Kaliro (Small Fire):
Though it was the dry season, I hadn't burned my trash in ages, and as I knew that I was going to be going away for some time, this opportunity seemed ideal to get some work done. After bags upon bags upon bags of trash and 500ml of parafin, I set the heap ablaze. I have to be honest though, I had to utilize some 'fire fighting' skills that I didn't even know I had as the fire began to spread from the pit that I began it in. I hastily dug in a circle around the blaze in order to contain it. Oops!
This is where I live. They call it the small fire. I would say that there is some truth to that. Sometimes when I go outside I can see rain, thunder and lightning something like 5 kilometers just north of me…and 5 kilometers to the east…and 5 kilometers to the west…and 5 kilometers to the south. What do I see above me? I see blue and that big fireball up in the sky. What day is today—oh yeah, it is February 9th, the very day that I ventured for the first time from Portland, Oregon 3 years ago to eventually end up in the pearl they call Uganda…
…I don’t even recall sleeping that night. Thoughts swirled endlessly, disallowing any opportunity for slumber to even reach me. I remember lying restlessly, waiting for that moment to gather myself together and embrace the courage to step on to that first flight from PDX. I watched Little Rascals and October Sky both twice rather than sleeping. My first attempt to pack my luggage was in fact that very night and I don’t even know why I ever attempted to bring nearly an entire department store with me in my luggage. I hadn’t a clue what I was really getting myself involved in so my feeble attempts at packing were done recklessly…
…I’m lying here now, not sleeping. Rather than Porky and Buckwheat keeping me awake this night it is the mosquitoes that have forced me to toss and turn; that and the fact that 5 months remain between this very moment and the inevitable farewell. If three years have not been sufficient enough to feel completely ready to go, and looking forward to these next few months doesn’t calm my nerves, is there even a possibility that I would ever be fully prepared to depart? I want a cold Black Butte Porter. I want to sit around a pizza screaming at the TV as the Beavers try to pull off an upset. I want to wrap a gift and put it under the tree. I want see my family and give them all a hug that should never end. Assuming fate leads me to those very things, soon enough I will want a cold Eagle Lager; I will want to sit around eating some fried pork and watching Nigerian films; I will want to share my American-style home-cooking with my friends and neighbors, I will want to greet my dearest friends and colleagues with a heartfelt embrace and not let go of their hands…
...what’s the next thing that’s going to be desired?
So it has been 25 years and a lot has changed, some for better and some for worse. You might be asking yourself what has been 25 years? My age? Your age? Someone’s credit score? No, the reference alludes to the length of time that HE Yoweri Museveni and the NRM have been in power in Uganda and come Friday, February 18th, general elections will commence to decide on the next presidential term. Though the information provided here will be limited, websites of importance shall be listed for your assumed interest in these current events. While Museveni has ruled Uganda for the past 25 years, he has faced stiffer and stiffer competition by opposing parties, especially with the past 2 elections in 2001 and 2006. His primary opponents being Dr. Kizza Besigye (IPC) and more recently Norbert Mao (DP), the incumbent faces his toughest election yet and obviously the events that have recently unfolded in Egypt, Tunisia, Cote d’Ivore and Kenya prove that anything can happen; it must be said though that the majority of persons are more than anything praying for peace above all else. Take a look at the following websites over the coming weeks to keep up-to-date with the developments here.
http://www.monitor.co.ug
http://www.newvision.co.ug
http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Uganda+enters+final+week+presidential+campaign/4273713/story.html
http://newscastmedia.com/blog/2011/02/08/analysis-uganda-presidential-elections-february-18-2011-yoweri-museveni-kizza-besigye-norbert-mao-results/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/africahaveyoursay/2011/02/is-uganda-ready-to-vote-1.shtml Not much from BBC yet, but I am sure that will be coming
And now, of course, what am I actually doing here? Again, as I usually do, I will leave this somehow short. Currently I am not at my college, I am working with Peace Corps as a trainer for the new group of trainees who have just come in to country for their Pre-Service Trianing. I am working with numerous Ugandan staff members along with 3 other volunteers for the next 5 weeks to make this the best training possible for these 44 Peace Corps Trainees. Working in the secondary education sector, these next few weeks are going to be filled with facilitation of sessions, observing the trainees in their schools during their school practice, working with the trainees through their integration in to the culture—in essence providing these eager individuals with as strong a foundation as possible to allow them to serve successfully in Uganda for the next 2 years. While I am here though training these new trainees, my students—after the presidential elections—will be coming back to school. I am saddened to not be with them nor the staff and other community members for these weeks as so much of my heart is back there. The current work that I am performing, though important and I recognize that makes me look at my college and community more and more as a place where my life has changed so much and to be away from that strains the heart, mind and soul. That said, I am happy to be here to support these trainees in their quest to be successful volunteers in the field, and by all means the foundation laid in training has a significant impact in the eventual volunteers ability to live and work efficiently, culturally appropriately and happily at their sites.
Again, while here at training all of my students are beginning to go back, but of course, if you know me, that won’t stop me from being involved and doing work remotely from here. Whether it be planning assignments/activities for the students/club members to be done while I am away (and communicated to them via phone/internet), pushing for more progress on the basketball court, ensuring that the new developments on the church continue or just keeping in touch with people, these next few weeks will definitely be busy. And it definitely does not stop there, upon completion of my time here at Pre-Service Training I will venture back to the college, begin working as much as I can with my students, ACYC members, Wild Life Club members and athletes. I am excited to think of everything that can be done in the next couple of months, but wow how fast this is all going to go. I am so proud of all of my friends, students and colleagues in Kaliro. I have learned so much from them all. I am fortunate enough to have these last months with them all.
