We can purchase stronger ones in Kampala, and next week the manager of Potter’s Village, Ezra, is going there in a pick-up! So we have given him the following shopping list – but the toilet seat is not the top priority which means it will not be bought if the money we’ve given is not enough:
1. A fridge – we get fresh milk every day but it goes off within 24 hours. We are also concerned that other perishable food is not keeping very well in the open
2. A calor gas cooker / oven
3. A kitchen sink
4. A hot water boiler (for showers and the kitchen)
5. A toilet seat
6. A doormat
An added confusion is that a ‘toilet seat’ means something different here. When Malcolm asked for the price of a toilet seat at the local hardware store he was surprised at the high price quoted of about £30, and being asked whether he wanted all the fittings. And the store manager was surprised that Malcolm had broken one by sitting on it. What we call the seat, Ugandans call ‘the lid’ – they call the ceramic base ‘the seat’ which is rather understandable especially for those not used to using one as the bowl does look like a seat. We await with interest to see what is brought from Kampala.
We are getting into a regular routine, and Saturday morning is ‘burning’ day. There is no weekly, or even fortnightly refuse collection here and our waste at present is about a carrier bag full a week. Vegetable and fruit peelings are given to the calf at Potter’s Village using an orange ‘slop’ bucket – everything else is either found a new use for (such as tins) or burnt – and Saturday morning is when Malcolm burns other waste. Last Saturday saw the 2 broken toilet seats being ‘sacrificed’ on the pyre – and they burnt very well though we are not to sure about the toxicity of the fumes. Just as well Irene hadn’t put any washing out to dry.
.On Sunday we visited one of the local Parish churches for the first time – All Saints Church in Busamba. Although most of the service was in Bufembera, they kindly translated it for us. They also apologised, with no need, for the music. They were very proud that they had recently been given a new electronic keyboard. However, the new road works had meant electricity had been cut off for several weeks. The young people therefore accompanied the hymns by beating traditional Uganda drums. For us the use of traditional music was most enjoyable, and better than a keyboard. For them we guess drums are boring and a keyboard ‘modern’.
Irene gave her first training session on running a business last Wednesday. She first asked the students what they were expecting from the course. Some said to be given money, others ‘mechanics’ (meaning how to tailor). The session took longer than Irene had expected as she wanted to make it interactive and she had forgotten that students are used to just being lectured to and not to being interactive in classes – the opening warm-up ‘getting to know you’ exercise, which she thought would take 10 minutes actually took about an hour.
We have noticed there are many signs in the town which look a bit strange to western eyes. Out of interest we may include some of these in future blogs. The first is painted on the wall of the school next to our house. Most of the schools have some sort of Mission statement or other sign outside – this is an example, and a rather tame one too.
Next week we are hoping that a new front door and hallway will be added to our house, At present there are 3 separate entrance doors for the lounge, kitchen and sleeping area. A new front door will mean we will no longer keep on having to unlock doors to get to different parts of the house – which can be a drag when you have to go from the kitchen to the bathroom and back again just to fill up the kettle for a cup of tea – especially when its raining!
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