Kyarusozi

Here are a few pictures from Kyarusozi, a trading center right outside of the gates to the tea estate. Every Friday is market day so this is where I will go for my produce each week. This area is also where three of the four schools that I will teach at are located (the fourth one is located on the tea estate). Today I went to talk with the head teacher of one of the primary schools. I took these two pictures on my walk home from the school. All of the schools I have visited have been very welcoming; free help, why wouldn't they be. Hopefully I will start health classes with their students next semester. 

As you can see from the picture, it is not much of a town. Well, it is not a town so I've been told many times, it is called a trading center. The people who live here are very poor and are only able to sustain themselves by selling products and services to the workers from the tea estate. There are a few shops, a tailor, a beauty salon, a bike repair shop, but not much else. So far I have not found any restaurants, just guys making rolex (chapati with fried egg) and mondazi (fried dough) on the side if the road. It seems that most weeks I will be able to ride with the clinic car into Fort Portal to do some shopping and get my fill of muzungu food. I think I am too spoiled to make due with the few items I can find here. 

In this picture, the venders have started to set up for market day. I tried to get a picture of the butcher but he wanted me to pay him for his picture. He was quite rude about it, a grumpy old man, so I kept walking. He probably took one look at me and knew I was not going to buy any if his dusty fly covered meat anyway. Therefore, he was not willing to humour me with a picture. Oh well, I'd rather make friends with the ladies who sell pineapples and bananas. 

Honestly, these people here are a bit intimidating. Most do not speak English and when I try to communicate, it seems as if they are yelling at me. The Rotooro language sounds harsh to my ears - rapid sharp notes - and they talk loud and forcefully. The majority of the venders are not what you would call soft-spoken. Ha, I guess a soft spoken vender would not make many sales and would soon be out of business. 

Another thing that I find intimidating is the bargaining. I hate it. I want an item to have a price tag and I will pay that price. If I think it is too expensive, I simply leave it on the shelf. Here you ask the price, "sente zingaha?" And whatever they tell you, offer them half. Then you argue for about 15 minutes, then you pay something inbetween the two initial offers. Or if you are me, you pay way more than should have and walk away knowing that you have been cheated. I know they are fighting to survive so I will try not to get too upset. After all, I can afford their hiked up prices, and if it's too crazy, I can just walk away. Chances are I didn't need the item that badly anyway. 

I'm sure you can tell, I'm not impressed with Kyarusozi! Oh well, tomorrow I leave for two weeks of training with the other 45 volunteers at a training center near Kampala. It will be good to see the other volunteers again and compare stories about our sites. I'm sure some have nicer surroundings than I do, but many will have much worse. Kyarusozi may not be much to look at but the tea estate is awesome!