Mzungo= white person. I called that pretty much wherever I go. By little kids and boda drivers, everyone really. It’s pretty funny.
Things here are going really well. Last night I experienced my first big power cut (there are rolling power cuts around the country) – went out at about 10 and by 11 oclock this morning was still out. Flashlights are doing wonders!
Weather has been pretty good. It is just the end of rainy season, so it rains maybe once a day (but really not for very long) and then the rest of the time it is close to 25 degrees C or so. Still trying to get a little color – not much success so far – but no burns (Mom I’m wearing my sunscreen!).
Still don’t have pictures to upload because the computers don’t seem to take my camera well – but there a bunch of different internet cafes around town so I will try some other places.
I spent one day exploring Jinja – and walked around the Main Street (where there is pretty much everything) to orient myself around town. I’m starting to feel really comfortable here, and feel quite safe. All the people on the streets are quite nice. I find it hilarious because there are chickens, goats and cows and chickens everywhere!!! All over the side of the roads – I find it so funny – and drivers will go around them because they won’t move half the time if they are in the middle of the road.
The roads are pothole central – and boda drivers will go on the opposite side of the road to avoid potholes. A little scary. I have started bartarring boda costs with the drivers because they rip of mzungos at first (until you know the real price). I was being charged double for the first couple days – until the British students that are also staying at the guest house let me know the real price.
Had my first taste of Ugandan cuisine: posho with beans on Thursday and posho with cabbage on Friday. Posjo is a corn flour made into a sticky, very heavy paste. Its pretty much tasteless on its own and I think is just meant to fill you up. It’s very heavy and very filling. The portions are HUGE!!!! I have to ask for small mzungo portions! I’ve also had some Indian food here as there is a pretty large Indian community in Uganda (lots of business people). Hhahah…funny stories went with some of the British students for supper for pork and chips and the place turned out to be a brothel as well. Ooopps. Regardless the food was good, but I think I will avoid it from now on.
Im still getting used to Ugandan shillings. It’s bizarre for me, because the denominations are huge (a bottle of Coke – in the old school bottles - is about 700 shillings). So it’s weird to carry around thousands and thousands of shillings. Converted though cost of living is still quite cheap.
Also picking up little bits of Lusoga (the local language). The sounds are a little challenging as they are so different but I think I’m really going to make an effort to learn as much as I can. I might even take some lessons (as well as Ugandan cultural lessons). Should be fun! That’s it for now for this mzungu!!
Things here are going really well. Last night I experienced my first big power cut (there are rolling power cuts around the country) – went out at about 10 and by 11 oclock this morning was still out. Flashlights are doing wonders!
Weather has been pretty good. It is just the end of rainy season, so it rains maybe once a day (but really not for very long) and then the rest of the time it is close to 25 degrees C or so. Still trying to get a little color – not much success so far – but no burns (Mom I’m wearing my sunscreen!).
Still don’t have pictures to upload because the computers don’t seem to take my camera well – but there a bunch of different internet cafes around town so I will try some other places.
I spent one day exploring Jinja – and walked around the Main Street (where there is pretty much everything) to orient myself around town. I’m starting to feel really comfortable here, and feel quite safe. All the people on the streets are quite nice. I find it hilarious because there are chickens, goats and cows and chickens everywhere!!! All over the side of the roads – I find it so funny – and drivers will go around them because they won’t move half the time if they are in the middle of the road.
The roads are pothole central – and boda drivers will go on the opposite side of the road to avoid potholes. A little scary. I have started bartarring boda costs with the drivers because they rip of mzungos at first (until you know the real price). I was being charged double for the first couple days – until the British students that are also staying at the guest house let me know the real price.
Had my first taste of Ugandan cuisine: posho with beans on Thursday and posho with cabbage on Friday. Posjo is a corn flour made into a sticky, very heavy paste. Its pretty much tasteless on its own and I think is just meant to fill you up. It’s very heavy and very filling. The portions are HUGE!!!! I have to ask for small mzungo portions! I’ve also had some Indian food here as there is a pretty large Indian community in Uganda (lots of business people). Hhahah…funny stories went with some of the British students for supper for pork and chips and the place turned out to be a brothel as well. Ooopps. Regardless the food was good, but I think I will avoid it from now on.
Im still getting used to Ugandan shillings. It’s bizarre for me, because the denominations are huge (a bottle of Coke – in the old school bottles - is about 700 shillings). So it’s weird to carry around thousands and thousands of shillings. Converted though cost of living is still quite cheap.
Also picking up little bits of Lusoga (the local language). The sounds are a little challenging as they are so different but I think I’m really going to make an effort to learn as much as I can. I might even take some lessons (as well as Ugandan cultural lessons). Should be fun! That’s it for now for this mzungu!!
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