Uganda Agenda

My least favorite thing about Uganda is the prevailing missionary and volunteer presence. There are so many organization there that it creates an expectation that whites have money to spare and makes the culture (at least initially) less accessible. There were 2 Ugandans in particular where I sensed this duplicity. One was a young man who repeatably approached us in our hostel with an overzealous business plan that involved using orphan labor to produce sandals to sell to foreigners. The other was the woman who did our laundry. Though she generously invited us into her home, it never felt like a comfortable visit between friends. She would laugh and agree with most anything we said, but I felt she purposely kept her true opinions (about culture, religion, politics etc) to herself. Her real agenda seemed to include coercing me into teaching her daughter sewing lessons (though they are already lucky enough to be enrolled in a vocational school for this), getting Jamie and I to rent a room that a friend of hers had available, and convincing me to buy paper beads from her daughters. I rationalized these sorts of exchanges by reminding myself that these individuals didn’t represent all of Uganda and that their assumption that I have more than them is basically correct. They don’t have a particularly upfront culture so I suppose it makes sense that they would ask for help in what appears to me an underhanded manner. And the foreigners here have an agenda as well - whether it is to feel better about themselves by volunteering, to have an African adventure, or to push their religious views. There are so many different approaches to helping Africa and it is hard to sort out what is simply well intentioned (and not so well intended) and what is actually working. On a more positive note, I think Sewing Hope's secular approach of training teachers within existing community groups is truly sustainable. In contrast, many church groups make large donations of sewing machines, yet no one actually knows how to operate or care for them. While lesson planning this summer, we were constantly questioning our goals and our approach to ensure that our efforts were effective.

Learning Lusoga

I really enjoyed learning Lusoga. It was quite a change from Chinese to be able to spell out words phonetically and to be able to pronounce them with relative ease. Like pretty much everywhere else (except France), the locals really appreciate your effort. We took lessons with a man named Ali who not only taught us a lot of vocabulary and grammar, but also touched on some key cultural points. For instance, learning how to greet people properly was hugely important. Also, because there is no word for please in Lusoga, many Ugandan’s leave it out when they are speaking English. This leads to a common misconception that Ugandans are demanding or rude. Jamie had an interesting conversation with Ali about the way that American women dress. This is not something he would have discussed with Tara and I present, but Jamie was kind enough to recount it for us. Apparently, Ali was curious (not judgmental) about why American women would choose to show so much skin by wearing short shorts and dresses. He just felt that it left “nothing to the imagination.” It really sounds like a pretty comical exchange because Jamie and Ali are both pretty analytical and were attempting to explain the cultural phenomenon scientifically. Ali insisted that it would make more sense biologically for the man to show his thighs, though I still don’t understand his logic here. It does seem a shame not to continue learning.

Care and Share Recap

We spent two weeks with the Care and Share ladies. The group identified some of their most promising members and sent them to train with us at our office in Jinja. These members would become the teachers for the larger group. On the first day we had 7 students. After carefully assessing their machine and hand sewing skills we were faced with a tough decision. Two of the women were having a considerable amount of trouble seeing, operating the treadle and following basic instructions. They were having so much trouble that we felt that it was unlikely that they would ever evolve into group leaders. Therefore, we invited them to continue to learn with us the following week when we would be observing the teachers in action. This left us with 5 students, Miria, Florence, Betty, Betty and Prossy. We split this group in to 2 smaller groups based on skill level. The 2 Bettys needed practice with the machine, so we set them up with simple bag projects. The other three women were asked to complete a complicated mans shirt. Jamie’s education background came in useful when he suggested that we create a rubric to make our quality expectations clear from the start and to give a framework for evaluation. When the students had completed the shirts, we sat down and graded them together. Tara and I were tough graders, but I felt it was an invaluable tool for emphasizing the importance of quality, detail, design, stitch tension and fit. On my last day with the Care and Share ladies, Tara and I presented Miria and Florence (our two strongest students) with certificates for the completion of a Men’s Shirt Making Course. It was another difficult decision not to present one to Prossy, who had also completed a shirt, but we were able to point to her low scores on her rubric as an explanation. We acknowledged all 5 teachers that trained with us, plus another 2 that who showed considerable skill with a Sewing Hope necklace.

Grinding Grannies + 1 minute

FIRST!!!

Grinding Grannies

I really like Ugandan dancing. They make their own fun. Someone just starts up clapping and singing and then everyone else follows suit. They tie scarves and towels around each others waists to encourage them to dance. Its a really positive sort of environment. The songs are like anthems thanking individuals by name for the work that they do. When you are thanked by name, it is your time in spot light and you are expect to shake you hips with as much speed as you can muster. My only complaint: I can't say I felt entirely at ease when an old, feisty Ugandan lady danced up to me and began what could only be described as grinding. Circumstances being what they were, I think a few beers would improve the festivities considerably.

Kayaking in Slow Motion

Keyboard Kayaking

I met Juma through the manager of our hostel.  Juma had just recorded a new song for his newest album and he wanted to shoot a video.  His first idea sounded like a lot of Ugandan music videos - shoot what the video was describing.  In this case, an amazingly wholesome song about the mental and health benefits of dancing.  I suggested we shoot a concept video using slow motion.  We decided to use Juma's skills as a former internationally competitive kayaker.

Our crew consisted of Nash, the problem-solving manager of our hostel, Shaz, Juma's wife and organizer for the NGO SoftPower, Polly, who did the things that  needed to be done without being asked and provided gentle suggestions for organizing the video, and two Ugandans who jumped in to hold a reflector card or ladder when needed.  A solid, small crew. 

Lighting from one window with a gold reflector.

It was one of those rare jobs where job titles weren't clearly defined, but, at the very least, I felt  responsible for lighting, camera, technical concerns, and a portion of the creative direction.

We shot half the video in the village where Juma and his (claimed) forty-one (41) siblings were raised, and half in "The Nile Special" a Grade 3 rapid.

I'm in the (long) process of editing it into something presentable.  I'm hoping to release the video on the internet in two weeks.

A Shilling for Your Thoughts

The daily rush of my self-imposed shooting schedule has slowed and now I must reflect on the footage. 
On a daily basis, I have been conducting interviews, participating in activities with fellow teachers, and working with Sam, a Ugandan film student, to film the daily activities.  Every other day we have language lessons for Lusoga.  Following that I conduct a regiment of downloading, syncing audio, converting and then reviewing footage and photos.  Then early to bed.

Now the editing phase begins.  I have a reel of "selects" from each of the 13 shooting days.  Played one after the other I have an hour of quality footage to choose from.  My to do list now is the following: (1) transcribe interviews, (2) create a reel of "VIP selects" aka the best of the best, (3) meet with staff from Fount to create a pitch for both the organization and the educational program, (4) film this pitch, (5) make a log of the footage for future edits, (6) write a revised script, and (Finally) edit the footage.

This process has given me a good chance to get back to documentary film work.  I still enjoy the process, the tools, the special access to locations and people, and the resulting product.   Years ago, a friend and I had discussed forming a company that does branding for NGOs, including websites, logos, photos and videos.  Any suggestions on how to get paid for doing exactly what I want?

"Sewing Hope"...by Polly

By the numbers it seems hopeless. In all we are 19 people including 1o students, 4 teachers, 2 translators, 3 small children and an occasional chicken or small rodent. The students include 3 physically disabled adults, 1 deaf woman, and 3 single mothers. For 10 students, we have 6 sewing machines that are in varying degrees of disrepair. It is chaos. The babies are wailing. They pee all over the floor and our laps, but we hold them anyways, bouncing them in our arms and looking into their curious eyes. We muzungus (white people) can only comfort them for so long before they demand their mother’s milk. The babies latch on and the mothers keeping sewing. The mothers who cannot use their legs, take turns with the hand crank sewing machine. In frustration, Lindsey tries to tune out the crying as she writes instructions to Victoria who is deaf. Peter, always on call for translation but forever restless, sits knotting a friendship bracelet and thinking up poems. I hurry back and forth giving pointers, fixing machines, and looking for misplaced tools. Usually we spill out of our allotted space into the porch, courtyard and unused adjacent rooms, but today, it rained so hard that we had retreat into just two small rooms. Huddled inside like that, I had to laugh at the sight. Everyone went on sewing, learning, teaching, and translating. And for once, the babies were all smiling.

Sew Far, Sew Good

Considering how unprepared most us felt, we had a very successful first day of class. We started by assessing each student with a sewing test. Next, we spent some time oiling and tuning up our three brand new Singer treadle machines. The machines are beautifully old fashioned looking with tiny little waists. Since they don't require electricity and are not very heavy, you can set them up anywhere. We dragged them out to the porch where there was more light and a nice mild breeze. I'm still getting the hang of them and learned a lot by watching the women set them up. In addition to the non electric machines, we bought a few old fashioned coal powered irons and some spray bottles to produce steam. This was after I observed that one of the main problems with the quality here is the lack of professionally pressed seams. Next, we demonstrated french and flat felled seam finishes and explained that they were a quality alternative to serging seams. (Only one woman has a serger and everyone else would have to pay someone in town to finish raw edges with a serger).

Next we broke the 10 students into 3 groups. I am in charge of teaching the two more advanced students. They are a disabled man named Emma and a very intelligent woman named Sarah. Both Sarah and Emma have their own shops. Sarah's business is doing particularly well. She just aquired a second shop front that is on a busy road and it is stocked fabric and machines. Emma, however, has only a bare concrete space with two machines where he makes a very small living making school uniforms and doing alterations. His craftsmanship is very low, but he is eager to learn. Since Sarah is sick with malaria, I worked one on one with Emma and our translator Peter to show him how to use cardboard, brown paper, straight pins and a tracing wheel to copy a patten off a shirt. Though his legs are crippled, he is able to maneuver pretty well around the table and he picked it up fast. He opted to copy Peter's stylish western style shirt, which is slim cut and accented with piping and hand embroidery. Peter seemed very interested in the process as he translated and eventually began to hint that he would like to have the new shirt when it was completed. I told Emma, " great, you already have a paying customer." In the morning, I am meeting Peter early at the fabric store so that he can choose his fabric.

Meanwhile, Bobby and Lindsey taught the beginner and intermediate students two different simple bag projects. Most finished their projects and left happily with their brightly colored new bags. Tomorrow, they will start making a simple man's shirt.

Kampala

I'm fine. Polly's fine. Everyone we know is fine. I don't have any news about the bombing in Kampala.

I've only heard about it from Americans who watched CNN and one Ugandan who mentioned it on the bus.

Internet service has resumed to jinja and I'll try to update some more about it later today after teaching.

Bike and Ike, aka Boda and Oda

Polly and I squished ourselves on to a small "Boda Boda" aka motorcycle-taxi.  It was booooring!  So, I decided to buy a bicycle, ride it everyday, and then resell it at the end of the trip.   

I managed to bargain one shop to 125,000 Ush ($55), but at each store, the owner told me that I needed to go to the bike mechanic before riding.  I took the advice and found a bike mechanic who spent 90 minutes tweaking the bike for $5. 

The bike is a single-speed with a small cushion on the back to accommodate a passenger.  However, riding with a Polly is going to require some practice.

As I rode around town, riding a bike for the first time in seven years, I had to adjust to riding on the left side of the road and all the complications an intersection adds.  The traffic in Jinja is relatively calm and slow-moving.

There was an added degree of difficult today because we stayed out at a restaurant until after 10 pm.  FYI, at night time it is dark.  And, I took a new way home.  But, I only got lost once.

Thus far, Polly and I have saved the combined cost of three "Boda Boda" rides (between $1 and $2).  $2 a day for a month is the goal.

Handyman

Also, I held hands with two Ugandan men today after short conversations.  I was warned that this is common place, but it is still kind of awkward.

Gotta Dance... By Jamie

There is a rave somewhere in the neighborhood. I'd wager the ravers have more bass than they need but not as much as they want.

It's Hard Out There for a Chimp... By Polly

First of all, it really is hard out there for a chimp. All the chimps we saw today at the chimp sanctuary were orphans rescued from poachers.

To get there we waved down a shared taxi to the crowed taxi park in town and from there hopped on another matatu headed towards Entebbe. We had to wait on the Entebbe bound matatu until it filled up with passengers. When the mini bus had taken on another 15 adults, 3 chickens, and 4 wide eyed babies, we hit the road. About an hour later, we were close enough to walk and we were surprised to spot several monkeys before we even reached the wild life center. While we waited for the boat to take us to the island, we watched a mischievous little monkey with a black face and vibrant blue um genitalia snatch a banana from a young english woman.

On the island, we were warned that the chimps sometimes throw rocks and that occasionally, a chimp escapes. But it was clear that the care givers here really care for and respect these animals. As we watched them toss out fruits at feeding time, our guide identified various chimps by name and their different personalities. There was a chimp who acted out when he didn't get enough attention and another who comforted his peers by rubbing their back. And if the chimps weren't amazing enough, the island was also teeming with other types of wild life including hundreds of birds and a particularly large brand of lizard. We count it as a successful day.

Word of the Day
Matatu - A shared taxi/minibus that can only drive when it's crammed full of people.

KamPolly and jamie

We arrived at entebbe airport a few hours ago. We were disoriented and tired. We we had planned to hire a car to take us to Kampala but were concerned that we had forgotten to get the address of our hostel. Just then, we saw our names on printed sign. Our driver turned out to be a friendly man name is Moses and apparently he was expecting us. On the long drive to Kampala, I took in my surroundings between naps. I was struck by sight of people lounging in the shadow of trees while others carried heavy loads on their heads as they walked leisurely along the side of the narrow 2 lane highway. Meanwhile, our car sped along the left side of the road, turning frequently into oncoming traffic in order to pass cars on the right.

Du break it Dubai it

We expected an epic journey, but the flight passed quickly. There were dozens of good movies on demand. Unfortunately, we decided to watch "Date Night." Terrible. Then I slept through "Raging Bull" three or four times as it played on loop.

As we exited the air conditioned Dubai airport/mega-mall, we were struck by a wall of hot air that felt much like being assaulted by a moist leopard-print slanket.

The hotel was fancy but generic. It played Disney elevator music throughout the lobby/mini-mall. We joked that they should play music from Aladin, but had to settle for Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, and the Little Mermaid. A late-night barber was readily accessible, but I managed to resist Polly's nudging.

Polly also discovered a night city tour operating out of the lobby. We boarded the bus with a group of tourists and our Bangladesh-born driver announce "i am not normally a tour guide." On the tour we stopped by the beach, the Atlantis hotel, and a quarter mile from the tallest building in the world. Polly was unimpressed, insisting that "it doesn't look that tall." The tour was dominated by descriptions of hotels, condos, the privileges of citizens and the difficulties of foreigners. All the significant buildings and man made islands here are shaped like something novel (replicas of the empire state building, the Sydney opera house, and twin towers, a giant fish and larger than life airplane.) Although it does not rain in Dubai the windows are drenched with AC condensation induced sweat so it appears to have been raining.

Also, there are a lot of birds in Dubai's airport.
Also, neither NYC or Dubai (twice) have found the knife I mistakenly left in my carry-on.
Also, Polly and I swear we heard a cat just now.

Journey to JFK... By Polly

Managed to get 8 bags packed, our apartment vacated and our cats accounted for.
We miss them dearly. I am especially sad to have abandoned them in an empty apartment, locked in an unfamiliar bathroom. Luckily their care takers will be home in a few days and in the meantime, they've got plenty of bottle caps to keep themselves occupied.
Next we fly 12 hours to Dubai and stay there overnight. Hoping to feel good enough to explore before our flight to Entebbe.

Second Post... by Jamie

We are leaving in 48 hours.  Logistics need to be worked out, but basically everything on track.

Things left to do:

• Pack
• Figure out how to get from airport to hostel (taxi, duh, but what if the taxi driver doesn't know the way.)
• Drop the cats off
• Drop the cat's supplies off (Levitt)
• Get the money from new renters
• Go to BH and get the remaining supplies for the camera
• Find an eyepiece for my camera
• Test workflow

Do I need to start adjusting for the change in time?

What should I do with my Arabian night in Dubai(12 hours)?

First Post... by Jamie

Polly and I are headed to Uganda on July 1st with the organization "Fount of Mercy".  Polly is going to be teaching sewing and I will be doing a combination of teacher training and filming the teacher training.

Here's a short list of what I've done to prepare:

• Purchased the "uTalk Luganda" app and my vocabulary is between 30 - 40 words and phrases.
• Emailed several documentary filmmakers (Bryan Fowler, Rex Miller,Thomas Nybo) on the DocuLink message board.
• Emailed filmmaker Rex Miller, who I shot for last summer, about his three films based in Uganda.
• Purchased a new Canon T2i and accessories.  Learned lots about data workflow.
• Got (ahem) Final Cut Pro
• Read Ugandan blogs/news sites: Daily Monitor, The Observer, The Independent, and the East African just to name a few
• Purchased and read the Bradt travel guide and Shattered Pearl
• Vaccinated for Yellow Fever, Polio, Hepatitis A, and Typhoid.

Seems like a good start to the blog.

-Jamie