Month One... Done

Yes, I am alive and well!

Life in Uganda is slowly becoming my new normal. Each morning I wake up excited for the yummy (a new word for my host family) milk tea. Every day I expect new discoveries like brownies and smoothies at one of the campus canteens. I expect that everyday I will learn something small about myself, Ugandan or American culture, or what I believe. The day is not complete until I have sweat more than I want to admit, have red dirt in between all of my toes and laughed big laughs.

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As I have not been as faithful with blogging (I apologize), I would love to share some very small moments over the past two weeks that I think back on and smile:

Meeting 21 year old, Nevi, who is the cousin to my host siblings. But, really she is my older sister who takes very very good care of me. She walked into my room one day and helped me to organize everything.

Helping Betinah and her neighborhood friend Mary with their “holiday packets” aka homework over break. English contractions are hard and helping correct small mistakes like won’t as will not instead of wonot (:

My host sisters Benitah and Betinah braiding (or plaiting as they say here) to practice on Mzungu hair. I looked “very smart” (the highest of complements).

Being blessed by my host mama: each child is “blessed” my their mother when she gives them food off of her own plate at supper. I was given avocado (yes!!).

Getting a Nalgene of water dumped on me for my birthday. However, the Ugandan accent makes it sound more like “bathday”... get it?

Getting to hold a newborn baby at the health clinic right after she was born. What an honor.

Explaining to my sister Betinah what a nail file is and how to use it. Or why it is even a thing. Talk about excessive American lifestyle.

Betinah naming the some of the Disney princesses Emmanuela, Joyce, and Nancy. I think they’re quite fitting.

Cleaning Betinah and Dan’s wounds from playing one day after bathing. Antibiotic ointment was a very new thing, along with bandaids. Dan refused to even let me get near him with one and started whimpering out of fear when I tried to cover his scrape.

Meeting the Hughes’ girls and getting to spend awesome time with their parents, who are USP staff (and also Wellspring church members!!). Every now and again it is so nice to remember that with the world so big and everything so new, that I still have a home away from home.

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It has been an incredible series of days and I am very much feeling like I am starting to get used to the culture. But, just as I begin to get comfortable, God reminds me how little I truly know. Maintaining a posture of learning is easier to say than to do, and maintaining that posture is even more challenging, yet so rewarding. An example of this happened this past Sunday as I was traveling to Kampala with a group of friends. Travel here happens primarily two ways: by taxi, a 15 passenger van, or by boda boda, the motorcycles for hire. Since the bodas are very dangerous to ride, our group took a taxi. Now, while there are 15 seats in the van, usually there are about 17-18 people. It’s your lucky day if you get a whole seat to yourself. Now, I am starting to feel more confident while crossing the very busy roads in Mukono. But Kampala driving is even more intense, which I had a hard time believing. And almost ended badly when I assumed a car would stay stopped for me to cross. There are many individuals who run up and down the streets alongside the taxis, selling things through the windows as one is driving down the road. It was very tempting to buy a pineapple wedge, especially in the heat with a car of too many people. Kampala has a more westernized feel but remains very African to the core. As a group we are at KFC for lunch (very touristy, I’m aware) and went to the African craft market to shops for small handmade gifts. All the shopkeepers with their beckoning, “you are most welcome in my shop” and a way of selling, but very polite compared to some bargaining markets I have experienced. I am still a stranger in this beautiful country but fall more in love with it everyday.

I have added a few more photos to the website, please feel free to check it out if you’re interested. Sending my love from afar,

Mirembe Emma