Jambo!

The traditional greeting in the local language (Lusoga) is a very enjoyable word to say. And I say it a lot. Walking around the villages and past the houses along the way it is, along with "Mzungu", one of the only words I hear. Want to go for a nice peaceful walk before dinner? Tough, you have greetings to attend to. Want to go for a solitary run in the morning at a time when the youngsters should be still in bed? Not gonna happen. The other morning I actually had a group of seven or eight Ugandan munchkins join me for at least a mile, all the while shouting "Mzungu, Jambo! Mzuuunguuu, Jambo!". How many times can you say hello without getting bored? The answer, it appears, is a lot.

The other day I actually learnt exactly what Mzungu means. Not just a simple "White dude", it actually comes from back in colonial times and when people like my good friend John Hanning Speke was wandering about the place. They came to believe that these new European faces were quite harmless and better left alone to their seemingly aimless peregrinations. So, when they saw one of these amiable folks they would shout out to other members of the tribe "Mzungu!" just to let them know that he was sound and not to hack off his limbs. After hearing this I have decided that I actually don't mind being called it. I quite like my limbs.

I've just finished reading a book I bought before I left called, simply, "Africa". It should now mean that I know absolutely everything about this continent I have been on for almost three weeks. You can test me if you like. Go on, any question you want. The author is a journalist for various prestigious publications these days, but before that he was a teacher. And his first visit to Africa? You guessed it: Uganda. There was one thing in particular that I liked in his chapter about this splendid country, and that was about the weather. I would like to share it with you, if you'd permit me:

In the rainy season massive meringue-puff clouds bubble up from the glistening waters of Lake Victoria. Then, the dark stormy mass suddenly rushes inland, flinging lightning around the sky and burying the hills and valleys in thunder and rain.

I thought that described the weather here rather well. I kind of wish I'd written it.

My rivers class went well! True, it was more like the students were teaching me, but it was quite productive and in the following class they were able to tell their "real" teacher all about deltas and estuaries. The following day there were very few teachers in school because they were all off trying to prove that the qualifications they have were all present and genuine (apparently there's a lot of people who lie or fake their certificates and diplomas). So, I ended up teaching a class about lakes in Uganda. Luckily I had sat in on a class the previous week on the very same subject, which prepared me a bit. It was a bit of a blag fest and, again, the students definitely knew more than me, but they all said "Thank you very much!" and did the weird clap thing at the end; I took that as a good sign.

That's all I can manage for now folks. The rain has stopped and the sun has come out so it's about 700 degrees in this here t'internet cafe. Be sure to check out the photo slide-show thingy at the side there for some pics new and old. Much love to all.

Oh, and one more thing: Mzungu, Jambo!!!!