Random thoughts

First I want to thank everyone for their comments. I feel worlds away from EVERYTHING I know (they don't even have McDonald's here!!!) but reading everything that you write makes me feel more connected to some many things, I can't even explain. So below is the blog that I wrote to publish on the Vanderbilt website. Some of you may have already read this...but nevertheless enjoy! And PLEASE share your thoughts!:-)

Peace & Blessings

After a day of work, group outing, etc. we (myself and my flat mates) come

in, debrief for a moment and proceed to man our separate stations of the

flat, equipped with an ipod, journal and pen, books and magazines. It never

fails, we function like clock work. One of the three components comprising

the Kampala Project's mission statement is cultural immersion. However

witnessing this scene daily in my flat for the past two weeks, makes me

wonder how feasible *total* cultural immersion is. For example, every time

we get into a taxi or special that has the radio on we are flooded with

music from American Pop Culture. Upon first experiencing this, my initial

reaction was frustration. No matter how hard we try or far we go there is no

way to escape "American culture." Over time this realization has become both

comforting and simultaneously appalling for me. But it does bring about the

question of how exclusive is "culture"? Do Ugandans consider 50 Cent, Alicia

Keys, Akon and Kirk Franklin a part of their culture? Sean Kingston's

"Beautiful Girl" is seemingly more population here than it is in the states.

Additionally, considering the practices of my flat mates, is there only a

certain extent in which cultural exchange can take place before it becomes

invasive and/or overwhelming. I would argue that the "American" music we

allow to flood our minds with ipod is our way of "dealing" with the reality

around us. Or is it our methods of not "dealing" with death, AIDS, poverty,

lack of control or tangible measures of making a difference? Daily I try to

embrace and appreciate every aspect of Ugandan culture; but at the end of

the day, I unapologetically want my ipod, Essence magazine and cell phone…

somehow it seems to rectify our daily experiences even if falsely so.