Otoke Phrases

"If you think education is expensive, try ignorance."

- Otoke John to a student at KHS, 14 June 2011

I have to admit I love Otoke John's many phrases. They have a simple clarity and power to them. This one came up this week as he was talking to a student who failed to raise 500 shillings (about 20 cents) to pay an agriculture teacher to come and teach to the S4s. Currently, our school is without an agriculture teacher. So this one volunteered to come in and teach 4 hours on Saturday morning if each student paid 500 shillings for his transport and upkeep.

Not an unreasonable proposition from what I understand of the local culture. Especially since most of these students are getting their education for free for the most part. It does seem, however, that it could be a little expensive if many students do show up. 10 for a total of 5,000 vs. 100 for a total of 50,000 for example. I just don't know.

Lots of staff and students sick these days. They say it is the season for flu here. Although I don't really believe that since we are in the land of perpetual summer and thus experience no seasons. I still find it humorous though when I hear my colleagues walking around saying it is flu season. Maybe they know something I don't, probably.

"Sometimes freedom enslaves you."

I liked this one too. It came up one evening when I we were talking about different addictions that Americans have in the states, whether it be drugs, alcohol, Blackberrys, cigarettes, food, television, sex, gambling, whatever. It got me thinking about the contrast between the two worlds. In America, people have enough money and access to develop these habits. In Uganda, people cannot afford such behaviors. Nor do they have access to such items and venues that enable these vices to persist in much of the developed world.

It's true. We are indeed enslaved by the many freedoms we have. We have the ability to choose, every single day, exactly what we want to do with that day, whether it be good or bad. Ugandans have this ability too, I suppose. We just have more resources at our disposal.