Jump First, Fear Later

 *sigh* It's been a year and a half-ish since I left the awe-inspiring people and places of Gulu, Uganda. I hate writing that 'final' post in a blog or even a personal journal because it feels so definitive. Closure. But not in a productive, need it to move on fashion of a relationship's closure. In a sad, depressing, 'Is this really the end?' fashion. I know now that leaving Uganda was far from the end of my experience with Invisible Children and interactions with fellow world changers; being able to reunite at MOVE:DC (November 2012) and The Fourth Estate (August 2013) reaffirmed my belief that the strength of friendships knows no time constraints, lack of communication, or state/country borders. 

 Some of the best decisions of my life I feel I've made on a gut feeling. Some may call it impulsive. Some may call it reckless. Some may call it naive. I call it passion. To date, I've never regretted acting on passion. Invisible Children had a great campaign a few years ago with the tagline, "Jump First, Fear Later," embodying this very philosophy. I've always known we were a match made in heaven, but this just confirmed it. On the last weekend of our TeX experience we had the opportunity to act on this mantra, literally. And jump we did! And fear we did! As we fell 200+ feet into the Nile River from Jinga, Uganda.

The fearless... well, those that postponed fear enough to jump (left to right: me, Andraya, Jeff, Shockley, Lauren, Mark, Beth, and Jane).

Pre fear whilst white water rapids with my fellow Crazies: Shimmy, Shockley (so crazy she doesn't even need a helmet!), Andraya, me, Jane, Mark).

Embracing the fear (but still managing to pose for the cammies) on the Level 3 rapids of the Nile.

Perhaps in another year and a half you'll see another glimpse into my TeX experience. I still just can't bring myself to complete any closure from this experience, on this blog or otherwise. At the moment, I just feel inspired to write this post as I consider jumping first and fearing later as I transition to the next chapter of my life. Stay tuned...

Realization of Expectations of Support

A home in the town/city

Huts in the villages

Students and parents walk a LONG way to get to school or work

(pictures compliments of Jeff Shimabuku - thanks, Jeff!)

A huge success and catalyst for critical thinking came with the home visits I did with Alice. I mentioned the idea to her earlier in the term when noting some of the best/most memorable experiences I had in Japan. For me, it was when I could meet with people in their homes and have an intimate shared experience. I explained that all Japanese teachers are required to have at least two home visits per school year with all of their students. This helps the teacher to understand and get to know the student and their family situation better and connect with them. I really respect this concept and can see the value in it, but understand how it might not be possible in Ugandan schools with the cultural interpretation of the visits and the sheer number of students. Still, Alice was open to the idea and chose six students at random from our S1 and S3 classes. The only requirement was that they had showed some responsibility to ensure that if we set up a time they would be there. We met with the six students once to explain the idea and then have them ask their parents, then again after that discussion to confirm which students were interested. All six accepted our pretense.

I was pumped for this opportunity and was extremely optimistic about the cross cultural exchange. A lot of walking and translating was done. A lot of food, snacks, and beverages were consumed and given back and forth. As I learned about the students’ families and their life situations, I began to grow less optimistic and feel less hopeful. Out of the six, five of the students came from families where one or both parents were deceased. Many families were dealing with land disputes, all had four or more children, all had financial problems delaying payment of school fees and/or food on a daily basis, much less new roofs, materials to repair clothes, or a lighting system one family was working on to ensure the children could read at night.

After the third home I visited, Alice asked me if I had noticed any expectations. ‘I’m not quite sure what you mean. What expectations?’ ‘Expectations of support’… long pause. ‘Like, financial support?’ Yes, she began to explain. We talked for over an hour about the reality that when a white person has come to a small town or village with another Guluan, it has meant they are coming with relief. The result in some situations has been corruption through the Guluan middle ‘man’ taking the money/aid, strife within communities as one student/child receives more attention than another, and/or short term relief without a backup plan when the money/aid stops. My naive visions of a purely cultural exchange between two human beings to share stories, games, juice, and emotions was now clouded over by the vision of me as a walking Ugandan shilling (or a million).

With the next three visits, we made it clear at the beginning and end of the visit what our intent was, but hearing story after story of struggles weighted heavily on me. I couldn’t stop the tears from streaming silently down my cheek as one students’ nearly deaf mother shared about how her murdered husband had left their family with a new wife and a few years ago and all of his inheritance and property now went to her. They were left stripped of land, possessions, monetary support, and dignity. We would not be playing cards at this home, “cards are games for children. We have no time for cards,” the mother stated bluntly.

My critical thinking will continue as I dialogue with peers, mentors, and team teachers on this program about what our role truly is. How, if at all, can I TRULY help? What, if anything, will TRULY make a difference in these children’s lives?

I can't get enough of the babies

Cooking - a task that consumes the vast majority of the day

I learned a TON about crops and agriculture in the region, to the point that I could name any crop by the leaves growing above ground. Mr. Ritz would be proud. This is a millet, a local favorite.

I LOVE beans!

Rhino Weekend

On our fourth weekend in, we had the option of going to a Rhino Sanctuary. After the "African Massage" we received for the three hours to and from the safari and the eight hours during it, many were weary about the trip. The first group highly encouraged us to go though, if only for the actual mattresses, overhead showers, amazing food and drinks, and a pool. They were right to recommend going and as was course for this trip, I didn't regret it.

I asked John where we going, and he of course whipped out his handy dandy road map.

These were those "actual beds with mattresses" Group one was talking about. Ah-mah-zing!

Baylor making her way to the pool. Ashley loved this place soooo much, she actually stayed a few weeks after our trip ended to paint and play some more. So jellie!

I immediately made friends with the owners' puppy, Lucky.

So freakin' cute. He looked exactly like my roommate's dog, Bodey, and had just as much energy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

After all the swimming, lounging, and napping, we were off to see the main event: rhinos.  "Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary’s mission is to apply sound conservation principles whereby a safe environment is created in which rhinos can be conserved for future generations. In addition, through conservation education and community upliftment programs, win the hearts and minds of the surrounding communities, as well as Uganda as a whole, to ensure their support of this rhino conservation and reintroduction program."
You can out more here: http://www.rhinofund.org/index.html

 

 

Conveniently, just as we arrived to put on gum boots for those ill equipped in sandals, these ominous clouds rolled in.

And then this happened.

But we still saw rhinos, so it was a success methinks!

Family photo with the rhinos! Front: Lindsey and I Middle: Laura, Caroline, Ashley, Jane, Rachel, Andraya, and Jeff Giant: John.

So cool.

After seeing the rhinos and standing whilst soaked and freezing for a few minutes, we were outie. Impromptu Salt 'n' Peppa rapping on the 'trek' back was an added bonus.

Family dinner was all it was cracked up to be. Delicious bread, salads, drinks, and apparently, meat.

Well rested, showered, and fed we made our way back to Gulu. Not without some very memorable sing a longs though, of course:)

(2nd) Best Day of My Life!!! Field Good Fun Day

Pictures and videos speak louder than words, but you can expect to be overwhelmed by all three in this post!

First, the words.

The best day of my life was back in the Fall of 2005. It was a Badger game day, with the game at night, and from start (8am banana chocolate chip pancakes, two kegs of Natty Ice, and tunes) to middle (grub on the grill, four more kegs of Natty Ice, seeing old friends and making new ones, and the Madison drumline performing at our house) to finish (endless dance parties lasting til post bar time and equally endless grins across everyone's faces), I was on Cloud Nine. It will be exceptionally difficult/impossible to top the ecstasy that was that entire day...  but this day came close.

A brainchild between Alice I occurred after the dancing experience we had with the students the week prior. I had been stalking different clubs and organizations to join them and after weeks of finding out the clubs were "inactive", I finally stayed late enough (7pm) to see the dance club practice. Alice and I joined in and the seven members quickly became 15. The audience started as a few of the dormitory girls and within the blink of eye became over 50 primary and secondary students. Where they came from, I haven't a clue. What I did know, is that we were having a BLAST laughing and dancing together.

Alice noticed how much the students enjoyed the teachers participating with them in extracurricular activities, and it was after all, the entire focus of our presentation at the Teacher Exchange Program. We decided to stop waiting until students eventually partook in extracurricular events and organize a day and time to do them together. We sat down and starting spitballing ideas off each other with Jane jumping in the convo as well. We made a list of possible activities we could/wanted to do with students from dancing, to singing, to running, to soccer, to organized games. It was all very vague with a TON of variables at the beginning from whether or not any students would actually be at school after the exams to how long we would keep them to how many teachers would be there to support us. Finally on Monday, we learned that students were going to be required to come and so we planned out a full out day of events with a schedule and decided to rent speakers for the event, to guarantee success. We had NO idea how successful it really would be.

Wednesday came and the schedule for the day was far from followed to a T, but there was no doubt the expectation of FUN was met in a safe and organized way. Announcements were made, Gilbert quickly and flawlessly stepped into the MC role, the teachers embraced their roles and participation the entire day from hip hop dancing and rapping to signing up for organized games and sports to hamming it up with foot races and as performers. As Lindsay noted when looking at pictures from the event, there were teachers smiling and laughing that she (and I) had never seen do either before. 

We were fortunate enough to have some other TeX teachers come and support us as well, which made the day run even smoother. Students were smiling (and grinding-whoops!) the whole day through. I got to talk to students about their musical interests, dance traditional dances with them, run a three legged race with students and teachers, play in an intense students verse staff football game, teach some teachers the Cha Cha Slide and Cupid Shuffle while all students learned to Limbo. It was a ridiculously jovial day that I believe everyone thoroughly enjoyed so much that some teachers were already making plans for next term’s “Field Good Fun Day”. The next day, although most students didn’t want to be at school (as they were finished with exams), they seemed happy to see me and all the students I got to talk to said they really enjoyed it!

 

And here are the million (or so) pictures!

To the left, to the left, to the left,to the left...

Alice, a student, and our head teacher (principal) doing some traditional dancing

I got roped in, as well as Amanda Stevie, a Peace Corps volunteer that taught full time at St. Mary's

Taking it all in

LIMBO!

The school's best rappers, Silva Fox, and their 'dancers'

Too cool for school kids

Video clip of the boys in the dance and drumming club doin' their thang

Impromptu male teachers rap lip sync

Jane and I attempting to explain brackets to the students

Relay Races led by Jane: insane!

Three legged races led by Komakech and I

Tug of War led by Alice

Everybody in the community was interested in what was goin down, especially the cute 'lil primary kids!

Time for staff relay races!

My favorite, Sam the Man, is dressed for success

 

Our head teacher consoling Jane after she took a digger whilst racing her... what you need to know is that Jane got beat by a 60-something year old woman in dress and flip flops.

Everyone's good and comfortable now - let's get our groove on!

 

Gilbert was our unofficial and self nominated MC for day - fantastic job!

Two of my favorite colleagues, Alfred and Albert

Staff vs. Student football game. Everyone not wearing yellow or green are community members that just stopped to watch. Insane.

Alice nominated herself as line judge and this student was quick to get us a team mascot.

The students killed the teachers - nice job, ladies and gents!

Sam and I still smiling in defeat and looking "smart" in our uniforms

Like any good program, this event went from 9 am (scheduled start time of 8am) until 6pm, when the music stopped and the sun began to set. Yes, this was the Second Best Day of My Life!!!