T.I.A. - This Is Africa

So I'm back in Kampala for a few days before we drive to Rwanda this weekend. I think it's funny how the first time we got to this hotel on the second night here, we were all bummed about how hard and crap the beds were. Turns out, they're pretty spectacular compared to those in Gulu. I was loving a pillow that didn't feel like a rock, last night. But whatever. T.I.A.

There have been so many TIA moments on this trip, I can't even begin to describe it. I will definately post any funny TIA occurences throughout my journey.

Last week we had the homestay party with all the families. There was a lot of dancing, and apparently I'm not too shabby. Some guy even told me "You belong here." Gotta get some birthing hips if you wanna dance like an Acholi.

I also carried 10 liters of water on my head again. I was really getting the hang of it. I still need both hands and get water all over me, but meh, I was trying to prove that I was no weak mzungu! I have some pictures (as well as some of me cooking posho - maize flour stuff) in my kitchen hut. I'll post them when I get home. It's pretty sexy.

So I was sad to leave Gulu, but at the same time there's a little bit of relief that goes with it too. The LRA isn't in Northern Uganda anymore, and hasn't been for the past year or so, but last week there was a rumor they had re-entered the country. The rumour concerned a place 400 km away, and turned out to be false, but it was still pretty scary to think that we could be in a situation like that. What was even scarier is to think how scared we all were, but these people have been living with actual rebel soldiers everywhere for the past 20 years!
I don't know how my homestay dad can still live in that compound, considering that's where he was abducted from when he was a kid. They also showed me where a rebel soldier had been shot - next to my latrine. Not creepy at all. And the bullet hole in my dad's arm and the scars on my brothers legs were a constant reminder that maybe I am a weak mzungu. We in the West are so fricken priviledged to never have had to deal with anythin even remotely on that scale. It's almost sad to think how scared we were about a false rumour.
Also, the cement house I lived on on my compound was built in 2005 because the family used to just live in the huts but the LRA came and threatened to kill them because my homestay dad wouldn't open the door. So they built a cement house with locks. Most of the people still live in the huts in the compound, but the direct family lives behind metal bars.

The main thing that this homestay and my time in Gulu has taught me is to truly put a human face to every forgotten tragedy around the world. My brother Robert and his story are now the face and story of every child soldier around the world. Every heart-wrenching detail. Every scar. He said he used to conduct raids for food over the border with Uganda when he was in South Sudan. He said it was hard to get food in Sudan because everybody had guns, even the kids. When I asked how he got food, then, he replied "With a gun." No need to elaborate. He also said "They love me in Sudan. Whenever a commander told me to do something, I did it right away, and I did it really well." Again. No need to elaborate.

Anyway, one of our final days we got to interview people on the topic of our choice, so I chose to focus on traditional means of reconciliation. So interesting. We went to the office of the paramount chief of Acholiland, and even met one of the 54 chiefs! It was awesome!

I will now end with a revised list of things I will miss and things I will not miss about Gulu.

Things I will miss about Gulu:
- The kids in my compound
- Their contagious laughter and happiness
- Seeing the sun rise over thatched roofs every morning
- People's expressions when I speak Acholi and understand what they say
- Having my name being yelled and finding out it's someone on my compound just wanting to say hi
- Having my own room
- Being called Anita by my 4 year old sister, Lake
- Hearing Lake sing her ABCs over and over again
- Hearing her squeal with delight when she sees her picture on the screen of my camera
- Learning new things everyday
- Having Rebecca teach me how to carry water on my head
- Having random kids walk with me while holding my hand
- Having a family in Uganda
- The positivity of the Acholi people

Thingsa I will not miss about Gulu:
- Katrines
- Flies in the latrines
- Waking up to landime detonations every morning
- Seeing the nasty garbage all over the town
- Not being able to go pee after dark
- Power cuts
- Being scared of the LRA potentially coming back
- Seeing disabled people everywhere and knowing what caused their missing limbs

My computer time is now over.
Peace out.