Luganda is much more commonly used here than I would have initially thought which is frustrating but also motivating. I’m starting to put some effort into learning Luganda, and just did my first bit of homework tonight. At the Shanti celebration there were lots of speeches, most of which were in Luganda. I listened as hard as I could, but I still couldn’t understand! (Of course) I managed to gather a few things from body language, and there was a small amount of translation provided, but it still was driving me a bit crazy because I was quite curious to know what the guests, politicians and Shanti staff were talking about.
It was quite an interesting day, in the end. I had my first taste of Ugandan food, which was decent and pretty good for a vegetarian – and we ate with our hands (or more specifically, the right hand). I’ve mainly been cooking for myself since my arrival because in Kasana there are limited restaurant offerings, and I’ve been told that Ugandan food loses its novelty quickly. The produce however, is extremely inexpensive, and I can build a tasty meal with what’s available. I am contemplating making a special Thanksgiving meal next weekend, so we’ll see how that turns out with Ugandan ingredients...
The kids around here call me Muzungu. A lot. They shout it from down the street as I’m walking by, or as I’m zipping past on the back of a boda boda. Mostly they say “Bye muzungu!!” even if I haven’t yet arrived to where they are. It’s perplexing that they say “bye” rather than “hi”. It’s like some foreigner taught them many years ago and it stuck, no matter how many times white people now say hi to them. I’m really not bothered, though. Obviously I’m not blending in at all as a local, no matter how hard I try, so I just wave and smile, say hi and continue on my way.
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