Bobbing for Apples and Pumpkin Seeds

I know I know I know...you all think that I have simply ran away to another country and just forgotten about you, but that could be further from the truth! I will leave this short (I feel like I always say that) and just give you a few snippets of what's been going on, as I woke this morning at 4am to reach Kampala and it is 12.30pm now and I have only had 2 cups of coffee, a fruit leather thingy, like 4 cubes (size of dice) of mango, two fingerfuls of peanut butter and a bite of a nutrition bar. Although that seems like a lot, it has put me in to a frame of mind where work is not priority in my mind...food is! So anyways, now I am lost, I do not know what to say, other than I am going to put a few pictures on here now. Honestly the highlight of the past few weeks was the election though! Such an incredible experience. I had spent it with a number of other volunteers, watching and staying up and it was a surreal expereince to see so many faces identical, tearing up and a look of star-struck awe in their eyes! Unbelievable! Anyways remember these few sites to check out if you really miss me:
http://danielkoza.blogspot.com/ <
http://biology.science.oregonstate.edu/
https://www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=resources.donors.contribute.projDetail&projdesc=617-045 <
http://www.cheese.com/ <
So again no new lengthy letter from me, but here are a few snaps which I have deemed significant over the past few months...

Hot Water Bath: Well coming back from town one evening we got caught in torrential rain, got soaked and rather muddy...My first though, I am going to boil some water and soak my feet in it for some 20 minutes! Aww, luxury I tell you...
OBAMA!: Sharing a congratulatory coffee and cheers with Brett, we took to the morning with broken sleep to the screams and cheers of President-Elect Obama taking the stage for his speech! Imagine if the opposing side had succeeded...these coffees might have been replaced with some other sort of stimulant?!

My Onion Harvest: Harvesting my onions with one of the village children Salif, we uprooted, gathered, cut the greens and began to dry the onions in the sun! So in total: my carrots were amazing but not enough, my onions were amazing and could still probaby have more, and my tomatoes failed! Next year maybe an apple orchard?!

Ugandan Halloween: Lisa and I spent Halloween evening teaching Agnes' family about Halloween and carving pumpkins. Although they thought we were crazy at first they definitely enjoyed!

Pumpkin Seed Roasting: Teaching Agnes' family abouy roasting the pumpkin seeds! So earlier in the day at my college I had the staff-or at least those willing to take a leap of faith on me-at lunch participate in 'Bobbing for Apples.' Let me tell you that the sight of a dozen grown Ugandan men laughing and playing bobbing for apples was an amazing sight! I only wish that I had had my camera with me!

Bugs Jackfruit and Carro

Dysfunctional Carrots: So the 100+ tomato plants perished (I was able to harvest about 30 green tomatoes before they rotted), and the onions are doing amazingly well, but my carrots, although a good harvest, were clearly too close to one another, so a few of the bunches turned in to this...
Stoning of Stephen: In our Guidance and Counseling Office (to-be) this piece of art? educational material?...I don't know...was come across. Maybe Stephen did something terrible, but this is a clear example of still to this day means of retribution...Scary thought...

Bugs on the Nile: Don't really know what this is, but maybe if you do then let me know. This was a bug that I found just down at the source of the Nile...

Inservice Lectures 2: This was a photo of me and my students from my second stint of Inservice teaching.

Jackfruit Bigger than my Head: The title says it all.

Munchin' Grass and Burn Piles

Donkey Eats Grass...I Eat Grass: Found this guy just hanging out in a soccer field eating some lunch. I had yet to eat lunch, so decided I'd sit with him for a chat and partake in some nutrients.
Postman at Work: Here at our fine Postal Uganda in Kaliro, our PostMaster George is hard at work...

Burn Piles: My first burn pile, and a terrible one at that, was still quite a joy. Here we have a friend Simon and myself admiring the work...

TASO at Bumanya: Escorting an HIV/AIDS group from Kaliro, here we have a Doctor from Taso Jinja instructing some of the locals on proper use of ARVs.

Life: Waiting to depart to Bumanya, one of the typical sights: A man carrying a large oil bin (sans the oil) to somewhere?

The World I call Home II

Music Students Cultural Dances: Although a few months ago, the students of NTC, Kaliro for their practical exam produced cultural song and dances, and I was given the privelage of sitting and watching it all. Although just being students and partaking in these activities for a mark to pass school, they all performed incredibly well and this was more than an eye-opening experience to the rich and deep cultures of Uganda.
Bigger than Art: An art student of NTC, Kaliro tries to decide how he is to arrange the lot of his art in order to show to the community his gracious talents.
Passing By: The view between two taxis passing by...
Gizmo and I: She refused to eat the ground nuts, but I still made a mess of my back porch, littering the ground with the shells of the tasty little morsels.
My Two Other Roommates: These two, currently pictured here on my table, not sit on a couple of shelves just near. Sculpted by an NTC, Kaliro student, the man in the foreground is entitled 'Man Taking Local Brew' while the other is titled 'Gorilla Eating Bana.' Although beginning to crack a bit due to the heat and many other factors, these are two notable figures in my home and I am sure if you were to visit, they would great you with their amiable poses!

The World I Call Home

Me and My Library: Sitting here in the NTC, Kaliro Library, I am filled with joy being surrounded by so many resources whether a classic novel or a volume of literary journals on some out-of-this world bird. Unfortunately the condtion of most of these books include feasting silverfish and mold, while the ceiling above my head would be pouring water all over if it was not for the pleasant day outside. Even with these resources though, the majority of the students lack a(n) understanding/reason to use these books...one of my tasks for these next years is to prove to these communities how lucky they are to have such a facility and to motivate all to take these resources by the reigns.
My Daily Walk: With my home just behind me and Gizmo meowing for me to return, I walk myself to work (not more than 500 meters) through towering trees and maize fields to find myself welcomed ever-so-warmly by the NTC, Kaliro community.
We Know We Look Good: Greg and myself find ourselves 'forced' to sit behind the families of the bride and groom at an introduction ceremony (a ceremony to introduce the bride and groom to the community prior to processing to the church for the official marriage) in Kaliro. Both wearing formal Busoga garments, and of course being bazungu, there are definitely more photos than this one circling around the town of Kaliro...
Me and My Work at IST: At our technical training in Kampala, I stand here with my proposed project to create a Guidance and Counseling Office at NTC, Kaliro. This project stems from desires by students and staff-prior to my arrival in Kaliro-to develop a Guidance and Counseling Sector to focus on HIV/AIDS awareness amongst a number of other topics.
Not Even Phased: I did not know this photo was taken (Thanks Lisa Robbins), but upon seeing I became amazed at the types of things that are no longer shocking...What other time in my life might I by non-chalantly picking my finger nails (or whatever) I am doing while a truck of armed-personel speed by...

Reporting: Bagisu Circumcision—Imbalu—Sends Boy to Manhood

Pre-Circumcision Procession: These boys—having been through hours already of processing—are making their last leg through the village after having been doused in yeast by the elders before they garner their last ounce of strength and courage to survive their fateful date with the elders to become men.

Jubilation Streetside: As the majority of the ceremonies are going on within the village on the opposing sides of this road, many of the village peoples are celebrating—with no end in site—by cheering on the candidates and consuming beverages with all their neighbors. This gentleman—one of the elders—carries this horn with him, and as a ceremony has come full-circle, with a boy having been circumcised and becoming a man, will blow the horn announcing to the people this event.

The Strength and Courage: Having just gone through a public circumcision with hundreds of villagers around, this young boy has just begun his journey to becoming a man. A condition of this ceremony is the strength and courage of the boy must be higher than one could ever imagine. By this I imply to you that to gain the highest respect and appreciation from your family and community, one must remain nearly motion and emotionless. Each candidate receives a 'percentage,' rating how well they showed strength, and courage, therefore each blink of an eye, each tear, each wince, each swallow of saliva and each little motion reduces this percentage...

Wisdomed-Tailor taking Local Brew: This elder sat, and spoke to us as we relaxed taking a bit of malawi bringing to the scene an outstretched-hand from the past. This old tailor was filled with story, after story, after story, in Lugisu unfortunately (though I was provided with rough translations), as the Imbalu processions passed by.

Bazungu Shrine

From Left (Muzungus): Tim, Greg, Me

Atop the Bazungu Shrine just South of Iganga on Nenda Hill
Our Journey to this location began with 8 individuals crammed in to your average sedan and ended with an amazing view from atop this shrine. These children as well as others from the adjacent village journeyed with us to the top.

Life in a 90s Sedan

With open-backed trucks spilling over business-clad, shirtless and screaming men; my slow breathing takes in a smell of street-fried pork and dust to find some gospel to preach.  The current anxiety in finding the words to encourage your audience is not due to a shortage of power or the locally-foreign eyes cast upon me, but rather my own decision to pleasure my morning breakfast-desire with an all too sweet cup of dry tea and a Cup of Noodles.  I only mention this because it has begun to give me a feeling that a daily routine of the unmentionable sort could soon become irregular therefore the mind tends to focus more on the potential disaster than expressing my life’s events; and with that the situation will be recessed. 

 

Aside from the opening statement, my current sights focus on six construction men approximately 50 metres away and matching me being two-stories up.  They seem to be struggling to get the small metal support rods (those ones that eventually are encased in cement) to be in place.  As the skeleton of a structure—supported on all sides by scalfolding made from sticks that one might find covered in moss in a riparian zone—supports these six men the streets below are a collective mess of pedestrians, cyclists carrying 100 kilograms of maize, street vendors selling ‘quarter-machine’ novelty items and all too many types of motorized vehicles all with a mob mentality to get to their destination first whether it be 1 metre away or 100 kilometres.  The thought of this parade of maniacs is reminiscent of today’s, and nearly every drive to Iganga.  Whether the mode of transportation is your standard mid-90s sedan or a Japanese-made van/bus authorized to carry 14 passengers, I would give the opportunity a 95% chance of carrying nearly double the number of persons as the vehicle properly should. As the peke-pekes (motorcycles) zip by on all sides and every motor-vehicle honks their horn to command the road, our motor-car swerves to avoid a slow-moving vehicle while at the same time coming within inches of head-on colliding furniture set being pulled on a wheeled cart by a nearly life-depleted man.  In finally arriving at my destination I too was part of the scene in descriptive development above; only soon I left to sit where I am now, finding my spirits high as my world-flipped-upside-down is one helluva story…

 

Although English is the official spoken language of this country, it is to my experience as far away from my dialect as any other dialect, therefore often a conversation in my mother-tongue and a Ugandan in their state of speaking from a collected of learned words turns in to a storm of confusion and frustration.  So yes, I am fortunate to have the luxury of power (when it is on) and water in this country, that is by no means where my development of this story is intending to play its cards.  The other day power had been out for some 36 hours or so, therefore the expectation existed that it would return soon.  To my happiness I peer out the window to see neighbors across the street with their front light on and eagerly dash to the light-switch.  To my ultimate sadness I find no light filling every tiny crevice in my front room.  After a ten-minute manic state of trying every light switch and combination of light switches to see if I have missed something the past 3 months I have lived at my home, I call the neighbor to enquire if power was truly there or if he had purchased a generator…indeed power was there, but of course mine was not.  So the evening ended with torches in hand, and yes spirits were still high and mighty; who needs electricity?!?!  So the next morning I speak to the Estates Manager of the college, and he comes by to check on things.  He brings me around my front, to the neighbor’s side of the cement wall dividing our houses, and shows me that my power had been disconnected from the wires—it had become disconnected when they neighbor hooked up their own wires to tap in to my power.  Case solved, power was there, just a wire disconnected, not big deal.  It is not even any big deal that the neighbor was tapping in to my power; I could care less that they do.  In fact I was happy that they could do that and not be in any sort of trouble.  ZOOM TO 3 DAYS LATER…Arriving home from a weekend away, as I am checking the outside of my house for any abnormalities, my neighbor (the one tapping in to my power) approaches me and begins to lecture me about leaving the lights on in the house.  Not only is it a waste and a potential fire hazard, but with the power on there is more potential that future-burglars could look in to my house for items to take, etc.  I proceed to explain in my slow-transformed Ugandan English that the reason the lights were on was due to the fact that when the power was out, there was confusion in to which direction some of the switches should be to determine power on/off, since some of switches are reversed.  Also I pleaded to her the fact that she was tapping in to my power and she was the one who accidentally separated my power wires, that in reality it was partially the fault of her own because while power was everywhere else, it was not at my home.  Again a lecture to me after I spill my case and one more time I explain myself to avoid defeat.  To no avail I lost the Battle of Englishes (American West Coast English vs. Ugandan English) as neighbor (still friendly…she could never hate me!) left her post to take care of matters at home.  The feeling of defeat in a position when the fault was lesser my own than neighbor’s was frustrating, but the post-thoughts on the evolution of language create all the more appealing feeling of a future post…

 

To all of you back home I hope that things are well, and hopefully going as well as things are for me, but until then Peace and Love. 

Hello!

And I am well!

Corrupt

So the past couple of weeks I have been proctoring exams at the college. So for either 4, or 8 hours a day, 6 days a week for the past 2 weeks I have been meandering around a classroom, ensuring students finish their exams appropriately. Most interesting thing in regards to proctoring (besides the fact that rather than "proctor" they call it "invigilation") was seeing some of the exam questions. From Biology, to Chemistry practicals, to History, Geography and Development Studies, I was their to see them all. In Geography exam, the students were required to create a map of North America, outline the Cotton Belt, and explain the Cotton Belt's origins in regards to the slave trade and how things have changed since. In the Chemistry practicals, well let us just say wearing open-toed shoes and using one's mouth to pipette liquids is a common and recommended practice, because there are no other means to do certain experiments because of the lack of equipment and proper facilities. I felt as though my mind was wandering to an imaginary place as I was breathing in so many toxic fumes. Rat dissection in Biology Practical. Very interesting experience, and beneficial to see how exams were administered-in a very formal British-style (hmm...the educational foundation of Uganda is from who? the Brits). Anyways, sadly enough the students have all left now for School Practice-in essence student teaching-therefore the campus will be very quiet for quite some time. Typically the lecturers would all go out to a different distrcit and observe the students, and give them marks, but since I have a mandatory training for Peace Corps in the middle of July, this would cut in to my observing, therefore I will be given, or rather find my own work at the college over the next couple months. Fortunately there are a number of projects I can focus my efforts on. Still we are working with proposals to get internet at the college. The college has 10 relatively new Dell machines (though which is not nearly enough for the amount of students) but 99.9% of the staff and students lack proper instruction or knowledge in computers, therefore that is where I come in to develop a program. But in regards to internet we are working to get it but the school being so strapped for cash and in terrible debt, the money is not there therefore outside funding is key, but is very difficult to come by. Having internet would assist students in not only introducing the world wide web in general computer usage, but allowing students to search for modern information, etc. Also we are starting a Guidance and Counseling sector at the college, emphasising AIDS information and outreach, as werll as personal guidance. The school has never had any sort of sector, so myself as well as two of the other lecturers are developing this program, so I feel that within the next couple of months I will have many good opportunities to get this program rolling so by the time the students return in September or October, we can introduce it properly. Still of course looking to get newer books, etc over here and also, assuming that books will come some time, I will eventually begin looking for funding to renovate the library. One day I will get pictures for you all so that you can see the state and conditions of the college. In a nutshell, besides the whole of Uganda struggling in the education sector, this college specifically, NTC Kaliro is worse off than most. The Principal who currently is seated at the college has only been there for about 2 years, and the Principal prior was apparently one of the most corrupt people one could imagine (in regards to educational administrators in Uganda). During his decades of being Principal, he personally took many allocated funds to the college (helped by an insider high up in the Ministry of Education) and with that money built multiple houses and his own private secondary school in the city of Jinja, causing the school to fall in to the catastrophic state it currently sits in. From Academic factilities to the student/staff housing to the Admin Offices, these were all clearly top of the line facilities when they were constructed in the early 1970s by missionaries, but currently struggle to remain standing in a state reminiscent to a still-frame of a Hollywood-esque internment camp bmomb explosion. I hope that you can get the picture. Broken-glass scattered over walking paths and and plants growing out of cracks in the cement on the ceiling is not proper, nor is the economical battle that faces the whole of the Education sector here in Uganda.

Just for a taste of the lack of rationale in this country. Students every day get pousha (excuse my spelling, but essentially rather than mashed potatoes, dried and cooked corn flour in this state) and some beans for lunch and dinner, they also get tea during the day. Well due to the international food crisis the prices of foods have risen dramatically, especially for many of those living in the village, or those severely struggling to survive. The students at the college were told one day that their last weeks of classes/exams there would be no more sugar (for porridge and tea) and that the Ministry of Education has actually cut funding, therefore seeking added funding for food was necessary. HONESTLY?!@?!?! What is the sense, where there is already a food crisis, to LOWER funding?!!!! I just get speechless at the thought, and tehre is no rhyme or reason to act in this way...but it happens this way, and people live, and die this way, and I don't know. I don't know what is wrong. Why, on many other instances or occasions do the actions of others fall in such an analogous way to be so indecent to the rest of societies and others.

Speechless

"Mr. Daniel, I...and the rest of the class...can not find the words to express to...you...how much we thank you...and have appreciated your time...and energy in teaching us.  We can not thank you enough."

                - DEP student at commencement of Ecology course prior to departing

Were You Lost?

So if at anytime I am not in attendance at the staff lounge for tea and lunch...or if I am missing from my office during a day...or if I am not seen around my house for many of those I am come to be associated with I am 'lost.' Maybe I have been in my office and no one has noticed...maybe I am working from home..maybe I have gone down south to Iganga to do research online for some of my projects...maybe I have simply gone in to Kaliro town to the market or to meet with other members of the community, but nonetheless the sentiment if one has not been seen throughout the day is that they have been lost. Now of course this, as with much of what is said, is of direct translation from the mother tounge spoken here being Lusoga (or if in other language regions the sentiment is similar). Now this does not bother me so much, as one of my colleagues at the college explained to me that the reason why the inquire of my whereabouts is that "You are one of our associates now and we care, so if you were to be away some time, and nobody knows where, they we are concerned." This reasoning is definitely appreciative, but at the same time it makes you have the feeling that you are always being watched, and therefore judged by all those around you, which is likely what is happening. With that, I take the judgmental aspect with a grain of salt and hope for the best that there is more emphasis on the care for my well-being, and this being more of a cultural aspect. Things have been going very well for the most part, and time right now seems to be flying by. Having taught the past few weeks I have taken opportunity this week to attempt to get my house in order some-which really has not happened-especially with the two kittens Gizmo and Virtue (Lisa's) running around with their heads cut off in my house. Today-the reason that I am on the internet now-is that I was to head off to a workshop for Secondary School Teachers of Sciences, put on by the Ministry of Education, on newer and more creative methods of teaching sciences in the schools here. Upon arrival, me and the other volunteer Melissa find ourselves...well...there a bit too late. The fact is this workshop began on the 15th of May, but we just received the information on the 20th, therefore we were rushing to make it for the last few days as it was suppose to end on the 23rd. As we walked in to the room, we were warmly greeted, but the unfortunte sentiments came to us of the cancellation of the workshop. Now let me tell you the frustrations...deep deep frustrations...arose when we were first called out of emergence in the morning of the 20th that we were to be attending this workshop. To think that we are to be attending this workshop-made of of probably 98.7% Ugandan teachers and 1.3% Peace Corps Volunteers-more than middway of its completion is completely ridiculous and disrespectful, so the hesitation and frustration and yes, anger was in full rage in the morning of the 20th. So I tied up loose ends, cleaned up a few things, and this morning woke at approximately 5.45AM, to make my way to Iganga from Kaliro. And that is the reason why you all find me here, writing, because the workshop was cancelled due to lack of funding. Therefore all the teachers who were at this conference left...Majority of the funding that is allocated for these conferences is the travel reimbursement for the teachers who have signed up for the conference. So...Teachers come to this conference...They are not refunded for their travel...The teachers, in dire need of educational teaching-style reform leave...Therefore nothing is changed. So where is the problem? (In regards to the educational system here and its inability to push intellectual thinking out of the box) Is it at the highest body, the Ministry of Education? Is it at the lowest with the students? Could it be the parents? The teachers themselves? Could it be that the core of the syllabi have not been changed for ages in this country, and their style is still reminiscent-in detrimental ways-of the British style of education from the 60s and further ago? All of these to an extent are much of the issues. It is a comprehensive problem where much of us struggle to see an honest change.
I did see the potential for change in the eyes of the students I taught. At the end of my last day of teaching the Diversity of Living Things and Classifcation (covering for a teacher that was not in attendace)-the 7.30Am morning after I was doing expediated lesson planning and note preparation for nearly 9 hours-I was commended in the most amazing way possible. As the students slowly began to exit the classroom-a room walled with cement and roofed with tin and rotting wood-two remained behind, gathering their belongings. Each expressed that they were going to miss me, that the next term they hoped to have me as their instructor and that I helped them very much. Then one, casually flipping through his notes stops, looks me in the eyes and in his broken english says "Mr. Daniel, I...and the rest of the class...can not find the words to express to...you...how much we thank you...and have appreciated your time...and energy in teaching us. We can not thank you enough." The most I could say, as I grew teary-eyed departing to my home was "Thank You," leaving a trail of chalk billowing in my path.

I hope all is well with you all back home! Tonight, I shall spend my time watching the Manchester United v Cheseal Football match, and then return to my modern life of proposal writing, eatching lunch (one of the best parts) in the staff room, and teaching whatever I can find. I love you all and I miss you all. And yeah...GO OB!!!!! OB is what they call Barack here, so yeah, I even have my good ol' American Propoganda in my "Vote Barack" pin on my bag. Peace and love.

Cheers,

Daniel Koza

May Day

I'd like to say that I am filled with unconventional wisdom for the rest of the populace to tap in to; I'd like to imagine myself on stage as the focal point of a hit show; I'd like to believe that each and every star I cast my eyes upon each evening has as solar system of its own not so different from ours, and I choose to have enough confidence in myself to convince myself that the latter are not simply blanket desires, instead reality...
****************

Young boy, I thank you for the biscuit. Where you acquired your manners I do not know. Where you learned to smile on of the most genuine smilse I will never know. But again I thank you, from the bottom of my heart for all that you have done thus far in your short life. You remind me of myself-young and curious in this world-not too many years ago.
-Webale, the young boy said.
-Kale, I say in response, garnering a nervous if not awe-filled laugh from the boy.
Young boy I truly hope you can take this poisoned world and turn it good. The undeserved ignorance that has plagued not only yoru land but many othrse shall be an obstacle not easily overcome, but I can only hope this moment in your life inspires you to know. There is a day in my memory from nearly 20 years ago where I stood, face buried in a rusty chain-linked fence, gazing at airplanes taking off and landing. I was a pre-kindergartener, taking my recess to let my my wander over these large obnoxious machines, rather than partake in a game of four square or kickball. Spurring my curiousity, this catalytical moment has brought me through Australasia and now to Africa. I tell you though, having curiousity is only a piece of the puzzle-let us say merely the endless blue sky of a scenic picture-as searching for the meaning of this curiosity is where this world begins.
-Mpaku Eagle, nnyabo.
-Eagle?
-Yi. Webale.
-Kale.
Letting my own mind wander, staring out this barred canteen window, I find a life that I have simply...

Well my train of thought has been derailed worse than...well I can't think of any well known train derailment, but I assume you understand. Now the cause of this terrible loss in concentraion is due to the canteen owner's young daughter, who no doubt could see me from miles away (well I guess most Ugandans could, because, uhh, I'm white?) has chosen to take any and every effort imagineable to talk to and see me...
-Osibye oty'eyo, I asked.
-Bulungi, responded the young man staring at me from 4 inches away through the barred window. Osibye oty'eyo?
-Bulungi. Jebale I say.
-Kale, wena jebale.
-Kale ssebo.
And yes, you see how no matter how hard one tries to have their own piece of mind (while in public) is I must say a sure failure.

Young boy, you must realise something. Take a look around you. You see the man pulling the goat? The three boda drivers next to the tree? The chickens walking through the bush? You have been privelaged with an incredibly unique life, and you have seen me and with my best hopes wish that you have an eternal line of questions racing through your mind of why or what this muzungu is doing here, and hopefully t6hat is yoru ticket towards fighting ignorance. Run young boy, take your eswiti I gave you and on't change who you are, because yoru mind is so beautiful and open to new and amazing things.

Now Margaret, canteen owner's daughter, I do not even know how to satisfy anything you say...If I teach you something i teach you, if your mind has become corrupt to outsie teaching, especially by the thoughts that muzungus will save the world, then I fear to become a friend. Young boy; canteen owner's daughter; boy who ruined my concentration by starting at me from 4 inches away, just take this with you: To think is to live, to live is to love. And think for yourself and don't let anyone else tell you how or what to think. Believe that you have the ability to change somebody's-anybody's- life, and you shall smile everyday as you do when you see a muzungu.

EAGLE...rain?...maize...EAGLE...Yes, in a nutshell the progression of the past hour, with the whole lot of previous garbage being sandwhiched somewhere in the middle. And yes, it had to only rain for 2 minutes, and I have a full beer now, and all I want to do is go home, light my gas stove, and concoct some dinner involving eggs, cabbage, eggplant and tomatoes. In essence an omelet, but something more interesting is very much desired. But for now, I will struggle through this beer-not because it tastes bad, or because I have had too many or because I have an audience of 7 people watching me (which I do)-but because my simple couch, while listending to Chrias Koza's ne walbum and eating an omelet seems far more appealing. And to that, cheers, so I may take my last sip, and exit this alternate universe of the young boy, boy who ruined my concentration and teh canteen owner's daughter.

"Straight to Video"

Shout out to my brother Christopher Koza and his band as I am sitting here writing this and listening to his new CD which I just received here in the mail in Uganda...yes, Chris Koza even has his music as international as Africa....So that means anyone who reads this, go to http://www.chriskoza.com/ and pick up a CD...Anyways, on to Peace Corps now...

<--Myself, greasy as after a long day with my little brother Hassan and Namakula at homestay

Having spent these past few weeks-post training- to get accustomed to life on my own and in a new environment has been grueling and difficult at times, but also a blessing in truly realising how adaptable the human species is...Although individual personality is also a key attribute in determining one's ability to adapt, in essence it amazes me what we as a species are truly capable of. True I still hold many ammenities with me from me that I have taken here as well as photos on my wall to remind me of my life thus far, but to be able to move 7,684 miles away to a truly different (yet clearly livable) world is an incredible and daring feat in itself. I have met many incredible people over these past few months, and while I dearly miss all of you back home, these relationships are truly my lifeline...The stresses that overtake one's mind in being ask for candy dozens of times a day by the same children or being glared at by a local (honestly though most of the time just a simple wave brings the biggest smile!) is often followed by a text or call to another PCV to gain confidence in oneself again. Living in Kaliro has been an experience in itself. The town is rather small, which makes it incredibly easy to walk through in a matter of a few minutes and see every member of town, often sitting in their dooka (store) selling the same exact thing at the same exact price as another 10 metres away. I walk a gorgeous walk everyday and find amazement in the fact that I could easily go hours without speaking English. Although my Lusoga reminds me of my family's Japanese exchange student Ikko trying to speak English when I was young, it invigorates me to have at least a complete greeting and short question and answer in a different language, and the Ugandan people absolutely love this! Some of the greatest smiles come when you surprise a Ugandan in speaking their mother toungue and that also brings out one of the biggest smiles I could have here.

I will leave this at that, and will hopefully post in a week or so again. One other note though, I have a new postal address now, so SEND ME MAIL to:

Daniel Koza
c/o Lisa Balland
PO Box 161
Kaliro, Uganda

Also be sure to write Air Mail and Par Avion on it, and also write RELIGIOUS MATERIALS and draw a cross or something on it! Good chance it will arrive with less trouble faster!

Well until then peace and love from Uganda to yo all, and I miss you all!

Here is a little poem for you all:


For the moment each and every star
Is their for your own unique dream
In 500 years maybe some other truth
Will change what we hold true
But for the time now and even then
As living is so short and often a battle
Take every smile and every fright
To heart as what makes this
World so beautiful and evolutionarily
Tangible to each and every being
Forgetting who you are will not be
The end of it all but just remember
That someone, 7684 miles away from you,
Is thinking about you and loves you...

Urine...Cow Puddles of Mysterious Substances...Cow Dung...Mud

Quote For Zen: "Keep the motion in picture or else there'll be little for you to hold on to."
- Jet's "Hold On"
Quote For Humour: "My bag smells like a fart!"
- Another volunteer, taking notice how is bag smelled bad, and
who knows why it smelled bad?? The mysteries of life...


First a wee little disclaimer: Not having internet on a regualr basis by all means makes it rather difficult to get good announcements out to you all and makes it difficult for me to have a clear mind of thoughts to get out to you all. I intended to load a few pictures on here so you could all see me with my Rastafarian dreads, having lost 50 lbs and cooking in a pit in the ground (which you would not see anyways even if I had pictures because this is not the truth...) but I haplessly left any pictorial resources at my site which is approximately an house taxi ride from my current location. ALSO I do have a new address, but that has been left at site as well...therefore I will get those out early in this week; i.e. I will commute 2 hours roundtrip not including wait time for taxi simply to send you all my address and show you the beautiful me!

Okay, now to some good ol' dirt on myself Ugandan-style.....

Having not written for nearly a month on here and lacking the mental capactiy to remember if I emailed any mass messages out to you all, some information that I spill out to you could be a repeat, but bear with me as the majority of info is new, and for the most part follows chronological order from a month ago...

So yes, life is odd and filled with many moments that I have come to call 'African Moments'(AM). By my own definition an 'African Moment' is: any moment in a day when an event, or series of events, causes one to reflect back momentarily on this situation, and when comparing to the rest of their life, the realisation occurs that the only time this could or has ever occurred is in Africa. So the first AM I wish to mention is one in which I might of already written of, but is of great importance in my growth as a person and in knowing when sh** hits the fan that one just has to sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride of life.

**AM1**--Prior to leaving a restaurant in town I went to the latrine to urinate and without power and the ability to see, I proceeded (of course by accident) to urinate on my feet while wearing my Chacos. Half-heartedly disgusted I began to walk home, soon to encounter in the blinding light of head-on traffic a large puddle containing many fluids of unknown origin and the thoughts of these fluids making there way in to any sores and pores on my feet made me stop and take a deep breath. Not more than 5 minutes later I find myself landing my right foot deep in to the nice relatively-fresh cow pie and then not more than 5 minutes after this I find myself slipping, backside down in to a puddle of mud...This has come to be an accepted series of events that hardly takes any ounce of shock but more awe and laughter out of ones mind.

So in summary, the past few weeks I was given an opportunity to visit my future site, which is in a small town and I will be teaching at the school. Visiting the town, and being away from training was definitely a blessing. Training is good, it has given myself and many other volunteers to experience many facets of Ugandan life and culture, but this visit to my future site was an eye-opening experience to view my future home and good just to get away. Living with the homestay and training was good, like I said, but deep back in my mind I knew that it was only temporary, so the pains of working through an 8 week training that was often wrought with stress and confusion and cultural clashes (in the most educative sense of the phrase) made visiting the future site all the more important. The experience of riding in the matatus, or taxis, has become to be an experience (not exactly an AM) that would be more in line with simply living. Each time I take a taxi, I squish in as far as a can to the point where my body will be immobile for however long the ride is (30 minutes to maybe 5 hours) and go to my happy place, my place of Zen and eternal thought, and wait until I have arrived at my destination. So in a nutshell, visiting my future site (and now my home for the next 2 years) was good for the mind body and soul, not to be cheesy, to successfully not flip out during training....even though I and everyother volunteer probably did at least once!

Training wound down quite fast, with each day being filled somehow whether or not one even felt like they were doing anything. It was sad to leave homestay even though it was very stressful at times, it was by all means an incredibly important experience to help in being integrated in to the culture. The last few days with the staff and volunteers was bittersweet though, as we had all grown over the past few months to become the closest of friends and in a matter of a single afternoon we were all whisked away to our new homes, new jobs, and new friends (to be made). Of course we will always have our European Vacation in Brussels and our past 8 weeks in training, life as we all knew it was about to change. It felt like the last day of freshman year of college when everyone was going back home, there parents (our supervisors for our new sites) were there with their cars to pack all of our belongings, and we left waving, saying see you in a few months! Prior to our leaving though, our last weekend had a great event, with all of our host families and us at the training centre, as one big hurrah and thank you for the time and energy spent making us feel at home. This afternoon was spent with dancing (per language group, which I will get pictures on here eventually) and speeches made. I had the great embarassing honour of singing the United States National Anthem at this event, laughing and smiling as I struggled through the words that should be engrained in my mind. Our language class did a local dance, as well as many of the other groups, and we sadly said goodbyes to many of the families we had come to know over the past weeks. The last few days of training were spent doing a last bit of logistical work in Kampala, visiting the Peace Corps office, the US Embassy and shopping for items for our sites...and to be honest, just spending as much time as well could with all of our new friends until we left...Being at the US Embassy was like being blasted back in to the states...Proper flush toilets and sinks and paper towel and coffee and marble floors and other muzungas and the list goes on...Quite strange to say the least. Our swearing in event, where we were all officially sworn in was held at the Ambassadors house, along with all of our supervisors and Peace Corps staff. Of coruse, again I was the one, requested about 30 minutes for the event to sing the National Anthem (along with another volunteer), and then the morning proceeded with the ceremony and we became official!!!! The next 2 years of life was beginning...

Okay...yeah, I would be bored to reading this blog, so I will supply you with one more humouress anecdote before I continue on with my life-story...

**AM2**--So this just happened about 5 days ago. After a day of community integration at my site, i.e. taking my 35 minute walk in to town, buying a few items, struggling with language and walking back home, I was struggling with the concept of being away for 2 years...Mild cases of homesickness tend to work themselves in to the day, but sometimes things are so busy it jsut gets bottled up until one big moment. So this day was a particularily busy day. I had gotten up early to assist the Science students with a computer class. They were writing projects for admission in to University, and many of their computer skills are lacking, so I happily offerred to help. After doing this for a few hours, I trekked across the village about 30 minutes to assist the other volunteer in town with ridding her bed, etc. of bed bugs by spraying the items down with Doom and lying them out in the sun. After spending a bit of time doing this and making another trip in to town to get a few items, it was time to return home to my site. Of course every walk through town, or in this country for that matter a muzunga is a spectacle, especially though in the village children are found running up to grab you as you attempt to speak in local language. Arriving home it was about time to play basketball with the students at the school, which I have begun to do. Now at home, in the States, everyone should know my basketball skills are quite lacking, but here, I felt like a god of basketball...Nonetheless after an our of sweating constantly and having dust kicked up from the dirt court, I returned home, ready for dinner. I boiled some water for tea and for drinking, and scooped a nice heaping spoonful of honey in to my tea. As I licked off the side of the jar I realised there was something chunky in my mouth. Lookin in to the cap of the jar I see dozens of ants crawling around. I proceed then to throw the honey down, squirt hand sanitiser in to my hands and then lick my hands in attempts to santise my mouth. I then proceeded to add a shot to my tea in disgust of the experience and in efforts to cleanse my mouth and stomach...I sat on my outside step, drinking my spiked tea and rubbing my face in hair, covered, in dirt, sweat and grime from an average day in Uganda. No matter how average this experience felt, it was still an 'African Moment' as I never would have or could have imagined occurring in my life prior.

So I just wrote a lot more than I thought, so I will quickly piece the past week together. I have been an officail volunteer since April 10th, 2008 now. So approximately 10 days down and I am feeling pretty good. The majority of these first few months will be community integration and scoping out secondary projects, so at times, even in the past week, the thought of confusion and being lost has been a primary thought. Finally having an opportunity to settle down in what is 'home' has been very good. I now have a place of my own, a community to learn and grow with, and a place to call work. Life, although moving slower than it ever has before, has begun to take on much new meaning. Everyday is filled with a mixture of speaking English and speaking Lusoga. Filled with assessment of possible projects and wondering what to do with ones self. Filled with laughter and crying. Any emotion imagineable is present. It has been odd being away from all the volunteers that I came to know and love, but also it has been refreshing finally coming to a place to live amongst the culture as your own entity. Starting this next school term, so in approximately one month, I will begin to teach Microbiology and Biotechnology. I will also be assisting with computer classes for the students as well as helping the Department of Music. I recently attended an Athletics (Track and Field ) competition at the school, and I expressed and showed knowledge in the throwing of discus, javelin, and shotput, so there are hopes that I could be of assistance with the Department of Athletics as well as potentially coaching students in Basketball. These are only a few of the opportunities, in a matter of the past 10 days that I have sought out...And these are only at the school level...Yes, there will be days of non-activity, or simply sitting at home moping, an doing laundry, but clearly the opportunity is there to be amongst the community, making a difference one by one in the lives of people here in Uganda.

Okay, I fear this post has been too long, so even though my mind is racing to tell you as much as possible, I shall stop.

I know I have expressed before, but if you have any questions at all then ask me, and I will as my best attempts respond on here. Peace and love and go Daniel Koza, yeah me!!!

My Current Life is Normal

To start off, I have decided that to best my experience here in Uganda that being politically correct should be the primary plan of action in writing to you in all...That said I will NOT be censoring my personality unless a written request is received to withhold information, therefore anything of complete disgust and poop jokes will be allowed in this blog.



**Better than Good**



Against every urge,

We find ourselves fighting the same fight.

A battle never won or lost,

But constantly dreading.

A puzzle with no sides,

An endless mirage of uncertainty.

Can there be a climax

of more than satisfaction?



- First one to find this author wins a letter from me in the mail...postal mail...





So in waking up this morning I realised a few things: The abnormally loud mooing of a cow merely 30 feet from my bedroom window is no longer a shock, but an anticipated sound of udder (haha no pun intended) beauty; waking up at about 6:00am, before the rooster crows is no longer met with pangs of frustration; the sounds of cockroaches roaming my bedroom floor in the middle of the night has turned more in to a game of discovering which bag it has gotten in to rather than a having a night of fear and terror, and the drug-induced dreams of the night due to malaria profylaxis has come to be an expected fantasy of joy instead of the oft-produced insomniac day(night)dreams of scary shadows on my walls. The walk to school/work (The Training Centre) is a parade of school children, bicycle taxis and the smell of dung which I soon find is on the bottom of my shoe. I consider buying fried casava pancakes on the side of the road but consider the alternative, just not eating and waiting for something better to come along-and often nothing better does. Each day thus far has been met with many highs and lows and clearly, thus far, each day has been conquered and my life has been passed along to the next. I spend my evenings convincing myself to return to my host family, not because I am not happy to be with them, but because I have grown up to be an independant being, therefore living under another family's wings makes life all the more difficult, especially when there is a clear cultural and language distance. Communication is oft-stagnant and awkward, but is met by an uncertain but friendly smile from my host sister, making me feel like I am doing something right. As I take tea and then supper, I find my presence could be a nuisance, but ultimately a learning experience for both me and all those around me. This current life is my life. Just more than one month ago life got flipped-turned upside down to this equatorial alien world. I feel as though the past year did not even exist, or even more dramatically that the entire past 23 years of my life did not exist. Everything I know, everything I do, everyone I see is my life right now, and ultimately my life...a temporary one at best though, but one that I have thrown myself in to whole-heartedly.

Peace and love to you all. In the very near future I will mention a few more detailed factual incidents and such, but for now, you gotta take what spills out of this little brain of mine. I wish you all the best with your endeavours back home, and peace out.

7 Minutes tell You About 4 Weeks!!!!!

OKOKOK...So I know it has felt like years since I wrote anything on here, but do not worry, it has only been about a month....OKay so I am using a computer that has about a 3 second delay on when I hit the keys and when they come out on the screen, alsop random capitol letters will type...therefore I Will not be worrying about grammar or spelling ri...ok then. so the past few weeks have been up and down up and down up and down. we are still currently in training, we swear in in about 4 weeks. being with the host family has definiteily been a worthwhile expereince but at times daunting. the communication barrier sidefinitely a struggle at times, and even though i am learning the language i am only learning key phrase and statements for hte time being. trainining has been...well what can i say.........(I AM DOING MY BEST PART TO CENSOR THIS BLOG FROM THE US GOVERNMENT.....MANY OF THE THINGS I WOULD LIKE TO TELL YOU THAT ARE COMPLETELY TRUE ARE THINGS LIKE THIS IS THE MOST DISORGANISED EXPERIENCE IMAGINABLE.....BUT I CAN NOT TELL YOU THINGS LIKE THAT)........OKAY...so i need t ogo because i haVE 3 MINUTES...do not get worried at my censored statement above...the experience has been amazing and worthwh8ile./...ui will write moer soon..peace and love to all..the ugandan people are amasaing! they are lovely and appreciateive even though there is much struggle to seperate their need and their dependency on muzungus.... byebye for now...!!!!!!

The End of the End in Philly...

QUOTE OF THE DAY:  "I just got robbed by a sweet old lady on a motorised cart!"

- Jim Carrey in "Dumb and Dumber"

Well well well...I will leave this one short and sweet once again as I am sitting in the hotel lobby in Philly waitin' to hop on a bus to the airport to head out officially!  I will summarise the past few days for you all:

- Leave PDX and while on plane by chance hear 2 others talking about Peace Corps.  I proceed to pass a note to them like I am in 3rd grade (fortunately Mr. Webber didn't catch us this time) and introduce myself to them.  Layover Phoenix and arrive in Philly.  After catching a taxi and proceeding to the hotel, I get ahold of a few other volunteers I had been in touch with and meet them at this little Irish Pub near the hotel.  After crash-course introductions and a good night's sleep it's time for registration the next day.  Now all the other volunteers have arrived and we sat and enjoyed some pleasant sessions on logistics and such on going to Uganda and joining the Peace Corps.  After some Indian food dinner and a 20 degree trip to the Rocky steps at midnight it's time to sleep and wake up for our last full day in the good ol' U S of A.  This day is a lovely day with more sessions and sad goodbyes to the staff that has helped us over the past few days.  Last night in Philly was filled with a plethora of appetisers, a few drinks, about 20 volunteers and a lot of open-mic bands.  Closing of bar, they let me play a few tunes on the piano as a going away present for me as I fear I will not be able to play for 27 months!  Sleep...wake...eat dry toast...pack...and now I am going to make one last run to the loo and we are off on the bus to the airport!  Now remember I will not have an opportunity to write for a good week or two, so please be patient and realise that no news is good news!

This has by all means been an incredible experience thus far and we are not even in Uganda yet!  It is incredible how face friendships can be made in the matter of a few days when put in to a foreign situation.  It's amazing that I know that I already have dozens of people looking after me and caring about me.  I miss you all, and I wish you all the best these next couple of years!  By all means keep in touch and I look forward to all of you visiting.......

T-Minus 3 days...

**QUOTE OF THE DAY**-- 

Alfalfa- "Why am I soaking wet?"

Porky- "Don't worry, Alfalfa.  I used to have the same problem."

After a 9am wake-up, a shower, an egg-turkey-cheese-salad-tomato sandwich and 6 cups of coffee I have begun to tackle that endless search for the best way to pack for 27 months...Although all that is necessary for survival is available in Uganda, there are many little comforts such as the boxers with pumpkin pie logos or my 50% off clearance after-shave from Fred Meyers that I do not dare forget. Yes yes I know I could go without these items, but lets face it, if I have the room to pack them, and my bags are underweight, why not bring a little bit of home with me.  The hardest part of packing for this journey is the organising of all my possessions.  Imagine packing a little of everything you have experienced in your life in to two bags (plus a carry-on) and how do you organise that?  ZIP-LOC BAGS!!!!!  Anyways after half a dozen trips to REI and a couple of trips to Powell's Book Store, I feel as though most of my shopping needs have been met.  Once I have gotten through one solid run of packing I will post a packing list.

It's surreal to imagine that in a matter of a week I will be off US soil and commencing a journey that for the majority is only seen through photographs.  Any and every emotion imaginable has passed through my head not once, or twice, but constantly throughout each and everyday.  Sometimes I find myself just sitting in a daze with hardly a 'single" thought going through my head, disallowing me to really grasp the short amount of time I will be living this current life.  Believe me I am excited though, the constant stream of thoughts is not of fright or uneasy bowels, but instead of anticipation of a whole new world, a new fantastic point of view.  No one to tell us no, or where to go, or say we're only dreaming...Oops, that is from Aladdin...But either way I hope that as I write to you all I can somehow let you all live vicariously through me via my words...

Well I gotta get back to packing, watching Little Rascals and drinking too much coffee.  But I will post on here a couple more times before I embark over the frigid Atlantic to the planet Africa...That's right, it's another planet, I bet you guys never knew that.  They actually found out that Pluto was right below Australia, and not light-years away in space, that is why it is not a planet anymore.  Wow I am..nevermind.  Bye for now!

OH...And the picture attached to this is the living room in my parents house as I attempt to gather all my belongings...

The FIRST Email--Finally Figuring this Blog Thing Out...

((((REMINDER::This was written approximately one week ago??))))

Hello All!!  Well it appears that going with my new hotmail account (daniel.koza@hotmail.com) will be too much of a burden...SO I will be utilising good ol' gmail for all my emailing needs!  Sorry to be throwing you all through these burning loops of fire, but unless some horrendous act comes in to play where my hands are taken from me and I can no longer type and no longer write emails then I will expect...that is right...EXPECT to keep close tabs on all of you via (kozadaniel@gmail.com)........Also I found that many of you did not get the first email I sent, therefore I will be copy/paste that whole little thing in to the body of this message.  If you have read it then read no further than this paragraph, but if you did not receive the previous email then be sure to read, because there will be a quiz on it when I get back in 27 months, so without further ado, here we go:

CHANGES TO PREVIOUS EMAIL:::::

I had said that the PO Box would be good for the first 10 months...what I meant was the FIRST 10 WEEKS....

Also if a package/letter (or anything for that matter) is sent, make sure to write things like "Par Avion" or "Air Mail" on it...Also if something bulikier sometimes writing "Educational Materials" on it helps..

Cheers,

Daniel Koza

Well the time has come for me to write this wee message to you all.  In just under two weeks (February 9th, 2008 at 8.30am to be exact), I will be sitting at Portland International Airport with a large pack on my back, a bag in hand and another duffel collectively filled with choice items for my life over approximately the next 27 months.  Why will I be doing this you might ask?  Well I have decided to join the Peace Corps and will be beginning my journey to the African nation of Uganda.  Some of you have known for months of my pondering over this opportunity whereas other of you will likely be shocked (and hopefully not appalled) over this decision.  Although I am excited as a Honey-Baked ham on Presidents Day, this decision has been no walk in the park.  For the past couple of months my mind has gone back and forth like two little kids on a teeter-totter, but I have gotten to the point where the fat kid (hello Peace Corps) is kicking the little kid's (basking in the comforts of home) butt and keepin' him floatin' up high in the sky.  I am ready I tell you..mentally at least...but oddly the stress and nervousness have not caught up to me yet.  But enough of this gibberish, I should tell y'all what I will be doing!

On 02/09/2008 I will be stepping on to a plane to fly out to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  I will spend a couple of days with approximately 56 other potential volunteers and on 02/12/2008 we will all fly out and after a quick layover in Brussels will disembark to the soil of Uganda.  Our first 10 weeks in Uganda will be spent living with a host family and attending sessions and on-sites along with the other future Peace Corps Volunteers (PCV), and assuming that my language and culture training go along smoothly, I will be officially sworn in as a PCV and will be sent to my assignment.  More than likely at this point I will be living on my own and will spend the majority of my days traveling by bike to different school districts..OH, so my official title at this point will be "Primary School Teacher Trainer."  Essentially I will help current instructors in multiple school districts in improving their teaching ability.  Aside from this primary project, more than likely I will be involved in a number of other side projects which I will not know until I have arrived.

AGONY---This is what I feel at the moment, because moments ago I accidentally deleted my entire email list...Therefore I had to re-type all the emails back in, which took me nearly another hour...SO then I am going to copy and paste a pre-typed email from Microsoft Word, and I accidentally deleted half of this email.  So for all you people that this is likely good news, because it is less junk for you to read, but for me it is pure agony.  But nonetheless I will leave this email with all of my contact info.

Cheers,

Daniel Koza

MAILING ADDRESS:

Daniel Koza, PCT

United States Peace Corps

P.O. Box 29348

Kampala, Uganda

NOTICE:::  This is my postal address for only about the first 10 weeks, and then after that I will have a new address which I will post to you all.  Also if anything is sent to me only send things in envelopes (small little white ones or the big padded ones ) as large box type packages tend to get lost/stolen.

I will be setarting a blog as well at http://danielkoza.blogspot.com but the site is in its most premature stages as my technologically challenged self could not figure out how to make things work on the blog...But feel free to check it out.  I will be posting this email on there soon.