Kampala Kampala Kampala, Uganda!

So I am finally here.. in Uganda! It feels like I have been here so long becuase we do so much each day. After we (almost all 28 of us) got off the plane in Entebbe we immediatley put our luggage and ourselves into 3 Matatu's (van taxi's) and drove for an hour to the capitol of Uganda, Kampala, where we are staying for most of the orientation week.

I have talked to a few of the other students, and we all concluded that we are definetly being SPOILED for the first week. We are staying at the Jeliza Hotel on one of Kampala's main streets, Bombo Rd, where they serve us a nice breakfast each morning of boiled eggs, banana's (which I still dont eat), bread and butter/jam, cereal with hot milk (not my cup of tea), and instant coffee. There is no fresh ground coffee here... only instant. We have had lunch and dinner at the Jeliza too, but most of the time they take us out to realy nice restaurants (Indian, Ethiopian, Traditional Ugandan).

As for living situations so far, I paired up with a Midwestern girl named Tonia who is really sweet and genuine. I try and interact with different students each day whether that be by choosing to sit at different tables, or in different vans, even in class. So far it has worked well but there are a few people I dont know very well still. Everyone seems really great. We all come from such different backgrounds: Yale, Williams, Seattle, Photo and Film majors. It was really surprising how few Peace Studies majors there are on the program.. only Hanna and I (I believe)! I think it will make class discussion very interesting.

OK so I only have a few minutes left on the computer at the internet cafe... so It is important for me to tell you all this.....

My homestay family in Gulu (the north where the civil war was/is) is related to President Museveni! Basically my mother's, Rose, eldest daughter married one of the President's cousins. Crazy huh! I will have to feel out her political opinion before I share mine for sure. Today my AD (academic director) Dr. William Komakech said that Rose is, and I quote, "Interesting". I got an interesting feeling that he meant, opinionated, or weird when he said that. I'll update you more once I have moved to Gulu (Tomorrow) and moved in with her (Monday).

I have so muchy more to write.... but no time! Sorry. Ill try and get to a cafe in Gulu soon! They will be much more sparse than here in Kampala. All I can say is I love it here, and I am ready to meet my new Ugandan "family". Keep in touch my friends! I love to hear from you via email or comments.

Peace, the Virginian Mugunzo (white person).
-Kai