying and why did you choose Uganda?

I have gotten this question for over a year now. Uganda is not a traditional place for anyone to further their education, I will admit that. However, my interest in international politics has lead me to a career in International Human Rights Law in Africa. So while here in Kampala, Uganda, I am conducting research in the fields of Law, Culture, and Human Rights with Makerere University, the oldest and biggest university in Uganda (established in 1922 during colonization for the elite Africans). For my research, I ask Ugandans (in rural areas as well as in the cities) questions about human rights, gender equality, and the effects of colonization within Uganda. I am using my research as a way to better understand the relationship between the state/nation, the people, and culture.

I selected Uganda while studying the political and civil liberties of each country in the Comparative Politics class at George Mason University. I realized that Uganda had little to no political and civil liberties, and I was curious as in why I had barely heard about Uganda in the news with the exception of the movie “The Last King of Scotland” and the Joseph Kony conflict in Northern Uganda. There were no terrorist alerts from the State Department, and there was no war in Uganda, but it was ranked as an unliberated country, much like Syria or Afghanistan. Oftentimes, the media does not focus on African nations unless there is a major war going on or major human rights violation, so I decided to spend a year in Uganda to discover why there weren’t any political and civil liberties. As well as create some solutions to some major issues that plague the country.

*Political rights are the rights to free speech, the right to assemble in a political group, and the right to vote.

 *Civil liberties are the right to a free trail, equality under the law, and the right to privacy.

 

 

Kwanzaa yangu ya kwanza

I’m started to prepare to go home for the holidays. Not all scholars choose to do this for one reason or another, but I think I need a little vacation.  Because I’m not a traditional student, if I were to stay in Kampala, I would ultimately continue to work on my research day and night as I am doing right now. So, I think this will be a great time to distress, relax and catch up with friends and family for a couple of weeks.

I have been getting some interesting questions regarding how Ugandans celebrate Christmas. I get asked “do they celebrate Kwanzaa?” “Is it a more African Christmas?” to which I just respond “no and no”. I can’t say I’m shocked at how Christmas is celebrated over here. It just seems so much like home – but hot like it’s summer time. Everyday seems to get a little hotter and I sweat more and more. I’m wearing more dresses and shorts due to the extreme heat and find myself getting dehydrated more often because of this as well. But when I go to Oasis or Garden City (malls), I see all the decorations hanging and holiday music playing. To be honest, that’s the only time I feel like it’s Christmas time. Then I walk outside and recall that I’m in Africa.

I do want to address the Kwanzaa question. Many people assume that Kwanza is an African tradition or celebration but it’s actually an African American celebration. Perhaps because ‘kwanza’ is a Swahili word for ‘first’, people assume that it’s an East African tradition. And perhaps people are used to seeing the Kente cloth around this time of year, but again, that’s an African American thing. The purpose of kwanza was to unite the African American community.  It’s really a young celebration when you compare it to other holidays around this time of year. After a little bit of research on what Kwanza was all about, I decided that I should give it a try this year. Sometimes, African Americans come to Africa to discover their roots, I’m not one of those. I came to learn about the culture and government structure as a result of colonialism. But, I am learning a lot about myself and I have learned that my culture is quite unique. And Kwanzaa interest me because it is directly related to my heritage. It isn’t meant to replace a spiritual holiday such as Christmas or Hanukkah, but to unify a community by practicing 7 principles for 7 days (Dec 26 - Jan 1):

• Umoja (Unity): To strive for and to maintain unity in the family, community, nation, and race.
• Kujichagulia (Self-Determination): To define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves, and speak for ourselves stand up.
• Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility): To build and maintain our community together and make our brothers' and sisters' problems our problems, and to solve them together.
• Ujamaa(Cooperative Economics): To build and maintain our own stores, shops, and other businesses and to profit from them together.
• Nia (Purpose): To make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness.
• Kuumba (Creativity): To do always as much as we can, in the way we can, in order to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it.
• Imani (Faith): To believe with all our hearts in God, our people, our parents, our teachers, our leaders, and the righteousness and victory of our struggle.

I find all of this to be very interesting, and being that I’ve dedicated this year to learning about different cultures, why not dive into my own unique culture and try Kwanzaa for the first time this year. I know there has been a bit of a backlash to Kwanzaa for some time in the African American community, but I’m going to choose to do this for my own learning experiences.  I would also like to note that all of the gifts that are given during Kwanzaa are handmade. I think that adds a great personal touch to the tradition and meaning of Kwanzaa, if you ask me. These are all principles that I think every person, no matter their race or nationality, can learn from.

This is a big deal to me personally because I grew up in a predominately white area. I was oftentimes the only black female in my classes, so many people made comments to me about being African American and looking African (most of the time not very nice comments).  I admit, I was ashamed of who I was any my ancestors. But, as time passed and I matured, I realized that I have nothing to be ashamed about. What happened to my ancestors wasn’t their fault and it’s in the past now. All I can do is make sure that what they fought for lives on and I pass it down to my children. Since coming to East Africa, I have been questioned repeatedly about my heritage and now I say with pride that I’m African American because it’s unique but more importantly, it makes up who I am inside and outside. But my past doesn’t define my future, it’s my actions that define my future.  I hope that this holiday season, I learn something from my first celebration of Kwanza and that I can teach everyone reading this something too.

If you’re interested in learning more about Kwanzaa, check out the documentary “The Black Candle” or read this interesting article.

What My Trip to Europe Taught Me about East Africa

I recently went on a week long trip to Europe to meet other Ambassadorial Scholars, go to the Berlin Rotary Peace Forum, and visit a school in London.  Culture shock wouldn't even begin to describe what I was dealing with as I took advantage of a Starbucks on every corner in Berlin. As fun as the adventure was, I kept thinking that choosing Uganda was the right choice for me. Since I was a little girl, I've always wanted to help others and basically save the world. Well, I know I'm not Wonder Woman (even though my skype screen name says otherwise). But, I do feel as though I can make a difference, even if it is a small difference.

This realization came to me as I was watching "The Lorax". If you haven't seen that movie or read the children's book, I recommend you pick it up. Dr. Suess was an amazing man that had the ability to teach young children how to read as well as teach lessons about equality and social issues. The quote at the end of the movie is what really hit home for me:

 

Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not.

 







That quote really hit home because I had spent the past couple of days listening to Rotarians and Rotaractors from all across Europe discuss what they wanted to do in areas that are plagued with extreme poverty and bad water. I talked to a Rotarian from France about his club's project in Cameroon, and a German Rotarian about his project in Ethiopia. All great projects and for the better good. I even watched a presentation about some European Rotaractors doing an international service project in South Africa called Rotaract Hearts. I just felt as though we all could be doing more.

What I am seeing in Uganda and Tanzania is different than what some of the people were talking about in their presentations. Being on the ground and living among the people gives you a different perspective than just coming to a country every few months to do a project. That's when I thought "why don't any of these well off clubs of Europe or the U.S. partner with some clubs in Africa?" The German Rotarian answered this question for me "There's a negative stereotype about working with clubs in Africa.  People here say they want to help, but they know there may be a risk involved." Now, that's not to say that there aren't clubs in Europe and North America that don't partner with clubs in Africa. I've seen some great projects in Uganda and Tanzania that are a result of partnerships. But, that negative stereotype is what I couldn't shake.

I kept thinking about this conversation with the Rotarian for the rest of the week. There are so many people that have a need in Africa that you would think people would push through those stereotypes and help people. But, I suppose that's not what happens. Even when I was talking to the other Ambassadorial Scholars about my experiences, their reaction to my experience was usually a blank face. I knew they couldn't relate unless they have actually been there, but it was a bit of a downer to realize that they didn't fully understand that people here live more without than with what westerners would consider the "basics to life".

So, after that conversation with the German Rotarian and the other Ambassadorial Scholars, I realized that maybe I can be that bridge to break down those stereotypes. I mean, I know that's what the scholarship is for, but what if I made it a personal mission?  I want to help East Africa in any way possible, but if people were actually able to get past those negative stereotypes and try to empower the people in East Africa, then would the Rotarians and organizations from Europe and North America be more willing to help?  That's when Dr. Suess' quote encouraged me to actually be an advocate for equality in East Africa. If I don't, then who will? I'm sure there are many people in the region who are doing the same as me, but it wouldn't hurt for me to utilize my connections and bond with Rotary in order to help and empower people in East Africa. Especially because I look like an East African, my vantage point is surely a unique one.

I just keep thinking 'Africans are people too. Don't they deserve the same rights as people in the U.S. and Europe? Don't they deserve clean drinking water? Healthcare? A good education? A safe and clean environment?' So, my trip to Europe has taught me that even though I have my hard times in East Africa, I really do love the region and want to help it as much as I possibly can...because unless someone like me cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not.

If you have any questions, please feel free to email me directly.

Confessions of an African American Mzungu

I'm going through a bit of tough time at the moment. There are somethings that not many people can relate to. This mainly has to do with the fact that I’m African American but look African - but not technically from Africa. I am not the typical Mzungu (white person/foreigner) because I don't look like one. BUT, I do sound like one. So for the most part I keep my mouth shut and watch how people will treat me based on how I look, and then change how they treat me based on how I sound. Some may think that I should be grateful because I don’t get mzungu tax (charged higher because they are a mzungu), but I need to tell people that it’s not as great as you may think to be stuck between both worlds. People assume things about me based on how I look, talk about judging a book by its cover! So, these are the few things that I've come to realize...I apologize if I offend anyone, but I am just writing about my observations. I see both worlds, the mzungu world and the African world.

 First assumption - it seems that East Africans think that mzungu's have money. And that African's don’t have money and try to get over on one another.  I’ve even had quite a few instances where I went to a “mzungu” restaurant and waited 30 mins to be served (I had to flag down a waitress to take my order while other mzungu's were quickly seated and drinks served right away), the typical assumption is that Ugandan’s can’t afford to eat at these places so they don’t bother taking my order. But what most East Africans fail to understand is that it’s cheaper to live in East Africa compared to Europe and the States. So, it doesn’t mean that people are richer, but that it cost more to get the basic of things such as fruit. So to make up for the expense of a $6 pineapple, our salaries are adjusted based on where we live in the world.

 Second assumption - mzungu countries don’t have problems or corruption. I don’t know or understand where this assumption came from, but that struggle is all over the world. Bad people are everywhere, therefore, bad things such as corruption and an ineffective government is everywhere. Granted, countries such as the States don’t have the same types of problems as Uganda, but that doesn’t mean that American’s don’t have their own issues with their government.

 Third assumption - because I’m African American and look African…my parents must have come from Africa. Dear reader, you have no idea how annoying this assumption is to me. I really have to explain slavery to so many people and explain that African Americans come in different shades (or what I like to call flavors). Not every African American is light skinned, and not every dark African American migrated to America.  And would you believe that people don’t understand why my ancestors didn’t keep record of where they came from during slavery? I don’t get this inquiry from just Africans, but even other mzungu’s that aren’t from the U.S. I had to explain that many slaves couldn’t read or write and even speak the same language as one another when they were first brought to America. But, over time, they developed Pidgin (which sounds like broken English) in order to understand one another. So, African Americans had a lot more problems while being slaves than to recall where they came from (in which I also have to explain that the African countries weren’t in existence when my ancestors were probably brought over. The European nations created boundaries in order to keep the peace during colonizing).

Fourth Assumption – that I’m lying about being American. From what I understand, there are some African’s that lie about living in the UK or being from the U.S. and they fake an accent even. So, just for the record (I feel like Obama right now) I was born in Mount Holly, New Jersey. Both of my parents were born in Washington D.C. so I am a full born American Citizen. Do I need to release my birth certificate as well?

 
Fifth assumption (this goes to the young men in East Africa, mainly Uganda) – just because I talk to you every now and then, doesn’t mean that I’m interested in you or want to date you. I didn’t date when I was back home in the States and I carried that habit with me to Africa. I wasn’t counting on the guys assuming that I was interested in them because I decided to have a conversation with them. Nor was I counting on people being so hard pressed on dating someone by a certain age so that they can get married in time to have children. That’s a cultural difference that I understand, but again, just because I look African doesn’t mean that I am African and do as Africans do.

And the final assumption – Because I look like an East African, that I will automatically sympathize/empathize with the struggles of East Africans. This is the hardest one to deal with, I must admit. The assumption that I am going to feel bad and feel your pain because of the color of my skin is asking for a bad reaction from me. African American’s have their own struggles, but when I have Ugandans approaching me stating that it’s the United States responsibility to help Africa because they took some Africans and made them slaves, so obviously, the U.S. owes Africa. I couldn’t disagree with this more. First and foremost, I am American. An American that pays attention to the history of countries as well as world history at that. I’ve studied how the slave trade went down, and the African countries weren’t exactly innocent in that exchange. Second, I am African American, which means “my people” are other African Americans.  We have different types of struggles than Africans, and we can relate better to each other than to Africans given our unique history. We aren’t better or worse than Africans, but historically different than Africans, that’s all I’m saying.

These are the most common assumptions that people assume about me over here in East Africa. So, when I say to some of you “I have my good days and bad days”, these are the types of things that I’m dealing with.  It isn’t just people making comments, it’s being treated differently based on how I look and how I sound/act.  It can be quite lonely at times when my mzungu friends don’t understand what I’m dealing with or observe. Sometimes, they’ll even deny that what I just witnessed even happened, and that hurts more than anything. I have yet to run into another African American or even African European/African British person while in East Africa. For the first few months, I could deal with these assumptions and let them roll off me, but now, people start to get offended that I’m not what they think I am – that’s a reaction that I don’t think I’ll ever understand. So, yes, my experience here is like no other mzungu (unless they look African but aren’t African).

Even though these assumptions can make me feel a bit down at times, I want these experiences to also be the bridge to helping East Africa as well.  I think I’ve been put in this position for a reason, whether that’s to help people outside of East Africa understand their struggles better or to educate East Africans on the differences in people outside of East Africa. Whatever the case, I want my experiences to show that both sides of the world can be united, despite cultures. We’re all human, therefore, we all deserve the same rights and respect.

 

Safari yangu ya Tanzania

Mt. Kilimanjaro in the distance. A bit cloudy but still amazing.

That's right! This post is dedicated to my safari to Tanzania. This is not going to be about Rotary, but instead my realizations of how Tanzania is such a beautiful country with a very interesting past!  I am now determined to go to the museum in Dar es Salaam when I return in a few weeks. Though Tanzania (TZ) may not have nearly as many resources as Uganda, it does have almost every climate possible. From the beaches of Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar, the dry deserts of Serengity, to the cold climate of the mountains and of course, Mt. Kilimanjaro. I was amazed at how big Tanzania is as well, so I decided to write a post dedicated to the beauty of Tanzania and also some questions that I have about the country as well.

First, I should tell all of you that the national language is Kiswahili. We usually call it Swahili in the west, but it's proper name is Kiswahili. It's quite an easy language to learn. I've actually picked up on quite a few words (as some of you have noticed if I emailed you or responded to your questions with some random kiswahili thrown in the sentence). I'm actually going to take it upon myself to learn kiswahili for a couple of reasons. One: my research - when some Rotarians referred me to a website that relates to my research, I was thrilled that it was so easy to get information! But then, once on the website, I realized that it was entirely in Kiswahili. This is a hiccup in my research plans but not so much that I'm going to have to alter my research methods. I'm just going to have to learn how to read and speak it. Hakuna Matata! Two: Tanzanians are great at speaking kiswahili, but not so much at speaking english. It's hard for me to be understood and for me to undestand them. Even though english is the official second language, it's clearly not widely used among Tanzanians. So, it would be in my best interest to learn kiswahili for the sake of getting around the country.  The best part about learning kiswahili is that I don't have to change my voice in order to speak it! If you have ever learned a language like French or Spanish, you know that there are some words or phrases that require you to alter the tone of your voice in order to mean  one thing or the other. In kiswahili, the way it's spelled is the way it sounds.

I was also so shocked at how polite the Tanzanians are. After every verbal exhange, a person will say "Asante Sana" which means "Thank you very much". Often times, I felt so weird saying it after every little thing, but that's the way it is in TZ. People are generally more laid back a polite. This made me question the culture of TZ, why was everyone so laid back? And I recalled some of the readings I had come across for my research and even some conversations with some Tanzanian Rotarians about the history of Tanzania. I know not many people like history and all that boring stuff so I'll keep it simple.

Tanganyika ( it was not called Tanzania until Tanganyika and Zanzibar united in 1964) was colonized by the Germans, then practically sold to the British. In 1961, Tanganyika got it's independence from the British much like how Uganda and Kenya did a few years later, by the British setting up their constitution and putting a system in place that would allow the people to continue to function as a country. The first independent government functioned as a socialist government in order to ensure equality to all of it's people. That didn't really work out as great as they had hoped, so the president stepped down and handed over the power to a more democratic government.  Those socialist ways are still in place, so to speak. An example of this is that the TZ government owns all the land and a person just rents the land from the government for about 99 years.  Interesting isn't it? It is to me, mainly because I attributed the laid back mentality of the people to the government's power.  Why should a person stress out about things when the government is going to take care of it all? That question sounds very similar to some debates over government assistance in the U.S. doesn't it?

Statue of a Maasai warrior.

Another interesting thing about TZ is the culture...which has been lumped into one big pot.  I know this seems confusing, so I'm going to compare TZ to Uganda. Uganda has kingdoms and tribes and clans. One can belong to the Buganda kingdom, or be an Acholi or Bokica (pronounced Bo-chi-ka in central Uganda). But, in Tanzania...you're first and foremost a Tanzanian. THEN you're a part of a tribe, but even then, the tribes don't have such a strong hold on a person as it does in Uganda. I was fascinated by this, not just because it directly related to my research, but mainly because for the first 2 months of the scholarship year, I had been in an country where I constantly was asked which tribe I belonged to or asked if I was Bokica or Buganda. The only question  I was asked in TZ about my origins was if I was Kenyan and Rastafarian. I did see plenty of Maasai warriors in the traditional Maasai wardrobes as security guards, but that's about as much historical culture I witnessed in TZ.

All in all, Tanzania is a beautiful country. I realize that I have so much more to write about the country and it's relations to Zanzibar in particular, so I'll save that for another post.  If you're planning on visiting TZ to go to the beach, go on a safari to Serengity or do what almost every mzungu does and climb Kilimanjaro, make sure to learn a little Kiswahili. Even if you mess up with the words, they're so kind that they'll help you learn. With the kindness of the people, the beautiful landscape, and great food, you too will be singing hakuna matata like Timon and Pumba in the Lion King.

Service Above Self - Fellowship Through Service

I had the great opportunity to go to Sesse Islands with the Rotary Club of Kampala-Sesse Islands. The service project was a medical outreach to a rural/remote village on one of the islands. To be honest with you, the island reminded me much of Jurassic Park with the giant ants thick forest. It was great though getting to know the Rotarians and Rotaractors that came on the trip.  There was a big turnout at the medical outreach. For many, this was their first time going to a doctor since the last medical outreach only because it’s too expensive to go to the mainland for a doctor or they can’t afford the medication.  I was also delighted to see World Vision with Rotary as well as some pro bono doctors.  The phrase service above self reaches beyond Rotary and extends to other NGO’s and volunteers that believe in helping those that are in the most need.

Getting to Sesse Islands was actually an adventure in itself! We took a 4 hour ferry ride to the main island. Being on Lake Victoria felt like being in the middle of the ocean.  There were plenty of over islands in the distance, some with beach coast and some with cliff coast, but overall, it reminded me of being in California looking out to the Pacific at Catalina Island.  I definitely had some childhood memories come back while on the ferry.

Once on the island, we were greeted by the owner of the resort with refreshments and snacks.  We were all quite tired but managed to figure out our rooms and come back for a bon fire. At the fireside, I decided that this was a great time to get to know some of the Rotaractors that came on the trip.  They were all so friendly and I was able to make fast friends with them while dancing. Dancing in Africa is so different from dancing back home. I realized that they had incorporated some traditional dance moves while dancing to some modern reggae music. I was highly impressed! They were also quite impressed with how I danced.  For some reason, they think Americans are uptight and don’t know how to have a good time. But I’m proud to say that I represented the U.S. very well.

The next morning we set off to the medical outreach village, however, it was raining so hard that we had to wait for the rain to pass on our island as well as the island we were heading to. Once the rain slowed stopped, we all got on a boat that I was extremely doubtful could hold all of us. It took about an hour for us to get to the other island, which wasn’t bad compared to the ferry to the first island. We docked, carried supplies to the village, and without any hesitation, we were helping the community. There was a family planning room, dental care room, pharmaceutical room, and a room to see the doctors if you had any problems.  Without a doubt, the most crowded room was the one with the doctors.  These people didn’t see a doctor often if at all. In some cases, the only time that they did see the doctor was when the Rotary Clubs had a medical outreach to their location.

Because I don’t know Luganda, I was in charge of registration with Rotarian Justine and Rotarian Florence. I was handing out the numbers, but was still shocked at what I saw. The people had to state their name, age, and which village they were coming from. What shocked me was how young some of the mothers were and how some people looked to be about 60 but were actually 40. There could be a number of reasons for this inconsistency in age and how the person actually looked. I didn’t take any pictures of the patients because of my background with HIPAA for Fairfax County. It felt unethical to snap a picture without them knowing where it was going to be posted and used for. All in all, I could see the importance of Rotary here in Uganda. The Rotarians are important to their society because when the government doesn’t provide for the people, Rotary steps in and makes sure the basic needs are met with the help of other NGOs. That was quite inspiring to witness. I am very happy to be a part of such an organization.

Music & Culture – When Passions Collide

Music is certainly still the key to my heart.  My interest in music and culture was really sparked by my late band director Laura McBride who gave me private music theory lessons. She told me that all over the world, travelers realized that there were common motifs in music, common pitches that were used and rhythms; however, none of the civilizations that were encountered had any contact with one another. So, I was absolutely amazed to hear Gregorian music and West African music sound so similar! She even told me that the universe is made of music since all of the stars and planets vibrate – however, I’ll save my interest for astronomy, music, and culture for another post.  This post is about how my two loves, music and culture, have found a common ground in Uganda.

 As many may know, I didn’t start out on this human rights career path, I actually was heavily involved in music and aspired to be a music teacher. People have many passions in life, but just because I am not pursuing a career in music doesn’t mean that I’ve abandoned it. I’ve just felt more of a calling towards being an advocate for human rights than being a music teacher.  But my reason for enjoying music is still the same reason as in why I have such a strong interest in human rights - the culture.  Culture can be reflected in the music, and human rights are shaped by the culture as well – whether for the better or the worse.

This is a clip from the video, couldn't crop
it for some reason.

Since the purpose of me being here is to observe the culture, I can’t ignore the one thing that has such a cultural influence! No matter where I go in the world, I always want to hear the traditional music and modern music, and ask questions about the story behind the song. For the most part, there is a story about love and hope, but in some cases, the music is just meant to be felt rather than tell a story. The gentleman playing the instruments in the picture (I will hopefully upload the video soon) actually said that the story to this song was about a man who travelled the world looking for the woman of his dreams. He went everywhere, and when he returned home to his village, he realized that she was right there all along. I suppose the moral to that story was you don’t need to travel all over the world to find something that completes you, it’s most likely right in front of you.

One of my goals since I was younger was to collect instruments from all over the world that represent the culture. I started my collection with some wooden flutes from Native Americans in Nevada, then a didgeridoo from Australia that my dad brought back, now I’m excited to pick up a few instruments from Uganda and East Africa. But one thing that I am for certain about when it comes to culture, one must encompass all aspects of how the culture is represented, whether it’s the food, they style of dance, the clothes, and even the music, when observing culture, you have to look at the big picture. If you don’t, you’re not really paying attention.

 

 

The Animal Kingdom in My Room

I don’t actually have the entire animal kingdom in my room but I certainly feel like I do. Every morning I wake up to different sounds and every day I see something different! Sunday morning started out pretty interesting! Waking up to no electricity (I’m getting used to that), and headed off to church at 7 AM. The church service was much like how I experienced church in the states. There was nothing too special about it except that I was in Uganda. It was a cold and wet morning since it had rained all night, but enjoyable nonetheless. When we arrived back home, I was pleasantly surprised to find that I had a roommate! A little green lizard had been rummaging through my belongings and apparently was trying to find a way out of the room. Florence and I got him out of the room, but as I was doing some research for my paper, I noticed him in the middle of the floor staring at me. I would have taken a picture of my new roommate, but he’s camera shy. He’s also very noisy! Anywhere he goes, he’s running into something. I haven’t named him since he comes in and out of my room so I view him more of a housemate than a roommate but he’s harmless. There are many bugs and animals running around that I’ve become pretty immune to them. The only roommates I would object to are snakes, mosquito's, rats and mice – none of which I have seen lately even though I know they’re around somewhere.

She's about to make some rice (arabic style)

Saturday, I was able to help (mainly watch) cook for a big dinner that Florence was hosting. It is quite interesting to see how everything is made by hand and from their farm. I really wanted to make the Chapati but I watched instead. I didn’t need anyone getting sick over something that I cooked incorrectly. But it definitely takes a village to put on a big feast!  One thing I have really enjoyed is the conservation of energy here! In the states, we don’t usually have switches to turn off and on the sockets or use very little water to wash the dishes or wash our hands. Here, because resources may be plentiful but you don’t know when the next time is that you’ll have power or hot water, everyone is very conservative!

I named the one looking at me Babe

I also had a great revelation! I’ve mainly been eating vegetables! I am turning into a vegetarian by coincidence rather than on purpose. There are a few reasons for that: first, most of the meals I have with Florence’s family are vegetable based and very good! Second, I usually don’t eat meat back home and that habit has carried over to Uganda.  And lastly, since waking up to baby chicks chirping, a cow mooing, pigs squealing, and goats baahing, I’ve grown to really see them as living creatures rather than food. Yesterday, Florence’s niece took me to see the pigs and I was shocked! Not because of how they looked, no my friend, I’ve seen a pig before. But rather because of how they looked at me. I know pigs are smart, but unlike other farm animals that I’ve been around, I felt as though the pig was looking at me to try to understand me rather than to see if I had food in my hands. I suppose I can relate this feeling to dogs.  How my two dogs look at me is how I saw the pigs (and piglets) looking at me. That shocked me more than anything so far.

 

During the week, I was able to go to Eastern Uganda and go hiking while Florence monitored a training. I wasn't just amazed at the beautiful waterfalls and vegetation, but I was also amazed to find that in that particular area, there were some cultural practices that are now illegal that directly harmed women. Its as though everywhere I go in Uganda, it contributes to my research either through the law or through the cultural practices that harm women. I don't want to go into detail about the cultural practices in that particular area, but if you are interested in learning more, just email me and I will be glad to share with you in more detail the things I learned while near Mbale and hiking near Mt. Elgon.

 

But now! I'm safely back in Kampala and working on my research. I have an opportunity to present my proposal to the faculty and staff of the Gender and Women Studies department next week and get some feedback.  Overall, this past week has been good and very eye-opening. I'm looking forward to the rest of the year! I just hope I don't have anymore roommates when I move into my new flat. :)

 

There and Back (pt 2) - Better late than never!

It's been a while since I've posted but I haven't forgotten that there is a part two to this "There and Back" post. Since I'm about one month away from heading to Uganda, I have been doing a lot of thinking and reflecting on what it was like while I was there. One this is for sure, it wasn't as hot as it is here in the D.C. area.  We had an Ozone Alert yesterday which meant I stayed in the house for the better part of the day. Since I don't predict the temperature to reach over 100 degrees Fahrenheit, then it is safe to say that I can pack for the usual summer that we have in the D.C. area (minus the humidity).



The Nile

I have also been planning to reconnect with some great people that I met while in Kampala in March. Hopefully, I'll be able to do more historic tours like I did at the Nile (and maybe even swim in it), as well as tour the rest of the 9200 district. I'm also looking forward to possibly going to a football match (soccer) and getting a Ugandan jersey.  Even though I used to play soccer up till the age of about 11 or so, I haven't really watched any professional matches (besides the occasional game on T.V.).


The Mandela National Stadium





I'm really starting to look forward to this new adventure. Now, that's not to say that I wasn't looking forward to it before, but as I'm starting to do more research for my project this year as well as think about community service and where I want to visit in the district, I'm starting to realize that...Toto, I won't be in the U.S. anymore, I'll be in a place that's rich with history, has a very unique culture, and will be the start of more to come.






Orange Soda...It's supposed to say Mirinda in Arabic

Theo other side of the soda can

There are a couple of things that might take some time getting used to, such as the multiple languages (such as Lugandan and English and even Arabic).  Another scholar headed to Kampala is actually going to be taking language courses in Lugandan while there. I considered it but I think I also want to learn Swahili (at some point while I'm in East Africa). Even though in the D.C. area there is a sense of a melting pot with many cultures and languages, so the idea of being around multiple languages isn't a hard concept to grasp. It's when people begin to speak these local languages to me that I may have to get used to or just learn (which should be fun!).



One thing I'm really looking forward to getting used to is the food! During my visit in March, I tried so many different foods that had Indian and Ugandan influence. But since I will be travelling around the district to speak to different Rotary Clubs in each country, I'm going to try to get a taste of each country through a cultural dish as well!

I'm bound to write one more post before departing for this adventure. So until next time!

There and Back (pt 1)

I am so glad I got to go to Uganda before my scholarship year began. I now know what to pack, what local languages I should learn, and a little more about the cutlure since I was there on the ground.  The biggest shock I got was how many people had mistaken me for a Ugandan. It was a pleasant surprise as many people tried to speak Lugandan to me, even when I was boarding the plane to head home.

The first day that we were there we visited EDAPO. This is the organization that the Crystal-City/Pentagon Club is doing as their international community service project.  It was so amazing to see the children and the teachers at the location. We were greeted, shown around the location, and even witnessed some traditional dances. That was my favorite part. Each dance had a story and purpose to it that sort of took me by surprise.



Going to the location was such a difference from staying in Kampala. The city isn't as developed as Washington D.C. but it still had a little New York City feel with people walking around at night and socializing at the local cafes. It was a pleasant surprise! Kampala is certainly the melting pot for the different districts in Uganda as well as internationally. There were people from all over the world in that one city and I was quite amazed at how many people visited or did business in Uganda. I think that's a good sign that Uganda is indeed on it's way to becoming more developed and maintaining its status as the Pearl of Africa. The picture to the right is outside of Kampala. In the U.S. we would call this the suburbs or a major city, however in Uganda, they don't consider it Kampala at all! It's a totally different place. The reason I took this picture is beause I kept seeing these types of shops with the words "Authorised Dealer" somewhere on the building. It was just a reminder to me that the Republic of Uganda has a different type of government and standards than the U.S. It was actually pretty interesting and not a bad idea to have that on the buildings because as you go out to the more rural areas as we did when going to Jinja, there are people who are not authorised dealers who try to sell you a product.

One thing I was really looking forward to was the food haha! It was pretty good! I got to try Matooke (the mashed stuff on my plate), Peanut sauce (the brown stuff on my plate), and plenty of differently types of fish and seasoned chicken. There is a strong Indian influence in the food. Goodness! There was so much that I did in one week, I can't possibly put it in one post! So until next time!!

Finally! An Update!

It has been such a LONG TIME since I've written a post! I'm sorry everyone for the delay in updating you about my adventures before heading to Uganda. There is so much to tell you that I don't know where to begin! HAHA! Well, since my last post the first big event that happened was the....

Ambassadorial Scholar Orientation:

It was so great to meet different Ambassadorial Scholars and learn where they are headed in this upcoming academic year. I met some great people who weren't even Ambassadorial Scholars but were apart of a Global Study Exchange Team. That particular program is for older professionals (who are younger than 40 though) who go to another country for about a month and exchange ideas within their trade or career field. How awesome is that? And people thought exchange programs were for high school and college students. :)

The mirror on the table is reflecting on us haha!

The pin on the right is the Rotary 2011-2012 logo for "Embrace Humanity Within"
The pin on the left for the Rotary Foundation Ambassadorial Scholar

I was also able to meet the other Ambassadorial Scholar from my district. She is absolutely wonderful and I'm glad I was able to meet her. She's actually headed to China for her academic year.  The one thing that I have taken away from that weekend is how the sense of helping others was with everyone. The Rotarians were all so helpful and a pleasure to be around and I could see that the GSE (Global Study Exchange) Teams and Ambassadorial Scholars were the next generations of Rotarians. I am extremely happy to have been apart of this event and more importantly this organization.


Rotaract:

Since the beginning of the new year, I've made it a point to get more involved with Rotaract. I was a member of my university's Rotaract club but I decided to go to a couple of meetings and social events of one the Washington D.C.'s community based Rotaract Clubs. And boy oh boy! Was it great to meet a group of young poeple like them!

After a meeting with the Metro Washington, D.C. Rotaract Club

Ice Skating in DC with the Metro Washington, D.C. Rotaract Club

They are all so energetic, willing to help, and FUNNY! After every Rotaract event, I was on fire and ready to get more involved and make some new friends. They all have different interest but come together to serve the community, gain professional development, and just hang out with different people. Conversations with Rotaractors are never dull HAHA!

I also did a community service event with a couple of Rotarians for the DC Rotaract Club. It was quite an enjoyable evening. On one of the coldest nights, we helped the Salvation Army give warm food and hot chocolate to the homeless. I haven't done something like that since I was in Girl Scouts and even then we just prepared the food. 

Uganda Action:

In the past couple of months, there has been a little progress with Uganda Action. The biggest step was confirming that the small group (Rotarians from the Crystal-City/Pentagon club and me) was able to go travel to Uganda in the month of March. Now we are currently trying to raise more awareness about EDAPO and the needs in Uganda. This particular update deserves its own post so I will make the next post all about the Uganda Action Project and EDAPO.

I am excited to go visit the location and Kampala. Every now and then the group recieves a picture from the president of EDAPO such as the one above and it warms my heart to see the children. But since the trip has been set in stone, I have been doing so much research on Uganda and have contacted so many people who are Ugandan or have been there in order to get a grasp of what to expect.

Since the trip is about 2 weeks away, you can expect a lot of pictures and more information on the Uganda Action project. I haven't been to Africa before so this is going to be quite an adventure!

 Until next time everyone!

Africa and the Media

Every now and then I come across something that stricks me as interesting or worth sharing with others. This pariticular blog post from The New Yorker I found to be very interesting. With the negative stereotypes about Africa from the news or even people who do not bother to try to learn more about African countries, this post highlights some important things that were not mentioned in great detail in the American media. Check it out!

10 Biggest Positive Africa Stories of 2011