Olyotya!

I have only been in Uganda for 6 days now, but I already feel like I belong here.  The people are amazing, the scenery is beautiful, and the culture is so rich and full of life.  On Sunday night, I met my new family for the first time.  I live with my Mama Harriet, two 18 year old brothers, Joshua and Jonathan, an 11 year old brother Mark, a 28 year old sister named Jennifer, 2 sisters I have yet to meet, and a family of neighbors who I see often.  On my first night at home, I settled into my room (which I have to myself!  Such a blessing and a wonderful act of love shown to me by my family!), and then Mama took me to Mukono.  She showed me a village she was catering in, and I got to spend some time with the children there and my friend Brenda (an intern from USP), whose father owns most of the village.  The children kept playing around me and touching my skin.  They called me Mzu (pronounced Mazu), or Mzungu.  Mama told me Mzungu means white or foreigner.  I think this is going to become my new name here!  Next, Mama took me to her friends' house and I had my first Ugandan tea time with ground nuts (peanuts, but much more delicious than American peanuts!) 

The next two days I spent getting a grasp on Ugandan schooling/classes and bonding with my family.  I already feel like I fit in with my family well and feel comfortable in my new home.  We have been talking about American movies and music, and we have many of the same interests.  One night I spent my time dancing with Mark and a neighbor, Ismah.  We taught each other some great dance moves!  I also taught Mark and another neighbor, Fiki, the card game Uno.  They love it and want to play it every night!

The food here is delicious.  I have had such a variety of things to eat, and I will never go hungry here!  My favorite thing to eat so far is a banana cake my Mama made for me the other day.  It tastes almost exactly like American banana bread.  I have also eaten a lot of rice and beans (every day for lunch), matoke (plaintain mashed potatoes-this is the best description I have come up with...), chicken, pineapple, oranges, bread (for breakfast every morning), rolex (flat bread with egg in it), chipote (flat bread), and much more! 

The most amazing thing that has happened so far is finding out that I have the same host family as my new sister, Melody Dickenson, from back home at Spring Arbor University!  Melody came last year, and I ended up getting the same host family as she had.  This has been such a blessing and an encouragement.  God's hand was definately in the choosing of my family for the next 4 months :)

All in all, it has been a wonderful first week in Africa.  I already cannot even imagine having to leave in a few months. Ugandans are full of kindness and love, and they are the most hospitable people I have ever met.  I have enjoyed every minute with them, and I cannot wait to spend the next four months here! 

-Kate

p.s. I will have pictures up soon I promise!