Muzungu

"Muzungu!  Hiiii How are you??"

On my first day, my driver Hussein conveyed to me in his broken English that I am called “muzungu”.  This is what the children yell to me when I pass by in the car.  They might just stare, but most of the time they smile and wave and yell.  From what I gather, it just means “white person” and it’s not gender specific.

I think I now understand on some small level what it’s like to be a celebrity (or a fish in a fish bowl).  Not in regards to all the money and fame, of course, but what it’s like to be watched.  All. The. Time.  Everywhere I go, people stare at me.  The children with their mouths hanging open or smiling, the men with blank stares, or sometimes grins, and the women with shy half smiles.  I understand, and I would probably do the same thing in their situation, but it’s exhausting.  For one, I just generally don’t like being watched.  (: I also always feel as though I might do something stupid or offensive.  I am one of a limited number of Americans these people have probably ever seen (in person).  Second, I never know what they’re thinking, and I can’t really converse with them.  And for a fairly relational and curious person, that’s tiring.  Overall, this being watched thing definitely curbs my usual travel desires of going on walks and exploring and looking for new experiences (and in this regard I empathize with celebrities- how sad that they can’t explore without all the attention).  Maybe I’ll get used to it before I leave.

I’ve also found that for some reason, my name is very difficult for Ugandans to pronounce.  They usually just look at me and giggle.  I didn’t anticipate that because it’s pretty short, but it’s the long “A” sound.  So I’ve taken to either saying that my name is Omber or Nicole, my middle name.  For whatever reason, they’re quite adept at saying Nicole.   My pronunciation is also very difficult for them.  Even if they speak some English, I usually have to say things more than once for them to understand.  They have a very soft and sing-songy, yet deliberate way of speaking.  When the women say hello it’s usually “Hi, How are yoouuu”, in one breath without really looking you in the eye.  And they don’t really shake hands, they more just hold your hand limply for what I consider an uncomfortable amount of time.  (:   After they say hello they usually mumble “you are welcome here”.   

The family of one of the women in Nankoma, the farmer cooperative which I am giving trainings. 

The kids are all, of course, so adorable.  They have such smooth beautiful skin and their smiles light up their faces.  I want to squeeze them all, but I can’t without feeling really creepy.  Also, yesterday a baby stared at me for a few minutes and then her face slowly crumpled into tears.  Maybe because I’m white?  Or just scary?  Or the baby was just stranging?  I’ll tell myself the latter.  I learned that Uganda is actually one of the youngest countries in the world.  Over half of the population is under 15, which is just crazy and will obviously present a lot of future employment problems.  But anyway, kids seem to be everywhere.  Without the many distractions of kids in the developed world, they spend most of their time playing outside, running around, or helping their parents (and, of course, yelling at the occasional white passerby).  Thankfully, kids are now required to attend all the way through primary school (middle school), and I believe secondary school as well. 

Boys carrying jackfruits along the side of the road.  If you've never seen these fruits, more pictures will follow. (: 

I often feel like this experience is very surreal- like I’m actually somehow driving through a documentary instead of witnessing these things first hand.  The stereotypical pictures of too-short children with tattered clothes playing in the dirt in front of a mud hut… they’re all around me.  I know that in many ways they’ll have a difficult life ahead of them, but right now they look so brave, happy, and lively.  They help me imagine a more hopeful future for Uganda.    

This was an ornery bunch.  The first day they peeked out at me from behind poles and trees and I'm pretty sure they were daring each other to touch me because one of them eventually did.

Welcome to Uganda: The Pearl of Africa

Those were the words that greeted me when I stepped off the plane from Amsterdam.  I had no idea and still don't fully know what to expect, but it's all certainly an adventure.  

To begin, I'll explain a little about my assignment and what got me here.  I traveled to Uganda for a 3-week volunteer assignment with CRS, Catholic Relief Services.  CRS has a current project with USAID through the Farmer-2-Farmer program with specific agriculture and business objectives in Uganda.  However, nutrition is obviously an important part of human health and success.  The majority of Ugandans are now able to consume enough food to meet basic Calorie requirements, but their starch-based diet means that micronutrient and protein deficiencies are still a large problem.  38% of children under 5 are stunted, which they never fully recover from, and 3/4 of children under 5 are anemic.  1/2 of all pregnant women are also anemic.  My project involves conducting nutrition trainings for a farmer cooperative in south eastern Uganda, the Bugiri district.  This cooperative has a large population of females of reproductive age (women usually do the farming work in Uganda).  Overall, the goal will be to show them how to prepare and consume a more balanced diet using nutritious options for local foods, which are available, but not always consumed.  Cost can obviously be a factor, but from my understanding there are also cultural factors at play, and obviously a lack of information.  Farmers also tend to sell, rather than consume, their crops.  Unfortunately many of these farmers lack the ability to write or read, which will add some challenges to my trainings.  Though English is technically an official language in Uganda, many of the farmers don't speak it.  Thankfully I'll have a translator.  

The courtyard at my hotel in Kampala

So Amber, how did you end up working with CRS?  Good question.  CRS is an NGO with coordinates development projects in many countries around the world (another obvious example- the peace corp).   I had a friend in grad school do a short assignment with CRS last year, and he passed along information on current assignments.  These assignments range over a variety of topic areas, including finances, agriculture, human and resource management, etc.  I expressed interest to CRS in the Uganda project because it most related to nutrition and food.  The short duration of this assignment also allowed me to go before finishing grad school.   I'm honored for the opportunity to work on this project and transfer some knowledge and training to people who are in great need of simple information.  

Breakfast was obviously a little different than what we're used to,
but delicious. 

So... right now, I'm excited to be here and nervous.  I'm still experience jet lag and some culture shock.  A few interesting experiences so far...

I had some drama at the Entebbe airport because they only accept new $50 (series 2007 or later), and none of the ATM's accepted Mastercard, only Visa.  Silly me, I forgot to check the $50 bill when I got it from the bank.  There was honestly a moment when I wasn't sure if I was leaving the airport, but luckily I found the woman who came with the driver from the hotel and after much time and conversation she was able to pay for me in African shillings (150,000).

Uganda, as a former British colony, drives on the left side of the road, which threw me for a loop at first.  The traffic in Kampala is also just generally nuts, and I've seen my life flash before my eyes at least 5 times.  Speed limits, road lines (if there are any), parking, and intersections seem totally arbitrary/optional.  On the plus side, we've only had to wait at one stoplight, and that's the only stoplight I've observed so far.  And it's also all a little fun.  (:

The Bugiri district, where I traveled today, is beautiful, but obviously quite poor.  I've hit the tail end of the rainy season, and everything lush and green and rain forrest-y.   Pictures were difficult to take on the drive, but hopefully I should have some soon.  I definitely stick out like a sore thumb here, more so than in the city.  A few things I'm thankful for-  I'll have internet consistently thanks to an internet stick from CRS.  The people at the "guest house"/hotel where I'm staying seem quite nice.  I've had electricity all evening, which I'm told doesn't often happen.  So far, I haven't gotten sick.  I'm thankful for running water, but the hardest thing for me will probably be the cold showers.  I'm not very high-maintenance, but as anyone who knows me well knows... I love my hot showers.  

Whoops, there goes the electricity.  I jinxed it.  That's all for now folks!