Over the course of the week, one of the things that has impressed me the most is the camaraderie and community that exists between the teaching faculty at my school. The students are divided into their grades and remain in the same classroom all day, thus the teachers spend their non teaching time together in the staff room. Secondary teachers here do not teach the whole day like at home, but teach classes at different time through out the day and week, much like college professors back home. So, teacher spend a lot of time together in the staff room. I think this is great. There is a lot of collaborating that happens and cross-curriculum support. ALL of the teachers are friends and express freely thoughts and expectations of each other. So at the end of the week I was very impressed, but something shook this ideology. On Friday the senior 4 students had a agriculture practical to help prepare them for their state exam coming up in July. Silvio and Alex (my two erg teachers) were in charge and I was helping them. We needed extra help to monitor the different rooms, but we were unable to rally up support. All of the teacher who were not teaching their own class (around 10) were all sitting in Boys Club (under the tree) and no one was willing to step up and help us monitor and run the practical (this was much like an FFA field day and you can imagine the need for extra supervision of students). I was so disappointed. It appears that the teachers are not willing to add to their own schedule or to their “contract.” I am intrigued to continue to observe this phenomena and see if it was just a fluke or if this attitude is common.
There were a few other things I realized Friday. I thought that Silvio trusted me, but as it came time to monitor the practical, he bluntly stated that I was not capable because I am a mazungo (white person). I was a little taking back considering the great respect he had shown me through out the week. I know that in his culture that is not rude, but it is a cultural difference that must be understood. Trust is something that is very hard for the Acholi people. Considering their past, this is understandable. They have spent the last 20+ plus years in war with rebel and government forces. As a result, it appears there is little trust between teacher and student, boss and employee, neighbor to neighbor, etc. However, I have found a few exceptions. Our cook, housekeeper and handy man at the house are so so so trusting and amazing. Also, one of my boda boda drivers. Saturday there was a sport competition at Keyo. I called Francis to give me a ride out there. He picked me up and we started on our way. As we were still in Gulu town he asked me, “do you know how to ride?” At first I did not know what he was talking about, but he wanted me to take his motor cycle and drive myself out to Keyo and that is exactly what happened. I dropped him off in town and took myself out to Keyo. I was amazed that he trusted me to take his boda, the one possession he owns that makes a living for his family, puts food on the table and pays for his daughter’s schooling. I seriously was taken back. But I’ll be honest, it was so much fun taking myself out to Keyo and riding through that countryside. It is such a beautiful drive! Another example of great friendships-trust I am building is with my more regular boda driver, Denis. Denis takes me to school each day. We normally we talk the whole way out there. He will tell me about his family, his life and also teaches me Luo along the way. I tell him about my family and farming in the US as well. Friday on our way home he asked me for my full name. I told him and asked him why he asked. He said he wanted to know so that he could name is son after me. Namesakes are huge here and I was so surprised that he considered me such a friend. I am going to go and meet his wife and son soon and am so excited to build that relationship.
I am making some really great friends here in Uganda. The IC staff we interact with at the house, my boda drivers, random locals and the teachers and students at Keyo. Richard is one of such students. He is a senior five student and has only been at Keyo for less than a month. Since day one, he has been willing to approach me and visit with me (many will approach me and shake my hand, but few will carry on conversation. So richard has become my friend. At Keyo, they start each morning with parade. At 8:00 AM, all the student line up to sing the national anthem, school song, school prayer and also receive necessary announcements. I love that they are able to sing the national anthem and also pray at school. America is a little ridiculous in that realm, but that is for another post. Anyway, I asked Richard to teach me the national anthem the school song and the school prayer. During our sessions, I have learned a lot about him. He is 20 years old and comes from a hard working-laboring family. Both of his parents are farm workers and spend their days out in the fields. His parents cannot afford to transport him back and forth from their home to school each day and so he just stays in a hut close to the school. They cannot afford a lunch card either and so many of the days he goes hungry. He is amazing though. Like I said above, he has only been at Keyo for a month, but already he has been elected as the student speaker at the school (equivalent of SBO Pres). He is articulate and leads other students so well. I am excited to teach him and the other student leaders public speaking Tuesday nights during club time.
I have the greatest respect and admiration for all the students here at Keyo, but in the end many of them are your classic shit-heads. I think I lived in denial-innocence the first week and did not want to see that at times they can be just as disrespectful and rude as American students. I believe this could be addressed if the teachers took a more vested interest in the personal lives of their students. Many of the teachers (including Silvio) do not even know any of the names of their students. It is incredibly sad that they don’t put forth that effort. It seems that the role of school here in Uganda is purely academic. There does not appear to be any counseling-mentoring at all happening. When students get mad or upset they revolt, as witnessed by their rioting past. They need attention and I hope that we (the American teachers) can share with them ways and reasons why teachers need to feel that role in their lives. It is certainly not happening in home either. It is hard to think that a civilization will improve if the adults do not invest and respect the youth. This needs to happen in social institutions as well as at home. How thankful am I for the up-bringing I had in a school where I was a person (not a number) and a church where I was empowered with knowledge of God and myself.
Speaking of church, it was amazing this week! Even from last week I knew that it would good because the mission president was going to be here. Unlike last week, the chapel was nearly full as we arrived at the church. I greeted the missionaries and then several of the members that I had met last week. The sacrament meeting began with a few testimonies. The branch president announced that two elders from the ward had received mission calls and they both were able to stand and bear testimony of their experiences of preparing for their missions. They both will be serving in Ghana, but in different missions. It was pretty amazing to see the excitement both of these young men had to serve the Lord and inspiring to know that they will the first two missionaries to ever serve from the Gulu branch. The next lady to bear testimony was Lisa. Lisa first came to Uganda a year ago to build huts in a small village outside Gulu. She brougt back a group again this year to do service and also a film crewe to make a documentary. She had an amazing-piercing testimony that was so simple and sweet. It was easy to see that she truly understands and lives a charitable life. Both President and Sister Jackson’s talks were amazing. Sister Jackson spoke on developing and maintaining a personal testimony. President Jackson spoke a little on the history of the Gulu branch. One year ago he was here and there were 12 members. There were over 200 this week! They have already moved buildings in the last 6 months and they will move again soon to accommodate the great growth. There were 8 baptism after church and there are that many or more every week! It is amazing to be here and witness this great work as it roles forth to ever corner of the earth.
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