I've only been here 2 weeks? That's it?! Looks like it's going to be some of the longest months yet...Traveling never seizes to fascinate me by how abundant and different your days become. The constant search for new experiences and greetings of new people has fulfilled my days and satisfied my eager mind.
Let me tell you about my first weeks of work...I'd rather not focus on the negative but inevitably there has been stress and frustration contending with the ways of the Ugandan ladies. Their pace and philosophy of food and cooking certainly does not match my own. I have always taken my work seriously in respect to my training and experience I have acquired. The ways that food is capable of pleasing someone provides me with great satisfaction when I can be apart of this experience. I have been challenged with the urge to pass this knowledge on to my co workers but Terri has tried to calm me by saying, "Kali, you can't build a city in a day." We've already had to fire Joanne for various reasons and hopefully we will be bringing in someone who is more eager work. We've had some rough days but have also had massive improvements and good laughs. I must go about my ways modestly since everyone can tell what I've made and they enjoy the changes. Eva has warmed up to the idea that I do know better and I am here to help, therefore she needs to trust me. And in return I share many recipes with her which she really loves. So with continuous and varying challenges everyday I try to remain positive and it is the "compliments to the chef" and empty plates that keeps my head up. A worker who is building our pantry told me one day, "if life didn't have it's challenges then we would not be strong people." Something I know and agree with - Africa truly does have it's exhausting and relentless daily obstacles so I guess I feel sorry for you suckers at home...
Facts based on the ways of the Ugandan ladies and their knowledge of food:
-Food does not need to be served hot regardless of what it is.
-The only reason to combine ingredients is for the color contrast
-There are no certain ways to achieve greater flavor in an ingredient.
-Everything must be cut in the palm of your hand (cutting boards? why bother?)
-There is no such thing as overcooking anything! (More mushy broccoli anyone?)
-Time is only a guide line. There is no time in Africa.
-Oranges are actually green and very sour. This is actually true. We serve fresh fruit everyday but the teachers had mentioned that too often they had been serving pineapple and would like to see a change. So I said lets change it up daily and tomorrow we serve oranges. Without informing me of their nature in Africa, they bought oranges which looked like limes. I cut one open, tried it, and realized we would have to coat them in sugar to get the kids to eat them. hmmm I miss oranges....
-Apples are very expensive
Thankfully they know how to wash dishes and leave a clean kitchen.
My facts and knowledge on Ugandan food:
-It is very common to bite down on sand or dirt
-It is not uncommon to find ants in your food as Kampala is built on an ant hill.
-I have hardly eaten out because Ugandan food is very bland and I do not completely enjoy matoke
-Eggs are not refrigerated so fetus' are common, turning me completely off of eggs.
-The meat is very wild tasting which I do not like so I very rarely eat any.
-The milk is very strong so I do not drink it, not like I've ever drank milk anyways.
-I bought a massive wheel of gouda cheese for 6$...It tastes nothing like gouda but is at least palateable
In contrary to my ability to enhance an ingredients profile or strategically build flavor using technique and procedures, I can also fully appreciate the utter simplicity of a boiled potato. The simple life - my experience this past weekend. Two of my friends, Chris (from Brazil) and Nathaneol (from Indiana) and I joined a friend of ours, Joseph (the school driver), as he invited us to come visit his family in his village. We left Saturday morning at 7am and arrived by Matatu as it dropped us off on the side of the highway in which was literally the middle of nowhere. We walked miles down a long path and the sun scorched our pale, sensitive skin. sun screen? nope, can't remember everything when you pack last minute! We strolled into the village and a group of school kids greeted us with a welcoming song. It made me happy to see how well known and valuable Joseph was in his village while back in Kampala, at school, he was just the under appreciated bus driver. In his village he was one of the wealthier families and the pastor for the church. Once we arrived at his home, we met his family and relatives who all lived on the same lot. There were a total of 6 clay huts with straw roofs - a toilet, a "kitchen" (all the cooking is done outside but in this hut they boiled water and kept pots and coals), a storage (for nothing really..maybe some cotton that his dad cultivated and sold), one for his mom, dad and nieces, one for his nephew and sister and one for him, his wife and three kids. The huts were only big enough to fit a few beds. I slept with the two nieces on their bed with grandma and grandpa a few feet away. The roles are all very distinctive. The ladies cook, deliver our food, wash our hands in a basin, clear our dishes, wash the dishes, then begin cooking for the next meal. Shame on me for complaining about my cooking conditions in a kitchen with a gas stove, running water and utensils. Once we had lunch, Joseph showed us the school and the church they had begun to build Dec 29th. Each brick is hand made and the funds are lacking so I give him props for being so passionate about this large project. We wanted to help with the daily chores which included fetching water from the well and fire wood from the woods of course! I attempted to carry what was one of the smaller jugs of water on my head just as the ladies do (except with jugs twice the size of mine) but by the time we got back to our lot I was completely exhausted, and half the water had splashed out pouring down my face, shirt and pants. Deservingly, everyone laughed at me. I was just happy to feel refreshed and somewhat cleaner. I am always thoroughly impressed to see anyone carrying anything on their head - it isn't as easy as they make it look! The other day I saw a young boy carrying about 10 flats of eggs (so about 240 eggs) through the busy downtown streets. Wow! Next was the fire wood hunt. The aunt and kids took us far out into the depths of the woods telling us that on this hunt we would see baboons. We didn't see any baboons and instead ended up looking like a pack of them. We crouched and pushed through the deep woods, crawling on our bellies at times, leaving bundles of wood tide with vines to mark our path. We emerged from the woods covered in sticks, dirt, leaves and sweat and were once again laughed at by a crowd of villagers standing around a water well. With pride, the three of us carried our bundles of wood on our heads back to our home. I will post pictures of Josephs home, the family, some chapati making, our church experience and more. We were so well taken care of and our visit was so gratefully appreciated. The ladies laughed and talked almost constantly. I wondered what they were always talking about considering they live the same routine every day and have very little worry or stimulation compared to the city life. I figured it was probably about us mzungus. Sunday I was fortunate enough to attend the village church and partake in the service. In fact, Chris, Nathaneol and I all sat at the front, on a couch facing the crowd because we were such appreciated visitors. They even asked me to stand up and say a few words. No I didn't preach any Nietzsche to these Christians, I gratefully thanked them for being so kind and humbly inpacting my life. I recorded a long video I hope to share someday. Entirely, it was a really special experience very few will ever have.
Another busy week passed and no day is ever the same. My internal alarm or loud birds wake me every morning around 7, I walk about 15 mins to school, noticing along the street which family is providing the day's best avocados, tomatoes, cucumbers, jack fruit, mangoes, pineapples, which will most likely be dinner, and I am at school by 8. I usually make it home by 6 and cannot believe how fast a day goes. I have been coaching the under 11 girls soccer team twice a week with games saturday mornings. Tomorrow is our first and I am nervous because it is without a doubt going to be a savage beating. This is the first year for athletics at the school so there isn't much interest, meaning we take what we get and hope we have enough players so we don't have to forfeit. I am just happy to use my coaching skills again and play some futball! Friday's, I coach the kindergartens which usually ends in the girls wandering off while the boys run aimlessly around the field. It's impossible not to love the kids here - they are too cute! While walking down the street they will run up and quickly touch you, laugh hysterically and run off with pride. I've wandered into some really poor areas off the beaten road and seen some sad sights but the kids are always keen to smile, say hello and wave. In fact everyone here is so friendly they will ask you how you are doing before saying hello. The proper response is fine. Just passing someone on the street I've had people, out of habit, say fine without even making eye contact or any exchange of words.
I've also picked up another role in the community as a volunteer at a refugee home. I'm teaching cooking/english classes to about 25 students from all over northern Africa. They all come from horrific backgrounds and I feel it is the least I can do to give them hope in society. Today I made pita bread, guacamole and Salsa. They loved it! Believe it or not, they had never heard of these things. Again, reminds you that they come from very sad and deprived lives. I recently learned that I won't be making a wage at the school and therefore I am living off my travel funds. (Mom's jaw drops now!) Yes, I have been underpaid at every job I've attained and it is difficult not to be discouraged after I was told I would be receiving checks so I will have a discussion with the principle. He is after all, pleased with my dedicated hard work. This Canadian needs to eat too! If you're curious what the wages are like, my dishwasher makes 100$/month and my two others make 250$/month. The teachers make 400$. And to all my fellow D'youvies, french teachers are hot on the market in International Ugandan schools. I know you all have big hearts but it's fair to say this lifestyle isn't for everyone. Even I feel out of place sometimes when the worst word in the language, according to my associates, is crap! I enjoy the shock factor when I share some of my stories...
Dear Jayme, I am feeding the stray dogs any leftovers or spoiling food from the kitchen and know where the sick and helpless ones reside. Of course they are of the same breed as the ones in SE Asia! Tainted...
Dear Christly, you would be worshipped if you came here because of your name. Laugh it up, you'll never live it down...
Dear Lex, I wish you were in my cooking class. But it doesn't even compare to my cooking show in Pen. Still missing that one component...you know...before I say "and cook!"
Dear Pat, I have been asked to play guitar for Friday's Mass at the school. About 7 songs, alone. Where are you when I need you?
Dear Grandmaman, yesterday was a special day - you were prominent in my heart. I met a Ugandan guy who could relate so I hugged him and he cried hard. It made me realize that my role here is greater than I have yet discovered.
Dear Mom, send me ketchup! But FYI, packages take at least 2 months to receive. Also, I was reminded how I have you to thank for my name - the ever existing topic of conversation. In swahili it means tough and dangerous. So no need to worry about me...
Coba!
xoxox
K
ps I posted some new pictures
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