My Love Letter to Uganda

2016 is coming to an end. 

 I just celebrated my very first Christmas away from home and away from my family in America - but also my very first Christmas with my Ugandan family. My very first Christmas in Uganda. I’ve celebrated other holidays across the world - a couple Easters, thanksgiving, halloween, valentines day, birthdays and so on. Christmas has always been my favorite holiday.

.Rewind. 

I’m sitting in a little hotel room looking around at my african print blanket, listening to the birds and the lake outside my window. Only 5 more days until Christmas and it is HOT and dry, we seem to have skipped rainy season, or perhaps, (hopefully) it will come late. We so badly need rain. I seem to have come down with a cold or something - sore throat, feverish, lots of sneezing and coughing. I ran away to Entebbe for a day just be alone in order to subside my introverted self. Feed my cold good food and fresh juice. Enjoy some air-conditioning and Just be by the lake and rest. 

So I thought for the end of this year i’d take some of this time… as I procrastinate working on my 2016 taxes… to write a short love letter to Uganda, a country that has always felt like home even when it wasn’t, the place that I now call home and the country that may very well be my permeant home as the reality of it all is sinking in as I await my February wedding when I marry my ugandan finance’. 

When I tell people that I live in Uganda, I usually get very mixed responses, but sadly I find that most people cringe at the idea of me living in Uganda. The pictures that pop up in their heads, is just not the reality of the beautiful country that I call home.

I want to re-paint that picture for you, of what I know and love about Uganda. 

BIRDS. If you are trying to picture uganda in your head. First picture a bird, whatever kind you like, there are over 1,000 species of birds in Uganda. Birds are the first thing I hear when I wake up in the morning. If you’re looking, you’ll see birds, big and small, colorful, beautiful, huge, scary, elegant, graceful, comical, they’re all here. 

Now picture that bird sitting on a tree branch. 

TREES, everywhere, everywhere there are trees. My favorite are mango trees, with their huge stumps and roots burrowing deep and long and weaving in and out of the ground and there large branches that reach out like a giant umbrella hovering over you with beautiful deep green leaves and bearing the most delicious juicy mangos shinning with sap, bright orange and yellow. My foster son loves mango’s, he can’t get enough of them, if I don’t limit him he’d eat a whole basket. His school uniform unfortunately bears the evidence streaked with mango sap….and no it doesn’t come out. Banana trees, palm trees, avocado trees… or maybe you are picturing a small little bird nestled in a bush bearing lemons, oranges, berries, or coffee. 

The birds in Uganda have quite the feast and so do the people. Uganda seems to be always flourishing with fresh vibrant fruits and vegetables. Imagine walking through a outside market brimming with big (green) pumpkins, sweet potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, onions, peppers, pineapple, passion fruit, watermelon, fresh beans, peas, lentils, maize… do I need to continue? because I could go on for forever. Imagine being able to fill 4 shopping bags full of fresh produce for under $10. To give you an example, earlier this week I bought 10 tomatoes, 6 large green peppers, 6 onions and 5 carrots it that cost me about $2.00. Or maybe you’re a coffee lover, if so, you wouldn’t be deprived of your love for rich dark coffee in Uganda, freshly brewed and harvested right here. There are so many unique, stylish, cozy coffee shops all over Uganda serving delicious variety of hot and cold coffee.. and my favorite tea! I never use to be a tea drinker until I moved to Uganda, now i drink tea nearly everyday. I love to start my day with fresh iced lemon and ginger tea. 

I often wonder if I will ever get over the delightful feeling that often rushes over me, "whoa, I live in Uganda!" It happens all the time, I'm driving my car or grocery shopping, picking veggies from my garden or playing outside with the kids and it will just hit me, I can't believe I live in Uganda. And I love that feeling, because I love living here. Sure sometimes life happens and there may be more than a few unfortunate surprises, but honestly, I wouldn't trade all the downfalls of living here for all the beautiful benefits that life in Uganda brings. After all Uganda does keep me on my toes and I love that, because every single day is new and exciting and a learning experience, good or bad at the end of day you can move past the problem and tomorrow you can wake up and say "Bring it on, because I can handle it and learn from it." 

Soo.. Here is my Top 20 List of Why I LOVE Uganda! 

1. Airtime - 

Tired of your expensive cell phone plans? You may be surprised to hear that Uganda has this figured out. You can buy airtime nearly everywhere! small road side shops, grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, from random people when your stuck in traffic jam. The best part is you can buy airtime for as little as 200 schillings (a few pennies) to text or call your friends, airtime is super cheap and super convenient, only you know how much you text or talk on the phone and it is so easily controlled when you can load however much you need. Another plus, is there are so many different phone companies and most people have more than one line, that offer different advantages, free calls after certain hours, free calls to the same line and constant promotion giveaways! 

2. Shopping - 

I love shopping in Uganda, because everything always seems to be right at your finger tips. I can't count how many times I have been stuck in Jam and someone walked by with toilet paper, fruit, bathing towels, phone chargers or some kind of house hold necessity ... So many things are sold right to your window, the best part is that it is all negotiable! If you have hot negotiating skills you can get it for the price you desire. Another reason I love shopping in Uganda, is shopping bonus cards! Most major supermarkets in Kampala have shopping cards and it is super easy to rack up the points, I have bought multiple big items from the store with my shopping points, including a curling iron kit, hair dryer, cart full of groceries, wall art.. These were all on separate occasions. Right now at just one of my local stores I have $30 in points just sitting and growing every time I run to the store. On top of that if you often use your credit card, there are tons of fun bonus money vouchers that are given out throughout the year. Free money, free gas, free restaurant vouchers - I certainly can't complain about that. 

3. Dogs -  

This may not be on everyone's list but I love animals and I have grown very fond of our local USCPA animal shelter that does a wonderful job rescuing and rehabilitating street dogs and cats in Uganda. I have two local breeds rescued from the streets. My dogs light up my day and have brought so much fun and laughter to my time in Uganda. These local breeds make for the most perfect companions and are extremely loyal and trusty guard dogs.

4. Movies -

Whether you are heading to the movie theater to catch a flick or the DVD store, you are bound to get a great deal. And yes we have movie theaters in Uganda and they are just as nice as the ones at home! The theaters here feature different deals on different days and cut the prices in half. At full price you are typically paying $5.50 but on promotion days it can be as low as $2.20. Not to mention the super cheap $1 popcorn and sodas! If you prefer to get your movies and watch them in the comfort of your own home, you can find a clear copy of pretty much whatever movie you're looking for (even if it hasn't been released yet in the US) for as little as $0.27 

5. Bus Journeys - 

Don't want to spend an exuberant amount on a safari? Just take the bus! For as little as 10,000 schillings ($2.77) you can get a bus to the opposite side of Uganda. I once took the bus from Kampala all the way to Mbarara about a 5 hour bus ride and spotted Rhinos tromping through the swamp. Taking the bus in Uganda is always a huge adventure and you never know what kind of things you'll see, people you'll meet or crazy food you might try. 

6. Dancing! - 

Don't expect to come to Uganda without seeing some awesome and talented tribal dancing or street dancing. A few weeks ago I went to a small cafe in the evening to do some work on my laptop, to my surprise it was traditional Scottish dance night. You never know what you're going to find, but expect dancing! . 

7. The Expat Community  - 

Whether you need to buy something new for your house, sell something old, or just need general advice the expat community is here to help! Apparently i'm not the only foreigner who came to Uganda and decided they just couldn't part with this beautiful country. There are thousands of expats all over Uganda from all over the world! I love how diverse the expat community in Uganda is and I love meeting new people. Whether you need a new place to stay, urgent health advice, or anything helpful these people step up to help one another! The expat community here seems to be one of a kind and I love it! 

8. Driving in Kampala - 

Yes, the traffic jams are awful and yes there are pot holes everywhere! But there is something so liberating about driving through Uganda. Also I have to admit its pretty fun to drive on the wrong side of the road. 

9. Eating Out -

Eating out in Uganda can be quite the adventure, whether you are exploring the local food spots, where you might need to double check if your water has actually been boiled, but your whole meal is less than a $1. Or if you are trying out a new ethnic food greek, indian, Chinese,Turkish, Eritrean, West African, Japanese, middle-estern, Ethiopian - the great part is you are bound to meet people who are actually from these countries and the food is super authentic! Or maybe you want a relaxed cafe or fancy dinner, its all here in the heart of Kampala and eating out in Uganda wherever you go is always a memorable experience. 

10. Lake Victoria - 

Oh, how I love the water. There is something so peaceful sitting by the water and whenever I have a bad day, sitting somewhere by the lake is where you'll find me. Lake Victoria is the second largest fresh water lake in the world and Africa's largest! I love living so close to the Lake and taking trips to the beach, if you see a fisherman with a small boat and you don't mind lending him some small pocket change he'll most likely take you out on the lake, beware if the water is choppy, those innocent boat rides can turn very exciting when water comes splashing in. Although most people advice strongly against it I have too many times to count walked barefoot through the water and even went swimming a few times on Sesse Island and so far avoided Bilharzia (Caution: swim at your own risk!) 

11. Power Outages - 

Power goes out quite often. It doesn't matter if your eating out at your favorite restaurant or at a fancy hotel, the power may cut out for a minute, luckily those places have generators. As for me and my household we have no such generator, i've learned to love the power outages, they force me to stop and appreciate whatever you are doing. Those candle lit moments have their perks and advantages that can sometimes teach you a lot about appreciating the little things. 

12. Sunrises and Sunsets - 

The sunrise and sunsets of Uganda are so breath taking I sometimes feel guilty not taking time to watch them everyday. 

13. Uglish -

Otherwise known as Ugandan English, it's for real and it is hilarious if english is your first language and it even has its own dictionary! "Don't dirten that shirt." "Stop cowardishing and go see that girl." "Don't just beep her again, bench her." (meaning don't just call her then hang up, so the other person will know to call you back, this is known as "beeping" and "benching" which means to drop in on someone, or go see them. I've pretty well mastered Uglish over the years, but every once in a while there is a new one that comes along that stumps me. 

14. Talipia and Nile Perch -

Fresh out of Lake Victoria and best eaten whole and fried with your bare hands while sitting by the lake. 

15. Sense of Humor - 

Ugandans have a great sense of humor! One of my favorite attributes of my Ugandan fiancé' who can keep me laughing even in the most grim situations. Difficult situations in Uganda tend to be dealt with humor which can be extremely helpful to lighten the mood when most needed. This can also be really refreshing as the "American" in me wants to resort to yelling and being impatient when things don't go as expected. 

16. Rolex -

No, its not an expensive watch. Its a delicious thick Ugandan style tortilla with a fried omelet rolled up inside. Delicious with top-up (the Ugandan ketchup). Best secret street food in UG. 

17. Mountains and Water Falls -

Breathtaking and found all over Uganda! The natural beauty here is hard to beat. 

18. Greetings - 

I love the time that Ugandans take to greet each other properly before starting a conversation. If you make eye-contact expect to get a greeting! if you learn how to greet

in Luganda you can make fast friends with locals. 

19. Home Decor - 

In Uganda you can fill your home with the most beautiful hand crafted home decor for a great price while helping local families make an income. Whether its hand woven baskets, table mats or furniture you are bound to find something you will love. Last year I bought a beautiful large hand craved tree stump table that sits in my living room I paid about $40 for it, I know this table with its unique and natural style could easily go for a couple hundred dollars in the states! 

20. Crazy Randomness -

If you are visiting Uganda, don't worry you will get a laugh out of seeing something crazy and so random before you leave. When my brother and his girlfriend came to visit we saw a street preacher wearing onesie pajamas and an umbrella hat. You might see an entire cow on the back of a boda boda (motorcycle taxi). I once bought a bed frame and paid a man to wheel it home for me on his bicycle. No worry about the size anything can be carried on a bike! That is pretty much the motto here in Uganda. My personal favorite is misspelled signs or crazy names of salons and grocery stores, they are typically very long and have nothing to do with whatever the business is. Jesus is my lord and savior and forgiver of all of my sins forever and ever amen Grocery store. 

A few other Honorable Mentions...

 the freshest natural peanut butter and honey, second hand clothes for a few cents, Matokee and G-nut sauce, the weather, rainy season, shoe repair men, fresh juice! 

I hope some of this list will give you a better idea of the beautiful things that life in Uganda comes with! 

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! 

love,
Lynne