It’s Aight, I’m at site

So there I was…. Actually, here I am. Finally at my site and becoming acquainted with the town and my organization. I live on the grounds of where I work and my office has a view of the town and the mountain is across the way. On my way to work, I pass a barbed wire fence where our 20 cows, 12 goats, and 8 sheep greet me- I have yet to learn their names, but apparently, the cows are “exotic”. Meaning, they look like dairy cows, as the local cows have enormous horns protruding from either side of their head, that I feel they should have warned us about in our security training. I greet the workers in their local language, which still astounds them on Day 5, and they have yet to realize that I can’t comprehend past the simple greetings, but a simple “mmmmm” seems to do the trick and I’m on my way.
I ride my mountain bike (which was trekked here on the top of the Ugandan equivalent of a 12 passenger van along with 6 other volunteers times 2 years of living supplies and 5 other bikes) to the local health center and all around town. We are expected to wear our helmets at all times, and there’s no way around this rule, considering my introduction to the community was the following: “This is Diana. She is from America. She is a volunteer. Please do not call her “muzungu” Call her Diana. When she is riding around on her bicycle she will be wearing a what? A helmet” The word “what’ seems to take the place here of a conversational pause that I am now used to, but at first caught me off guard, thinking I needed to fill in the blanks. The best use of this I’ve heard yet is ‘Don’t talk to strange what? Strangers”
Today I finally had a day off and was able to do about 3 weeks worth of laundry, which was quite amusing to the local children who endlessly gather in my yard. Maybe I should stop giving them little bananas. In fact, as I type this, I am currently watched by 4 children all standing around me. I bet they say hi.
I live directly across the road from another volunteer, which is very convenient, because my stove is not working properly, ie- it emits large uncontrollable flames that spread across the table. I’m now without hair on my right arm, so I suppose the children will stop petting that arm- they are fascinated with my arm hair- just wait until my dad visits!

For My Rocksnob Rockstars

Ok, enough of the imo pics, here it is, the playlist- solely based upon song titles to encompass my PC experience thus far- for my music oriented chums-
You Don’t Miss the Water- The Byrds
Gone Wanderin’- Jackie Greene
Same in Any Language- I Nine
Alcohol and Pills- Todd Snider
I Love the Unknown- Clem Snide
Poor Places- WIlco
We’re All In this Together- Old Crow Medecine Show
41 Dollars and Change- Gillian Welch
Don’t Panic- Coldplay
Everything Will Be Alright- Joshua Radin
For the Price of a Cup of Tea- Belle and Sebastion
Light Enough to Travel- The Be Good Tanyas
Let’s Get Out of this Country- Camera Obscura
The World Has Turned and Left Me Here- Weezer
You can’t always get what you want- The Rolling Stones
Falling Through Your Clothes- The New Pornographers
These Boots Were Made for Walkin’- Nancy Sinatra
Rise Up with Fists!!- Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins
Learning How to Live- Lucinda Williams
Buckets of Rain- Neko Case
The Naming of Things- Andrew Bird
This Woman’s Work- Kate Bush
The Laws Have Changed- The New Pornographers
Things that Scare Me- Neko Case
Splendid Isolation- Pete Yorn
What’s So Funny ‘bout Peace, Love, and Understanding- Elvis Costello
Thrice All American- Neko Case
With a Little Help From My Friends- The Beatles
I Dream a Highway- Gillian Welch
Stumbling Through the Dark- The Jayhawks

Auntie- You speaking Luginglish.

I've been at my site visiting for the past few days, and it is just gorgeous here in the West. I can't wait to permanently begin working! I never thought I'd admit that.... But I guess after an entire summer off, it was bound to happen sooner or later. The town I am in is a good size town, and i am a hit success just by greeting in the local language. I literally made someone fall down and begin laughing. There is another volunteer right across the road from me who has been a great resource. I will be working as a Community Health Volunteer here at Compassion Development Center, but during these few days at orientation, I've been assisting the director with letters that are written by the children to their sponsors. I've collected a few phrases:

- Thank you so much for the shit and prayer of pants you sent. I look smart.
- My g-nuts look good.
- Here, we are wet always.
- Back to me, my lives are good. Especially my he-goat.
- May God give to you all that you deduce from life.
- It is Alex trying to attract your attention.

My English is slowly degrading, as my Runyankore picks up, and I mix it all in with Luganda. On top of that, you have to slow down your English and annonciate your Ts, so you end up speaking, as my host brother calls it- Lunginglish. Next step is to play scrabble in Lunginglish.