Randomness

In response to my recent post on culture in Uganda... a few additions.

It was pointed out to me that I forgot to mention the obsession with large bottoms on women.  How could I forget?  I love that all of the mannequins or clothing displays have the hips and bottom area pulled out as far as possible.  And there are signs posted around town saying to call for more information on how to get bigger hips.  Seriously!  I love it.  

Ugandan time... Ugandans do not work in the same time frame as Americans.  If I have an appointment for 2pm, I would arrive a few minutes before 2pm.  A week or so ago I had an appointment with an attorney for 1pm.  She arrived to her office at 2:15.  That is called Ugandan time.  You just take life as it comes and don't bother looking at your watch. 

If I have many things to carry, I would try to carry them all in my hands or rest them on my hip.  Here the first inclination is to put it on your head.  It is amazing the things that can be balanced on one's head.

I would write an entire book on the things seen on the back of boda-bodas (motorcycles).  I've actually thought that it would make a great coffee table picture book.  Maybe I'll work on that on my next trip.  But what I saw today, takes the cake.  I actually saw a refrigerator tied to the back of a boda.  Now mind you, it was a very skinny fridge, but seriously people... a refrigerator strapped to a motorcycle going down the road at at least 40 MPH.  I wanted to take a photo, but since I was on a boda with Mercy, I didn't think you'd want me trying to dig the camera out of the bag.  So you'll just have to take my word for it.

And remember how I told you they often dress boys in girls clothes.  Tonight some of the neighborhood kids were over for dinner.  One of them brought her baby sister.   She was so cute and had on a ruffled pink shirt with a jumper dress and a sequin headband over a headwrap.  I talked with the big sister about how cute she was and how she was about the same age as Mercy.  Then she said, "You think this is a girl?"  I said, "Yes."  She said, "No, this is a boy.  Why do you think he is a girl?"  I said, "Oh, I don't know."  She just laughed.

Cell phones in Uganda are all pay as you go.  You get a phone and then whatever sim card you want.  Then  you buy airtime cards that you scratch off a pin number to add more minutes.  You can buy airtime everywhere.  There are women that sell minutes on the street and they fight over who gets your business.  People who stand in the streets selling airtime and basically every shop.  There are about 4 major cell phone companies.  And some Ugandans have 4 phones for each company and each one offers special deals like free mobile to mobile, etc.  So when you ask for someone's number you often ask, "Do you have Warid or MTN or Orange?"  And then they'll give you that number.  They also sell dual-SIM card phones.  I never knew such things existed.

Just a few more of my observations.  If any of you think of more, leave a comment.  They make me smile.

As for official news... there is none.  The person my lawyer was supposed to talk to today was gone to a meeting all day.  Pray that he gets to talk to this person tomorrow. 

I did get to visit the first Libraries of Love library today.  It's always great to go back to that school.  You can see how much the library means to them and that the students are really using it.  The test results at the school have gone up each year since they've had a library.  It's amazing what a culture of reading and lots of books can do for a kid.  I even got to visit a few classrooms and sing with the children and send them love for Madame Trudy.  I also got to see the P7 students.  These are the oldest kids in the school.  They are very busy preparing to take their exams next week to get into secondary school (like high school in US).  So I got to pray over them for their exams. It was a blessing!

And pray for Mercy.  Nothing too serious, but she's got her third ear infection since I've been here.  We got a new antibiotic and ear drops today. Hoping that will clear it up.  I'm very grateful for a fellow adoptive parent here that helped me get into a good pediatrician today.  Such a blessing!  And the doctor's visit only cost me $2.  I'm pretty sure she'll be getting some ear tubes when we get home.  Thankfully, I already have a good doctor for that.  And for those who are counting... she is now cutting tooth #6 since I've been here.  No wonder I never get any sleep!