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Follow My New Blog

Have started writing on another blog on the project I am working on recently.

entusi.tumblr.com

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It's been a while since my last post.  Since then I've... traveled with a GLI Immersion group around the country, perfected taking a bath in a bucket, traveled to South Sudan, survived multiple Ebola incidents, been to a dowry wedding ceremony, seen a dead body for the first time, been promoted to be the Project Manager for a retreat center, asked to be my roommates' son's father, started graduate school, learned to LOVE life even more.  I am truly living a dream every day!  

In my next post, my mom will be here.  She will have the unbelievable opportunity to visit me for two weeks here in Uganda.  This will undoubtedly flip her life upside down.  I am so thrilled for her to be here so she can finally see a piece of my life and passion.  

Until then...

P.S.  Got many complaints that I wasn't in any of the pictures so here you are.

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Week 5 and 6 Life is Fragile

The fragility of life has been pungent these past couple of weeks. While recently traveling to the rural mountain villages of Rwanda, I heard the rumbles and blasts among the volcano forests; not from the the natural fissures in the earth but from the growing conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. As the bombs' echoes ricocheted off silence of the mountains, the locals' told me of their rising concerns for family members whose unfortunate circumstances puts them on the Congo side of the border. Soldiers patrol streets with machine guns while refugee camps are increasingly bursting with the escaped Congolese. I have never humanized the realities of war until I saw the fear written on these people's faces. Of course, one thinks of war torn countries as a looming threat to human life. But in the wake of the Aurora tragedy, death can strike in the least-expected innocence of daily life. While at a local eatery in Rwanda, a man expressed his condolences and could not understand how someone could act in this way to a fellow human. How could this man, whose life is shadowed with one of the most horrific genocides just decades ago, be so moved by these random acts of violence? The many shades of tragedy continue to plague everyone's minds and hearts, while death, random or systemic, lingers around every corner. But with these threats, I have seen how negativity is counteracted by the resilience and audacity of humanity. I am surrounded everyday by individuals who embody this perseverance here in Africa. They continue to give me strength and inspiration to live a better life. My heart goes out to Aurora, the Congo, and all who have looked death in the eyes.

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Week 3 and 4 Unpredictable

The bus ride was not pleasant. A nine hour ride to west Uganda ended up being a fourteen hour endeavor on a bus where the seats seem to hit you at all the wrong angles and where your shoulder is often your neighbor's pillow. But I finally ended up in Kabale, the "Switzerland of Uganda." This very hilly city is ten paces slower than Kampala, a refreshing break from the constant buzz of the city. Motorbikes are replaced with hundreds of bicycles and the normal slew of taxis. I came here to meet an acquaintance to show me the prominent service organizations working in the area. I got so much more. -->Somehow, I ended up helping fix cars for a day at an auto garage where nothing is broken, just a hammer, some spit, and a good knock away from being good as new. They fix absolutely everything, broken axles, phone chargers, bicycle seats fit for four passengers. I don't think I have even tried to fix a broken mechanical pencil. -->I woke up abruptly the next day to the immense pounding of helicopter wings, which apparently found the ideal landing strip in my backyard. A nice wakeup call in every sense of the word. The Congo is having some rebel issues and surrounding countries are taking necessary precautions. Nothing to be worried about, just good to be aware of some harsh realities here in the region. -->The next day, I spent the day on a hollowed out tree canoe at the massive Lake Bunyonyi wondering the islands, meeting village schools tucked away on the highest peaks with splendid views of the surrounding lake. The locals where thrilled to show me around and I soon found myself in a clay hut, on a log, drinking Ugandan sweet "porridge." I am pretty sure it was alcoholic. -->Apparently, all Americans can drive. So my new friends assured me that it would be simple here in Uganda, being that I was the only one with a valid license. Mind you, besides the speeding chaos around you, the wheel is on the side opposite of American cars and you drive on the left side of the road. Piece of cake? Plenty of stares from the street assured me I was far from upholding the typical bold Ugandan driver confidence. Now back in the comforts of routine in Kampala, I look back and realize I couldn't have put any of those things on any itinerary. I have learned to embrace the unpredictability that is Africa.

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Week 2

Trying to learn some Luganda, I bought a book in downtown Kampala, Uganda, to learn some basic phrases. So far it's been my best purchase. Ugandans are very proud of their identity and are thrilled to teach some of their own language. Some of the students at one of the organizations we work with were laughing hysterically at one of the English to Luganda entries, "I don't want rice." They found it hilarious that anyone would not want rice. Nonetheless, they spent hours teaching and cackling at my poor language skills. I feel this is representative of what I am doing here in Uganda and Rwanda with the Global Livingston Institute; listening to people and leaders who are anxious to show what they are capable of doing and ensuring them the resources to execute their visions. This was evident on my week trip to Rwanda visiting the Gorilla Organization. Run by a very passionate and visionary group of Rwandans, the organization strives for community development by synthesizing environmental conservation while enhancing social opportunities. In the coming weeks, I will spend time with them as they brainstorm ways to help integrate some of most under-recongized indigenous groups called the Batwa into a growing consumer Rwandan society. Pictures to come.

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This Time It's Africa.... (Week 1)

Stepping off the plane at Entebbe Airport after 37 hours of solid travel, the dense, humid air hits me wide awake. This air is African air and the memories of three years ago ease my anxiety. The anticipation from the sleepless hours of discomfort on the plane began to play with my mind as I began to question the journey I was about to embark. Graduation and the ending of an important chapter in my life had fogged the reality of me being away for the next year, away from those I love and the place I had become so comfortable. I had learned to love life in Denver, so why did I have to leave? But as the smells of Africa hit me getting off the plane, I remembered why. I remembered how Africa's sense of adventure and mystery challenged my boundaries and pushed me seek more of myself. I remembered how the anxiety and disgust I experienced compelled me to become a better global citizen and humanitarian. But most of all, I remembered how I have been inspired by the hope personified by the Africans who walk the streets. I remembered that being here in Africa is part of living my dream and for that I can only be thankful and excited for the next year of my life. The journey ahead will no doubt be challenging. But it is through these challenges that I feel so alive and humbled. And thus, I begin another journey, this time in Africa.

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Arkun Chiran Cambodia

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Arkun Cambodia...

It's hard to believe my experience in Cambodia has quickly run through my fingers.  My flight leaves tomorrow night just in time to be back home with family for Christmas Eve.  And I must say good bye to a very short but memorable experience in Asia.  In one month, I feel like I've only touched the surface of a changing society rich with culture, hardship, and excitement.  However, I feel one month cannot give justice to what Cambodia has to offer.  I am barely getting my hands dirty but I now leave behind a country who doesn't even know I was here.

Today, one of my students put me on the  back of his bicycle and took me to his family's house to introduce me to his brother and sisters.  It was the first time I had experienced an authentic Cambodian life, their pride and their struggles.  But now I must leave.

I leave a country where I took a tuk-tuk (carriage pulled by a bike) or a motor bike to class every morning in unbelievable traffic. I leave an ancient prosperous history marked by the grandest temples of the world but blackened by an era of genocide and death. I leave a culture where Buddhist monks  travel house to house every morning offering tea.  I leave a city where the local fruit store houses a brothel.I leave society plagued by corrupt government but hopeful that their future will some day be fair.  

But, most of all, I leave yet another country that has challenged my comfortable reality and helped me to realize the world is too small to forget our friends half way around the world.

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Visions of Phnom Penh

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This is where I am starting to teach English.

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Good luck "cher"

This week I had my first week of actual teaching.  I was assigned a very small class of 16 to 20 year olds in an orphanage whose parents couldn't afford supporting them. This organization is self sustaining where the kids go to school and learn to grow their own food and learn technical skills (something very similar to the school I worked for in Bolivia).  My classroom is under tree with a white board attached to a wall.

The students are very nice and extremely smart.  They have odd nicknames; one guys name is SS501.  They address me as the shortened word teacher or "cher" and after every class they wish me luck.  Teaching is definitely more difficult than you'd expect.  You have a lot of pressure to not let your students down and to teach them as much as you can while not boring them to death.  I do have a weakness though...every time a student mispronounces a word, I can't help but laugh my head off (I pretend I am coughing).  They usually can't pronounce "l" "ch" and  the "v" sound.

One of my students is brilliant.  He carries around an English dictionary and brings me forty words a day to translate and pronounce correctly.  He wants to work for the opposition party of the current communist rule.  Through my experiences with education, it's these students who always give me hope of a better future.  I'm glad I can be apart of that.

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Christmas in July?

After another week of course work, my group went for another weekend excursion to a famous Cambodian beach called Sihanoukville.  After another long bus ride, the heat hits you hard as you get off into the beating sun.  It's hard to imagine that across the globe my friends and family are celebrating Christmas in the cold snow.  It's the exact opposite here... sun burns, humidity, and beach side dinners.  Seeing Christmas trees in shop windows in 90 degree weather rattles my brain.  I seem to have lost all sense of time and space here.

Nevertheless, we spent the weekend relaxing on the sand and escaping the chaos and dirty air of Phnom Penh.  Although I'm not much a beach person, it's always nice to find a place to reflect and unwind.  Especially when there are $4 full body massages and $0.50 watermelon shakes.  One night we had dinner on the most picturesque settings you can imagine.  Strewn across the entire beach front were hundreds of long tables and poofy chairs only lit by candles in pop bottles.  You can buy bottle rockets to shoot out over the ocean.  Que romantico!  

The only issue was the child vendors... Hundreds of little kids try selling you fruit and bracelets.  It's cute at first and you feel bad for them.  But they are extremely vicious if you don't buy from them.  Often cussing you out in bad English or slapping you across the face, you have to learn to ignore them or they won't go away.  One guy in my group got so angry (after a kid kept on putting a crab in his shirt three times) he started yelling and carried the boy across the beach by his shirt.  I didn't go that far but it was frustrating and did detract from the romance. White people's problems.

Anyway, after a calm relief from the city this weekend, I finally get to teach my first students on Monday back in Phnom Penh.  Now it gets interesting.

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Angkor Wat Excursion near Siem Reap

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Angkor Wat

After a week of courses, my class set out for Siem Reap to visit the famous Angkor Wat, a huge Buddhist/Hindu temple in the middle of the rain forest.  I woke up at 4am to take the perfect morning sunrise pictures.  As the mist rose and the sun peaked over, the hoard of tourists snapped their pictures and were off to explore the massive complex.  Worth the lack of sleep.  

The day was spent exploring the various temples, Angkor Wat being the largest and most iconic.  Truly amazing to see thousand-year structures intact (and still used by some Buddhists).  Another cool temple was the famous structure that is seen being eaten alive by massive trees.  Tomb Raider was filmed here.  Even though seeing these sights is truly spectacular, one never gets to fully appreciate what these building stand for and their importance to history.  I sometimes try to use my imagination and pretend I am living in the days of the past, walking among Buddhist monks and Cambodian kings.  I probably look a little ridiculous to everyone else, but it's worth it.

Like any tourist, I pushed myself beyond my limits to soak up every site I could see and ended up staying up for 24 hours to take it all in.  After a day full of sweating and aching feet, I spent the rest of the night diving off three story buildings into a swimming pool with some new friends.  Life is good.