Or not.
I wasn't a big fan of Berlin, but felt bad writing off the country of my ancestry considering the rain, my inadequate layers, and the u-bahn driver strike. So I've spent my past four days in Bavaria (according to my father the place of my true heritage).
But, Dad, I think we need to review a family tree when I get home...
Like every good Millennial, I've used my technological connections (ie Blackberry) to access the wisest of resources (aka Google) and it doesn't seem that either Burch or Kimmelshue have a solid lineage back to Germany. Could this explain why I feel no real tie, let alone any sort of affection, for this place? Perhaps.
Though Munich is smaller than Berlin (I would know because I've walked it nearly in it's entirety since our arrival - with my legs vouching to this truth), it still lacks any sort of real character. The bombings of the war so destroyed any quaintness of the city, and this was apparently replaced by austere facade buildings and a McDonalds for each corner that lacks a Burger King.
Yesterday we took a day trip through the Bavarian Alps to Fussen - the city that hosts Neushwanstein castle (which Cinderella's was modeled after). Disney gave their princess a major upgrade.
Today we trekked out to Salzburg (actually in Austria for others, like me, who didn't initially pick up on this - totally excusable, just don't make that mistake twice!). Highlight: seeing the nunnery from the Sound of Music. Lowlight: walking the entire city in pouring rain.
We've checked the weather for our next stop - Vienna - rain begins appropriately upon our arrival tomorrow night.
With one more day left in Munich before we depart, I'm beggining to feel that this could be a very long trip if I don't get to warm weather and beaches soon - missing Uganda and it's cold showers already? Eeks!
But then again, maybe Google is wrong. (Shocking, I know.) Maybe my German heritage is actually quite strong. So much so, in fact, that I just completely understand why my ancestors left!
xoxo,
Ann
P.S. Next time I'll try not to write after a long, cold day of walking in the rain in order to minimize the critical sarcasm.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Emerging from the African bush
Dear Uganda,
First let me apologize. I'm sorry for leaving the light, tv and water heater on all night, repeatedly, and over all just abusing your resources. You were surprisingly hospitable and accomodating - something my Americanness completely took for granted.
Thank you.
Thank you for the running water (most of the time...) - though the showers were often cold and toilet paper occasionally had to go in a trash can, I do not overlook the alternatives (aka in Ugandan: the bush or a hole in the ground).
Thank you for your incredible internet connectivity - seriously unexpected. Minus a few mountainous areas, my Blackberry loved the MTN:Uganda network until its tragic death in Nyakagezi.
Thank you for your very vegan meal options. They were always the same, but that was true for nearly all of your food. And I am pretty sure I gained weight in a third world country nonetheless, due to the large proportion of carbs in those meals. It just feels wrong.
Thank you for sharing with me these priceless memories: temporarily curing my cough using ancient medicines (yep, I ate eucalyptus tree - I wasn't joking about being broken of my germophobia); learning how to African dance (and apparently being good at it!?); those candlelit nights in Kisiizi that were so Little House on the Prairie; showering from a jerry can (who is high maintenance now?) crossing over the equator; teaching accounting to the S1 students in Nyaka; learning how to use a panga (oversized knife/machetti) from a 63 year old mukaaka (granny); the nights I spent curled up under mosquito nets next to Liz (in beds that seemed to continually grow impossibly smaller), watching a pride of lions lounge in a nearby tree from the rack of our safari van (and appropriately narrating the experience in my faux British accent); dipping my toes in the source of the Nile; and those 30+ bonus hours to celebrate Africa Day on the correct continent because of a broken plane engine delaying our flight out.
Your people are truly more than just an accent to the beautiful scenery and organic nature. They are strong, resilliant, and hopeful.
You have rejouvenated my tired spirit with your vibrancy. I am moving on now, savoring once again the taste of familiar flavors of Western food, re-adjusting to riding in cars on the right side of the road and relishing conversations with natives that go beyond "Hi, muzungu. How are you? I am fine." And as my heart still grows fonder for you daily, I hope that, in the little bit of my time spent in Uganda, I in some way breathed a kind of life of my own into your mud huts.
Until I return again...
xoxo,
Ann
First let me apologize. I'm sorry for leaving the light, tv and water heater on all night, repeatedly, and over all just abusing your resources. You were surprisingly hospitable and accomodating - something my Americanness completely took for granted.
Thank you.
Thank you for the running water (most of the time...) - though the showers were often cold and toilet paper occasionally had to go in a trash can, I do not overlook the alternatives (aka in Ugandan: the bush or a hole in the ground).
Thank you for your incredible internet connectivity - seriously unexpected. Minus a few mountainous areas, my Blackberry loved the MTN:Uganda network until its tragic death in Nyakagezi.
Thank you for your very vegan meal options. They were always the same, but that was true for nearly all of your food. And I am pretty sure I gained weight in a third world country nonetheless, due to the large proportion of carbs in those meals. It just feels wrong.
Thank you for sharing with me these priceless memories: temporarily curing my cough using ancient medicines (yep, I ate eucalyptus tree - I wasn't joking about being broken of my germophobia); learning how to African dance (and apparently being good at it!?); those candlelit nights in Kisiizi that were so Little House on the Prairie; showering from a jerry can (who is high maintenance now?) crossing over the equator; teaching accounting to the S1 students in Nyaka; learning how to use a panga (oversized knife/machetti) from a 63 year old mukaaka (granny); the nights I spent curled up under mosquito nets next to Liz (in beds that seemed to continually grow impossibly smaller), watching a pride of lions lounge in a nearby tree from the rack of our safari van (and appropriately narrating the experience in my faux British accent); dipping my toes in the source of the Nile; and those 30+ bonus hours to celebrate Africa Day on the correct continent because of a broken plane engine delaying our flight out.
Your people are truly more than just an accent to the beautiful scenery and organic nature. They are strong, resilliant, and hopeful.
You have rejouvenated my tired spirit with your vibrancy. I am moving on now, savoring once again the taste of familiar flavors of Western food, re-adjusting to riding in cars on the right side of the road and relishing conversations with natives that go beyond "Hi, muzungu. How are you? I am fine." And as my heart still grows fonder for you daily, I hope that, in the little bit of my time spent in Uganda, I in some way breathed a kind of life of my own into your mud huts.
Until I return again...
xoxo,
Ann
Thursday, May 14, 2009
HM
High maintenance.
A title I would argue is undeserved, but many have attributed to my appreciation for fashion, youngest child status, and OCD tendencies over the years. Africa is slowly, but surely breaking me of any such affiliation...
Yesterday's van ride somehow grew from 7 hours to 10 (I'm learning that trips have a tendency to multiply in distance here - no matter the length). The highlight of this was passing the equator and the accompanying water experiment (water really does go straight down! Videos to come later..) Less favorably would have been the bathroom options I braved throughout the day (some of which you all would never believe if I told you, so I'm not even going to try) and our sleeping quarters - which are constantly on the decline. Including cold showers, a broken toilet, no mosquito net, spider #2 (I'm pretty sure they plant one of those in every room), and freezing sleeping conditions (yes - in Africa! It's rainy season... Who would have guessed?) - and that was just last night! :)
Today also held a variety of "interesting" experiences: eating some eucalyptus tree in an attempt to heal this cough I've been fighting (ancient African medicine - it did feel really nice on my throat!), learning how to African dance (Melanie - I've got some new moves for you to bust out at Roys next year!), and finally getting ready for bed by candlelight (my Blackberry had internet, but our room was without electricity?! It was soo Little House on the Prairie though).
As each day passes the small inconsistencies become less surprising and instead surprisingly more expected.
The only thing that continues to catch me off guard here is the view out my window.
xoxo,
Ann
P. S. Praying there aren't any spiders tonight - we can't see them! Eeks!!
A title I would argue is undeserved, but many have attributed to my appreciation for fashion, youngest child status, and OCD tendencies over the years. Africa is slowly, but surely breaking me of any such affiliation...
Yesterday's van ride somehow grew from 7 hours to 10 (I'm learning that trips have a tendency to multiply in distance here - no matter the length). The highlight of this was passing the equator and the accompanying water experiment (water really does go straight down! Videos to come later..) Less favorably would have been the bathroom options I braved throughout the day (some of which you all would never believe if I told you, so I'm not even going to try) and our sleeping quarters - which are constantly on the decline. Including cold showers, a broken toilet, no mosquito net, spider #2 (I'm pretty sure they plant one of those in every room), and freezing sleeping conditions (yes - in Africa! It's rainy season... Who would have guessed?) - and that was just last night! :)
Today also held a variety of "interesting" experiences: eating some eucalyptus tree in an attempt to heal this cough I've been fighting (ancient African medicine - it did feel really nice on my throat!), learning how to African dance (Melanie - I've got some new moves for you to bust out at Roys next year!), and finally getting ready for bed by candlelight (my Blackberry had internet, but our room was without electricity?! It was soo Little House on the Prairie though).
As each day passes the small inconsistencies become less surprising and instead surprisingly more expected.
The only thing that continues to catch me off guard here is the view out my window.
xoxo,
Ann
P. S. Praying there aren't any spiders tonight - we can't see them! Eeks!!
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Jet Lag
An all too familiar feeling. Wide awake in the middle of the night after having slept all day on planes. The unconsciousness brought about by Tylenol PM is both a blessing and a curse.
So, from under my misquito net, my mind races instead of resting as it tries to process where my body is: Africa - continent #3 for me. It's even easier to play "spot the Americans" here than in Europe ;) The people are really funny and friendly though, and they love to share with you about their country.
Uganda is known as "The Pearl of Africa" Though I've only seen the country by night so far, the view of the moon (enlarged due to proximity to the equator) over Lake Victoria has already convinced me that this title is well-deserved.
Though we spent little time in Uganda so far, it hasn't been without excitement! As we waited in line for swine flu inspection, the sliding doors gave us a preview of our enemy: misquitos the size of your big toe. And literally EVERYWHERE. These oversized pests are merciless. The mere sight of them led to panic about when to take our next malaria treatment.
Once we arrived at our "hotel" for the night (really guest rooms in the univeristy dorm), it was time for dinner! Ugandan vegan food is so great! (And much less scary than the alternatives: goat meat or fish [which we suspected came straight from Lake Victoria]).
Our rooms for the night had hot, running water - pretty unbelievable and the last time we'll have that experience for awhile! But... We also had an unexpected little guest. We didn't have time to name him - we had murder on the mind. This little surprise in our sink had the longest legs I've ever seen on a spider! After a tag-team effort, Liz and I successfully drowned/smashed with a hanger/threw away our extra roomie.
And now I find myself under the misquoto net, listening to some African man sing outside our door and getting ready for another day of travelling. Exchanging money and buying basics in Kampala, then it's a 7 hour overcrowded van drive to Southwest Uganda (and the less comfortable accomodations that await us there). Until the next time I have internet...
XOXO,
Ann
So, from under my misquito net, my mind races instead of resting as it tries to process where my body is: Africa - continent #3 for me. It's even easier to play "spot the Americans" here than in Europe ;) The people are really funny and friendly though, and they love to share with you about their country.
Uganda is known as "The Pearl of Africa" Though I've only seen the country by night so far, the view of the moon (enlarged due to proximity to the equator) over Lake Victoria has already convinced me that this title is well-deserved.
Though we spent little time in Uganda so far, it hasn't been without excitement! As we waited in line for swine flu inspection, the sliding doors gave us a preview of our enemy: misquitos the size of your big toe. And literally EVERYWHERE. These oversized pests are merciless. The mere sight of them led to panic about when to take our next malaria treatment.
Once we arrived at our "hotel" for the night (really guest rooms in the univeristy dorm), it was time for dinner! Ugandan vegan food is so great! (And much less scary than the alternatives: goat meat or fish [which we suspected came straight from Lake Victoria]).
Our rooms for the night had hot, running water - pretty unbelievable and the last time we'll have that experience for awhile! But... We also had an unexpected little guest. We didn't have time to name him - we had murder on the mind. This little surprise in our sink had the longest legs I've ever seen on a spider! After a tag-team effort, Liz and I successfully drowned/smashed with a hanger/threw away our extra roomie.
And now I find myself under the misquoto net, listening to some African man sing outside our door and getting ready for another day of travelling. Exchanging money and buying basics in Kampala, then it's a 7 hour overcrowded van drive to Southwest Uganda (and the less comfortable accomodations that await us there). Until the next time I have internet...
XOXO,
Ann
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