Week one of placement down and it’s been much harder than I had anticipated.
I arrived last Tuesday to a warm Kampala. From day one things went a little downhill. Waiting for my luggage I had a gut feeling that it wouldn’t arrive. I was right. Spent the next hour try to explain what it was like and repeating ‘no I don’t know where I will be working and no I don’t know where I will be living and no I don’t have a number so you can’t phone me’. Thankfully the driver the NGO had sent waited patiently outside and drove me straight to the hill side offices.
Shortly after arrival I was taken to my compound which is ran by a long term expat. The place is lovely! I have one of the economy rooms, located away from the main building. It’s basic, but does the job. The compound has a range of local staff who do all the housework, gardening and there is also a 24 hour guard.
Getting set up took a bit of time, but finally I have internet, a new phone and a helmet for my daily boda (motorbike) ride to work.
I find it hard to explain but I found the initial culture shock over whelming. Seeing the striking differences between the lives of the expats who live around me versus the Ugandans two minutes down the road is shocking.
By Friday I began to feel homesick. This feeling was exasperated when I found out that the Society I’m Auditor of had been named the Irish College Society of the Year by the Board of Irish College Societies at the annual National Award ceremony! Utterly gutted that I missed it. Still buzzing from the news of the achievement through.
Spent the first night of the weekend at the ARA or American club. It was music night and oddly the theme was signers who had died in the last year. The club house was packed with mainly American families who all joined in the fun! The following night I joined the other lodgers and hit the local Irish Pub. I was hoping they would sell Bulmers but I was left disappointed. Had to settle for South African Savanna Dry. On our return home our taxi broke down at a very busy junction. All five of us had to jump out and push the car back into action, by far the highlight of my night!!
Let’s home week two is a bit brighter!
Padraig.. x
1 comment:
Hi Padraig. Sorry to hear you arent enjoying it yet. I was only in Kampala for a few days but I remember feeling as though it could be a lonely place because we are so apart from everything. Congrats on the win too! So good. I remember I was disappointed by no Bulmers in Bubbleses but we made up for it with lots of captain morgan. :) Try Stony too. If you like ginger. its really nice. Maybe ask Grace for advice on things to do. She knows the place well. Good luck and I hope things get better!
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