Q: What’s your three
favourite things about Uganda?
A:
1. The people. Everybody
strives to make you feel welcomed and be your friend, never have I met more
hospitable people in my life.
2. The Culture. Everything
from the artwork to the music entices me. If you really love music come to
Africa, this country hasn’t forgotten their roots! Honestly, everybody I’ve met
loves music, and everybody either sings or plays the drums. It’s beautiful.
3. Demolishment of the
clock. There’s no such thing as time here, which is truly a golden thing. You
can sleep in, stay up, walk slow or leave late, and nobody cares! Luckily I
still have a good amount of the Canadian mindset still in my brain, so I still
arrived early – or should I say on time to events.
Q: What’s the worst thing
about Uganda?
A: Traffic. We’re stuck in
the middle of Entebbe and Kampala – like Central Saanich back home. So we are
always getting stuck in traffic jams, whether people are trying to get into
Kampala, or going out we somehow get affected. It wouldn’t be so bad sitting in
traffic, IF it wasn’t 26 degrees outside, and you didn’t have to inhale the
other hundred cars fumes.
Q: What do you miss?
A: Aside from brief
homesickness every now and then, and the yearning for some socializing, not a
whole lot. Internet would probably be the biggest frustration. It’s really
limited, no youtube, no uploading or downloading, and you really have to limit
your time. But other than that Africa really changes your perspective, so
things you were accustomed to, don’t even matter anymore.
Q: What is the standard
diet?
A: Motoke – mashed up
bananas. Although it looks like potato’s, and is supposed to taste like banana,
it tastes like…nothing. I really don’t like it, but that’s okay because we
don’t eat it, though if we did our food bill would go down a lot. And they pour
a nut sauce – which we eat a lot, over top which adds some flavor and enough
liquid to swallow it. And people eat piles of it because there isn’t any
nutrients, so if your portion is to small your stomach still feels empty.
Q: Have you made friends?
A: Yes! Uganda is full of
loving and hospital people, it’s hard not to make friends! There are those few
people who treat you special just because they want to be friends with a white
person, but the majority of people are sincere in their friendship.
Q: Have you ever felt
unsafe?
A: Not really. Driving is
suicide, but we all know the roads well enough to avoid getting crushed. The
guys can sometimes be pests, but my secret weapon is this…guys aren’t used to
woman standing up to them, so even just glaring or acting tough and giving them
a disapproving glance makes them smarten up. In fact they’re astounded when
white girls do that, because deep down under that face of confidence they’re
shaking in their shoes.
Q: Is Africa the dangerous
place everybody believes it is?
A: Yes and no. Saying
Africa is like saying North America! And a lot can vary between British
Columbia and Cancun Mexico! Uganda USED to be pretty dangerous, well actually
it was really dangerous. Kony was up north and a lot of stuff happened up
there. But things have settled down, and I even met somebody the other day who
works with a peace party up north, trying to repair the damage – the orphanage
we volunteer at has a lot of kids who’ve lost their parents because they were
up north when all that poop was going on. But honestly there aren’t people
running around with machetes killing people, or stealing and kidnapping
happening on every corner. But since we’ve been here there’s been a crazy riot
downtown Kampala, but we weren’t affected at all – I’ve never even been to
downtown Kampala! And some locals told us to never go in this market because
it’s so unsafe the police don’t even enter. But think about home, there was
that HUGE Vancouver riot after a flipping hockey game! And there’s certain
parts of town that nobody goes to…it’s just common sense. You’re in a big city
so obviously you have to be careful, but out where we live you’re completely
fine! People just flip out when they see something crazy happen in Africa on
the news, and before they read the story they’ve said “It’s just because Africa
is dangerous!” But there are reasons behind the events. I mean this year in
America there’s been two major shootings! And nobody says “Don’t go to America,
it’s dangerous”
And I will add that
somebody jumped our wall in daylight and attempted to steal, but couldn’t get
anything! Because there are flipping metal bars across your windows, so even if
they break the glass they still can’t get in, and the garage is a huge hunk of
metal that is always locked, and only stupid people leave things out unlocked.
So yeah he might’ve jumped the wall, but he quickly realized he couldn’t grab
anything and get away.
Q: If you could change one
thing about Africa…
A: Oh boy, one thing is
pretty tough! There are sooo many things I’d love to change about Africa, so
narrowing down to just one is tough beans.
Something that really
disturbs me is the kids that beg on the side of the highway. Just barely able
to walk and they’re walking in a flipping zoo of cars asking for money, or
sometimes just water! I’d really like to figure out a way to get them off the
streets. Kids who live on dirt floors have it better than these kids. I want to
punch the parents of these kids, who send them out everyday, with no water and
no food. Even the locals get mad at the parents and say it’s child abuse, which
it is. I’ll figure out how to get them off the streets, eventually. But yes
that is defiantly on the top of my list for “Things To Do.” Even on Christmas
Eve the kids were out begging! So sad.
Q: How has your perspective
changed?
A: In many different ways!
I have a completely new way of looking at life. I felt a little uncomfortable
when we were returning home Boxing Day, after staying at a nice resort with a
swimming pool and buffet breakfast, and then drove through a village of mud
huts and little afro babies walking ‘round with torn clothing. You almost feel
sick to your stomach that there are people living in these conditions, while
others bathe in luxury. If you want a new perspective on life…come to Africa.
Q: Would I like Uganda?
A: Well this is hard to
answer because everybody is different. Whether you like Uganda or not, you
should still come, because those who don’t like it, are the ones who really
need to be here! Uganda is very likeable, if you’re adjustable. If you want
Canada on the other side of the world, you’ll be disappointed. But if you want
a life changing experience and a whole lot of valuable life lessons, and a real
epic adventure, then yes you’d like Uganda. I’ve been here almost three months,
and I still smile when I see little black toddlers hobbling over on their
chubby thighs to wave to the Mzungus. Honestly the most adorable thing I’ve
ever witnessed in my life.
Well that concludes the
questions, have a stellar day!
Cheers
Savannah
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