Day One: Uganda: Kampala

7:39pm, April 30th, 2019 

Today I woke up at 10:30 in Kampala after going to sleep at 2am because our flight got into Entebbe at 11pm and then we had to catch up and have dinner with our host Remi Kiggundu. Remi was good friends with my grandmother and grandfather when my grandfather was teaching economics at Mkare University in Uganda. Remi’s late husband was a student of my grandfather, and they quickly became good friends. Anyway, after I woke up this morning, we sat outside on the veranda for breakfast.

This is Remi and my Aunt Sarah at the airport

This was our breakfast

It was a beautiful morning, sunny and warm but there was a gentle cooling breeze. It is the middle of the rainy season, so the entire landscape is a vibrant green. We had jackfruit, pineapple, eggs, and samosa which is an Indian street food that is a flaky pastry and is stuffed with either meat or vegetables. During breakfast, Remi’s younger brother joined us. He has been a headmaster for a primary school of 600 kids for almost 20 years now. It was a bit harder to talk to Remi’s brother because he did not know much English, but it was still interesting to hear about his life. After breakfast, Remi and my aunt shared memories of my grandmother and grandfather and Remi spoke of how much she cherished her friendship with my grandmother and how she was like her icon. It was so touching and beautiful to hear someone talk about my grandmother like that considering I had not heard of stories about her when she was younger. Then, Remi started talking about solar energy and how she was trying to switch her entire house to solar power but that there were difficulties that came along with that. It was fascinating to talk about renewable energy sources with her considering renewable energy is what I had just been learning about in APES so I knew what she was talking about and could add to the conversation.

After breakfast, my aunt and I were exhausted, so we both took naps before our little lunch party. At 2pm our guests started arriving for lunch. I met Sarah and Sam Kibuuka who are the son and daughter-in-law of Kati Kibuuka who started the Nangabo Technical Training Center which we will be going to tomorrow. I then also met Hamden who used to be Remi’s errand boy but now they are just good friends. I then met Rose and Robin Kibuuka, Robin is Sam's younger brother, and their son Cyprian Kibuuka who actually lives and works in Boston and is trying to find a startup company that he can work with while being in Uganda and Boston. Cyprian is here visiting his family for about three weeks, and then he goes back to Boston to continue looking for a job. Robin was a good friend of my grandfather, and they met at Mkare university. My grandfather even encouraged Robin to move to the U.S. where he worked at the St. Pauls school for a time. I then met Irene who started a physical therapy practice which funds here NGO for women’s health and rights. Remi is the chair of the board for Irene’s NGO. What Irene’s NGO  does, is spread awareness about breast and cervical cancer, knowledge about early menopause which is happening a lot in Africa right now, and teaching sex education in schools. The president of Uganda had actually banned at one point the teaching of sexual education in schools which made the HIV/AIDS rate skyrocket. Irene also does marches and walks to advocate for woman’s health. Irene was a fascinating woman who I hope to see again on this trip and talk to her more about her efforts. I sat next to Sam, Sarah, and Cyprian for lunch and we did some joking and getting to know each other. Lunch this afternoon was spiced chicken, sweet banana, rice, avocado, fried potato, beef stew, and matoke which is mashed plantains and easily my new favorite thing to eat. I continued to talk to Cyprian about startups and what he does in Boston, and then we finished lunch off with more memories of my grandmother and grandfather who everyone seemed to love dearly and had deep connections with. 

The top row left to right: Cyprian, Remi, and Sam
The middle row left to right: Sarah, my aunt Sarah, me, and Robin
The bottom row left to right: Irene, rose, and Remi's neighbor Sarah

My lunch: matoke, avocado, rice, beef stew, plantains, chicken, and potato

After lunch, My Aunt Sarah, Hamden, and I went for a walk around the town because we had not done much exercise after sitting for 17hours on a plane. We saw the park where national ceremonies commence and helicopters land, we saw armed soldiers roaming the streets, motorcycles zooming around street corners carrying two to three people each. There were not really sidewalks so everybody walks on the side of the roads or in the grass so a few times I saw my life flash before my eyes when a car or motorcycle, also called a bodaboda, would speed past me. We then went to a restaurant by the house and found out that we were sitting next to an African king which was definitely a new experience. We had tea and chatted with Hamden and helped him to come up with a name for his new eco-friendly chicken farm that he is starting up. We decided on Geo Ranch.

Hamden and I walking by the park

Then we went back to the house and showered, and now we are sitting in the family room watching the news and nibbling on jackfruit, lentils, and beans. An end to my first day in Uganda. It was a full day but a rewarding day. The best part of the day was meeting everyone at lunch, these people were my grandparent’s very dear friends, and I had always heard so much about them growing up, and it was so lovely to put a face to the name. It was terrific to hear all the love these people had for my grandparents especially in the wake of my grandmother’s passing a few weeks ago. I am so thrilled to be able to spend my time with these intelligent people who share the same values as my family. I am even more excited to see what comes tomorrow when we go to the Nangabo Technical Training Center!

Hours for the day: 5.5

Hours in total: 5.5

Until tomorrow
Maria