Muzungu life in Mbale

There is quite a close group of Muzungu (white people) living here. We are surprised by how many different aid agencies there are. Many of them are Non-Government Organisations (NGO) supported by various churches. We met quite a few of them at John’s 60^th birthday party – a lot of Americans, a small contingent of British (mainly the Jenga team), some Palestinians, one Belgium eye doctor and of course us Aussies.

They all live in pretty old but comfortable houses left over from when the British were living here. The rooms are large and made of concrete as termites are a problem. There are steel grates on all the doors and windows. Properties all have a high fence and locked gate. It is expected that they employ a house boy/girl and a night guard and also have a watchdog. Lyn is a very good cook. She makes her own bread each day in the breadmaker as the local bread is very sweet. She buys fresh milk, cheese and yoghurt each morning and boils the milk up. She also boils up a large amount of water each night and stores it in a large water dispenser.

Uganda is a land of huge contrasts – from the very rich to the extremely poor. There is a lot of aid money given from other government countries but it doesn’t seem to filter down to where it is needed. You can see smartly dressed people walking back to the slums after work. Many people have mobile phones as there is no land line service. You buy “air time” from a stall in the street where you can also charge up your phone. You can even see people charge their phones up at church. There are stalls where you can pay to use a mobile if you don’t have one (outside the PO). There are armed guards outside the banks which make you feel very safe when you are withdrawing your money! There are many Indians living here (also a hangover from the colonial days when they were servants). Now they are the successful business people and run the restaurants and supermarkets. Yes an Indian restaurant in Uganda!

The Ugandans are very friendly and polite. They like to shake your hand and do their own special handshake. The greeting is always “You are most welcome.” They are quietly spoken and take pride in dressing smartly, even if that is there only set of clothes. In the town the men all wear long pants and shirts, some even with ties. Shorts are only for young boys. The women wear mostly dresses or tops and skirts. Very few wear trousers. Shoes are always highly polished - no thongs! Their hair grows in very tight curls so many have their head shaved. The more modern ladies have hair braids sewn in or wear a wig in a modern style! Workers will dress up to travel to work and then if they work in a yard or house they will change into work clothes and then dress up again when they travel home ( usually a small two room house)! The soil is very fertile and they live on what they can grow, mostly matoke (a kind of banana) and some greens. If the man of the house dies his brothers take over the property and throw the woman and children onto the street. It is against the law here but the police turn a blind eye to many things especially traffic breaches. There are still about 8 million Ugandans living in abject poverty and many houses in the poorest areas where they do not have any farming land, can have 20 people living in them, mostly children. Somehow they scratch out an existence.

Some particularly Ugandan phrases (there are many different languages but most have a little English).

The answer always to “How are you?” is always “I am fine.”

Are you getting me? - Do you understand?

Melembe - Hello

It has refused. - It won’t work.

Are you there? - Are you ready?

Do it now, now. - Do it straight away.

How is here? - How are things?

How is there? - How is it at home?

How is behind? - How is it from where you have come from/Australia?

He is far. - They are out of town

It is about. - It is somewhere.

Some new posts to come - A day at Bushikori and The Namatala Bible Club Celebration.

Thats all for now. - We are fine!