Arrival in Kampala
A big Hello from Kampala! I arrived on Thursday, and I've already been swept up by the wonderful sense of community here. Hopefully a few pictures will begin to do justice to the experience I've had so far.
On our way from the airport, we stopped at a roadside fruit stand to pick up some mangoes and guavas to take to the office. Catherine (on the right) will be my house-mate for the summer, and Steven (in the middle) is the company's driver. Catherine graduated from university about four years ago, and she's now the operations manager at the renewable energy company. She just moved into a new house close to the company's office.
We're based in a suburban part of Kampala called Buziga. It's located on a hill overlooking much of the city and Lake Victoria, and I've heard it's considered the "Beverly Hills" of Kampala for its prime real estate. The air is clean and fresh, especially compared to the congested streets of the city center. And Buziga is not too isolated -- it's about a 30-minute ride into town, where Makerere University and the AIESEC chapter is based.
We're based in a suburban part of Kampala called Buziga. It's located on a hill overlooking much of the city and Lake Victoria, and I've heard it's considered the "Beverly Hills" of Kampala for its prime real estate. The air is clean and fresh, especially compared to the congested streets of the city center. And Buziga is not too isolated -- it's about a 30-minute ride into town, where Makerere University and the AIESEC chapter is based.
The company building was built to be an upscale house, and has since been converted into office space. This picture is at the entrance to the office, along with some of the company's staff (as we're enjoying the mangoes). The office also has a kitchen where the company's cook prepares lunch for us every day. There's a strong sense of community and loyalty within the company. Most of them knew the CEO long before he founded the company, and it seems they work out of dedication to him as much as their personal ambition (in contrast to the US...). It feels like working at the company will be like joining a family of Ugandans, providing quite a rich cultural experience.
So things are still a work in progress. The house I'm living in did not even have a bed yet. So my Friday was spent going shopping with Catherine for home furnishings... and getting a chance to bump along in the back of a pick-up :-p
There are still a lot of questions about my work for the summer. For example, when will the $15,000 worth of laboratory equipment and chemicals arrive, and where am I going to set up my lab? Once the CEO gets back from a business trip, I'll meet with him and clear up some of these issues (and surely prompt even more questions). There are so many ways this summer can go...
So things are still a work in progress. The house I'm living in did not even have a bed yet. So my Friday was spent going shopping with Catherine for home furnishings... and getting a chance to bump along in the back of a pick-up :-pThere are still a lot of questions about my work for the summer. For example, when will the $15,000 worth of laboratory equipment and chemicals arrive, and where am I going to set up my lab? Once the CEO gets back from a business trip, I'll meet with him and clear up some of these issues (and surely prompt even more questions). There are so many ways this summer can go...
Labels: Personal
posted by Drew at
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