I'm From O-HEE-O

Sunday, October 18th was a very rainy day. I had plans to worship at a Protestant church just up the main road at Ndekye [pronounced: en DEH chā]. Robert had sent word that we would still be able to go if the rain let up a little. The rain eventually did let up and we were able to make the walk. If I were to give directions, it would go something like this: Head up the main road towards the direction of Kampala. Once you get to the football pitch (soccer field), turn right and follow the path up the hill. (It’s not a far walk.)

What a muddy mess! My shoes were caked with mud and for some reason I kept choosing to step in the most slippery of places. Multiply that by the fact that a short distance you’re walking uphill. Fun times.

We arrived at Ndekye Church of Uganda and, after cleaning as much mud from my shoes as possible, we made our way inside. A woman welcomed us to sit near the front, off to the side a bit. Apparently it’s custom to welcome visitors to sit up front.

This Sunday happened to be a special service, a special dedication of Senior-4 students as they are about to sit for final exams. And I was finding some comfort as part of the service was being conducted in English.

As visitors, Robert and I were asked to introduce ourselves to the congregation. No problem for Robert. As for me, it seemed as though after finishing every sentence everyone was laughing at me. I found this to be a bit discouraging, so I sort of stopped talking after finishing a sentence mid-thought and sat down. I wouldn’t have thought much of it, but Robert was laughing too! I asked him, “I’m sorry. What did I say?! What did I do?!” He told me it was my American accent. They aren’t used to it. And, apparently, they really didn’t understand a word I was saying. They didn’t even understand what my name was when I introduced myself. (“Nicole” isn’t a familiar name here.) Oh well, at least I offered some comedic relief for the day.

I enjoyed the singing and message during worship. I appreciated the reverend preaching about how we are not to live for “the good life,” but we are to live with thoughts of the Kingdom of God in mind.

After church I returned home to find that Hayley already had lunch underway. (Awesome.) I told her she missed out on the muddy road and then showed her my shoes.

It began to rain hard after lunch, so I used it as an opportunity to wash my shoes. The rain overflows at the corner where the gutter ends, streaming down like a small waterfall. So, I took my large wash basin and filled it up, threw my shoes in, and…scrub-a-dub-dub! Brenda, my neighbor girl, was also outside during the hard rain. As she was washing dishes, she would occasionally take a large wash basin full of rainwater and pour it over herself, just for fun. So I motioned to her, asking if I could fill my tub full of rainwater and pour it on her. “Yes!” she said. We both screamed with laughter as I would drench her with more water. Luckily for me she had no intention of “paybacks.” It ended up being a fun afternoon.

Monday, October 19th it was time to begin preparing for the first football (soccer) camp. I worked on brief HIV-AIDS lessons, relating them to concepts about the game of football.

Day 1 – Football: A Game For Everyone; HIV: A Virus That Can Affect Anyone

Day 2 – Red Cards In Football; Red Cards With HIV-AIDS: Lies & Myths

Day 3 – Substitutions; Alternatives & Substitutions For Trouble: Fun & Safe Activities

Day 4 – Not Everything Seems Fair; HIV: A Virus With No Cure, A Life Filled With Hope

Day 5 – Final Minutes; Decision Time

Early in the week I met with the headmasters of Unique High School and St. Michael’s Secondary School. These would be the two schools participating in the first football camp.
One morning, Robert and Justus went with me and gave me an introduction to the headmaster and a few staff at Unique High School. Unique High School is a neighbor to COVOID, and all staff seem to be on free and friendly terms. My American accent may have been slightly difficult to listen to, but the headmaster was very understanding and picked interest in using the game of football to implement HIV-AIDS education and awareness.

That same afternoon, Justus and I walked up to St. Michael’s. St. Michael’s headmaster picked interest as well. I have to admit, though, he was a bit intimidating to speak with. (We’ll just leave it at that.)

As we were making our way back from St. Michael’s, Justus and I were walking among a small herd of cattle grazing and crossing the road we were traveling by foot. He asked, “You do not fear the cows?” I said, “No, I grew up on a road that had cows. I do not fear them. But please, don’t provoke them!” Many of the cattle in the area have some seriously long horns. Justus nodded towards one with long horns and teased, “One like that may charge you.” Again, but more quietly I pleaded, “Please, don’t provoke a cow with horns!”

A couple of days later, we returned to the schools to speak with the games teachers to be certain the format would work well and find out if they had any additional thoughts or recommendations. We met with Gerald of Unique High School first. He was very supportive of the football camp.

Later that day we met with Paul and Alex from St. Michael’s. They were both supportive as well. As our meeting was about to conclude, the sky began to pour down a hard rain. Since we were meeting outside under a tree, Justus and I took shelter with Paul and Alex in the faculty lounge. There I met a few other staff from St. Michael’s. They were told I am from America so they asked me which state I am from. “Ohio!” I said. That brought up an interesting learning point. Something that Ben, Grace, and the rest of the COVOID staff had been made aware of upon meeting me as well. In Uganda they teach and learn about different states and regions in the United States. Upon hearing my pronunciation of “Ohio” one teacher said, “Oh! Here we’ve been pronouncing it [o HEE o]. Now we know to pronounce it [o Hī o]!” (Awesome. Instant geography lesson.)

Switching from geography lesson to cooking lesson…Hayley and I attempted making g-nut sauce one evening for dinner. Ingredients: boiling water, g-nut powder (crushed peanuts), and a vegetable (such as tomatoes, onions, and/or eggplant). Hayley pretty much took command of making the sauce since she’d actually tasted it before. After cooking it for about 25 minutes, we spooned it over a plate of macrons (spaghetti). We both agreed that though it tasted good, it could have been a little thicker and perhaps had a little more salt. We had NO problem eating it though. G-nut sauce…Mmm! What’s next on our menu? Hayley found a recipe for fried grasshoppers. She asked, “Ya up for it?” I said, “Sure!” She found out from one of our COVOID friends that fried grasshoppers are actually seasonal. November-December is the season for grasshoppers and fried grasshoppers can be found already prepared, ready to eat. We’re both looking forward to eating fried grasshoppers this November or December!

Friday afternoon, October 23rd Grace and I made a trip to Ishaka to take care of some business matters. We traveled by taxi and Hayley joined us, as she was traveling on further to Mbarara for a dinner meeting. Taxi: A very crowded van ride. Five or six rows of passengers that should only seat three passengers across actually seats four passengers across. And, sometimes one or two people riding on someone’s lap if they sit near the door. Add to that a driver that drives too fast. Hayley and I just kept looking at each other, laughing in disbelief and praying for traveling mercies most of the way. It was a new experience for both of us, and I think we were both relieved we had another American to experience it with. Someone to look at and laugh as if to say, “Okay, so it’s not just me…”

Grace and I departed Hayley at Ishaka and the taxi kept moving with my fellow American to Mbarara. Grace and I took care of what business we needed to tend to and then waited for the next taxi headed back towards Nyakasharu. Basically, one direction’s final destination is Mbarara and the other direction’s final destination is Kasese. We were now headed towards Kasese.

While we were waiting, Grace purchased some pancakes from a roadside seller. Basically, pancakes taste like thin banana pancakes about the size of a cut-out sugar cookie. You buy them warm and eat them with your hand “as is.” No putting butter or syrup on top. No need for a fork or a knife. A nice, warm, tasty treat. Grace pointed out that she usually buys from the same guy, because she usually buys four stacks at 500 Uganda shillings each, then he gives her an extra stack of pancakes. She usually buys a few to take back to the COVOID office because everyone loves them so much. Anytime Grace arrives at the office after having stopped at Ishaka, she’s expected to have some pancakes to share!

Saturday, October 24th Justus and I had to make an important trip to Mbarara. Why was it important? Because Monday we were beginning football camp, but had yet to purchase the footballs. Two schools, 64 students total, no footballs. “Houston, we have a problem.” One of the things I’ve liked about being here in Uganda: Any time I’ve thought there may be a problem with a particular issue, I’ve always been reassured by someone, “It’s no problem. Everything will work out as it’s supposed to.” It’s proven to be true every time.

The actual delay in purchasing the sports equipment was due to some funds that were still in the process of being transferred. Enough funds were on hand to purchase half of the footballs, two trophies, and eight whistles. The remaining balls could be picked up the next week before the conclusion of camp. Only a few balls were to be used during the week. The remaining balls were to be released to the schools for sustainability purposes. No problem.

I didn’t fear this taxi ride to Mbarara quite like I did my first trip to Ishaka. Probably because the return trip from Ishaka was good. We had a good driver and Grace and I were seated up front with the driver.

But our Saturday morning trip to Mbarara proved to be another interesting ride. Justus and I were seated towards the back, and eventually the final row since we were traveling all the way to Mbarara. Knowing well that we were seated squished together and I may have felt uncomfortable, Justus asked me, “Are you comfortable?” I replied, “I’m okay. I’m surprised I don’t have someone seated on my lap already!” We both laughed. We would laugh most times someone new boarded the taxi wondering, “Where are they going to sit?” I think at one point the conductor was sitting on the lap of someone who was already sitting on the lap of someone else. (A hilarious site.) Sometimes I would think to myself, “It’s a good thing Justus and I are both skinny…too bad my rear end couldn’t be a bit smaller!”

As far as people sitting on the laps of others is concerned, Justus explained that it depends on what’s inside the heart of someone. If your heart tells you it’s okay for someone to ride on your lap, then someone may ride on your lap. If your heart tells you it’s not okay for someone to ride on your lap, then you have the right to refuse someone riding on your lap. What does MY heart tell ME? Hasn’t been an issue yet. The majority of the time they’ve sent this skinny white chick to the rear of the taxi. But I’m thinking I’d be inclined to refused based on the fact that I’d probably run out of breath from laughing so hard.

After arriving in Mbarara, we made a pit stop at a public restroom and then weaved our way through a few streets and buildings before arriving at the stationary store where we purchased the sports equipment and trophies. Don’t ask me which streets or buildings we moved through. I was too busy gawking at the sites of things such as something I like to refer to as “Tailor Alley.” All kinds of tailors and seamstresses in the same area. I thought it looked pretty neat.
After negotiating wholesale pricing for the footballs, Justus spelled out my name for the clerk to write on the receipt. Another clerk asked, “Are you the Nicole from MTV?” “No, I’m not the Nicole from MTV,” I replied. I had no idea who the Nicole from MTV might actually be. (Later discussion with Hayley, she thought maybe Nicole Richie?)

A man from the stationary store carried the box of footballs as we made our way to the taxi park for our return trip to Nyakasharu. We were getting ready to board a taxi when a man from a different taxi grabbed the box of footballs and said, “Follow me.” So, being that he had our footballs, Justus and I followed him back to the main road where we boarded his taxi. It was a little slow leaving town, as the conductor was trying to round up some more passengers. But soon, we were finally on our way. A much better driver, and slightly more room to breathe.

The only other major excitement I can recall from the week was the evening a goat made its way into our compound area and wouldn’t leave. Hayley and I live with our neighbors in an area of space that’s protected by brick walls and a large heavy solid metal gate door. Sometimes as the door is not completely closed during daylight hours an animal may stray in, such as a goat or chicken. One evening a goat found its way inside our compound and wasn’t getting the hint of how to get out. We all kept chasing it, trying to get it to leave through the door it came through, the only way out. But it kept circling the building. Brenda even tried throwing a ball at it to get it to leave.

Darkness was soon falling, and we would see it and then we wouldn’t see it. Hayley and I were having a conversation and then it appeared out of nowhere and I screamed, thinking it was going to run right into us. I probably wouldn’t be afraid of a goat, but seeing all the roaming goats do and all of the garbage some of them eat…all I could think of was that I didn’t need to risk getting some sort of strange nasty parasite from a goat. Otherwise, I would have been tempted to try to tackle or straddle it…leading it out as if riding a horse. But, I wasn’t so brave that night. And I kept letting out a brief scream every time it startled me. I remember the one time we were chasing it and it ran right in front of all of our doors. All I could think of was, “I hope it doesn’t run into someone’s home! That could get messy!”

I think soon after I locked my door for the night some neighbor men were able to finally get the goat to leave. I remember hearing a lot of commotion and the door slamming closed. Then, finally, peace and quiet.