On a more serious note…(Reality bites)

My blog (fondly abbreviated as MOCP) has been a fun medium through which to release some of my thoughts, mindfarts and other inanities into cyberspace, to be enjoyed by friends and strangers alike. So far, MOCP has been a reflection of the hilarity and adventures that I’ve been lucky to experience.

Having been sick the past weekend, I’ve spent plenty of time alone and not running around – driving, going to meetings, learning new things – which has led to some mental processing of the past two months in Uganda. So, on a more serious note, here are some things I’ve been chewing on (mentally, that is…unfortunately for me antibiotics make me lose my appetite and run run run for the bathroom! Haha…got the pun?):

A is for Adjustment…and Ambiguity. Two months under my belt and I am still learning the nuances of the people and the rural community of Rubingo. My job entails having an understanding of local agricultural practices in order to be able to suggest new ideas or new methods of doing things. For example, some widows have gathered together in the form of Mutual Benefit Society groups in which they pool some money together and the neediest ones can withdraw loans from that pool. They also work together planting, hoeing, weeding and harvesting crops such as beans, maize and sweet potatoes, on land that has been rented from the Church of Uganda with some help from ACTS. However, each garden (there are about 8 or 9 in total) is located in various geographical locations each with its own environmental or agricultural difficulties. So little old me, with zero practical agricultural experience, is responsible for developing some type of solution to the issues the widows are experiencing. Yikes. And that is only one example of the type of problem-solving situations I am involved with (don’t worry, I won’t go into detail about all of them!). Needless to say, David Moore (my dear director) was right when he emphasized in our phone interview: you won’t necessarily understand what you’re doing in Rubingo or how to do it, until you’ve got about two months left. I’m still in the “don’t understand” stage of things.

Give me space! Anyone who has lived and worked communally will understand me when I say that privacy becomes a very precious commodity when you see the same people 24-7. Don’t get me wrong, my teammates are terrific people and we have fun times together. But I’ve realized that working and living in the same space is a concept unfamiliar to North Americans, especially this Canadian princess, and difficult to get used to. Consider this: when I wake up and head down to breakfast, it takes me about 30 steps from my tent to the dining tent. In between, I can swing by Kimberly and Stu’s tents (steps 4 and 7) or make a detour at the office tent (step 20). 10 more steps from the dining tent takes me to the trucks, which I drive to take me to various parts of the villages. So only 40 steps separates me from my cozy tent-home and my work (not so cozy; more sweaty and hot – see my Bloody hills picture in previous post). On top of that, the trucks are shared between interns and our respective projects so much “resource rationing” occurs, which can lead to frustration (if your work gets delayed because someone took their sweet time getting back - with your translator/local staff person) or frustration (if you are the lucky driver who chauffeurs others around all day). I’m being cheeky here and giving you a “woe-is-me” version of things. But you get the picture…any length of time that is yours, to do whatever you please, is the sweetest pleasure.

Time is the best remedy. During orientation, all the interns received intercultural communication/interaction training from the Centre for Intercultural Learning (CIL). One thing that was taught was a cultural adjustment curve describing phases an individual experiences when living and working in a foreign culture. The first phase experienced is the “honeymoon” phase – everything is new and exciting, and one is fascinated all the time. The second phase is what I call “reality bites” – differences i n the foreign culture begin to grate on the individual who in turn experiences emotions such as anger, anxiety, homesickness, frustration and discouragement. The third and fourth phase are “adjustment” and “acceptance” – the individual recognizes what s/he can and cannot change or control and begins to accept the new culture for what it is.

The thought I had recently (which I considered very deep) was this: In Canada, I am used to defining myself by my habits, hobbies, likes/dislikes, social groups, etc. But here in Uganda, those definitions are moot. I am viewed by locals as a muzungu and therefore, and to a certain extent, I become a blank slate. Without my familiar environment and support network (friends, family, mentors), I’ve found it difficult to understand (put words around) what my role in the Rubingo/ACTS community is supposed to be. On top of that, I’m still experiencing culture shock (although in smaller increments than before). If this were a test– in which phase of cultural adjustment would I be? (Answer: reality bites!). Therefore, I must “find my legs” in the community and learn by baby steps, what my role will be. And this takes tiiiiiiime. Which is why I’ll probably go “Eureka! That’s why I’m here…” when I have one month left to go.

So there are some chewier, meatier thoughts than usual. Phew, this was pretty heavy post. So, to close on a lighter note, here are some proverbs that I have picked up here in Uganda.

Enjoy and see you next post!
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Hurry up and wait. – unknown previous ACTS worker (inspired by Ugandan rubber time)

An empty stomach leads to a gloomy face. – Johnson (inspired while waiting for lunch)

A panga (machete) lying on the ground means a matooke tree still standing.
– Kimberly

A man who says many things, usually does not have much to say*. – Rusey
*(…does this apply to me and my blogging efforts?)