Work is going well

6/8 - 6/9/2013

6/8 

Work is going incredibly well- The university UGC has been very respective to the idea of collaborating on research with A&M, I’m making incredible contacts with influential people and the city of Butembo continues to surpass my expectations- Great university, location and functioning local government.

I originally wanted to checkout Butembo because I heard it had a high elevation ideal for coffee production. I just found out that Butembo is the largest city in the entire province (approximately 1 million people). Unlike some of the smaller cities, Butembo lacks UN flights, a single store that sells internet modems and a single paved road- this led me to believe it was a small city.

  

Today I had a drink with the priest that overseas development in the area. While sitting on a balcony overlooking the city we discussed my work over the next 10 weeks and he provided some valuable insight.

While looking out over the city I said, “Change is coming to Butembo, mark my words, within five years paved roads and electricity. I just hope the change is a positive change.”

He replied, “Maybe the rest of the country can learn a lesson from Butembo. Development is good, but people don’t come here from the bush because we have electricity but because we have peace.”

  

 6/9

Everyone Loves Soccer

I slept for 10 hours last night! I was mentally exhausted, tired from adapting to the culture, studying, reading, not sleeping well- it was all pilling up.  This morning I decided to breakout of this cycle and have some well deserved fun.

Luckily I deleted all my movies and TV shows off my computer so I was forced to leave my room. I took my soccer ball and my smart phone with all my American music on it and I headed to the Seminary’s large rocky parking lot.  I turned on Rihanna’s new cd (everyone knows Rihanna) and started juggling the soccer ball. Only took 10 minutes before the kids in the neighborhood started whistling at me.   Five kids from the neighborhood joined me in a circle to juggle the soccer ball. After 5 minutes a priest approached and I could only make out that he didn't want us playing in the parking lot. I was really disappointed because I figured that meant I was going to have to go back to the solitude of my room. But instead of telling me to stop, he lead me across the street and showed me a large enclosed piece of land that had once been used to store construction material- a perfect soccer field. For the next hour and a half I played soccer with about 15 kids in the community. People stopped in utter surprise to see a white man playing soccer with large group of kids. Some parents probably tried to ask me what I was doing there but all I could say was “Hi, my name is Patrick! English! No French!” I had a terrific time. I’m looking forward to practicing French with them.

Using the soccer ball to meet my community is something I learned during Peace Corps thanks to the very generous donation Kurt’s dad Dan made to me. With the money he sent me I bought three soccer balls.  I’d play almost every afternoon with my community.