Today, out side the gates of Banana, we drove about 60 miles through
Kampala and saw more of Uganda city life. Very industrious with simple
tools and simple means of constructing. A lot of Agriculture but very
small plots. More subsistence growing then major production. Was
told a bushel of organic corn sells for $.60. That's right $.60 a
bushel. Then the guy that buys it trucks it off and sells it for
$2.00. Uganda, from the economic perspective is wealthy. They just
discovered oil under it in the N but they do not have the technology
to access and refine it so they are allowing the oil company to do
this for them. The land also is very fertile and the crop production
is high but again transportation and distribution are the problem
areas. The roads are very poor and a lot of wash out due to the rainy
season, which we are approaching the first part of Sept. The dirt is
red clay and very muddy when it rains. So with an infrastructure in
need of help, things cannot be transported easily.
Our home stay mother, Juliet met us at the training compound today and
brought us home. We were hopeful for running water and electricity
in our homes. Running water, so we could have a toilet, electricity
so we could have lights. We got 1 out of 2. Our house mother (kinda
like foreign exchange student mom) has 2 sons Joshua 13, Joel is 9,
and 2 neices that live with her. Her husband died last year and I
would guess her to be in her late 30s. It is hard to tell as they
don't seem to get gray and have the most beautiful skin. The house
has a beautiful over look of part of the city as we set up on one of
the hills. It is very new concrete construction and she has several
concrete rental units on her lot. She is wealthy as she has 2 other
houses in town along with the row house rental units. She use to have
800 chickens. She sold eggs but after 2 years of intense work she sold
them off and started the housing business. Lots of noise around as the
average birth rate is 7 children per family unit. Back to the house,
the pit latrine is around the corner from the main house and looks to
be about 30 feet deep so doesn't smell, has a concrete hole you squat
over and do you business. At night you have a chamber pot to use and
you are responsible for in am. You take bucket baths and Ugandans are
very clean. There clothes are immaculate even with all the red clay
and they bath 2Xday so in training we were told we are too. They will
heat the water too if you ask but it is expensive for fuel so really
hate to ask. Last hot shower was in Philly a week ago. We have
electricity & TV which is on all the time. The electricity works but
the city electric shuts it down periodically. This happened at Banana
Village too. Our bedroom is furnished with 2 bed frames with sticks
on the corners to hold up the mosquito net, and a wood bar with 10
wood pegs on it. That is it. The concreate floor is very clean as are
the white walls. Everything here is done laundry dshes shaving
bathing but just takes longer uses less water nd ton more elbow
grease. There is no room for the lazy here as the society as a whole
are very proud and hard hard working. It will see how lazy I get.
Food is vegtables, red beans in sauce, very little meat, not many
bread variations just the white square loaf at the bakery store and
some loaves they put food coloring in so it is different colored, but
the same whte loaf. Haven't really found sweets yet but the India
Ugandans have fried foods that are wonderful. Little pillows of
hamburger and beans or veggies and red beans. These you buy at the
street markey stands made fresh so you won't get sick from them .
Our school is 1 hour from out home stay and it is uphill both ways on
lots of washed out roads. Did I tell you we are to walk. We are
forbidden to ride boda bodas(motorcycles for hire) taxi's are 14
person Toyota vans and can't navigate the washed out road to the
school so we will get in really good shape as we live on a hill ½ the
size of Herman and the road to the school is uphill. I figure we are
about 4 miles from school. Did I mention we will have school for 10
weeks during the rainy season and we didn't bring an umbrella? We
have our rain gear but women are not to wear rain trousers so I have a
jacket and wet skirt I guess. Will see how this work out. I am going
to look for an umbrella tomorrow to prepare. Peace Corp gave us new
pillows a blanket and a foam pad along with our mosquito net just wish
we had a mirror and shelf but Saturday after class I guess we go
shopping for more junk. They PC have also given us an allowance for
settling in. I have been using mine to buy fruit. I guess that will
end soon. Enough about today, my host family seems very kind and
hospitable.
Lots of the young PC kids and adults that have come have been sick
with fevers and rapid transit. Hoping I don't get that. As I said I
will need to get better at my aim and nights can be long with the
chamber pot. Don't you wish you were here? Off to a cold shower.
Love from Uganda...
