Day 9: The Authentic experience

OMG! What a nightmare of a day. I was really starting to love this country and then today happened. Don’t get me wrong. I still appreciate all the natural beauty of the country and the nice people and all that but damn there ain’t nothing like the US of A. Now my frat brother Lenny has been basically telling me to stop skatin and suck it up while I’m here. But the Africans here go hard! Too hard for my taste….lol


So anyway today me and the other fellow had to go to the TASO Jinja center (about an hour and a half from Mbale) to attend a workshop. We pretty much got there on our own (with some guidance from TASO staff) through one of the buses that leaves town to head there. The ride was ok even tho the bus was mad rickety and bootleg. I also got a chance to ride a boda-boda (motorbike) when we got to Jinja on our way to the TASO center. It was pretty fun and not as scary as I thought it would be. **


The first part of the workshop was interesting because I got to learn about a study they conducted seeing whether there was any differences between their facility and home based HIV/AIDS care. I also got to learn about how I will be helping with rolling out their Leadership Training course in Mbale, also among their 11 centers around Uganda.


The funniest part of the day was when the managers of TASO Jinja were recognized for all their hard work in the organization. It was so hilarious because instead of a plaque or certificate or a pat on the back they gave each lady a chicken. Like a live chicken still clucking and feathered in a plastic bag! LOL It was so cute and was just so unexpected. **I Have pics I swear I will upload them as soo as possible!!

Hilarious!!

But let me skip real quick to the evening’s events to explain why Africa is hazing the hell outta me. So after the workshop we were trying to figure out how we were going to get back to Mbale. One of the TASO staff from Tororro (a town about 2 hours north of Mbale) was like let’s go to the taxi (mini buses) park to see if you guys can catch one back to Mbale. So we get to the park and there is a taxi waiting there under the Mbale sign. We don’t get on bc the guy from TASO said that they may stop before they reach Mbale so we’d be stranded and the people in whatever random town/village may not speak good English and be able to help us. So then homeboy tries to say we may need to spend the night in Jinja. Um….hell no! I was like I’m sorry we don’t have money for accommodations so we can’t do that. I really didn’t bring enough money for that, clothes for that and just wanted to head back to Mbale. So then he said lets walk up to the main road and see if we can stop a taxi that could be on its way to Mbale. So after about 15 mins of walking a taxi stops and we tell them we’re going to Mbale and they pick us up. So I feel a bit better cuz I’m like yay we’re heading back to our room now. Um….no. So we’re stopping like every 2 minutes to see whether people along the road want to get on because the taxi was only about half way full when we got on. Which is ok bc I understand they are trying to get as many passengers as possible . But then we get to a town called Iganga (about 20 mins from Jinja, still an hour and some change from Mbale) and the taxi stops. The guys (about 3) get out of the taxi (which fits about 15 people comfortably) and start yelling “Mbale! Mbale!” Which I’m like ok go ahead y’all...get ur hustle on for about the first 25 mins. In the meantime I bought some roasted corn and meat (goat I believe) on a stick from some kids selling it around the taxi. Then after about 45 mins I was starting to get restless and my butt was getting numb from sitting in this cramped vehicle. The full blown anger set in after about 1.5 hrs of waiting there. However there was nothing I could do. So I just sat there and was thinking the whole time “Never again… Never again…” Now our full taxi was becoming over full and they were still calling people to get on. By the time we rolled away I counted 25 people/kids in that van altogether. I know they are trying to make their money but goodness gracious God forbid something happened on the road… Anyway that 1.5 hr trip ended up taking 4 hrs, was mad uncomfortable and I will never do it again. I’m really mad TASO made us go on a work related trip like that with no guaranteed mode of transportation back. Imma have to speak my mind to them on that later on. But yeah I am exhausted and just realizing that there are so many things I will appreciate much more back in the states. (Bus schedules (that the drivers stick to), One butt per seat on said buses, and no random detours on a given route). Lord willing I get a good job when I get back and I can buy a car…but on this trip NO MORE TAXIS!!!