Prairie Dogs Redefined

When Anna studied abroad in Germany last year, one of the program coordinators encouraged the students to compare their experiences in Germany to those they would have at home, to think of things in Germany as things in America, just redefined. So the girls and I have taken to saying ‘blank: redefined’ pretty often. Hopefully Gabbi and I can put together a picture post before we leave to demonstrate some of the hilarious and significant ‘redefined’ moments we have had. But here’s a snapshot.

Every morning, the four munus leave Hotel Diamond around 8:10 a.m. for our daily walk to work, which is about three blocks away. And every day without fail, we have an audience of small Acholi children to accompany us. They only know a few English phrases (the main one being “Munu, how are you?”) which they scream at us repeatedly in really high pitches, not ever waiting for us to answer. In a lot of ways, they’re like prairie dogs. Not physically, of course, but if you’ve ever seen prairie dogs at the zoo (or the wild which would be really neat), you know they stand on their hind legs and emit high-pitched squeals to warn each other of danger. The Acholi children also stand on their hind legs (duh) and emit high-pitched squeals to alert children further up the block about the coming munus. I don’t mean to imply that the munus are a danger to the children – I promise we have no plans to hurt anyone. I also don’t mean any harm in comparing the children to small animals. Actually, for another animal (or movie, I suppose) comparison, every once in a while we get this creepy, almost whispered chant of “munu, munu, munu, munu …” sort of like the Jaws attack scene (duh duh, duh duh, duh duh ...).

I think what surprises us the most is that they haven’t gotten used to us. We pass them two, sometimes three times a day – so after 23 days, that’s at least 46 times. I suppose we should feel honored and loved that they still pay us so much attention. Hopefully I still feel this way in another thirty five days.

*** munu = white person ***

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Sad Sunday

This was a bad weekend for my innocence. I did two things I had always hoped to avoid: used a squatty-potty and ate fish. It’s not that I’ve never not used a toilet, I just had really hoped to not not use a toilet in Uganda. And I succeeded for three weeks! But within a few hours on Sunday I had both used a squatty-potty (the toilet in Crystal and my room doesn’t work so we use Gabbi and Anna’s toilet, but they were still sleeping so I used the outside one at the hotel) and eaten fish disguised by cooked cabbage at our favorite restaurant. I’m currently mourning the loss of my innocence.

For The Sake of the Website

This is a rather odd and very boring post. I have to upload this picture onto the internet in order to download it onto the HAU website Alfred and I are currently trying to make (don't ask me why). So here is HAU's new logo!

Let's hope this works. In other news, check out the HAU website! www.healthalertuganda.org 

It's Been a While

I’ve been slightly MIA lately. I haven’t felt like blogging, not even here. But I’m back!

It took a little reflection and a chat with my mom to adjust my attitude and start loving Uganda again.

I finally realized that all of the problems I felt I’d been having recently actually have very simple solutions. If you’re bored at work, find something to do! Go on a field visit, even if it will be in all Acholi and you won’t actually understand – at least you’re there. If you’re getting bitten by mosquitoes, start using the mosquito net. If you can’t sleep because it’s hot, deal with it and realize you’ll have the most beautiful, fulfilling sleep the next night when the fan is working again. When you get a cold while in Uganda, laugh it off because it’s bizarre enough to be funny.

My expectations for Africa were too high. Before I left, Africa was this magical, foreign place full of excitement and endless entertainment. Now, I realize that, as different as Gulu is from home, it’s in many ways the exact same. Maybe that’s why I feel so comfortable here, despite the language and cultural barriers. When it comes down to it, all humans are the same. All they want in the end is to be happy and healthy.

This morning, the munus got to meet our friend Emma’s new baby boy, Jonathan. The hospital room had 8 women with their newborns and family crowded in it, the moms were eating fried bread and bananas while breast-feeding their babies openly, the babies were wrapped in traditional fabrics, and everyone was speaking Acholi. Despite the differences between Lacor Catholic Hospital and say, the hospital I was born in at home, the most apparent thing to me this morning was the love everyone felt for newborns and for each other. It made me happy, clearly.

I would post a picture of my favorite new baby, but his dad is not here to ask, so I won't. But I promise he's quite beautiful. A 'latin aber', as they would say in Acholi.