tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35821622011-04-21T22:22:05.528-07:00Isha in UgandaThe trials and tribulations of my 6-month stay in Kihihi, Uganda as a VSO NetCorps intern.Ishahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00376007565982949799noreply@blogger.comBlogger251100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3582162.post-844730502002-11-13T06:48:00.000-08:002002-11-13T06:48:22.983-08:00Anger Management After 5 months of living in Uganda, I am quite proud of myself for having maintained a calm, cool, curious, humour-filled composure (for the most part) in many different situations throughout my experience in a foreign country. There are, however, two incidents that stick out in my mind the most, because they have been the only two times that I have actually gotten really ANGRY Ishahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00376007565982949799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3582162.post-844703032002-11-13T05:32:00.000-08:002002-11-13T05:32:51.686-08:00Muzungu = Technology Expert? When people find out that there is a muzungu computer teacher around, they think that you must be some kind of whiz in all types of machinery, computer-related or not. I think this is due to the fact that technological gadgets are not yet as widespread up-country as they are in more populated, urban places like Kampala or Mbarara, so people have some strange Ishahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00376007565982949799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3582162.post-843563342002-11-11T02:41:00.000-08:002002-11-11T02:41:14.560-08:00More Strange Names Milk - no, I'm not kidding. I thought this girl was joking until I heard another kid call out to her, "Hey, Milk!" Gift - apparently this name is quite common here. Bright - the boy I met with this name is actually the dullest kid ever (mind you, he may have been sick at the time I met him). Delic (pronounced "Derek") - in Runyankore/Rukiga, the pronounciations of "l" and "r" Ishahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00376007565982949799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3582162.post-843561902002-11-11T02:34:00.000-08:002002-11-11T02:34:42.006-08:00In Uganda, it's bad luck... To count your children. If you ask people, especially older ones, they will often say that they don't know and try to evade the question. Sometimes this is because many of their kids have died, which is really sad, but often it is because they are fearful that something bad will happen to the children. To count your animals. Reverend William is a perfect example of Ishahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00376007565982949799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3582162.post-843559342002-11-11T02:23:00.000-08:002002-11-11T02:23:45.200-08:00Forever Giving Belated Birthday Wishes To... San Yee (August 7); and Trace (October 21) Happy Birthday, gals! Sorry I'm so late...Ishahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00376007565982949799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3582162.post-843555902002-11-11T02:08:00.000-08:002002-11-11T02:08:59.853-08:00Ugandan Sayings Here are a few of my favourite wacky things that I've heard people say: slap - cool, fun, nice, all around good: "I had such a good time in Mbarara - it was really slap" bounced - you came to see someone who wasn't around, so you left: "I went to your house but they told me you were at the telecentre, so I bounced" to see stars - to be confused: "At the workshop they were using Ishahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00376007565982949799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3582162.post-843551382002-11-11T01:49:00.000-08:002002-11-11T01:51:45.000-08:00Back in Kla November 11 - Well, I've just returned to Kampala after spending 3 glorious days at the luxurious Nile Resort Hotel in Jinja, where VSO was holding its annual Volunteer Conference. The conference is just a kind of "Thank You" to all of us for being volunteers, and allows us to get together and see people we normally don't get a chance to see. Also there are workshops and discussionsIshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00376007565982949799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3582162.post-843546282002-11-11T01:28:00.000-08:002002-11-11T01:28:17.963-08:00"Your breath smells like grasshoppers..." November 7, 2002 - Today, during the bus ride from Kihiihi to Kampala, I sampled fried grasshoppers. It's now the season, and they are sold by the bag for 500 shillings. Not that bad, really. They've been de-legged and de-winged, fried up in oil and salted. Kind of greeny-yellow in colour. Kind of...fleshier, meatier than expected (but I think that'sIshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00376007565982949799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3582162.post-831095092002-10-17T02:25:00.000-07:002002-10-17T02:25:31.560-07:00My Midterm Report The following is the midterm report I submitted to Wendy at VSO Canada recently. Thought I'd post it here because it gives a lot of details that I had been planning to post here anyways. Kinda wordy, not very professionally written, but hey, it was overdue and I was in a rush. 1. Summarise your major work activities so far (including significant achievements, progress & Ishahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00376007565982949799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3582162.post-817256502002-09-17T08:24:00.000-07:002002-10-12T08:54:23.000-07:00So Much To Write, So Little Power.. I have all these blog entries that I have started but just never seem to finish. It occurred to me that I have not yet written about my environment, my house, my new friends and colleagues, my work, etc. and so my life here must still seem a mystery to most of you after 3 months of being away. Well, all I can say right now is that they are coming, hopefully Ishahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00376007565982949799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3582162.post-812746702002-09-07T04:27:00.000-07:002002-09-07T04:27:39.170-07:00"HAVE GOT RECEPTION - WHOOPEE!" The above is the text message I received a few days ago from R & E - I guess the MTN network is finally stable now in Kihiihi. Thank God - finally I can make and receive phone calls and text msgs in the privacy of my own home. So please call if you're feeling rich (my number is 011 256 77 890 749) - I do miss home a lot!)Ishahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00376007565982949799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3582162.post-812742322002-09-07T03:53:00.000-07:002002-09-07T03:53:38.240-07:00My First Ugandan Wedding - August 28, 2002 So I've just returned from my first Ugandan wedding and I am afraid that I won't be able to remember everything that I've experienced this afternoon. It was wild, to say the least. We didn't go to the church service, which was supposed to be at 9:00 this morning, and apparently it only lasts about an hour and then you hang around while they get the Ishahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00376007565982949799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3582162.post-812742062002-09-07T03:51:00.000-07:002002-09-07T03:51:29.083-07:00Better late than never Belated birthday wishes to: Nat (August 27) - did you finally have a birthday party? Wish I could have been there - hope it was a blast! Vic (September 3) - did you have fun at the rippers? hahahaha I'm sure I'm forgetting someone...sorry! Wedding Bells! It looks like long-term commitment is in the air! Congratulations to: 1. Lin and Scott (I knew it the minute I sawIshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00376007565982949799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3582162.post-810243742002-09-02T01:58:00.000-07:002002-09-02T01:58:10.140-07:00I'm Back in Cyberspace! After a more-than-one-month absence from internet and email, I'm back (a little worse for wear, but the internet withdrawal symptoms have eased somewhat.) This has been due to a number of factors, such as unpaid ISP account bills (not my fault), limited electricity, and being crazy busy with work. The good news is that a well-deserved break is in my near future, as I Ishahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00376007565982949799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3582162.post-792266692002-07-21T12:44:00.000-07:002002-07-21T12:44:39.420-07:00Congratulations and Birthday Wishes Just a quick note to extend well wishes to two particular people: 1. To my friend Vic, who just got a job with OEOne (a computer company in Ottawa) after having been unexpectedly laid off a few weeks ago. Congrats, Vic, I knew that a gifted computer nerd like you wouldn't be jobless for long! 2. Happy Birthday to Lorney, who is relaxing at the cottage Ishahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00376007565982949799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3582162.post-789118902002-07-13T13:18:00.000-07:002002-07-13T13:18:44.020-07:00Totally Alone... Yesterday I moved into my new house and although I feel I should be excited to finally have my own space, I feel incredibly isolated and alone. I live on the sub-county compound, while everyone else I know lives on the health centre compound - it's not far, less than a 1-minute walk, but the health compound seems like such a close little community, and there's hardly anyone Ishahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00376007565982949799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3582162.post-787873632002-07-10T12:02:00.000-07:002002-07-10T12:02:39.056-07:00Wow, it's been a while since I've had the opportunity to update my blog (I know that my one devoted fan was very disappointed!) On Canada Day I got some weird stomach bug that left me bedridden with aches and pains and gastric problems for the entire day, and I haven't felt quite right ever since. So much has happened over the past week that I don't know where to begin.... Clubbin' Kampala Ishahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00376007565982949799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3582162.post-783789342002-06-30T03:46:00.000-07:002002-06-30T03:46:42.983-07:00Interesting Notes Part II 1. Wearing light colours combined with travelling on dirt roads outside the city is a very, very bad idea. I am absolutely filthy right now having just gotten back from whitewater rafting in Jinja, about an hour and a half away from Kampala. Will have to buy more dark coloured pants so that they hide the dirt. 2. Ugandans are generally known for a very clean and Ishahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00376007565982949799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3582162.post-782720232002-06-27T08:40:00.000-07:002002-06-27T08:40:14.320-07:00Pictures! Stefan, another Netcorps intern here who is from BC, has a digital cam and has kindly allowed me to link to his site: uganda.kloppmagic.ca (or .com - not sure, try both!) Check it out! Fundraising Quick note of thanks to those who contributed to the fundraising drive before my departure - we managed to raise $595! If I didn't get a chance to ask you personally, and you would like to Ishahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00376007565982949799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3582162.post-781865472002-06-25T11:12:00.000-07:002002-06-25T11:12:59.053-07:00Musiibire muta? (Good afternoon! or literally How was your morning?) Your reply: Tusiibire gye. (Good.) First day of language training. So much fun, I forgot how much I love to learn new languages! I am learning Runyankole/Rukiga, which is spoken in many districts of the southwest, including Kanungu district where Kihihi is located. There are hundreds of tribal languages, and it is not Ishahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00376007565982949799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3582162.post-780901432002-06-23T00:51:00.000-07:002002-06-23T00:51:07.970-07:00Second try I'm kinda pissed off because I spent the last of my internet cafe minutes yesterday writing an update but apparently it didn't get published, so here I go again..... So, I've made it safely to Uganda. I had a mini-meltdown just prior to going to the airport, when I had finished packing and realized that I couldn't even lift my own duffle bag. I called Allan in a fit and he was Ishahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00376007565982949799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3582162.post-779351582002-06-19T07:42:00.000-07:002002-06-19T10:23:49.000-07:00Flight Day So it's 4 and a half hours before I have to leave for the airport, and I still haven't finished packing. Typical procrastinator. And also typical that I would be here in front of the computer, checking email, posting to the blog and generally dicking around. I have the awful feeling that I am way over the 140lb. luggage allowance, as the duffle bag which is holding all my books, Ishahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00376007565982949799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3582162.post-778936262002-06-18T09:18:00.000-07:002002-06-18T09:18:14.143-07:00Flight Itinerary June 19, 2002 Depart Toronto 6:15pm (flight time 7hr20min) June 20, 2002 Arrive Amsterdam 7:35am Depart Amsterdam 11:00am (flight time 8hr15min) Arrive Nairobi (Kenya) 8:15pm Depart Nairobi 10:00pm (flight time 1hr10min) Arrive Entebbe (Uganda) 11:10pm Yuck. Over 16 hours in the air. Since we are getting in so late to Entebbe, and also the fact that Kampala (the capital Ishahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00376007565982949799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3582162.post-778918522002-06-18T08:33:00.000-07:002002-06-18T08:35:41.000-07:00Welcome to my blog! It is the day before my flight and I am still busy packing, running errands, and generally tying up loose ends. The biggest pain in the butt has been organizing stuff for my student loans, which I have to start repaying while I am away. I am hoping that the fact that I am doing an international internship and receiving a paltry $285 Cdn./month while in Uganda will help me Ishahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00376007565982949799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3582162.post-778758122002-06-17T21:25:00.000-07:002002-06-17T21:25:59.750-07:00This is a test entry - we'll see if this works!Ishahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00376007565982949799noreply@blogger.com