The "Memory Chain"

Although this is only our first full day in Uganda, we have already begun to make meaningful memories on this new journey together! This was especially evident after dinner, when we began a project I like to personally call the "memory chain." We all engaged in some reflection through selecting one bead that symbolized an aspect of our day. Every evening, we plan to continue this reflective process, as we add more and more beads...resulting in the creation of our personal "memory chain." I loved hearing the literal and metaphoric meanings behind each person's bead! We drew closer together as a team, while each individual shared their connection to their bead through "Aha" moments, laughs from silly connections with the color blue (inside joke), and learned more about everyone. I can't wait to see what new connections lie in store during tomorrow's reflection!

Random Thoughts from Entebbe

With a Watkinson Sticker on our safari vehicle, we ventured out into the "wilds" of Entebbe for our first "game drive".  Well actually, with our luggage somewhere in Equatorial Africa, we went to the zoo in two day old clothes.  Seeing animals rescued and orphaned in the wild was actually a great way to start off our trip- perspective.  Luggage arrives in 1 hour!! -Ms OB

Cool international pre-school spotted on our way to the zoo. Kissyfur...I LOVE THIS WICKED SENSE OF HUMOR. By the way we watched 15 mins of a lizard trying to eat a gigantic moth. -Evil Lluvia Lu

I saw a predator attempt to devour its prey tonight. Lucky for the prey, it made it out alive... It was during dinner, between a tiny lizard and a large moth... I've really learned to enjoy the little things! -Peter Weiss

Accra, Lagos, Kigali

Is 45 minutes enough time to catch a transfer between flights in the Accra airport in Ghana?  Opinions vary.  The airline, who booked this transfer did so within the legal limits.  The travel agent trusted the airline to not do something crazy that would get 9 Americans and 2 Chinese teenagers stranded on the wrong side of Africa (from the point of view of our plans).  The baggage checkers were skeptical, though. Christina, who was very helpful getting of our 22 bags checked, advised, “Have a plan”.  In Accra, I hurriedly asked an attendant at the gate. She simply relied, “Oh my!”. 

Here was the plan. Go to the bathroom before we land. It’s not happening in the airport.  Put your bag where you can get it (not four rows behind you, so that you have to fight traffic and force everyone on your aisle to hate you—this is what the multi-bin people do. Get out and go like O.J. through the terminal.

On the plane they handed out immigration cards to fill out, and another form that had health questions like “Have you had contact with any person infected with Ebola in the last 21 days?”.  “Have you had contact with any farm animals on your journey?”.  I vaguely recall petting a goat at a Westmoor park last weekend…  “Have you experienced any of the following: nausea, bleeding, fatigue, …”  One student had already thrown up.  One had had a nosebleed.  If we’re filling these out, who is looking at them, and how long will that take?  What if anyone answers “yes” to any of the questions? I had 10 hours of transatlantic flight to ponder these questions.  One thing was clear: “I whispered to each person in our party in a hushed conspiratorial tone, “Say no to everything!”

As it happened, when we got off the plane, there was just a desk collecting the Ebola forms, and a helpful employee from Rwandair waiting for us with our boarding passes. He hustled us through a bag check—shoes off again—and got us on a bus to the plane.  45 minutes, no problem.  The plan worked.

But the, once snugly (and a little smugly) on board, a flight attendant very politely explained “your luggage will not be arriving in Uganda”.

“eh?”

“there was no time to get your luggage on the airplane. It will be arriving at 10 pm tomorrow”.

“Oh. Uh Oh”. I clarified: “Tomorrow we will be in Mbrara (7 hours away from the airport).  Will our luggage be delivered there?”

She gave me one of those rapidly fading smiles that says, “You’re so absurdly funny, oh no wait, you’re serious.”  Like a black cloud passing in front of the sun.    Like she had just seen a circus clown, in full makeup, slip on a banana peel, and then just lay there for a long time in a fetal position, moaning.

After speaking to a few very helpful people, like the folks who drove a student back to the airplane on the bus to retrieve her wallet, and Ernest, who photographed all our baggage claim tickets in Kigali and communicated with Accra and Entebbe to let them know, and Vivian, who very patiently hand-wrote 11 lost luggage claims—who expressed a sort of concerned, incredulous, disappointed surprise when I said that some of the bags had luggage tags that had the names of parents or spouses on them, I have learned two things:

1. Even though JFK placed elaborate barcoded luggage tags on each of our 22 bags, and gave us matching claims tickets—items intended to be read by a laser scanner—those tags are very unhelpful at an airport where no one has a laser scanner.  I am reasonably sure that the transfer of bags in Africa is largely based on someone matching your name from a handwritten manifest to your luggage tags.

2. When your luggage tags have your wife’s name on them, you may never see your luggage again.

So now the question is, when you have booked a lodging—a guesthouse—for one night, can you stay for two?  If you have reservations at a lodge in a National park, can that be moved back a day? If people are expecting you on Sunday, but you don’t turn up till Monday, do they charge you for the day you missed?   I am guessing that flexibility is no problem, but then again, you never know.

Thanks TSA

Thanks, TSA

The TSA has been falsely reviled.  Hours of waiting, they say.  Intrusive searches.  Profiling. Pat downs.

And yet, I just sailed through JFK with 10 other people in my group, all together, in about 20 minutes.

No one was profiled or patted.  No one detained or disrobed. 

Thank you TSA.

I had what I think was a brilliant idea of putting my shoes in my bag when I took out the computer. I stuck my belt in too, and only needed two bins.

I looked behind me—shoes in a bin, computer, wallet, keys. Four bins or more per person.  Amateurs.

I decided then and there that there are two kinds of people- people who use two bins or fewer, and those who use an excessive number of bins.                                                                                  

You can tell so much about a person by the number of bins they use.

If the lines are slow, I blame the multi bin people.

I think the TSA searches them more—they are the ones who are profiled.

And rightly so—anyone with such disregard for the line behind to shove five nearly empty bins through the scanner is probably a sociopath.

We Have Arrived!

We are safely tucked in at the Gorilla African Guest House but...our luggage is still in Ghana. We expect it to arrive tomorrow night and it will make us likely move around few days. The adventure has only begun!!

Hard to Believe....We're heading to Uganda!!

We are ready to board the plane to Uganda!! 8 amazing students & 3 very tired but excited chaperones!!

"Learning Service"

For the past few months, we have been preparing for our work in Uganda.  Last weekend, we sorted and packed the shoes and books we have collected.  All packed- we have over 500lbs of donations!  We also planned our lessons and practiced schoolyard games to play with the many children we will meet at our three partner schools.

Most importantly, we have explored the culture and issues found in the Kisoro region of Uganda.  The establishment of the Mgahinga Gorilla National Park (where Dr. Aa and I trekked gorillas last summer) was important for conservation, but resulted in many challenges for the local Batwa and Bantu people. Through readings, videos and interactive activities, we have only begun to understand the complexities life in Kisoro. Working on the ground with the Mgahinga Community Development Organisation (MDCO) will teach us so much more.

We have also explored the meaning of service learning....or in the words of Daniela Papi (who I met at a global educator training with Where There Be Dragons) "learning service". We wrestled with the questions of "Why go to Africa?" when we can do service in the US and "How do we not fall into the voluntourist trap?". Even checking out Savior Barbie's parody Instagram account helped us grapple with the responsibilities of being informed global citizens.

By partnering with local leaders like Grace Mugisha at Kyibumba Women's Center & School, Godfrey & Festo at MDCO as well as developing a relationship with Katarara Primary School, we will learn more than we can ever teach. We have studied, learned about the local community, checked our privilege and go forward with immense humility and gratitude!

Five days to go!!