The 21 Best Things About Living in Uganda
In the spirit of the Thanksgiving holiday, I've put together a list of my favorite things about living in Uganda. Sure, life abroad brings its own frustrations, but Uganda offers a few unique perks that you just can't get back home. See what I mean:
1. The natural beauty - from stunning game parks teeming with wild animals to waterfalls, crater lakes, and green rolling hills, there is a reason Uganda was named the top tourist destination by Lonely Planet in 2012. After 4 years, I still have unticked destinations on my Uganda bucket list!
2. You can fill your home with handcrafted decor at a great price - I just love searching the markets for something unique for my home. It always feels like a scavenger hunt and you never know what goodies you may find. I also have to hold myself back whenever I go into Banana Boat so I don't buy the whole store.
3. Kampala's restaurant scene is hard to beat - There are so many good restaurants with great atmospheres and open-air spaces, all for a fraction of the price you would pay for the same quality at home. Choose between Indian, Italian, Persian, Lebanese, Ethiopian, Eritrean, Turkish, French, Greek, West African, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and many more. All because of Uganda's...
4. Diversity - Uganda is the most ethnically diverse country in the world. Not only are there expatriates from all around the globe, but Uganda itself has more than 40 ethnic groups. This means there's opportunity to learn different languages, visit many different places of worship, and just meet all kinds of lovely people.
5. You never have to buy a new pair of shoes - There are cobblers in the street, all fine craftsmen awaiting your business, who will repair your shoddy shoes for next to nothing. Friendly tip: those signs reading "cobra" are the guys you're looking for.
6. The purest honey and most natural peanut butter - It's so cute when you see your friends back home paying out the wazoo at fancy foods stores for natural peanut butter and unrefined honey. Those dukkas on the street or that guy pushing a bicycle with a box on the back will sell you the real stuff, locally made and totally unrefined.
7. The randomness and laughs it brings - I've seen naked men in the middle of the road, a street preacher with an umbrella hat, and a child walking down the street in a lion costume, not to mention the ridiculously huge loads on bodas, crazy sayings on the back of matatus, misspellings on signs, and t-shirts with messages the wearer just doesn't understand. There's always some comic relief around the next corner!
I wonder how fried emirates taste?
Who wants to see the New Years' firewax?
8. The climate - I come from a farming family, so they often ask me about the weather, but I give the same answer each time - it's warm, beautiful, and sunny. That is, until the...
9. Rain - There really is just something about those rains down in Africa. The rainstorms pull you into cuddle mode and you don't have to resist it because it's absolutely socially acceptable to stay at home until the rain stops.
10. You can design your own wardrobe with clothes that fit you perfectly, all while feeling good about supporting a local tailor - Browse Pinterest for inspiration, buy your own fabric, and you can have exactly what you want by working with one of Uganda's many fashion designers and tailors.
11. The mix of traditional culture and modernity - Get a feel for traditional Uganda by visiting one of the many different cultural sites, driving deep into a village, or visiting one of the many tribes still living life according to their traditional heritage - like the Karamajong, the Ik, and the Batwa, to name a few. But when you want your fill of modern art and music or you just want to visit a fancy mall, Kampala has all you need.
An Ik woman, smoking a pipe
Acacia Mall
12. Pirated movies/TV shows - A whole season of your favorite show for less than $2? Um...ok.
13. Boda bodas - Sure, many of us lament the presence of bodas on the road and how irresponsible they can be sometimes, but you have to confess they are quite convenient. I've found myself in many cities at home, wanting to flag down a motorcycle and hop on the back to quickly take me to my destination. And when you get a favored driver, it's like having a clone when he can run your errands for you!
14. Tropical fruits - pineapples, avocados, and mangoes - oh my!
15. You get to be your own pharmacist - You get malaria back home and you're stuck in a hospital for days while the doctors freak out and eventually stick you with a bill of thousands of dollars. When in Uganda, self-diagnosis is a beautiful thing and your wallet hardly felt that malaria treatment purchased at the pharmacy around the corner. While you're there, pick up some sleeping pills, inhalers, and other goodies you'd give an arm and a leg for at home.
16. It's a birder's paradise - With over 1,000 species of birds in Uganda, even those who don't know a stork from a sunbird will appreciate the stunning colors flitting all around them.
17. It's so easy to grow things - Whether you love house plants, landscaping with flowers and tropical plants, or having a vegetable or herb garden, you have so many options in Uganda and it doesn't take much effort. If I can grow things, anyone can!
18. You can afford to hire help - Provide a good job for someone and get help in your garden, your home, or with your kids. It's win-win!
19. Handcrafted furniture made exactly how you want it - Work with a local carpenter to have your house furniture made and you can get beautiful results with some of Uganda's finest wood. Just make sure your carpenter is using dry wood!
20. Natural skin care products - Shea butter is your skin's best friend and it's made right here in northern Uganda. Use a natural loofah in the shower and a pumice stone for your calloused feet and soon you'll feel like you had a day at the spa.
21. Ugandans - It won't take long for you to feel welcome in Uganda - you'll literally be greeted everywhere you go with a sincere "You are welcome." If you frequent the same grocery store or restaurants regularly, you'll likely be remembered and soon you'll be whistling the Cheers theme song as you walk down the street: Where everybody knows your name...and they're always glad you came...
What is this list missing? If you live in Uganda, what are your favorite things?
An Afternoon at St. Monica's Convent
I hadn't been to Gulu in 2 years, so I stopped on my way back from our school in South Sudan to spend some time with friends here and to enjoy the relaxing small town, a welcome respite from the harshness and traffic of Kampala.
I was finally able to visit Sister Rosemary at St. Monica's convent and school. I was lucky to catch her here in between her demanding travel schedule. St. Monica's was an absolutely lovely place, with a welcoming spirit felt immediately upon arrival. There were so many picturesque nooks and crannies to appreciate, so I couldn't help but capture its quaintness after having tea and a catch-up with Sister Rosemary.
Images of Jordan
One year ago today, I was overlooking the Dead Sea from the shores of Jordan, preparing to return to my life in Uganda after a month away.
Although I came to Jordan with no agenda, so much happened in that month: I deepened some treasured relationships and navigated other difficult ones. I gained perspective on transitions happening in my own life, and I wrestled with how to be a white, Western woman in another new culture. I tried my best to learn about the region's political and cultural dynamics, and I saw a bit more of the beauty that part of the world has to offer.
While I look back and honor all the lessons learned and continue to put my experiences into perspective, allow me to tempt you into making your own trip to this marvelous country with a collection of photos I took during my two trips in 2011 and 2013.
Enjoy.
Wadi Rum
A swimmer floating in the Dead Sea
A rug weaver
The treasury at Petra
Amman
Atop the hills of Petra.
Handwoven rugs
A shepherd and his flock
The Roman coliseum in Amman
camels in the desert
Olive grove
Wadi Rum
The ancient city of Jerash
Aqaba
Village of Dana
Tea in the desert
Tea with the Bedouins in Wadi Rum
The Red Sea at Aqaba
The Dead Sea
A boy and his horse
The Peaceful Sunday That Wasn't
My Sunday started off peacefully. Our good friend, Tyler, came over in the morning and we had our usual Sunday breakfast and a chat together. When he left, I dreamed of all I'd do with the rest of my day - I wanted to buy some plants for my yard and plant them with help from my dogs. I wanted to go to the pool for a swim and finish a book and maybe do a meditation. All the while, I would take pictures of this peacefulness, I thought, and post them on my blog and have people think I'm such a peaceful person.
I had a good start:
When Tyler left, I promptly started my peaceful Sunday, camera-in-tow, and headed off to buy some plants. I came back with those plants, but the purchasing of them was a not a simple process. Soon, the annoyance of the purchasing process led to me being angry at the state of our landscaping, which led to the spilling out of frustrations about living cross-culturally, which led to thoughts of where my life was going, which led to questioning my worth.
So my dreamed-of peaceful Sunday turned into one of those days when I found myself on a couch, releasing my stream of consciousness onto Eric, surrounded by snotty wads of tissue, none of which I photographed.
But it didn't end there. All of this eventually led to a voicing of dreams I had never really let myself acknowledge. I realized that as I have continued to pursue my own creativity and what brings me joy, I have started dreaming of a new path for myself, one that leads to a possibly smaller, but deeper life, one that nurtures a deeper kind of peace within me rather than one that is technically "doing good," but fuels my righteous anger. Giving voice to these thoughts was really scary because it could mean a renewal of my outward identity, possible failure, and facing lots of unknowns.
I eventually pulled myself together enough to grab Ethiopian food with my friend, Amber, and after that, I came home and watched a movie. I didn't go to the pool or meditate. I never worked in my yard with the dogs and I didn't finish a book.
But that night, I wrote this in my journal: "Isn't it funny how facing your dreams and facing your fears go hand-in-hand?"
Purchased, but unplanted plants
P.S. Today I read this article, which is not only beautiful, but so timely in accordance with my Peaceful Sunday that Wasn't:
There Is No Honest Rest: All The Things I Would Rather Be Than Good