Slowly
slowly… I am getting to know Uganda, its culture, its people, its music, its
food, and so much more. This is the country where I will be spending the next
six months. As an ESC volunteer, I will work for Mondo NGO with the local organisation
Ugandan Pioneers Association (UPA). My work will be split between two workplaces.
One is Masanafu Child and Family Support (MCAFS), which is in Kampala, and the other
is Kikooba Infant and Primary School, which is in the countryside about 2h from
Kampala. My home will be Villa Mamu a long-term residence in Kampala.
So far, being here has been a fantastic experience. Every day I learn something new, meet new people, hear new stories, try new foods, visit new places and experience new things. Kampala is a city full of colours, sounds, smells and people. It is a fantastic place but sometimes it feels like a system overload.
When preparing
for a 6-month experience in a different country, you try to imagine everything
that could happen or affect you. But honestly, not even the best preparation
can give you a real understanding of a different culture and country. However, it
can make the transition easier. This was the case for me. Knowing which things
might be the biggest struggle for me before I left made it easier to deal with
them once I arrived in my new surroundings.Before I
left for Uganda, I had two main concerns: one was the Bodaboda driving.
Bodabodas are motorbike taxis, the most common public transport means in
Kampala. Having been on a motorcycle only once before I left for Uganda, I didn’t
feel so comfortable thinking that I would have to sit on the back of a
motorcycle being driven by a random person every day. My solution was to get my
personal bodaboda driver, someone I could trust to drive safely. Because, in
all honesty, traffic in Kampala is insane. Bodabodas form every direction -
left, right, front, back. If their lane is blocked, they will drive on yours or
the sidewalk. Oh, and what they can transport on their bodabodas. That’s a
whole other story. You will see up to 5 people, 2m long tree logs, wooden
boards, bags of potatoes or even a bodaboda, to mention just a few.
The other
aspect was food. I have lived as a vegan for many years and was unsure how I would
adjust to being unable to keep my vegan diet. I know that in many cultures, it
is a practice to slaughter animals to prepare them for an honoured guest. So, before
I left, I asked myself: “What will you do when this happens?” Honestly, I am
still not entirely sure about the answer. So far, though, I could tell people before
I was invited to eat with them that I only eat vegetables and fruits. I tried
to explain to them that for me, it is a belief that I do not want to eat
animals. Many don’t really understand it, but all of them respect it and make
me feel welcome. They prepare their traditional dishes: Matoke (smashed
Bananas), Posho (cooked maise flour), G-Nuts (sauce of grounded peanuts), Chapati,
Beans, Peas and many more.
I have only
been here for a few weeks now and have yet to experience so much more. I am
looking forward to everything that I will encounter, the adventure, the
challenges, the good and the bad times.
