Goodbyes Are Not Easy

Well my adventure in Uganda has basically come to a close…the only event left is the drive to the airport and the long flights home. Whenever I travel…it doesn’t really hit me until the actual day of my departure…well today is the day of my departure…I will be leaving for the airport in about 7 hours. This past week has been good, however, somehow surreal…for it is interesting to look back at my time here and realize that I have spent half a year in Uganda! Anywho, work was pretty simple Monday and Tuesday…then Wednesday came…and oh boy was it a celebration and a half…hehe! The day began with all us PROMETRAns meeting the community of healers at a local church near Buyijja Forest. The church was reminded me of the Methodist church I grew up in back home in Sheridan, MT. All the healers and us PROMETRAns squeezed into the church…music began and prayers were announced…it was a very beautiful service that gave me a feeling of comfort as the healers prayed for my safe travel and happiness. After the church service ended, all us PROMETRAns and the healers journeyed back to Buyijja to then venture down into the forest. This day there was to be no training…instead, the day turned into a going-away celebration for me. At first, healers began reminiscing about my past six months with them…the words they spoke were so thoughtful and kind! Then music and dancing began as I received gifts from groups of healers. In Buganda culture, when someone receives a visitor, it is a belief to value that visitor and a blessing to provide the visitor with any type of gift. I had been the visitor for the past six months, and now that I was returning home, people wanted to give their blessings :) It was a day of thanksgiving and blessing! The entire day touched me to my very soul. After enjoying my last forest meal, it was my turn to speak and address the healers. All I will say is that it was not easy and brought tears to my eyes. I will never forget that forest day when such thoughtful words were spoken and blessings were given. In the middle of the whole day rain came and caused all of us to run for protection with a smile on our faces…for rain brings good luck! The Wednesday forest day was brought to a close, evening came, and us PROMETRAns journeyed back to Kampala. Thursday and Friday I prepared my things for the journey home…for sure I pack too much…hehe! Then Saturday came and it was another day of goodbyes. One of my PROMETRA colleagues invited me to his house to have a small but significant going-away party with him and his family. We basically ate and lounged around, while watching music videos of local Ugandan artists. It was a nice and relaxing day…that once again brought tears to my eyes…for sure goodbyes are not easy! Saturday then ended with me giving my farewells to a few more of my PROMETRA colleagues. Now it is Sunday and I am bound for home in some few hours. Once I have processed my entire stay here in Uganda I will write more…but for now I can say…when I came to Uganda back in January, I was welcomed with open arms by beautiful, caring, loving, and honest people. I was then cared for as though I was part of everyone’s family. This experience has taught me so much about not only the world and Uganda and traditional medicine, but also about myself. I came to Uganda a young woman, senior in college, simply looking for an adventure and hoping to discover my path for the next few years…I will return still a young woman now graduated and now knowing some of the path my heart and soul will take. My experience in Uganda has been one I will never forget…and I know I will return when the time is right! Thank you all so much for your love and support throughout this journey…without you this adventure could not have been possible! Wish me a safe journey home…I shall be seeing you all very very soon! :)

Keep the spirit alive – Ann Kyamulabi

My Ugandan Made Dresses

My adventure in Uganda is coming to a close…I have about a week left before I will begin my long journey home this coming Sunday evening. I must admit, it will be a long flight full of two emotions…I will be so happy to see my family and friends that I have been away from for six months, but I will be very sad to leave the life I have created for myself in this beautiful country of Uganda. It’s a very surreal time right now. Today is my last official day volunteering for PROMETRA Uganda. Thankfully today completed one of the steps we were taking in formulating a 5 year strategic plan…so I believe it is a pretty good note to end on. I know I will keep in touch on some of these projects that will continue in my absence…work must go on…hehe. Later this evening, all us PROMETRAns will venture out to Buyijja…for my last visit to the unique and powerful traditional healer forest school. I have been told that tomorrow will be my going away party…in some sense…hehe. It won’t be easy to say goodbye to a community of people who have inspired me beyond expectation…I am truly blessed to have had this opportunity for the past six months! Well before I officially do return home, I should give you all an update on what I have been doing these past few weeks. So two Thursday ago I spent the entire day roaming around Kampala city on a bodaboda with my PROMETRA Uganda colleague in order to find information on how to register an institution. We first began by visiting Kyambogo University at the Commission of Higher Learning. After gathering some information there, we journeyed to Kololo and spent almost an hour driving up and down streets in search of the Center for Basic Research…an intense ride in the heat of the day! We finally decided to let the search go, for the Center was not a top priority place to visit…so we then journeyed to the Ministry of Education and Sports. Come to find out when we arrived there, we were actually in the wrong place…yes it was the Ministry of Education, but it was not the right building…there are actually two separate buildings, streets apart, that both perform similar activities but yet different at the same time. So we got directions to the proper building…we found ourselves in the city center pulling up to a building that towered over us and every other building in site. When we made it to the entrance, I handed over my ID and received a visitor’s badge that ‘must be visible at all times’…hehe. We then worked our way up twisting-winding stairs to the 3rd floor, which I think was actually the 4th…hehe…to then walk down a long hall-way to the office of the Commissioner. After finally arriving at the right location, we sat and waited for some time…I was kept amused by the ladies in the office eating away at their delicious smelling lunches. After almost an hour, we were called into to visit with the Commissioner. The short but sweet meeting went well…we received the information we were looking for, only after waiting about another half hour for copies of documents. The time spent there was very successful…no matter the wait. So we journeyed back down the twisting-winding stairs, I returned the visitor pass, collected my ID, and hoped back on the bodaboda with my colleague. The regular work-day was almost over, so we decided to end our day’s search there…for now. The next program scheduled for the day was for me to pick-up my dress! :) I was really quite excited to see the final product. So I and one of my PROMETRA colleagues ventured through heavy traffic and crowds of people, finally ending up at the proper location and greeting the woman we were looking for. She pulled my dress out of a small bag and held it up for me to observe! I was awed by how beautiful it looked! She asked if I wanted to try it on…I responded “Yes Please!” So we weaved our way up some narrow stairs and simply found a corner for me to quickly slip into the dress. Unfortunately the first attempt was somehow unsuccessful…I couldn’t get the dress pulled over my chest…hehe. So she decided the best solution was to sew a zipper in the side. My friend and I decided to sit and wait. The working environment we were in was quite interesting. In this building there were probably 30 or so seamstresses huddled together…each in their own corner or spot…there was simply one little walk-way path down the middle. My friend and I found a place to sit on two little benches that was just barely out of the way… still right in the middle of the all the commotion. Forty-five minutes later the zipper was sewn into the dress, and I was set for round two of trying it on for size. This time the dress slipped over my head…and my chest…successfully…she zipped me in and there I was in my own unique fitted dress…just for me. The dress was very comfortable and fit me perfectly…I must say I am very happy and satisfied with the final product! :) After the successful fitting, I quickly changed out of the dress and back into my regular clothes. I thanked her so so so much for doing such a wonderful job…it was getting late, so my friend and I began the journey back to Kawempe after a long day’s work. The following day, on Friday, events were quite different…I attended my first African burial…I wasn’t sure quite what to expect other than the fact that burials in Uganda are very very important and many people always attend and they are most often conducted outside at the respective burial grounds. All us PROMETRAns ended up traveling to a near-by village and spent time eating, conversing, singing, praying, then conducting the actual burial ceremony. Before sunset, we were all headed back to Kawempe…the day was over and the weekend had arrived. As for the weekend, Saturday was a fun day of roaming around Kampala city center once again in search for fabric for my second tailored made dress…this time traditional Ugandan style! Days before, I had seen a woman wearing a traditional dress…the exact style I was looking for. I snuck a picture of her and her dress…hehe…then brought it to the woman who had sewn my previous dress. That Saturday we picked out the perfect fabric…with yellow, white, and blue…she took my measurements and told me to return the following week to pick up the dress :) I left full of anticipation! On Sunday, I decided to attend a church service at an infamous Born Again church within Kampala city center…one that many people constantly talk about. The service was literally all day long…from early in the morning till late in the evening. I must say it was the most intense church service I have ever attended…there were literally HUNDREDS of people, music pounded the atmosphere, and the sermons were preached with a certain power no one could explain! All the hundreds of people were completely mesmerized throughout the entire service. The pastor for the church is well known throughout Kampala has having special healing powers…and let me tell you…massive crowds of people come to observe and/or experience the healing powers of the ‘Man of God.’ It was an extremely intense service…after leaving the church service later that evening, I remember feeling completely exhausted both mentally and physically…but for sure it was an experience to remember…a very unique one! So the following week soon arrived. The only really exciting event that took place was on Thursday when I went to pick up my dress…once again…hehe! This time when I arrived, the talented seamstress asked me once again whether I would like to try the dress on for size…I responded with a very enthusiastic, “Absolutely!” So we found our way up the same winding, twisting stairs as before, where I simply stood in a corner and tried the dress on. This time the dress slide onto me perfectly…and fit me just perfectly!!! I was oh so happy as we weaved up the stairs to find a mirror. The dress turned out exactly as I imagined…and even better! I must say, she is a very talented seamstress! After Thursday, the weekend came and went pretty quickly. Now it is Tuesday and I am slowly, but surely preparing for my long journey home. Oh, but before I forget…hehe…yesterday coming home from Wandegeya, I caught a ride on a bodaboda. It was quite an interesting ride, for the gentleman driving me was wearing the most peculiar bright orange felt hat…cowboy style…with strings to keep it on the head…hehe! He was a character and half…even with the way he acted…hehe…the most interesting bodaboda ride I have had thus far…a lot of fun and quite entertaining :) Well that’s about all I have to say right now! My time here in Uganda is ending one day at a time…causing me to reflect on my past six month experience! What I can say right now is that I have had an experience of a lifetime and regret absolutely nothing. I can also send a big THANKS to all of you out there who supported me at any time during my adventure…Thank you so very much…I am truly blessed! I look forward to seeing you all very very soon!

Keep the spirit alive – Ann Kyamulabi

The Perfect Fit

Well excitement is still in the air…the World Cup games are narrowing down to the championship game which will be this coming Sunday on July 11th. I am quite excited to see who will be battling each other for the Cup! Games have definitely been more intense lately and people’s enthusiasm has been reaching its climax…everyone watches the games…people even take time off from work and events to find a television, sit down, and enjoy the thrill of the game! Well anywho, things here in Uganda are still going really really well. My time here is narrowing down…sad but true. All I know is that I must take in as much as possible and live every experience to the fullest. So last Thursday completed my field research…and the day was beyond successful. I had three interviews scheduled, but ended up conducting four separate interviews with a total of seven people. I was so happy and satisfied! My PROMETRA colleague and I only had one minor “road-block,” when we discovered the front bike’s tire was low as we reached our last interview site in Kibibi Sub-county. We first decided to complete the interview and eat lunch before venturing to the nearest mechanic to fix the tire. The interview was successful, the food was delicious, and the mechanic was ready and waiting to fix the tire. Good enough we had been to this same mechanic before a couple weeks back when we had a similar bike problem. It’s funny…as I sat there waiting for the tire to be fixed, I realized that every time I ventured to Kibibi Sub-county on the bike, something happened to the bike…first time the bike ran out of fuel, second time the bike’s back tire broke some spindles, third time the bike’s back tire went flat, and fourth time the bike’s front tire went flat. Each time I traveled to Kibibi during my research excursions I experienced a bike problem…how ironic…there must be something in the air at that sub-county…hehe! So the tire got fixed just in time for us to cruise the last leg of the journey to Kampala arriving home at a decent hour. The weekend soon came and brought relaxation and a fun journey. I have realized during my stay here in Uganda that many women at one point in their lives end up having a or many dress(es) of different styles made for them. So I decided I wanted to have that same experience for me…especially since it is much much cheaper here and truly an amusing experience, where you spend time gazing at all kinds of fabrics from high class silk traditionally reserved for Gomez to simple cotton…hehe. So on Saturday I spent part of the day roaming around Kampala town center trying to find the perfect fabric for making me the perfect dress. I initially went with ideas in my head, but ended up changing my mind many times. I had originally thought of a style slightly more traditional but while shopping around with the help of one of my PROMETRA colleagues and his sister, I came to realize I wanted something a little more fancy…like a party dress…in some sense. So finally after journeying from store to store to store and looking at various fabrics, I found the fabric that would be perfect for me…a soft blue color, like ocean blue, with shapes of sunflower-like stitching on it. After finding the ideal fabric, I began explaining to the seamstress the dress style I had in mind. We decided to journey across the street, through an ally-way, and up the road a bit just to show her a dress hung a manikin that was of the style I desired. The seamstress looked it over and agreed it would look good and work well with the fabric. So we journeyed back down the road, through the ally-way, across the street and into the store to purchase the fabric we had put on hold. We made the purchase, then found our way to the seamstress’s area of operation, where she measured me from shoulder to toe, and told me to return next Thursday…this coming Thursday…to try the dress on for size :) I left feeling quite satisfied and full of anticipation. It’s funny how the ideas we plan for can change instantly in the midst of progress depending on the materials and time available. My dress idea turned out not quite as I originally planned…but I believe the final product will prove to be very nice and stylish…and a nice dress to wear to some kind of event in the future. In the end, it’s all the about the experience. So that has been the excitement of my past few days. This coming weekend I hope to journey to Entebbe and visit its Botanical Beach/Gardens…we shall see how time permits itself. I hope you all are enjoying the nice summer weather…OH and I hope you all back in the states had a wonderful 4th of July celebration! I hope the fireworks displays were just fabulous! :) Shall be seeing you all soon!

Keep the spirit alive – Ann Kyamulabi

Excitement Is in the Air

Excitement has been bubbling all over the place!!! The FIFA World Cup has begun and in no other place than Africa…in South Africa. This is the first time ever for Africa to host the World Cup…excitement has spread clear across the continent. Everywhere you go, you hear people, radios, TVs, etc. talking about different matches…plus the World Cup theme song plays every hour and during every commercial break…thankfully it’s a REALLY GOOD song! Other than that excitement, my herbal garden is continuing to flourish. I tended to it the last two Wednesdays and even spread more seeds of the bugga plant around to re-fertilize. We shall see how it continues. I have been told I must decide upon who I shall leave it to to take care of it once I journey back to the states…I’m thinking…hehe. So the past two weeks have been good…not too busy, not too lax…excluding Thursday! Two Thursdays ago, one of my PROMETRA Uganda colleagues drove me to five different sub-counties to complete my health center interviews and to make contact with sub-county officials. It was a busy day…and too too too sunny. I put sunscreen on regularly…but managed to get sunburned even still…and it doesn’t help that the wind even burns my face some. It was an experience and half…hehe…but I can’t complain too much because it was a successful day. When I was done with my activities in the field, we drove back to Buyijja to pick up another PROMETRA Uganda colleague and journey the rest of way to Kampala…so once again there were three of us on the bike…I sat in the middle this time, but surprisingly enough was still just about as sore as when I sat on the back…hehe! We arrived back in Kampala safely…I showered and went straight to bed. Friday then came and went with simple work at the office. Once the weekend came, I first rested…as usual. Then Sunday came and I was invited to visit a PROMETRA Uganda colleague at his home to meet his fiancé and to have a feast of food and fabulous tea. So I journeyed there in the late morning on Sunday and was greeted by a warm welcome and then become a greeter for more guests who arrived shortly after. We all sat and conversed while watching the World Cup match between Algeria and Slovenia. In a short while food was served…yum yum yum! The food was delicious and there was lots of it! We all filled our bellies then sat and relaxed…waiting for the next match between Ghana and Serbia. Tea was then served with bread and the match began. The evening came and the visit concluded with our bellies full and our bodies relaxed. I made it home just in time for the last match of the evening between Germany and Australia. I must say I have enjoyed the football excitement…I never thought I would be into football/soccer…but with the excitement all the people have, you can’t help but join along and enjoy the thrill of the games! :) As for the following week, Wednesday was an interesting day. I was asked by one of my PROMETRA Uganda colleagues to help in facilitating the Spiritualist class…I happily accepted. It turned I researched some information on palm reading, for that was the subject to be discussed. So on Wednesday the time came for me to facilitate the palm reading session. I requested the assistance of a new intern for PROMETRA who spoke Luganda…she did all the translating and was very good at it…the lesson went off with a bang! At first we simply discussed openly with all the healers what they thought of palm reading and how they interpreted it. Then we dove into the research I had done. My research consisted of information detailing how certain palm readers literally read palms, i.e. the lines on the hands, shape of the hand, texture of the hand, etc. All the healers were so interested in the information…in the end we all learned from each other…better understanding different ways to use the hands as forms of healing and as ways to read about the life of someone. It was very enjoyable, and I only hope to get the opportunity to do it again! :) After Wednesday came and went, Thursday appeared with the sun trapped behind clouds…thank goodness! That day, my PROMETRA colleague and I were to visit four different sub-counties on the bodaboda to conduct interviews with local government leaders for my research. It turned out two interviewees cancelled that day, so we were narrowed down to two. The journey was interesting! First we traveled to Ngando where we did not find the Chairman…we waited just for bit, then decided to journey a some-how short distance to another village where he lived to gather him. We got there speedy speedy on the bodaboda to find him in the trading center…I hopped on his bike, while my PROMETRA colleague followed, and we cruised down the road back to the sub-county to conduct the interview…a fun journey indeed! :) After completing the interview at Ngando, we then traveled to Kituntu. While journeying there, we passed a massive truck…only to find (shortly after passing truck) a man running down the road after us. My colleague stopped the bike and the man approached us quickly saying, “Hi Ann, how are you? I am Chairman LC III Kituntu sub-county. I am running home quickly, but will arrive back at the sub-county shortly!” Then he ran back to the massive truck and finished his journey home. My colleague and I then finished our journey to Kituntu…all the while recapping what had just happened, while I examined the initial thoughts that ran through my mind…hehe. When he first approached me by my first name, the thought that ran through my mind was ‘how did this random man know me…the only Mzungu for miles’…hehe…I thought to myself ‘wow word spreads fast from Buyijja Forest’…hehe! It’s just funny how our minds can race in just a few minor seconds…hehe! But know worries, he had every right to know who I was…it’s just funny that out in the middle of nowhere he saw a Mzungu on a bodaboda and just automatically knew it was the researcher from America coming his way…hehe! So after finally interviewing him, we ventured back to Buyijja for a short while to pick up another PROMETRA colleague to then journey the rest of the way home to Kampala. This journey also turned out to be very interesting! About 45 minutes into our journey the back tire of the bike went flat…blah…so we began walking and walking and walking until we reached the next village of Kibibi. The walk was actually quite nice…it was dusk, so not too hot, and the scenery surrounding was absolutely stunning! Uganda really is a beautiful GREEN place! After reaching Kibibi we got the bike fixed after about an hour and half and finally re-continued our journey around 7:30 p.m. We ventured the rest of the way home in the dark…by the light of the bodaboda…making it home safely a little after 10 p.m. I went straight to bed! Friday then came and went along with the weekend, which turned out to be quite relaxing. Now it is Tuesday and we are about to venture to Buyijja! As usual I am excited for the stop-over at Kyengera, where I always get my gonja (smoked bananas)…yum yum!!! :) So I think that is about all for now! Hope all is well for you…wherever you may be! :)

Keep the spirit alive – Ann Kyamulabi

Star Spotting

Well the month of May is over and June has begun. Time sure flies by! Last week I finally visited my garden at Buyijja…oh boy was it overgrown…hehe! One of the healers even approached me to inform me of the overgrowth! I think almost the entire month of May I had not visited my garden to do serious work…and serious work it needed. So I began clearing it of weeds with the help of one of my PROMETRA colleagues…we pulled pulled and pulled some more. It finally got clear…I then took a hoe and mixed up the soil some, then left it to become bountiful once again. No matter how bad the overgrowth of weeds was…I was happy to find my herbs to be doing really well…they looked extremely healthy and lively! One of the plants is even a brilliant red from the roots to the stem to the leaves…really quite beautiful!…you can automatically assume that it treats anemia…lack of blood. It is interesting to note that many medicinal plants have physical characteristics that match their particular treatment, as well as local names that basically describe what they do. Also on Wednesday, I decided to attend the spiritualist class. I had been absent for quite some time the previous two months. On this Wednesday the spiritualist class studied about Emindi…in Luganda meaning pipe. In spirituality there is the frequent use of a traditional pipe. In class the healers discussed the different types of emindi, the uses of emindi, and the significance of emindi. The main purposes of emindi are that it is a medium for communication between humans and spirits, it is a source of nutrition, and it is a symbolic fireplace for spirits. I was told by one spiritualist during the May workshop that fire has great significance in spirituality. He asked me why that would be…I responded that fire represents a central location…when a fire is present, people gather near or around that fire for many different purposes. He told me that was correct…a fire represents light and life and a central area for communal gathering…never knew fire had such meaning! Anywho, the class ended shortly with the bell call for lunch. It was agreed upon that the following Wednesday the class would finish discussing about emindi and then move onto discussing palm reading…should be very interesting! After lunch all healer trainees gathered for an afternoon meeting. The day in the forest ended after the meeting…all healers and PROMETRA Uganda staff journeyed out of the forest to then see healers head their respective directions home on two buses/trucks packed with people passionate about traditional medicine. So Wednesday ended…two of my PROMETRA colleagues and I stayed behind at Buyijja in order for me to ‘re-begin’ my research that had been put on hold because of all the excitement encompassed in the month of May. That following day on Thursday, we ventured around Mpigi District to four different sub-counties in search of contact information for sub-country officials…lastly visiting Kalamba Health Center to conduct my second to last research interview. Upon finishing…I and two of my PROMETRA Uganda colleagues journeyed all the way back to Kampala on the bodaboda. I sat at the back…and let me tell you…I was so sore by the time I arrived home…I hadn’t ridden on the bodaboda for such a long distance in over a month, so my body was unprepared for the stamina it takes to sit on the bike for so long. Once we arrived home, I washed the dirt/dust off my body and clothes and went to bed! The following day was to be a day of celebration! Earlier that week I had finally decided to schedule a little graduation party/event for the coming Friday…well Friday came and we celebrated. Five of my PROMETRA colleagues/friends, one of my friends from Bulondos, and I gathered late in the evening to journey into town and dance the night away at Ange. By the time we arrived not many people were there…slowly but surely they trickled in and people began to dance. Let me just remind you…the music in Uganda is sooooooo GOOD! The local modern music has a distinct beat you can always dance to…then many songs from American artists are locally remixed with an added twist…eh it is good good good music. When the music surrounds you, you can’t help but simply dance. Oh and people can dance in Uganda…men, women, children, elders…they all can dance and love doing it! Oh and one other exciting thing took place that night…Chameleon, a local artist (one of the first to introduce the Ugandan modern hip-hop/raggaeton music) appeared at Ange. It was interesting because people kept about their business…simply pointing him out as he passed by…there were no fan swarms that you would expect when someone famous enters a room full of people. But I guess he frequents Ange so maybe people were used to it…either way it was neat to witness a Ugandan star in person and in natural circumstances. So basically we danced the night away…lasting into the early morning. I had a lot of fun and enjoyed having at least a little graduation celebration :) The rest of the weekend I simply rested to both catch up on sleep and relax my body from the stress of the bodaboda ride and the late night dancing. Monday soon came and we all returned back to work. Now it is Tuesday and about time to venture to Buyijja to prepare for the Forest School. I’m not sure which class I will join…we shall see how the flow of the day goes. Well that’s all I have for now! Greetings to everyone…wherever you may be!

Keep the spirit alive – Ann Kyamulabi

May 'Mayhem' :)

To put it simply, I am in a state of recuperation…hehe! Since the first of May, life here in Uganda has been a whirl-wind of events. To begin, that first week in May was the last day of classes back home at The University of Montana…which meant for me, I had to get final reports submitted for the 12 International Studies and International Internship credits I was registered for…then I could graduate on May 15th. Also the first week in May began the long-awaited workshop PROMETRA Uganda was to host on training in documentation, assessment, and promotion of traditional medicine. Also that first week, I was in the process of changing my airfare ticket in order to extend my stay here in Uganda into July of this year! For sure the month of May began with a hectic schedule on the agenda! First thing first, I was able to submit all my paperwork back home at The University of Montana…on time…only after late nights of writing and waiting for internet connection to be good. Then I moved on to extending my airfare ticket. What I have to say about that is…the cell service situation in Uganda is completely different than that of the United States. You pay for airtime as you go, which is kind of like paying for minutes, but not on a plan. You can buy anywhere from 500 to like 5,000 Ugandan Shillings worth of airtime at a time…so then your phone has that amount of airtime for each call you make. Depending on the network you are using, your calls can cost like 200 to 600 UGSH for like a two minute call (maybe I am exaggerating…I don’t know…hehe). So imagine a 10 minute call costing you at least 5,000 UGSH (about $3.50)…it can add-up with time. There are little ways around the system…for example the Warid network does a pakalast thing where if you have 1,500 UGSH you can send in a text that then activates your phone for 24 hours of free calls to other Warid customers. Now I will stop rambling and get back to the issue of changing my airfare ticket…hehe…the process entailed making an international collect call to Orbitz…I made the first call/attempt…after 10 minutes my phone cut-out on me…not enough airtime. I quickly bought more…redialed the number and made the second attempt…this time the number was not going through…I was being told ‘this number does not exist.’ Now it was getting close to the time for work, so I put the call attempts on hold. Half the day passed…I decided to make another attempt…after having stocked up on airtime to be sure I would have enough this time…expecting to be on the phone for at least an hour. The call went through to the teller…he began looking up airline schedules and such…like always putting me on hold for 10 minute (plus) increments at a time. After having decided on the best ticket/date/time…I was about to confirm the change when I ran out of airtime once again! So I decided to wait till the evening to try again…being sure this time I was I would be fully stocked up on airtime! The evening finally came…to make a long story short…I made the call and was to the same point as previously when the phone cut-out on me again! This time it was not because of airtime, but rather the service just decided to end…blahhh! So basically in the end…I was unable to finalize the transaction from my end in Uganda, but rather had to have someone from back home do it for me! It all turned ok…I am now to return July 26th! After that little mobile adventure, I turned to focusing on the workshop that began officially on May 7th. To give a little background…PROMETRA Uganda hosted a nine day Workshop and Training on Documentation, Assessment, and Promotion of Traditional Medicine at Buyijja Forest School. International delegates from India, Sri Lanka, Japan, Kenya, Ghana, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Netherlands, and United States as well as over 20 local traditional healers from within Mpigi District (all trainees at PROMETRA’s Buyijja Forest School) all attended the workshop/training. The workshop/training consisted of learning exchange visits to traditional healers’ homes, training on documentation and promotion of traditional medicine, a visit to PROMETRA Uganda’s traditional healer forest school and a graduation ceremony for over 50 traditional healers, meetings with the Ministry of Health, National Drug Authority, THETA, Makerere University Botany Department, and the High Commissioner of the Indian Embassy, a visit to Msindye Hill (Dr. Sekagya’s spiritual hill…there was lots of dancing dancing dancing…all Buganda style :)), policy briefing for traditional medicine and practice, and lastly a press release. In short, the workshop/training was a BIG success and helped mobilize advocates for traditional medicine throughout Africa and beyond. Throughout the workshop my job, along with one of my PROMETRA colleagues, was to report on all activities/events daily. It turned out we did that and much much more…but all in the success of the workshop and PROMETRA Uganda :) All us PROMETRAns ended up being very very very busy throughout the entire workshop…running here, running there, fixing things, setting things up, organizing, documenting, preparing, etc. etc. etc.! After those nine days at Buyijja and the workshop mainly ended, all us PROMETRAns along with the international delegates traveled back to Kampala for the press release, which marked the official end of the workshop! Early early the next morning delegates flew home…while us PROMETRAns began a short period of rest and recuperation before going back to work the following Tuesday…to then travel back out to Buyijja for the weekly forest school training. As I think you all have seen, the entire month of May…so far…has been full of hustle and bustle, hard work, some stress, but excitement and huge amounts of success! The workshop was a big accomplishment, I have officially graduated from The University of Montana with a bachelor’s degree in Anthropology, and now I am staying in Uganda until July 25th. Things are GOOD! As of today, work has calmed down some…just finalizing reports for the workshop and deciding on the right time for me to start-up my research again…as well as planning a little graduation party for me! In two of my previous blogs I described graduation parties for two of my PROMERTA colleagues and explained how excited people here in Uganda get when someone graduates from a University…well when everyone found out about my graduation, they said we must must must have a party and CELEBRATE!!! The plans are not yet finalized, but brainstorming is in full swing…hehe! I will be sure to keep you all posted! Well I think that is all I have for now. Until next time! Oh and sorry for the delay in posting!!! Hope all is well back in the states and anywhere else you may be!

Keep the spirit alive – Ann Kyamulabi

Go With The Flow

Ehh, things have been crazy busy lately. The Afro-Asian Learning Exchange and Training Workshop PROMETRA is hosting is beginning May 7th with guests arriving by the 5th …next week! And I think us PROMETRAns will be venturing out to Buyijja either Sunday or Monday to prepare for the arrival of the guests! Though it has been busy, it has definitely been a good experience planning for it! :) As for about two weeks ago, PROMETRA hosted guests from BioVision, an organization based in Switzerland that focuses in Africa and promotes environmental conservation. The guests came to visit PROMETRA Uganda to see how we are promoting traditional medicine as well as conservation of the forests that house those medicinal plants. During that week, us PROMETRAns escorted the BioVision guests around to different traditional healers’ homes and traditional healer groups in order for them to gather information and capture photos for making a documentary and writing an article in BioVision magazine...pretty sweet! They mainly wanted to capture how people in Uganda use the environment for health related purposes, as well as inform the general public that people here are very well educated on the importance of the land and that conservation is key in order to keep forests for years to come. BioVision seems like a good organization with a good purpose! On that Wednesday, the BioVision guests were able to see Buyijja Forest School and understand better how healers learn about the medicinal importance of the forest as well as methods for conserving the natural environment. Thursday was also a pretty neat day…at about 5 a.m. we were all…those who wanted…woken up in order to venture to the top of Doctor’s Msindye Hill to watch the sunrise over Mpigi District. The BioVision people, after visiting traditional healers, wanted to capture images of the environment and the landscape…so we journeyed to the hill! :) Unfortunately, the morning was quite cloudy, so the sunrise was not seen very well…but to give credit to nature, the clouds were beautiful in the way they molded shapes and light-up with various colors. It was like the sun was battling the clouds by trying to break through…off in another direction, there were dark dark dark clouds that hovered over the hills, and every once in a while we caught a glimpse of lightening! Just being on top of the Hill and looking out over part of the Ugandan landscape was breathtaking and worth the early morning wake-up. After the early morning, it was back to visiting traditional healers. Once that Thursday ended, we ventured back to Kampala after having spent a pleasant week in Buyijja away from the hustle and bustle of the city. And let me tell you, that journey was actually quite interesting…the land cruiser first had to be loaded with lumonde (sweet potatoes), then a few of us and our bags were to be loaded on top of the lumonde! Three people laid on top, while I squished down in between two sacks. Our BioVision guests and Doctor squeezed together in the front, while the rest of the PROMETRA staff loaded themselves into yet another packed vehicle…that one full of office equipment and bananas! Once we were on the road and could no longer just sit/lay there, we decided to pull out a deck of cards and play in order to ease an awkward, lengthy journey :) So out came the cards, and we played all the way back to Kampala finally reaching around 9 p.m…just enough time to get a good night’s sleep! Overall, I think the visit of BioVision guests went really well, and they got the information they were looking for! Now as for today…it has been an interesting day! I woke up early this morning to prepare for a journey into Kampala city center to retrieve my new visa. Well…one of my PROMETRA colleagues and I arrived at Immigration early and had to wait about 45 minutes to see someone. I then got my passport and was directed to the cashier’s office. Once there, he wrote up a quick receipt type thing and directed me to Diamond Trust Bank. So my colleague and I hailed a taxi bus and ventured down the busy road to the bank where I was to get a money order for paying for my new visa. Once at the bank, I waited only about 15 minutes to find that I must return in two hours to pick up the money order. So…my colleague and I found breakfast at a little spot near the big ‘old taxi park’ (Paka Kadde). After eating, we still had some time to waste so we walked around inquiring about poster printings for PROMETRA. After two hours, we ventured back to the bank, I picked up the form then we journeyed back to Immigration. Once there, I roamed around shortly to get a copy of some documents…then went to the office hoping to simply get my visa stamp and be done…instead I found I must return again in another two hours to pick up my passport with its new visa stamp. So my colleague and I moved down the road a little to a nice grassy area at a nearby Institution where we simply relaxed for a bit. After about an hour and half, we returned to Immigration… waited some more…then, with no further problems, I obtained my passport with a nice new visa stamp. Ehh, it was a process and half…hehe! Now I am back at the office about to continue working on video scripts for the workshop…I think it will be a long night again…last minute preparations! But it’s all in the name of the workshop…It’s going to be GOOD! :) Sorry for the delay in blogging!!! Hope all is well wherever you may be! Oh I almost forgot…my garden is doing wonderful! My bugga is growing really well, and the other herb…not sure its name yet, but it’s good for anemia…is so bushy and healthy looking. Unfortunately, the third herb dodo is not coming up…maybe it’s just being stubborn..hehe! :) Either way, yayyyy for my herbal garden!

Keep the spirit alive – Ann Kyamulabi

Ants Ants Ants and Cards Cards Cards

So good good news! I finally got my herbs planted in my garden! :) This past Wednesday at Buyijja turned out to be quiet with extra leisure time as well as muddy muddy muddy! It had poured rain all morning causing the forest to be a mucky mess. Oh and just to inform you, when it rains, the ants come out! They begin migrating to dry land by the hundreds of thousands, which means they traipse across the walking path, and you have to step lightly but quickly with high knees…even so, you still get bit…hehe…it’s inevitable! Well any who, because the day was so quiet, I took some time right before lunch and ventured to my garden with the company of a traditional healer trainee. She provided me with both the herbal seeds for three different plants good for anemia as well as help in planting them! Come to find out, she is also from the Mbogo clan…so when she found out I am now also from the Mbogo clan, she wanted to help a fellow clan member/sister out! People in Uganda are very very generous and constantly assist one another in anything…it’s considered a blessing to help a fellow person. More importantly, here in Uganda when you meet a fellow clan member, it is truly wonderful and lucky and accompanied with happy loving greetings…it’s as though you are meeting a long-lost family member :)! So because we are now from the same clan, she was so so so generous in assisting me with my garden…she even gifted me with sugar cane, guavas, cassava, and yams!!! It was all so NICE!!! So now my herbs are planted, and I can simply up-keepthe garden and wait for something to hopefully spring-up…wish me and the garden luck! On another note, I have learned a really fun and quite exciting card game that is infamous here in Uganda…you can play and play and play into the night and up till odd hours of the morning…just like we do with dominoes on Thanksgiving (for those of you who have experienced the craziness of that event)…hehe :) I have heard no name for the game yet, other than cards…but the name is not important…you just play! :) I’ll show you all once I’m back…and it could become another option for Thanksgiving game nights…wink wink! Any who, after Wednesday came with rain and ended with a late late night of cards…hehe…Thursday arrived, and all us PROMETRAns climbed into the land cruiser with the company of three visitors and ventured around Mpigi District. We visited two traditional healers’ homes to see their gardens and cultivation, as well as visited three different traditional healer groups that are attempting to develop themselves through marketing and selling of herbal concoctions and treatment. The day was full of so much activity…driving on muddy bumpy roads, climbing in and out of a packed land cruiser, walking around lush, incredibly bountiful gardens, and watching traditional healers mix and prepare herbal soaps and herbal vaselines. I was fascinated to see such dedication and integrity! These traditional healers are so so so knowledgeable about various herbal plants and their use in treating illnesses, and they manage such large variety-packed gardens as well as keep livestock and raise families! People here have so much heart and strength…I admire their drive! :) Well I think that is about it for now. I am back from Buyijja for a few days and will hopefully enjoy a fun relaxing Easter weekend! Happy Easter and enjoy the weekend!

Keep the spirit alive – Ann Kyamulabi

An Overly Large Critter and Lake Wamala

These past few weeks have been full of more power-outages, no internet connection, and sun sun sun…heat heat heat! Even still, the weeks have gone well. Office work has been directed towards planning and organizing a traditional healer workshop that will be hosted here in Uganda by PROMETRA Uganda in May. It’s going to be a big event…international delegates are to attend as well as various traditional healers from Uganda. There is a lot of planning that goes into it too…and in such little time! As for Buyijja Forest School, the past three Wednesdays have been pretty low-key…with the exception of this past Wednesday. That day I assisted one of my PROMETRA colleagues in facilitating Class II on learning about the symptoms and causes of hernias…I enjoyed it so much! :) Three Wednesdays ago, after classes ended at Buyijja, I hopped on a boda boda with one of my PROMETRA colleagues, and we zoomed down the road in the direction of an infamous Croc Resort in Mpigi District. The place sits on Lake Victoria and is both a small resort and a crocodile farm. The resort part was beautiful…very peaceful and relaxing! Along the beach there were so many fishermen fishing both with lines and with very large nets, that they tossed into the water with such ease and grace…it’s as though a soft melody floated in the air and guided them in their every move. After gazing at the water, the setting sun, and the graceful fishermen, we visited the actual crocodile farm There we found so many crocs ranging from very large to teeny tiny! All the crocodiles resided in various incubators depending on their age and size…in one cage there resided a very very very large male crocodile…and I mean huge! At one point, the gentleman escorting us around the farm climbed into one of the cages and…without any hesitation…swift fully picked-up a little crocodile with his bare hands and held it out for us to pet…ahhhh…the man was brave…and the crocodile was quite soft! :) We were told the croc farm produces for both the sale of crocodile meat and skin…it’s a good business here because of its ability to produce a food delicacy as well as a high-class fashion. It really was an interesting place…both a resort and a croc farm…what a mix! So on another note, I have finally chosen the herb I wish to plant in my garden…Akawulira…its used for hyper-tension, brainpower, and others I can’t recall at the moment. A traditional healer who helped me significantly in preparing my garden told me about the herb and said it would be perfect! :) Again on another note, the previous weekend was quite the ride. Friday came, and one of my PROMETRA colleagues and I left work just a few hours early to get a jump start on what would become a long long journey to a distant village, Kibale, in Western Uganda. By about 7 p.m., we arrived at the departure destination just within Kampala city center, where we met about ten other people who were headed in the same direction…we were to all pack ourselves into a taxi-bus and drive for hours into the night. I think it was between 8 and 9 p.m. when we finally took off! To make a long story short, we arrived at the bride’s home around 2 a.m…everyone then relaxed and reminisced a bit, then ate, then went straight to bed! Three hours later, everyone was awake and slowly preparing for the day’s celebration. Not till about 2 p.m. did the ceremony finally begin…from then it lasted till around 9 p.m. The event was really nice, full of beautiful gowns, up-beat music, and delicious food! After the Introduction ended, the music turned-up and people jumped out of their seats to begin dancing the night away. I lasted only for a short while, for exhaustion simply overtook me. I woke up around 3 a.m. to find the music and dancing still going strong! People here really love music and really really love to dance! :) So the next day, we woke up and began the long journey back Kampala by mid-morning. At one point during the journey, I looked up to see a very large…and I mean LARGE!...spider crawling across the ceiling of the taxi-bus!! I think my heart skipped a beat…I had to find a way to distract myself until the overly large critter was out of site…for all I could think at that point was “out of sight, out of mind”…hehe…I mean what else can you do when you are crammed in a little taxi-bus racing down the road, and all other passengers are quite calm about the awkwardly large spider tagging along for the ride?...hehe! Well it eventually disappeared and was never seen again…thank goodness! :) Let’s see what else has been going on…ahhh yes…the past three Thursdays have been days of research research research. One of my PROMETRA colleagues and I have stayed behind at Buyijja the past three Wednesdays in order to venture around Mpigi District the follows days. My colleague has been so kind as to hall me around on his boda boda from health center to center, sub-county to sub-county. After each days’ research is completed we have ventured all the way back to Kampala…about a two hour drive…on the little boda boda that could! :) It has been quite the journey and quite the experience, for I have been able to see so much of Uganda’s countryside while on a boda boda! Just this past Thursday, the research journey took us to the farthest end of Mpigi District (Maddu). It was a long but fun fun fun journey! After the research was complete, we, along with a traditional healer who accompanied us on the long journey, ventured to Lake Wamala…this lake is considered a spiritual lake and is very important to locals and spiritualists. The story goes…back when Uganda was being colonized by Britain, the lake dried up completely from improper/over use. After many many many years, spiritualists began to have dreams that the lake was going to be replenished. A very heavy heavy rainfall began and the lake filled once again. The belief is that an ancestral spirit was pregnant…when she went into labor, instead of delivering a baby, she simply delivered water which filled Lake Wamala. So that is the main reason for its spiritual connection and importance. When we visited the lake, I floated out onto the water alongside the traditional healer…a.k.a. spiritualist. Let me just say, it was a beautiful and empowering experience…it was evening and the sun was lowering just over the water…the water was clam and shimmered with the reflection of the setting sun…it was simply captivating! :) So that’s about all I have for now…I hope it’s a good enough update for the past few weeks…again sorry for the delay in blogging! For my final words…every day is a new adventure…an adventure in Uganda…hehe! I hope all is going well back in the states!

Keep the spirit alive – Ann Kyamulabi Louise Tezak

Spirituality, Hiking, Power-Outages, and my Ugandan Name

This past week was quite interesting…lots of rain and frequent power outages. I still can’t believe I forgot to bring my umbrella! Who’d of thought a tropical area had so much rain…hehe! :) So as for the week…all went well. Monday was quite busy attempting to finish video scripts…PROMETRA Uganda wants to put together little videos that explain PROMETRA Uganda itself and all the realms of traditional healer medicine and practice which are studied at Buyijja Forest School. On Tuesday all us PROMETRAns ventured back out to Buyijja Forest School, arriving the earliest I have experienced yet. This allowed me to head straight to bed and get a few hours of shut-eye, before I was summoned to join the evening spiritualist class…which is an ALL-NIGHT class. The first Tuesday night of every month, the spiritualist class meets for an all-night session…it is believed that the night provides the best atmosphere for connecting with ancestors/spirits. So I rested, woke up by 9 p.m...quite groggy…then ventured up to the shrine and joined many spiritualists in a feast of rice and chai (local tea). After eating and visiting, we all (20 or so) shifted into the little round building known as a shrine. There we simply sat for a while… relaxing and visiting …while one of my PROMETRA colleagues explained things to me, like what the night will entail and what some people were saying or doing. It turns out, we were preparing for a cleansing. The time came, and we all ventured outside, faced North, then were sprinkled with water and herbs one-by-one…then we turned around to head into the shrine…never looking back. Once inside the shrine, singing, drumming, and dancing began. The first song recited was called a ‘twin song.’ The idea of ‘twin’ is very important to spiritualists…the belief is that every person has their human body form and their spiritual form…therefore everyone has a twin. Oh, and all spiritual songs always last for even numbered minutes…spirituality is very complex and deep! The entire night was full of dancing, singing, and drumming with many intervals where spiritual/ancestral connections were made, via spiritual possession. Just a reminder, the spiritualist class at Buyijja Forest School learns about spirituality as a practice of healing…a few patients attended the evening class to seek consultation. It’s difficult for me to describe spirituality through typing…even still I don’t understand it completely…but it really is a fascinating traditional healer practice. I will attempt to explain things much better in person once I return to the states. :) So the night continued into the morning. By about 7 a.m., all came to an end…we drank chai and simply enjoyed the brisk morning air. After some time, my busy day was to begin…or better yet continue! We had guests visiting Buyijja Forest School, so I was to travel with them as they visited each class and were given an introduction to Buyijja’s traditional healer school. The day finally came to a close in the afternoon/eveing, and everyone ventured out of the thick of the forest. Immediately, I was greeted by Doctor and asked to accompany him and a few guests on a little adventure around Mpigi District…I agreed, and we took off. Come to find out, we were visiting all the acres of land Doctor owns. We traveled to different places diving deep into forests…the drive was full of beautiful countrysides and landscapes. Our final destination was to the top a mountainish-hill called Msindye. Once there, we all exited the vehicle and began hiking! Now remember, I hadn’t slept the entire previous night…eshk! But all went well…we moved slowly and rested multiple times to simply gaze out over mile stretches of Mpigi District…we could even see Lake Victoria…it was breathtaking! The hike finally ended…to discover we lost track of where we had left the land cruiser…hehe…no worries, we found it…hehe. :) We drove back to Buyijja, packed up, then headed back Kampala. I went straight to bed!!!...and woke up the next day quite refreshed! The week then finished well. We finished an assignment that was to be sent off to Nairobi, Kenya no later than Saturday. It was actually quite hectic simply because we had worked on the project all day Friday to then have the power go out around 5 p.m….we lost the entire project! Shorty after, the power came back on…we sat back down and quickly threw things together once again, saving the document every minute…just in case…we had learned our lesson! We decided to gather again on Saturday to finish. I woke up Saturday morning to pouring rain but pushed on to work…we finally and successfully finished the project, sent it off, then the weekend began! I basically hung around my apartment preparing for field research…venturing into Kampala City Center a couple times. Not too much else to report. :) Oh and one last thing…I have been given an Ugandan clan as well as an Ugandan name…I have been here long enough and have learned a little of the language, so I deserve it now! I have been welcomed into the Mbogo clan, which translates in to buffalo or bull, and my given name is Kyamulabi. Here in Uganda, more specifically in the Buganda kingdom, everyone is from a clan (typically named after an animal) and there are certain names that go with that clan. I had been searching for the right clan and name that fits me…I’ve finally found it! So now I have a fourth name…Kyamulabi…no quite sure where it fits into Ann Louise Tezak…maybe Ann Kyamulabi Louise Tezak…hehe! Well that’s all for now! Hope all is well back in the states!

Keep the spirit alive - Ann

A Ugandan Gomez

It’s been about two weeks now, but the memory of Sunday’s Introduction ceremony stays with me! It was a day of celebration! Two young people in love were joining together in marriage…which also means that two very large families/clans were forming a bond. As I mentioned, the celebration is called an Introduction, where the groom’s family visits the bride’s home and is introduced to her family and friends typically for the first time. The Introduction I attended was a traditional Bugandan Introduction…depending on the kingdom you are from in Uganda, Introductions can be done in different ways. So, now to examine Sunday’s event. I woke up bright and early, still exhausted from the previous day’s adventure of driving to 16 different sub-counties in Mpigi District in order to make contact with health centers and the In Charge…all for research I am conducting while here. Anyway, Zurah picked me up mid-morning, and we ventured to her house, just a ten minute walk away. First thing first, I greeted more than 20 different people…with many more to go. Everyone was very excited and curious to see a Mzungu (white person) attending the Introduction :) …all in good spirit! Then I sat down with the bride, Zurah’s sister, and ate a gigantic meal of matooke, rice, meat, and potatoes! Within a few minutes, I was summoned to get dressed…so I quickly devoured my food and found my way to a back room, where many women were also preparing for the celebration. Zurah introduced me to one of her aunts who was to help wrap me up in a traditional Gomez…for the first time! :) After greeting her aunt and many others, it was time to get dressed. Zurah pulled the Gomez out of a tightly packed chest and dangled it in front of my eyes…I reached out and felt the silky smooth texture of the fabric…I was told the material was baby silk. I grasped the Gomez and held it up high to admire the amount of fabric and colors that made-up the traditional unique gown…it was a soft blue with red, orange, and yellow flowers…with a gold belt-type wrap-around (I’ve forgotten the name at the moment). After admiring the gown, it was time to get dressed. Zurah’s aunt with the help of others draped me in layers of fabric…first the under layers…then came the top layer (the Gomez itself). The final touch was to decorate my wrist in about 10 gold bracelets. I was finally ready to face ALL the guests as a Ugandan myself! As gracefully as possible, I found my way to my seat…it can be difficult walking in a Gomez…so much fabric to control and direct! So the ceremony then began with the arrival of the groom’s family. All the seats were separated into two sections facing each other…on one side sat the bride’s friends and family, while on the other side sat the groom’s friends and family. The Introduction primarily entailed the bride and her family/friends greeting the groom’s side and accepting offerings such as meats, fruits, house supplies, etc. This part of the Introduction went on for quite some time…at one point I was summoned to introduce myself and then to help serve cake to ALL the guests! Let me just say…serving cake while roaming around in a Gomez can be a slight challenge and entertaining for all the locals I’m sure! :) Shortly after came the big meal! Groups of people shuffled around gathering and eating large amounts of food! After ALL the guests ate their meals, the celebration came back to order. Now, I should explain that depending on scheduling, sometimes Introductions are done the same day as the actual wedding and other times they are done months in advance…in this case, the wedding was the same day and in another sub-county…the groom’s birthplace. So the celebration began again…this time the bride appeared in her wedding dress. She was presented to her fiancé, and shortly after they made their way to a long line of vehicles that would escort them to Masaka…the groom’s birthplace and location of their wedding. The majority of people followed the bride and groom…vehicle after vehicle of family and friends…for about a 2 or so hour drive to Masaka. I was not included in that group, for the journey would have required an over-night stay, and on Monday I had to return to work. I was informed the following day that the wedding ceremony did not even take place till around midnight…eshk! After the bride and groom began their journey to Masaka, music began for guests who stayed behind. I not only enjoyed the music but also enjoyed my remaining few minutes wearing a traditional Gomez. It was already past 4 p.m….kids danced, while adults simply sat, relaxed, and reminisced about the new young couple. After a short time, I changed out of my traditional Gomez…coming back to reality :) I enjoyed some music and a relaxing chair for some time before venturing back to my apartment. All-in-all it was a wonderful day and experience…I loved wearing the Gomez and being part of a very significant Bugandan tradition…plus Zurah informed me that everyone was very excited to see a Mzungu wearing a Gomez…and I think I wore it well! :) So that was my experience wearing a traditional Bugandan Gomez! I would recommend it to anyone! Oh and my profile picture is me wearing the infamous gown! :)

Sorry this blog has taken me so long to post…the internet is tricky…hasn’t worked this entire week…plus recently power outages have been frequent due to the rainy season! But hope you still enjoyed the story! :)

Keep the spirit alive - Ann

Eye-Opening Experience

I want to begin by apologizing for taking so long to post a new blog…eshk!…with a busy schedule and sketchy internet it can be difficult sometimes :) But I am here now to tell you about my past few experiences. Last week was pretty busy with office work at the PROMETRA Uganda headquarters, as well as our weekly visit to Buyijja Forest School on Wednesday…which turned out to be pretty fascinating! I was able to visit the Spiritualist class! Now some of you might be wondering what I mean by spiritualist and what that class entails :) Well it is slightly difficult for me to explain simply because it is new to me, as well as I am not a spiritualist. The best way for me to explain is by first saying that African traditional spiritualists believe that everyone contains their human form as well as their spiritual form…that means there is always you and your spirit. And when one dies, certain people’s spirits are chosen/allowed to return to earth in order to continue their work…as a spirit. There are certain chosen people who have the ability to receive communication from those spirits via visions, dreams, spiritual possession, etc. Now, spirituality is very diverse across the world and is culturally defined. So far, this is the best explanation I can give for African spirituality…for that of which I have encountered. Now for the class…the spiritualist class at Buyijja Forest School trains in spirituality as a form of traditional healing. When I visited the class, I was able to interact with the students…I asked them many questions, while they in-turn asked me questions. Shortly after, the music, dancing, and singing began! :) A drum kept the beat while the people mastered the lyrics…I was unsure of what they were saying, but was aware that a spiritual connection was taking place. Then music ended…people gathered around to converse with spirits…via spiritual possession…in order to receive guidance, answers, consultation, as well as give thanks and pray. It was a powerful experience to observe…I was quite speechless. After the class commenced, I simply needed to digest what happened. I walked away with questions as well as with my eyes wide open. In short, Spiritualism is a captivating traditional healer practice…you must come with an open mind to then leave with a greater sense of appreciation. After the day ended, all us PROMETRAns ventured back to Kampala to finish out the week. Friday came as a day of celebration! Another of my PROMETRA colleagues graduated from a local University...as I mentioned before, University graduations in Uganda are BIG deals! That evening we all traveled to the beach...on Lake Victoria...to eat, visit, and reminisce. It was relaxing and fun! :) Then the weekend came. I ventured into Kampala city center with some friends both Saturday and Sunday…first visiting Centenary Park...which I enjoyed a great deal and hope to return to…then visiting Garden City…for a little Valentine’s Day outing :) After the weekend passed, work began once again. Us PROMETRAns traveled back to Buyijja Forest School again on Wednesday. This time, over 60 Nkozi University students came to visit the school and be introduced to traditional healing medicine and practice. I moved with the group, as they visited each class…just as a reminder, Buyijja Forest School consists of three classes: Class 1, Class 2, and Class 3 (divided into Traditional Bone Setters, Traditional Mental Health Specialists, Traditional Birth Attendants, Herbalists, and Spiritualists). There was so much energy throughout the entire day…the students were there until late in the evening learning all they could…and still not enough… about some of their African roots and traditions! Eventually they left…hopefully with opened minds and a greater sense of appreciation! Shortly after, us PROMETRAns traveled back to Kampala to get a solid night’s sleep! That brings me to today…another good day at the office. So far my time here in Uganda has been wonderful…every day is an adventure, and I am always experiencing new things...in fact, this Sunday I have a traditional African introduction (a pre-wedding-gathering-type-event) to attend! Wish me luck and fun! :)

Keep the spirit alive - Ann

A Week's Journey

It’s Sunday night, and I am exhausted! This past week...today especially...has been jam-packed with hustle-and-bustle…late nights and early mornings! Let's see...The week started off good… but with exhaustion in the air simply because of Sunday’s graduation excitement. Then Tuesday came, and all us PROMETRAns journeyed back out to Buyijja forest… arriving late in the night. The next morning (Wednesday) I awoke bright and early to the sound of a rooster cock-a-doodle-doing in the brisk morning air. After enjoying breakfast, it was time to venture into the thick of the forest. First thing first...I was designated a garden plot. It is part of Buyijja forest school that all new trainees manage their very own garden plots and grow whichever herb/plant they desire. Well since I am volunteering with PROMETRA and will be visiting Buyijja every week as an observer and partial trainee, I am to abide by the rules as well! So a few PROMETRAns gathered around to instruct me on how to build and manage my own garden plot…the Ugandan way. At first I was skeptical but then realized...I am in the middle of a Ugandan forest learning about the life of traditional healers...why not embrace it and TRULY experience every part! :) So I began plowing my little garden! Two PROMETRAns joined in shortly after to help. It was definitely hard work… but also made me feel good to know that slowly but surely a garden will manifest and be sustainable after my departure. I'm still not sure the herb/plant I will grow...I'll keep you posted! So after the initiation of the garden plot, the traditional healer classes began. I observed different classes from the previous week...still having more to observe this coming Wednesday. After the day ended, us PROMETRAns drove quietly back to Kampala…arriving late…thankfully not as late as the previous Wednesday. Then came Thursday and Friday…good days at the office...full of editing scripts and bringing in my outside perspectives. Friday evening Zurah taught me how to make Matooke...yum yum yum! It is one of the staple foods here in Uganda....bananas cooked in water and oil with veggies and curry! :) Mmm Mmm Good! I then cooked it by myself (not too bad…hehe) Saturday evening after arriving back from Kampala City Center with Zurah...we had shopped a little in the packed markets of Nabukeera Plaza. That day I experienced my first ride in a mini bus taxi! These mini bus taxis are simply everywhere...a main way of transport...along with boda bodas. It was a fun experience...just a little bus that carried about 10, if not a few more, passengers...weaving through traffic as though it owned the rodes :) And lastly to describe today...Zurah and Najibu first took me to Kasubi...where all the tombs of the late kings of Buganda rest. A very spiritual place! After that, we drove to Mango (hope I spelled that right) and visited a 350 year old Tortoise (or at least the gentleman told us he was 350 years old)...he was gigantic...I mean gigantic!!! Then we drove all the way to Entebbe to walk through the zoo. There I saw…up close and personal…Uganda’s national bird the crested crane...a beautiful bird with colors that match the Ugandan flag! Then we visited Lake Victoria…oh so grand!...A massive body of water...you would think it was the ocean, if you didn't know any better! So that pretty much sums up my week! Sorry for having written a mini novel! :) So much detail…so little time! Hope you enjoyed!!! :)

Keep the spirit alive - Ann

Graduation Celebration!

So let me see how to describe this... It was about 2 in the afternoon. Mathias and Hadijah from PROMETRA stopped by my apartment to pick me up for the graduation celebration. At this point, I experienced my first ride on a boda boda...Mathias, Hadijah, and I cruised the streets of Kampala, while weaving in and out of traffic on a little boda boda that could :) I should add here that Hadijah and I were both wearing skirts...good times...hehe! We made it to the ceremony safe and sound. Many people have told me that graduation celebrations are very grand here in Uganda. Well this celebration was even more than I expected! It was held at Martin's house (the graduate). A little tent was set up in his front-ish yard with everyone (like 40 or 50 people, not including all the children and bystanders) squeezed tightly underneath. So many people attended...family!!!, friends, friends of friends, etc. The first half of the celebration was filled with lots of talk...in Luganda. People stepped to the center to reminisce about Martin's childhood and years of transitioning into a man. Many people were recognized and thanked for their significant role in Martin's life over the past 20 or so years. Then came the congrats ...i.e. everyone! embraced Martin one-by-one in a big hug while handing over their gifts. Meanwhile lively music blarred in the background...i.e. a DJ was hired to keep the party up beat...he did his job! Then came the food...and lots of it...various Ugandan dishes. Shortly after...dun dun dun...the dancing music began!!! Like I said, the DJ knew how to keep the party going! People began to trickle onto the dance floor (just his yard) to dance the night away! At one point, African traditional songs played and people danced the traditional dance...simple but not all that easy might I add :) The dancing continued long into the night...children danced, elders danced, we all danced! Ugandans are quite lively and enjoy any chance to celebrate and be happy in the form of song and dance! It was a graduation celebration to remember! When the night...early morning...finally ended, Mathias delivered Hadijah and me back to our apartments to catch a few hours of shut-eye before Monday's work. So in short, the party was a blast...hehe!!!

Keep the spirit alive - Ann

Little Creatures

So I was sitting enjoying a cup of tea and journaling when out of nowhere, I saw a little gecko scurry across my wall...hehe...I was surprised but simply thought, this little guy/gal can eat all the nasty bugs...i.e. those darn mosquitoes and ants! :) Well, off to bed! I believe I have a graduation party to attend tomorrow for one of my fellow colleagues at PROMETRA...lots of food, people, and good Ugandan music...or so I have been told!

Keep the spirit alive - Ann

Ugandan Dish and Dress

Tonight I learned how to cook macron...a very delicious Ugandan dish (basically pasta but with a unique flavor). My friend Janat showed me just how simple it is to make. I think it may become my staple food while here :) Also today, I found out from my friend Zurah that I am to accompany her to her sister's wedding in Febuary and wear the traditional Ugandan dress...a gomez...I'll keep you posted! Other than that, my day has been tiring. I was at the PROMETRA office all day helping to revise and edit abstracts and letters of recommendation for my fellow colleagues. I am the designated 'outside perspective' on traditional medicine and practices. With each day I am learning more and more...always in a state of wonder and fascination!

Keep the spirit alive - Ann

Field Day

In short...field day with PROMETRA was fascinating! We drove out to Buyijja forest late Tuesday to spend the night to Wednesday...not necessarily under the stars but rather in a little building overlooking the Ugandan forest surrounded by the intense sounds of nature. Wednesday was the day of classes and training for any and all traditional healers. At this point, everyone ventured out into the thick of the forest to immerse themselves in the environment for which they utilize their medicine and perform their healing practices. My time was spent visiting the different classes to observe and participate when possible. Everyone seemed so dedicated to their studies and passionate about the practice of traditional medicine. To understand that dedication and passion even more, after the day's classes commenced, I packed myself into the back of a very large truck with many! (not quite sure the number) other Ugandans. We then drove for almost two and half hours delivering people home...with some people still having about three miles to walk. After the truck journey, all of us PROMETRAns waited around till a little past midnight for our ride back to Kampala...bedtime was about 3 a.m. It had been quite the journey! Now I know what to expect for next Wednesday and am looking forward to learning and experiencing more!

Keep the spirit alive - Ann

First Internship Day

Today was my first day interning for PROMETRA! I was nervous, hopeful, and so curious! The day went really well, and I think I will fit-in with PROMETRA! Tomorrow is field day, which means we travel out to Buyijja forest for the traditional healer training. I do not know quite what to expect but am definitely excited as to what I may observe! We spend Tuesday night there...sleeping under stars! :) Well I must get some rest! I'll let you know how feild day goes!

Keep the spirit alive - Ann

Arrival

I am finally in Africa…better yet, Uganda. The plane rides were all quite pleasant…typical plane food and lots of sleep. I got off the plane late in the night, went through customs, found my luggage successfully, found my driver/co-worker, journeyed down Entebbe Road to Kampala, and was dropped off safely at my new home. I woke up the next morning to pounding rain that only lasted a short while. After that my day began. First I ventured into the Kampala city center, with the company of my apartment manager and a driver. After returning, I was greeted by two soon-to-be co-workers of PROMETRA. I walked with them to PROMETRA headquarters, only 10 minutes from my apartment, where I had my first introduction and met the director of PROMETRA Uganda. Work will begin Monday! In the meantime I am simply adjusting to life in Uganda...a.k.a. overcoming culture shock. Well that is all for now! I must get some rest and shake-off the jetlag.....and fall asleep to the upbeat Ugandan music outside my window!

Keep the spirit alive - Ann

Departure!

Well it's 8 0'clock in the morning. I am simply waiting to board my first flight bringing me one step closer to Africa. It's still a surreal feeling to know that not only am I headed to Africa for four months but also that when I return, a whole new season will have engulfed Missoula...spring...on the verge of summer. Right now I am excited, nervous, and all around tired from only four hours of sleep! Not to worry...I'll sleep on the plan. Well to all who are reading...FAREWELL...and thanks for all the support!

Keep the spirit alive - Ann

Pre-Departure

I leave in two days for the "Pearl of Africa," a.k.a Uganda, to complete an IE3 Global internship with PROMETRA Uganda. An adventure is surely about to begin! But in the meantime it is all about packing, organizing, bidding farewells, and mentally preparing. Step-by-step! So much planning goes into the forming of an internship abroad and so much of that planning could not have been done without the support and help of fellow friends, family members, mentors, advisors, coordinators, and colleagues...you know who you are...Thank you for all your help and amazing support! These past few months have been an adventure in itself. Well I must get some shut-eye, for these next two days will be full of hectic but exciting last-minute preparations.

Keep the spirit alive - Ann