New Kids on The Block

One look at these guys and I immediately identified them as our good neighbors to the north:- height, skin tone... enough said. I could tell they were fresh as cucumbers.

The Train Ride

It happened again.
I stepped up to the train rails and as I waited a man came up to me and said "hello! Where are you from?" I'm thinking oh no! Not again! He was clearly an African - that comes with a certain familiarity that lowers my guard. I smiled and said "Uganda". I thought that was the end of it.

Butterflies in Fall

A Foreigner at Home

Intent on taking shots of Kamokya, I made my way to the roof top of Acacia Mall.

I asked one of the guards if I could take pictures and he politely agreed.
I went snap, snap, snap. Another angle, snap, snap, snap when I noticed from the corner of my eye 3 guards walking towards me.
Guard 1: excuse me madam, you are not allowed to take pictures here.
Me: But I just asked your colleague 
Guard 1: Yah! But it's not allowed
Me: why?
Guard 1: it's not allowed. For security reasons.
Me: Ok, may I go then?
Guard 2: but madam, it seems you are not from around here.
I told him I was visiting but that I came from Serere.
He was visibly delighted.Turned out he was from Kumi.
"God loves me. To find a sister like you, my heart summersaults in my chest. You make me so proud". You've got to hear that phrase in Ateso to grasp his excitement. At this point his hands were all over the place ... on my wrist, on my shoulder ... I had to step away.
But I digress. This is a semi aerial view of Kamwokya with Gapco petrol station at the bottom. Lots of new buildings have sprouted in the area.

Little Artist

On a busy Tuesday morning, on Kampala road pavement, she huddles. Dust rises as people walk to and fro, it settles onto her mats of art but she is not frazzled. She covers her head with a hood to shut the world out but leaves a small window to her soul. It is written on one of her mats "My name is Nansubuga. My mother and father past away and now I stay with a relative who doesn't have enough money to care for me. Please buy my pictures they are only shs 5000/-. Thank you very much".

Millie - A Woman of First's.

She is a trend setter. A lady of first’s; - First lead alto for the Watoto choir and the creative mind behind Gospel Dancers. Hers was the first wedding with a dance procession in church. The first married lady to dance on the Kampala Pentecostal Church stage and the first mother to return to the dance ministry. She was the first female worship leader at Kampala Pentecostal Church now Watoto church. 
She helped shape the church's perspective on music and dance and started a revolution that spread through several churches. “I want to church the un-churched” she would say, “to appeal to young people who think Christianity is boring”.

The Art of Being Human: D.C vs KLA or KLA vs D.C

"I'm convinced of this: Good done anywhere is good done everywhere. For a change, start by speaking to people rather than walking by them like they're stones that don't matter. As long as you're breathing, it's never too late to do some good". Maya Angelou

While in Kampala, I boarded a taxi destined for the city center. As I waited for it to fill I looked out the window and tried to piece my day together. I marked which routes to take and how long I would be there when I suddenly realized my neighbor had been trying to catch my attention. It turned out that what I imagined a humm in the background was the lady greeting me "Wasuzotya?" This had been her third attempt.
I responded with a huge smile to make up for her insistent efforts. 

In D.C people are plugged-in most of the time. Wires hung out of ears and huge headphones clasp either side of their heads - everyone is linked to another world. Other times the poignant silence says it all - personal space.
I can always tell my fellow "maalo" folks by the way they look around and into peoples eyes.

That evening I hoped into a taxi headed to Ntinda and the driver was singing. He played his music loud on the car radio as is the norm. Passengers are subject to the drivers choice of music or radio station. He sang along to the vernacular church hymns probably reminiscing about Sunday services in his local church. The only problem was he was off key - I can not stress that enough. The beautiful thing was the passengers were oblivious. A similar stint on the metro or on public transportation in D.C would cause a whole other reaction. 
Like the morning one man forgot to plug his earphones in all the way and so his music filled the train cart. One upset passenger walked up to him and expressed how neither he nor the rest of the travelers were interested. Never mind that it was on for less than a minute.

I guess it is these differences that make cultures and people unique. We all need the courage to live out Maya's statement - do good and notice people because we all matter. 

Coffee and Free Things

Where I come from tea and coffee are served hot. So hot the steam makes waves in the air. Yes, Uganda has 25C/80F degree temperatures but we like our chai hot.

I got a coupon in the mail for free ice coffee at Dunkin Donuts and I thought pssh! Why not? ...Free things.

I got in line for my first ice coffee. I know, four years in America and this was my first ice coffee :-). Like I said, free things - my undoing. 

I took 2 sips, stirred it a little perhaps the sweetness had settled at the bottom. The ice cubes clinked. I took another sip. The cup was getting sweaty and I had to get to work. I imagined running to work with a cup of coffee clenched in one hand - just like in the movies. I thought, let me get to office and tackle this beverage properly.

The day came to an end and the ice coffee - cubes melted - the cup a little fuller, sat forsaken next to my keyboard. I think I need more practice, this African girl still has a lot of village.

So much for free things.