On Thursday, I made my first visit to Makerere University. It is enormous compared to Stranmillis so needless to say, Rachel and I got lost. One of the lecturers noticed our vacant gazes and offered to show us to where we were meant to go, but he decided to take us for lunch first. He took us to the Food Science building where we got to try some typically Ugandan food, including matoke. This is a traditional Ugandan dish. Before it is cooked it looks like a green banana but tastes more like a potato once cooked. I didn’t love this dish but I didn’t hate it either, it was just a little bland.
Dr Wotsuna then dropped us of at the Department of Education building and we met Gillian and some of her colleagues who will be assisting us with anything we need whilst we are studying in Uganda. We were also informed that we will only be in class 3 HOURS a week, and then in teaching in a school two days a week. We officially start on Monday morning at 9am.
On Thursday night, I went to play Ultimate Frisbee with three guys that we met at the hostel, David, Mark and Paul. We had to take two taxi buses to get there. These are basically like a 15 seater and everyone just crams in. You just tell the taxi man where you are heading and he will let you know if he is going in that direction. As everyone piles in, if one person at the back wants to get off, the whole taxi has to filter out to let them off and then squeeze back in again. This mode of transport is very cheap, especially compared to the boda boda’s. It cost me 300 Ugandan shillings (10p) to get a taxi bus for about two miles. When I reached the cricket pitch that we were playing ultimate on everyone was really friendly and one guy, Jackson, decided to be my personal trainer and was giving me all his Ultimate Frisbee top tips. All of the people here were very friendly and made us feel welcome to join them. On the way home we stopped off at a little restaurant which is basically a tin hut with a few tables and chairs in it. It is called ‘Chicken Ghetto’. We ordered a whole chicken and some chips. It came served on a large platter and then you just tuck in and eat with your hands. A man who works there comes round with a basin and soap and water before and after you eat so that you can wash your hands. This was a little odd as you felt like you were touching everyone else’s food but the meal was delicious, I have never tasted chicken like it.
When we got up on Friday morning, we decided to go on our first outing to Garden City shopping centre but the journey there was probably more eventful than the shopping centre itself. We were walking along the street towards Wandegeya when lots of children started shouting ‘Msungu!!’ (White person). Two little boys then followed us and kept trying to put their hands into Rachel’s pocket. Every time we looked round they just giggled to each other. Thankfully we soon reached to Taxi Park.
The supermarket was great and very similar to one back home. They had everything that you might need; the only disadvantage is that if you want brands that you recognise from home you have to pay big money for them. It’s better to try and find a smaller brand of the same thing.
On the way home again we witnessed a lot of people, especially young children just standing with their hands out begging for money. They even followed you pleading with you. It was very difficult to watch but if you start giving, then every time you walk down the street they will expect it again and again.
Friday night’s plans went ahead too. We met up with some people that friends from home had put me in contact with. Kate and HM picked us up from our hostel and took us to a restaurant called Javas for dinner. I managed to eat my entire meal, some of Rachel’s and most of David’s mash. I think I’m getting used to the Ugandan idea of not wasting good food. After dinner we went to a hotel where there was live music playing in what seemed like a paradise garden. The Ugandans dancing was quite an experience as they just ‘groove to the music’. HM and his friend Keith were teaching me some of their signature moves but I couldn’t do them as I was laughing so hard.
Saturday consisted of some more grocery shopping. We do not have a fridge in our room so most things have to be bought fresh daily. It had rained during the night on Friday night so the ground was very muddy and slippery but we managed to get a taxi bus to Shoprite supermarket and get a few bits and pieces for lunch. When we returned to the hostel, we just chilled for a few hours (I even managed to fall asleep on my bed). Later on, our friend David came to visit and we made plans to hang out later that evening. Rachel decided to go to the internet café downstairs but I went to meet David. Some other international students also joined us and we all socialized for a while.
Late in the evening, two of the security guards at the hostel offered to take us out and show us some typical Ugandan places to socialize. They took us to a place called Maggie’s where we were able to play pool and meet some of their friends. It was really good to meet some Ugandan people and they made us feel very welcome. They even invited us to join them to a place called Volts. We went there and danced the night away. Not to forget to mention our pit stop to Chicken ghetto on the way home, it’s becoming a regular!!
It ended up being a rather late night so my plans to head to church on Sunday morning didn’t happen but I hope to go there next week. Rachel and I just decided to have a lazy day watching DVDs instead. We used this day to try and fully get over our jetlag so hopefully we will be able to enjoy our first week of structure in Kampala!! I will keep you all posted on it when possible as the electricity in the hostel (and Uganda in general) is not very reliable so I never know when I’m going to be able to get on a computer! Hopefully update you all soon!
Natalie
xx
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