Sunday, November 30, 2008

One.. Two.. Three...

For the first time in my life I feel as if I've slept with too many guys

When the guy you're with, who looks like a model (and actually was one for a while), who knows everything he should do in bed and seems to go on for ever and ever... a guy who makes you understand that if Ugandans have sex the way they dance (and boy do they dance), there's no wonder they're happy and content despite all their material problems.

When this guy tells you he's 28 and has only slept with two girls because he wants to have feelings for someone before he sleeps with them; when he says it's hard for a guy, that I will never know how hard it is for him (or any other guy) not to sleep with beautiful girls who are more than willing to do so, when this happens, it's the first time I've ever felt I've slept with too many guys.

I won't tell you my "magic number" - it's not that scary and it's not that high, but it is higher than two.

When I'm with this guy (who by the way is even weirder than me (when you get to know him, yet normal on the outside), which is quite an achievement) and he tells me he wants to be in love and not just sleep with all the girls around, and for once, for once... I actually trust the guy (I don't trust people easily yet this time there's just something...)...


Different people want different things and I guess I just haven't quite figured out what I want, what I think is good, or right, or how I want to do whatever it is I want to do.


What is in a number.... A rose by any other name would smell as sweet... right?

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

East African Guys

Why didn't anybody tell me they were so damn cute? No wonder I never liked Norwegian guys (and they never liked me) - there's so much more out here!


The guy from Rwanda
He was cute, I liked him. I wanted to trust him and my instincts were shouting "Nonono!". Unfortunately they were right - he was so pushy it wasn't even fun, and a little weird, and when he realized the girl wouldn't sleep with him (because he was way too 'hands on' from the get go), he went all quiet. Then he regretted his decision (they always do) but then it was too late. Way too late.

The guy in class
He's fun and I liked him from the start. He's always smiling, you can see it on the back of his head and hear it in his voice that he's smiling, still it took two months before we started talking about more than school and how my culture is different from his culture. Unfortunately, this is where the Ugandan hospitality may play tricks on you - he took me back to his sister's place and he keeps saying he misses me and really likes me - the problem (my problem) is that people here are so friendly you never know when they mean "you're fun, let's be friends" and when it's something more than that.

The guy at the internet cafe
There are two guys - one friendly and one cute (why does it always seem to be that way?). The cute one reminds me of one of my cousins and I have no idea why. He's kinda... I would say cocky, but I don't think he's like that, he just seems that way. It's a curse I guess, just like people always used to tell me I looked sad when I wasn't.

The tour guide
I met him on the street outside the hostel. He said he'd seen me walk by so many times and finally had to come and say hi. He's a tour guide of the national parks and Kampala, and he took me to all the places I wanted to go in the city. We went to a crafts market and went back and bought way too much stuff... I'll have to go back there... He says it's his task to make sure I experience as much as possible so I don't forget him, which is good, but I don't really like being seen as a "job", Something you have to do (not "do" do... well actually that too...). I'm kinda starting to like him though... (which is good considering what you might read into that last sentence).


And then there's all the other guys, in my class, in the shops, on the streets, that I just talk to but have never really got to know. They're from Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Congo... Basically all over East Africa. There are a couple who have the most amazing eyes I've ever seen - I don't know, it might be the contrast between their dark skin and shining eyes. I'm really rather starting to enjoy being the "odd one out", then again I'm used to that. I'm strange, I know, and I wouldn't want it any other way.

And finally.... all the guys who come up to you (when you're walking on your own) to tell you they want to marry a white chick, they want a European woman, "I love you", I want to make mixed-colour babies, "I want to make an Obama"(!). Don't let their good looks fool you, their pick up lines are somewhat lacking...


I don't wanna go home!

Friday, November 21, 2008

That previous post...

...didn't really work as it was supposed to. People who visited a lot, now that they know I know who they are, seem to have disappeared.

Maybe I should modify my statement a little - I don't know who you are, I just know where you're from. That is, when my parents visit my other blog (they don't know about this one and I prefer we keep it that way), it says they are a few hours drive away from where they really are, so I don't really know where you're from either...

So don't worry, you can be as anonymous as you want to be - as long as I get the same in return, at least towards the rest of the world.


..still, there are a couple people I really wish would speak up just to see if they are who I think they are, and another I'm afraid what will happen if he does...

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

You are allowed to say something, you know.-

There are some people who visit several times a week. There are some who visit several times a day. If you're that interested to know what I'm doing, don't you think I'd be interested to know what you're doing?

You know who you are (and I certainly do), so I won't be naming names or nationalities. I like that you stop by, even if you're bored and just checking all your bookmarks. But I'd still appreciate it if you took the time to say something.

Comment, send an email, whatever.

Don't be a chicken - girls don't like that, remember? :)

Monday, November 17, 2008

Can I just ask something?

How come so many people end up on this blog when they're searching for some variation of "pakistani sex life" ??

I wrote about that once four years ago, and suddenly, these past few months, half the people who get here through a search engine are looking for it.

And they're not only Pakistanis, they're people from everywhere.

Does anybody know if something about the sex life of Pakistanis has suddenly become much more interesting?

Sunday, November 16, 2008

Obama is the new Muzungu

People always shout "Muzungu!" after us when we walk outside. Muzungu means white person and it's not meant in a bad way although it does make you very self conscious since everybody is always looking at you. Plus, imagine standing on the street in whatever city you live in and shout "black person! black person!" every time you see a person of a different skin colour. Would that work?

People are just less politically correct here. They say it as it is, and I have to say I prefer it this way. It's a little "ehh... what did you just say?" at first when someone says something you'd never say out loud at home, but I really like the honesty. They manage to do it in a good way that's just honest but never rude - most people other people seem to see honesty as an excuse to be rude.


As for Obama - after he won the election last week people have started shouting "Obama" at us instead of "mzungu". I don't know why. Some girls had guys shout "Hey, Obamas wife" which doesn't make much sense either...

People at campus are selling photos of Obama, laying hundreds of them out on the ground. Photos work a little differently here, few people have cameras so it's a little special to have a photo of yourself and your friends. A friend in one of my classes gave me six photos last week; four of himself, one of the Main Building on campus and one of Obama.


This is a little funny and a lot strange...

Monday, November 10, 2008

I am officially single again!

After two years it feels a little like coming out of prison. It will probably be strange when I get back to Bergen but I've had three months to think about it and I've never looked back.

Now I just hope we can still be friends, that he finds a nice girl and falls in love (although he says he won't ever find anyone as strange as me), and everything will work out.

As for me... boy am I gonna miss Uganda! :P

Wednesday, November 05, 2008

A vote for change

The collective sigh of relief issued from the world this night was only rivaled by the cheers.


The hostel is throwing a party for "Our Barack Obama" this evening. People were shouting "Obama! Obama!" all night and when the victory was a fact, the shouts and cheers were loud enough to wake those who dared sleep.

It is a historic election, it would be no matter what the outcome was. I won't comment much on what this means for policies within the US, but outside this is potentially huge. That Barack Obama won this election signals to the rest of the world that the US is willing to change, and to take a chance to do so.


We don't like the position the US has had in the world the past decade, and Americans have now proved they don't like it much either. My hope for the next president is that fear and cynicism will be replaced by hope for the future. It's not about the man, it's about his opinions, policies and views of society.

Much can be said about the guy himself, all I'll say is although it might be true he is inexperienced in politics and might have a lot to learn, he seems to mean what he says, and say what he means. He seems to have a very different outlook from Bush and McCain and I hope and believe this will prove to be a good thing - both within the US and as far as relations with the outside world goes.


The world wants to like the US again. We want this superpower to be nice again and we hope the most powerful man in the world, starting in February, will have a broader perspective than the current one. Obama talks of us and we, not you and me.

And listening to his speech from Chicago, I hadn't realized how great it would feel to hear a man who will have such an important position in the world express opinions I completely agree with. He won't be able to do all he wants, but just the fact that he wants to try and do the right thing, in what I believe is the right way, is a good start.


So from a European in Africa - America, you did good!

Tuesday, November 04, 2008

Election Day 08

Americans have started voting, and the world is watching.

Ugandans are all over this election - I've seen "Barack Obama Club" t-shirts, bumper stickers and the papers have had the American colours on their front pages the past days.

Yesterday a guy came to the lecture shouting "Pray for McCain!" and another shouted back "No, pray for Obama!"


I wish I had a tv or a computer and didn't have to go running to internet cafes all the time. Last time, four years ago, I was up all night watching, and I really wish I could do the same now.

It looks like Obama can do this (I'd say more but I'm afraid to jinx it!) but you never know how the Republicans will do until it's over.

I'm hoping for no surprises this year, just a smooth running election with a historical outcome.

Go Obama!

Sunday, November 02, 2008

Go Vote!

The election is Tuesday, the poll is on the right.

Let's see what the rest of the world thinks.

edit: come on people, I know you visit, you might as well click it!