Driving from Toronto to Minnesota is not easy
PERSPECTIVE OF A UGANDAN IN CANADA<br><br><b>Opiyo Oloya</b><br><br>I have to admit to being a little intimidated by the prospect of driving from Toronto to Minnesota tonight, a daunting 1522-km road-trip to attend the 17th annual Uganda North America Association (UNAA) convention starting on Fr
PERSPECTIVE OF A UGANDAN IN CANADA
Opiyo Oloya
I have to admit to being a little intimidated by the prospect of driving from Toronto to Minnesota tonight, a daunting 1522-km road-trip to attend the 17th annual Uganda North America Association (UNAA) convention starting on Friday in Minneapolis. The easy way to get there, of course, is the one-hour flight with Air Canada.
But flying would deny me the adventure of driving through five US states —Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota and discovering America. What is more, there is bound to be heavy rain and strong wind from dying Hurricane Katrina which has battered the US southeastern coastlines of Louisiana and Mississippi.
The plan of attack is to start rolling early at 1:00a.m. (8:00 am East African Standard Time), heading straight for the US border in Sarnia, Ontario. Once in America, without attracting the attention of the highway patrols, the idea is to push the rental car as fast as possible along Interstate 69 toward Lansing.
Along the route is the city of Flint, the hometown of US filmmaker Michael Moore whose film Fahrenheit 9/11 about the real reason behind the American invasion of Iraq has been a real pain to George Bush. From there, the twisting road turns into Interstate 94 which hugs the bottom of Lake Michigan toward Chicago. This is where there will likely be heavy rain and wind riding Katrina’s coattail.
If all goes according to plan, the 10 o’clock morning break will be in Chicago. After 800 km on the road, an hour-long nap is obligatory. The final assault on the road to Minneapolis will begin at 11:00am.
The entire safari should be in the bag by 5:00pm tomorrow. There is no back-up plan in any case because the UNAA convention begins on Friday morning.
The other reason for the long drive is the opportunity it provides for thinking about the convention itself. The organisers have dubbed it as a mixture of a good get-together and some serious business. The Saturday morning session will focus on the growing despair in northern Uganda. What is the road ahead for this part of the country after 20 years of war and destruction?
Though there may be no real answers at the convention, there is a growing sense that the tragedy is not just a northern Uganda one but international with pressures being applied to get the world involved. There are high expectations from the keynote speaker US Ambassador to Uganda Jimmy Kolker who will address the convention in the afternoon.
Many are keen to find out what plans the US has for breaking the log-jam currently stalling the peace process in northern Uganda.
As well, there is anticipation that Kolker who is due for his next assignment to another country will paint his vision of the road ahead for Uganda as a growing democracy. Many will want to know his views on the fact that Uganda’s current president has sat in the chair for close to two decades. Is the push for opening up political space genuine or simply window dressing as some have characterised the latest referendum? How does the US look at the transition taking place in Uganda?
In any event, this UNAA convention, like past ones, will provide excellent opportunity for Dr. Maggie Kigozi and her crack team from Uganda Investments Authority to drum up more investors for Uganda’s growing economy.
As well, issues pertaining to youth will be highlighted throughout the four-day convention, and rightly so given that over the last 16 years since the gathering began as simple a barbeque vent, the little toddlers have grown into young university and college graduates with plenty of energy to burn. It is their turn now to take over the mantle from the pioneers.
The return trip from Minneapolis is actually more exciting because it provides for an overnight stopover in Chicago.
Having never been to the famed city of many immigrants, this is the perfect opportunity to spend the evening driving along the Lake Michigan coastline and exploring local attractions.
Finally, on Monday, with eight hours of driving still ahead, it is early exit from Chicago for the Canadian borders where everyone will likely be heading home after the Labour Day weekend. School begins the next morning.
But first, there is the matter of 1522.5 km beginning early tonight. See you in Minneapolis — or at least check The New Vision’s website for convention diary updates.
Opiyo.oloya@sympatico.ca
Opiyo Oloya
I have to admit to being a little intimidated by the prospect of driving from Toronto to Minnesota tonight, a daunting 1522-km road-trip to attend the 17th annual Uganda North America Association (UNAA) convention starting on Friday in Minneapolis. The easy way to get there, of course, is the one-hour flight with Air Canada.
But flying would deny me the adventure of driving through five US states —Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota and discovering America. What is more, there is bound to be heavy rain and strong wind from dying Hurricane Katrina which has battered the US southeastern coastlines of Louisiana and Mississippi.
The plan of attack is to start rolling early at 1:00a.m. (8:00 am East African Standard Time), heading straight for the US border in Sarnia, Ontario. Once in America, without attracting the attention of the highway patrols, the idea is to push the rental car as fast as possible along Interstate 69 toward Lansing.
Along the route is the city of Flint, the hometown of US filmmaker Michael Moore whose film Fahrenheit 9/11 about the real reason behind the American invasion of Iraq has been a real pain to George Bush. From there, the twisting road turns into Interstate 94 which hugs the bottom of Lake Michigan toward Chicago. This is where there will likely be heavy rain and wind riding Katrina’s coattail.
If all goes according to plan, the 10 o’clock morning break will be in Chicago. After 800 km on the road, an hour-long nap is obligatory. The final assault on the road to Minneapolis will begin at 11:00am.
The entire safari should be in the bag by 5:00pm tomorrow. There is no back-up plan in any case because the UNAA convention begins on Friday morning.
The other reason for the long drive is the opportunity it provides for thinking about the convention itself. The organisers have dubbed it as a mixture of a good get-together and some serious business. The Saturday morning session will focus on the growing despair in northern Uganda. What is the road ahead for this part of the country after 20 years of war and destruction?
Though there may be no real answers at the convention, there is a growing sense that the tragedy is not just a northern Uganda one but international with pressures being applied to get the world involved. There are high expectations from the keynote speaker US Ambassador to Uganda Jimmy Kolker who will address the convention in the afternoon.
Many are keen to find out what plans the US has for breaking the log-jam currently stalling the peace process in northern Uganda.
As well, there is anticipation that Kolker who is due for his next assignment to another country will paint his vision of the road ahead for Uganda as a growing democracy. Many will want to know his views on the fact that Uganda’s current president has sat in the chair for close to two decades. Is the push for opening up political space genuine or simply window dressing as some have characterised the latest referendum? How does the US look at the transition taking place in Uganda?
In any event, this UNAA convention, like past ones, will provide excellent opportunity for Dr. Maggie Kigozi and her crack team from Uganda Investments Authority to drum up more investors for Uganda’s growing economy.
As well, issues pertaining to youth will be highlighted throughout the four-day convention, and rightly so given that over the last 16 years since the gathering began as simple a barbeque vent, the little toddlers have grown into young university and college graduates with plenty of energy to burn. It is their turn now to take over the mantle from the pioneers.
The return trip from Minneapolis is actually more exciting because it provides for an overnight stopover in Chicago.
Having never been to the famed city of many immigrants, this is the perfect opportunity to spend the evening driving along the Lake Michigan coastline and exploring local attractions.
Finally, on Monday, with eight hours of driving still ahead, it is early exit from Chicago for the Canadian borders where everyone will likely be heading home after the Labour Day weekend. School begins the next morning.
But first, there is the matter of 1522.5 km beginning early tonight. See you in Minneapolis — or at least check The New Vision’s website for convention diary updates.
Opiyo.oloya@sympatico.ca