Town Mouse, Country Mouse

Fabulous City Life

 

Chelsea and Caroline with Claudian, interviewing two applicants.

That's a misleading sign if I've
ever seen one...

I had the opportunity to be in Uganda's capital, Kampala, this entire week!  What in the world for, Mary?  Well, three other education PCVs and I were invited to help conduct interviews at the Rwanda High Commission for Diploma or Degree holders in Education for a mentor-ship position in Rwanda.  Rwanda used to use French as their other "academic" language, but in 2008, they switched to English.  The government first had a teacher-training program, where they sent Degree and Diploma holding teachers from Uganda to just teach English.  This time around, they're there for a longer period of time, and are required to do more guidance and monitoring of teachers teaching.

....Why did they ask you to help interview? 

I really had no idea, and I never asked, but as the interviews went on, I realized that the qualities and motivation to take on this position are very similar to those that are required to be a Peace Corps volunteer.  For example, these Ugandans would be living and working in a different country, surrounded by people who speak different languages, and all the while they'll be missing their families at home.  Perhaps that was the reason, or perhaps Rwanda wanted a "natural" speaker of English on the panel. During the interviews, I could differentiate between those who really had the heart and the spirit and those who just responded like they were doing an oral exam.  We had some really fabulous applicants, and for several of them I wanted to say, "Why aren't you working at my PTC!?  We could use you!"  One of my favorite applicants was a sweet old man and a wood-badge holding Scout master who has a ton of experience with teaching.  He even gave the Scout salute and recited the promise.  I wish he could lead my Scouts at the JPTC!   

Nothing says you're 26 like
gold party hats.

     I had a lot of fun with the team, Emmanuel and Emmanuel, Claudian and Peter.  I learned how to greet in Kirwanda (mwara mutse), and some things about the 1994 genocide.  Also, throughout the interviews, Emmanuel (the man with whom I was co-interviewing) was quizzing the applicants on their knowledge of African literature.  Through this, I'm now interested to read several books, including The River Between, Kosiye Kifefe, Things Fall Apart, Fate of the Banished, and two others which are not yet published. 

I could smell the deli meats through the space
in the glass.  It was phenomenal.

Bowling!  Somehow blurry...

    The day-to-day work wasn't too intense, and we had the evenings to ourselves.  It was Alex's (another PCV based in Arua) birthday, so we celebrated at a Mexican-themed restaurant (Lotus).  It was pretty darn exciting...until the bill came.   We also went bowling, and believe it or not, I WON!  (Friends back home, think to yourself, has that EVER happened?!)
     The exercise was good in that we had a lot of fantastic, intelligent, motivated and adventurous applicants; however, we just didn't have ENOUGH.  Rwanda wants something like 1,000 mentor teachers and we only interviewed like 280 or so this week.  So, Ugandan Diploma or Degree holders in Education, if you're reading this, keep your eye out for another mentor-ship announcement in the paper from Rwanda. 

Alex and Peter, interviewing an applicant.  "What are the qualities
of a good mentor?"

Banana ladies!  I didn't get a good picture of the mango selling ladies
but I'm pretty sure I had like 5 mangoes this week. 

Bogoya anyone?

We had a very chill Saturday.  Kelsey and Alex at BROOD, a
bakery and cafe with some of the best bread IN THE WORLD!

We scaled a lot of hills shopping on Saturday. 
Kelsey here, taking a break.

Alex, bargaining with a shopkeeper for guitar strings

"Uganda's like, hereish, right?"

"Look at this giant globe!"  (PCVs, in case you're wondering, this 

giant 

globe DOES spin!)

I made Alex and Kelsey try out the new city bus with me.  I wasn't the
only one taking a picture, those ladies in front of us were too.

The new bus!  It's so clean! And fun to ride.

Dress: Owino market, secondhand, $6.82, or 16,000
Uganda Shillings. 

The Rwanda ambassador to Uganda invited the whole team to
the rotating restaurant at the golf club in Kampala.  It's probably the
snazziest place in the whole country.  That waiter was also the most professional and with-it waiter in Uganda.  Alex and Peter, ordering
dinner.

We passed the pianist two times.  I think this was my first time
seeing a Ugandan pianist.  Not even sure if he was Ugandan...

Roasted lamb with MASHED POTATOES.  I was sadly more
excited about the mashed potatoes.  I would have licked that plate
clean if I wasn't trying so hard to be proper.

Claudian and I, when we were rotating in front of the bar.  He
wanted to take this again because he wasn't ready for the picture. 
Sorry Claudian!