Hi everyone!! Sorry I haven't written a post in some time now. To be honest, I think I have past the honeymoon phase of living abroad and have moved into adjustment now. I have been extremely homesick the last week and have definitely found it takes its' toll on my overall energy, feeling somewhat fatigued and down. Don't get me wrong, I still absolutely love living here and the experiences and vividness of Uganda. This is just a reality one must go through in leaving loved ones, familiarity and comfort back home.
It is an experience I am also valuing as it adds more insight into the feelings I have for family and friends back home and the palette of emotions of the human experience. It is refreshing to go through these times as it reminds us of the trials and tests of being alive. It reminds us to appreciate more the times that we are grounded, in tune and aware with ourselves and the lives we lead. It brings about deeper self reflection, knowledge of the self, and a wider scope of emotional introspection. Although I hope to swing back soon, for now I will push through these times and take them as lessons.
I hope everyone is doing well, adjusting to the change in seasons (both back home with the changing of leaves and the onset of fall and winter, and those entering into the dry or rainy season.. Oh how I love torrential rain :)
May the change in the elements also signify a change within ourselves. The shedding of a skin we have been putting off, blooming of ourselves, bearing the fruits we seek to create.
So much love...
PEACE
9/29/08
9/19/08
Nebbified!
This field trip to Nebbi has been a complete eye-opener.. It is hard to sum up the experiences in words, for many of them were felt with the heart. The drive up to Nebbi was eventful, roads under construction (some sections had a speed bump every 20 feet for 2 miles. Hahaha) Needless to say a trip that was estimated to take 4 hours, ended up taking over 9. It was fun though, had an amazing chance to get to know my driver Martin really well, and to hear a lot of his personal stories and experiences of the past presidents and the wars that have consumed Uganda. His insight into the past events were really revealing. People in Uganda share very different opinions of certain issues/events from where they are from in the country. Martin is native to Gulu but has been living in Kampala for many years, so his perspectives are a fusion between the two regions. Was extremely interesting to listen to.
The landscape and scenery along the way was simply breathtaking. So nice to get out of the city and breath in some fresh air, looking to the horizon to see as far as the eye can go, clear beautiful African Skies, low lands with Elephants grazing on Palm Tree Fruits, Baboons and Monkeys roaming the roadsides for food that people throw them, seeing the immense brute power and force of the Nile River crashing over boulders, leaping over waterfalls, Hills upon hills lush with extreme diversity in plant life, tree species, birds and soil types, thatch roof huts with amazing homestead farming, goats roaming the streets and villages, Cows with huge horns dictating the flow of traffic, mothers and children carrying 100L water hugs (sometimes 2) on their heads---It was beautifulll!!!!
I think the hardest and most revealing (in terms of grander gleanings) part of the trip (which occurred very early on in the travels) was driving through 3 IDP (Internally Displaced People) camps new GULU and seeing people who after 20 years of struggle and readjustment to life after war were fullys returning to regular life, things were picking up, people were returning to their villages and re-establishing themselves. The ones that have stayed are rebuilding agriculture in the region, re-establishing strong markets, rebuilding regional trust, and re-mending the beauty of the human fabric of life. There was such hope, such joy and happiness on the peoples faces and in the interaction with one another. It astounds me, the healing process is long and with many obstacles along the way, but at the same time I think it brings about a sort of social enlightenment in a sense. It now solidifies a strong yearning and initiative for long lasting peace. An evolving of society towards true communal values on a broader scale. This at least is the course I am seeing develop and the path that many humans are craving in this time of global strife, war, poverty, hunger, disease, climate change. We are all yearning for change, for a sense of real, stable and truthful global peace and cooperation. The people of Uganda and the strength they have had on this path should inspire us all…
On to the rest of the trip, Nebbi was incredible. Every day I would meet Martin and George (UCA Field Officer in Nebbi, who just had his 6th child today, yay!!) at 8:30, we would stop by the field office and then head out for 2-3 hour jdrives into the middle of nowhere. Not knowing where I was headed or who I would meet always made the ride even more enticing. Our first day we headed up to Zeu.. Have never seen such views. The road to the village was through the Highlands of Nebbi, basically cradling the ridge of a series of mountainous hilly ranges, down side streets, up 70 degree slopes (have no clue how the driver did it. Felt like the car was going to tip backwards, travelling down random paths fit for a bicycle (needless to say with the windows down I got smacked in the head quite the many times with 8 foot high grass. Haha).
Looking out the window to the right are endless hills, covered in pockets of thatch roof huts, sunlight lighting up the coloration in the hillside (deep green grass and trees from the heavy rainfall this year, deep browns covered in arrays of crops) It almost looked as if the hills were covered with decorative quilts. Looking out the window out the left, and you see hills of the Democratic Republic of Congo, until the horizon broke. Arriving at the first village I met Mary, quite the entrepreneur. She grows beans, maize, Cassava, coffee, pumpkin, bee hives, cows, goats and chickens, all on different plots that you intricately walk to through secret little paths through the bush. It was an agricultural jungle.. So lovely. Felt like I was in Lord of the Rings, feeling somewhat of a fulfilment to a nostalgic life as a farmer that I have always dreamed about.
The most amazing thing happened, we were walking to see her bee hives (quite a hike down a hill) and it started to pour (full-on monsoon style). It was incredible walking in the middle of nowhere, on the side of a huge hill, overlooking the valleys and hills, with soulful rain pouring down. I wish I had a lamp post (I would have jumped around singing “I’m singing in the rain”).. I had the biggest smile on both my heart and face. It was liberating and thrilling, it livened my spirit and calmed my soul, it reconnected me to so many feeling and thoughts of openness and enjoying the simple things in life that we have been blessed with on earth (like getting to smile when it rains. Here it is a blessing, for it allows for good harvests, back home we complain because it might mess up our hair. Hahaha).
Second , third and fourth day were spent on similar trips, but all to different regions of Nebbi, all different soil types, topography and crops that farmers were growing. I saw farmers who produced Mangoes, Oranges, Lemon, Okra, A variety of tree species in makeshift tree nurseries, banana, and other crops (really too many to type). All had different sloping plots, all different soil make ups, different environmental impacts (from too much rain, to to little, from fertile rich black loamy soil to sandy and rocky, you name it agriculturally it was there.) Enough of agriculture, as I am going to have several more posts to relay the learning’s and observations of that side of things later on….
Jump to a rather funny, but embarrassing story (got to share these ones. They’re what make traveling such a great time). I was out about 3 hours in the middle of nowhere, and then down a super long random side road, again further into the middle of nowhere. I was tentatively listening to the agricultural wisdom of Orambi (a farm manager in one of the project sites). He was telling me about pruning, propagating and grafting exotic mango cuttings onto native mango root stalks (was really interesting to me), but boom, bam, blurp, slush, slosh, owwweeee I got a sudden stab in my stomache-- the most explosive, nuclear meltdown diarrhea arrived on the scene, and like a firefighter, it was rushing quickly to get out of the fire station, haha. I tried to continue listening but my knees were shaking, I was losing focus and I felt the sweats coming on. I quickly excused myself and ran off to the nearest patch of bush, quickly squatted and like Harry (in Dumb and Dumber when he’s in Jasper on the toilet after mistakenly taking laxatives), I was off like horses at a race fresh out of the gates. Hahaha It gets better… I got bit in the temple by a giant beetle, scratched my legs on thorns, and best of all….. NO TP!! OHH the joy of using freshly picked tall grass and its' non absorptive capacity. Hahahahahahaha
Enough of grossing you out. It was intended for a laugh, hope it served it’s purpose well. I MUST STOP EATING ROADSIDE ROASTED MAIZE, BANANA AND CASSAVA ROOT!!! Apparently it has taken me several times to realise this. It's just soooo tasty.
I think that is a good note to end on. Will be much much more to post on in the next coming days. Will continue to relay thoughts as I reflect on things and break down experiences/gleanings.
Wish you all an amazing weekend.
Hope you are well
Peace and Love
The landscape and scenery along the way was simply breathtaking. So nice to get out of the city and breath in some fresh air, looking to the horizon to see as far as the eye can go, clear beautiful African Skies, low lands with Elephants grazing on Palm Tree Fruits, Baboons and Monkeys roaming the roadsides for food that people throw them, seeing the immense brute power and force of the Nile River crashing over boulders, leaping over waterfalls, Hills upon hills lush with extreme diversity in plant life, tree species, birds and soil types, thatch roof huts with amazing homestead farming, goats roaming the streets and villages, Cows with huge horns dictating the flow of traffic, mothers and children carrying 100L water hugs (sometimes 2) on their heads---It was beautifulll!!!!
I think the hardest and most revealing (in terms of grander gleanings) part of the trip (which occurred very early on in the travels) was driving through 3 IDP (Internally Displaced People) camps new GULU and seeing people who after 20 years of struggle and readjustment to life after war were fullys returning to regular life, things were picking up, people were returning to their villages and re-establishing themselves. The ones that have stayed are rebuilding agriculture in the region, re-establishing strong markets, rebuilding regional trust, and re-mending the beauty of the human fabric of life. There was such hope, such joy and happiness on the peoples faces and in the interaction with one another. It astounds me, the healing process is long and with many obstacles along the way, but at the same time I think it brings about a sort of social enlightenment in a sense. It now solidifies a strong yearning and initiative for long lasting peace. An evolving of society towards true communal values on a broader scale. This at least is the course I am seeing develop and the path that many humans are craving in this time of global strife, war, poverty, hunger, disease, climate change. We are all yearning for change, for a sense of real, stable and truthful global peace and cooperation. The people of Uganda and the strength they have had on this path should inspire us all…
On to the rest of the trip, Nebbi was incredible. Every day I would meet Martin and George (UCA Field Officer in Nebbi, who just had his 6th child today, yay!!) at 8:30, we would stop by the field office and then head out for 2-3 hour jdrives into the middle of nowhere. Not knowing where I was headed or who I would meet always made the ride even more enticing. Our first day we headed up to Zeu.. Have never seen such views. The road to the village was through the Highlands of Nebbi, basically cradling the ridge of a series of mountainous hilly ranges, down side streets, up 70 degree slopes (have no clue how the driver did it. Felt like the car was going to tip backwards, travelling down random paths fit for a bicycle (needless to say with the windows down I got smacked in the head quite the many times with 8 foot high grass. Haha).
Looking out the window to the right are endless hills, covered in pockets of thatch roof huts, sunlight lighting up the coloration in the hillside (deep green grass and trees from the heavy rainfall this year, deep browns covered in arrays of crops) It almost looked as if the hills were covered with decorative quilts. Looking out the window out the left, and you see hills of the Democratic Republic of Congo, until the horizon broke. Arriving at the first village I met Mary, quite the entrepreneur. She grows beans, maize, Cassava, coffee, pumpkin, bee hives, cows, goats and chickens, all on different plots that you intricately walk to through secret little paths through the bush. It was an agricultural jungle.. So lovely. Felt like I was in Lord of the Rings, feeling somewhat of a fulfilment to a nostalgic life as a farmer that I have always dreamed about.
The most amazing thing happened, we were walking to see her bee hives (quite a hike down a hill) and it started to pour (full-on monsoon style). It was incredible walking in the middle of nowhere, on the side of a huge hill, overlooking the valleys and hills, with soulful rain pouring down. I wish I had a lamp post (I would have jumped around singing “I’m singing in the rain”).. I had the biggest smile on both my heart and face. It was liberating and thrilling, it livened my spirit and calmed my soul, it reconnected me to so many feeling and thoughts of openness and enjoying the simple things in life that we have been blessed with on earth (like getting to smile when it rains. Here it is a blessing, for it allows for good harvests, back home we complain because it might mess up our hair. Hahaha).
Second , third and fourth day were spent on similar trips, but all to different regions of Nebbi, all different soil types, topography and crops that farmers were growing. I saw farmers who produced Mangoes, Oranges, Lemon, Okra, A variety of tree species in makeshift tree nurseries, banana, and other crops (really too many to type). All had different sloping plots, all different soil make ups, different environmental impacts (from too much rain, to to little, from fertile rich black loamy soil to sandy and rocky, you name it agriculturally it was there.) Enough of agriculture, as I am going to have several more posts to relay the learning’s and observations of that side of things later on….
Jump to a rather funny, but embarrassing story (got to share these ones. They’re what make traveling such a great time). I was out about 3 hours in the middle of nowhere, and then down a super long random side road, again further into the middle of nowhere. I was tentatively listening to the agricultural wisdom of Orambi (a farm manager in one of the project sites). He was telling me about pruning, propagating and grafting exotic mango cuttings onto native mango root stalks (was really interesting to me), but boom, bam, blurp, slush, slosh, owwweeee I got a sudden stab in my stomache-- the most explosive, nuclear meltdown diarrhea arrived on the scene, and like a firefighter, it was rushing quickly to get out of the fire station, haha. I tried to continue listening but my knees were shaking, I was losing focus and I felt the sweats coming on. I quickly excused myself and ran off to the nearest patch of bush, quickly squatted and like Harry (in Dumb and Dumber when he’s in Jasper on the toilet after mistakenly taking laxatives), I was off like horses at a race fresh out of the gates. Hahaha It gets better… I got bit in the temple by a giant beetle, scratched my legs on thorns, and best of all….. NO TP!! OHH the joy of using freshly picked tall grass and its' non absorptive capacity. Hahahahahahaha
Enough of grossing you out. It was intended for a laugh, hope it served it’s purpose well. I MUST STOP EATING ROADSIDE ROASTED MAIZE, BANANA AND CASSAVA ROOT!!! Apparently it has taken me several times to realise this. It's just soooo tasty.
I think that is a good note to end on. Will be much much more to post on in the next coming days. Will continue to relay thoughts as I reflect on things and break down experiences/gleanings.
Wish you all an amazing weekend.
Hope you are well
Peace and Love
9/12/08
Lovely September
So I kind of just felt like having a purge of info on what Is going on here. Will be just a quick update on some things. Hope it doesn’t come off as boring. Haha
Things have been great here the last couple of weeks (and generally overall). I just returned from a workshop out west in Mbarara, where we studied the Swedish development tool of using study circles as a means to participatory, grassroots development. Very simple concept of collectivizing people who have identified a shared problem/issue/need, identifying capacities, resources, knowledge within the group to address the issue, coming up with a formal study plan, and hosting weekly meetings on various micro topics to the larger issue on approaches to alleviating the issue at hand. It is extremely cost effective and extremely effective in planting the seeds for the development of cooperatives, and savings and credit unions. I have loved learning the approach and did it ever come with perks. Haha Got to stay at a lovely 5 star resort hotel in the middle of no where, with 45 really great field staff and partners of the Uganda Cooperative Alliance. It was a nice chance to meet the field officers in my project areas and to identify some solid needs that the cooperatives are identifying, so now I can get going on developing some training materials for my trips to the West Nile (up north along the Sudanese/DRC borders). The drive out to Mbarara was so beautiful. We drove through a national park (didn’t see any exotic animals), but got to see lots of small farms, huge plots of banana and kasava farms, beautiful hills and valleys, and the ultimate joy of holding on a pseudo-“Oh Shit” handle (ie, the headrest of the seat in front of me) as the crazy (Daloo) bus driver sped down pot-hole infested roads, swerving to dodge speed bumps, and oncoming cars, buses, trucks, bicycles, motorcycles all driven by other Daloo drivers. Felt my stomach in my throat many times, but it was all part of the adventure. Nothing like being crammed in the back row of a bus, where there should be a row of 5 people (in this case 8) sitting like sardines in a can (a very small can. Haha) I loved it though, shared lots of laughs with the fellow passengers, had the cutest baby cry every time she looked at me (I guess seeing your first white person can be a little daunting at times. Haha), and played peekaboo with the kids on the bus. Didn’t know such a simple game could last so long and keep kids engaged. That is something I love here, how children can stay engaged and enjoy the simplest activities, and be so extremely crafty in making toys from the most random material (my favourite is the old bicycle tired and stick push.. Tried my hand at it.. Kids laughed as I couldn’t get into the groove of making it roll for very long.. Kids love how high I can throw things, so they bring me all kinds of stones, tires, balls, leaves (yeah those didn’t go too high when I threw them. Haha) and all sorts of other things)..
I will head up to West Nile this Monday. Really looking forward to it. The village supposedly has 1 street, 1 hotel, 1 TV, and it’s always football on the screen. Can’t wait. This is exactly the opportunity I have been waiting. To escape the city, see the beautiful countryside, meet as many people as I can, connect with the community members (trainings don’t start until about 3PM as farmers will be working their land in the morning. I am full planning on picking up a hoe, or learning to plow with an oxen and get involved in the farming with them. Hoping this will strengthen our relationships as well and foster trust). Was supposed to go up to Nebbi and Arua, but turns out I will be spending the whole week in Nebbi, which I really like as I can fully get engaged in some activities there, get to know the field officer really well, and form a closer relationship with the cooperative members to foster more inclusive trainings down the road when I return again. I am thinking I will focus on water and soil conservation as well as tea composting this time. Going to do a ad hoc needs assessment of the needs and see if there is more I can focus on as well. Will keep you updated on how the trip goes and will hopefully be able to post some pics (seems to take about 30 minutes to post 1 picture here. Painstakingly slow, but it makes you appreciate the internet more).
Tis it for now.. Hope you all are doing well and loving life..
Will report again soon
Love you lots
p.s- Happy Birthday Lynne. Have an incredible day!!!
Things have been great here the last couple of weeks (and generally overall). I just returned from a workshop out west in Mbarara, where we studied the Swedish development tool of using study circles as a means to participatory, grassroots development. Very simple concept of collectivizing people who have identified a shared problem/issue/need, identifying capacities, resources, knowledge within the group to address the issue, coming up with a formal study plan, and hosting weekly meetings on various micro topics to the larger issue on approaches to alleviating the issue at hand. It is extremely cost effective and extremely effective in planting the seeds for the development of cooperatives, and savings and credit unions. I have loved learning the approach and did it ever come with perks. Haha Got to stay at a lovely 5 star resort hotel in the middle of no where, with 45 really great field staff and partners of the Uganda Cooperative Alliance. It was a nice chance to meet the field officers in my project areas and to identify some solid needs that the cooperatives are identifying, so now I can get going on developing some training materials for my trips to the West Nile (up north along the Sudanese/DRC borders). The drive out to Mbarara was so beautiful. We drove through a national park (didn’t see any exotic animals), but got to see lots of small farms, huge plots of banana and kasava farms, beautiful hills and valleys, and the ultimate joy of holding on a pseudo-“Oh Shit” handle (ie, the headrest of the seat in front of me) as the crazy (Daloo) bus driver sped down pot-hole infested roads, swerving to dodge speed bumps, and oncoming cars, buses, trucks, bicycles, motorcycles all driven by other Daloo drivers. Felt my stomach in my throat many times, but it was all part of the adventure. Nothing like being crammed in the back row of a bus, where there should be a row of 5 people (in this case 8) sitting like sardines in a can (a very small can. Haha) I loved it though, shared lots of laughs with the fellow passengers, had the cutest baby cry every time she looked at me (I guess seeing your first white person can be a little daunting at times. Haha), and played peekaboo with the kids on the bus. Didn’t know such a simple game could last so long and keep kids engaged. That is something I love here, how children can stay engaged and enjoy the simplest activities, and be so extremely crafty in making toys from the most random material (my favourite is the old bicycle tired and stick push.. Tried my hand at it.. Kids laughed as I couldn’t get into the groove of making it roll for very long.. Kids love how high I can throw things, so they bring me all kinds of stones, tires, balls, leaves (yeah those didn’t go too high when I threw them. Haha) and all sorts of other things)..
I will head up to West Nile this Monday. Really looking forward to it. The village supposedly has 1 street, 1 hotel, 1 TV, and it’s always football on the screen. Can’t wait. This is exactly the opportunity I have been waiting. To escape the city, see the beautiful countryside, meet as many people as I can, connect with the community members (trainings don’t start until about 3PM as farmers will be working their land in the morning. I am full planning on picking up a hoe, or learning to plow with an oxen and get involved in the farming with them. Hoping this will strengthen our relationships as well and foster trust). Was supposed to go up to Nebbi and Arua, but turns out I will be spending the whole week in Nebbi, which I really like as I can fully get engaged in some activities there, get to know the field officer really well, and form a closer relationship with the cooperative members to foster more inclusive trainings down the road when I return again. I am thinking I will focus on water and soil conservation as well as tea composting this time. Going to do a ad hoc needs assessment of the needs and see if there is more I can focus on as well. Will keep you updated on how the trip goes and will hopefully be able to post some pics (seems to take about 30 minutes to post 1 picture here. Painstakingly slow, but it makes you appreciate the internet more).
Tis it for now.. Hope you all are doing well and loving life..
Will report again soon
Love you lots
p.s- Happy Birthday Lynne. Have an incredible day!!!
9/2/08
Deliberations of Liberation
This is a day of beauty. One where the world looks a brighter place. Blazened with the joy of humanities new breath, people look to one another for a shared expression of what we are all longing for in our hearts; Love. Opening hearts to one another, rebuilding trust between people, families, communities, and Countries, is the only inevitable possibility for humanity to move towards. How long now have we been digressing and putting this planet in peril; war, disease, poverty, HIV, Gender violence, climate change, mass environmental pollution and degradation. This is no longer something we can leave in the hands of governments and organizations to solve. These issues take a global initiative. One where people place power back in themselves, get over the giant list of differences that separate us apart and seek to distance us, and look to the similarities upon the horizon that we all share. The blatant truth is that humanity is truly at a pinnacle point. A point where climate change is already heavily underway, the planet has passed its’ carrying capacity and multiple economic, political, and social issues are on the rise.
All things return to the goodness in ones heart. This is one thing all of humanity shares, deep down we are all inherently good. We all came into this world pure hearted. We must believe in our hearts that we can work towards this state again. Deep within our hearts and minds we each have the conscious intuitive choice that needs to be listened to more often. An intuition that if we shared our hearts more often and opened our eyes to shared experiences and similarities as citizens of (wo)mankind, we would develop lasting solutions collectively.
Shared love starts with a seed. A shared smile upon passing someone, the heightened energy exchange, only to continue on through another shared smile with another. These subtle exchanges of open expression are boundless in their chain reaction impact. Trickling through person after person like a free flowing stream. One thing I have come to love in Uganda (is similar in India) is how men will hold hands with male friends, and the same goes for women. It is something so nice to see; this very simplistic approach to heightening connection between one another.
We must foster this new age of love today. In the long run it is all that truly matters, and a lasting thing we can leave behind for the new generations of humanity to come. These planted seeds of small scale open expression, sprout into trees of hope, deep, strong roots strengthening the ties that connect our hearts, our minds, our actions. From these trees bear fruit of the sweetest essence of potential; a potential so bountiful, it feeds the hearts of all of humanity. The more trees of hope that are planted, the more fruit that is shared within humanity, only to further plant the seeds for future trees to continue to expand through mankind; a forest of love and hope replanting across the globe.
Today, if you are reading this, reflect on what is needed in humanity, and what approaches we can take to further foster love.
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