living the life

i have written several posts already about the leisurely lifestyle here in Uganda, but sometimes, the full force of it takes you by surprise. Living here, you sometimes acquire a system of "runners" - people, (usually locals) who go and run your errands for you, either because you are busy working, can't be bothered with the hassle, it is something a local can handle more easily, or you are just being plain lazy. For example, Hip hop star Akon was supposed to play in Kampala last Saturday. Unfortunately, the concert was postponed until the next Friday (today). According to the local radio , Akon never left the states, and just decided not to show, similar to how he behaved for a scheduled Kenyan concert a few weeks ago. It sounds as though the concert organizers have now gone to fetch him from the states to force him to preform. But that is all an aside.

American gossip mag, hip hop fan that i am (yes, i partly blame my colby education and the fact that i lived in a house with Mtv jams, and a roommate who loved the stuff)- clearly, i was super excited by akon coming to kampala while i was here. So i sent Davis, a local who owns a restaurant just outside the campsite, to buy tickets for me. (you could only get them in kampala, and i was busy working at the time. Davis picked up a bunch of tickets for me and a few friends, and i paid him for his time, etc. (he was going to buy tickets for himself anyways).
After they postponed the concert, i am the majority of my friends who i purchased tickets for ended up being unable to go to the concert. After trying to get other people to return them, if they had time running their own errands in kampala ( which is a two hour trip from jinja on public transport) i decided to go and refund the tickets myself, but ended up sending Mohammed, Davey's runner. Davey employs mohammed, pays him a salary, and mohammed runs Davey's errands, does what he needs him to, and gives Davey free transport on his boda boda whenever Davey needs it. (note: Davey paid for the boda boda that Mohammed uses).

I realized, after i sent Mohammed in with specific instructions on where to refund the tickets, and what to do if they don't take them, that i had another Ugandan in Kampala for me today as well. Emmanuel, who is the KTN accountant, is in Kampala sorting out the special pass i need to live and work here. While it is part of Emannuel's job, needles to say, i felt slightly ridiculous.

For Davey, who owns and runs the videoboating company at NRE, it is crucial to have runners like Mohammed, and others, to help his business function properly. They are his staff. Emmanuel also works for Jamie, and as part of his job, is dealing with immigration. Both Davey and Jamie and most of the mzungu owned and operated businesses here have a series of runners that they need to function. but for me, who just lives here, and takes advantage of the system, especially when i am used to doing most things myself, it still feels a little extravagant.
There is definite worth to the expression if you want something done right, do it yourself. As convenient as the runner system is, it often doesn't work out as you planned. It can also end up complicating the situation, where doing something your self would be more cost effective, and easier. But thats not always the point is it?

I just read a great book called "Where we have hope" by Andrew Meldrum, an American journalist who lived and worked in Zimbabwe for 23 years, from 1980-2003. The book is a memoir of his time and experiences there. Soon after his arrival in Zim, Meldrum is talking to a white "Rhodesian" who says "S &S, sun and servants. Thats why we love our lives here". Not quite the same, but not so different either. - Its a very worthwhile read, esp. in light of the recent election drama in Zimbabwe.

On a side note- THANK YOU!!! to Miriam, who sent me a care package of chocolate and gossip mags, exactly what a girl needs.

Check out Flickr, because i added a few photos from Murchison and elsewhere.


thats all for now,
a