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.
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| View from the hotel |
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| 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.
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| Nelson was serious about keeping score. |
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| The adorable "John the Baptist" |
