Settling in, again

This last week has been quite hectic between attempting to get an old paper off for publication and completing the research proposal for Gulu University. But I have to say that I am very excited about the work I am doing, as I finally feel like things are coming together and that there will be a tangible result for my time spent here in Uganda. I am also so pleased to be working on a project with Lina and my new colleagues at NUPI (although I have known them all for months now).

This past weekend, we had two little boys, Happy and Godfrey, come to visit us from Rainbow House, which is a youth center in Kampala (Steffi donates her time there). It seems I am constantly reminded of how much work children are and the difficulty in providing constant entertainment. But the work was rewarded, as the boys were very handy in the kitchen, helping to prepare pasta sauce and also providing post-lunch entertainment in the form of daring acrobatics. I was also highly impressed with how quickly they were able to discover Steffi’s prized chocolate drawer.

Some of you have asked about my new housing arrangements, so I better just be upfront about it: I am living in a mini-paradise. I share a two-bedroom house, with hardwood floors, a kitchen, veranda, running hot water, and little yard with Steffi. Oh, and we have a little swimming pool with magnificent views of Lake Victoria. I can no longer seek pity for the conditions in which I live. This is not to say that we are not without the normal Kampala/Uganda challenge of serious power cuts – at least every other day and usually twice a day. I am so much saner now that I am not confined to a hotel. So far I have succeeded in turning Steffi on to my cherished instant Quaker Oatmeal, my strange music tastes, Sex and the City, and even my neurotic gym routine. While I may dabble in her German music collection, I have yet to eat meat in the morning.

I am now much more reliant on boda bodas (remember motorcycle taxis) for transport in and around Kampala, as I live on the outskirts of town. I usually take joy in moving quickly on bodas, especially as Kampala is one big traffic jam, but lately I am realizing that they are incredibly stressful. Last week, one of my regular boda drivers, Jimmy, rear-ended a big SUV with me on back and even this morning we side-swiped another car. By the time I reach my destination, my leg muscles are sore from the tension and despite the breeze, I’m covered in sweat. Someday when I am a real grownup and come back to work in Africa, I will have to invest in my own transport.

I was initially planning to get the bus back up to Gulu this week, but that is on hold until next week. I am too happy with my Kampala life, but also experiencing Gulu withdrawal. I want have my cake and eat it too.