Post summer reflections from the kids:
1. Can I join the Parade? At a Memorial day parade, the kids discovered some cultural differences. One, you can not join the parade. In uganda, when you see a marching band, you often see the crowds fall in line behind the band and just join the fun. In the US, a parade is more of a spectator sport. Though perhaps you miss out on the fun of joining the parade, there is free flying candy in America to compensate! (though a neighbor said that last year there had been no candy because it was too dangerous)
2. Which leads me to "Too many rules" in America: We went to Kennywood, and headed for the bumper cars because they were near the entrance to the park. The kids had been to an amusement park here where the girls rode the bumper cars (Wonder world!)
But in America, the girls were too short and only Daniel could ride. And it appears they don't want to use all the cars in the US because it becomes to dangerous. In Uganda, we don't use all the cars because they don't work. :)
3. Poison the dogs, or throw a street festival: I don't have a picture of a dead dog (though we've lost some of our dogs to poison-- a means of keeping the wild dogs on campus to a minimum). So, of course, it is a bit disorienting to go to a local street fair in Sewickley, PA that is designed for dogs!
The dog festival included a wading pool for dogs, doggie snacks for the dogs, costumes and photo back-drops for taking a photo with your pet, etc, etc. It really was a street fair for dogs. And I'm sure it is fun for all the dogs and dog-owners, but still a serious cross-cultural moment (our American care of pets verses the Ugandan fear of dogs due to rabies).
4. The arch-nemesis-- the automatic flushing toilet. One of the stark moments of entering the "other" world is the bathroom. Everything is automatic. Daniel emerged from a toilet en route to somewhere and said, "I've just remembered my arch-nemesis, the automatic flushing toilet." Perhaps due to the height of kids the toilet seems to flush while the kids are on the seat, especially doing a longer duty. I still have to enter the stall with Rachel and cover the little sensor light because she is afraid of it flushing on her. No photo to accompany this paragraph for everyone's dignity! :)
5. Shoes at the door: It is common practice (good manners) to leave your shoes at the door in Uganda--mostly so you don't track in dust or mud. I was with a small group of USP students (the American students who come to study here at UCU) and one of them was trying to figure out what to do at her host family. "I think I'm supposed to leave my shoes at the door but I don't know if I'm allowed to go and get them later". I think she thought there was something elaborate about the custom but I think it's mainly a practical custom. Despite my frustration at times as I trip over a pile of crocs at the door, I find it endearing that the kids won't enter a building without an unthinking habit of taking their shoes off. Reminds me God commanding Moses to take his shoes off before coming near the burning bush. That said, I do apologize to both sets of grandparents as there is a lot of time (and airconditioning) wasted in the process and there is often a pile of shoes very close to the front door that can become quite an eyesore!
6. Sunday school: Though I don't have pictures of church and sunday school in America, I have included a link to Sunday school several months ago (written by my friend, Mary Jane). But the cultural discovery this summer is that sunday school has lots of activities, snacks and crafts-- and its so short in length!
1. Can I join the Parade? At a Memorial day parade, the kids discovered some cultural differences. One, you can not join the parade. In uganda, when you see a marching band, you often see the crowds fall in line behind the band and just join the fun. In the US, a parade is more of a spectator sport. Though perhaps you miss out on the fun of joining the parade, there is free flying candy in America to compensate! (though a neighbor said that last year there had been no candy because it was too dangerous)
2. Which leads me to "Too many rules" in America: We went to Kennywood, and headed for the bumper cars because they were near the entrance to the park. The kids had been to an amusement park here where the girls rode the bumper cars (Wonder world!)
But in America, the girls were too short and only Daniel could ride. And it appears they don't want to use all the cars in the US because it becomes to dangerous. In Uganda, we don't use all the cars because they don't work. :)
3. Poison the dogs, or throw a street festival: I don't have a picture of a dead dog (though we've lost some of our dogs to poison-- a means of keeping the wild dogs on campus to a minimum). So, of course, it is a bit disorienting to go to a local street fair in Sewickley, PA that is designed for dogs!
The dog festival included a wading pool for dogs, doggie snacks for the dogs, costumes and photo back-drops for taking a photo with your pet, etc, etc. It really was a street fair for dogs. And I'm sure it is fun for all the dogs and dog-owners, but still a serious cross-cultural moment (our American care of pets verses the Ugandan fear of dogs due to rabies).
4. The arch-nemesis-- the automatic flushing toilet. One of the stark moments of entering the "other" world is the bathroom. Everything is automatic. Daniel emerged from a toilet en route to somewhere and said, "I've just remembered my arch-nemesis, the automatic flushing toilet." Perhaps due to the height of kids the toilet seems to flush while the kids are on the seat, especially doing a longer duty. I still have to enter the stall with Rachel and cover the little sensor light because she is afraid of it flushing on her. No photo to accompany this paragraph for everyone's dignity! :)
5. Shoes at the door: It is common practice (good manners) to leave your shoes at the door in Uganda--mostly so you don't track in dust or mud. I was with a small group of USP students (the American students who come to study here at UCU) and one of them was trying to figure out what to do at her host family. "I think I'm supposed to leave my shoes at the door but I don't know if I'm allowed to go and get them later". I think she thought there was something elaborate about the custom but I think it's mainly a practical custom. Despite my frustration at times as I trip over a pile of crocs at the door, I find it endearing that the kids won't enter a building without an unthinking habit of taking their shoes off. Reminds me God commanding Moses to take his shoes off before coming near the burning bush. That said, I do apologize to both sets of grandparents as there is a lot of time (and airconditioning) wasted in the process and there is often a pile of shoes very close to the front door that can become quite an eyesore!
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| Okay, these are various grown up shoes, but rachel after driving herself up to the door on her plastic boda-boda(motorcycle), also deposited her shoes. |
6. Sunday school: Though I don't have pictures of church and sunday school in America, I have included a link to Sunday school several months ago (written by my friend, Mary Jane). But the cultural discovery this summer is that sunday school has lots of activities, snacks and crafts-- and its so short in length!
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