Books

A few books to read before going

Pete Muller

10 Feb 2009

Uganda

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I spent my time in northern Uganda where the history, political dynamics and daily realities differ significantly from other parts of the country. If you’re headed to the north I’d recommend the following: Living with Bad Surroundings: War and Existential Uncertainty in Acholiland, Northern Uganda. By Sverker Finnstrom, 2003 The Wizard of the Nile: The Search for Africa’s Most Wanted. By Matthew Green, 2008

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Getting Around

Get your daily fix of cab accidents

Pete Muller

10 Feb 2009

Uganda

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The most notable means of local transportation in Uganda are motorcycle taxis known as boda-bodas. These taxis earned their name from the days when riders ferried travelers throughout the no man’s land between the Ugandan and Kenyan borders. They would take folks from border to border, which ultimately shortened to boda-boda. The vehicles are fairly accident prone and take some getting used to but soon become a required daily fix. I've had an array of accidents ranging from basic falls to hitting small children at a decent clip.

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Festivals & Events

You can't exonerate without breaking some eggs

Pete Muller

10 Feb 2009

Uganda

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In September 2008, I photographed a traditional Acholi reconciliation ceremony for six senior commanders of the Lord’s Resistance Army. The ceremony focused on Opio Makasi, the Senior Operations Commander and close confidant of LRA leader Joseph Kony. The ceremony requires that the men walk barefoot over an egg, an act which symbolizes exoneration for past wrongdoing. The ceremony is part of Mato Oput, an age-old, traditional process that aims to repair communal relationships after serious transgression.

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Culture Shock

Material poverty doesn't always equate to misery

Andrew Morgan

23 May 2010

Uganda

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In the summer, when I travel with a group of American teenagers around Uganda, invariably a few of them struggle with the country's poverty. "How do they live like this, in these huts with no electricity?" they'll ask. Everywhere buildings are weathered; kids wear holed shirts and are often shoeless; the streets are cleaned of trash each morning, but not really. We talk about how material poverty is not always a recipe for depression and misery, as we're taught in the West. Even though many Ugandans have few material possessions, most do have tight family ties, a good sense of humor, and love for their friends. For many here, happiness doesn't hinge on stuff, on consumption.

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Must Do

Safari? Yes. Rafting on the Nile? Yes

Andrew Morgan

23 May 2010

Uganda

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Don't mess around: visit Murchison Falls National Park and one of the rafting companies on the Nile. No trip to Uganda is complete without making these two obligatory stops. Part of my job involves taking different groups of visitors to both of these places each year, and if I had a few thousand shillings for each time I heard people shriek at the sight of 15 giraffes at a watering hole or a Class V rapid on the Nile, I'd be a bazillionaire. They never fail to impress. Murchison is famous for its laid-back game drive options and the famous, pounding waterfall after which the park is named. Rafting the Nile at Jinja is so spectacular because the river is bathwater-warm and deep, and the rapids are roller coaster-ish.

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Etiquette

Take Time to Sit, to Talk

Andrew Morgan

03 Jul 2010

Uganda

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Coming from the US, I know all too well how to eat on the run; how to wave hello to a friend from across the street and mime 'Call me!'; how to text and walk at the same time. Time is different in Uganda. People don't stress over it, and if you try to, things will be awkward. If you have the chance to meet someone at his/her home, you'll be invited to sit and talk. Chairs will be put out for you and your host. You'll be expected to take a break in the shade of a tree, to enjoy your host's company or take a cup of tea. Don't rush through these moments---they're important to Ugandans. Although waiting 20 minutes for a meeting to start might be frustrating, enjoying the slow pace of life during quiet moments with new friends is not.

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Food

Starch is IT!

Andrew Morgan

23 May 2010

Uganda

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People in Uganda grow starchy crops that provide them with the most bang for their buck--millet, sorghum, beans, sweet potato, maize, bananas, and rice. A plate full of rice and beans, although not the most exciting meal in the world, fills you up and dishes out enough protein to sustain you. It's easy to be a vegetarian in Uganda, but it's hard to find food variety. A country of farmers, Uganda has national cuisine that varies slightly from region to region. The southeast is known for its mashed bananas; the north for its sauces made with mashed greens. Curry heads and pizza junkies, fret not: Kampala, with its dozens of restaurants serving international food, can sort you out.

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Film

To watch before you go

Pete Muller

10 Feb 2009

Uganda

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I highly recommend War Dance, an Academy Award nominated documentary about northern Uganda. Beyond being an incisive and touching treatise on the issues, the film’s photography is absolutely breathtaking.

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Packing

Leave Your Short Shorts at Home

Andrew Morgan

03 Jul 2010

Uganda

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I once had a Ugandan explain to me that an exposed leg in Uganda is equivalent to an exposed breast in the US. In Uganda, everything below the belly button is regarded as sacred and hence, worthy of being covered up. Even though Ugandan women won't think twice of walking around topless out in the countryside (breasts aren't sexualized here), no one will expose his/her thighs in public. Visitors should be mindful of this. All shorts and skirts should extend at least to the knee. Nothing draws more stares than a group of foreigners walking around town in short shorts.

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Religion

Catholics + Muslims = Uganda

Andrew Morgan

23 May 2010

Uganda

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Every Sunday, whether I want to or not, I wake up at 8:00 am to the clanging of church bells from the nearby Catholic church. Most everyone I meet in northern Uganda (and the rest of the country, too, for that matter) is Catholic. Eighty-four percent of Uganda's 30 million people are Catholics, and 12% are Muslims. Because Ugandans maintain such homogeneous religious belief, and because Ugandans are generally awesome and chatty, people think nothing of diving fast and hard into serious conversation. A few weeks ago a staff member I barely know turned to me in the car and said, "So when did you come to know Christ?"

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Politics

If they don't want to talk, there's a reason

Pete Muller

10 Feb 2009

Uganda

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Given northern Uganda’s violent political history, I was surprised to find virtually no serious political discussion. Political inquiries are often met with blank stares and ambiguous statements that trail off before illustrating anything. I often asked basic questions, such as why Kony and the LRA are fighting. The question usually got the same response, “Even us, we don’t know.” Having worked in conflicted areas of the Middle East, where everyone has an opinion, I was skeptical of this unwillingness to share. After some time, however, certain individuals did open up to me. If done in populated areas, their hushed words were often preceded by a look over both shoulders. This dynamic, which occurs regularly, illustrates the unfinished nature of political turbulence in northern Uganda. The era of Kony and the LRA may be at an end but the legitimate grievances of the Acholi people persist, at great concern to the central government. The region also remains trapped amid larger geopolitical considerations regarding oil, the future of South, or “New” Sudan, alleged weapons testing and other issues not openly discussed. I believe that the Ugandan military and intelligence community maintain a fairly expansive spying network throughout population centers in the north. If people don’t want to talk politics, respect that.

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Music

Hip-hop on the rise

Pete Muller

10 Feb 2009

Uganda

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Uganda has a growing hip-hop scene. I spent some time shooting in a music recording studio in Gulu called Bushfire Records. My favorite artist on that scene is Smokey Allan, an Acholi emcee who’s getting a fair amount of radio play in Kampala. Check out the video for his nationwide single “Muyaye”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHZM3OAX7RE

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Sports

Soccer Fever

Andrew Morgan

03 Jul 2010

Uganda

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Hands down, soccer is the most popular sport in Uganda. People love watching it, playing it, and chatting about it. Even in the smallest villages you'll be able to spot a pair of handmade goal posts and a soccer pitch. The best way to dig into the Ugandan love for soccer is to watch a few games at a local bar or get sweaty in a pick-up game. The names of the world's best players roll off of Ugandans' tongues with ease and frequency, so catching up to speed on global soccer news before you come out might be a good idea.

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TV

You are watching Big Brother

Pete Muller

10 Feb 2009

Uganda

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It seems like people love Big Brother.

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Fashion

For designer jeans (or slabs of goat) head to Owino

Shaina Shealy

21 Sep 2009

Uganda

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After my first few days in Kampala, I realized that my hiking boots and quick-dry zip pants weren't helping me blend into smartly dressed Kampala. So a local friend escorted me to Owino for a true Ugandan shopping experience. The busy market is made up of crowded stalls where thousands of vendors eagerly sell everything from produce to clothing. We went for a full day of hard bargaining and sweating, and I ended up with my best fitting pair of jeans to date. When you're there, don't express too much interest in an item--you'll be prodded and pinched by vendors, chased through a maze of stalls, or, in extreme cases, get a marriage proposal.

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Dating

Be wary of your sudden powers of seduction

Pete Muller

10 Feb 2009

Uganda

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I am in a committed relationship so dating was not part of my experience in Uganda. On the basis of previous experience, however, I would urge singles to be conscious of what I call the “passport prospect.” Foreigners traveling in deeply impoverished countries often enjoy a degree of sexual interest they may not receive at home. This is intoxicating and can be difficult to resist but should be evaluated within the broader context. Sex is extremely powerful and can be a means to an end for some looking to escape a life of poverty. Men and women alike can find themselves in situations where careful calculations are disguised as romantic or sexual interest. That said, everyone’s curious about things (and people) they haven’t “done” before. Sometimes in sub-Saharan Africa, where there is virtually no racial variance, sexual interest is rooted in curiosity. This topic was endless during my time at the New Town Way Inn in Gulu. “So how can we get one of the NGO white girls?” the guys would ask. “Are they different?” While women in Uganda are certainly less publicly vocal about their sexual curiosity, I am certain of a similar dialogue, even if it’s internal.

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Health

Better to be safe than sorry

Pete Muller

10 Feb 2009

Uganda

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Be wise. If you’re spending a lot of time in Internally Displaced Persons camps in northern Uganda, be vigilant. Odds are you’ll be fine but remember that there are regular occurrences of Hepatitis E and other nasty viruses that are fairly easy to pick up if you’re not careful. If you've been shaking hands in a camp all day, don't be a hero. Wait until you can properly clean your hands before eating with them. The healthcare system in the north is not great and to be avoided if possible. If you’re in dire straights, however, Gulu Independent Hospital is the spot to go. I got a parasite check there before leaving and was very impressed with the staff and facilities.

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Slang

Keep it clean

Pete Muller

10 Feb 2009

Uganda

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Through the advice of an Acholi friend, I learned only words and phrases that were appropriate to use across all age ranges. I think its useful advice.

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Nightlife

Land of Booze and Bars

Andrew Morgan

03 Jul 2010

Uganda

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A few years ago, the World Health Organization said Ugandans consumed more alcohol per capita than any other country in the world. Beer is everywhere here; five-cent bags of whiskey can be purchased at even the smallest grocery kiosks in the countryside. Bars of all sizes are easy to find in the towns and cities. At night, men gather around pool tables and, for hours, drink beer, crack jokes, and shoot pool. For $1 US, you can buy a 500 mL bottle of strong Ugandan beer, so it's easy to have a long night out without breaking the bank.

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Being an American

Not a Problem Being From Obama-Land

Andrew Morgan

03 Jul 2010

Uganda

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Because many parts of Uganda have been steeped in NGO and missionary activity, lots of Ugandans have seen foreigners before. But interaction with these types of foreigners---foreigners on a mission of some sort---has left lots of Ugandans thinking that foreigners on Ugandan soil are people who are determined to spread an ideology or build a school. Fighting against these assumptions can be frustrating. With that said, however, Ugandans are incredibly friendly and chatty. Many people love Barack Obama, so saying you're American is often an instant conversation starter. Expect your American-ness to be met with respect and lots of questions about life back home.

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