So today I went for a walk through Kabwohe after work. I didn't want to go into town town because I didn't need anything and when you walk through town here you have to interact with sooo many people. It's like a daily one person parade and you are it. Every child knows I'm coming long before I get there (I don't know if they have a signal or something) and everyone stares. I find this kind of akward so I make it a point to greet most people. So I just walk down the street looking goofy and saying "Agandi" and "Musibre Muta" to every group of people I pass. The children chant my name as I pass, which by that I mean "Muzungu" and now they are more used to me. This means some of them will run up to me and wrap themselves around my legs and repeatedly ask "How are you? How are you?" I answer maybe once or twice and then keep on keeping on. All this just to get some food for dinner geesh. Anyway like I said I didn't have to go into town today for anything, so I decided to go up into the hills where there are less people. Plus I don't go up there so often, but I want to know the whole area and it seems like people with less money live up there; people that I hopefully can help more. Some points of interest on the walk: First I went up this hill I have been wondering about for some time. Well that didn't lead anywhere. I got up it and there was a house with a lady doing housework. Then it sloped back down to like 6 feet from the orginal path. OO well...so I found another path, where I come upon a man and two boys (presumably his sons/nephews). I am stared at a usual; no big deal. Continuing my journey I come across a group of men drinking and I think playing cards. I wasn't planning on greeting this particular group but I kind of stand out so they greeted me first in English and I respond in Runyankore. Then they are pointing at their beers and yelling "IJA" (you come). Well I'm not a fool, that seems like a bad situation. So I say no I am going for a walk and continue on my way. Then I come to a large hole in the ground that someone has kindly laid some pieces of wood across as a bridge. Good I don't need to be falling in any holes (actually one of my biggest fears in country; holes are everywhere and I am clumsy). So finally I get to a more built up dirt road; one where cars and bodas go. But I don't want to turn back yet, so I head up it facing traffic. Yes facing traffic, I need to see these maniacs in order to avoid them. Bodas of course could swerve anywhere on the road, but they zoom past like 6 inches from where you are walking. There are a few people I greet on my way up, but I walk much faster than Ugandans. This may be surprising to some of my super fast walking friends (*cough* Erik and Fen) But I'm not saying that I speed walk by any means, but everyone here moves more at a meander or a leisurely stroll. Then I see this awesome Nyabo (woman) trucking up this hill. She has a jerry can of water in each hand and is balancing her groceries on her head. And she looks like it doesn't take much effort or concentration at all. I suppose when you do it your whole life it must just get easy. She must have pretty great posture though. Maybe I will make my kids carry stuff on their heads. I get back off the main road into the plaintain farms. At this point I'm fairly sure I have looped back around towards home, but its all plaintain trees so I cannot be sure. I keep going onward. Nothing to exciting happens. Just greeting the couple people I meet and singing to myself. Then more children spot me. One kid follows me whistling for a bit (signaling other of my approach?). I keep going a ways and there is a whole group of them. These children aren't as used to me as the ones on the way to the market, so they are shy. I greet them first and then they get all excited. I walk down the hill and I faintly hear "Muzungu!" for about 10 minutes after that. They follow me for a bit, although a a great distance behind me. Then I get to like the main main road and realize it is time to turn back. This is the Mbarara road that is paved and people aren't good drivers here. So I turn back and right before I turn to get to my road, I am spotted again. Same group of kids. They follow me for a bit yelling Muzungu some more. No biggie. So far I find this fancination amusing more than anything, but talk to me in a year or so I suppose.
I also went to Kabale this weekend, way down south by the Rwandan border. We were there for Youth Day Celebration. We were supposed to be meeting Museveni again, but he couldn't come so the VP was there instead. I do not remember his name. We got there saturday night. We went via Matatu, which as always is a treat. We get in one that's like a station wagon type deal. Tara, Claire, and I are all squished in the back, no big deal. There is a crying baby who seemed sick if you ask me in front of us, okay annoying put in the headphones. And there are no windows in the back seat. Which means that all the windows are in the hands of Ugandans, which means they stay closed through most of the trip. Okay I can deal. About an hour and a half in the guy stops and people start getting out. We don't know what's going on, we just know we aren't in Kabale yet. So we stay put along with a woman who is feeding her child. The taxi guy comes up to us and tells us we have to get out and we say okay, but the seat needs to be put up for us to get out. So instead of asking the lady to move, he just yanks the seat up and smacks her and her child right out of the way. Very nice; Tara yelled at him. Then we get shoved in with 22 others in a van built for 14. The conductor is basically sitting on my lap. Pleasant, how long left of our trip? Oo about 2 hours. Except that the roads were the worst (they are all dirt roads under construction) and taxis stop every 10 minutes or so to load and unload people. So we got to Kabale by 5; we left at 1. It was worth it. It was a very fun weekend. We stayed at a hostel. The first night we just kinda hung out and had some drinks at dinner. We got to see Angela and Fred which was great! The next day was youth day, which was long and had a lot of speeches. But I had a good breakfast and had brought a book with me. That night we hung out and drank and watched the closing ceremonies to the olympics. We met a super cool med student from the UK. OO Candy and Tara convinced the kitchen to let us cook for ourselves and they made mac n' cheese for us. It was glorious. Although that hostel had some quality American food. Great cheeseburgers and quesadillas. Bacon wasn't bad either. All in all it was a chill, but super fun trip. Monday we hung out for a bit in the morning and had breakfast. Then it was time go. The taxi back was faster, but just as cramped. This time I got to sit up front (in the driver's seat with the driver), which is great because then I can see my death by head on collision coming. Traveling in this country makes me appreciate getting to my destination.
Alright I'm hungry so I'm out for now. Hope you enjoy my ramblings.
