May 31, 2010

Here we are, two weeks into our project in Uganda, and clearly procrastination has got the better of us :P Not for lack of experiences to relate, but perhaps an overwhelming sense of not knowing where to begin, has delayed this first blog. Regardless, welcome to the 2010 VWB Uganda student project blog :)

After a lengthy journey from Canada, we were welcomed to Uganda by a not so graceful landing that surely woke any resting passengers on the 3 am flight. Following a brief stop to the restroom to ensure none of us had suffered a bout of incontinence as a result of our first abrupt encounter on Ugandan soil, we waited patiently as bag after bag of luggage circled around a conveyor belt plastered with coca-cola advertisements. While myself and Benoit were pleased to find our luggage in good condition, Kristina was not so fortunate. Her luggage was to be lost for nearly a week before we could recover it. I couldn’t help but think this wouldn’t be our only delay in Uganda.

To make the best of the situation, we took in some of the things to see and do around Entebbe. This included a trip to the local zoo, where we had the opportunity to experience in a not so natural setting, some of the wildlife Uganda had to offer. There were zebras, lions, exotic birds of all sorts and other animals not necessarily indigenous to our home country. This was a pleasant way to spend the afternoon, but not exactly how each of us expected to experience African wildlife.

We also took the time in Entebbe to adjust to our surroundings, which were quite foreign to each of us. Some experiences were quite pleasant, such as the welcoming nature and friendliness of the locals, the delicious cuisine and the diversity of flora and fauna. Others felt like an onslaught on the senses, like the direct equatorial sun and anarchic roads.

We made many friends while in Entebbe, and were sad to leave them as we headed for Mbarara. Mbarara is a city in the west of the country that would serve as our “home away from home” for the next few months while engaged in our project. But first.. we had to survive the journey across the Ugandan highway.

In a country with little to no traffic laws or enforcement, a safe journey from Entebbe to Mbarara should not be taken for granted. What we were led to believe would be roughly a 3-4 hour journey over some newly paved roads, turned out to be more of a 6-7 hour nightmarish rollercoaster ride. Complete with 2 foot deep pot holes and huge taxi busses careening over the road (in a what would generously be described as a 2 lane highway might I add), this trip was not necessarily the snoozing opportunity I had envisioned. But nevertheless! We arrived and are safe.

Life in Mbarara thus far has been very generous to us. For our first meal in the city, we were presented with an interesting plate of goat stew. Our appetites getting the better of us, we eagerly dug in. After a few moments of eating, Benoit had the presence of mind to use his cell phone to illuminate his plate, which was previously cloaked in the darkness of the evening. To our surprise, we found what looked to be a review of the ruminant foregut on our plate. Rumen, reticulum, omasum.. all were generously represented. Some further investigation revealed a goat nipple. Ever the adventurous eaters, myself and Benoit could not help ourselves (Kristina in her better judgement did not stomach it.. no pun intended).

We are now nearly 2 weeks into our work in the field, which has provided some of our most rewarding experiences to date. Despite the daily struggle many families endure to make a living, I get the impression they give back to us until it hurts when we visit. Always with smiling faces, the beneficiaries parade their goats proudly to us, explaining to the translator the various ailments of the herd. We provide to the best of our abilities any care and offer suggestions, and never leave empty handed or without saying “weberle” (thank you in runyankore).

We are still learning about local farming practices and what we have to offer the farmers over the course of our project. Regardless of what happens, I already have the impression we will be returning to Canada with much more than we could ever offer to those we meet here.