Favorites

"Favorite" is not a word I use very often. I don't have a favorite color, a favorite food, a favorite book, or favorite movie. I have some preferences, maybe a top-five-or-ten list, but no single favorites in those categories. "Favorite" simply isn't a classification I use much. So, if I was asked what my favorite thing about living in Uganda is, I would be at a bit of a loss to identify one particular thing worthy of that superlative. I can, however, come up with a list of some of my favorite things about specific aspects of my experience in Uganda. Here are a few of my favorite things...

First, in the culture category: Greetings. It is culturally acceptable, encouraged, and all but required to greet everyone. It isn't actually required, and I do occasionally pass someone who does not make eye-contact. The vast majority of the time, however, I greet and am greeted by those I pass, whether I know them or not. True, I could do without the greetings of "Amuzugut" (White girl) or the calls of "Muzungu!" (White person!). Again, however, the vast majority of greetings are the polite "Ejok-a" and hand-clasp. Way better than the awkward someone-is-approaching-and-I-want-to-smile-and-say-"hello"-but-that-requires-us-to-make-eye-contact-without-appearing-like-one-of-us-was-staring. You just greet.

Unless you were reading the previous sentence aloud in an accent, you probably didn't notice my Ugandan English. Using Ugandan English and Ngakarimojong phrases is one of my favorites. As politically incorrect as it may be in some places, most Karamojong appreciate it if we wazungu adopt some approximation of a Ugandan accent. Personally, I think mine tends to sound more Indian than Ugandan, but it does accomplish the purpose of facilitating clearer communication. There are also many phrases that are common in Ugandan English but not in American English. There are too many completely. Even me, I am not knowing them all. But they are just there. Ikoteneni (It is like that). 

By now, I am familiar enough with the Ngakarimojong songbook we use in church that I can sing along fairly confidently. Occasionally, I trip up over some five-syllable words or the letter "c," which always makes the "ch" sound, but I know most of the songs well enough to enjoy and even know what I am singing about without referring to the translation.

In the work category--specifically that of reading picture books to the kids in the Preschool--I have a new favorite game: try to get the teacher who is translating for me do weird things. Such as hold his nose and making his arm a "trunk" when there is an elephant character in the story. Because, obviously, elephants always sound congested. Obviously. Since we read the same story to the kids for two weeks (one week in K-Jong and one week in English) interactive stories are always best. If the children also hold their noses, pretend their arms are trunks, and trumpet like elephants, that's totally a win.

Interactive stories do sometimes have their drawbacks though. One day, I was sitting towards the back of the group of children, reading the English text aloud while one of the teachers held the book in front of the group and translated. In the story, there was a flash of lightening, so I clapped loudly. Despite having heard the story before, the small child in front of me apparently wasn't expected the sudden clap of thunder. Fortunately, after he recovered from shock and resumed his seated position, he thought it funny, too.

Other work favorites might include the fact that I am almost finished organizing, formatting, editing, etc. the Bible story booklets that we use with the primary schools, a project that I started shortly after arriving in Karamoja. Like so many other projects, there will certainly be room for improvement after I "finish," but the curriculum should at least be entirely usable.

Living conditions category. Game nights. Euchre is a popular game, but lately Hand and Foot (yes, it does sound like some version of Twister, but it is in fact a card game) has risen in the polls. Settlers, Hearts, Dominion, and Liars Dice also make fairly regular appearances. While running has never been one of my favorite activities, I do enjoy the view of the nearby mountain while I run on nice, flat, savannah. I have a favorite lizard, who likes to hang out on my window sill. We have an agreement: he doesn't come in my room, and I don't yell and throw things at him. My bathroom is an outhouse and my sink an outdoor spigot, which means I can stargaze while I brush my teeth before bed. I get to be an honorary aunt; that's definitely a favorite.

I may not have a favorite food, but food deserves a mention. On Wednesdays, I make breakfast for dinner. I rotate between French toast, quiche, pancakes, and breakfast burritos. Over the past few months, I have developed a great appreciation for both meal planning and cooking. Cooking while listening to an audio book has become a (usually) relaxing, productive way to close out a work day, and, because of the dearth of convenient grocery stores in the neighborhood, meal planning is helpful, if not indispensable. 

Speaking of food, I learned how to make African chai (ginger tea made with milk, sugar, and spices). It requires slightly too much time to make on the mornings that I go to work, but Sunday mornings are much more leisurely. Drinking chai while reading my Bible, that's a favorite. 

Some of these things may seem quite small, but if Julie Andrews can dub whiskers on kittens and schnitzel with noodles "favorites," than I'll enjoy my pet lizard and African chai.