I have taken about a week long break, though not entirely on purpose, from writing in my blog. Although it's true that I have become much busier at work, and formed a group of friends here in Uganda that are always ready for an adventure, I think my blog-writing hiatus resulted from more than just lack of free time. This past week the country has really felt like home. When I get picked up in the morning, I know the route we will take, where traffic will be the worst, which traffic officer will be on duty at the corner, when to brace myself for the worst of the pot holes. When the car stops abruptly to allow gigantic cows to cross the road I no longer stare wide eyed and shocked. (If there is one thing Ugandan drivers respect, it's 500 lbs cows crossing the road…they know who would win that battle.) Losing electricity no longer makes me blink, and I've learned to continue on speaking or going about business as if nothing ever happened. The chef at the Embassy knows my name and my dietary restrictions, and my friends surprised me with gluten free pasta and gluten free crackers at a dinner party we just had. One of my friends even promised to make me dairy-free homemade ice cream using coconut milk. I'm used to Ugandan greetings as soon as you enter their home or car, when they joyfully yell "You're Welcome!!" At the beginning of my stay, I thought I had forgotten to say "thank you" as soon as I arrived, but they offer this greeting just like we would say, "hey, come on in!" So essentially, the comfort and familiarity of everyday activities makes it difficult to distinguish those events that are unique to Uganda and deserve elaboration. Because for now, this feels like life.
A couple of nights ago, a pipe burst in our kitchen and water poured out of the water heater for 40 minutes. At first, my roommates and I scrambled around calling anyone who would be able to help at 10pm on a Sunday night. When we finally realized there was nothing we could do, my roommate Nathan made a slip n' slide down the hallway and a water fight broke out in our home. By the time water got above our ankles, Nathan had already doused us in buckets of water, and it was impossible to get upset at he yelled, "This is AFRICAAAA!" Before 11pm, a plumber finally came to turn off the water, and he said in his Ugandan accent, " Ok. Everybody (meaning us) get buckets, and bowls, this is how we will get the water out of here." My roommates and I looked at each other and couldn’t believe he was serious, water had spread throughout the majority of our first floor. As we reluctantly started to scoop water, the plumber laughed and said, "Ahhh no! If you don’t want to do this yourself we can send people tomorrow, I just didn’t want to leave you in a flood!" I was more than happy to be left in a flood if it meant going to sleep, and having a crew of experienced water-scoopers come the following day.
Last night I went to dinner at the Ethiopian Village Restaurant. It is a large, open air restaurant, with generous portions, loud music, and a metal detector at the entrance just like all other public venues in Kampala. But there is something different about this place, and you can feel it when you pass through the bag search and security pat-down. On July 11, 2010, almost one year ago, Somali terrorists from the group Al-Shabaab detonated a bomb in the Ethiopian Village Restaurant during the World Cup Finals. Across the city at the Kyadodo Rugby Grounds, two more bombs simultaneously exploded, and a third suicide bomber vest was found but did not go off. These suicide bombs killed 15 people at the Ethiopian Village Restaurant, and 78 people total throughout the city. The terrorist group, Al-Shabaab, took responsibility for these attacks because of Ugandan military involvement in the Sudan and Somalia. Nearly every Ugandan living in Kampala knew someone killed or injured in the bombings. Huge corporations had hosted World Cup parties at the Rugby Grounds that evening, and everyone had stayed out late at various bars and restaurants to watch the game in good company. As the first anniversary of the July 11 attacks approaches, many people in the Embassy remember those who they lost, and the newspapers feature stories from survivors every day. Hearing the stories from my Ugandan friends who lost a loved one, or who chose a different location to watch the game just by chance, makes me realize that every day really is a gift, and it must be lived to the very fullest. Every restaurant, bar, club and store has security at its entrance, and the feeling throughout the capital is very safe. I know that the city will continue to be on edge as the anniversary approaches, but security is tight and well dispersed.
Before the country faces the July 11 anniversary, we will first be celebrating the 235th Independence Day of the United States of America! This upcoming weekend is packed with parties and BBQs, put on by ex-pats at the Embassy, the American Recreation Association, and then our biggest representative event of the year. During my trip to Queen Elizabeth National Park a few weeks ago, I met 4 girls my age from the University of San Francisco. The four of them are living in rural villages in western Uganda, working with various NGOs. I invited them to come to Kampala and I received a call from one of the girls this week asking if this weekend would be ok. I checked with my roommates, and today the girls will make the 4 hour drive to Kampala to stay at our house for a few days! They'll be able to celebrate the 4th of July with BBQs, pool parties, fireworks, and most importantly, other Americans. The Independence Day event at the Embassy is our largest representative event of the year. I have been directly involved with many of the preparations and I was really excited to write the speech for the Deputy Chief of Mission to give at one of our 4th of July parties. What is my other official role? I am designated "Flag Pin Girl". I will be putting American and Ugandan Flag pins on the chests of over 1,000 foreign dignitaries and diplomats. At this point I'm really wishing I had more high school dates to practice putting a pin on…my mom came to my rescue with the boutonniere at every Homecoming and Prom…and that'll be nothing compared to pinning the Minister of Finance or the Ambassador of Egypt…
With two important days coming up for both Americans and Ugandans, the atmosphere in Kampala is buzzing with excitement. Tonight, I will meet young diplomats on their 1st and 2nd tours from embassies all around Kampala (U.S., Egyptian, French, German…). I'm really excited to talk with them and hear how they're finding their first few years on the job working for their country's Foreign Service. Happy July 4th Weekend from Uganda!!
