The Big Market

The Big Market:

            This week, I’ve been at camp doing office work. David is off in Tanzania, so Bern is calling the shots here. This week has been nice temperature-wise – we’ve had some rainy spells, which keeps things cool, but the sun always comes out at some point during the day. We’ve had the Enns family staying with us at camp for the week. It’s been fun – Aaron, the son, was really good with the kids, introducing them to the joys of chasing a laser beam around in the dark. They just left for Entebbe today. But we’re getting a new visitor soon – Matt’s girlfriend from Germany is coming to visit, which should be nice.

Another addition at camp is our new sewing machine. Charmaine Enns had fun showing the Ugandan staff how to thread the needle and put the bobbin in and everything. It’s a mechanical sewing machine, so you have to keep pumping the foot pedal to keep it going. Anyway, I found it interesting that the guys were much more interested in learning how to sew than the women were. Already, one of them has done several repairs. In short, the machine is a hit. 

            The highlight of the week was going to the Big Market, which comes every month to Nyakyera. We all had fun wandering around, trying to bargain for different things. Melanie enlisted the help of one of the Ugandan staff to haggle on her behalf (people always charge muzungus much more for goods), and bought a nice summer dress. Some of the Ugandan guy staff members also bought dresses for their wives, which we were all very impressed with.  

            But our main objective at the market was to buy chickens. David had promised to give a woman nearby a ‘gift,’ which turned out to be eight chickens. So, after everyone had toured the market, we tromped to the other side where the animals – goats, cows, and chickens – were being sold. Melanie, for some reason, also wanted to purchase another hen. The trouble was… there weren’t nine hens up for sale, only a few motley roosters.  So, we dispatched Melanie with a translator on a boda-boda to buy chickens from a man’s farm. And boy, was it ever funny seeing her ride into camp, squashed between the driver and the translator on a motorcycle with four chickens in her arms. Most people here like to carry chickens upside down by their feet. Anyway, they got enough chickens, and since Market Day, Melanie’s new hen, despite being bullied by one of the other hens at camp, has laid two eggs. Needless to say, Mel was ecstatic, and proudly showed the eggs round for everyone at camp to admire. 

            Another new thing this week was Agatojo (not sure how to spell that), a dish of mashed plantains, potatoes, tomatoes, onions, and eggplant. It’s pretty good, except the pieces of eggplant (they are very bitter), but they’re easy to pick out. Nancy says that is her favourite Ugandan dish, and I think I agree with her. 

            That’s about it for now – until next week!