Off to Awere!

Sat. July 14^th

Today we spent a lot of time in a Mutatu (moo-tot-two), which is basically a big van which is rented out like a taxi. We actually take them to places far away when a bunch of us are going together. So there were 19 of us that packed into this mutatu, which is actually a lot of people, and we were quite crammed (4 to a bench seat!). All 19 of us [myself and the other 4 that are teaching at Awere, along with the 5 teachers who are at Sir Samuel Baker School, and our Teacher Exchange Coordinator Amy (and her family +3), and then Alfred (who teaches Math @ Awere), Sheargold (who I teach Physics with), and Matthew (the Headmaster of Awere) –phew!] rode for about 2 hours out to the original Awere SS School site. It is located in the village of Awere, which is still in Gulu District, but very very close to Pader (pa-day) District.

The ride was really long, and bumpy. It actually went really well, until we stopped at one point. Then when we started up again, the car started to make some funny noises. It started as a really bad screeching noise, then after the mutatu went through a large puddle, the car started to make another noise- which was definitely something we were dragging in the back of the car. But here in Uganda, we just keep on driving. I was just riding, clenching my teeth, thinking, “if we were in the States, this would be a sign to pull over!” Also just I kept thinking that if my Dad were here he would be going crazy listening to us drive with the awful noise.

Somehow we finally made it another 5 to 10 miles to Awere SS with the awful noise starting and stopping sporadically. The school site was sooo different than the site where the school is located in Gulu town. In Gulu (where we are teaching) the school barely has a patch of grass anywhere on the ground, and the buildings are made of sticks and full of dirt. At the original Awere site, the buildings are made of brick, and the rooms are sooo big. The ceilings are like an easy 15ft high. Even though the rooms are abandoned, and classes are not taking place there, the place is beautiful. There are plants and green grass everywhere. After walking through the various classrooms, and the administration building, we walked about 10-15 meters away to where a foundation had been laid, but nothing ever built. Otto-ber Matthew Obot is the Headmaster of Awere, and he led us around the site. He explained that the foundation had been laid years ago, and then never built upon because of the insecurity of the war. It was suppose to be a science lab. He then showed us this beautiful Shea Tree, which has little fruits on it. The LRA would take the shea oil from the fruit and rub it on them, thinking it would help to protect them.

It was wonderful to see the vision Matthew has for Awere. He really is a wonderful Headmaster…at least the best out of the three different schools where American teachers are teaching (Sir Samuel Baker School and Gulu High School being the other two schools). I feel totally blessed to be able to know Matthew well, and to receive a glimpse of his vision for the school. I wish all of the schools in Gulu had leadership like Awere does. He finds unique ways to motivate his teachers and the students. It’s so great. His plan (with the help of Schools4Schools-an IC program) is to begin classes for S1 level out there next school year. And it may just happen because in less than a week, S4S will begin to build some classrooms out there. Much work has to be done for classes to be able to take place out there, but hopefully it will come to pass soon. Also, the moving of the school depends greatly upon the peace process. Even though peace has not fully come, it appears as though people are full of hope. Matthew’s plan is to move the S1 class (like 9^th gr) out to Awere, while keeping the S2-S6 classes back here at their site in Gulu town. That way the students out here can continue to finish through. I hope it will happen smoothly, and the transition out there will be the best thing for all of the teachers and students involved.

After we finished at the school, we went into the village of Awere to get the mutatu fixed. We all piled out, pulled our sodas and snack food for lunch with us. Almost instanteously it became obvious that the people in the village had not seen so many muni (the plural of munu-white person)before, some of them have probably never seen a white person before. It was the most akward moment of the trip so far. There was a Doctor’s w/out Boarders place right there in the village, and Matthew asked them if we could come inside their building just to sit and eat. They would not let us in for whatever reason, thus we really had no where to eat. It was just a sort of mis-communication, and we started to sit on these benches and logs, right in the middle of town. We had drinks and food, but very quickly there was a whole crowd of children and people around us, staring at us. None of us had an appetite anymore b/c we knew that these people had less than us, definitely less food. It was completely awkward because of the big rules (probably the biggest) is that we are not allowed to give things out. It may seem harsh, but we are trying to fight the stereotype that all white people have money, and they will just give it out to others (no questions asked). Kinda like giving money to a homeless person in the states really isn’t the best thing to do. But even giving other things will attach a stigma to it. Then whenever those kids (or whoever) sees a white person, they will expect to receive food, or money, or whatever. You just can’t give things out.

So we put our food away, and just walked around instead. We walked just down the street to where Aswa (ah-chew-wa) River runs. It actually separates Gulu District from Pader (pa-day)District. I guess you could equate the districts to states in America (only a little different). While on the bridge, when you are in between the two districts and over the water, the Ugandans call it ‘no man’s land’. It was great! I got a picture, and it reminded me of Sharpie land- which is a name that came about from traveling so much as a child. Christie (my sister) and I were intrigued about the land area in between two different states. When traveling down the high way, you usually pass a sign that says something like “Thanks for Visiting PA”, but then before coming across the “Welcome to Delware” sign, there is a portion of land. Where does that land really belong? Well, we decided it was Sharpie land, kinda like the big black sharpie line on a map.

Anyway, it was good to travel out to Awere, even though it was awkward at times. On our really long trip back home to Gulu town, we passed by Mt. Sinai- where Joseph Kony would go to receive visions. Very bizarre, but it made the whole experience more real. We were still really far away from it, but I know we got some great pictures of it.

That’s the whole day of excitement basically. Well, after dinner we all talked about plans for next year, and what the Teacher Exchange may look like years down the road…we’ll see. Peace!