Post #4: See You!

I’m loving being in Bulenga and day to day life here!! I decided to take the post to reflect on what the hardest adjustments have been so far and also include some pictures!

1. Timing- Even though I’m usually not a “watch-wearer”, I decided I should probably wear one while in Uganda (a new place, teaching classes, getting places, seemed like a good idea). Despite my plan, my mint-green Target-made watch broke the moment I stepped off the plane. While I was bummed at the time, I now realize how symbolic it was. Time barely exists here and a watch would be an unnecessary bracelet.

Bulenga functions around 3 “times”- Morning, Afternoon, and Night. There are no established hours determining when these times stop or start. If someone has to get something done, they’ll do it when it works out. The word “deadline” doesn’t seem to exist here and neither does the concept of “being late”.  Occasionally times are set for things, but it’s never a problem to arrive several hours late.  Even sunsets seem to be at inconsistent times - I’m convinced the sun sets here when it feels like it.

This has been the hardest thing for me to get used to. I’ve grown up being taught how important “being on time” is. Over the past couple of years, I’ve lived fully relying on a schedule that has “everything I need” carefully built into it- classes, meetings, events, coffee dates, study time, friend time, family time, church time, travel time, and sometimes even sleep time. Planning my time weeks in advanced has seemed like the only way to ensure everything would happen. Having a full schedule also has allowed me to live life calendar event to calendar event. If anything threatens to interrupt the pre-planned routine, I can simply say “I’m sorry, I have somewhere to be”.  I’ve worked hard to try to figure out how to optimize the 24 hours of each day factoring in personal productivity and efficiency depending on the time of the day.  I’d like to think that all of this put me in control of my time, but despite my significant efforts, 24 hours is never enough time to do everything and I usually end up weary as a result of not allocating enough time to sleeping.

In a place without iphones, outlook calendars, or expectations of being “on time”, people live free of the rule of a pre-planned schedule. People are far from lazy and still get plenty done, they’re just not concerned with the timing of it.  People go about their days starting one thing after they finished the last.

I’ve had absolutely not control over timing since my arrival. While living without a clock should be relaxing, I’ve gotten stressed out about the whole thing in a few instances. For example, no matter what time I set my alarm clock for and how fast I get ready in the morning, I can’t leave to teach until my hosts serve breakfast. They have a lot to do in the morning and while having 3 meals made for me a day is a huge blessing (the girls hosting me are amazing cooks!!), I’ve found myself stressed out from having to sit and wait and “waste time”. I’ve been trying to make the most of this idle time- some extra time in the morning should be a great chance to relax and pray before the day begins! It helps to nobody will be upset if I arrive late to school.  

Walking is the primary method of transportation within Bulenga. It’s not uncommon to walk a couple of miles to get somewhere. If the people here had fit bits, they would be dominating the steps per day competition. I usually walk over 2 hours a day (both Faith and Good Hope (the school/orphanages I’m teaching in) are 30 minutes away from the volunteer house and I try to make it to each weekday). At first, my walks felt inefficient, filled with stopping and talking to people on the way. Conversations can go on for a long time as people typically don’t say, “I’d love to talk, but should get going”. I’ve gotten more comfortable with it as time has gone on and hope to be able to make the most of these spontaneous heart to hearts.   And even though it takes a lot of time, I’ve come to really enjoy my walks!

While it’s been taking me a while to get used to, I think living without the rule of a calendar is a great thing for me. It’s reminded me that as much as I would like to believe I can “optimize” a 24 hour day with a tightly squeezed calendar, I have no control over time.  Not relying on my outlook calendar has forced me to rely on God and others more.  I’m slowly becoming ok with the idea of waking up and having only a vague idea with what the day will look like. And not planning everything in advanced means that I have time to help people on a whim and spend time getting to know people. I haven’t been bored yet!

(I just spent a lot of time writing this and you just spent a lot of time reading it! I hope it was time well spent!)

2. Sticking out: The first word I learned in Luganda was “Muzungu” [moo-zoon-goo, really fun word to say!] It means “White Person” and is shouted to me regularly by the children in the village. “Shouted” is probably not the right word- it’s more of an enthusiastic squeal or chant.  When I walk to school, I pass over a hundred of young kids. They’re usually helping their parents around their house, bringing water from the closest well, or playing outside. Most of them are too young for school or can’t afford the fees so they don’t know much English.

Spending my life up to now in America, I’ve never “stuck out” because of the way I look. When I imagined “sticking out” in Uganda, I predicted it would be a little awkward for the first few days but people would eventually get used to me. It’s only my 3^rd week here so people might get used to me with more time. But currently, I don’t fit in at all.

Walking around as a white person in Uganda is an experience unlike nothing I’ve experience before. I’ve been trying to think of something to compare it too. It’s kind of what I imagine walking around as Taylor Swift is like.  As I walk through the village to go to schools, I pass a lot of houses and shops. Kids come running up to me shouting “SEE YOU MUZUNGU!” and touch my skin or hair. Some will walk with me for a bit and others just stand back with a shocked looks on their faces. Their parents usually stare, some people say “hi!” and start to chat, and others just laugh. I’m usually unsure if they’re laughing at or with me but I usually take the opportunity to laugh with them because the whole scene is pretty hilarious.  As soon as one group of kids has left my side, another group joins and repeats the routine.

I try to talk to the kids when they walk with me but as I mentioned, they usually don’t understand English. Sometimes we’re able to exchange names and ages, other times just smiles and high fives. The one phrase all the kids know is “See You!” which can mean both “hi!” and “bye”. It’s a funny way to be acknowledged but it conveniently serves multiple purposes.

There is another American, Mo, volunteering with KACCAD while I’m here.  When the two of us walk together, it’s like we’re leading a parade. Everyone shouts “See you Buzungu!!!” (plural form of Muzugu) and large groups of kids excitedly join our journey. Aside from Mo, the only other white people I’ve seen in Uganda have been in an International Mall in Kampala. Even walking around the capital, it’s very rare to see another “Muzungu”.

It’s odd getting so much attention simply because of the way I look. Unlike Taylor Swift, I’m not an international Pop Star with a collection of Grammy Awards to prove my accomplishments. I didn’t achieve anything to earn this extreme recognition. Yet so many people are thrilled to meet me and want to be my friend simply because of the color of my skin.

While I’m still adjusting to the hype, I’m trying to take time to acknowledge my greeters and match their level of excitement! I love meeting new people and even though I re-meet some of the same kids I walk by on my way to school, I’m truly touched by the open hearts they welcome me with everyday. 

3. Kids with Sharp Things: This one is much more minor but it’s one more thing I still haven’t adjusted to yet. Growing up, I was regularly told to stay away from sharp things. There are habits I learned such as how to hold and use a knife properly, the dangers of running with scissors, etc. When I’m home, I still ask my parents to cut certain things for me because of my own clumsiness and the risks associated with blades.

One of my first days walking around Bulenga, I saw a little boy in diapers holding a long knife for his mom as she cooked. I gasped and resisted the urge to run over there and take the knife out of his hands. Diapers and knives just don’t go together in my head. I thought it was a one time case of neglectful parenting and considered the possibility that the mother was starting her son early for a career in knife juggling. But in the past few weeks, I’ve seen dozens of kids with knives in their hands. I’ve realized that in Bulenga, children are considered “responsible” at a much younger age. 

I first realized this when I saw girls as young as 8 or 9 carrying their infant siblings on their back. Girls learn how to care for babies at a young age and often help raise their younger brothers and sisters. Kids help out around the house and sometimes that means cutting things and holding knives. There are no knife drawers, knife covers, or kids scissors here. Kids have to learn with the real thing.

I still wince when I see knives in the grass near a group of kids playing or my students taking razor blades out of their pockets to sharpen their pencils. It’s shocking at first, but when I take time to watch, I realize these kids usually know what they’re doing. One of my students knows how to cut onions better than me!

I know that with time, I will probably get used to these things! Some things just take longer to get used to than others!

More updates to come soon! Thank you for reading!!

Love,

Hannah

I usually don't take out my camera out when walking around the village but here are some pictures from this week.

The picture was taken near our volunteer house by Sami, one of my hosts.

A popular past time for kids in the village- wheel + stick=hours of fun

Most of the roads in Uganda look something like this! Many are bumpier and more narrow

A woman who seems fruit, vegetables, and chicken on one of the main roads takes an afternoon nap

Laundry at the volunteer house! Hand washing clothes takes a lot of time but can be fun!

Going for am Eid day celebration with Mo, and Shakira,  Sami, and Shadiah, our wonderful hosts! A large portion of the Ugandan population is Mulim so the country observes September 12 as a national holiday