I have decided to delete my last blog post "jokes in poor humour" after some further discussion and due to various responses i have recieved.
I do wish to say however, to those who read the post, that its intentions were in no way meant to be racist in tone, or to express a racist view- but mearly to express the difficulties of living in working in a culture that is not your own. It was also meant to discuss the diffulties of finding and communticating with staff you can trust- a challenge to any employer anywhere in the world i am sure.
For those of you who have followed my blog from the beginning, it was also meant to express the changing perspectives i myself have experianced- from tourist, or even idealisistic volunteer, to working and living here for an extended period of time. I am sure you have all noted changes in tone in my posts over the past 10 months, something to be expected, perhaps.
Of the many trials and tribulations of living and working and volunteering, or visiting in the bujagali area, one of the most common frusterations i have found, both personally and lisiting to the experiances of others, is the sentiment that one is being taken advantage of, often by someone ( a local) who you feel as whom you have gotten to know, or have established a relationship with. The post was addressing certain recent issues out here, and the overwhelming feeling of being taken advantage of by those you begin to trust.
For anyone i offended, i am truely sorry. The post was poorly expressed in that it merited an explaination. I in no way intended to generalize my experiances in one area for those of the entirety of uganda. That said, the views expressed, however poorly, should in no way be taken to represent the thoughts or digressions of anyone but myself.
cheers.
Friday, August 1, 2008
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2 comments:
Dear Anna,
I did not see your last post, but no matter. Your ability to stand outside yourself and review your own emotional experience critically and non judgmentally is a great ability some never achieve in a lifetime.
A proud mamacita
Anna,
I did not find anything objectional in what you wrote, but can see how some might have taken offense. I read your last post but did not view the related comments so cannot touch on them directly. Racism, as it exists in America, is conceptualized in an entirely different way in Africa, if at all. We've been educated in such a way here that we immediately point out anything that could be considered prejudice, even if that is not the intention. I think it is difficult to understand this without experiencing first hand what it is like to be a minority (admittedly for the short term) in Africa.
You rock, don't ever change, see you in September!
Miriam
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