So some specific things that I have noticed to be markedly
different than what I am used to, though I am still not judging and don’t label
these things wrong or bad, just different:
Zero privacy. When all you want to do is go hide in your
room and be alone, there are people everywhere…I mean everywhere. And those
people do not hesitate to converse loudly and play music near you, listen to
your conversations, or peep into your house to see what you are doing. I have
learned to be careful where I talk when I call home and to watch where I
journal because I have had people looming over my shoulder to read it. There
just isn’t a sense of personal or individual here, everything is shared within
family or small community units. This can be great when you are celebrating
something, but its very hard when you need a moment to be by yourself (that
also doesn’t exist here and people will ask if you are sick if you spend time
alone.)
Incessant greetings. You must must must greet. No matter
what you are doing or where you are going you must greet everyone you see. If
you walk away without at least waving to someone, though you usually are called
over to ask how you and your home are doing, then you are again thought to be
sick. I once travelled with a man who teaches at the college that I have come
to really love spending time with (he is hysterical, belongs on TV), we went to
get a haircut—this was another story and quite an experience. On the way, which
was a 10 minute walk, we stopped so many times to greet and talk with people
that it took 40 minutes. Maybe this is why all my teachers come to school
late!?
Religion. Oh my goodness it is everywhere. At night when all
the college kids are hanging out after class and I am getting ready for bed, I
notice them all in circles. I figure they are kids and they are just hanging
out or talking. Then they break out in kumbaya for 10 minutes, not kidding. When
people are done talking many of them bless each other before leaving. Any time
something good happens, it is necessary to say thank god for blessing us. I
also witnessed a very interesting event at school. A girl began flailing around
in class, knocking desks over, hitting herself, and screaming. At first I
wondered if it was epilepsy, but it wasn’t. I asked what was going on and all
the teachers (who were standing around watching) said she was “possessed by
demons.” Now I knew she wasn’t and I knew there had to be a real cause; at
first I thought it was attention or psychological trauma, but later overheard
there is a land dispute going on in her family that is probably involved. Anyway,
what really shocked me was how normal it seemed to all the teachers and
students and the unanimous decision that it was demons and no other options
were available. I tried to talk to the students who witnessed it, to see if
they were ok, but they began laughing at me because it is so common and not an
issue. Fishbowl. Yes I am in a fishbowl. Everywhere I walk, STARES. It is not considered the slightest bit rude to stare for minutes at me. I get it, I am white and weird and they don’t see too many. But really, I don’t think I am that impressive.
Cleanliness. Where does the trash go? Anywhere. When people eat they just drop scraps and trash wherever they are sitting because the kids will pick it up later. And it eventually makes it's way into a large pit that gets burned and smells. Furthermore, though Ugandans are very tidy and go through much effort to sweep up dust and dirt, the notion of cleaning walls and furniture or getting rid of cobwebs/repairing things that are broken doesn't come in.
Time and work ethic. I think the biggest thing I am struggling with right now is that work moves so slowly. Since no one is in a rush and things will get done when they get done, it is a month into school starting and some teachers still have not lesson planned. Now as I mentioned in a previous post, there are certain things out of their control that inhibits this. But on the other hand, I see so many teachers just sitting around in class and staring into space, many don’t even come to school. I just wish there was some personal initiative, but going back to the culture of collectivism, why would one person carry such a burden when no one else is? Additionally, the way school is done and taught further inhibits individualism. Students are rarely asked questions at a higher level than what/who is… and I have not yet heard any teacher ask a student what he/she thinks or feels about something or what they would do or how they would solve a problem. There isn’t even a culture that fosters the students asking their own questions. It is mostly just repetition and memorization; here in lies my purpose for being here. Tell me if this was way too bitchy of a post!
So yea, things are different here…to be expected. I am in what PC calls stage 3 of culture shock where I start to see the negative before taking the real plunge of integrating. And what a ride it is. . Thankfully, I have limitless love and support from all my family and friends back home =) I miss you daily
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