‘Good morning, Madam’

This is how I’m greeted! Unlike in England where people only sit next to each other as a last resort, in Uganda people intentionally sit beside you on a matatu and greet you! Those who know my name say, ‘Good morning Madam Chris’ – pronouncing Chris like crease! So to some I am ‘Madam Chris’, to others ‘Teacher’, to my friends ‘Chris’ and to many just ‘Muzungu’.

I was honoured on Monday afternoon – the Executive Director of Studies for the school came to meet me. She had heard about the library I set up last time and my efforts this time so she wanted to see me in person and greet me! We also had the official handing over of the books and laptops and photos were taken! I managed to leave before seven - the mossie witching hour - as I didn’t have any eau de deet with me and bought a couple of chapattis for my tea as I had no time to shop – such is the price of fame!

My typing skills have really been put to the test this week. It’s end-of-term report time and it started with someone asking if I could put their results on their electronic report cards. I agreed and that opened the floodgates! Now they don’t bother to write the comments down – they just dictate to me! T. Justine is classic – she thinks out loud – so I’m not sure if what she’s saying she wants me to write! She’ll say something like ‘Can add and subtract..’ and I’ve just put the full stop and moved down to the next column, when she says, ‘…correctly’! So it’s back up the column…!!

I have suggested to them that Labson might expect everything to be done as quickly next term and I won’t be there! But to be fair the computers are second hand from the senior school and some of the keys stick – probably in large part due to the dust under them – which makes it doubly difficult for them. I bought a couple of kid’s paintbrushes to clean the keyboards which has helped. Only one mouse out of three works so I showed them how to use the arrow keys but we still need to swap the mice around! There is also only one flash drive so again it’s a matter of saving to the desk top and working from that so someone else can save to the flash for Labson to have the info on. What fun!

T. Isaac did his dissertation for College in 2002 and doesn’t have an electronic copy so…….. you can imagine what he asked me to do! Actually it’s about the Nile Breweries Industry and very interesting and not too long!

Still no gas! But I finally remembered to buy a new plug so the kettle now works and I have hot water for tea when I need it!

Just in case you thought I might not be having any fun I want to reassure you that often my neighbour Janet and I get together with Sarah my room-mate when she was here or Mama Jordan who lives with Janet to watch ‘Dr Quinn Medicine Woman’! Janet has the boxed set and they all seem to have a thing about Sully – the meaningful looks heavy with unspoken passion, the fleeting touches – you know the sort of thing if you’ve ever seen the programme! We sit drinking tea or sometimes wine!

It’s lucky I can bring two bags back with KLM as I have so many beads and crafts and dried fruits etc. I just hope they arrive in Bristol the same time as I do!

Tomorrow is my last day at school and I’m sure they’ve got something planned! To find out what – check my next (and last) blog early next week.

Have a fun weekend.