Lattes, Indian food, Nile River, bad knees, and all the rest:

Yet another great week for Kelly! I have increased my adventure level in the last few weeks, including a trip to Uganda last week.

Uganda is just north (east) of Rwanda and the countries have a very intertwined history. The current president of Uganda (Museveni) assumed power in 1986 with the help of President Kagame of Rwanda and then Museveni supported the Rwandan Patriotic Front, which invaded Rwanda in October of 1990 from the Ugandan border. Uganda’s most recent accomplishment is its promotion from the most corrupt government on earth to the third most corrupt.

I was initially weary of taking the bus to Kampala. 60 people perished on the very same bus not too long after I arrived in Rwanda. The bus (owned by the first lady of Rwanda) crashed head-on into a World Food Program truck carrying goods to Burundi. But Anke and I decided to give it a go and everything went smooth, even the border crossing – in sharp contrast to what I experienced at the Congo border.

I admit that going to Kampala from Kigali for the first time was a little shocking. Kampala is much more developed with high rises, shopping centers, and many western goods and services. I was relieved to have my first cafe latte fix since August and we also indulged in some incredible cuisine – Indian, Chinese, French pastries. My first impression of Kampala was relief because there were not crowds of children running up to ask for money or young boys trying to shove Q-tips in your face or shouts of MUZUNGO! Ugandans are much more easy-going and I dare say nicer. But at the same time, you have to take into consideration the challenges that are facing Rwanda. Although Uganda is still a very poor country, Rwanda is even more so and still facing the genocide legacy. Another contrast is the number of people. There are people EVERYWHERE in Rwanda and you can’t travel anywhere without noticing that every ounce of land is cultivated - nothing is left untouched. I was also ashamed of myself for being so overjoyed by some of the western luxuries, such as relaxing and enjoying café life. This is non-existent in Rwanda, as the majority of people are working to just get a meal on the table (or floor). Uganda is also much more mixed than Rwanda with different tribes mixing and a large Asian (largely Indian) population. This is not to say there is perfect harmony in Uganda (the 17 year civil war in the north of the country is evidence of this), but that people have a longer history of coexistence. I am so happy to have taken this trip as it provided me with a different perspective on life in Rwanda.

On Monday we went white water rafting at the source of the Nile in Jinja, Uganda. I had never rafted before and I was told that these rapids were some of the toughest in the world. My poor knees were already tender from the gorilla trek the previous week, but I did not anticipate any problems with rafting. The morning went wonderfully and we even conquered the first class 5 without a problem. Then came the second class 5 right before lunch. Jumo, our toothless Ugandan guide, instructed us to paddle through the whole of the rapid rather than holding on for dear life. After the first wave I realized we were in trouble as the raft began to turn and in a blur I twisted my knee and found myself underneath the raft in the strongest water I have ever experienced. I had to go through the instructor’s advice in my head and tell myself to relax because you feel so out of control. I managed to come to the surface for a few gasps of air before being sucked back down. I can’t believe how deep and powerful the water was. I had a flash of drowning in the Nile River as I seemed to be pulled deeper and deeper, but then suddenly I was back at the surface. I couldn’t swim well because I had just twisted my knee (thankfully not another dislocation), but eventually made it to the safety boat. It was a disappointment to get hurt half way through the day but I still got to finish the course in the “Chicken Raft” after lunch with the help of some multi-colored pills Jumo offered me.

So now I am gimpy back in Kigali and determined to make it back to DC without dealing with the Rwandan health care system. Ugandan mosquitoes seem to be particularly aggressive and I swear I came back with at least 50 itchy bites (hopefully no malaria). With time ticking I am also diving head on into my research (looking at women’s civil society structures) and trying to make sure I fit everything in. Lt. Col. Rose Kabuye, the one who brought me onto the AIDS Commission, was just promoted to the President’s Office – another first for a Rwandan woman.

This weekend I am planning to visit two genocide memorials that are in rural areas south of Kigali. I thought coming to Rwanda would help me to understand the horrendous events that have transpired here, but I find that each day I only have more questions.

Until the next installment…