Jambo!

Edward, Obadia and me

Ndugu Yangu - My Friends

One of the greatest things about traveling around doing what we do for a living is the opportunity to meet different people. Not just people from different services and different parts of the county, but people from different countries and different cultures. Stoli and I have had the opportunity to make friends with some of the facility guards from Uganda. One in particular, Edward, has been trying teach us some swahili. These guys are great, and a lot of fun. We try to speak with them every day. Edward (the one we talk to the most) is a very outgoing, intelligent man with a great sense of humor. Stoli brought a map of Uganda one day and Edward was telling us about the different areas of the country and what they were known for. The Northern area has a war going on, the east is oil country, the west has manufacturing. There is a town in the south-central area that I suppose is where all the pretty girls are. He specifically pointed out that area and said "This is the town where you have to pay 20 cows for a wife." His companion today disputed that fact, but Edward was pretty insistent. We all had a good laugh.

Some of the phrases that they have passed on to us include, Jambo, which is something of an informal greeting. Nataka Twongei Kidogo, which means "I want to talk to you briefly". Mi namaliza chakyula, which means "I have finished eating". And one of my favorites, Kufa tutakafu wote, "If it means death, then we die together."

It is a lot of fun and very educational to be able to mix with these people from other countries, to learn of their culture and heritage, and to be here together working for a common goal.

By the way, Cindy, Edward told me today that we should take a vacation and visit Uganda. He said we'd really like the lakes, rivers and mountains. Something to think about.