Exams Schmexams

So, I am five down, two to go!! Almost there! Was actually supposed to be 6 down, one to go today, but this is Africa and things doesnt always happen like it was supposed to…

Having exams at Makerere is an interesting prosedure and it doesnt seem to happen in the same manner in the different subjects. It seems like the different lectures set there own rules. On the first exam we were early and eager to get started and according to the lecturer students were supposed to show up half an hours before the examinations starts.. No one told us?! Good thing we were all just sitting there reading, so we could just put our books on the floor and do the exam, ten minutes early, and we were allowed to leave when we finished half an hour before time. But on the second exam the doors were locked until it was time, we were almost searched from top to toe before entering and everything was very strict. I was not even allowed to bring a dictionary asI was on the first exam. And here when I finished half an hour before time, one lecture said I couldnt leave, the second asked me if I wanted to leave and took me to the door, where the third lecturer said: “When we set the time, we set the time. Take her back to her seat! Three hours is tree hours.” So, I was sliiiiiightly annoyed!

Third exam was about the same, except there was a change of rooms when we were supposed to have started, stripsearched before entering and sit down, shut up and don’t leave before I say so!

Yesterday we had a 2 credit unit exam (the other ones have been 4 cu). But, there is no difference, we still have three hours. And there is really not that much to write in a course where you have had 2 lectures and almost no curriculum, so I finished after 1 hour. I was then told it is not legal to leave before it is only half an hour left. So I sat there, and sat there and sat there. When one of the lecturers said there was 1 hour to go, I think my bodylanguage was clear enough. The lecturer that had told us it was illegal to leave came up to me and asked: -Do you really wanna go? So I handed in and left, 1 hour before time! TIA…

Today was a more relaxed setting again, and there was actually enough to do so don’t know wether I would be allowed to leave before time or not The last two exams are Thursday and Friday and then we are off holidaying for a week before flying home to Norway. Hopefully British Airways will be nice enough to let us leave when we want to!

I havent got any more internet at home, so wont be much more updating before I go home. Unless our hotel at SSese Island has an amazing broadband, witch I doubt!

Gender, the Law and Human Rights

Reading for my exam tomorrow and was looking at exams from earlier years when I found out just how much faith the professors ha in the students.  From the exam in 2006 they had the following question:

“Make a gender ananlysis of this case based on your limited knowledge of the law and human rights.”

After three years at university and finishing their last exams, you would hope they have more than limited knowledge on the area…

Finally…

…a solution to the problem And we have got ourself to thank for it, so this is not a thank you speech! We’ll probably sit the exams at Akamwesi or somewhere else off campus. Good good!

But, tomorrow, Ingrid and I are off to Murchison Falls, then where ever the wind takes us for about a week. We are thinking gorillas, maybe Rwanda and just around in Uganda! Cant wait to get out of Kampala to see something else than Makerere for a while! Wait for the pics when I get back!

Time is passing so fast, it’s only five weeks till I go back to Norway! Unbelievable! Look forward to a hot shower and to having a fridge!

A good weekend and nice time to everyone!

Makerere Bulliversity & Bergen Tulleversitet, a Saga

As you probably have understood, there has been alot of action at campus at Makerere University.  After last Thursday, when Ingrid and I ended up in the middle of the riots, read the news, without any warning or any information from the international office or the embassy (because they didn’t know what was going on) we don’t feel like you can be safe around at campus. You never know if anything will happen or when/where it will happen.

We have tried to explain the situation to the University of Bergen (UiB) and here at Makerere. At UiB we feel like they don’t take us serious and it’s almost like we want to be shot in the foot just to prove we are not lying. At Makerere we get different reactions, some lecturers understands us and even say that there has been a lot riots and to many things going on this semester, compared to earlier semesters. Others say that ‘there will most likely not happen anything during exams, so you will be safe’. This comes from the same person who did not know anything about riots at the campus from Monday-Thursday last week, so how does he or she know that it ‘will be safe, so don’t worry’.

What frustrates me is the attitude we get from our main contact person at UiB. It seems like she thinks we are about four years old, and she acts kinda like a four year old at times as well. When suggesting we can just take up subjects at UiB next semester or just spend some more time than planned on our BA degrees, I think she must be joking. So, should we just pretend like assignments (almost 25.000 words for myself, the equivalent of 17 average assignments at UiB), several tests, 60.000 NOK in loan and attending 24 hours per week of lectures for 3 months didn’t happen and happily take a double amount of credit units at UiB next semester or stay another semester (and get another 60.000 NOK in loan) just for the fun of it?!?! I think not…

I hope they wake up and realise that it’s not worth risking it, get a different attitude and give us an alternative asap. Of course, most likely nothing will happen, but it’s the issue of not knowing and not getting information when anything happens that worries us.

Dear Rognis and Bjarnis

Just wanted to let you know there is shooting and strikes at the university campus…. again… This time they claim it is because the power goes off…

Dont know much more than that when we where walking home from lectures around 8.30 there was people running in all directions, hundreds of students coming out from the main library, fires in the middle of the streets, alot of screaming, people hitting cars with whatever they had handy and when we had just walked past there was to gun shots, by the sound of it… And we met police cars loaded with officers in helmets etc

So we hurried home, glad there is few lectures left and we soon never have to go back to Makkis Bulliversity ever again!

So, what should I say?! I wish I actually learnt something when spending time at campus, so it was worth risking it.  But it really doesn’t feel like it… So maybe it is about time you change the program, Rognis and Bjarnis? Take all the bullshit and wasted time out of it and add some value?!

I don’t like corruption

but when it gains me, its’ fine… (Gender, Law & Human Rights lecturer, 2010)

That’s what I have learnt today… So as you probably have guessed by now, I learn a lot of interesting things at Makerere… There is only a few weeks left of lecturers before the exam and unfortunatly we have our left exam on the last day possible, Friday 28th may, at 4pm.. The last there is!! Great! But still really hoping to get some time, maybe during the exam period to go and hang out with the gorillas!!!

Today I have seen a bit more of the Ugandan postal system.. I got a note to pick up a package yesterday, so I went to the main post office… ‘lined up’ (walked straight to the counter where all the people where gathered up, line what is that???) and waited. After a while we where told we needed to give our note and an ID to the guy in the little window on the side of the counter…. He got that… wrote down something, walked off I waited…. waited…. he came back with some pacages to the first lady…. waited… waited… waited… Was asked if I was Åshild (oh, no that would be one of the other blond girls…) She wrote down some stuff… I paid Ush1000, signed AND wrote my phone number down in the big, important book and wohooooooo got my birthday present from Mari I am a lucky girl who have good friends like that!! So, now inly waiting for two more packages! 50% is not to bad!!

Planning on going to Kalongo this weekend and try out a volunteer project in teaching the orphans more english for them to have better possibilities later in life. Ingrid and I have been shooping books, chalkboard, pencils etc today I look forward to see them all again!

Now, I’m gonna eat some more norwegian Easter chocolate and polish on my assignment for tomorrow!

Its raining…

…so there will most likely not be a lecture at 7am… Therefore should I just stay in bed or should I go to check???

Life in Uganda stops when the rain is bucketing down… There is a big possibility that the shuttle is not even goiong, because the guy that drives it don’t want to walk to work in the weather… And if you want breakfast when it is raining you need to have bought it the day before, because (I can understand this one) the chapattiguys are not out yet, all the supermarkets are closed and so are the resturant…

It sometimes rains so hard that conversation has to stop because you cannot hear what the other person says even though you are seated close together…

Sometimes I guess its good that life stops when it rains, because this taxi driver didnt see much at all....

So, I’ll just stay in bed with a cup of tea and hope (or will I?) the rain will stop so I can have a test at 2pm………

Today I learnt…

…that Russia is  part of the EU…

…that the EU is exporting homosexuals to Africa…

…that winning a lottery will break up your marriage…

and that in some restaurants they have Vegetation and non-Vegetarian food…

This is what you call a shedload of jerry cans...

So, I guess you learn something new every day…

Swamps with Locks & Flogs!

Yep, there used to plenty of them around in Kampala.. Flogs in the watel…. If black people could blush I am sure one of our lectures did last week when he was talking about this topic and even wrote Flogs on the blackboard. But, I have to say doh, its not the first time and very many people here do not differensiate between L and R, witch is pretty funny sometimes. My new favorite joke is defenitly Flogs these days Ingrid took me to the movies on Wednesday as a part of my birthday present and we saw «The Princess and the Flog» hihi…

Its is small things like this that keeps me smiling in the chaotic days at Makerere.

Now there is ‘Easter Holiday’ at Makerere, but most lecturers have used the opportunity to load the students with plenty of assignments to work on. So, since I am planning on passing all my subject this semester, I am staying home in Kampala to finish off some of them (We are talking six assignments and two tests whitin 2,5 weeks here…). Right now I am working on «the role of farmers in the creation of agricultural technology in an East African society familiar to you» in sociology, but there is really no such society familiar to me, so I am struggling :/ Don’t understand how one can say a semester at Makerere is a piece of cake… Must be some sort of cake that I don’t like then

Anyways, it has been a quiet Easter for me. I am enjoying some relaxing walks and healthy, home cooked lunches with heaps of vegies to keep the energy levels up (It suits me perfectly that I can get enough vegies for one lunch for 1000 Ush (3 NOK) just up the road). You dont really get much vegies at the local restaurants If you dont look at chips as vegies, that is Or Matoke…

Its crazy to think there is only two more months left in Uganda, and that means alot less than two months before I have the first out of seven exams! Hopefully they will put up the full exam schedule so we can find out how much time we have to go see the gorillas and maybe hike in the Rwenzori Muntains…

Well, I should get back to what I am supposed to be doing! Hope you all have had and still have a great Easter!

Elections got cancelled

Last news on the riots and/or election campaigns is that at the new election day, yesterday Tuesday 23rd of March, the rallies got out of control again and the police had to calm down the masses with tear gas etc. So the elections got cancelled. Read NewVision online.

The week of mourning after the burning of the tombs has started and it seems quiet. The Bagandas are showing their respect in a peaceful way, so far. Museveni has come forward to say if he as much a hear anyone blaming the fire on the governement, he will personally take care of ther person (Also In New Vision and Daily Monitor). So lets hopw they keep quiet and calm…

I am back at campus and it has been feeling safe to be back. There is alot of armed police and military police around, not sure if that makes it more or less peaceful doh! Lectures go as usual, people have been missing us mzungus last week as we did not go back to campus from Tuesday morning until monday again.. ‘You’ve been lost!’ or ‘you’ve been scarse…’ are both pretty funny ways of saying it

Thinking of going away this weekend, been in Kampala for a many weekends in a row now, need a change!