Learning: "I don't know"

Saturday, June 19, 2010

I have gained confidence today. I awoke in a quite optimistic mood. I went to three facilitations of initial partner teaching contract development and information reception meetings. I was of great use there.

Today, I also received more information about my duties at the Invisible Children office within the realm of the teacher exchange. I will be doing a great deal of data entry, meeting notes, and attendance tracking. I will also be creating posters for informing the American teachers. I do get to (at some point) do classroom observation and attend roundtables developed by Catherine and Danielle. I would like to find time to travel to the St. Jude’s here to sing and play with the small children there.

Today, we went through the most beautiful grove of towering, thin trunked trees on bodas. Small children yelled, “Munu, munu, munu!” as we passed. I waved and smiled, responding “Acholi! Acholi!”

I adore the lack of social filtration in children across all cultures. They do not fear verbalizing their thoughts. It makes me glad. A young girl walking with her mother spoke to me in Luo. Her mother turned and told me that her child said I was her sister... she followed behind me for half of a block. It warmed my heart.

I had my first experience shopping for the teachers staying at camps outside of Gulu. Every weekend I will be shopping for their camps at the grocery store and the market. We most certainly got the “muzungu” price much too often. I am learning what the standard prices are and demanding fairness. I often ask, “Is this the Acholi price or the munu price?”

We saw off Amy, the director of the exchange, as she left for Kampala. She was so very sad to leave. I will miss her greatly as she is quite the guiding force in this organization. She will be in contact via e-mail, I am sure.

We went for a few beers at a local tavern called KSP. We were allowed to see the view from the top of the roof. It was picturesque, quite astonishing to see the view of Gulu from above.

The night was a night of great growth for me. I interacted more with the participating teachers. I also ended up giving a cigarette to the man guarding the bank next to the bar. He asked for one and I said, “You are the one with the gun, I’ll give you what you want.” We both laughed quite a bit.

He and I discussed both our works here in Gulu. He was born and raised here. His family passed down land to him (as is customary within the Acholi trive). After a time, began to ask me if I could connect him to anyone who could help him financially. I responded in saying that I work with IC to help develop the education sector so that bright students can further their education to create a good economy and government in Uganda.

He inquired further about be connecting him with an organization to help him personally. I explained a few IC programs and then told him I would ask my boss.

Here is where I learned the most. I learned that I may be asked this question time and again. I learned that my best response is to briefly describe what I do in Gulu with IC and that I do not know how best to answer such a question.

I also learned that I have a strong desire to answer the questions of those I meet. For most of my life, I have been taught that a right answer is what counts. I am learning here that “I don’t know” is the most correct and honest answer I can give to questions such as this.

Today was indeed a day of learning and growing.

I shall continue this learning.

With illumination,
Karen