House Hunting

Alas I wish I had something interesting to say everyday, but clearly not always.  Today was spent trying to find alternative housing.  This is no small task because everything is done via word of mouth and... as PCVs everything must be visited "on foot."  So I walked to see five houses today and the rents on all but one were roughly 10 to 20 times the amount my NGO has budgeted for living quarters.  I saw some really lovely places where NGO's who hire American/European employees stash their folks.  They range from $750 - $2000 US/month.  This in a country where even teachers make only the equivalent of about $60US/month (when they get paid).  NGOs, which theoretically come here to help, inflate the cost of living so much it wreaks havoc with an already bizarre economy.  More often than not, huge sums of money or physical resources are dumped into a society that has no infra-structure to maintain the project after the funding stops or the NGO leaves.  Hospitals with no doctors, clinics with no drugs, schools with no teachers...  It is a confounding problem with no easy fixes.

Since many NGOs are now leaving Uganda, the rents are beginning to come down, but I need a place for $100US per month.  So - this will not be easy.  My current place has great amenities, but air quality (burning goat hides, plastic, tires 24/7) is a health issue.   Still... tonight I have water, electricity, gas for my stove and the promise of a good rainstorm to clean the air and offer great background music for sleeping.

So, Dong Maber, my friends and keep sending news and tidbits from home!