Life in the 'jewel' (PaJULE)

I made it! I'm currently in Gulu at the Coffee Hut using their free wifi (no internet in my town). I came here to find a physical therapist to help me with my arm. It was a 3-hour trip and finding transportation wasn't so easy, so I'm not sure how often I'll pass through.
Anyway, I've spent a bit over a week in Pajule and am settling in ok. If you have a lot of time on your hands, feel free to read the monster of an entry below. If not, I don't blame you... it's definitely a 'dear diary' type post. I just wanted to capture my first few days at site so I could reflect back when everything is old hat. And, once the sun goes down, you've gotta find something to occupy your time.
And so it starts...

Day 1

After a bumpy and dusty 8 hour drive (in a PC vehicle, not public transport- woohoo!) I arrived in Pajule.  I met Denis, my counterpart, Fr. Leonsyo, my new boss, and Fr. Anthony, who I met here during my ‘future site visit’ and again in Kampala for the orientation and swearing in. Then I was taken to my new home. It’s much nicer than I anticipated, with two rooms, electricity (when it’s on), and 2 windows (with screens!!!).  There was also a bed frame and 5 plastic chairs for my convenience.

After unloading the truck, Denis and I went back to the Parrish. Fr. Anthony was moving to Kitgum the following day so the farewell ceremony was in full swing. I tried to sneak behind the crowd of ladies sitting in the grass to take a seat, but was directed to the front row with the guest of honor Fr. Anthony, the current sitting priest, Fr. Charles, my boss Fr. Leonsyo, the new head priest Fr. Alex, the catechist of the district, the LC Chairman and a smattering of other important members of the community. I was introduced along with my story of falling and breaking my arm, my trip to SA and my delayed arrival in Pajule. Fr. Leonsyo also mentioned that I’d be here for two years and that I am a blank page so to carefully choose the color the community decides to write. I met Denis’s wife, Janet!, who seems very nice and will help me get settled in tomorrow. After the farewell program, I ate dinner with the priests (posho and bo (greens)) and was driven home by Fr. Leonsyo who was returning to his district. I got home after 9 and we had to call the landlord to let us in because the guard dog is let loose then. I’d tried earlier in the day to say hello to him in his cage, but he was less than friendly. Hope he never escapes while I’m home.

I feel very welcome here and hope to make some good connections in the community. I’m sad that Fr. Anthony was called to Kitgum and that Fr. Leonsyo lives in another district because they seem like very motivated and charismatic leaders in the community. They’re also just really warm and nice. They’re both on PTU’s board, so I will still get to work with them occasionally and at least see them at quarterly meetings. It was a long but good day and I’m looking forward to getting settled.

Day 2

Today I woke up early and started by dragging my luggage into the appropriate room. I think the bigger room will be my living room/kitchen/study. Denis’s wife, Janet, said that she’d come get me for tea in the morning, so I just hung around for a few hours trying to organize a bit without much luck. Without any furniture or cabinets, it’s hard to put things away. I started thinking about all of the furniture I want to have built. I also didn’t know where the borehole is or have any jerry cans to store the water so I was out of luck for bathing. I met the other ‘muzungus’ or as they say in Acholi, ‘munus’ and they happen to be my neighbors! They’re a nice young married couple who will be here for a year working to set up a women’s vocational school. They served in Malawi with PC, so it’ll be great to have someone close by who can relate to what I’m going through. I hope they like me J

Luckily, Janet came over with a jerry can of water for me, waited for me to bucket bathe (outside), and then took me to her house for tea. We also had chapatti and some other fried bread with homemade sim-sim and peanut butter sauce. It was delish. Then we went to the market in search of jerry cans and a broom (the necessities). I was able to find 3 jerry cans (2 10L and 1 20L) and we took them back to Janet’s to wash them. It was there that I learned that you cannot buy empty jerry cans in Pajule, only ones that were used to store cooking oil. So… we spent some time washing them out with laundry soap and water. I have a feeling that I’ll be bathing with oily water for a while.  Unfortunately, I’ve not been able to find bleach, so I don’t think I’ll be drinking any of the water coming from the jerry cans quite yet either. I also learned that the people here don’t boil their water before they drink it, which means that I probably drank dirty water last night. It’s definitely iron-rich.

The children did the traditional dance of the royals and performed some skits. Cakes were cut and certificates were awarded. Every child was called and the respective family would run up yelling, pick the child up and swing them around, and then pose to have their pictures taken. Most of the children were not smiling during their turn in the spotlight, but their mothers and fathers were beaming with pride. After all of the certificates were awarded, there were a number of guest speakers that spoke (in Acholi) about the importance of education, parent support, attendance, the need for private boarding schools, and on to topics about thieves in the community, the need to plant more trees, and the evils of alcohol. I was mentioned by more than one speaker and my story was told again…. Where I’m from, why I’m here, etc.  Then lunch was served to the masses. I was the third person asked to eat behind the Priest who is also director of the school, and the LC5. All in all, I think the graduation lasted about 5 hours (oh, and that doesn’t include the 2 or more hours of the children marching through town… which I skipped).

Afterward, I came back home and spoke with my landlord about hammering the T-bars onto my bed frame so that I could hang my mosquito net. That was completed without too much complication and I politely refused to go back to my counterpart’s house for supper because I was exhausted.  Meeting so many new people and sitting through long ceremonies outside really takes it out of you. Overall, it was a productive day in the village.

Day 3

This morning I woke up with the chickens and took my bucket bath.  I borrowed a broom (aka wheat bundle) from my landlord and swept my house and front step. I started reading through my Acholi language notes (I’ve forgotten a lot since training), and then went to meet Denis at the office. We chatted a bit about PTU and the Uganda school system and then met up with Fr. Anthony at the Parish. He was all packed up and ready to move to Kitgum. In the bed of the truck went 5 ladies decked out in their fancy gomez dresses, along with the Father’s things and a live goat, then 5 of us in the cab of the truck. On the way out of Pajule, the ladies were yelling the traditional call to alert the villagers of the Father’s departure. Everyone came out to wave and it was very close to a parade. We arrived at the Kitgum Parish in about an hour and were welcomed by the staff and priests there. There was a quick blessing in the church, followed by sodas and introductions under the trees and then lunch.  We came to learn that a member of the Pajule parish had passed away today in the Kitgum hospital. We were to pick up the body and return him to his family in Pajule.  Since the death was unexpected, there was no money available for the coffin, so we all chipped in for the purchase. So, we rode back to Pajule with a coffin in the back, the 5 ladies, and no goat.

Day 4

Had breakfast (rolex= chapatti with egg) with my American neighbors at a restaurant nearby.  They meet their Acholi language instructor after breakfast, so I was able to introduce myself and let him know that I’m also interested in his tutoring services. I also met the owner of the restaurant and secured my breakfast for the next week for about a dollar a day. Score. Came back home, bucket bathed and met Janet at her house for tea. She’d fried some sweet potato and made chapatti but I was too full to eat more chapatti so I suggested that she save it for her lunch and add egg, tomato and cabbage. Denis (Janet’s husband and my counterpart) and I then headed for  Pader town so that he could visit the bank to get money to pay the pig care-taker, or Mr. Opego as I like to call him (opego= pig in Acholi). I also wanted to see Pader because it’s my closest shopping town and the home of the nearest PCVs.  And I needed a mattress and a bunch of other stuff.

So, we went to the ‘stage’ in Pajule, which is basically the place where you can pick up taxis.  We waited there for about 2.5 hours until Denis was able to flag down an NGO vehicle willing to take us. We could have left within a minute if I was able to ride a boda (motorcycle taxi), so I felt kinda bad for inconveniencing him. Oh well. My dreams of riding my bicycle to Pader were soon shattered by the condition of the dirt road and length of the trip. It took us about 30 mins by car… and there were hills and potholes and not much scenery except for the occasional cluster of huts off the road.

We arrived in town, went to the bank, and visited the office of my closest PCVs. I may go back to see them this weekend- they’re great.  I was able to buy a mattress (for about $60 US which I think is expensive!).  It has the cartoon characters Tom and Jerry all over it. I was also able to buy a clean jerry can (yay no cooking oil in my drinking water!) and an ‘extension cable’ which is power strip so I can plug in my phone and fan at the same time in my solo outlet and my fan will now reach my bedroom.  I also bought bleach so I can disinfect the jerry can, my night bucket and my pit latrine floor at will. Kinda wish I could use it to disinfect me.

I had a late lunch/early supper with Denis, Janet, Janet’s brother and some other guy and came home and had a glass of wine with my American neighbors. Janet made me the chapatti from tea and added egg, tomatoes, cabbage and onion like I’d suggested she do for lunch. She’s super great and thoughtful. She also made chicken and spaghetti noodles in an attempt for me to eat meat. I ate a little to be polite but mainly took the broth.  I bucket bathed with the aid of my headlamp, listening to the bats swoop closer and closer. My left eye has been watering every time I go outside since I arrived. Not sure if it’s allergies or just the dust. Hope it stops soon. All in all, things are looking up. I’m getting settled here and getting a bit more comfortable. I think I like the slower pace of the rural community. people knew about me well before I arrived and everyone has been really nice.  I’m excited to get some furniture so that I can unpack and a gas tank so that I can cook. One step at a time.  Now it’s off to dream land with my new friends, Tom and Jerry.

Day 5

Today I went to the next town with my American neighbors in their vehicle (a beastly Land Cruiser named the MFer… or Maltese Falcon). I was able to buy a gas tank for my stove, a few basins, a clean, unused jerry can, an aluminum pot and some other odds and ends. It was great to tag along with them and a relief to pick up some of the bigger items with the ease of transport. I also got to meet up with 2 other PCVs while in town for lunch. The neighbors and I had a beer together and I went to bed early. It was a productive and relaxing day.

Day 6

Took tea with Janet in the am and came home to unpack my stuff.  After all of the awesome care packages and my trips to the grocery stores in Kampala and South Africa, I have a huge bucket full of great stuff! Oatmeal, drink mix, spices, tuna, granola bars, pasta, candy… it’s great! Thanks so much for the packages- the food from home will be cherished for sure. I also realized that I have lots of kitchen gadgets… but not enough dishes to have anyone over to eat… which is big here. Everywhere I go I seem to be gifted with some sort of food or soda. It’s nice. I walk by strangers and they ask me to come in to take tea. I think that I’d better get my kitchen set up soon so I can start gifting others with treats. I’ve brought some sugar and sweeties to Janet, but still haven’t made her a meal. I just need to get the too-small hose to fit on the back of my stove somehow and I’ll be in business.

Janet and I pumped water at the borehole and carried it back to my house today. She carried the 20L can on her head very gracefully while I struggled with my 2 handheld 10L cans. I think I straightened out my bad arm in the process; the borehole is not close.

I had supper with Janet and Rose, a really joyous woman I met the other day when going to Kitgum to see Fr. Anthony off.  We had rice, eggs, boo (bitter greens that have got to be good for you), cabbage and tomatoes (she knows I don’t like meat). After dinner, we sat outside for a bit, looking over the huts behind Janet’s house. In one hut, people prepare bread and in another it is fried into something that resembles a loaf-like donut. We knelt inside and watched the children fry the dough for a bit (the smoke from the charcoal fire is too dense for standing). The kids brought us some hot donuts and Janet got out her sim sim-gnut (sesame/peanut) butter for dipping. After we were stuffed, we walked around the village ‘so the food will go from our stomachs to our feet’ and ended up running into lots of Janet’s relatives. Rose stopped and bought me a bunch of bananas and some very elderly lady gave me a bowl full of sesame. Janet will show me how to grind the seeds into butter this week. I was eager to get home because it was after dark, but Janet’s Aunt insisted we stop by a wedding reception that was taking place on the way home. We stopped for a few mins and danced with the party until everyone had gotten a chance to giggle at the ‘munu’ (muzungu/white person) dancing. It was actually fun. Since I’m pretty much laughed at or stared at 95% of the time I’m in the village, I might as well be doing something silly to warrant it.

I got a call from my supervisor around 9:30 pm that he was passing through town. I let the watchman know so that Cujo wouldn’t attack the kind Father. He came by to say hello and to make everything was going ok. He is so nice and concerned about my well-being that it makes me feel even more comfortable here. I’m glad to have such good people around. And in the spirit of Acholi hosting, I gave him my bunch of bananas for his 2-hr trip home… in the rain and mud….with a car full of sleepy kids.

Day 7

Washed some of my dirty clothes by hand and hung them on the line. Took me an hour and a half to wash 1/3 of my dirty laundry before I called it a day. I paid the ‘watchman’ to fetch water for me but it was delivered by an 8-yr-old… apparently his son. I gave him a mini kitkat that Jen had sent in a care package. Earlier in the day I’d helped Janet fetch water and she made me carry a 10L jerry can on my head. The villagers laughed and I had to use 2 hands to steady the can. I will say that carrying it on my head was much easier than carrying it by hand.  Also hooked up my stove without blowing up my house.

Day 8

Took my first warm water bucket bath in Pajule thanks to my new stove. Went to the market and bought tomatoes, onions, oranges (green) and sugar. Made my counterpart his first PB&J sandwich for lunch. Went to the office and got some good background info on PTU. Also had him draw a map of Pajule and the sub-county.  Met with some of the parents and children that PTU supports and attended the monthly meeting. It lasted for 3 hours and was in Acholi. Good times. Got home to no power, but I made a packet of cheese and broccoli rice for dinner (thanks mom) and opened a bottle of red wine I’d brought from Kampala. Power just came back and now there’s an abnormally loud bug buzzing around my room. Bummer.  For some reason, Pajule makes me exhausted. It’s 8 pm and I’m going to bed.