For your reading pleasure, I give you:
A Day in the Life of a Mzungu (white person, i.e. me) in Uganda
4:15am - Mzungu wakes up
4:57am - Mzungu and her Ugandan friend, Harriet, go out to the road to catch the only bus going to town, which is supposed to arrive at 5:00am
5:50am - Bus arrives
5:51am - Mzungu discovers that not only are there no available seats, but no standing room either.
5:52am - By some small miracle of space conservation, much sucking in and standing on one foot, mzungu and friend get on bus
6:00am - To the utter dismay of all passengers and traffic safety fans everywhere, the conductor decides he can squeeze 13 more people on the bus. Spooning commences.
6:32am - Bus stops to let some people off. Harriet snags a seat. Mzungu is pushed through a human steamroller to reach the seat as more people board the giant sardine can.
6:58am - Defying passengers' warnings for their children's safety on the crammed sardine can, a family boards and passes some small children to our section of the bus. Man standing next to mzungu decides her empty lap is a waste of precious space and places something wrapped in a blanket in it. Mzungu is surprised to find that it is a baby.
7:53am - Mzungu returns sleeping baby to mother and gets off with Harriet to board another bus.
9:17am - Second bus departs, complete with plenty of chicken and other such gamefowl underfoot.
4:00pm - Boy next to mzungu strikes up difficult-to-understand conversation, asks for mzungu's phone number (this is quite common in Uganda, and mzungu does not want to be rude), then gets off bus.
4:56pm - Bus arrives in Kampala. Less than 100 miles (as the crow flies) in 11 hours - could be a record. Mzungu finds "taxi" (small sardine can van) and "boda boda" (motorcycle taxi) to get home.
7:05pm - Mzungu finally arrives home.
10:04pm - Ugandan boy from bus calls mzungu to a) ask how she is doing, and b) confess that he loves her very much.
The end.
To recap:
- An entire day of travel
- Two buses, one taxi and one boda boda
- One baby
- Undying love
Just another day in the life!
11 comments:
Oh my gosh, Jen, you are so funny! I cracked up reading your post..hahahaha
That was really funny! I cannot believe that boy asked for your phone number. Be safe. -- Austin Carter
Jennifer, I agree with Heather ... you are hilarious! Reading your post and laughing out loud in our kitchen after a difficult day at work was just what I needed today. We are praying for you! -- Love, Stephen and Shelley
WOW! What a day! Sounds like a comedy movie in the making.
You didnt even mention the smells :)
Keep being a sweet aroma of Christ!
I think i wish people would pass their babies around a little bit more here. that sounds like fun. i'm glad you made it without being smothered.
New Ugandan boyfriend! That's great! Do they give citizenship through marriage?
Your story makes Ethiopian transportation look great. I will no longer listen to Kristen's complaints.
I never thought of going to Uganda to pick out a boyfriend! smart move Jenn! haha! this did make me laugh! love it! -rachel sowell
Hey Jennifer! Too funny! I love it. Hope today's travels are better. At least you are riding "in style" this time! See you soon!! Shelah
that is great!
b) confess that he loves her very much.
awesome.
praying for you.
i hope you keep a list of possible boyfriends/husbands for the future.
please keep us up, i love hearing all the little details about your time in uganda, in gives it life!
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