The Source of the Nile

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Muli Mutya everyone!

Sorry that it has been a while since my last entry. Since I wrote last I moved in with my host family, the Kiggunu's. They live in the Ntinda neighborhood of Kampala, just one of the many hills here! They are so sweet! My father is James, he is a computer scientist, I think he has his own business, not sure though. My mother is Julian, she works for the South African High Commission in their offices. Their oldest is a girl, Maaso, 20, her name means big eyes...it was a nickname given to her by her grandfather. Then there is Trevor, 8, he is so bright and is an excellent artist. Every night when I get back from school he is drawing a picture -many are of fighters and jet powered cars...oh little boys! Then Jeremy, 5, he has really taken to me, every night he tells me how he loves me! It's too cute. The youngest is Jason, he is almost two. They don't diaper the babies during the day, so whenever I hold him he makes sousou (potty) on me! They are so relaxed in their home, and with me, it is quite refreshing. Ugandan culture can at times be too formal, so it's nice to just chill. The family also has a maid and a house boy. That is quite a different experience for me, they don't let me do my own laundry or prepare my own food, everything is done for me. The house help is very nice too, but they are more reserved than the rest of the family so I have not been able to get to know them as well. Oh, and the family speaks English, as opposed to the local dialect, Luganda which I am learning at school. They all know Luganda, but choose to speak English for the children. So my transition has not been as difficult as some of the other student's who have had to deal with the language barrier as well as a lack of other amenities (I have hot water and a flush toilet). So that is the family.

Let's see...I wake up every morning around 6am and walk up to one of the main roads at 7 to catch a taxi to the University. The traffic here is intense: boda bodas are buzzing around and taxis are racing through the streets. There are almost no traffic lights and the whole system seems like it is about to explode into chaos, but chaos works here! In the morning I have language class, then a lecture, lunch, and another lecture, then home. But some days we go out on afternoon excursions like the other day we went to Jinja to see the disputed source of the Nile. It is disputed because many people believe that the true source is actually in Rwanda, and that the river flows through/under Lake Victoria and the up on to Egypt. At any rate is was quite beautiful -the countryside is less polluted than the city so fresh air and open spaces were abundant! Yesterday we visited a nutrition clinic/NGO that treats malnurished children. It was an emotional experience, they walked us through their different wards. But it was also encouraging to see an NGO that appeared to really be working for the people and making a difference.

This afternoon we have free time to think about our Independent Study Project. I'm going to try to get in touch is an environmental NGO which works on wetland issues, water resource managment, and organic farming promotion. They accomplish this through education programs, lobbying political leaders, writing/researching, and conservation practices. They sound amazing, I hope to create a relationship so that I can work with them in April. But there are many NGOs here and a myriad of issues being tackled so we shall see what I end up doing.

I hope everyone is doing well. Weraba! -B

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Photos

Jinja, Uganda
THE SOURCE

Brothers!
Jeremy and Jason

Kampala, Uganda
I don't know where this is in the city, but Kampala is just a series of rolling green hills...beautiful...