WABBIT SEASON!

Uganda has 2 seasons “Wet” and “Dry”. I am trying to figure out when one starts and one ends. I get many responses but the general consensus is that we are now in “rainy season” being November.  I am told that it rains the month of November through the end of December though less in December. I am also told it can still rain in January and that the weather patterns have been changing here along with the changes in the rest of the world.  There are 2 rainy seasons with the second one being in March or April.

I am from Portland and rainy season lasts from mid October often until the 4^th of July. It can rain daily for months in Portland. Here in Uganda, it will rain usually 1-2 x day. The rain tends to be heavy and intense, but there is usually some reprieve with sun or partly cloudy skies.

The rainy seasons are the seasons for planting. Along with the rains come the grasshoppers. People look forward to the grasshoppers unlike in the States where the locusts are considered a pestilence. They smile and are jubilant when they ask if I have started to see the grasshoppers. WHY? You ask? Good question. This is because they EAT them!

YES! Grasshoppers are considered a delicacy and a treat! All the vendors on the roads are selling fried grasshoppers. Sister Angela was telling me that the sisters in Germany where she stayed used to scream when they saw the Grasshoppers and were aghast that she found them so delightful to eat. We laughed about this and I swore I would NEVER put an insect into my mouth.

RULE NUMBER 1: “Never Say Never!”

I had the opportunity to meet an old CMMB (Catholic Medical Mission Board) alumnus on Wed of this week. It was a fun experience getting out and seeing the craziness of life. It took nearly 45 min to go no more than 5 miles by boda boda on the other side of town. We wove through traffic within inches of cars and trucks. I kept my eyes closed much of this time and prayed we’d make it there in one piece.

Cameron and Molly had been there for over 1 year. Molly is a nurse working in an outpatient clinic and Cameron Is a landscape architect teaching in a local college.  They were drawn here through their love of travel and their call to help people of all nations.  Molly is pregnant and expecting in January. Given the poor level of medical care in Uganda, they have to make the tough decision of whether or not to return to the States.

It was easy to find them at our meeting point, the “Italian Supermarket”, as there are few Muzungus here. There is also nothing Italian about the market save for the name. Following greetings, Cameron handed me a bag offering, YES, grasshoppers. UGH! OK…I decided to be brave especially since he was popping them in his mouth one after the other like candy. He reassured me they were very good. He handed me one pulling off a leg that remained there accidently. It was actually pretty good tasting and feeling like a sweet French fry though juicier. I couldn’t get over the fact there had been an insect in my mouth so I politely declined any more.

I was happy to get out and see the life of a different part of the city. This was an area that was hopping with nightlife and café’s, with music and vendors. The vendors had all types of foods including roasted whole chickens (the size of Cornish game hens), fried meats on skewers and chapattis. All smelled very good as we weaved through the stands to the Ethiopian restaurant. The evenings all around the city have the feel of a carnival celebration. Fridays and Saturdays are usually livelier than even the weeknights.

People work late usually returning home by 6-7 PM.  They use the vendors for supper and for some down time before starting the difficulties of life all over again the next day.  Father Raymond often speaks about the habit of the locals spending every penny they earn. This hand to mouth existence was the same as I noted in Afghanistan as well and most likely comes with the insecurity of food or material goods being there tomorrow.

My visit with this lovely couple was over much too soon. I had a curfew to meet so as not to worry the Brothers or disturb them after sacred silence hours. I bid my farewells and my hopes to meet up with them before too long.  Off I went home to the Monastery and truthfully, it really is starting to feel like home.