I figure I should give a bit of context for all the things I have been saying. It's funny because I feel a hundred different things, and there are a thousand different things going through my mind. Decisions, plans, long term, short term, blah, blah, blah. My head is forever swimming. It's not a bad thing, I'm glad it's happening. I'm glad I keep constantly having something else to try and process.
The last nine days, we have been all over the place. All around Kampala, Jinja, Entebbe, seeing the sights, the shops, the people. It's great because I have been able to get a broader sense of the country. Last time I was here, we did a lot more cross-country traveling, going farther out into the village and hitting up Northern Uganda. This time, we are more rooted, we are staying closer to the city.
Some context. We flew into Entebbe, which is like an hour and a half-ish away from the place we are staying. Once we arrived, we went through immigration and bought our visas, it is so different than India. When I went to India I had to mail in my passport months early and they had to give the ok for me to come on over. In Uganda, you just buy the visa once you land in country. Super easy. The only chaotic part of landing and stuff is the mad dash to the tables so you can finish filling out your application. This time though we also had to fill out a health form telling where we had traveled in the last month or so, and if we had any fever or cold or what not. We zipped through all of it and grabbed our bags and took our first steps in Uganda. Eddie was there waiting with flowers and so began this awesome adventure.
We're staying in an crazy great apartment. Its gated, with a guard, two stories, 2 bedrooms, 3 baths, a kitchen, ect. Man. It's way more than I expected. Our beds our outfitted with mosquito nets and we have two great balconies I can see the city from when I am getting ready in the morning. Seriously. Its awesome. Electricity, water, wifi, we got the whole shebang.
We are staying 20 minutes-ish (depending on traffic, bank stops, Uganda's sense of 'elastic' time, ect.) from Hope for New Life church where Eddie works. Driving is done on the opposite side of the road here and roundabouts are used, but not like in the US. Think squishing as many cars and boda boda's (motorcycle taxis) into a typical two lane roundabout and your on the right track. For me, this would be panic inducing to have to maneuver. BUT. The sense of space and how and where your car (or bike, or boda boda) can fit is INCREDIBLE. Ugandans are champs when it comes to driving. I swear, it should be a sport or something. If I was driving, we would never arrive. I would still be waiting for my chance to 'merge.' (Such a loose description).
No I have not seen a lion. No I have not seen a gorilla. No I have not seen a hyena. Im not living out on the savanna or in the Lion King for that matter. I've seen dogs, cats, goats, cows, all just chilling in the city. A bit different from back home. I promised Eddie if I move here we're getting a dog and it will be raised like an American dog. For sure. My pride and joy obviously. Dogs here aren't like our pets back home. More for security and and there are way more strays. Pets in general just aren't a huge thing. He's not super excited about it...
I'm in the biggest city in Uganda, and the spectrum of glamour and dirt is forever paired next to each other. Last time I was here, I walked away with how crazy the contrasts are. In Uganda, you will have a giant Land Rover parked next to taxi crammed full of as many people as possible. You will have kids going to a huge, outfitted private school right next to those who walk barefoot to class. Contrasts. That's how I would describe the country. Hundreds and hundreds of glaring contrasts. It's beautiful though. It's that beautiful sense of organized chaos. And that is for sure my jam. I'm all about that organized chaos.
