Always Remember Gulu

Grab some coffee (or wine), maybe a tissue, and some time 'cos this one’s a fatty.

I savor moments when there're 8 of us piled in a friend’s co Land Rover and not one of us are from the same country.  A’s replace R’s from the Kiwi, deep clipped syllables from thee Irish, pinkies up from the Brit, flat vowels from Beacher, rolling exotic rrr’s from the Costa Rican, 2 something's on the roof yelling profanity in their native tongue as we quickly dodge a goat, and the Ugandan thinking we all sound the same lol.  Much banter between us mates includes playful ridicule of what exactly IS the proper pronunciation of “glacier,” “aluminum,” or “tomato”…hilarious.

Uganda celebrated 50 years of INDEPENDENCE on Oct. 9^th – Golden Jubilee!!  “Focus on the good, not on the bad.”  This small country has endured more intolerable traumatic devastation than the whole world combined since the Holocaust in the past half century.  Yet, the Acholi’s optimism and hopeful disposition towards the future is…truly indescribable.  I’ve nnnever witnessed a belief – an emotional connection more powerful.  The radiant wholesome goodness that overflows from their hearts is something that could only be found in those who have been in the presence of the most evil acts of mankind.  I can’t explain it.  There’s some sort of balance to it all that’s been established from this enormous rival of good vs. evil.   Uganda is living proof that the Acholi’s spirituality and prevailing faith is indeed strong enough to defeat the malevolence of the war. 
…Perhaps none of that made sense.  And many may think I’m preaching here, but that’s the best – the only way I can say it. 

African trivia – “Afrivia” for the day:

-         The average life expectancy has gone up from 45 to 53 in the past 20 years.

-         There are 2 words for “heart” in the Acholi language.  One for the organ and one for the emotion.

-         At burial services, the dead cannot be dressed in the color red because it attracts evil, nor can they be clothed in buttons because they are uncomfortable.  If it rains on the day of the burial a small animal must be sacrificed.

-         Three generations ago tradition prohibited women from eating any type of bird meat.

-         Maternity leave for teachers in Uganda is 3 to 6 weeks.

-         Amber loves Gulu: Fact. 

Gulu welcomed mama and sis with no power-no water and fresh-roach-hatchling-infestation open arms. Right on cue:).  Mounting bodas, playing exterminator, bucket bathing… ma and sis were naturals!  Delivering donations, volunteering at Baby Watoto, art lessons at Mercy’s Village, celebrating Uganda’s Independence Day, Murchison Falls, and birding at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary is all a blur and yet the perfect memory at the same time.

I am one lucky Beach. My pal put it in perspective best, “Man, your fam must really love you to come and visit you in the slums of a third world country.”  Humbled.

That comment also sparked a life moment...“slums of a third world country”…:  I would rather be surrounded by poverty, the smell of sewage, unreliable sources of power - water, and yes…even roaches in conjunction with the most honest, SOULful, and zealous people THAN be surrounded by a land of luxury and paradise with, for lack of a better word, meanies.  Slummin’ lovin’ baby.

Time doesn’t fly here. Time super sonic booms here.

The daunting echo of my November 5^th departure feels like the date of a huge exam I am not prepared for.   I envy those with 2+ year contracts.

My last week in Gulu resembles that of a clingy gf pained to say good bye to her significant other. Gulu, I will be obsessing over you for the next 7 days.  Expect a range of temperamental emotions, unpredictable minor breakdowns, too much picture taking, and therapeutic glasses (bottles) of wine.

When my sis asked what I missed most about the states, by default I responded with the usu “lattes, showers, unlimited internet…” shpeel but actually, all I could think about was an endless list of what I will miss most about Gulu…

-         Crisp morning bike rides to school (rockin’ out!)

-         Students singing during assembly

-         Greeting the teachers

-         Isaac politely reminding me that we should be walking on the other side of the road

-         Isaac…and Isaac

-         “Mono bye-eee!”

-         My Coffee Hut corner

-         waking to roosters

-         music 24/8

-         roasted maize

-         twenty-five cent softball size avocados from Cerelano market

-     CHOP MY MONEY

-         Mama Mercy’s beans

-         Club beer

-         passion fruit

-         Sankofa's Spanish omelet

-         Abyssinia Ethiopian Restaurant

-         Uchumi popcorn

-         Top Up chili sauce

-         doorman Mzee

-         faking like I know what I’m doing at Texas Hold’em poker night

-         muddy frisbee

-         boda lessons from Kenneth

-         patting the tight curls on the students’ heads

-         Mexican Night

-         Losing at BJz Quiz Night 

-         Acholi women’s traditional “AY-YAAA’YAAA’YAAA’YAAA”

-         Swapping music with Denish

-         sunbathing Sunday’s at Acholi Inn

-         headlamp Game Nights

-         The view from my office

-         And…gossiping with Godfrey

Goodbye - or shall I say see you later… bucket baths, candle lit cooking, mosquito net, roach roomies, line dry laundry, generators, orange Q-tips, flooded apartment, pot holes, right Havianna, dirty fingernails, hovering over holes in the ground, tsetse flies, warm Coke Zeros, pink ketchup,Chaco tan lines, water purifier, mystery bug bites, day long downloads, instant coffee, posho, Nokia phone from ’04, sleepless Ivory Guest House Bar, the Post Bus, and Doom… It is not a matter of if but when I will see you all again.

My coworker Densih will be stepping in with Isaac.  I am going to Isaac’s village to share a farewell meal with his family.  Isaac now has a mountain bike:).  I think I may be more excited about it than him haha.  He is also enjoying a brand new basketball, my old iPod from '02 (complete with Amber's teeny bop jams from 10 yrs. ago - how embarassing!;), and hand-me-down trendy shirts from the states.  Thank you, THANK YOU, mama, sis, and Cody!

I hope (I have) to return this summer with a team that visits Mercy’s Village annually.  There is no question that I will remain actively involved with Mercy’s Village International from its El Segundo location in CA. 

This marks my final entry in Uganda:(.  Un’freakin’believeable.  I have really enjoyed exercising my lost hobby for writing via UGAMBER ALERT.  Many thank you’s are in order for your kind compliments and interest.  Touched.  (Feels like I’m on stage receiving an award…but) To the 80some helping hearts who got me here…I am in a worrrld/universe of debt to you.  SINCERE thanks, hugs, and UG love!  Will be tackling you all in person when we’re reunited - wearing padded protection may be advisable…you’ve been warned. 

Dear God, You gave me the gift of living and loving one of Your finest creations – Uganda.  Struggling to find words that can amount to express my eternal gratitude…

Right now at this very moment I feel the soft weight of teacher Florence’s baby Eliza asleep on my lap. Hear bees, birds, and children buzz outside my office door.  Smell the hardwood cells of my desk opening up in the afternoon heat.  And of course, Orbit gum in my mouth and twirling a piece of hair in my fingers. (Remember this moment…remember this moment… e v e r y t h i n g  about this moment).  Always remember Gulu. 

“It’s gonna take a life to drag me away from you…

There’s nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do…

I (was) blessed (by) the rains down in Africa…” 

#gratefulGratefulGRATEFUL 

 

 

Altitude "Silliness"

I don’t want to leave…

I know I’m only 26, but am confident I will never top the intimate
working relationships I have established with the teachers, parents,
students, and of course, with Isaac here in Gulu.

There is something uniquely loveable about Gulu that’s addicting.  I’ve
never been in the military but the people I’ve met here will forever
be the ones I “worked the trenches with.”  Creating fruitful solid
relationships is instantaneous here – there’s something about us all
being on the same level of understanding and compassion in regards to
water shortage, stomach issues, bug bites, power being out, comparing
whose feet are the dirtiest/scariest ha.  If Hermosa Beach’s 1st
Street to Pier Ave. breed were to exist in Africa, Gulu would be the
perfect location to host y’all;).

MT. KENYA– check!!  Funny how “I need to leave the country to renew my
Visa” morphed into “Let’s climb Africa’s second highest mountain!
SURE.”   What a beautiful beast.   She was intense – and yes, we also,
stayed “in tents” (step-dad Chubb, that was for you).

If Yosemite and the Grand Canyon were to procreate, Mt. Kenya would be
the fruit of their lions. Felt like I was on the set of Lord of the
Rings. I think I may have even resembled Gandolf with my frosted nose
hairs.   Breathtaking (and not just because of the altitude) scenery.
Shared the mountain with elephants, zebras, bald eagles…found my new
happy place.

Typically you see groups of 8 or more hikers plus a guide and about 8
porters on the mountain. We were 6 total – me, my UGA partner in
crime, our guide, and 3 porters. We made quite the fashion statement
in our random ensemble of barrowed thermals and bargin finds from the
local markets – mismatched gloves and plastic bags as a second pair of
socks to keep our feet dry. Snazzy. We looked like homeless women
whom suddenly decided to climb a mountain.

The porters put us to shame carrying triple the standard backpack
weight, leaving basecamp last and arriving first at the next in
rain boots and trash bag ponchos. These ultimate humans summit Mt.
Kenya once a week! Never even phased by the high elevation or below
zero temperatures. Insane.

With only minor miiinor frostbite in one toe*, my mate and I summited
Mt. Kenya and finished the 6 day Chogoria – Sirimon traverse a day
early. YIPPEE.
*No discoloration like in the movie Mr. Deeds ha. Only numbness for
prob 3 months until the damaged nerves repair themselves.

- Altitude Sickness should really be called Altitude ‘Silliness’: “An
enhanced dorkier and gigglier state one reaches at elevations above
15,000 ft. Symptoms include attempting to slide down the mountain on
your bottom, making up words, calling your guide “Mom,” thinking
boulders are water buffalo, and/or sticking your hands down your
pants to keep them warm.”
- Grocery bags make great waterproof gators.
- Orbit gum freezes at 17,000 ft.
- Sleeping bags can stick to the interior of tent walls like Harry
Dun’s tongue froze to a chairlift in Dumb’n’Dumber.
- Lord of the Rings IV should be filmed on Mt. Kenya.
- Oranges are green here...'greenges'(?)

Super stoked to have my mama and sis join me in Uganda for 2 weeks!!
Although, not too sure my 5 year old niece shares the same sentiments. “Aunt
Tootie, 12 days is a long time for my mom to be gone. I’m not too
excited about that.” Jaden, thank you for allowing (releasing) your
mom to come visit me lol.

Goobers in Gulu – watch out!  Don’t worry, we HAVE scheduled a Birding
Tour for mama dearest (that I may combine with wine to create the
ultimate Birding/Wine Tour – twofer!). Can’t remember the last time it
was just Rosie, Marika, and Amber (or mama, Booka, and Tootie – that’s
better)...‘02 road trip to CO to drop off Marika’s 4-Runner where we
discovered Amber has a severe learning disability when it comes to
reading maps…?  Ages ago, however, I may or may not still read maps
up-side-down. Opps.  "Dys'map'ia"..?

HAPPY 18th BIRTHDAY to ISAAC!! He was born on September 22.
Forgive me for the delay in his Thank You letters to you Isaac
sponsors…it was going to cost $80US to mail them from UG, which I
could not justify, so I have volunteered my mom to take them back to
the states to mail. Unfortunately, the same circumstance applies to
the 70-some lovely letters Mercy’s Village Primary Students wrote to
each of you. Thank you for your patience:/. And to clarify, I
HAPPILY incurred $1,200.00 in debt (absolutely worth it) to pay for
Mt. Kenya – none of your donations were used for my “holiday”:). IF
anyone IS interested in hiking Mt. Kenya, Kilimanjaro, and/or
safari’ing, I have dear friends/guides in Tanzania and Kenya I can
refer you to.

Isaac’s becoming MY role model. His work ethic surpasses the
definition of inspiring.  Don’t even get me started on his pain
threshold/tolerance. Last month his voice started to sound
deeper than usual, but I figured it was an additional onset of his
voice dropping..? Come to find out, he’s been experiencing
excruciating pain in his throat for years; for which he was visiting a
local village witch doctor to receive "treatment." So I scheduled him
an actual doctor’s appointment. Poor guy was battling asthma for
years with no medication, until now.  His voice is back to normal
and he is eating solid foods again. Super-super-duper hero Isaac.

With that said, for his birthday/before I leave I want to provide him
with a bike so he can have transportation to Lacor Hospital and to his
village (hr+ walk from school). A decent bike is about 250,000
shillings ($100US). He has $230.00 remaining in his School Fees
Fund, which should be enough to cover Term I in Senior 5 come March.
In addition to requesting yet another monthly donation on Isaac’s
behalf, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to
provide you all - anyone - with the link to make a donation to
Isaac…perhaps in lieu of a “birthday gift,” compensation for medical
fees, or to support his education.

Any amount is appreciated:
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=RZYSSUTTA4888

I’m starting to wonder if my parents adopted me from Africa because
Uganda is family. However, the stubby thumbs I inherited from my
mom make that highly unlikely.

(A little bird told me Amber may be staying yet another extra month in Uganda...shhh.)

One word, wakeupeverymorningfeelinggrateful.

Joe Anderson, my dear friend and fellow Loyola lion… I’ve
never met someone who knew more about Mammoth Mountain and Bishop.
Will always cherish sharing last President’s Day Weekend with you on
the slopes. Always looking out for me. Much, much, love…


Beacher