Not SportCenter's Top 10

There are only 10 days left of my Student Teaching journey. Can you believe it?! I can’t! In honor of the final 10 days, I am going to do a countdown of the Top 10 Things I Have Enjoyed About Student Teaching in Uganda. There are DEFINITELY more than 10 things I have enjoyed, but I am going to try my best to narrow it down to 10.

10 – Ugandan Hospitality

Starting off our countdown is Ugandan Hospitality. From the day we arrived, anyone we have met or spoken to has been so incredibly welcoming. Each time we entered someone’s home or shop, we were always met with a “most welcome” from the host. Coming from a region of the United States that prides itself on its hospitality, receiving that same hospitality from the locals here in Uganda was so comforting.

9 – Craft Markets

I regularly hate shopping, but the craft markets here in Uganda were so cool! Each of the items were handmade by either the seller or someone he/she knows personally, so I loved hearing the stories of how things were made or just the stories of the people’s lives. I probably spent too much money at the markets, but I just want to be sure that friends and family back home know I was thinking of them while I was gone.

8 – Ugandan food

Rolexes will forever be one of my favorite foods. Incredibly cheap to buy, probably a little too greasy, and oh so filling, a rolex is a staple of every Ugandan’s diet, and Rolex Factories can be found on almost every street. We have been so fortunate to live RIGHT next to one! The man who works there is so nice to me (probably because he sees me ALL the time!), and I enjoy talking to him each time I go to by a rolex.

7 – Boda Bodas

I talked a bit about boda bodas in a previous blog post, but I did not convey my thankfulness for this method of transportation. I have saved so much time by riding boda bodas rather than walking, and I have met several really great drivers.

6 – Skype/FaceTime

Prior to this trip, I greatly underestimated the comfort and joy of seeing a loved one’s face and being able to talk to them. Something I took for granted before, I have been so incredibly blessed by the many people I have been able to see and talk to while abroad. From co-workers who persevered through an hour of an awful wifi connection to see and hear me, to my family, who took time out of their Sundays each week to catch me up on life, and all others in between, I have thoroughly enjoyed each moment and cannot wait to reunite with each of you.

5 – KISU Staff

The top 5 would not be complete without the people who have made this adjustment and experience so much better. From the security staff I see entering and exiting the school, to the teachers I spend much of my time with, each one has been so incredibly welcoming and understanding. Most of the teachers are from countries other than Uganda, so they understand what we went through when first arriving in the country. Also, they were Student Teachers once as well, so they were sympathetic towards our situation. From offering tips to counting down the days with us to graduation, they were such a valuable asset to this experience. To the local staff – the security and kitchen staff, although my time with them was not extensive, it was very nice. I was always met with a smile…it was also nice when the staff that served me lunch always gave me more food than others J

4 – Fellow Interns

The four people with whom I have lived this experience. First, my roommates – I do not know if it is possible to find three people who are more opposite than the 3 of us, but somehow, we have managed to live together for 3 months without killing each other. From spending hours watching American Horror Story, Modern Family, and Revenge, to stressing out over EdTPA and the other things we had to complete, I am thankful that I had those two to share this journey with. The two ISU girls – two people who have always been ready for adventure (and planned all of our excursions), there was never a dull moment when we were all together.

3 – Nature

Y’all, Uganda is BEAUTIFUL. If you do not believe me, just check out the pictures in my Facebook album or search #CAMpala2014 on Instagram. You will not be disappointed. Exploring the country, both in the city and out of it, I was never let down by the views. From the beauty of hiking around Fort Portal, to the sights of the city, one thing I will surely miss about Uganda is the sights it provides.

2 – My Mentor Teacher

I would not have survived this experience without the help of my mentor teacher. He has been teaching for several years, so he is super intelligent when it comes to both teaching methods and content. Constantly offering suggestions on how to better meet the needs of our students, I am so thankful for his guidance and direction, and I know I am a better teacher because of him.

1 – The Students

Such a teacher response, but the thing I have enjoyed most about this experience has been the students. Always full of life and energy, especially when I was not, the students always kept me on my toes. From the ones I saw only a few times to the ones I taught multiple times a week, I was always respected and obeyed, which is something I know I will not get in the States. The students at KISU are just really great students overall, and it has been such a joy getting to know and teach them. And although I was the teacher, I learned so much about myself and teaching from them (another “teacher line”).

From here, I would go into a list of the top 10 things I miss from back home, but after listing “family” and “friends,” the other 8 would be “Chick-Fil-A and Chipotle”.

Cam

Connect with me through Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram! Links provided!
- Facebook is more for general updates on how things are going (Cameron Yarbrough)
- Twitter is more thoughts about things I am experiencing (@TheGrandCameron)
- Instagram is for cool pictures and things! I am using the hashtag #CAMpala2014 on all of my pictures during this experience, so you can find my pictures that way as well! (@TheGrandCameron)

I Must Be Hilarious

You have heard of the saying “If you want to make God laugh, tell Him about your plans.” (If you haven't before now, you just did.) This quote is attributed to Woody Allen, but the idea of God disagreeing with our plans is not an original thought by Allen. Proverbs 16:9 says “A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.” (NKJV)

Today, I attended a college fair as a chaperone. The Guidance Counselor thought it would be a good idea for us interns to chaperone since we are still in university (for one more month!) and could provide some insight to the students as they spoke to representatives from the various schools. I teach/observe one senior class, and there is one student in that class. Because there is only 1 student, I have been able to talk with and get to know him more than other students. This particular student was on the trip, so I mostly walked around with him and his girlfriend. Knowing what they both were interested in, I helped them find schools that offered their majors. My student has had his heart set on two schools for some time now, but neither of them was at the college fair, and he was unwilling to consider any of these new schools. I urged him to talk with representatives and get information about their schools because he needed to have options, just in case. Reluctantly, he agreed.

As I was talking to him, I was taken back to my senior year, when I told my guidance counselor that “I don’t need backups; I’m going to UGA.” As I have done so many times since starting at Kennesaw, I laughed at my ridiculousness, just the way my counselor did when I told her, and just how God did when I told Him. I believe, however, that I can only laugh at myself now because hindsight is 20/20. When you are 17 or 18 and getting ready to graduate and turn the page on the next chapter of your life, you want to have everything planned out, down to the last detail. My student does, and I definitely did. Deciding what college to attend and what to major in are important decisions, so it is too common for us to want to take matters into our own hands.

Jeremiah 29:11 is one of “those” versus: the ones everyone knows and the repetition of said verses can often cause us to overlook the importance of them. “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord.” I could just stop right there. Our plans are KNOWN by the Lord. The Creator of the universe KNOWS the plans He has for you. Really grasping the weight of that sentence should overwhelm us with incredible peace about our futures. Also, the use of the word “declare” is something to note. While some translations use “said,” the word translates the same. From the Greek “nĕ'um,” the word means “utterance; declaration.” To me, those words are backed by confidence and strength. Not only does the Lord KNOW our plans, but He can confidently say that; there is not wavering back and forth on whether or not He knows them. The rest of the verse goes on to say just what kind of plans He has in store for us. “…thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (NKJV) This is further assurance that we are in good hands.

You would think that after seeing how God has worked in my life the past 4 years, proving time and time again that He knew best, that I would be able to say with confidence that my future is not something I want to plan on my own. Wrong. I had my own plans regarding how I was going to finish school, but God showed up BIG in the way that He directed my steps, and you can read about that here.

As my time in Uganda is coming to an end (19 more days!), I am coming up on another milestone: graduating college. Again, I am laughing at myself. Before I even boarded the plane in Atlanta, I had plans about what I was going to do when I got back. I was so planned out, in fact, that I was so close to passing up a great opportunity because it was not what I wanted for myself. However, I have wiped my drawing board clean and am giving God the pen, something He should have had the whole time.

I say all of this to say that, while I have no idea what the future holds, I know that since God planned it, just as He has planned out every other detail of my life, I will not be led in the wrong direction.

Outdoor Education Week!

Yes, friends, you read the title right. As part of the curriculum at KISU, students have an outdoor component of their education. For one week, Monday-Friday, students, separated by grades, take a trip to some location in Uganda to complete the outdoor component of their education.

I accompanied the Year 11 students on their trip – Camping and Hiking/Walking in Fort Portal. [If you’re wondering, the Fort Portal trip in my last blog post happened the weekend before Outdoor Education Week.] The educational portion of this trip requires the students to use a compass and a map to hike/walk 40-45kms over the course of the week, all the while carrying all clothes, food, food prep supplies, and any tents/sleeping bags they would need. To make this easier for the students, they were placed into groups for sleeping and cooking, so not 1 student had to carry ALL of their food for the week or a tent, sleeping bag, and pillow. A few weeks before the trip, the students mapped out their route so they would know where to go and know that they met the length requirement.

Personally, I was very excited for the trip. We had been walking to and from everywhere in Kampala for the last month and a half, so I was accustomed to walking a lot in the hot sun, carrying different things. Not too bad. I was also excited to get to actually camp out in Uganda. Plus, I was told by the trip leader that the teachers (there were 5 of us on the trip) did not have to carry anything during the day if we did not want to, and we would not have to prepare any of our meals, the campsites we stayed at each night would do that for us, dinner, and breakfast and lunch for the next day. All I had to do was chaperone and make sure the students were safe and protected. Easy enough, right?

I learned day 1 that I was not the best at setting up a tent. Two of the students walked by my tent and laughed, so there’s that. However, they also helped me fix it, and they also taught me how to best set up the tent, so I was good for the rest of the week.

As far as the walking was concerned, it really was not bad. Sure, it was very hot, but I had plenty of water. I had also loaded up on energizing snacks to keep me going throughout the day.

We left each campsite around 8am, and walked until about 2:30-3:00, depending on when we reached the next campsite. Along the way, we saw so many gorgeous views of the countryside as well as some smaller towns and villages. It was such a great experience to see parts of Uganda that I know I would have never seen otherwise.

The trip also gave me the opportunity to bond with some of the students in a different way. From the time we reached each campsite, until about 9:00pm, the students had free time. We spent much of that free time playing Mafia, which the students loved…for a while. On the last night, when the kids were all tired of Mafia, I introduced Signs, a game I learned a few years back on an RA retreat. The students LOVED it. We ended up staying up about an hour after they were supposed to be in bed because we were having such a great time playing it. I loved playing Signs with my fellow RAs years ago, so it was so cool to introduce it to a new group of people who really enjoyed it. The students picked up the game really quickly, too!

All in all, despite being tired all week, I think that everyone had a great time and really enjoyed the trip. One of the students asked me if schools in the States had OEW. Sadly, I had to tell them that no, this did not exist in the States. I hate that, and I so badly wish I would have had the opportunity to do something like this when I was in school. I think it would have greatly enhanced my already awesome high school experience.

The map. Pink was Day 1, Yellow Day 2, and Blue Day 3.

I am just about caught up on my posts, but be checking back in a few days for more!

Cam

Connect with me through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Skype! Links provided!

- Facebook is more for general updates on how things are going (Cameron Yarbrough)

- Twitter is more thoughts about things I am experiencing (@TheGrandCameron)

- Instagram is for cool pictures and things! I am using the hashtag #CAMpala2014 on all of my pictures during this experience, so you can find my pictures that way as well! (@TheGrandCameron)

- Skype me! cameron_yarbrough

Weekend Adventures: Fort Portal

After a few weeks of full-time teaching, we all decided that it was time for some fun! We have an incredible friend here in Uganda who plans trips for groups like us, so we contacted her and asked her to plan an adventure to Fort Portal for us (we had all been told by several people that Fort Portal was a city we HAD to visit while we were in Uganda). She quickly put together a trip that we all found very rewarding and adventurous.

Our trip began early Friday evening. The two KSU students on the other side of the city picked us up in a Matatu [LINK HERE] around 6pm and we were off! Fort Portal is about a 4-hour drive from Kampala, so we arrived in Fort Portal a little after 10pm. I was really excited when we arrived to our lodging for the weekend. We stayed at Y.E.S. Hostel, and the acronym stands for Youth Encouragement Services. We had the opportunity to meet with the ‘Youth,’ but more on that a little later on. Because we got to Fort Portal so late, we did not do any sightseeing or exploring of the city. We stayed at the hostel, took advantage of the wifi, and went to sleep.

Saturday started super early. However, after getting up before 6 every weekday for the past month, we were all used to it. I took a quick shower (yes, hot water does exist in Africa) and we were on the Matatu by 7:00, ready for the day’s adventure. Before heading to our first stop, we stopped in the city for breakfast. When we pulled up to a row of several shops as well as people manning roadside stands, we were confused. Where was the breakfast restaurant we were supposed to eat at? Silly Americans! As it turns out, the roadside stands were the “restaurants” we were going to eat at! Now, I know what you’re thinking! “How unsanitary!” Trust me; I had always had the same reservations about eating food from a roadside stand. However, the food was amazing! We had rolexes, which are rolled chapati (a form of tortilla) with eggs and onions inside. SO GOOD. [Now, we look for rolex stations all over town and stop whenever we find one.] We ate on the road so we would not lose too much time in our day.

Our first stop was to a Pigmy village, home to the Batwa Pigmy’s. These people had previously lived in the forest that is now part of the Semuliki National Park, surviving off of plants and animals. However, when the government came in and declared the forest a national park, they forced the Batwa’s off of the land and into a village of sorts (sound familiar to anything in American history?). Not used to this lifestyle, the Batwa people suffered greatly. It has only been recently that they have been able to successfully live the “civilized” lifestyle. In addition, they have started to marry people outside of their village, so their heritage is being lost through this blending of cultures. While we were visiting this village, we had the cool opportunity to meet the King and Queen of the Batwa people. They were both SO nice to us and even showed us around their mud home. They have 4 kids, three girls and one boy. As normal royal tradition would have it, the boy, who also happens to be the youngest, will be the next Batwa king. [I can just imagine him singing “I Just Can’t Wait to Be King” as he runs through the village.] The Batwa people then performed their traditional dance for us, and some of us jumped in once we got the moves down!

After leaving the village, it was time to go to the park! We were set to go to the two hot springs in the park, which we were told would take us about an hour and a half to visit both and get back to the entrance. I wore my Chaco’s, and the tour guide told me that I needed close-toed shoes, so I had to rent shin-high rain boots from them. As stylish as you may think those sound (picture below), they were more uncomfortable than anything, and actually gave me a blister. They worked, though, because the paths were VERY muddy, and several of the girls now have shoes so muddy they are almost unwearable again. Lucky me! After a short hike through the forest, we arrived at the Male Hot Spring. [The difference in the male and female hot springs has to do with the celebratory rituals the people used to do – males and females did not celebrate together.] I feel as if this is completely unnecessary to say, but it was hot. [Thank you, Captain Obvious!] After taking all kinds of pictures, we cleared out and headed towards the female hot spring. The hot springs were very similar, but the female hot spring was in a clearer, more open area. By this time, it was time for lunch! We actually cooked our lunch – matoke (banana-shaped potatoes), Irish potatoes (the potatoes you’re used to), eggs, and veggies – in the hot spring! It was a really cool experience!

After our lunch, we headed back towards the city for our next stop. Here is where the “Youth” come in! We learned that all of the proceeds from the hostel go to fund an orphanage for kids who are HIV positive and have been abandoned by their families, so we visited the orphanage! Visiting was terribly bittersweet, as orphanages often can be. Knowing the kids are not only HIV positive but also were abandoned by their families was so heartbreaking, but it was so refreshing to see them all so full of joy. The lady who runs both the hostel and orphanage is a Christian, so the children are taught the Bible, which I loved. We stayed at the orphanage for about 2 hours, and during that time, the kids all played several songs for us on various musical instruments – they are all so musically talented – and even invited us to play with them! We had such a great time with the kids and were sad to leave.

Sunday also began early. Another quick breakfast of rolexes from the road and we were off to the Ambere Caves and Crater Lakes. The hike to the caves was a short one, and it ended with a waterfall! We saw so many cool features of caves and got to get into the water. It. Was. SO. COLD! However, it was so refreshing. After the caves and waterfall, we headed to the Crater Lakes. The hike was gruesome, but we made it, and the views from the top of the craters made the hike worth it! Uganda is home to some of the most beautiful views I have ever seen.

We ended our Fort Portal adventures by doing some souvenir shopping. Wanting to save money, I had not bought any souvenirs for family and friends yet. However, these prices were too good to pass up. Things were much cheaper here than in Kampala (although they are still cheap in there), so I had to buy whatever I thought people would like. I hope I did a good job!

I have done SO much since this weekend adventure (which was back in September), so be looking back often for more posts!

Cam

Connect with me through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Skype! Links provided!

- Facebook is more for general updates on how things are going (Cameron Yarbrough)

- Twitter is more thoughts about things I am experiencing (@TheGrandCameron)

- Instagram is for cool pictures and things! I am using the hashtag #CAMpala2014 on all of my pictures during this experience, so you can find my pictures that way as well! (@TheGrandCameron)

- Skype me! cameron_yarbrough

43,829 Minutes

About 9 months ago, I sang “Spirit, lead me where my trust is without borders” at Echo in Kennesaw, Georgia. Many of you will recognize that line as one from the Hillsong song “Oceans.” (LINK to song). I should have known better than to ask such a grand request from The Lord, but I had no idea what He had in store for me. In case you are wondering, it was Uganda. But I must say that 1 month later, He did NOT disappoint…not that in my wildest dream did I ever think He would!

We have been here in Kampala for 1 month (to the day!), and what an adventure it has been! I had no idea that God would take me 8,000 miles away from my comfort zone to show me what truly relying on Him would look like, but He did! If there is one thing I have learned in the past month, it is that true reliance on God is humanly terrifying, because it means completely letting go of everything, and trusting Him with it all. However, as humanly terrifying as it may be, nothing is more rewarding. Allowing God to work in and through you is one of the most satisfying things we can experience as humans, because we are fulfilling God’s purpose for our lives. We still have 2 and a half more months here in Kampala, and I cannot wait for what God has in store!

I say that we have experienced “a lot” while here, and I mean that! I have tried my best to keep you all updated on what is going on, but it is difficult to share everything with you all. One of the most exciting things (for me, anyway) is that I have started teaching! For the first three and a half weeks at KISU, my colleagues and I were simply observing different teachers throughout the school and helping out where we could/were asked to. However, I took over two classes this week, and will be teaching those for the next 8 weeks! One class is a Year 9 (equivalent to 8^th grade) History class. There are 10 students, 3 of those being English as an Additional Language students (EAL). To put it simply, English is not their first language, but I also work in their Language Support class twice a week, so more on them later! The Year 9 curriculum works through various themes in history. The unit that I just started is “Conflict,” and we will be looking at conflict from Great Britain’s perspective – specifically World Wars I and II. The next unit is “Power,” and we will be doing case studies on Adolph Hitler and Joseph Stalin. My other class, Diploma Program 1 (11^th grade), is going through a book titled Russian Communism Under Lenin and Stalin. My first thought when my Mentor Teacher told me was “WHAT.” I had NO prior knowledge of Russian History, and suddenly I was going to TEACH it? Let me just say that Friday’s lesson was…interesting. I taught on the Russian Civil War (1918-1920), and I was not as prepared as I thought! My 2 (yes, I only have 2 students in that class) students told me it went well, though, so I will take their word for it! I will be sure to keep you updated as the term progresses.

Some of my favorite lessons each week are with my Learning Support students. I work with 3 Year 9 boys, 2 Chinese and 1 Angolan who speaks Portuguese. They are learning English well, they just all learn at different paces. I have worked with them since Day 1, so I have gotten to know them very well. They have been so quick to speak to me (the best they can) in the halls and at lunch, even when the other students still had no idea who my colleagues or I were. The 3 boys are so funny and nice, and working with them is such a day-brightener. Even when I am getting on to them for not working as hard as the teacher and I know they can, they still smile! I am so excited to see how far these boys have progressed when December comes!

It has taken a month, but I have reached the point of adjustment where I am comfortable. Walking everywhere is normal to me, and riding in a car seems strange. I have learned to live with schillings, and seldom do I now ask myself, “How much is that in dollars?” I am used to having to either fill up my water bottles everywhere or buying water (yes, paying for water) anywhere we go out. I have even gotten used to being at least warm at all times. [In the entire month we have been here, not once have I felt cold, and we are nearing the end of the cold months. I would hate to experience the hot months!]

As I close out this post, I will leave you with some moments.

Funny Moment: This week, I was working with a Year 11 (10^th grade) girl from South Africa. We were talking about universities in the States, and I asked her if she was considering going to one. Her response made me laugh: she said “no” because she was scared of America based on what she saw on TV. I asked her what she had seen, and she said Kim Kardashian and some show about teenagers in Beverly Hills. I had to quickly explain that most people in the States cannot stand the Kardashians (although people just love keeping up with them!), and that university was nothing like the shows and movies! I then explained misconceptions that people have about Africa, and when we talked through those, she was laughing because she knew they were not true, just as I knew her misconceptions were not true. [Side note: the majority of ideas Americans have about Africa are probably false.]

Scary moment: I GOT HIT BY A CAR WHILE WALKING TO SCHOOL. Yes, you read that right! Saba and I were walking on the side of the road, with me closer to traffic. We were on a hilly side road that is usually heavily trafficked with walkers, so cars will normally drive slowly. NOT THIS CAR. We were walking like any other day, and out of nowhere, I feel something hit the back of my elbow very hard, and saw a blue van drive by. Saba thought my arm was going to be dislocated, but I was fine except for some swelling. The van, however, now has a dented side mirror with the mirror part cracked in several places. The van did not stop, so I have no idea who was driving, or how angry they were. [Many of you might be asking “why were you walking with traffic as opposed to against it?” Our school is on that side, and crossing the road can be tricky, so we try to cut the tricks wherever we can. It had not been a problem any of the previous days!] This happened yesterday morning, and I am more than OK now. No permanent (or temporary) damage! Still scary, though! However, I do tend to pull my arm in closer to my side when I hear a car coming by while I am walking with traffic on the side of the road.

As always, I want to connect with my readers. How has your month been? What are some conceptions you have about Africa? Let’s chat!

Cam

Connect with me through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Skype! Links provided!

- Facebook is more for general updates on how things are going (Cameron Yarbrough)

- Twitter is more thoughts about things I am experiencing (@TheGrandCameron)

- Instagram is for cool pictures and things! I am using the hashtag #CAMpala2014 on all of my pictures during this experience, so you can find my pictures that way as well! (@TheGrandCameron)

- Skype me! cameron_yarbrough

That's What I Love About Sundays

The Lord is alive and working in Kampala!

I visited a Ugandan church today here in Kampala. The Food Technology teacher at KISU attends Watoto Church in the heart of the city, and one day last week, he invited us to go with him. He said they have six (WHAT) services at their main campus, Central Campus, and he normally goes on Saturday nights. The three of us were busy for most of the day yesterday, so we were unable to go with him. However, he said he would go to the 3:00 service today if we were still interested in going.

This morning, the three of us were all awake by 9am. After breakfast and some school work, we took off for the mall so the girls could get some fresh bread from a café there...and so we could enjoy one of the few places in the city with free wifi.

Around 2:30, we get a call from Martin, the Food Tech teacher, saying he is on the way. After some miscommunication with directions, he picks us up about 3:00, and we head to Watoto. Coming in late, we had to sit in the balcony. When we walked in, it felt so much like being back at my home church, North Metro Church. The auditorium was so alive with people filled with the Spirit! The worship was very contemporary, and you could tell that the Lord was very present in the service. It reminded me so much of back home that I felt like part of the congregation at once.

Watoto was such a great reminder of why I am here in Uganda, and it felt very refreshing to worship with other believers. Having not been with my NMC family for almost two months, I was greatly missing Christian community. Whether it is with Martin or not, I think Watoto is definitely somewhere I will be visiting again.

We left the church around 5:00, and Martin asked if it was okay that we stopped by his mom and dad’s house for a bit. We did not have anything planned for the evening, so we did not mind. He said that he had dropped his 5-year old daughter there earlier that morning with the rest of his family, so he wanted to go by and pick her up. When we walked into the house, there were so many people. We met his mom, Rose, who was very nice to us and at once handed us cups and pointed us in the direction of the ice and juice [this was the first time I have had ice while in Uganda]. The juice was a homemade blend of several different fruits, and it was so delicious. A younger lady, one of Martin’s sisters, I believe, brought us plates and forks and asked if we had had lunch. All of the food they were putting away from lunch was immediately reheated and brought back out to us. We had meatballs, potatoes, chapatti (link), chicken, and pinto beans. It was all SO good, and there seemed to be an endless supply of food. While we were eating, kids of all ages kept running through the dining/living room, so we asked Rose who they all were. She said they were grandkids, and there were always a lot of people over on Sundays. Each person we met was so nice to us, and was interested in who we were and why we were in Uganda. While talking to one of the little girls, Sophie, Martin brought out pizza that he had just made from scratch. I felt so full from the other food, but I knew Martin was a good cook, so I just HAD to try some of the pizza. The pizza was covered with chicken, mushrooms, tomatoes, and cheese, and both slices I had were so good! I told Martin I would be coming by Food Tech a lot more often during my planning periods! We left Rose's house so full of food and feeling very good about how we spent our afternoon/evening!

Days full of Jesus, family, and food are what I miss so much from back home, so it was so nice of Martin to invite us not only to church, but also to his house. Rose and the family told us to come by whenever, that we were always welcome. I am sure this Sunday routine will be one we try our best to keep up!

Cameron

Did you go to church this morning? How was it? Let's chat in the comments!

Connect with me though Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram! Links provided!

- Facebook is more for general updates on how things are going (Cameron Yarbrough)

- Twitter is more thoughts about things I am experiencing (@TheGrandCameron)

- Instagram is for cool pictures and things! I am using the hashtag #CAMpala2014 on all of my pictures during this experience, so you can find my pictures that way as well! (@TheGrandCameron)

- Skype me! cameron_yarbrough

Kampala, Uganda

 As I am going on and on about trying my best to connect you to my life here in Uganda, I have realized one important thing: You have no idea what Kampala is like! In my last post, I showed you a view from Google maps the path we take to and from school each day, but that does nothing to show you what my eyes see each morning and afternoon…which is a lot!

Kampala is just like any other city you have been to. There are roads, buildings – shopping centers, grocery stores, restaurants, furniture stores, etc. – and people. However, on the opposite side of the same coin, Kampala is nothing like any city you have ever been to. The roads are…somewhat paved. Rarely will you see a stoplight, and don’t ask if stop signs exist (they don’t). Pedestrians do NOT have the right-of-way (trust me, we know this all too well), and there might be 20 yards of sidewalk in the entire city.

The corner of our street and the main road, where we pick up the Matatu each morning.

This is our street! Most of it is paved, but this part is not.

Do not be fooled; this is not a side walk but rather a sewage drain covering. The wall is the outside wall of Kabira Country Club.

Despite all of these seemingly negative attributes of the city, Kampala is beautiful. Anywhere you can find an open field, you will almost always find people of all ages playing soccer football. [We had the amazing opportunity to play football with a group of boys last Thursday. It was an experience I will never forget and hope I get to have again while I am here.] While there may be people lining both sides of the street, walking to wherever, they are some of the nicest people I have ever come in contact with. The young children may call me ‘Mzungu’ from time to time, but they are all smiles and giggles when they do, and they LOVE to shake my hand and give me a hug and high fives.

Ugandans playing football.

The same field, just a few hours later. I thought this captured a very good view of Kampala.

 

Us playing football with the Ugandan boys!

Kampala offers 4 distinct types of transportation, each with its own pros and cons as well as price range.

1. Walking – Walking is one of the most common forms of transportation in Kampala. People walk to and from work, the grocery store, school, etc. Whenever my colleagues and I walk somewhere, no matter the time of day, we are never alone on the sides of the roads. The pros to walking are that it is free and you get great exercise. The cons are that it takes the longest of the 4 modes of transportation, and if you are walking any at time of day when the sun is out, you will sweat. 
2. Matatu – Matatus are like a combination of U.S taxis and buses. A Matatu is a 15-passenger van that, like a bus, goes from stage (stop) to stage, picking people up wherever they are, even if they are not at a stage, like a taxi. Any given time you hop on a Matatu, you will most likely be riding with up to 20 other passengers. Drivers, and their assistants (the guys who tell them when to stop and the people you pay), will pack their Matatus FULL of people. The pros are that rides are very cheap (500 shillings, which translates to 20 cents) and they are very common, so it is easy to get a ride. The cons are traffic – if there are a lot of cars on the road, you could be sitting for a little while, and you could be let off at the wrong stage due to a miscommunication error (this has happened too many times). Another con is that a Matatu will only take you from stage to stage, so you may still have to walk a distance to your destination.
   
   

   

   This is what a Matatu looks like
3. Boda Bodas – Boda Bodas, bodas, for short, are my personal favorite of this list. A boda is a motorcycle, to put it simply. The driver has room for 1-5 other people (yes, we have seen 5 people on the back before) on the back of his boda, and he will take you wherever you want to go. The pros to this are that the driver will weave in and out of traffic to cut down on travel time, and he will drop you off right at your door…or gate (every plot of land is walled and gated in Kampala). The cons are that they are not super safe. The driver rarely has an extra helmet, and he will weave RIGHT NEXT TO CARS to avoid waiting in traffic. Also, they are a little more expensive than Matatus, but you can negotiate the price. This is definitely the most fun mode of transportation in Kampala.

   

   And here is a Boda Boda

4. Private hire – Private hires are people who own cars and drive people around all day. If you are traveling long distances, or you have a group of people, private hires are the way to go. They are super flexible, and if you call them with enough time, they can pick you up whenever you need them to, and will even wait for you if you need to make several stops (for an added fee, of course). Pros to Private Hires are convenience – it is just like getting a ride from a friend. Also, they will give you their number so you can call them whenever you need to. Just give them enough notice. Cons are that they are the most expensive, by far. However, a way to cheat the system is to travel with a group. PH’s charge by distance, so 1 person or 5 people traveling the same distance pay the same total amount. Going with a group greatly cuts down costs for PH’s.

Each of my colleagues and I have a good deal of experience with each mode of transportation. When talking prices with boda drivers or PH’s, we are often given a higher rate because we are from the States, but we have learned to negotiate with them like locals to get a far price.

Until next time!

Cam

How are YOU? We are experiencing SO much here in Uganda, but I still want to stay connected with friends and family back home! Anything I can be praying for? Let's talk!

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