Three Blogs in One

Life Lessons #!

British Air lost my luggage; I currently have the following possessions:

1) 1 pair of Jeans (It is really hot here)
2) 2 Tank tops
3) 1 Shirt
4) 2 pairs of underwear
5) 1 Skirt (purchased in Uganda)
6) 1 Bar of soap
7) 1 Toothbrush and toothpaste
8) 1 Deodorant
9) And my computer

Literally, that is all I have, yet I am surviving. My 75 lbs of luggage is somewhere, unclaimed in the world, but I am functioning without all the possessions that I desperately thought I needed.

I am not thrilled with British Air and I would prefer to have my things but this experience has definitely taught me the lesson that possessions are just possessions and life will continue in their absence.

I have also started to reevaluate my habits. I have been wearing the same clothes since Friday (1 week) and they are fine. It makes me think about how much water and resources that I waste at home washing clothing that I in many instances, I have worn for only a few hours. I am sure that it is only the beginning of my reevaluation process and lesson learning.

***UPDATE: My clothing finally arrived and will be delivered sometime on Saturday!!! I have learned many lessons from my missing luggage but I am ecstatic to put on clean clothes and wash my face.

“They cannot see that in the egotistical pursuit of having as a possessing class, they suffocate in their own possessions and no longer are; they merely have”






Acholi People #2

The Acholi (the primary tribe in Northern Uganda) are the most amazing group of people that I have had the honor to meet. For over 20 years the Acholi have lived in a constant state of fear: fear of the war, fear of abduction, and fear of being killed. They have been living in a conflict zone and witnessed atrocities that are unimaginable, yet upon meeting an Acholi one would never imagine the trauma the Acholi has faced in the last two decades.

The Acholi take great pride in their dress. Most men wear suits, suits that are pressed and appear very clean. This is amazing considering the average Acholi washes his/her clothes by hand in a basin and does not have electricity. I have been trying to figure out how they iron without electricity.

The best description that I can give for the town that I am living in would be that it resembles a ghetto in Tijuana. When I first saw the location I was a bit frightened but after a few days I realized that the Acholi people are humble, soft-spoken, polite, and very very respectful. Not once walking down the street have I been asked for money (I have not seem a single beggar) nor have I been harassed or been subjected to catcalls. When an Acholi greets you he/she lightly holds your hand and in formal language asks you how your day is going.

The Acholi children want to go to school. I am looking forward to teaching students who understand the value of education. The average class in Uganda has 100 students but there is next to no behavior concerns because in Uganda education is a privilege not a right. There is a famous quote about American education that states, “The best thing about education is that it is free and the worst thing about education is that it is free.” I do not advocate for taking away the right to education in the United States but children seem to value education much more when it is special. I wonder how we can generate a similar attitude toward education in the United States.

I am ashamed and embarrassed with my perception of Uganda before coming here. What I expected is far from reality. The Ugandan’s that I have meet have been far more respectful, hardworking, and genuinely good than most American’s that I meet.





Partner Teachers #3

Today we meet our partner teachers. I was very nervous. As I have said, the Acholi are very proper and conservative and I usually am neither! When needed I can usually “fake it,” but I was so worried that my partner teacher and I would have nothing to discuss. As expected my partner teacher, Jennifer, looked “very smart” (dressed very well) and was very proper. We discussed what classes she teaches and where she is in the curriculum. We also had casual conversation about her family but after that the conversation started to die. Luckily our meeting time came to a close, however, we were scheduled to meet again for dinner. At dinner my fellow teachers and their partner teachers had an amazing time. I haven’t laughed that hard in a long time. I learned tonight that the Acholi are very serious but also enjoy having a good time as well. The dinner tonight was such a relief. It made me realize that the Acholi are more similar to me that I realized. They are just people.

***FYI- Even though the Acholi speak English they have a heavy accent and speak very different than Americans. Because of this I have already started to adopt a silly accent- look forward to hearing it ☺

“Some may think that to affirm dialogue- the encounter of women and men in the world in order to transform that world- is naively and subjectively idealist. There is nothing, however, more real or concrete than people in the world and with the world, than humans with other humans.”