This poem will make more sense after reading the blog below it...
"Release, Surrender"
Hair tied back, eyes forward,
Posture as straight as her determination.
His hand rests on her shoulder,
Offering a comfort that is not needed.
Of course she is fearful,
But two words coax her resolve into place.
Release, surrender
Standing at the edge of this spacious descent,
One more deep breath before the countdown.
Three, in
Two, out
One
Release
In an instant, this graceful beauty
Launches her fears into a dive.
Arms outstretched, open to embrace
All that adrenaline’s rush has to offer.
But no rush exists in this moment.
Her fall holds more freedom than gravity.
Inch by inch, moment by moment
A peace exudes from her form
Covering all who watch in envy of her
Surrender.
All
Fears
Doubts
Worries
Controls
Needs
Wants
Cease to exist as she nears
the surface of the placid water and
the rope stretches to its limit.
Safe
in the knowledge of success,
Swinging
in the cradle of
Release.
Softly, she extends every ligament, every emotion, every sensation
As she waves to and fro
Undulating in complete
Surrender.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Sorry it's been so long!!!
I’ve never been to a party before where EVERYONE danced!!!
Sorry for the long time in between blogs…I’ve been a bit preoccupied. But I have extended my trip one week and I am very excited about that. It will be nice to have a bit of a vacation in Gulu, without having to go to school and teach at least. Don’t worry, I’ll come home eventually. I’ll definitely be back for school! Catherine, so glad to hear that you are in first hour again. Looking forward to it.
So, July fourth celebration! It was amazing. The food was great, but the company was even better. There were about 200 or more people there from the teacher exchange, Invisible Children staff, Acholi and American/International…it was a beautiful party! Seriously, I have never been to a party where EVERYONE danced…but everyone did. At one point, the played Michael Jackson’s “It don’t matter if you’re black or white”…it sounds so cheesy, but it was just one of the coolest moments of my life. They also played the National Anthem and I almost started to cry, hearing this large mass of Americans patriotically singing in Gulu, with sparklers overhead. Quite a party…I also got to Acholi dance (or attempt to) with my teachers from Keyo. Florence can dance! It was an evening that I will never forget…
The next day, my friends Abbie, Lauren and Sasha came with me to visit Florence’s house in Lacor. I am so glad they came because we got lost for a while on the bodas after Florence gave me the wrong directions. Good times. Finally, we arrived and Florence walked us through her village, introducing us along the way with the pride of a mother. She fed us soda, water, blue band (butter), bread, bananas, rice, potatoes, meat, cabbage, sim sim paste, beans…dear Lord, is it never-ending? But it was all very good. I was so tired from the night before, but I had to force myself to keep going and go back for seconds because it is considered rude to eat minimally. After eating, Florence walked us around her property. She has a fairly lovely home for a home in Gulu. I got to hold a baby goat…and by baby I mean about two days old. So sweet. He was lost from his mother and crying so Abbie and I helped him find her.
We had to leave Florence’s house to go so Bambu for me to sing with Mick one last time. It was fun. I got to eat fish fingers and chips…always a good time. After singing and eating, Abbie and I went with Ian and Anna to watch “Madagascar 2”. It was so entertaining to watch this movie while in Africa. There are so many subtle details that make so much more sense after having been here.
Monday my group got to go with some friends to Tom and Rose’s house to eat again. They liked us so much that they wanted to have us back one more time before we left. They are always a blessing.
The rest of the week turned out to be quite lovely for various reasons. The end of teaching was sad, but fruitful. Many of my students wrote letters and poems for me to bring to my students at home. They are so desperate for a pen pal situation, so Florence and I decided to set up a system of writing between us that will facilitate a start.
Thursday night was our last Quiz Night with Group One. A great evening of competition and laughs. After the quiz, we went to Hotel Boma to hang out for a bit. I’ve really made some great friends here and I feel so blessed to know each of them.
Friday was our last day at Keyo. They had a going away party for us which started two hours late and consisted of many speeches given by men that we had never even met before. It was kind of boring. But I was still appreciative. They gave Sasha, Daneen, and I flip-flops, a bag, a necklace, and fabric. So sweet. We gave them a collage of pictures from our trip. At the end of the party/meeting, the school Inspiration Hymn Club sang for us. They marched out singing “I’m walking the miracle line”, then they sang two songs, both about Jesus, some had hand motions, and then they marched out to a song in Luo. I got most of it on video. Such a beautiful moment.
I was so sad to leave my school, but I was okay because I knew at that point that I would be here this week so I will have one more opportunity to go back and visit.
Saturday morning we woke up, packed, said our goodbyes to the house (the group did, not me), and piled into the coaster (bus) for about an eight hour trip to Jinja. We stopped in Kampala at the craft market to wait for Amy’s husband, Nick. She was so happy to see him. It was a very sweet moment for their family. When we arrived at Adrift in Jinja, we ate and went straight to sleep because we were so tired. But before heading to bed, we took a look over the balcony of the bar at the bungee jump site. The platform extended 145 feet above the water, over the edge of a cliff. I was so terrified. Just looking at it, I got a feeling of vertigo. But I told my group that I was still going to jump. There were about four of us that agreed to do it before rafting the next day. All night, I tossed and turned because I was so terrified of the thought. It’s one of those feelings where if something bad were to happen, all I would’ve had to do to prevent it is to just not jump off the platform. That’s it. Simple. When I woke up in my bunk, I was resolved to not do it. Then, I walked out to the edge of the balcony and saw the jump site in the morning mist. It was pretty serene. The rushing Nile below almost sounded the question of when would I have an opportunity like this again? Never. I was going to do it.
During breakfast, I was just as terrified as I was when I kneeled at the edge of the plane to skydive six years ago. This, however, seemed so much more terrifying because I was alone. No tandem master to make me jump. Only me. And the fact that it is so much closer to the ground was more daunting than consoling. We signed up with Jack (I think that was his name). I asked him if he was from New Zealand and he high-fived me because he was so glad I didn’t think he was an Aussie. I told him that I watched too much Flight of the Conchords to think he was from Australia. Then, we made the walk to the platform, up the numerous flights of thin, wooden stairs, and out along the arm of the contraption that held my safety and fears woven in the threads of the rope. Five girls went before me. No guys in our morning group. Joanna went first and she blew me away by her beauty. I wrote a poem about it yesterday that I will post in a moment. Sasha went right before me and as she inched up to the edge, she looked up and said, I can’t do it. For a couple of minutes she just stood there shaking her head and said, nope, I need to walk down. At that moment, Jack, the guy in charge of the bungee, pushed her off the platform, plummeting over the edge. She was grateful. I realized at that moment, as I was sitting on the metal plank watching her fall, that I was going off that ledge one way or another and I wanted it to be of my own accord. So, when he called “next”, I stood up and walked to the edge to sit in the chair to get strapped in. They tied the rope and towels around my ankles so tightly that I still have bruises. I was grateful for that. Jack told me that since I was nervous I should not look down at all. Just keep my eyes focused on the mountains in front of me. After I was tied in, I had to hop about four feet to the platform and then scoot my way to the edge. I couldn’t look down, so I had to trust Jack when he told me to stop. Then, he said to raise my hands to the bar above me to steady myself. He put his hand on my shoulder and said, let go and put your hands at your sides. Vertigo…here it comes…I kept looking forward. Knowing that at any moment I was going to hurl myself off this platform with no swan-dive-like form, but just complete, awkward release. He started the countdown. THREE – TWO – ONE – BUNGEE!!! As he yelled bungee, I did it. I actually jumped without hesitation! So scary to just fall and see the water, the cliffs, the sky swirling around me. And then to realize…I’m STILL FALLING! Crazy tunes! Finally the rope stretched to its limit and it didn’t jerk me at all. It was quite a fluid motion. I was relieved. But then I bounced back up and fell again…now it was just fun, though. I swung to and fro for a while and then Isaac and Moses came over in a raft, extending a paddle for me to grab onto and they brought me safely into the boat and to the water’s edge. I am so glad that I did it. It was quite a freeing experience that I will never forget.
I will write more later about the white-water rafting experience on the Nile, but for now I have to go to a roundtable at one of the schools. Take care…
Sorry for the long time in between blogs…I’ve been a bit preoccupied. But I have extended my trip one week and I am very excited about that. It will be nice to have a bit of a vacation in Gulu, without having to go to school and teach at least. Don’t worry, I’ll come home eventually. I’ll definitely be back for school! Catherine, so glad to hear that you are in first hour again. Looking forward to it.
So, July fourth celebration! It was amazing. The food was great, but the company was even better. There were about 200 or more people there from the teacher exchange, Invisible Children staff, Acholi and American/International…it was a beautiful party! Seriously, I have never been to a party where EVERYONE danced…but everyone did. At one point, the played Michael Jackson’s “It don’t matter if you’re black or white”…it sounds so cheesy, but it was just one of the coolest moments of my life. They also played the National Anthem and I almost started to cry, hearing this large mass of Americans patriotically singing in Gulu, with sparklers overhead. Quite a party…I also got to Acholi dance (or attempt to) with my teachers from Keyo. Florence can dance! It was an evening that I will never forget…
The next day, my friends Abbie, Lauren and Sasha came with me to visit Florence’s house in Lacor. I am so glad they came because we got lost for a while on the bodas after Florence gave me the wrong directions. Good times. Finally, we arrived and Florence walked us through her village, introducing us along the way with the pride of a mother. She fed us soda, water, blue band (butter), bread, bananas, rice, potatoes, meat, cabbage, sim sim paste, beans…dear Lord, is it never-ending? But it was all very good. I was so tired from the night before, but I had to force myself to keep going and go back for seconds because it is considered rude to eat minimally. After eating, Florence walked us around her property. She has a fairly lovely home for a home in Gulu. I got to hold a baby goat…and by baby I mean about two days old. So sweet. He was lost from his mother and crying so Abbie and I helped him find her.
We had to leave Florence’s house to go so Bambu for me to sing with Mick one last time. It was fun. I got to eat fish fingers and chips…always a good time. After singing and eating, Abbie and I went with Ian and Anna to watch “Madagascar 2”. It was so entertaining to watch this movie while in Africa. There are so many subtle details that make so much more sense after having been here.
Monday my group got to go with some friends to Tom and Rose’s house to eat again. They liked us so much that they wanted to have us back one more time before we left. They are always a blessing.
The rest of the week turned out to be quite lovely for various reasons. The end of teaching was sad, but fruitful. Many of my students wrote letters and poems for me to bring to my students at home. They are so desperate for a pen pal situation, so Florence and I decided to set up a system of writing between us that will facilitate a start.
Thursday night was our last Quiz Night with Group One. A great evening of competition and laughs. After the quiz, we went to Hotel Boma to hang out for a bit. I’ve really made some great friends here and I feel so blessed to know each of them.
Friday was our last day at Keyo. They had a going away party for us which started two hours late and consisted of many speeches given by men that we had never even met before. It was kind of boring. But I was still appreciative. They gave Sasha, Daneen, and I flip-flops, a bag, a necklace, and fabric. So sweet. We gave them a collage of pictures from our trip. At the end of the party/meeting, the school Inspiration Hymn Club sang for us. They marched out singing “I’m walking the miracle line”, then they sang two songs, both about Jesus, some had hand motions, and then they marched out to a song in Luo. I got most of it on video. Such a beautiful moment.
I was so sad to leave my school, but I was okay because I knew at that point that I would be here this week so I will have one more opportunity to go back and visit.
Saturday morning we woke up, packed, said our goodbyes to the house (the group did, not me), and piled into the coaster (bus) for about an eight hour trip to Jinja. We stopped in Kampala at the craft market to wait for Amy’s husband, Nick. She was so happy to see him. It was a very sweet moment for their family. When we arrived at Adrift in Jinja, we ate and went straight to sleep because we were so tired. But before heading to bed, we took a look over the balcony of the bar at the bungee jump site. The platform extended 145 feet above the water, over the edge of a cliff. I was so terrified. Just looking at it, I got a feeling of vertigo. But I told my group that I was still going to jump. There were about four of us that agreed to do it before rafting the next day. All night, I tossed and turned because I was so terrified of the thought. It’s one of those feelings where if something bad were to happen, all I would’ve had to do to prevent it is to just not jump off the platform. That’s it. Simple. When I woke up in my bunk, I was resolved to not do it. Then, I walked out to the edge of the balcony and saw the jump site in the morning mist. It was pretty serene. The rushing Nile below almost sounded the question of when would I have an opportunity like this again? Never. I was going to do it.
During breakfast, I was just as terrified as I was when I kneeled at the edge of the plane to skydive six years ago. This, however, seemed so much more terrifying because I was alone. No tandem master to make me jump. Only me. And the fact that it is so much closer to the ground was more daunting than consoling. We signed up with Jack (I think that was his name). I asked him if he was from New Zealand and he high-fived me because he was so glad I didn’t think he was an Aussie. I told him that I watched too much Flight of the Conchords to think he was from Australia. Then, we made the walk to the platform, up the numerous flights of thin, wooden stairs, and out along the arm of the contraption that held my safety and fears woven in the threads of the rope. Five girls went before me. No guys in our morning group. Joanna went first and she blew me away by her beauty. I wrote a poem about it yesterday that I will post in a moment. Sasha went right before me and as she inched up to the edge, she looked up and said, I can’t do it. For a couple of minutes she just stood there shaking her head and said, nope, I need to walk down. At that moment, Jack, the guy in charge of the bungee, pushed her off the platform, plummeting over the edge. She was grateful. I realized at that moment, as I was sitting on the metal plank watching her fall, that I was going off that ledge one way or another and I wanted it to be of my own accord. So, when he called “next”, I stood up and walked to the edge to sit in the chair to get strapped in. They tied the rope and towels around my ankles so tightly that I still have bruises. I was grateful for that. Jack told me that since I was nervous I should not look down at all. Just keep my eyes focused on the mountains in front of me. After I was tied in, I had to hop about four feet to the platform and then scoot my way to the edge. I couldn’t look down, so I had to trust Jack when he told me to stop. Then, he said to raise my hands to the bar above me to steady myself. He put his hand on my shoulder and said, let go and put your hands at your sides. Vertigo…here it comes…I kept looking forward. Knowing that at any moment I was going to hurl myself off this platform with no swan-dive-like form, but just complete, awkward release. He started the countdown. THREE – TWO – ONE – BUNGEE!!! As he yelled bungee, I did it. I actually jumped without hesitation! So scary to just fall and see the water, the cliffs, the sky swirling around me. And then to realize…I’m STILL FALLING! Crazy tunes! Finally the rope stretched to its limit and it didn’t jerk me at all. It was quite a fluid motion. I was relieved. But then I bounced back up and fell again…now it was just fun, though. I swung to and fro for a while and then Isaac and Moses came over in a raft, extending a paddle for me to grab onto and they brought me safely into the boat and to the water’s edge. I am so glad that I did it. It was quite a freeing experience that I will never forget.
I will write more later about the white-water rafting experience on the Nile, but for now I have to go to a roundtable at one of the schools. Take care…
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Still They Rise
Wednesday, July 1, 2009 - (Be sure to see the safari post below as well)
This week in class, Florence is teaching the grammar and I am teaching a poetry unit. Although by “unit” I basically mean that I am teaching a poem or two. I also had them write an “I am” poem that was really fun.
But today, I decided to teach “Still I Rise” by Maya Angelou. I only wrote four of the stanzas on the board because there was not enough room for all of it, so I chose the ones that they could relate to the best.
You may write me down in history
With your bitter, twisted lies.
You may trod me in the very dirt,
But still, like dust, I’ll rise.
Did you want to see me broken?
Bowed head and lowered eyes?
Shoulders falling down like teardrops,
Weakened by my soulful cries.
You may shoot me with your words.
You may cut me with your eyes.
You may kill me with your hatefulness,
But still, like air, I’ll rise.
Out of the huts of history’s shame
I rise
Up from a past that’s rooted in pain
I rise
I’m a black ocean, leaping and wide,
Welling and swelling I bear in the tide
Leaving behind the nights of terror and fear
I rise
Into a daybreak that’s wondrously clear
I rise
Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave
I am the dream and the hope of the slave
I rise
I rise
I rise
I read through it once and then had them read it as a class. As they read, on each “I rise” I had a different student stand up. It was so powerful. They truly enjoyed it. I was actually surprised by their insights into the poem when I asked them to write what they thought the poem meant to the author and what it meant to them personally. I wish I could write all of their responses, but just to see their faces when they understood the meaning of the poem and the reality of rising out of struggle, overcoming, embracing freedom in the midst of oppression, etc…it was just beautiful. Today, I feel like I really made a difference…like I was able to let those who are dying to have a voice know that there are so many who are listening…today they felt empowered and I felt so humbled by the experience.
At the end, they asked me, “As a white American, what does this poem mean to you since it is addressing the white masters of the slaves?” I was dumbfounded for a moment. They asked if this poem created more segregation in the U.S. They are so incredibly insightful; I can’t get over it. I feel pretty good about my answer, but I was still floored.
I’m so proud to be a part of this program and Keyo Secondary School. I feel very blessed and I will miss my students very much. I wish there was more I could do…I wish I could come back…I just want to be sure that I never lose the memory of the way I feel right now.
This week in class, Florence is teaching the grammar and I am teaching a poetry unit. Although by “unit” I basically mean that I am teaching a poem or two. I also had them write an “I am” poem that was really fun.
But today, I decided to teach “Still I Rise” by Maya Angelou. I only wrote four of the stanzas on the board because there was not enough room for all of it, so I chose the ones that they could relate to the best.
You may write me down in history
With your bitter, twisted lies.
You may trod me in the very dirt,
But still, like dust, I’ll rise.
Did you want to see me broken?
Bowed head and lowered eyes?
Shoulders falling down like teardrops,
Weakened by my soulful cries.
You may shoot me with your words.
You may cut me with your eyes.
You may kill me with your hatefulness,
But still, like air, I’ll rise.
Out of the huts of history’s shame
I rise
Up from a past that’s rooted in pain
I rise
I’m a black ocean, leaping and wide,
Welling and swelling I bear in the tide
Leaving behind the nights of terror and fear
I rise
Into a daybreak that’s wondrously clear
I rise
Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave
I am the dream and the hope of the slave
I rise
I rise
I rise
I read through it once and then had them read it as a class. As they read, on each “I rise” I had a different student stand up. It was so powerful. They truly enjoyed it. I was actually surprised by their insights into the poem when I asked them to write what they thought the poem meant to the author and what it meant to them personally. I wish I could write all of their responses, but just to see their faces when they understood the meaning of the poem and the reality of rising out of struggle, overcoming, embracing freedom in the midst of oppression, etc…it was just beautiful. Today, I feel like I really made a difference…like I was able to let those who are dying to have a voice know that there are so many who are listening…today they felt empowered and I felt so humbled by the experience.
At the end, they asked me, “As a white American, what does this poem mean to you since it is addressing the white masters of the slaves?” I was dumbfounded for a moment. They asked if this poem created more segregation in the U.S. They are so incredibly insightful; I can’t get over it. I feel pretty good about my answer, but I was still floored.
I’m so proud to be a part of this program and Keyo Secondary School. I feel very blessed and I will miss my students very much. I wish there was more I could do…I wish I could come back…I just want to be sure that I never lose the memory of the way I feel right now.
A-weem-a wep-a weem-a wep...
Sunday, June 28, 2009 – Safari at Murchison Falls
So, this weekend my group traveled to Murchison Falls “state park” – about 3 hours away from our home Gulu. We took another mutatu (taxi van) which is always a nerve-wracking experience after our trip to the rhinos. But the trip down was nice. I got to listen to music the whole way which is always good. But the road is pretty terrible. After about two hours of bumping and bouncing, we finally got to a paved road…but that only lasted for four miles. Then we got on another dirt/trench road…good times.
But as we entered the park gate, I felt like we were already on safari. The animals were grazing the plains and as we drove by, they just stood and stared us down. We drove in the park for about an hour before we reached the ferry to go to the campground Red Chilli. While we were driving in, because there were so many animals, we decided to go ahead and ride on top of the mutatu like on safari, since the animals were out. The top of the mutatu filled up pretty fast…and being as smart as I am, I volunteered to not go up on top just yet because I knew that it would mean I would get to go up first on the actual safari. Instead, Abbie, Lauren, Mary Kay and I sat on the bars in the windows and hung off the side. It’s hard to explain, but it was awesome! I did get a little nervous at times hanging out on the side of the mutatu with so many cape buffalo around. But they just stood frozen. They had such a serious stare-down. It was insane…I think they just look angry because they are insecure about their haircuts. There were also hundreds of bushbucks – kind of like deer – and hart beasts…also like deer/antelopes but bigger with really long snouts. They have a very serious face…but I think they must be really sweet. And they are also really funny when they take off running…kind of awkward like me.
Then, we came across a family of elephants in the middle of the road. A little baby! Precious…we went slowly so as not to alarm the father and make him charge.
That night we slept four to a tent. I was so scared because there were signs all over warning us about the attacks of wart-hogs, hippos, lions, etc…but, I survived. Even after coming across two sleeping warthogs…they could’ve snapped my leg in two!! But they didn’t…
Sidenote: You turned me into a newt! I got betta…
Sunday morning we woke up before dawn to head to the ferry, to get on the mutatu, to go on safari. The sunrise over the Alberta Nile was impeccable! On the ferry we ate our packed breakfast of cheese sandwiches, fresh pineapple, boiled eggs and juice boxes. Yum.
Our mutatu was the first off the ferry…it was so exciting! I felt like we were in Rat Race because all of the land rovers and tour companies started racing out to be the first in line…but we won! We had a great guide! The safari lasted about 4 hours. I got to ride on top! Thrilling. The whole experience was amazing. We saw so many buffalo and giraffes and warthog families and monkeys and elephants and many more AND…lions! It is not typical that you are able to see the cats on safari because they are so crafty at hiding…but we saw 6! In two different spots. So freaking amazing…I was actually hoping to be able to see one hunt, but maybe next time.
The birds are so beautiful too…I have never even seen some of these colors before. We also came across a bull elephant feeding in the brush. After standing on top of the mutatu for a few minutes to take his picture, he started to get angry and faced forward to us completely, ears out and tusks up, as though he was about to charge in order to warn us to back up. It was terrifying and exhilarating all at the same time! He backed down…he knew better than to mess with this! Just kidding…he could’ve ripped me limb from limb in a heartbeat.
The whole ride was just an experience of a lifetime that I will never forget.
OH! And we got to walk with 27 giraffes! It was one of the most majestic sightings of my life! To actually see 27 giraffes crossing the plains of Africa was one thing, but to get to walk 100 feet away from them…so peaceful. They are full of grace…possibly my favorite moment.
After the safari, we ate lunch at Red Chilli and then got on a small boat to travel down the Nile for two hours to view Murchison Falls. We saw numerous families of hippos…it was terrifying also. They seem so sweet, but when they get angry, their little beady eyes can be so scary! The crocs were pretty great too…I kept having a feeling like vertigo that, what if I involuntarily throw myself overboard – like in that M. Night Shyamalan movie - crazy tunes. They could all snap me in half too! Morbid, but really exciting also. :)
The falls were so beautiful. We couldn’t get too close because the currents were too strong, but along the way we saw the spot where Ernest Hemingway supposedly crashed his plane and was stranded for two days.
After the boat ride, we got back in the mutatu to head home. Abbie and I sat in the back, which is not the best spot because it gets the worst of the bumps. On our way out of the park, all of a sudden I heard, “POP – PHEEEEEEEWWW”…the back, left tire blew – the one I was sitting on top of. Not a problem…Dennis, the driver ( of course his name is Dennis), can just get out in the middle of the wild, with all the animals around staring and put on the spare, right? Unless, of course, that was the spare!!! Dennis had changed it the day before because the original tire was so low. So, he just put the old tire back on. Now, as someone who has driven on a sketch tire before, you would think that you would drive as carefully as possible knowing that you did not have any back-ups, right? Unless, of course, you are a Ugandan mutatu driver named Dennis. In which case, you drive like a bat out of hell on the bumpy roads. I have never been more frustrated in my entire life. And of course, two hours into the ride, as is expected, I heard, “GUH-DUNK-GUH-DUNK-GUH-DUNK…”. Finally Dennis heard it and stopped the car. It was now very dark and we were in the middle of the bush. Not the best place for a bunch of muzungus. So, I stuck my headlamp out the window for Dennis to look at the tire…it was shredded. He decided that our best bet…since of course we had no cell phone service…was to keep riding on it until Sunday, the boss, could come meet us. AN HOUR!!! A WHOLE HOUR we rode on the rim…through the trenches…I was so angry and frustrated, but I find that in these situations it’s best to just keep repeating in my head… “this too shall pass”…and to breathe...oh, I forgot to mention that it started raining. After an hour, Sunday came to meet us and changed the tire and we rode the remaining 20 minutes or so on the good tire. But when we got home, we realized that Doreen made enchiladas so all was well again.
So, this weekend my group traveled to Murchison Falls “state park” – about 3 hours away from our home Gulu. We took another mutatu (taxi van) which is always a nerve-wracking experience after our trip to the rhinos. But the trip down was nice. I got to listen to music the whole way which is always good. But the road is pretty terrible. After about two hours of bumping and bouncing, we finally got to a paved road…but that only lasted for four miles. Then we got on another dirt/trench road…good times.
But as we entered the park gate, I felt like we were already on safari. The animals were grazing the plains and as we drove by, they just stood and stared us down. We drove in the park for about an hour before we reached the ferry to go to the campground Red Chilli. While we were driving in, because there were so many animals, we decided to go ahead and ride on top of the mutatu like on safari, since the animals were out. The top of the mutatu filled up pretty fast…and being as smart as I am, I volunteered to not go up on top just yet because I knew that it would mean I would get to go up first on the actual safari. Instead, Abbie, Lauren, Mary Kay and I sat on the bars in the windows and hung off the side. It’s hard to explain, but it was awesome! I did get a little nervous at times hanging out on the side of the mutatu with so many cape buffalo around. But they just stood frozen. They had such a serious stare-down. It was insane…I think they just look angry because they are insecure about their haircuts. There were also hundreds of bushbucks – kind of like deer – and hart beasts…also like deer/antelopes but bigger with really long snouts. They have a very serious face…but I think they must be really sweet. And they are also really funny when they take off running…kind of awkward like me.
Then, we came across a family of elephants in the middle of the road. A little baby! Precious…we went slowly so as not to alarm the father and make him charge.
That night we slept four to a tent. I was so scared because there were signs all over warning us about the attacks of wart-hogs, hippos, lions, etc…but, I survived. Even after coming across two sleeping warthogs…they could’ve snapped my leg in two!! But they didn’t…
Sidenote: You turned me into a newt! I got betta…
Sunday morning we woke up before dawn to head to the ferry, to get on the mutatu, to go on safari. The sunrise over the Alberta Nile was impeccable! On the ferry we ate our packed breakfast of cheese sandwiches, fresh pineapple, boiled eggs and juice boxes. Yum.
Our mutatu was the first off the ferry…it was so exciting! I felt like we were in Rat Race because all of the land rovers and tour companies started racing out to be the first in line…but we won! We had a great guide! The safari lasted about 4 hours. I got to ride on top! Thrilling. The whole experience was amazing. We saw so many buffalo and giraffes and warthog families and monkeys and elephants and many more AND…lions! It is not typical that you are able to see the cats on safari because they are so crafty at hiding…but we saw 6! In two different spots. So freaking amazing…I was actually hoping to be able to see one hunt, but maybe next time.
The birds are so beautiful too…I have never even seen some of these colors before. We also came across a bull elephant feeding in the brush. After standing on top of the mutatu for a few minutes to take his picture, he started to get angry and faced forward to us completely, ears out and tusks up, as though he was about to charge in order to warn us to back up. It was terrifying and exhilarating all at the same time! He backed down…he knew better than to mess with this! Just kidding…he could’ve ripped me limb from limb in a heartbeat.
The whole ride was just an experience of a lifetime that I will never forget.
OH! And we got to walk with 27 giraffes! It was one of the most majestic sightings of my life! To actually see 27 giraffes crossing the plains of Africa was one thing, but to get to walk 100 feet away from them…so peaceful. They are full of grace…possibly my favorite moment.
After the safari, we ate lunch at Red Chilli and then got on a small boat to travel down the Nile for two hours to view Murchison Falls. We saw numerous families of hippos…it was terrifying also. They seem so sweet, but when they get angry, their little beady eyes can be so scary! The crocs were pretty great too…I kept having a feeling like vertigo that, what if I involuntarily throw myself overboard – like in that M. Night Shyamalan movie - crazy tunes. They could all snap me in half too! Morbid, but really exciting also. :)
The falls were so beautiful. We couldn’t get too close because the currents were too strong, but along the way we saw the spot where Ernest Hemingway supposedly crashed his plane and was stranded for two days.
After the boat ride, we got back in the mutatu to head home. Abbie and I sat in the back, which is not the best spot because it gets the worst of the bumps. On our way out of the park, all of a sudden I heard, “POP – PHEEEEEEEWWW”…the back, left tire blew – the one I was sitting on top of. Not a problem…Dennis, the driver ( of course his name is Dennis), can just get out in the middle of the wild, with all the animals around staring and put on the spare, right? Unless, of course, that was the spare!!! Dennis had changed it the day before because the original tire was so low. So, he just put the old tire back on. Now, as someone who has driven on a sketch tire before, you would think that you would drive as carefully as possible knowing that you did not have any back-ups, right? Unless, of course, you are a Ugandan mutatu driver named Dennis. In which case, you drive like a bat out of hell on the bumpy roads. I have never been more frustrated in my entire life. And of course, two hours into the ride, as is expected, I heard, “GUH-DUNK-GUH-DUNK-GUH-DUNK…”. Finally Dennis heard it and stopped the car. It was now very dark and we were in the middle of the bush. Not the best place for a bunch of muzungus. So, I stuck my headlamp out the window for Dennis to look at the tire…it was shredded. He decided that our best bet…since of course we had no cell phone service…was to keep riding on it until Sunday, the boss, could come meet us. AN HOUR!!! A WHOLE HOUR we rode on the rim…through the trenches…I was so angry and frustrated, but I find that in these situations it’s best to just keep repeating in my head… “this too shall pass”…and to breathe...oh, I forgot to mention that it started raining. After an hour, Sunday came to meet us and changed the tire and we rode the remaining 20 minutes or so on the good tire. But when we got home, we realized that Doreen made enchiladas so all was well again.
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