Cooking with Grace in the kitchen
With Liz before church
Kabale town from Rugarama Hill, where I lived
Surprise cake on my birthday!
With Lake Bunyoni and the terraced hillsides in the background
Friday, April 17, 2009
Kabale, Uganda
Cooking with Grace in the kitchen
With Liz before church
Kabale town from Rugarama Hill, where I lived
Surprise cake on my birthday!
With Lake Bunyoni and the terraced hillsides in the background
Rwanda
A road-side scene typical in Uganda or Rwanda
Outside the Kigali Memorial Center - a very emotional day
The beautiful countryside
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Back in England!
I am back, safe and sound, and pleased to once again have running water and clean vegetables. Plus, the weather in Oxford is quite lovely - sunny and warmish :)
So sorry for the long delay between posts! Internet access was difficult, to say the least, in Uganda. I spent three and a half weeks in Kabale, in the very southwest of the country, high in the terraced hills that give the area the name 'Switzerland of Africa.' For my research, I interviewed HIV/AIDS NGOs and community members, but my primary focus centered on three secondary schools: a Catholic, a Church of Uganda, and a non-aligned. In each I conducted multiple focus group discussions/interviews with students and teachers, observed classes and assemblies, read textbooks, found myself in fantastic informal conversations, and held a drawing competition under the title 'How do we prevent HIV in our community?' Overall, my aim is to assess the quality, methods, and message of HIV/AIDS education in secondary schools. The research went incredibly smoothly - even better than I'd hoped - and I am excited to begin writing (perhaps in a few days....)!
Thank you all for your prayers for my safety and happiness! It made such an emotional difference living with a family (the headmaster of one of the schools) instead of staying on my own. Plus, being in Uganda for a second time, I was much better prepared for the experience, though nothing will ever make me numb to the poverty. I am also thrilled to say that everything I have learned this year in my courses provided incredible insight - I 'saw' so much more than I did in 2006. What a blessing it is to better understand a country and its communities!
One highlight: I took a day trip into Rwanda with a secondary school from London that was visiting Kabale over their Easter break. Kigali is only about an hour and a half away, though the border check points add about an additional hour. After a driving bus tour through the city, we briefly dropped by the Hotel Mille Colline, from Hotel Rwanda, then spent most of the day in the Kigali Memorial Center, commemorating the genocide. It happened to be the second day of a week-long holiday for the anniversary, so there were many Rwandans at the site visiting their relatives in the mass graves. Truly, this is the part I will never forget - hearing the desperate sobbing of survivors while staring at the skulls and clothing of the victims. For me, too, I had a difficult time looking at anything - a hillside, a clump of trees, the Hotel Mille Colline - and not imagining the violence of those three months in 1994. I'll never know even an ounce of the fear and loss of that time, but I am so grateful to have visited the commemoration center and learned a bit more. This is definitely one day I am still mentally and emotionally processing.
Another highlight - and this one joyous: I spent Easter weekend with Vivian, a friend from my previous stay who has been to Florida to visit my family. We had such a wonderful time catching up, and I also saw Alison, who basically carried me through the first few weeks of my time in the country in 2006. I went back to my little Kampala home, and the shops and streets I remember - it felt like great closure for both this trip and my last. And I spent Easter Sunday in a little village church on the suburbs of Kampala, then helped cook a massive meal for all of Vivian's family. Wonderful!
Now I am back in the UK, ready to work, though tomorrow I think I will go into London for a mini vacation before writing. I hope to get to talk to you all about my trip in more detail. I miss you family!!
So sorry for the long delay between posts! Internet access was difficult, to say the least, in Uganda. I spent three and a half weeks in Kabale, in the very southwest of the country, high in the terraced hills that give the area the name 'Switzerland of Africa.' For my research, I interviewed HIV/AIDS NGOs and community members, but my primary focus centered on three secondary schools: a Catholic, a Church of Uganda, and a non-aligned. In each I conducted multiple focus group discussions/interviews with students and teachers, observed classes and assemblies, read textbooks, found myself in fantastic informal conversations, and held a drawing competition under the title 'How do we prevent HIV in our community?' Overall, my aim is to assess the quality, methods, and message of HIV/AIDS education in secondary schools. The research went incredibly smoothly - even better than I'd hoped - and I am excited to begin writing (perhaps in a few days....)!
Thank you all for your prayers for my safety and happiness! It made such an emotional difference living with a family (the headmaster of one of the schools) instead of staying on my own. Plus, being in Uganda for a second time, I was much better prepared for the experience, though nothing will ever make me numb to the poverty. I am also thrilled to say that everything I have learned this year in my courses provided incredible insight - I 'saw' so much more than I did in 2006. What a blessing it is to better understand a country and its communities!
One highlight: I took a day trip into Rwanda with a secondary school from London that was visiting Kabale over their Easter break. Kigali is only about an hour and a half away, though the border check points add about an additional hour. After a driving bus tour through the city, we briefly dropped by the Hotel Mille Colline, from Hotel Rwanda, then spent most of the day in the Kigali Memorial Center, commemorating the genocide. It happened to be the second day of a week-long holiday for the anniversary, so there were many Rwandans at the site visiting their relatives in the mass graves. Truly, this is the part I will never forget - hearing the desperate sobbing of survivors while staring at the skulls and clothing of the victims. For me, too, I had a difficult time looking at anything - a hillside, a clump of trees, the Hotel Mille Colline - and not imagining the violence of those three months in 1994. I'll never know even an ounce of the fear and loss of that time, but I am so grateful to have visited the commemoration center and learned a bit more. This is definitely one day I am still mentally and emotionally processing.
Another highlight - and this one joyous: I spent Easter weekend with Vivian, a friend from my previous stay who has been to Florida to visit my family. We had such a wonderful time catching up, and I also saw Alison, who basically carried me through the first few weeks of my time in the country in 2006. I went back to my little Kampala home, and the shops and streets I remember - it felt like great closure for both this trip and my last. And I spent Easter Sunday in a little village church on the suburbs of Kampala, then helped cook a massive meal for all of Vivian's family. Wonderful!
Now I am back in the UK, ready to work, though tomorrow I think I will go into London for a mini vacation before writing. I hope to get to talk to you all about my trip in more detail. I miss you family!!
Friday, March 13, 2009
Uganda Tomorrow!
The term is over! On Wednesday, we had Junior Members' Dinner for all first-year students at St. Ant's. About 150 people, and I am assigned to sit next to the warden (the head of the college)! She is very nice - we have talked before, and we had a lovely chat over dinner. Plus, the kitchen staff stepped up the food selection. Haha! It was wonderful to wear our gowns again, and to feel like part of the university.
Thursday evening I went home to John and Gyll's for a fabulous evening. More than ever, I think it was important for me to get out of Oxford and have a bit of relaxation, far from essays and interview questions. Love it!! It gave me the energy to finish up my last Core Course essay today!
Ok, now I get to start packing! I will try to continue updating while in Kabale. I love you all! Thanks for your prayers and support.
Thursday evening I went home to John and Gyll's for a fabulous evening. More than ever, I think it was important for me to get out of Oxford and have a bit of relaxation, far from essays and interview questions. Love it!! It gave me the energy to finish up my last Core Course essay today!
Ok, now I get to start packing! I will try to continue updating while in Kabale. I love you all! Thanks for your prayers and support.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Asian Evening and Football
Asian Evening with the Rotary Scholars was held on Friday in Reading, where 2 scholars in our district are studying. Yurika, from Japan, made the most delicious food - sushi, terriyaki salmon, rice and shrimp, tempura (sisters and mom, you would have been able to eat like 2 dishes haha). Plus, she explained a lot about Japanese food and culture. It has been difficult for her to adjust to the more aggressive nature of Western culture, including discussions and arguments in class. Very interesting. I am now dying to go to Japan - as Kat says, at least it is developed! :)
Last night I watched Disney's The Jungle Book in college, then went to a symphonic concert in Hertford, one of our beautiful old colleges. Today we had a football game! We lost by 1 - but our record does not show how well we play (just can't capitalize when we need to) and how much fun we have! Again, it is just so great to get out in the sunshine/rain (we had both today) and play a team sport. I got Man of the Match again, so a stuffed chihuahua is sitting on my shelf! Yay.
Leave in less than a week! Thank you for all of your prayers. I want to get all of my work done by Thursday so that I can pack and plan on Friday. Final meeting tomorrow with my supervisor, and only 1 more essay to write. Almost there! (At least for this part of the course). Loving it!
Here is a brighter picture from Bicester:
Last night I watched Disney's The Jungle Book in college, then went to a symphonic concert in Hertford, one of our beautiful old colleges. Today we had a football game! We lost by 1 - but our record does not show how well we play (just can't capitalize when we need to) and how much fun we have! Again, it is just so great to get out in the sunshine/rain (we had both today) and play a team sport. I got Man of the Match again, so a stuffed chihuahua is sitting on my shelf! Yay.
Leave in less than a week! Thank you for all of your prayers. I want to get all of my work done by Thursday so that I can pack and plan on Friday. Final meeting tomorrow with my supervisor, and only 1 more essay to write. Almost there! (At least for this part of the course). Loving it!
Here is a brighter picture from Bicester:
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Almost there!
Wow! We are almost at the end of our second term! I feel excited to move to the next stage - field research and dissertation writing - but also sort of sad because I really enjoy the seminars and engaging with my fellow students (In Trinity term we just write and study - no classes). It is incredible to me to think of how much knowledge I have gained thus far, and how much more I have to learn. Again - wow!
As it is the end of term, I have 2 essays to write and a trip to Uganda to finalize. So busy, but I am quite happy with it all! Plus there's a Rotary social on Friday (Asian Evening), a Disney movie in my college on Saturday, and the last football game on Sunday. Should be a good weekend, with lots of work :)
Here is a picture (a bit dark -sorry) of Luigi and me with Bicester's President, Tania, from 24 February:
As it is the end of term, I have 2 essays to write and a trip to Uganda to finalize. So busy, but I am quite happy with it all! Plus there's a Rotary social on Friday (Asian Evening), a Disney movie in my college on Saturday, and the last football game on Sunday. Should be a good weekend, with lots of work :)
Here is a picture (a bit dark -sorry) of Luigi and me with Bicester's President, Tania, from 24 February:
Thursday, February 26, 2009
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