So maybe it has only been a few days but it seems like a month for me.  Today was the first day I used a flush toilet since Friday!!

170:  my house:  my bedroom window is the one at right.
155:  my room.  good mosquito net.
158:  My host maama, Judith, preparing the amatooke.

Last night as we sat around the living room/dining room by the light of one paraffin lamp at supper, my family asked me if we use amatooke leaves to keep foods hot (I think in English its plantain, like banana).  I explained that we don’t have that plant (do bananas grow in the US at all?) and that we use pots’ lids to keep food hot… hard to explain that in fact we don’t need to worry so much about keeping foods hot as other foods are cooking.  Here they use one fire to cook.  The amatooke takes I think three hours to steam (wrapped in the leaves to keep in the steam) and then whatever sauce is going with it must be cooked after, keeping the amatooke hot.  How can I explain that in fact many Americans simply add water and microwave in under 10 minutes and then they eat?  And if there are leftovers there are no worries about food poisoning because you throw it in the fridge!

My family is very friendly.  My host mom is 65; she had 11 children, though if I follow the stories properly three daughters have died [see note below].  She bought me toilet paper!  I hope you all appreciate the life you have been given each time you flush the toilet!!  Every time you simply throw clothes into the washing machine, thinking “what a chore” … think about having to wash them by hand!  Currently my host family does my washing, but I will learn to help.

And what about a shower?  Turning the faucet and out comes clean warm water – as hot or cold as you want at that moment.  And here I am, squatting in my lean-to bathing enclosure with a small tub, a gerry can of cold water and a vacuum flask of hot, to mix as needed.  I have not yet perfected my bucket bathing technique.

Some exciting news:  I am known to my host family as Nakirya, from the Clan of the Hippopotamus.  The oldest daughter is also Nakirya, she is Nakirya Monica, so they call me both names as well.  It’s “Nah-cheer-ee-aa” though the “r” sound here is a mix between R and L.  I didn’t even know I had been named – two FSD staff people came with me on Friday when they dropped me off.  We had been talking and walking around the farm when Martin turned to me and said ah Mama has given you your African name – Nakirya.  I guess during their conversation Maama Judith said it, though my Luganda is not so good as to have caught it. I guess it literally means “they gave me something and I ate it.”

Work is going well; these first two days we have been doing many site visits, seeing projects they have been implementing.  My organization, United for Development Initiative (UDEI) has been working with Heifer Project International (HPI) — HPI has providing goats and UDEI helps provide technical support.  I toured ten farms (think homestead, small scale) with two veterinarians today.

Sorry for the length, I had a lot of news this time.  Hope all is going well for you at home!

18 July 2008 Note: Maama is actually 62. Just this past weekend I was with her and a host-sister and -brother and when she claimed the age of 65 they said “Maama, where did you get those extra years?” She produced 10 children, and yes, produced is the verb used here. One daughter died of HIV in the early 2000s, leaving two sons. The other two daughters she was referring to were I think stillborn or naturally aborted.

stephanie

preparing amatooke (a staple food)