Let the Rain by Sara Bareilles

One more story that really made me laugh (I hope the transcription does it justice):

A day or two ago, the three pleasant people and I traveled throughout the nearby villages to search out potential candidates for the Watoto children's home here in Gulu (potential candidates = "complete orphans" = neither parent still living). Anyway, as we were driving I started to notice that every time Brenda finished a drink she threw the bottle out the window. This sent my mind wandering..

"Is littering legal here?" .. "It can't be!...?" .. "But she's a social worker!?" .. "Why isn't everyone throwing their bottles out the window when they finish?"

This obviously occupied quite a bit of mind-time.

After a whole day out in the field, we made our last village visit and started heading home.

Brenda finally tossed her last bottle out the window, and I couldn't take it anymore.

This is where my curiosity got the better of me:

Me: "Brenda, it's okay to throw bottles out the window here?"

Brenda: "Yeah! It's fine."

Me: "Really? In the States you can be fined over 2,ooo,ooo shillings for throwing trash out the window!"

All Ugandans in the car: "Nooooooo?!?"

Me: "Yes!"

Not knowing what to do with this newfound freedom, I let a couple minutes pass while my imagination soared... and then, I spoke:

Me: "So, Brenda... Can I throw a bottle out the window...?"

Brenda: "Of course you can!"

I froze with excitement.

I quickly found an empty bottle in car, rolled down the window, and carelessly chucked it.

And as quickly as you can say "silly white person in Africa," the whole car erupted in laughter.

Me: "What?! What?!"

Brenda: "What were you doing?! No one saw you throw that!

Me: "Huh?"

Brenda: "Hahaha you're suppose to throw the empty bottles to the children, Eleeza."

Me: "??"

(Here I'm trying to figure out why throwing bottles at little children is okay.)

Brenda: "..So they can carry water and gasoline in them!!"

Though a failed attempt, I tried to defend myself: "Wait, what?! Brenda! You didn't tell me there was a strategy?! You just told me to throw it!"

..The whole car continued to laugh, and they didn't stop laughing for quite some time.

This is a perfect example of how communication works here in the 'Ganda.

Because everyone speaks English, everyone subconsciously believes that they'll always be understood.

Au contraire, dear friend.

Fact: There are approximately 42 miscommunications between any given muzungu* and Ugandan each hour.

Gotta love the 'Ganda.

-- EPP

*muzungu = a "silly white person in Africa"