We headed to Kabale, Uganda on Thursday, May 29 for a training workshop for secondary school teachers and lecturers of English language. This is the third workshop we have done of this type and by now we are all used to each other. The journey is long, about 430 km (about 267 miles) and we left at 7 a.m. we arrived about 5 p.m. The roads were relatively good, but there were some roads that were not paved. We also encountered quite a bit of road construction.
We took a university vehicle which was stuffed with 6 people and lots of luggage. Normally, there is just 5 of us, but we also included our administrative assistant who is from the region. We were very crammed! The following people went with me:
Dr. Richard Watuulo - head of department, languages and literature
Mr. Peter Mugume - senior lecturer
Mr. Bernard Ochan - tutor/coordinator of Writing and Study Skills
Mr. Moses Mugisha - university driver
Ms. Nancy Kobusingye - administrative assistant
I really enjoy traveling across Uganda because the scenery is gorgeous, but the travel can be very tiring because of the traffic and road conditions. It was warm and we were cheek to cheek in the car.
 |
| our trusty vehicle |
We arrived to our hotel and settled in before dinner. I tried to take a nap, but couldn't get to sleep. I watched some movies and waited for our scheduled dinner at 8. In the meantime, the hotel manager called me and asked me what I wanted to eat. I ordered pizza with mushrooms, which was very exciting to me since I don't get it very often.
 |
| my room |
 |
| my bathroom |
 |
| waiting in the lobby of the hotel |
We decided to meet for dinner at 8 so that we could finish discussing things for the workshop. After dinner we agreed to be picked up around 8 a.m. in order to drive to the institution and start the workshop on time. We arrived at the institution, Bishop Barham University College (BBUC) about 8:30 and wanted to start the workshop by 9. BBUC is a constituent college of UCU. See more information
here. Wow, were we wrong! Things do not start on time in this place. I am so used to UCU where we actually start on time.
 |
| Principal Rev. Prof. Manuel Muranga |
So, we actually started the workshop at about 10:30 with 10 participants. We are used to having nearly 30 participants. Normally, break tea is served at 10:30, but we took it at 12. Then, we had scheduled lunch at 1 and had it at 3. It was awful and we were so frustrated. By the end of the day, we had our normal 30 or so participants. The next day we promised to run more on time. After the workshop Bernard and I took a stroll through the town and visited the market and several other points of interest. Of course, people stared at me like I was an alien. I really enjoyed walking around and talking with Bernard. He is a great teacher and I learn a lot from him.
The next day, we arrived with about 15 teachers waiting for us. I am always amazed by teachers and their plight here. They deal with extraordinary conditions including crowded classrooms, large classes (70+), low pay, demanding head teachers, limited resources, etc. I'm sure I learn more from them than they learn from me.
 |
| our program |
 |
| Bernard, me, Nancy, and Peter |
After the workshop is over, we give each of the participants a certificate and they love it! I also love giving it to them. It is a way for them to show their administration that they have attended a workshop. It is even better that it is with the U.S. Mission in Kampala.
After the workshop, I crashed in the hotel and slept until our departure time at 5:30 a.m. the next morning. On our way home, we stopped to pick up several things because it was cheaper in Kabale. One of the most memorable stops was at a meat shop along the roadside. I hate these storks because they are scavengers and are usually found around meat and trash. They are absolutely disgusting.
After our stops, we arrived home about 2 p.m. All in all, a great trip and lots of information learned and shared. I'm sad it is our last workshop, but I am proud of three workshops with close to 100 teachers we have conducted all around the country.
