Peace Out, UG

July 23, 2011


Goodbye, Uganda.

Goodbye, old friends.


Host Mom from 2006



Brother Kyemwe



All my brothers





Kasujja





The whole fam!


Goodbye, new friends.

Me and Stella

Katie and Becky

 

sisters!



Katie's whole fam



Stella and Becky

Goodbye, it's been great. Like really great.


And always remember...



Vodka, You Saved Me

July 20, 2011


As everyone knows, if a 14 year-old child can dive off a 30 foot tree, you have to do it as well.


At least that was my rationale.

Our hotel at Lake Bunyonyi created a terrifying high jump off a tree into the lake.  Mind you that it was set in such a way that you would land 4 feet from the shoreline and 2 feet from some bushes.


After watching our Belgian friends fling themselves off the tree - while screaming bloody murder all the way down - Katie and I had to throw Team America into the games.

We jumped!  Both of us.  Although I had to stand on top of the tree and convince myself that this was a good decision for about 15 minutes.

Turns out - it was not a good idea after all.

I ruptured my ear drum!  :(

After about two hours of extreme pain, I knew that we needed to start taking some action to get me help.


Me: "Katie, it's been two hours and I am still experiencing blinding pain in my left ear.  I've tried everything. I am about to start screaming."
Katie (dead serious): "Oh crap. Wait, have you tried turning your head sideways and jumping up and down?"
Me: "I hate you right now."


Due to the fact that I was currently in the African bush, with no nearby doctors, we turned to the next best medical professional:

I asked Katie to pour some vodka in my ear - like, a drop or two. She poured straight from the bottle.  But IT WORKED!  My ear immediately felt better, though I had some ear pain for the next three weeks. Unfortunately we didn't get to take any pictures of this process - it is hard to remember your camera in an actual emergency.


To celebrate, I poured myself a Gorbie.  Luckily, we had some time to drink while we waited for our dinner:

Thank you, Smirnoff.  For everything. 

The Pygmies

July 20, 2011


Besides beautiful bird watching and gorilla trekking, Lake Bunyonyi is well known as the home of the African Pygmies, or Batwa peoples.  Katie and I took a day to visit with them in their village.  The pygmies are well known for their short stature and their status as one of the last hunter-gatherer forest peoples still existing today. 


We travelled how? By canoe!

But we let someone else direct the canoe.  His name was Captain Nelson.

Captain Nelson and our guide, Johnson

We passed Punishment Island - where they used to send all the unwed pregnant girls.  I told Katie that it probably should be her home.

Emily: "Oh, look! There is a bicycle in that canoe!! Wait, isn't that a song?"

Katie: "Um, no.  I think the song is 'a bicycle built for two'.  Not a bicycle in a canoe."

Emily: "Right, yeah, I knew that."

The pygmy village sits on the side of a gorgeous hill. 



This hill is also the home of a unique bi-weekly canoe market.  People canoe their goods for sale from across the region.  We were lucky to arrive as the market was setting up.

We were met by the pygmy tribe with a beautiful welcome dance.  We were truly honored.

After the dance we were able to spend some time with them and communicate through our guide.  I think they were so excited to see us because we looked really strange to them.  I'm guessing they were particularly taken with Katie's height and blonde hair.

I was completed humbled by their smiles and warm nature towards us.  I was surprised by how connected I felt to these people.  In some small way I understood how it felt to exist in Uganda and never blend in - always to be pointed at and made separate. 

The Ugandans and Rwandans do not accept the pygmies as part of their country.  The government has restricted the places where they can hunt and gather, thus destroying vital elements of their dying society.  The pygmies are struggling to survive in an unwelcoming environment.

To learn more about how to protect and empower pygmy tribes across the world, visit the Forest Peoples Programme.

I'm Sorry, I Cannot Canoe Today

July 19, 2011


While I love African bus trips, I was truly thrilled to arrive at Lake Bunyonyi. 

Lake Bunyonyi lies on the border of Uganda and Rwanda.  This region is home to the largest gorilla population in the world, hence Lake Bunyonyi has become a popular stop over for mzungu tourists who are gorilla trekking and safariing.  Katie and I, of course, could afford neither.  


We awoke to this gorgeous view:

We started out the day with a little tanning and swimming.  

I befriended a 14 year old Belgian girl who was vacationing with her parents.  The Europeans all observed us with fascination - much as other people do with strange exotic animals. 

Lake Bunyonyi is an absolutely incredible place to visit.  The entire region is transported primarily by dugout tree canoes.  Everything is carried in canoes. 

Obviously, Katie and I fit in seamlessly with African natives.  So it was only appropriate that we canoe ourselves around the islands. 

I wish I could tell you that we did someone - anyone - proud, but I can't.  We didn't.  But I can say that we entertained the hell out of a lot of people.  For almost 45 minutes Katie and I accidentally canoed ourselves in small circles around the inlet.  Lucky for us, our new Belgian friends were watching spellbound from the shoreline.

I waved.


At one point, one of the Ugandan employees, Justus, called our cell phone (which we had with us in our circle-making wooden demon machine).  


Justus: "Girls, I can seeeeeeeee you in your canoe.  Break left to go right!  Break right to go left!"
Me: "Um, Ok, Justus.  We did that and we went in a circle."
Justus: "Did you try breaking left?"


Unfortunately, we never got the hang of it.  At one point Katie just asked me to put away my oar.  Thank God that we had plenty of time to get pictures!

And then we accidentally ran into the reeds. Katie cried. 

Did I mention Katie cried.


So, we had intended to canoe over to the Rwanda border.  We made it 100 yards.  In public view. 


The best part:


Katie: "Wait, hold on.  I think I just got it.  Am I not supposed to be rowing if I am the rudder?"
Emily: "SHUT UP! You figure it out now that we are 10 feet from returning our canoe? Of course you aren't rowing - you are directing the canoe!"
Katie: "Shhhhhh, play it cool. All the Belgians are watching us again."