First full week in Gulutown.

Hello all! So I am still in Gulu happily living with the Nyeko family at the Peyero Guest House/Hotel. I live with my two brothers (Sunday and Sam) and one sister (Hilda). I share a room, and a double bed with my sister. The other sister I told you about in a past post, who is married to one of the President's cousins/brothers, lives in Kampala and is very very pregnant. One person told me she is with triplets. Hopefully I can meet her, the husband, and maybe new babies when we go back to the capitol before we head to Rwanda.

So you will never believe how small this world actually is when I tell you this next bit. So I was sitting on the front “porch” of Peyero when a large SUV pulled up with 2 Muzungues women and 1 African woman. I one of the cute little cats in my lap, and one of the white women saw me with it and smiled at me and began to walk onto the porch, when the two with her told her she was headed to the wrong hotel. Oddly enough I felt as though I knew this woman who smiled at me, but I could not place her in my mind, so I let it go. Then not even 10 minutes later she walked back to her vehicle alone, and by that time I had remembered how I knew her and called after her. I said “this is going to sound totally weird but are you Lauren from ASTT in Baltimore?” Her face looked so shocked, it was such a GOOD moment!

We sat together on my porch and discussed how we had met each other for literally 5 minutes in
the ASTT (Advocates for Survivors of Torture and Trauma) office where we both volunteer. We were both amazed I was able to recognize her, and just how small the world is. This turned out to be a very good meeting indeed. Since she and her colleges had been here in Gulutown for around 3 weeks, she was able to tell me about all of the good spots to go. She told me about Cafe Larame (where I am writing this post from currently); a cute little internet cafe/restaurant created by an American man working in Gulu for some NGO. It has a lot of the things I miss from the US. Grilled CHEESE sandwiches, lattes and iced coffee, ice cream, even fair trade gifts! I have already been here 3 times (twice for food, once for internet). And of course I shared the good with the other 27 students, who now love me more and bring the place a lot more business. Also, apparently there is a bakery which makes Samosas, Indian style... not African style (green beans and carrots only in these)!

The best part though is that she told me all about the community media project she was heading here, Sudan and Rwanda. We actually met up for dinner with her other colleagues (Chelsea and a woman from Sudan whose name I sadly can't remember) and talked about my program and their work. I now have some in country contacts through them at the American Refugee Council. I'm not sure if it will help with my ISP but it will definitely help with someones.
This school week we went on two excursions: to meet the Acholi chief and elders, and to the Patiko Samuel Baker's Fort. Both were amazing in their own way. When we talked with the chief I thought it would be much more formal than it was. We sat in chairs in a circle between the “palace” and the business house, under the shade of a large tree. The chief never stood when he talked, though the others (except us) were expected to. Also, the one elder always repeated the questions we asked into the chiefs ear; he may have been hard of hearing, or it was just the procedure. But other than that it was very informal. After they talked, we asked all our questions and they each answered the best they could... we got to watch some teenagers do traditional Achoo dances and songs! There were 3 total, and all were so beautiful. They should us the traditional Bwola dance which is performed primarily by men and tells the story of their people. I took a lot of pictures, but since I have no CD drive in this mini computer, I can't upload them:( You'll just have to wait until I get back to the states for pictures... that's part of deal with me coming to the third world and all.

Patiko Baker's fort is where the Arabs came and collected East Africans for the slave trade. They would bring them to the fort and separate the weak and ugly from the strong and beautiful. Then they would kill those not worthy of taking to Egypt for the trade on the rocks at the fort. We were actually able to see the ax marks in the stone on the top of the rocks. As sad as the history is, the area was very beautiful! Imagine (if your from VA) the granite rocks of the James River, transplanted to the middle of Uganda, surrounded by large peaks and mountains in each direction. The coordinators should have told us what the excursion would entail though, because most of us girls had chosen to wear skirts and dresses that day, not knowing that we would be rock climbing and hopping. It was okay, but at times I thought the local teenagers, who were they to graze their cattle, got a good show by the American girls trying to climb the peaks. I'd rather not think about it that way though.

On a different note, 4 people in our group have been to the hospital already. Nothing too serious, but 2 have Malaria, 1 cut her finger open and the other had something she brought from home diagnosed. Malaria (if your on the preventative drugs) doesn't seem like too horrible a disease. Apparently your whole body hurts a lot when the symptoms start to show, and you are very weak. But if you are diagnosed early and receive the treatment drugs, you can begin to feel better the next day. I'm not saying that I WANT to get it, but that since it is inevitable that a lot of us will, it does not seem too life threatening.

As far as Gulutown goes, I really love it here. The people I have met are so welcoming and genuine. Even on the street (when my first reaction is usually “what are you trying to get from me”) the boda-boda drivers and people walking (most of the time) smile and say hello! I am also beginning to recognize the other Muzungues around town. There are so few (other than our group) that when you see a white person you immediately recognize their face the next time you see them. It is somewhat like Goucher in that way. Also, living at the Guest House I meet many important Ugandans. So far I have met the Executive Director of Caritas- Uganda, some retired Parliamentarians, the minister of ?defense?, and of course my Mama... the chairwomen of Amoro district for the NRM (president's party). It is a little weird to be honest! Last night my friend Morgan (from SIT) hung out around the bar with me and also met a lot of these affluent Ugandans. Afterward we talked about how we have to be careful what we say in their presence and try to get to know them as people personally before we express our political opinions. I have spent only 2 nights with my mother so far, but she says she will be around more once her business at the farm is done. They own a large parcel of land in Amoro, a ways away from town.

Okay so I have written a lot I realize.... thanks for sticking with me if you have! Just a few more things to tell: 1. ground nuts, which are called G-Nuts here, are basically smaller peanuts used in ALL types of sauces and plain and boy are they tasty! 2. I watched (because I couldn't look away) a chicken being butchered/killed outside my room in the courtyard one of my first days at Peyero, and I was unable to eat meat (especially chicken) for 3-4 days. I got over it just last night. 3. We had our last lesson in the local language Acholi, and I am really going to miss our lecturer Opio Washington. He is by far the best we have had so far. He is hilarious and doesn't know it. He reminds me of a dancing singing Mr. Rogers! Of course, my Acholi is horrible, but we only had 6 days to learn greetings, days of the week, how to tell time etc. And my family speaks amazing English, so I am not forced to learn it. 4. there are 2 really adorable German children sitting next to me in the cafe eating ice cream and fighting over a very large teddy bear! After all, this is the renamed, “muzungu cafe” by our group.. and properly so! 5. And finally... in case you haven't heard, there were violent riots in the capitol of Uganda, Kampala this week. We are all fine, obviously since we are in Gulu, but all businesses are closed and fear looting and 7 or so people have been killed. It is all because the Bugandan (tribal group in central Uganda) Kabaka (King) wants to go to the “forgotten territory” of his kingdom, which became independent of Buganda some years ago. Also I am only able to tell you what I have figured out so far.. so don't quote me on it. The President had told the Kabaka that he was not allowed to go to the territory, and his military police blocked his way yesterday (I believe). After the Bugandans heard about the denial of their King, they began to riot all over the areas of Buganda, especially in the capitol (which is a part of his territory). Those people I know who had planned trips to Kampala this weekend have almost all canceled them in order to be safe.

Well... that's all for now folks! Stay tuned! After all, you will get this post late, because the internet in the whole town is down for awhile. We shall see when it comes back.. hopefully by the work week! ..... right after I wrote that, I asked the lady (Maggie) at the cafe if any internet places were UP, and she pointed me one street over so you are actually getting this the day I wrote it! Saturday.. woo first weekend off!