Beating Dead Ugandan Horses - A Week in University

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I said I was eager to begin school – oh, how I eat my words. Which was about all I felt I was eating at some points this week. Remember how I said a hangry Carrie is something nobody ever wants to deal with? She came out in full force this week. Full force. Where to begin…

This week was by far the most exhausting week of education I’ve ever experienced, so much more than I had anticipated when I embarked on this trip. I thought I was prepared, ready to handle anything they threw at me – little did I know. We spent the greater part of ten hours a day for the last week stuck in a chair, from 8:15 – 6:00, with only two breaks, attempting to adapt to the customs and protocol that are ssss-liiiiiightly different than what I am used to in Canada. The workshop I have been participating in this week has been challenging. Walking into the room I felt undeniably uncomfortable – it is the first classroom where I have been a complete and absolute minority. I felt nervous, my normal self-assurance waning. I have a technique I use when I feel any emotion less than pleasant, which is this: I allow myself to feel the emotion entirely for 30 seconds, then I ask myself what needs to be done differently next time or figure out how I want to feel instead and put all my energy towards moving past the bad emotion and get to where I want to be. So I let myself feel completely scared and awkward for 30 seconds, than told myself to be courageous and not afraid to speak out. It worked like a charm, as it usually does, and I regained my confidence and participated in the sessions.

Fortunately I found myself in a group with Britany, a fellow nursing student and a friend. Jillian, a U of S nutrition student is also in our group. The Ugandan students are Stevo, a medicine student, Steven and Brenda, both lab techs, Rehema, in pharmacy, and Ambrose, a fellow nurse. I told Stevo to youtube “Stevo” when he got home; the next morning he said “that is a stupid guy”; I agreed and we laughed.

Let me walk you through my day:

8:00am: To the student cafeteria for breakfast of African Milk Tea and two pieces of bread and butter. Delectable and satisfying enough, I steel myself for the day ahead of me.

8:15am: Arrive to class, apologize to my Ugandan peers for being impatient and frustrated the day before and ask for their patience with me.

8:20am: We check in and write our morning examination. Fortunately, it does not matter if I pass or not (though, of course I will).

8:40am: Hand our tests in, and begin the day’s first lesson.

9:15am: We are given our first assignment of the day, to which I throw myself into, leading and encouraging the group, drawing out and eliciting inspiring and intelligent ideas!

10:00am: Now I grow hungry, antsy, impatient. Carrie cannot sit still in a chair for two hours straight.

10:30am: Carrie. Is. HUNGRY.

10:45am: Tea break!!!! Africa Milk Tea and a boiled egg at the cafeteria. The facilitator says, “Back by 11:00 please”, to which I guffaw. I was back on time on my first day, where I sat impatiently for 15 minutes before the other students arrived. I return at 11:10.

11:12am: My eyes are heavy and I need a coffee.

11:30am: I need a coffee. The minutes wane, and so do my good learning intentions.

12:00pm: I am hungry again.

12:30pm: We discuss at length, at great, great, length, minute details of excellent concepts. My instructor insults me and he gets a piece of my mind. Fortunately he laughs.

1:00pm: I am hungry.

1:30pm: I am HUNGRY. H-U-N-G-R-Y.

1:45pm: Dismissed for lunch!!! Return in 35 minutes we are told! GUFFAW! Fell for that before. To the cafeteria for a meal of matoke, pasho, beans, and some kind of cooked spinach-kinda-looking-thing. It is the most delicious thing I have ever tasted, but my appetite is not as large as the locals. Ashamed, I scrape my leftover carbs into the garbage, before taking my place in line at the sink to wash my plate, which I scrub for exponentially fewer minutes than my fellow local students.

2:30pm: Return to class, tired, full of stomach and empty of brain. Attempt to appear engaged.

2:35pm: Begin (and then complete) my first ever soduku puzzle – you know shit is in disarray when I find math puzzles more engaging than community health.

2:45pm: Group work. Discussion over the trivial. Accept bizarre criticism. I talk too loud, they talk too quiet. I ask them to use their Canadian voices, they think I should use a Ugandan one.

3:00pm: Discontinue appearing to be engaged. Count the spiders on the wall.

3:15pm: Go to the bathroom for something to do.

3:25pm: Stare out the windows with their askewed blinds, to the city and trees outside. I think about my family at home, and wonder what they are doing, sleeping I guess.

3:30pm: Experience anger and tell my colleague to “stop talking, know it all!”

4:00pm: I thank God there is only one hour left, and pray we finish on time.

4:30pm: Hangry. Half hour left. My legs jitter, my pen flickers between fingers, I hold my head in my hands, then bang it against the wall behind my desk. Literally.

5:00pm: Almost. Over.

5:15pm: Almost over?

5:30pm: Given group assignment to complete by tomorrow morning.

5:31pm: Commence to complete assignment AS FAST AS POSSIBLE. Given concerned looks from group for poor drawing (which, we find out tomorrow, will cost us marks).

5:45pm: Bolt for the door, through campus, across the treacherous motorway (could take the pedestrian stairs, which would require an extra four minutes, so no), fumble with the keys, dash for the fridge, feet up, pop the top with expertise, deep swig, ahhhh.

There are so many differences. To begin with, the lecture styles are very, very, very, very, very, very, very repetitive. Very, very very. It’s VERY repetitive – get it? Concepts are drawn out, and with so much focus on details that we U of Sers consider to be trivial and irrelevant to our learning. For example, when asked to draw up a strategy model (be it “the challenge model”, or the “fishbone model”) we are consistently chastised for our poor drawings. Your fish looks like a shark, your fish faces left instead of right. We find it humorous to be chided for such things. Cheekily, I asked my professor if our community interventions would be affected depending if the fish is facing left or right; I learned that we do not eat the tail of the fish, and a colleague explained the anatomy of a fish and the bone structure, and that fish only swim to the left. After the explanation, I had to clarify – “So, the community will be affected if the fish is facing right instead of left”. Correct!

On our first day, we were asked to draw a picture of our vision for our community. I thought we did a bang up job, all thanks to my wonderful U of S community health instructors. After our presentation, of course I accepted questions and comments – they all revolved around my shitty drawing, not the concepts. “Why is the doctor standing on the table?...Your building is on a slant, it is not a good design…There is not a roof on your school.” Thankfully, one student raised his hand and said, “I think we are all focused on the drawing, but what you need to consider is the concept and the meaning, and that is what is important.” Hallelujah, bless your sweet soul, Timo!

I have never experienced culture shock to this extent, especially in such little time of being in a country. Even as I approach each day with the goal of being receptive, understanding, and engaged, by the time 11:00 rolls around I am checked out. The only way I can cope is by being me – not take things too seriously and find every opportunity to make myself (and sometimes others) laugh. I have inherited my mothers’ talent of being the class clown (thanks ma!).

There are many differences, one of which is that people are much more straightforward about their opinions and dissent than we are in Canada. We cringe with awkwardness sometimes watching some of the discussion fold out, kind of the way you do when a love scene comes on in a movie you’re watching with your best friend and her parents or something. The students interactions are much more straightforward, they are more quick to criticize and find flaws with one another. I recall one particular interaction in which a student defended herself excessively when criticized; to myself I thought, “Defensiveness in the face of criticism is an ugly trait”, but after the students’ spiel the instructor commended her. That, I think was the turning point for me; I thought hmmmm, if they appreciate talk back, maybe I can do this after all….Talk back is my specialty!

Another key difference is the involvement of Jesus in our lecture; I try to find value in the religious stories, but “Our Lords’ Pray” was disbanded from school when I was in grade one, twenty-one years ago. While I am not decidedly un-Christian, I have been conditioned to keep religion out of public affairs; therefore, when the parables begin I find myself standing at the window two floors down…

I find their preoccupation with marriage amusing as well. We did one exercise in which we ranked the criteria for a husband according to the “priority matrix” – actually a really useful tool. But the expression on the U of Sers faces when “have money” and “God-fearing” were chosen as two of the top three traits. At one point I plugged my ears with my fingers because the comments were so offensive to my ethno-centric western paradigms. Brenda spent a few solid minutes trying to convince Britany why money is so important; Britany of course was not having any of it, maintaining her position that in our country it is a point of shame to chose a man for money, although it may be a nice bonus…different cultures… Even when I purchased my cell phone here I had to declare my status – what difference does it make if I am single or not for me to have a phone, I asked laughing my head off. Funny, I find it amusing. We were advised that it is not a terrible idea to wear a ring on your wedding finger to avoid harassment, but I refrain. That is not something I will lie about, I will not be shamed by my status.

Probably the largest difference I found between school here and at home is that they are much more thorough here. I felt there were not students left behind, whereas at home I feel like I am left behind the majority of the time. I’m not sure which method I prefer; although we cover much more content much more quickly at home, I tend to forget it the second I scribble my multiple choice answer into the scan tron. We learned concepts today I learned last semester, but realized I had forgot when I could not give the right answer. After today, I will NEVER forget the difference between purpose, mission, and vision. Like, never. So while it was somewhat frustrating today at times and felt like we were sometimes beating dead horses, in the end I appreciate it because I think I really have that knowledge now. At home, it is possible to remain invisible in lecture, and to go your entire university career without being called upon. Not so here! I was on my toes throughout the day, as students are called upon randomly and fairly to participate. As well, students are very respectful in their responses, many begin with “Thank you very much teacher. The reason I believe that this is so, is because…”, compared to home where you simply give your answer.

This week has given me a renewed appreciation for my professors back home, and the hard work they do to keep our students mollified. Here, initially, I felt I would be the ever respectful student, docile, receptive… L.O. friggin L. I did make it two and half days before I opened my mouth – really, a huge accomplishment for this girl, so I should be proud. But overall I really enjoyed the experience, though I complained often with my peers about the lack of breaks and heavy repetition. It was the most stressful experience thus far since I left fifteen days ago. Normally when I feel stress like this I go running to T’s arms, and so it is days like these that I feel the most homesick. Thinking of him makes my eyes well up, and there’s really not a lot to be done. I could go outside and smoke a cigarette, but it won’t help, really, and I’ve only got a few Export As left from the pack I brought from Canada. I have to savor them.

And though I was often frustrated, I also laughed a lot, and I learned a lot. My head facilitator was hilarious and I really enjoyed his personality. I was introduced to some great new concepts and tools for working with communities, and I learned a lot about the culture and the learning experience of the students here. It was very eye opening, and an incredibly unique experience of which I am grateful for now at the end of the week, although it was difficult at the time. I feel ashamed upon reflection at some of my attitudes, but I cannot expect myself to flourish and be understanding 100% of the time.

Tomorrow we leave at “7:00am” for our village, Rugazi. I will show up at 8:00 or shortly thereafter and hope we only have to wait around for a few hours, not several. I am excited to get to know Stevo, Ambrose, Steven, Brenda, and Rehema better in the following month that we will be working together; I think we will have a lot of fun outside of the classroom. But I know our work will not be easy, and I have to remember to stay positive, patient and understanding, and forgive myself when I slip. My goal is to avoid complaining excessively; it is okay to vent sometimes, but excessive complaining is just plain annoying and a bad habit. Stay focused, stay happy - easy peezy lemon squeezy!

Until next time!

Carrie Ann

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Photos

First Day of School
Bright eyed and bushy tailed Monday morning!

Walkway to School
The walkway is convenient when all twelve of us are together, risk reduction!

Breakfast Time
Bread and butter and tea

Yuuuuuummm
Our cafeteria lunch meal, cost about $2 Canadian but is included in our tuition

Ian Playing
Ian with our little lunch time buddy

Last day Laughing
This guy had me in stitches a lot of the time, as you can clearly see!