Things are not so good here in Kyetume, in fact, I feel pretty disheartened with humans right now. Mukeesa is one of the dogs that lives at our house, my favorite dog at that. He's kinda ugly and pretty scrappy and extremely dirty. But I like that about him. Two nights ago he apparently killed 6 chickens. Yesterday morning I woke up to the sound of someone beating him and him screaming. They were hitting him with a giant stick. We finally managed to get them to stop. But the witch-hunt was on--- all of the highschool kids that showed up during the day were told what he did and they all wanted to beat him. Scott found a bunch of boys that had trapped Mukeesa next to a woodpile and were attacking him with sticks Lord of the Flies style. He finally managed to get them to leave, but it wasn't easy. Mukeesa was terrified, he wedged himself under some sticks and wouldn't come out. By the time I found him I didn't think he was in very good shape, he seemed really hurt and could barely move. He did manage to come out after a while, Scott and I tied him up and hung out with him all afternoon.
I've never had to see animals beaten. And I guess that makes me lucky. But what happened yesterday will go down in my mind as a lasting memory, as something that powerfully turned my stomach and confused my heart. Everyone seemed to take such pleasure in beating him, there was lots of laughing and smiling. I don't know what would have happened had Scott and I not been here, everyone knew how upset we were about it, but I suppose they just added it to the list of what makes us ridiculous. We could come to no understanding with our volunteer coordinator (the first person to attack him in the morning) about how we felt and why.
At this point, Mukeesa's future is uncertain. we have him tied up now, which he hates and we are going to try to find another home for him. He is a sweet dog, despite the life that he's lived here. It's heartbreaking to see the way he cowers away from everyone now. I would bring him home if I could.
Sunday, May 17
Thursday, May 14
Randomness Time
My time here at URF is winding down, I've meant to add so much more to this blog, but each time I get ready to work on it, the internet seems to be down or occupied or too slow...Oh well.
Here's some of the stuff that's happened in the last few weeks:
- I ate my first salad since I've been here, my first veggies really
- I had a bagel and milkshake in Kampala, deliciously awesome
- I went dancing at a nightclub (is Ali really writing this blog?) The most entertaining part of the night was watching the Ugandans watching themselves dance in the mirrors lining one wall.
- We constructed a raised bed veggie garden at one of our student's houses. It has yet to be planted, but that should happen next week sometime
- I've been teaching English and Computer during the Holiday After-School Program. Both are frustratingly difficult to teach due to lack of resources and crappy computers. I tell myself that any time that the kids get to use a computer will be helpful to them in the long run, the nearest computers outside of our school are an hour's drive away, not doable for the vast majority of kids here.
- I've been painting the school "library." It's been my pet project and is almost finished.
- Engineers Without Borders has hired a company to drill a borehole next to the school. Once complete, water will be pumped directly inside from it and possibly come out of a tap. Right now there is a large rainwater catchment system in place.
- The workmen from the drilling company have been told to sleep in the library, thereby halting all of my work there.
- I got a package from Jeffrey stuffed with Swedish Fish, candy bars, tea, etc. It only took 2 months to get here.
- Biting safari ants took over the house for a couple of days, marching in a thick line through the living room and hallway. We dealt with them by flicking paraffin all over the floor and rug with an old broom. Not what I would have done, but I've very little safari ant experience.
- A feisty chicken took to entering the house whenever possible. She was discovered in Scott's room and proceeded to scwak and flap around in there for a while. We named her Aida and she continues to cluck through the house sometimes.
That's a random assortment of what's been happening here. I'm sorry it's not more exciting. And that there are no pictures. They take quite a long time.
Here's some of the stuff that's happened in the last few weeks:
- I ate my first salad since I've been here, my first veggies really
- I had a bagel and milkshake in Kampala, deliciously awesome
- I went dancing at a nightclub (is Ali really writing this blog?) The most entertaining part of the night was watching the Ugandans watching themselves dance in the mirrors lining one wall.
- We constructed a raised bed veggie garden at one of our student's houses. It has yet to be planted, but that should happen next week sometime
- I've been teaching English and Computer during the Holiday After-School Program. Both are frustratingly difficult to teach due to lack of resources and crappy computers. I tell myself that any time that the kids get to use a computer will be helpful to them in the long run, the nearest computers outside of our school are an hour's drive away, not doable for the vast majority of kids here.
- I've been painting the school "library." It's been my pet project and is almost finished.
- Engineers Without Borders has hired a company to drill a borehole next to the school. Once complete, water will be pumped directly inside from it and possibly come out of a tap. Right now there is a large rainwater catchment system in place.
- The workmen from the drilling company have been told to sleep in the library, thereby halting all of my work there.
- I got a package from Jeffrey stuffed with Swedish Fish, candy bars, tea, etc. It only took 2 months to get here.
- Biting safari ants took over the house for a couple of days, marching in a thick line through the living room and hallway. We dealt with them by flicking paraffin all over the floor and rug with an old broom. Not what I would have done, but I've very little safari ant experience.
- A feisty chicken took to entering the house whenever possible. She was discovered in Scott's room and proceeded to scwak and flap around in there for a while. We named her Aida and she continues to cluck through the house sometimes.
That's a random assortment of what's been happening here. I'm sorry it's not more exciting. And that there are no pictures. They take quite a long time.
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