Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Cannon Beach gazette. (Cannon Beach, Or.) 1977-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 15, 2016)
10A • January 15, 2016 | Cannon Beach Gazette | cannonbeachgazette.com ‘Immersion experience’ gives woman new outlook Uganda from Page 1A somewhere else,” she said in an interview in her Can- non Beach home. “I want- ed to recalibrate,” she said. “I’d tried that three or four times in my life, but you always tend to get pulled back. And I chose the Peace Corps.” Seeking the “immersion experience,” she surfed the Peace Corps website in the middle of the night and said, “Let’s see what comes my way.” That began an 18-month process that landed her in the land-locked east African na- tion of Uganda. “I’m not sure if I would have chosen that,” she said. “I knew Idi Amin. I knew En- tebbe. ‘Rescue at Entebbe.’” After packing her allotted 80 pounds — including a good set of knives and leg- gings so your legs wouldn’t be seen — Wesson arrived at Entebbe at midnight. After two weeks of train- ing, she made her way to the northern city of Gulu, where the primary language was Acholi. “It’s a tonal language, the language of the north,” she said. “There’s a lot of em- phasis of vowel strength and length. The mispronunciation of a vowel can get you into a ORW RI GLI¿FXOW FLUFXPVWDQF- es.” The region had been rav- aged by 20 years of war, she said, leaving a legacy of tribal hatred, orphaned children and thousands more ill or dying from AIDS and malaria. $IWHU UHMHFWLQJ KHU ¿UVW housing quarters in Gulu, located over a dump where they burned tires and plastics throughout the day, Wesson found a “reasonably safe” home, furnished with two ta- bles and a chair. For safety, she never went out at night. “That’s when all the weird stuff happens to volunteers,” Wesson said. “It’s kind of OK to go out in a group, but you’re cautioned not to. The SUBMITTED PHOTO/CANNON BEACH GAZETTE Nancy Wesson with children in northern Uganda. SUBMITTED PHOTO/CANNON BEACH GAZETTE A writing slate is used to teach literacy skills. WUDI¿FLVULGLFXORXV1ROLJKW- ing, roads hideous, potholes the size of Volkswagen bugs, drop-offs on either side ... They drive lickety-split, ani- mals, potholes — it’s scary.” An emotional shift Three Peace Corps groups operated from Gulu: educa- tion, economic development and health. Wesson worked with the education group in literacy and basic education. “When I got there they KDGQR¿OLQJRURUJDQL]DWLRQDO V\VWHPVRWKDW¶VWKH¿UVWWKLQJ I did,” she said. “Looking at systems and processes to see LI,FRXOG¿QHWXQHWKLQJVVR they could get better use of their tiny resources. Dealing with the primitive environ- ment led to a “huge emotional shift around time and produc- tivity,” Wesson said. For a woman who used to help high-powered Aus- tin businesswomen compete in the marketplace, Wesson TXLFNO\ OHDUQHG ³1RWKLQJ LV going to happen on time or quickly. Delivery of services is so fraught: there’s weath- er, nobody has any commu- nications. There’s no money WR ¿[ DQ\WKLQJ WKDW EUHDNV DQG IDPLO\ FRPHV ¿UVW VR LI anything is happening with a family, everything else stops.” Trainings took place in the deep bush, aided by inter- preters who could speak the local language, Acholi, and English. “It’s a very successful program, but success is deter- mined differently,” Wesson said. “ Some of the success VWRULHVZRXOGEHµ1RZWKDW, know how to write my name, I don’t have to wait for my husband to make all of the GHFLVLRQV¶ 2U µ1RZ WKDW , know how to count money, I can take go to the market and sell my tomatoes without be- ing cheated.’ These are huge success stories.” In a society ruled by su- perstitions came unexpected challenges. “Witchcraft still exists there,” she said. “We were called ‘muzungus,’ which means foreigners. One of the beliefs that surrounds muzungus is that blue eyes are the devil. One day, I was sitting in the truck, and hun- dreds of kids were surround- ing the truck. I always took a jar of bubbles to blow, and they’re motioning me for me to remove my sunglasses. When I did, the whole group jumped back in horror at my blue eyes. I smilled and blew bubbles, and they learned to accept that.” “I’m really glad I did it,” Wesson said. “People ask, µ:DV LW IXQ"¶ 1R LW ZDVQ¶W fun, but I did good work, made good friends and think I made a lasting difference. I have this incredible sense of gratitude, every single day,” Wesson added. “Every wak- ing moment in Uganda was a constant act of gratitude. I was thanked by people I’d never seen before on a daily basis. They knew if you were a foreigner you were there to help, if you were waiting for a light, they’d take my hand and say, ‘Thank you for your service.’ “To say that this country should close its door to im- migrants — we were those immigrants originally,” she added. “Every time you help someone, whether in this country or another, if you help lift them up, then you change the community in which that person functions. That’s what the Peace Corps does.” Ocean bound After a little more than two years, Wesson returned to the United States. In selecting a climate, she sought the op- posite of Uganda’s clouds of dust. “All I could think of was getting to the shore,”she said. “I’ve dreamed of the ocean in all my life.” With a son working as a ski instructor at Mount Hood, she was drawn to Cannon Beach. She found a rental and unloaded the U-Haul. In her time here, she’s made herself known around town, working with the Visitor Center part time and working with the Haystack Rock Awareness program. 1RZ VKH UHÀHFWV RQ KHU time with the Peace Corps. The Pelican wants YOU! Pelican Brewing Company is looking for DIHZWHUULÀFSHRSOHWRMRLQRXUCannon Beach7HDP:HDUHFXUUHQWO\ORRNLQJIRU Managers and Sous Chefs to train in 3DFLÀF&LW\DQGWKHQZRUNLQ&DQQRQ%HDFK ZKHQZHRSHQWKLVVSULQJ 3DFLÀF&LW\WHPSKRXVLQJPD\EHDYDLODEOH ,QWHUHVWHG"(PDLO\RXUUHVXPHWR (PSOR\PHQW#3HOLFDQ%UHZLQJFRP 4XHVWLRQV"&DOO6WHSKDQLH 503-965-7779 ext 307 When it’s broken, we can fi x it. For orthopedic care including sports medicine, come to Providence. Brooke Benz, M.D., is here to help you get back in action. If you’ve been sidelined by an injury or pain is stopping you from doing what you love, Dr. Benz gives you personalized care backed by decades of experience in sports medicine and knee, hip and shoulder joint replacement. Board certifi ed in orthopedic surgery with a subspecialty in treating sports injuries, Dr. Benz can help you get moving again. Brooke Benz, M.D. Orthopedic surgery To make an appointment or get more information about our orthopedic services, call 503-717-7060 or visit www.providence.org/northcoast. 725 S. Wahanna Road Seaside, OR 97138
