Saying Goodbye

Sunday was my last night with my home-stay  family, and there was a farewell party.  My host mom bought me  kitenge (traditional African cloth) outfit for the occasion.  I spent the day chillin at home, getting pictures of my house before I left.  

As usual, Eveline and Jessica were the only ones available to attend the farewell party.  My host mother, who works at Human Rights Focus (a human rights monitoring organization), was out of town training people for something to do with human rights.  My host father is the executive director at a hospital in Mbarara, which was dealing with an outbreak of Marburg Hemorrhagic Fever (something scarily similar to Ebola, but no worries, there's been no new cases for over 2 weeks).

Anyway, since my professional parents were out of town, my host brothers could not go to the party because "they're too stubborn."  Ugandans use stubborn to mean poorly behaved.

This meant that I had a typical Westerner in Africa conversation.  Since the party started at 2 pm, I started getting antzy around 1:45.

"So I'm gonna go get dressed.  Are you going to wear kitenge too or am I going to be lonely?"
"Hahaha, we will all wear kitenge."

So I come out in kitenge, and no one else is dressed.  It's 1:55.
"So what time were you thinking we would leave?"
"Ahhhhhh! You look so smart! Bongo Leng! (Pretty clothes)."
"Thanks.  Are you going to change? You should wear bongo leng too."
"Ahh! doesn't she look smart!?!"
"Thank you.  What time were you thinking of leaving?"
"We will leave at 3."
"The party starts at 2."
"It is no problem, we will leave at 3."

We got there about 2:30, and we were the second family there.

Jackfruit tree in my homestay yard.  They kinda taste like fake banana flavoring, but better. 

My host brother Ema (Emmanuel) who only spoke to me in  full sentences in English my last day there.  Can you believe he's only 3 years old?

My host brother Deo, who has significant motor skills and speech impediments, but is still the friendliest member of the family.  He doesn't go to school so he doesn't know much English, so we mostly pointed and poked each other. 

Awkward family photo

Deo took this candid photo.  I feel good about it.  

Us congratulating Deo on his photography, courtesy of Ema

Obligatory "teach the munos to dance a traditional dance" portion of the farewell party.

Eveline always wanted to dance with me. 

The day after the farewell party, I moved to my new house.  My family was very sad to see me go, and I told them that I had to learn how to be a good Acholi woman and cook for myself.  They seemed satisfied with that.  I got a ride from my friend's host father, who happened to be the equivalent of a Mayor in Gulu.  When he pulled into my compound, he caused a bit of a ruckus because everyone wanted to greet him.  And then Eveline and Jessica blamed him for me leaving, because he was taking me away.  

My friend and I soon realized that we weren't exactly sure where our new house was, and somehow we had to tell her dad where to go.  He said, "I know which house it is."  Apparently, he knew the landlord and he approved because it was a nice house.