Ugandan Fun

 Christine - I love her hair!

Hyder 

I asked for faces, the following 3 pictures are what I got! 

Isn't she gorgeous? 

Pencil holder 

Thanks Oswald, you have to sit right in the middle of what I'm reading! 

We're trying out a new restaurant in Kampala. 

Ziwa (Rinos part II)

Back to Ziwa. AHI has donors who pay for a yearly field trip and in the past it’s always been to Kampala, usually a tour of a fancy hotel or restaurant, lunch, and then back to the Ranch.

This year, Maggie wanted the students to see a different environment they could work in (game parks), and decided to take us all to Ziwa Rhino Preserve. All the staff and students were able to go, and Ziwa gave us such a great deal, AHI was able to afford 3 meals and an overnight, as well as the tracking!

The Ziwa staff were so great, they let the students help them prepare dinner in the restaurant (Ali was furiously scribbling down all the recipes), talked to them about working in the hospitality industry, and were really excited about working on an internship program for some of our students! We also toured their new lodge being built in another section of the property.

Thank you to the FAHI donors who make the field trips possible every year, and thank you to Ziwa for the great experience – everyone loved it and learned so much!

On the bus

Sylvia

  Baby B got to come along         -           And got passed around!

Can I drive?

Ziwa does rehab with all sorts of animals, including bushbacks and monkeys.

Love the boots!

Ugandan Crane - The National Bird

Observations on Uganda

Note: many of the cultural observations are not as true anymore among very westernized Kampala-dwellers.

Uganda has 50-60 ethnic groups, and at least 30 different languages. English is taught in schools starting at a very young age. - Many of the people in our area are actually of Rwandan descent, and fled their country during the genocides of the mid-twentieth century (yes, the 1994 genocide was not the first to happen in Rwanda…)

Esther, Christine, and Faith

If you are a guest, and have had enough to eat, you should leave a bit of food on your plate to signal that you are full, otherwise they’ll probably keep bringing you more!

Christine serving a staff celebration lunch (above)

Patrick enjoying it! (below)

Chicken (especially the gizzard) is more of a delicacy  than beef.

Ali serving fajitas at AHI

If you light a fire in front of your home, some ethnic groups will interpret it as a sign that a relative has died.

AHI’s outdoor kitchen for cooking African style

Faith and baby Faith (sisters with the same name!)

You are expected to have children as soon as you get married – many people are quite surprised that Patrick and I have been married almost three years and don’t have kids!

Jesca and baby Benja

Dressing appropriately is very important. Most people have at least one nice outfit that is worn to celebrations, church, etc.

Ben giving a speech in a snazzy outfit

In the villages, women must wear longer-than-knee length skirts. Showing your thighs here is similar to going topless in the U.S.  Women are allowed to wear pants in the cities.
Women are also traditionally not allowed to sit with their legs crossed.

Appropriate kitchen attire

Public physical affection between spouses is not polite, but you can hold hands with any of your friends. 

We like eachother!  =D

 Ben and Ali cracked me up when I came across them “relaxing” on an overturned stool and eating watermelon on a fork

Lunchtime at AHI