Uganda

Hey you guys!

Right now I am in Kamapala. Y'all should ignore my first post on my schedcule for this semester - they've changed it all around. I am going to Gulu tomorrow and will be with my homestay family on Monday. Internet is super slow here and I won't have much access so I won't post too often and when I do I will post a lot at once.

So far I am LOVING the program. The people are great - they are all interested in the same thing I am, which is new and nice. Right now it kind of feels like a vacation. We all think they're spoiling us and spending money on us now because the program will get really intense next week. But I'm worried that it will be such a drastic change that it will be all the harder.

We are staying 3 weeks in Gulu. Gulu is where the civil war began and it is where, until 3 years ago, the violence was centered. We will be meeting many people who have lost people in the conflict, who have had children kidnapped to be soldiers or wives, and children who are escaped child soldiers and child wives. We will see images and maybe even meet people who have been dismembered or who have had their face disfigured (often times the rebel army, the LRA, cut off people's lips and noses of the people in the area). It is an area that has experienced violence for 23 years now and, until 3 years ago, was unsafe to travel to.

Up until today, we have only referenced the intensity of this particular program (there are no other programs like it). This morning we discussed what we will see and coping methods to deal with that. All of the students seem very respectful of the material and of each other. We understand that people may react differently. So I feel comfortable with the people in my group. Before the program I was really nervous that I might not be able to handle the constant horrible material, but now that I'm here I think that it will be hard, but that I can do it. Particularly because everyone will be dealing with the difficult material as well.

Gulu is a rural area with many NGOs. The majority of the people have to farm to feed themselves. We are expected to participate in the chores and learn how they do things so it will be hard work, but should be fun and interesting.

Kampala is noisy and crowded and a lot of fun. Ugandan people are very friendly and curious. They are not use to white people so we hear muzungu ("white person") a lot, but I haven't experienced any dislike. My program director says that, since Obama was elected, Ugandans are much more accepting and welcoming of Americans. It was the same in Cairo. The developing world loves Obama. We have to be very careful with our stuff - thievery is common here. Already two people have lost their cell phones. So I'm very paranoid about that aspect but, if I'm careful, it should be okay.

So I think that's it for now. I want to post once more on Egypt and I have the post typed, but the computer is giving me problems with downloading it, so it might be a little while. I'll get it up when I get a chance. Also, if you want to contact me in any way, please email me at nbarry@gwmail.gwu.edu or leave a comment on this blog. Facebook takes forever to download here and every time I try to click to see a comment, it's another minute or two wasted that I am paying for. My email and blog come up pretty quickly.

Well, I will write as soon as I can once I'm in Gulu.

Until then,
Nancy