Jolene here

Greetings :-) I've been here for almost 4 weeks now and haven't posted yet. Well actually, I have a confession. I've been posting to my personal blog rather regularly ... just not here.

It's taken me a while to post here because I don't feel like I have much to say. On my personal blog, I write about the day as it happened and either I'm saying something TOO opinionated, or else I'm not saying more than the events of the day as I try to describe for people who have never been what my life here is now like.

I'm not posting because I've thought of anything more appropriate to write, either, so we'll see where this blog takes us.

We took a team trip to Gulu yesterday. Let me start by saying that I've spent most of my time here wrestling with what missions SHOULD look like in a place like this. I worry about how we can be culturally sensitive enough. I worry about not giving the impression that munos are better than black people in ANY way, which is actually difficult when we have so much more money than the people who live here. That's definitely a barrier and not something that can be hidden ... especially since all munos are associated with money already.

This is related, I promise. While we were in Gulu, we went to a popular muno hang out (where we got to have smoothies!!! that was so exciting and wonderful!!!). These 2 muno girls came in wearing rather skimpy tops and shorts and capris that did NOT cover their knees. Between the way they dressed and this "American attitude" air about them (their accents were not American, by the way), I instantly judged them.

One of the girls proceeded to go outside for a smoke and then came back in with a Ugandan man. Soon, they were cuddling on the couch at their table. You just don't do that here!! Married couples wouldn't dare act like that. Did I mention that this was even in broad daylight?

It was very frustrating to me because I love the culture here and I do NOT want it Americanized or Westernized or changed in any way that isn't necessarily an improvement. Considering the AIDS epidemic here, normalizing behavior that would be seen as promiscuious as this would be is the opposite of what we would want to do around here.

There is a lightening storm starting, so I actually have to go now so we don't get a surge that wipes out our internet permanently. Sorry that I might not have finished the thoughts.