Celebrating the Festive Season

On Friday, we had our year end Christmas party.  It was an action packed day (and night) and so much fun!  Our staff from the Hoima office came into town for the week and joined the party, and then we also had all of the business mentors with us, so I think we had about 25 people or so there for the festivities. I decided for the occasion to wear my new African outfit that I'd recently had made. My coworkers told me I looked "so smart" and like a true African queen. 

My African Queen outfit

We started out with some year end meetings and then all headed over to a hospital in a nearby sub-county of Soroti. Each of the country offices had planned to do a year end activity and then a party, or dinner.  Our local staff here had decided that they wanted to take a portion of their own salaries (which are already quite modest) and donate toward a worthy cause in the community. They wanted to share the holiday spirit and help those less fortunate, and were also thinking that it would create a good opportunity to get some visibility for the organization in the community.  After some research, it was found there was a hospital in the area that had a fully equipped maternity ward, but had been waiting for some time to get enough money to connect power to it so it could be functional.  In the interim, pregnant mothers were having to travel to a hospital further away to deliver, which, as you can imagine, it’s not easy to get around here, especially for those who are poor, so not having a place to safely deliver nearby can have serious implications. And since there is a link between health and poverty, it was meaningful to the staff here and aligned with the organization’s mission to help people living in extreme poverty. It was also really touching for me since I had just spent the last 5 years working for a power company, so it was really neat to have that be part of our Christmas donation, and to see the incredible difference that electricity can make here.

Maternity ward in a sub-county of Soroti

We had a ceremony at the hospital, and then made a presentation of the donation to the administration and local government officials. As it turned out, the power could not be connected that day, and since money can have a way of disappearing here if it’s not put to its immediate purpose, it was determined that we would only give the money to the people actually connecting the lines when it happened.  So in lieu of providing the money or the service that day, I suggested we present a big check, like is often done in the US when corporations make a donation (I had actually helped fill one out before at my last company).  The one we had was a bit smaller than I had in mind, and I found it really amusing that the staff referred to it as a “dummy” check, even during the ceremony itself, but it all turned out quite nicely.  Then we got to tour the 2-room maternity ward.

Presenting the "dummy" check

The delivery room

Afterwards, we headed to the venue for our Christmas party. It was a really nice place on the outskirts of town. While we were waiting for lunch to be prepared, we walked around the grounds, and saw ducks, bats and other sights.

Random group of ducks running around the grounds

Touring the party location with some of my coworkers 

Bats in a nearby palm tree
(I had really good zoom. I definitely kept my distance so I wouldn't get ebola or rabies...) 

Statue of people making waragi (local millet beer brew) 

Lawn where the party moved to after lunch

We had our Christmas lunch at around 4 p.m. and then took advantage of the opportunity of everyone being dressed up to take some photos. For some random reason, it made me think of "party pics" at Mizzou (a throwback to college days).

Then we did a Secret Santa exchange, which was a lot of fun. The price limit was 10,000 shillings (or about $4).  I don’t think it's something that's commonly done in Uganda. Christmas gifts aren't really big here. It's more about Christmas parties and having Christmas outfits made. But was started by some of the American staff who were here last year, and everyone really enjoyed it and wanted to do it again this year.

My Secret Santa

We also played some games. My favorite was “Mingle Mingle.” It involved everyone milling about and walking around and among each other while our game’s orchestrator called “Mingle Mingle, Mingle Mingle!” Then when she called out a number (like 7, 12 or 21), everyone had to immediately cluster together into a tightly packed group that matched that number.  Anyone left outside of a cluster of people that made up that number were “out.” It resulted in a lot of frantic bear hugs and people being pulled and pushed into groups.

We also played “Elbow Tag” which involved laying on the ground in groups of tow and then touching elbows until your pair was tagged and someone had to get up and run and catch someone. (Kind of hard to explain, but very entertaining!)

Afterwards, we went to the dance club “Trends” which I had been hearing about since before I went to Soroti. I had never made it there before because it apparently doesn't get started until 11:30 p.m. or midnight, which is usually past the time I go to bed. But it was a special occasion and with the party and everyone in town, we decided to go.  We got there around 10pm, and I guess people weren't kidding, because it really was empty, and true to expectations, was not hopping until about 11:30 or so. It was a lot of fun, especially to be there with all of our coworkers. I managed to stay out until around 2:30 a.m. or so, when I became too tired and had to head home.  Though there were people who didn't get home until around 4 a.m.  So good times were definitely had by all!

This will be my lost blog post for a while since I am starting the long journey home for the holidays this Wednesday. It will be an all day drive to get from Soroti to the airport in Entebbe (probably around 7 or 8 hours). Then the following morning I'll start the 23 hour flight home via Istanbul to get in on Thursday night.  I'll be in the States for a couple of weeks over the Christmas holiday.

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday!!  Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy New Year, and best holiday wishes to all!  For those in the LA area, I hope I’ll be able to catch up with you while I’m home! 

Imbibing in East Africa (or not…)

“Do you take spirits Kim?”  This was a question I received from one of my Ugandan colleagues when I had been in East Africa for just a week or two.  My response: “Why yes, I do.”  At the time, I didn’t realize that put me into another minority group here (in addition to the already more obvious one): that of female drinkers. The handful of times that I’ve gone out to bars with some of my coworkers, often with another mzungu from the US, I can’t help but notice we are often the only women out, with the exception of those who are waitressing. I had read in my Uganda tour book before coming that public intoxication is frowned upon here, but I thought, well really, isn’t everywhere? 

Enjoying a Nile Special while looking out over the Nile in Jinja when I visited Uganda in January 

Now let me clarify up front, I am not doing a whole heck of a lot of boozing here in Africa (don't let the pictures fool you). In fact, I drink less here than I have at any point in my life since I went away to college (even though the living conditions often really make me want to drink!).  But I think that’s what makes it stand out to me even more.  The fact that I am drinking so much less here, yet I feel like the local booze hound. I think only 10-20% of my East African colleagues take the drink. And since I live in the office, and office groceries share space in the fridge, pretty much everyone knows that I do.

Tusker, my favorite Kenyan beer, also available in Uganda 

There is a small supermarket I go to, actually named “My Supermarket,” that is where I typically buy my beer. Club is my favorite, as you may have noticed, since it has been featured in some previous meal-time blog posts. And beer is usually the only alcoholic beverage I buy because wine is really expensive here, and hard liquor just isn’t really my preference. So once or twice a week I may buy beer, and when I say buy beer, it literally means buying one or two 500 ml bottles of beer (the equivalent of 1.3 12 ounce beers). I will also typically return prior bottles because you get a healthy 1000 shillings back for each bottle you return (or about 30 cents).  However, to this day (3.5 months in) I don’t believe I have EVER seen another woman, besides a mzungu, who may be at the store with me, buying alcohol (or returning bottles). It makes me feel even more self-conscious than I usually do when I notice the looks I get at the counter (and I don’t think it’s just in my head) when I do buy beer or return my bottles. So I have at times actually taken to dropping off the bottles and buying new ones during different visits to try to feel a little less conspicuous. In reality, it also makes sense to do it in separate trips because usually when I run to town on the weekends, I am also doing grocery shopping and a lot of walking around so it makes sense, in my pragmatic mind, to drop off the bottles, do whatever walking around I need to, and then if I choose to have a couple beers that weekend, pick up some bottles on the way back home.

 

Now, don’t get me wrong, everyone here is not a teetotaler. In fact one of the Peace Corps volunteers told me there’s a high rate of alcoholism in Uganda, which I believe is also tied to unemployment and poverty. I’ve seen some of that in the villages as well where people are drinking or seen staggering around drunk in the middle of the day (though again, mostly men, no women). There’s also home brew that is often made in the villages, such as ajano, or millet beer, which you drink from a communal pot or bucket with straws, but I haven’t tried that (yet). I have also heard there’s banana beer, which sounds good, but there are always the dangers of how such home brews are made (think moonshine) and of course, consider the water it is likely made with...

It seems there’s just not a large demographic in the middle--it’s either alcoholism or abstinence. I think some of it has to do with religion, as there is a large Evangelical influence here (as evidenced by the ALL NIGHT church revival that was going on right outside my bedroom window from 9:30 p.m. on Friday to 6:30 a.m. on Saturday--again, living conditions here that might lead one to drink--But I digress…).  There is also a substantial Muslim population here, which also typically abstain, but I think that’s still only around 10-15% of the population at most. In fact both of the wedding receptions I’ve been to here so far, both Muslim and Christian, were dry.

But regardless of my insecurities, I figure I work hard, life is not always easy here, and if I occasionally want to enjoy a beer, well darnit I will have one (or two). But I definitely look forward to enjoying some holiday cheer back home where I won't feel as self-conscious. 

My first Club in the Entebbe airport waiting to head home in January 

Spot checks, Stories & Spirits

Yesterday a group of us went to the field to spot check businesses that had recently received grants to ensure they're using the funds--and that the program is working--as intended.  It was an interesting day that resulted in a random collection of stories. As I think back it's surprising that it could all come from one 6 hour time frame! I don’t have any photos to share since I was on my own for a good part of it, and didn't want to make myself any more conspicuous, or attract any more attention, than I was already receiving.

Sharing of Plates – On our way to the field to do the spot checks, my coworkers shared some stories about their local culture. One had to do with how until recently (maybe in the last 5 years or so), before plastic was widely available, families had a very limited number of dishes. (Since such things were usually out of household's price range.) So it was very common that people shared plates. They told of tricks kids would play to try to get the best parts of the meal before their younger siblings. One example was when meat was served, the person who put the food on the plate would try to stow the meat away in the middle where it would remain hidden and also be too hot to the touch for the younger kids to eat (since people typically eat with their hands here). 

Roads including an HIV Component – As we passed through an area of road construction (which was desperately needed), one of my coworkers mentioned “these roads here have an HIV component.”  I was like, “What?”  He then proceeded to explain to me that now whenever roads are constructed or repaired in Uganda, the contracts require that an education campaign be included to inform the local young ladies living along the road’s path about the dangers of HIV. This apparently came about due to a history of road workers, who were a long way away from home and from their wives, engaging in sexual promiscuity in the neighborhoods along the roadside.

Conducting Spot Checks – Conducting the spot checks was an experience in itself. In order to check the maximum number of businesses, we divided and conquered. Thus, I was sent out on my own. I was armed with a local translator (because it would be useless for me to try to interview any business owners with only knowing “Hello” and “Thank you” in Ateso) and dropped off at a series of huts to get started.   

My translator was a teacher named Geoffrey who had been voluntold (I think) to assist me.  So off we went in search of the business owners.  You would think we'd know where to find them, but given there are no addresses in the rural villages where we work, you locate the program’s participants by asking anyone you see if they know where those you seek live. Then you walk in the direction you’re pointed until you need to ask someone again to find your way. So we set off wandering around the villages and eventually found, through a trial and error process, some of the business owners, who I then interviewed via the translator.

The presence of a mzungu in the community caused the typical stir and also spurred the usual parade of children as we made our way along the dirt paths through widely scattered clusters of mud huts and fields of crops. It was a sunny day, about 80+ degree weather, in a landscape that is transitioning to dry season. It was interesting to interview the business owners and to hear how they had used their grants and how the program was working for them.

Packing in the Pupils – As we plodded along, my translator explained to me the current state of education in Uganda.  He teaches English and Social Studies to children ranging in age from 7 to 14 in a private school.  (Private schools are definitely preferred here for those who can afford them.)  He has an average class size of around 45 which was substantially better than government/public schools that could have anywhere from 100-200 children in a single classroom. He explained that Uganda is attempting to provide universal primary education, which is subsidized by the government, but for which parents still have to pay school fees in order for their children to be able to attend.  He also explained that class levels had a range of ages, especially for girls, since not all girls were able to start school at the right time (due to many poor families not being able to afford school fees when needed).

Terrifying Toddlers – After we completed the spot checks, we were making our way back to the original compound where I was dropped off along a narrow footpath. Coming toward us down the path were two women and a small toddler.  As we neared them, from maybe a distance of 30 feet or so, the toddler ran to hide behind his mother’s skirt and began crying hysterically. I had an inkling it had something to do with me...  This was confirmed when my translator explained that the child was afraid of me, since children in that area rarely see white people.  The women found it amusing.  As we passed, the mother held her son up to me, so his face was about 1-2 feet from mine, so he could get a better look. This of course absolutely terrified him and made him cry even harder.  It’s not the first time, and likely not the last, that a small child here will be petrified by the sight of me.

The Devil Made Her Do It – After we got back to the drop off/pick up point, we joined a group of people in the shade of a grass thatched awning, which I learned was a church.  I called my colleagues to let them know we were done so they could come pick me up after completing their respective spot checks. While we waited, I attempted what small talk I could, which was not much given the language barrier. After a while, some of the women wandered away to the surrounding huts and started singing church hymns.  All was calm and peaceful, so I chillaxed with the group.  Then a woman starting wailing loudly. I turned around to see her hysterical and crawling on her hands and knees through the threshold into one of the huts. The few men sitting under the awning with me seemed unfazed.  I wanted to be culturally sensitive, so I too acted like nothing was happening.  However, after 20-30 minutes of listening to the howling coming from the hut, I whispered to my translator “Is she ok?” I was thinking she must be in labor, maybe it’s a breach birth or something??  He said, “Oh yes, she is fine. It’s the evil spirits being removed from her.”  I was like “Oh, ok.” Then I thought, when the heck is that car going to get here?!?  Ten or so minutes of screaming later, and an assurance from one of the men “Don’t worry, you are safe” and my coworkers finally arrived to pick me up, and we were on our way.  

It was quite an eventful day!  And who knew I’d even get to experience an exorcism?! 

Pork Joint

Most of my work days start around 9 a.m. Coincidentally, soon after, typically between 9 and 9:30, I begin to hear the sounds of squealing and very happy (or maybe angry, hungry, excited?) not sure, but VERY vocal pig sounds coming from next door. So I believe that means it's chow time.  At times they have to compete with the loud mooing of the local cows or the yelling of nearby grazing goats (really the goats sound like they are yelling -- it sometimes sounds like children yelling or babies crying, it's hilarious).  But I digress...

Back to the swine. Perhaps it’s convenient that we live near pigs since people in Soroti tend to like going out for pork (except those who are Muslim of course).  In fact, I had been told since I arrived here about a month ago that I must go with some coworkers to one of the local pork joints.

Now, for the ladies who were with me here in January, you may recall this pork joint we passed on a road somewhere:   

Roadside pork joint in Uganda

Fortunately, the ones here are not like that (though when I think about it, the meat is probably purchased from a similar style of stall in the Soroti market).  

So we went for our pork joint lunch this past week. It was quite an experience! It was interesting, we had planned to go with a group of about 7 or 8 of us, so ingredients were purchased by our staff at the local outdoor market ahead of time and dropped off at the “restaurant” that morning for preparations of the special favored pork dish. (I still don't understand why we purchase and they cook, but I was going with the flow.)

When we arrived, we had the one table in the place and were the only customers.  It was a beautiful day, and we sat out under a big tree and waited while the final preparations were being completed in the nearby building.

You get the special treatment when you're the only customers!

Doing lunch with Soroti coworkers

The pork dish arrived on two large platters, with sides of sliced avocado.  The dish was made with fried pork, Irish potatoes (basically regular potatoes, not sweet potatoes), carrots, onions, green peppers, tomatoes and some spices, including ginger, I believe.  I asked if the meal had a certain name, as this was especially the dish we were coming for and everyone’s favorite, but basically, it’s just referred to as "deep fried pork with spices."

Nice presentation!
(Additional spices available for seasoning on the left)

Close up of pork dish

We then ate the dish with our hands, family style. It was a lot of fun to have the experience and to go out to lunch. In the past 3 months, I think that’s only the second or third time I’ve gone out for lunch on a week day.   

Digging in!  Delicious! 

It was very tasty, but I must admit, I liked all of the veggies with the sauce more than the pork itself, but that’s not a surprise.