Crossing Cultures in Uganda 1
*No 1*
Janet Parsons’ background includes many years in Southern Africa but also teaching English for Speakers of Other Languages in Asia and the UK. In 2009-2011, she trained in South Africa and the U.K. for cross-cultural work in mission. In 2013, she joined CMS as a self-supporting worker and moved to Africa to teach at Bishop Barham, constituent college of Uganda Christian University.
She stayed for two and a half years in Uganda, teaching and working throughout the College with Ugandans and other nationals. She worked simultaneously — through emails — with friends, family and church members (her ‘encouragers’) in the UK and USA — to describe her work and gain support for it.
Here are some of her messages. They reflect the joys and sorrows, insights and dilemmas of the outsider looking in — who is also the insider looking outward with explanations for others — through her confusion and concern, joy, anger, hard-won patience and new insights.
They are, on the one hand, early reflections on a cross-cultural challenge. They are also current reflections — through the lens of time and distance — on experiences that unfolded in that place in the southwest corner of Uganda.
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