Intro to Ankara

I know I should be over this by now with as much as I have traveled abroad, but I have to unpack as soon as I get to a place. Like take everything out and put it all away. It just has to feel like home to me. I can't rest until I feel at home. This experience was no different. I had a pretty uneventful plane ride even though the plane was really full to Germany. In Munich, I met up with another teacher who was coming here to Bilkent. I waited for her outside of her gate and then we explored Munich. I was so impressed with both the beauty and people of Munich. People were super friendly and even offered advice or how to use the train, places to see, or foods to try. We ate at a cute, little cafe and enjoyed some delicious food and cold beer. The temps were in the 80s and then environment was inviting with people sitting outside at little cafes relaxing on a Saturday. We walked around and then headed back to the airport to catch our flight to Ankara. Luckily for us, the plane was not crowded, so I had an entire row to myself, but unfortunately that means that many people are not coming to Turkey. I slept all the way to Turkey, which was only 2.5 hours. When we arrived at the airport, we got our bags and met our ride. Bilkent sent a driver and then another teacher came with the driver in a mini bus. We loaded all of our luggage (there were three of us) and then headed to the university. I instantly realized that this was not Africa. Despite the scare tactics from media, life here seems very normal. Everything is developed and it almost feels as if you are in the U.S. except for the language and Turkish flags everywhere.

I don't remember the name of this beer, but it was delicious.

salad and some fried, breaded turkey

center center in Munich

mime on the street 

hello bakery/deli

My Apartment
My apartment is impressive. I have two bedrooms, one bathroom, a living room, kitchen, and three balconies! I really just wanted to have access to the outside either through a balcony or patio, but this apartment has access through each room! The view is also amazing. I can see the entire city and most of Bilkent University. the floors are hardwood (laminate) or tile. I have no carpet, which is nice. The apartment is missing a lot of decorations and some kitchen things, but for now, I am pretty content. I have tons of closet space to store all of my clothes that I brought.

living room

bedroom 1

bedroom 1

view from bedroom 1 balcony

kitchen

bathroom

living room

bedroom 2

view from bedroom 2 balcony

view from living room balcony

view from living room balcony

side view from living room balcony

The grocery store has been a little challenging for me because nearly everything is in Turkish. It is good because I have to learn the words, but it is bad because I can't find what I need when I need it. They do have amazing olives, cheeses, dried fruits, and fresh figs. The deserts and breads are also amazing. I am living in the land of milk and honey!

Need any fish? 

so much fresh fish

fresh baklava

olives

olive oil ($7)

nuts

This was served before the meal

At Tepi Prime (restaurant area)

Preparations are complete

I am moving across the world today to Turkey...holy moly. Although the past two weeks have slipped by, I am ready for this move. I have spent hours packing (or watching people pack my stuff), giving things to the Salvation Army and saying countless goodbyes. In fact, I am sick of goodbyes. I know I am leaving, but I will be back. If anything, I will be back during my vacation to visit. I am surrounded by amazing people and I don't every want to take that for granted. I have organized my going away events into themes...can you tell I am in my dissertation?

1. FAMILY 
I had two major events to say goodbye with family. One was with my immediate family and one was with the extended family. I think I am part African, so the extended family gathering included some of my good friends too. The event was on the Saturday after I got home from Uganda and hosted by my parents. I had a really hard time with jetlag after this trip and I am not sure why. I felt like sleeping and didn't have much energy. It lasted about a week and then I felt like myself again. My parents really prepared a lot and did everything for me.

 My mom made what seemed like a thousand jugs of tea, lemonade, and fruit punch. My parents made sloppy joes and bought chips and condiments. My dad had everything set up perfectly with several picnic tables, chairs, and even a tent. It was truly inspiring. I enjoyed seeing all of my family members and catching up with their lives.

My second family event was dinner with my immediate family (mom, dad, sister, brother in law, and niece). Since my dad is so picky, we decided to go to Edge Wild, which has decent beers on tap and American fare. We ate, laughed, and discussed how we are all going to stay in contact with each other. It was bittersweet and much needed time with our little family together.

cool journal from my mom 

2. WORK
I attended the first work happy hour last Friday, which was the official first week of the new school year. It was good to see new and old staff. I have had amazing coworkers over the past eleven years who have helped me get through so many life changes. I feel that coworkers can make or break your work environment. Mine have been amazing and so interested in my life.
I also visited my old classroom and the high school to see some of my students and check-in with everyone. It seems that things are moving right along and it was good to see everyone. They bought me Godiva chocolates and a card with very sweet messages. It is closure for a very good chapter in my life. As I drove away from the school, I realized that this is the end of an era. This is the end of my K-12 career for now. I'm not sure I will return to the classroom as a K-12 teacher, but I know that I will somehow be working with schools and supporting teachers.

3. GYM
I don't always appreciate the workouts at the gym, but I definitely appreciate the facility, people, and community. Most of my workouts usually involve cussing, grunting, sweating, and making deals with God. They are hard and I try to work hard. I am about 20 pounds heavier now than I was at my thinest, so the workouts feel even harder. But, I am in the gym, usually 3-5 times per week, working hard. Although I love seeing my friends and the eye candy at the gym, I actually go there to work out. I usually don't wear makeup and by the end of the workout, I usually resemble some sort of red food, like a tomato or lobster.

4. FRIENDS
I had the opportunity to see some wonderful friends who make me feel so loved. Some I have known most of my life and some are recent friendships. Either way, I feel loved and lucky to know so many different people. I have hardly paid for a meal this week because of the generosity of my friends. They have brought me cute, little gifts that I can take with me to remind me of our friendship together. I really wish I could put into words how I feel about them, but it is too overwhelming and emotional.

Kathy and I

Katherine and I

Steve and I

Strobecks, Singletons, me, & the Auteberrys

5. STUDENTS 
The students I have had over the past year at the International Welcome Center (IWC) are some of the best students I have had in my career. They are hard working, intelligent, sympathetic and loving. It didn't matter how many times I yelled at them, they were so loving and respectful towards me. I think we tried to create a supportive climate in our classroom and I feel that the kids really succeeded because of that climate. I had the opportunity to go and visit the IWC and it has EXPLODED! Last year we had 17 in the fall and 14 in the spring. This year, they have over 30 in both the middle school and high school program. They have a good variety now instead of one culture and/or language. It is such an exciting place to be! I was able to see some of my students and go out for ice cream with them.

Denilzon, Emmanuel, Elvis, Yibeli, & I

Josue, me, Yibeli, & Henry

Kelly & I 

Jefferson, Danny, & I

Yibeli & I

6. PACKING
I have dreaded packing and put it off to the last minute. In fact, Joe and Rodney kept asking when was I going to pack and I just kept putting it off. I have been piling up things for weeks. First, in my room and then downstairs. Finally, on Wednesday night, Rodney had pity on me and started packing my clothes. Rodney is an impressive packer. The clothes are neatly folded and seem to fit perfectly together. My intention was to pack four bags. I really thought that would be sufficient. Come to find out, I had to pack 6 bags and I think some might be over weight. I have called and called and called Lufthansa about the baggage policy. They allow two free bags and then it is $200 additional for each bag after the two. However, United Airlines only allows one. Therefore, it is possible that they may make me pay for the second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth bags. So, if you are counting, that is $900. I don't know what happened with the bag situation, but I know I am going to have to cough up some serious money before my flight. I know I probably should have gone through my bags and weeded out the extra things, but I just couldn't. If I am going there to live, I need to live. It just felt okay to take 20 pairs of shoes and 3 purses. After all, there are four seasons. That gives me a pass, right? Oh well, whatever, I have packed 6 bags and that is what I will take. Although I wish I could be one of those girls that doesn't need much, I like to be surrounded with all of my things. It makes me feel comfortable. So, I have 300 pounds of luggage...whatever!

bag #4 

Salvation Army Donation 

I have had an amazing two weeks at home and I am thankful for each and every experience. I truly feel like I am closing a chapter of my life and opening a new one. I am ready! See you on the other side.

Entebbe

After a very long, eight hour journey to Kampala, I arrived at the bus park about 1 a.m. and took a motorcycle to my hotel. The hotel was nice with hot water and a flat screen tv. That excited me, but I was too tired to enjoy it. I think I fell asleep about 2 a.m. My sleep was restless because Kampala is a very noisy town and business seems to be conducted 24/7. I wish I could describe to you the craziness of Kampala, but you just have to experience it to understand. Around 12, my friends came to pick me up. They were storing another bag for me, so they brought it to me and loaded up my other bag. We set off to do some shopping. My favorite place in Kampala is a very small bead store that is difficult to find, but my friend Jenny knew exactly the spot! We found them when their lights were off, but I didn’t mind. They have such incredible jewelry and they can literally make everything right there. Jenny and Sam helped me pick out the jewelry and then we bargained for the price and left the ladies for an hour so they could finish my order.

We headed over to get some other things including shoes, coffee, and material. One travel tip that I have learned throughout the years is to buy local foods that you want at a grocery store instead of a tourist trap. The prices are cheaper and you get a fresher product. I am fascinated by the coffee situation here. Uganda grows and exports a lot of coffee, yet it is hard to find fresh brewed coffee. Everything they have is instant. The only place I have seen it is in the very expensive hotels and the embassy. So, I bought coffee, tea, and some sherry at the grocery store. I also went to the market to buy some shoes for me and Ella (my niece). Ella’s birthday was last week, so I had to get here a few special presents. She is always wearing my shoes and grabbing at my jewelry, so I wanted to get those things here. I can’t wait to see that sweet girl tomorrow.

 Then, we headed back to the shop to pick up my order. I snapped a quick pick with the ladies and they gave me a few extra pieces. They are incredibly talented and they genuinely take pride in their artwork. I am happy to support them. After finishing the shopping, we headed to Entebbe. Entebbe is like 30 KM away, but it took us over two hours because of the traffic. Their traffic systems here are really inefficient. There are traffic officers, but I swear they just get paid to stand around. There are also police convoys that come through for various reasons or another. Sometimes they are escorting a diplomat and sometimes they are just escorting a wedding party. Regardless, they come by at a high rate of speed with sirens blazing with usually 5-10 vehicles while everyone hugs the shoulder of the road to make way. Sometimes other vehicles join in, so that is fun. Then, you have to wait for all of the drama to pass and get back on the road. This happens so frequently, especially as you go towards bigger cities.

We arrived in Entebbe and got to the hotel. I knew this hotel was going to be pretty nice because it is $60/night and the most I have spent per night is $20. The hotel is nice with a beautiful balcony overlooking the lake. The lake is not really pretty because the water is dirty, but it is better than looking at the city streets and people everywhere. Entebbe seems to be full of money with the nicest cars and more Westernized food. They have a pizza and Thai place just down the street, so I had my meals planned out. It would be okay with me if I didn’t see rice for another year. Once I got settled, we visited the beach and some of the sites around. There is a strange phenomenon here where these lake flies come out about 7:30-8:15. They are absolutely overwhelming. They swam towards light, so you have to keep your lights in your room off or they will gather there in droves. They die off so quickly and the next morning you find their carcasses all over the place. I took a video of it last night and I will upload it later when I have better wifi. They are just crazy.

Prior to the fly swarm, my friends Daniel and Gloria came by to hang out, eat pizza, and play cards. I am so glad they came by and we picked up just like it was yesterday. They traveled over two hours to get here and that is how you know you have good friends. We shared a bottle of wine, cheese, and played a raucous game of cards until the lake flies started. Then, they headed home and I started the packing process. Packing to go home is much easier than packing to go some place. I just throw everything into my suitcases and hope I don't exceed the weight limit. After I finished packing, I relaxed a bit and slept off!

Breakfast in the morning is always fascinating because you see who has stayed at the hotel the night before. During breakfast there were four other couples besides me. Two of the couples were Ugandan. The other two couples were older, white men with very young, Ugandan women. I can't help to think about the discussion I have had with my friends about "ladies of the night" here in Ugandan. Prostitution is illegal here, but it happens, openly and freely. These ladies in the hotel were at least 30 years younger than their partners. One of the guys seemed European and the other one was American. These ladies know exactly what they are doing. They will do anything to get money in order to go to school, provide for their families, or just to get things for themselves. I am not judging them, just intrigued by the situation.

This morning I had a special treat of seeing monkeys before I left the hotel. I had a lot of monkeys near me when I lived in Mukono and I never get tired of seeing them. They are so human-like and so affectionate. I especially love it when I see babies attached to their moms. I saw them running by the hotel, so I ran out to snap some pics of them. Super cute. 

I am off to the airport this morning to take the two-day journey home. I have long layovers in Abu Dhabi and Chicago, but I am looking forward to coming home and getting things finalized for Turkey. See you soon!

Gulu & Kitgum, Uganda

I decided to take a weekend and go to Gulu while I was in Kitgum. Gulu is a much larger town with more access to a great nightlife, American foods, and universities. I think it is the second largest city outside of Kampala. I have never been here before and I was so impressed. It was about a three hour drive from Kitgum, but the drive is ROUGH. The road is under construction and so there are several diversions, which means you go off to the side of the road around the area where they are working. It seems like it will be very nice when it is done, but right now it just sucks. Thank God I was in the front seat, so I was very comfortable except for the heat. It cracks me up that people don't use air conditioning here, so sometimes the heat is a little uncomfortable. It is rainy season, so the afternoon heats up and there is usually a thunderstorm, followed by a cool evening and plenty of mosquitoes. The roads are definitely worse when it rains and sometimes you get stuck or they are impassable.

Well, I must say that Gulu is like the Los Vegas of the north. There is so much more happening here and there are a lot of “whites” and access to foods I didn’t see in Kitgum. Apparently there are some Peace Corp and many NGOs here, so there are lots of people who look like me. J I don’t tend to hang out with a lot of Americans when I am traveling because I want to be with the local people and get to know the culture.

The hotel here is nice, but I would say the one in Kitgum is better. The service is not as good and the breakfast is scarce. In fact, both days we had to ask the chef to make breakfast for us because it was “over” and there was nothing left. It cracks me up how things work here. Sometimes I get frustrated and sometimes I am patient. It is literally survival of the fittest. If you don't get there before the food is finished, you will lose out. I reminded them that breakfast was included, so they made it for us.

 

View from the hotel 

Always want to make sure there are water tanks!

On Friday, I went out with some of Thomas’ friends and they were crazy. I really haven’t gone to clubs here in Uganda, but that night I got a first hand experience. I was dancing with a few people and some guy approached my friend Thomas to ask if he could dance with me. Thomas politely turned him away since he didn’t know him. I love having protective friends!! Then, the guy had the nerve to come back about an hour later and said that I was the most beautiful girl in the bar and that he would just like to dance with me for two minutes. My friends debated with him for nearly 10 minutes while I kept dancing. The guy finally walked away. I was a little nervous because this guy was no small guy and I thought maybe things might turn physical. But luckily, everybody kept their cool and I was safe.

I did have a chance to participate in a Pork Joint on Saturday, which was basically eating a big plate of pork, veggies, and potatoes for about 50,000 ($15). I was told that there was 5 kg on the plate, so that is a little over 13 pounds of meat! Everyone puts in a little money and we share. There were five of us eating and we could not finish it. They roasted the pork and it was divine. The meat here is really tough, so sometimes that is hard for me, but everything else was delicious. Everyone else was eating it with whiskey, but I was just drinking water. The most interesting thing for me was that they were slaughtering a pig just a few yards away because we took the rest of the meat. It was something I had never seen before and it was fun to be part of the tradition.

After eating, we decided to go swimming. Swimming here is a little scary because there is no lifeguard and most people don’t know how to swim. I almost drowned one time because one of my Ugandan friends was in the deep end and couldn’t swim. He accidentally pulled me under while he was trying to get to the side of the pool. I swallowed so much water and it scared me a bit. The people I was with this time knew their limits and we had a good time. There were also several white people at the pool, so it was an interesting mix. After swimming, we went back to the hotel to change and nap, then headed out for dinner and more partying.

Kitgum

On Sunday, we headed back to Kitgum (again the rough road) and I arrived at a new hotel. My other hotel I was staying in did not have hot water and the same food offered every day for lunch and dinner. So, I shifted just about a half a mile away to a better place with steaming hot water and good meals. I usually get tired of Ugandan food about half way during my vacation and this one is no different. Everyone has the same thing everywhere, so I struggle with little variety. Regardless, I eat and know that I have food, so I am blessed.

I had the opportunity to visit with friends here. I went over to Patrick and Sarah’s house to meet their baby (she was born after I left last year) who they named after me. Her name is Lynn after my middle name and she is about one year old. She is super cute and very sweet. She weighed almost 10 pounds and you would never know it from her tall, skinny, Acholi parents. Sarah made dinner for us and I gave them the clothes that my sister donated to them. These moments are super sweet and rare, so I cherish them with all my heart. I know they are temporary and can’t be repeated, so I try to take as many pictures as possible so that I will always remember it.

I did have an interesting conversation with Sarah and Patrick about what he paid to Sarah’s family in order to marry her. There are so many cultures and I am totally fascinated by the way that men pay for women, so of course I had to ask this modern couple. Each culture is different, so Patrick told me about theirs, Acholi. Here is a list of things that he needed to pay for:

1. Allowance (commitment ) – this is money that you pay up front to show you are serious about marrying their daughter. It is basically like a deposit, but you don’t get it back. 100,000-150,000 ($30-50)

2. Spear and hen – this is symbolic of protection and food. They used to give the actual objects, but most families just ask for the money now. 150,000-200,000 ($50-60)

3. Respect to mother-in-law – this money goes to the mother-in-law for rearing her daughter well. 150,000-200,000 ($50-60)

4. Money to have the wife – Patrick called this something, but I can’t remember what he called it, but it is basically money to take the wife. He said this could go quite high, depending on looks, class and if the lady is pregnant. If she is pregnant, then he has to pay more to compensate for the child. 500,000 – 1,000,000+ ($150-$300)

5. Father-in-law – this money is for a suit and a chair. You can bring the items or the money. 200,000-400,000 ($40)

Apparently all of these things are up for negotiation and sometimes the chief sets the price, but still inflation can happen. People gather to listen to the negotiation and discuss together. Sometimes the negotiations can take all night and then you share a meal together. The process is super fascinating to me since I come from a culture where you present a ring and get the girl. Instead, the men here are totally overwhelmed with how much they have to come up with just to get married and that is BEFORE the introduction and ceremony. Crazy! 

I also had an opportunity to catch up with my friend Eric. I met Eric when he was a modular student at UCU. We cooked together and just discussed life. He also came to see me my last day in Kitgum and brought me a cake. 

 On my last night in Kitgum, we had pork and chips while playing cards together. It was the perfect evening with the friends I had made during my two weeks there. Tomorrow, I head to Kampala, then Entebbe to catch my flight. 

Nelson was serious about keeping score. 

The adorable "John the Baptist"