Annoyances in Uganda, December 10th 2004
Just by the way for anyone at home reading this- my gmail account is not working over here so apologies if youve emailed and got no reply- my hotmail, with the same username is, or I think you can send a message through the site if you like.
Our time on the truck is relatively uninteresting- we spend a lot of time each day driving, put our tents up and have a rota for cooking and cleaning, so I just thought Id write about the annoyances weve encountered. We crossed over into Uganda with relatively few problems, although the border town turned out to be populated by wannabe gangstas on some kind of drugs, who tried to lock us into the public loos which were disgusting to say the least, so that we would pay them the $20 charge for using them, and others trying to sell us a bottle of coke for a dollar, and very generously offering to take a pound instead! I swear they think we have no concept of money and will ask ridiculous prices just to push their luck. Once in Uganda we really started to experience begging like we hadnt really seen before. Uganda is actually relatively affluent by African standards and the people are a lot more friendly but its here that the begging started. Obviously were in a large truck and if we have the windows rolled up for the heat or the views then they can see that its full of white people- which equals money to them. Usually the kids all come running to the side of the road as we go past shouting mzungu mzungu, and how are you how are you. Which is quite sweet but can be a little wearing after a while. However you increasingly get the ones who replace this with give me pen give me dollar give me money . Im actually quite surprised that they do not have more pride- these are not actual beggars, but in some places it is literally every person who you see that immediately has their hand out- for some reason I thought that it would be frowned upon by their parents but apparently not. They copme out of the woodwork whenever we stop the truck for a loo break or lunch- if were making luch out of the back of the truck we have an ever advancing crowd by the time we finish and although they start quietly they arent shy in making their requests known. The first time we gave them a loaf of bread when we drove off and they tore it apart instantly and were scrabbling around in the dirt to get some. We were really traumatised by this and asked our driver if they were really starving and he said no- they specifically wanted our bread as its exotic to them as its not something they had at home. We were still concerned until the next time when we actually had pasta salad and potato salad for lunch- when we offered it to them they actually turned it down and asked for bread. Obviously theyve never heard the phrase beggars cant be choosers but we have since found that the only thibng that they want is bread. While I was sympathetic at first you do begin to feel that they have a cheek and the constant begging really wears you down- they almost try to make you feel obliged to give them something or buy something and the pressure if you listen to them even for a minute is immense. they also dont help themselves- theres a program called softpower that helps out building and painting schools, but apparently the ugandans just sit by and watch you work and then demand a donation of 20$ for the privilege!
Jenny 10th December
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