"I seek to Cure What's Deep Inside" -or- The Waiting Game

In case you hadn't noticed by now, today's blog posts were brought to you by Toto (the band). I've had "Africa" stuck in my head all day. 

...The wild dogs cry out in the night

As they grow restless longing for some solitary company.

I know that I must do what's right,

Sure as Kilimanjaro rises like Olympus above the Serengeti.

 I seek to cure what's deep inside,

Frightened of this thing that I've become.

It's gonna take a lot to drag me away from you

There's nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do.

I've blessed the rains down in Africa

It's gonna take some time to do the things we never have...

Rain Outside the Refugee Law Project Building (Within the Compound)

The name of the game today has been "flexibility". Or, as Laura would say, "Whatever you planned for Africa, expect that it won't happen and something else will."

This morning we woke up to a beautiful fog cover that promised rain. The land doesn't need it -- they've been super-saturated with water as late, and it's beginning to threaten local crops -- but I certainly appreciated the ability to wander without the constant companionship of sunshine and fairly oppressive heat. We had big plans to get laundry done and then take bodas to the CTC to meet with Ron and Fr. Joseph over lunch. 

Today is Sunday, which meant that all of the people were dressed in their Sunday finest (very colorful/beautiful dresses) and headed to church. A man stopped and asked why we had not gone and I said we were going next week. "No." he responded, "We pray to God here everyday." A group of young girls in Sunday dresses came up to Laura and I and shook our hands while they curtsied. It was the cutest thing. 

We sat for juice in the lobby of my hotel, where we ran into Lowna (Denise's friend who helped us secure our lodging for this trip). We had a good conversation about South Africa (where she's from) and how she got into work with her organization. I don't know a lot about it, other than they provide rehabilitation to form female abductees of the LRA. It's a good organization, and as I learn more I hope to tell you more. Support for groups like this is important, even if you're just aware that they exist. For me, it would be especially good to be able to get involved with them, as the women they're assisting are the very women I'm researching. They've changed their policy regarding students recently though and getting approval may be difficult. Like everything else, this will take some time and all I can do is hope that we can work out an arrangement of some kind. If not, I will have to switch to plan B. Not sure what that is yet. I'll let you know when I get there. We thanked Lowna (who has definitely bent over backwards to assist us) and moved on.

At this point, I also think it is important to acknowledge Denise (my dear friend/ one of my travelling companions/one of Ron's former students/ a researcher who will soon be headed to England to do her Masters!) . She was instrumental in preparing us for this trip and in getting us in touch with Lana as well as securing the Refugee Law Project compound for Laura. Not to mention that it's just more fun to travel with Denise in general. Check out her blog here: http://denisedunovantuganda.blogspot.com/

Doing Laundry

The fog burned off pretty quickly, leaving me cussing the rising heat. While we had some time to kill (we weren't due at the CTC until 12:30), I decided to do a load of laundry. I made the choice to do socks, underwear, and a few shirts. The same basin that I wash in was filled with warm water and some Nomi soap, and after a hard scrub I let them soak for an hour. After a rinse in the sink I had to get creative in the ways that I hung them to dry. Socks and underwear ended up hanging from the towel rack and shirts hanging from a mishung coat hanger above one of the beds. Hopefully my things dry soon -- I've got another load of pants to do yet and need the space to hang them.

Ron called and explained that they simply weren't ready for us at the CTC (Fr. Joseph is an incredibly busy man and the center is an incredibly busy place. I had half expected the change of plans). Rather than catching boda rides today we're going to head to the center tomorrow. Today, Ron would meet myself, Laura, and Blake in town at Larem (Acholi for Friend) Cafe for lunch. 

While we waited for Ron to make it into town, Laura and I sat back in the hotel lobby, which was mostly empty. One of the staff members of the hotel, Monica, sat with us for an hour and began to teach us useful Acholi Luo phrases. This all began because Ron had taught us how to say thank you (I can't spell it...Apwoyo?) and I would thank her every time she helped me. Last night she laughed and said, "I will have to teach you more in my language." Today she made good on her promise. I had four pages of notes by the time she was done filled with useful things to say including "Amito ciro ot lega (ah-me-toe cheer-o ought leg-a)" which means "I want to go to church" and "Changati tye Kwen (pronounced like it looks)" which means "Where is your bathroom?". 

Monica is going to be attending university starting in August so that she can become a teacher. She's already off to a great start. She promised that next Sunday she'll teach me more words and take me to visit her hot lum (hut with grass roof). This is exciting, just because it means that I've made a friend in the community. It pays to be kind to people, they'll be kind in return. 

Our team meeting confirmed somewhat what we had all become accustomed to: everything here takes time. Ron stressed patience, telling me that it might be wise to do some internet research and attempt to make contacts using my computer while I was waiting for things to come through with the contacts we're trying to establish here. He says that the first time is always the hardest for this stuff. 

The rain came mid-day and Ron and Denise took advantage of a break in the weather to boda back to CTC. Laura and I are supposed to be catching up on some research, which I will do as soon as I'm done here, and so we're enjoying the internet and some down time. 

Although, mostly I'm just trying to pull myself together. 

It's just difficult not to fall into the cycle of frustration that comes with feeling unproductive. My time here is so limited and my needs are so great that I occasionally worry that all of this effort will be for nothing and I'll leave here with a good experience but no hard data. Before I left the states it was impressed upon me by members of my department that time is of the essence...I'm starting this journey so late in comparison to everyone else and I have a lot to catch up for. I wish I had known about all of these things when I was younger, but my undergraduate institution didn't exactly push this stuff. I didn't know to look for it, so I didn't know it was there. 

I guess that my advice for any younger readers who have a passion for Africa is that they get on the ground as soon as possible. Even if its just a mission-trip, habitat for humanity trip, or international study experience, the time to be coming is during undergraduate (age 18-22). Don't wait for that first time and don't be afraid. Get your passport, get plugged into the international community early and then keep up those connections. Having to do all of this all at once is killing me, and putting a lot of undue stress on this trip. 

In the end, it's probably best that today has been kind of low-key. I've walked several miles a day for the past week and I've traveled from the States to Europe to Kampala to Gulu running on adrenaline nearly the entire time. That may be some amount of the down I'm in right now...just finally taking a breather. Even while doing exciting things in Uganda one sometimes just needs to recharge. 

My Acholi history teacher moved our meeting to 10 Am on Tuesday. So right now tomorrow will hold a trip to the Catechist Training Center and Tuesday has an interview. What comes after that? Who knows. If there's one thing my time here has already taught me, it's that NOTHING is predictable about research in Uganda. 

Just keep smiling!