Working in Kibale National Park

 

Well not to be deceiving, but I am technically volunteering for The Kasiisi Project that is stationed in Kibale NP, which means I am (a very lucky duck) also living in Kibale NP, one of the forests on the western side of Uganda.  Kibale has the highest density of primates in the WORLD.  I have my own room in a duplex, and a comfortable bed, chair and desk.  I share a kitchen with a lovely couple my age who happen to be temporary (1 year) Directors of the project.  The kitchen has a petrol (gas) stove, mini fridge, and storage for all the lovely fruits and vegetables that this wonderful land produces with its volcanic soil. 

To visit the market, we drive to Fort Portal, the main town, 30 minutes north of the park, this is also a perfect place to find “mazungu” food like pizza, which is actually some of the best I’ve ever tasted (was owned by Italians, but recently bought out by Dutch, who have a secret recipe for their pesto sauce since pine nuts are a fortune here or non-existent. I promised not to tell their secret, sorry).  The market has all kinds of things to buy, and depending on the season you may find avocados as big as your head, the tastiest pineapples, mangos, bananas, eggplant, regular size carrots, imperfect tomatoes, fat green beans, the list goes on. Then we go to “Andrew’s” for our dry goods and junk food, Cadbury’s chocolate and Pringles, soap and spices, etc. 

But the best part of it all is that for every duplex, a Ugandan is hired to cook and clean.  Florence was assigned to our duplex, and she is like family. She is also an amazing cook!!!  If you have never been to a developing country, then you may be feeling a little uncertain about hired help.  Believe me it was very weird at first for me to feel comfortable with someone doing a job that I felt I should be doing myself.  But once you understand how difficult it is for a local to find a job – period -  but one that also pays well, is consistent, and is safe and trustworthy, then you understand how happy a person, such as a local, is to have a great job.  It’s even a greater plus if the people you are working for are really nice, like Caroline and Ronan. We are all family here and help each other out.   Although, today we found out that Florence is really scared of snakes, when Ronan picked one up from the front yard (the first non-captive snake I’ve seen in Uganda for 3 months). Florence couldn’t come to the front of the house for hours and was shaking. Sorry Florence!   

How will I work off all this food you ask? Well, a few of us run in the forest. It’s best to run early in the day to avoid the heat – even though it has been chilly and rainy here all week, and not at dusk or dawn or alone, so as to avoid the forest elephants that have a reputation for charging and chasing.  I also have started a love for workout videos. I even brought a yoga mat from Chicago to Uganda. And now I am finally using it, but my favorite is Pilates. If you do not like yoga, try Pilates, very different, but a great workout, yet not hard on the body at all.  Luckily all the researchers and the directors I live with are fit and like to work out every day; it makes it so much more fun! Mind you the researchers and photographer are hiking in the bush all day every day finding and following chimps, and even climbing 150ft trees for good footage.

Back to the weather… I arrived Monday 16 May.  It has rained almost every day, sometimes it lasts many hours, sometimes just a short/light rain. Different bugs come with different temperatures and times of day.  But once the sun comes out everything heats up on the spot.  And the sun brings a whole new group of bugs. It’s really amazing how many bugs are out here in the forest.  They are fascinating and annoying at the same time, especially when that one fly won’t leave you alone.  Anyway, back to… The weather goes back and forth quickly; it may change 20 times a day (and I thought it was bad in Chicago). So on any given day, we bring raingear, warm jackets, rubber boots, flip flops, short sleeve shirts, sunglasses and hats to protect us everywhere we go.  Here, in or near Kibale, it maybe warms up to 85F, but cools nicely to 55-60 in the evening.  It can get hotter or cooler. Like when I was here at end of January it was hot and dry, sweating in a skirt, looking for shade, etc.

I have a feeling it’s time to get to What AM I doing Here?  I have begun the volunteer gig that I mentioned in a previous blog (http://amydominafrica.blogspot.com) with The Kasiisi Project, a community-based NGO that you should check out at www.kasiisiproject.org. I have been hired to strengthen the Wildlife Clubs in each of 5 schools (we may end up setting up all 14 schools) that the government deemed necessary in all schools. Can you believe such a thing? A government that mandates Environmental Education is taught in all public schools?  It’s awesome.

               Even though each school has an established club, with members and teachers, we have found that they are not very active, and they have been carrying out the same 3 activities every year.  The students are learning bare minimum.  Kasiisi wants to increase the activities, make them really fun for the students, get creative, and teach them to be more active participants to promote the environment and wildlife in their communities.  I am starting almost from scratch with this program, which is just fine, and a good challenge.  While strengthening the clubs, I am strengthening my new-ish profession as an educator.

English is a second or third language. Most locals are at least tri-lingual, but may or may not be literate. English is taught and spoken in all schools. Luganda is the Uganda national language, but here in the Kabarole District, Rutooro is the dominant language.  Some of the words are similar to Luganda, but I have to at least learn some Rutooro while I am here. 

For instance, “How are you Sir/Maam? Good, thank you very much.”

In Luganda it’s, “Oli Otya Sebo/Nyabo? Bulungi, weebale nyo.”

In Rutooro it’s, “Oli Ota, [empaako]? Kurungi, weebale muno”.  An Empaako is a nick name, or pet name. Rutooro and only one other community in Uganda, and perhaps the world (???) have pet names for each person in the community. A pet name is chosen from only 12 names, and you cannot choose your own, someone has to choose it for you.  Each name has a meaning. When I arrived I was given the pet name Akiiki, which means something about ancestors, or perhaps spirits (I need to do some research, but each local I ask has a slightly different answer). Here’s some math for you: If 5000 people are greeted by only their empaako, and there are only 12 empaakos to choose from, then how many Akiiki’s do you know?  In other words, it is not unlikely that you and all your friends are also Akiiki.  So how do you call on the Akiiki that you want to talk to if you are in a group of Akiikis?  Beats me.

Lots more to come, so please keep checking back… and thank you for being interested in Adventures in Uganda -- Continued!

Caroline, Ronan, and Florence

Kasiisi Primary School cutting grass on first day of 2nd Term

Black and white colobus monkey in our backyard.

Matt, who's wife is studying chimp aggression, also helps with the Wildlife Clubs