Here in Kampala-A day in my life

I'm a little unsure of how to begin with twelve days of new things and adventures to share with you. I'll start, however, by giving you an idea of a typical day for me (at this point, while I'm doing language study.) I get up at 6:15, generally it is still dark but one of my sisters is also up, starting the sweeping. I try to go for a "trot" as my family calls it--I've discovered by trial and error that if I go "trotting" this early, I don't have so many bodabodas (motorcycles), buses or people to run around. Things are just starting to wake up in Busega, a suburb of Kampala. Busega is very green, with many banana, avacado, jackfruit and palm trees. From our street you can see across the valley to Mengo, the hospital I'm working at-the sun rises over the hill and the sky is beautiful! The roads here are badly rutted from the rain, so this is more like a trail-run than anything else. I'm greeted all along the way--the children call out "BYE, Mazungoo!" and I try to greet them back in my rudimentary Luganda.

When I arrive home, everyone is awake getting ready for work. My host mom, "Aunty Kalugi" will greet me and thank me for running (it is generally the custom here to thank people for whatever they happen to be doing--Aunt K's explanation is that some people are lazy and might stop working if you don't thank them for it!)My sister Sarah, an OBGYN generally drives cousin Liz and sister Jennifer to their respective jobs. Sarah does have a car- not very common here. I'll either be riding with them or taking a bus to work when I start next week. Brothers Steven and Herbert also go to work, early--so I rarely see them.

Our house has running (cold) water, (but no shower), so everyone takes turns having a bucket bath before having tea and bread for breakfast. Uganda grows its own tea--it is quite good! Since the only coffee I've found so far is instant(although coffee is also grown), I am now a tea drinker.

I have lessons with Aunty from 9-12, with a tea break in the middle. Aunty is a preschool teacher by trade, and has been teaching english mostly, so occasionally forgets that I'm learning Luganda and is very impressed by my speaking and writing skills in English! Luganda has proved to be quite difficult! The greetings and responses vary depending on whom you are addressing, and at what time of day. There are many words that sound similar but vary in tone and pitch. We spend a lot of our lesson on pronounciation, but I still have a lot of work to do.

Sharon is a "sister in law" who lives in our compound, and she and Aunty K generally make lunch ( I try to help) from 1-2. The food here is good- the staple is Matoke (steamed bananas), with other options being posho (cornmeal) or rice. They generally have a "sauce" to go with the "staple", which is some combination of onions, tomatos, whatever vegetable is on hand, and beef (if they have it). We occasionally also have cabbage, pumpkin (yum!)or avacado (which grow in the yard).

I try and spend the afternoon practicing what I've learned-either in Busega or Mengo. My conversations are very short at this point, and produce a lot of laughter. Occasionally Jennifer and I will venture downtown to Owino Market in Kampala for vegetables. I'm learning how to navigate the bus system independently--they haven't let me stray to far on my own yet, but this weekend I'll get a chance when I go to the MCC office for a meeting.

Dinner is usually not until 9:00 pm, and is very similar to lunch. One exciting feature about life in Kampala is "load sharing"--this means that there isn't enough power at any one time for the whole city, so each section gets power for 24 hours, and then has no power for 24 hours. I have come to appreciate so much those evenings when we have lights! Otherwise we are preparing food, reading, getting ready for bed by candle (or with my headlamp, which is indispensible!) One also has to be diligent at remembering to charge cell phones, iron clothes and do other things (email!) that require power during the time the lights are on.

I'll begin working at Mengo Hospital this friday. I'll be initially in the HIV Clinic/counseling center, but they are hoping (!) I'll also teach at the nursing school and work with the nurses in the premature special care unit, to teach them some of my "advanced" skills (which haven't, as of yet, been practiced on infants! Yikes.

I am so thankful for the Kalungi family, for their hospitality and generosity in hosting me. Please continue to pray for our mutual "adjustment", and we all learn to live together! I would also appreciate prayers for my continued efforts at communication, and starting work this friday.

Be well and may God bless you.