Rwanda"...but I'll just leave that there.)
I left Uganda for two days last weekend and went to Rwanda with two
other interns, Jenny and Ashley. Even though the trip was less than
successful, I'm glad I went to Rwanda. By leaving Uganda, I'm able to
compare it to other nations in the region and understand why exactly I
love this ridiculous country.
Sure, Rwanda has paved roads and delicious French food. Yes, Rwandan
boda drivers wear uniforms and have helmets. Kigali does follow a
traditional city plan and i24-hour supermarkets…but other than these
developments, Rwanda? Not that great. First of all, Rwanda is
preposterously expensive. Our hostel room in Kabale, Uganda was 5,000
shilling a night (about 2.50). The hostel was located in a museum and
was positively the greatest place I have ever stayed. It was clean,
well-decorated, contained a replica Bakiga village and we received a
free guided tour and entry to the museum with our 5,000 shilling! The
food was awesome, the people were friendly…a good place.
Contrast: The only room we could find in Kigali was 30 USD a night,
had one bed and did not have a museum in the hotel. Not that great.
Sure, we did go out and eat terrific food and enjoy the
well-maintained roads. We even had a very posh cocktail hour at Hotel
des Milles Collines. But all in all, Rwanda is quite inferior to
Uganda. We didn't feel overwhelmingly welcomed or praised: in two
days, not a single person asked to marry me. Innocent, our cab
driver, told me that he finds Rwandans hard-hearted and unwelcoming.
I'm trying to reconcile Rwandan history with my opinion of the
society, but really, I much prefer Ugandan society.
Upon our return to Uganda, we heartily told the border guards how much
we love Uganda and how it is a truly superior country. They cheerfully
agreed and let us into the country, even though Jenny lost her
inoculation card. We continued our effusive praise for Uganda to our
cab driver, who generally agreed that Uganda is a very wonderful
place.
List of Reasons Why We Love Uganda
1. Fanta Passion: This amazing beverage does not exist anywhere else.
How can the US consider itself a developed nation when it lacks such a
basic necessity as Fanta Passion?
2. Affordability! Rwanda was absolutely ridiculously expensive.
Imagine spending 10 USD on coffee and a sandwich. Am I still in
Africa?
3. Nile Special. Uganda's local beer. 300 mL, 5.6% alcohol and a nice,
smooth taste. Moreover, I have never been hit in the face with a Nile
Special whereas Rwanda's local beer, Primus, has indeed hit me in the
face. It was unpleasant.
4. Better drivers.
5. Better music! Ugandans understand that Celine Dion, Backstreet
Boys, ABBA and Beyonce are far superior than random Swahili artists.
Rwandan music? Not that great.
6. Celebrity! I felt that half of Rwanda (or at least half of Kigali)
was white. We saw white families, white children, white people doing
their grocery shopping…what are all these white people doing in
Rwanda? In Uganda (especially in Nyendo), we can enjoy our celebrity
status and not have to share it with an expat community.
The list could go on about things specific to Nyendo/Masaka, but after
our car accident in Rwanda, I really just wanted to go home to my
family in Nyendo. I sat in the middle of a dirt road in Rwanda, three
kilometers from Akagera, clutching a bloody towel and honestly just
wishing I could be back in Uganda.
I can't believe I have to leave in a week. Not only do I have a
preposterous amount of work to finish in 4 days, but I'm really going
to miss all of my new friends and family!!
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