CHRISTOPHE 17/09/2014 7:34am
Agandi everyone!
10 days have gone by very quickly since the 1st
post; everyone is getting busier with their respective activities and a routine
has started to take shape; although not a day resembles another and everything seem to be still new and
exciting.
We have finally managed to move out of our old and stinky 2nd
floor flat by the noisiest road in Africa (they have speed bumps that are
hardly noticeable at night and the trucks come speeding away towards them; when
the two meet it sounds like someone is playing bowling in a cathedral filled
with cooking pans)
Last weekend we moved to a lovely house and with the help of
our new BFF, the ever helpful and kind Dutch couple Anneloes and Sjors (bless
you, bit of a mouthful to pronounce) we have now managed to create our Ugandan
nest which makes everyone happy and settled. The latter couple is very
conveniently our new neighbours and also my work colleagues. (I know, pretty
slick operation, right?)
Nino and Lola are in to their 2nd week at school
and after a shaky start, they are now enjoying it more and more by the day
apart morning whine. They remain the only M’zungos at the school thus a
curiosity to the other pupils but also very appreciated and cherished.
Yesterday I happened to be passing by and as they were having their sports
activities in the field opposite the school when a mighty tropical rain
exploded within seconds. The kids were running like baby cheetahs to shelter in
the school and I spotted princess Lola in the crowd helped and escorted (half
carried basically) by 4 or 5 pupils while 2 of them were protecting her head so
her hair wouldn't get wet! This is a fragrant and very defining example of
Ugandan kindness and dedication to their peers.
As the methods of teaching are quite different and the
levels were difficult to evaluate as the beginning of the year, it is very likely
that they’re both in higher level classes than they should.(Lola has 9 years
old in her class!) As a result the first homework Lola had to produce for her
science class was as follows:
1.
please explain what is photosynthesis:
2.
what is the name of the gas released by plants
at night
3.
what does a plant need to grow
4.
At what age Ugandan ants become socially
independent? (This one I made up, but still!)
For Nino, on his
1st day the maths teacher asked the class to calculate 24x12 which promptly
decided him to make a run to the headmaster office and require an immediate
downgrade to a lower class (Thank you very much!!)
I will let Anna relate her own perspective
on her new life and work but as always she is really busy doing 1001 things per
day (standard) but seems to be enjoying her work where she has a lot of
responsibilities and took on a teaching scheme project for the students and
junior doctors to be trained and guided in a more efficient manner.
After school every day or so we are going
to a nearby open air swimming pool for our daily unwinding session and her
boost of vitamin D. I never miss an opportunity to remind to Nino and Lola that
would never possible in England should they have a “soupcon” of homesickness
(en français dan le texte original).
After swimming we’ll hail a “BODA” sort of
cheap motorbike ride that seems to be always there when you need them. Another
interesting and amusing point of those Boda is that whatever the distance or
the number of passenger the fee is always the same and never discussed (1000
UGC = 25 PENCE).
SO to recap it goes like that the driver, Lola
on the tank, Nino behind the driver and me at the back of Nino on 100cc Indian
motorbike. All these lovely of course do not wear helmets and ride along some
savagely dodgy tracks. Health and safety, you may say, well yes it’s true but
while first world countries are sinking into an uncontrolled paranoia of
H&S, I can assure it hasn’t reached Uganda yet. Don’t worry, we are not
stupid either, I always ask the driver to be extra careful and slow; and of
course the kids LOVE it.
That’s me for today, I need to dash to work
where we are painting and decorating a dormitory to fit 50 orphans.
I’m sorry the children haven’t written an
entry on the blog yet but they hardly request any screen time at all!!
Something good is happening here!
Lots of love to you all!
