Training Begins

Mulia Mutya? (trans: how are you all?)

I've made it through basic greetings and introductions (name, where I'm from, what I do, etc...) and we're starting on daily activities. There is no 'hello' as far as I can ascertain, which means when you greet someone it's more than just a 'hi'. The full greeting asks how your evening was, how everyone at home is, thanks you for the work you do, and asks if there's any news. It really stresses how much people here seem to care about everyone, even strangers.

Many thanks to my mom for posting what I've been up to when I'm unable to get to internet. A couple of corrections...there are four 'children' at home - the two grandkids, and then two kids: a son who's 30? and the youngest, who's 18. She just finished up high school and has been anxiously awaiting her scores (there's a national exam at the end of Primary 7 (P.7), Senior 2 (S.2), and Senior 6 (S.6). Which is equivalent to elementary, middle, and high schools. I think). She's hoping to go to University to study medicine. Another daughter (22) is studying accounting, and is home on weekends. So it's a busy house, but I'm really enjoying it. They almost always have music on - either the radio or TV, and are often dancing or singing along. Anytime I join in they get a good laugh out of it :). They've been teaching me to cook - matooke (steamed plaintain), veggies, and hopefully chapati soon! Yesterday I made banana bread! It was a little burnt on the bottom, as I haven't figured out how to modulate the temperature yet. My host mom showed me how to pour ash over the hot coals, which helped immensely.

Training is going well. We have 2 hours of language everyday, and then lectures on various topics: composting, gardening (my personal favorite), Ugandan history, bicycle repair, AIDs and HIV, various health topics, the education system, the police system, and many others I can't remember. Saturday we're going to get a tour of Kampala (peanut butter! ice cream! fast internet!) and learn about the public transportation system. Then Monday we're off on our own to go visit current volunteers (PCVs) for 4 days. I'm excited to see how they've morphed American and Ugandan living styles. Which, by the way, I'm really enjoying. I'm going to be spoiled by the food - which is probably the healthiest food I've ever eaten - matooke, rice, beans, a spinach-type green, eggplant, tomatoes, a peanut (g-nut here) sauce, and occasionally meat or fish. Oh, and some fruit for desert. Very yummy (which I think might be the spices and oil...). Hopefully I can pick up some good tips before I leave. And living 2-3? miles from school is great - I can bike and just think, or walk and practice my greetings, or meet other trainees and have some quality American time. Also, I tend to leave around 7am, which is sunrise. And they have pretty spectacular sunrises here.

I'm out of time, but hopefully I can send more from Kampala, and get back to more people via email. Apologies for being so bad with responding...

love to all,
Becky