Fort Portal
on Thea's Blog (Uganda), 29/Jun/2009 15:42, 34 days ago
It's beautiful, just like everyone said it would be, and strangely like home (drizzle, damp and foggy mornings, and an unexpected herd of fresian cows just outside my house). The Rwenzoris, when they make an occasional appearance through the clouds, are a dramatic, looming presence. My house is huge and I've had to spread my possessions widely to fill the gaping spaces. It just so happens to belong to the Ugandan High Commissioner to the UK who turned up yesterday morning, installed herself on the sofa, and guzzled several cups of tea. She was delighted to catch me with a mop and bucket in hand, and equally delighted that I'm English, live in London and am a landlady myself. I was slightly thrown by the fact that I have two boys, the gardeners, who live in the garage. They look after the grounds and guard the house. Having never employed anyone before, let alone two, ragged, impoverished Africans, I was initially a bit perplexed - how should I address them? (Particularly as they both have completely unpronounceable names of at least 10 syllables each and when I asked them what their nickname was they looked at me blankly). What could I reasonably ask of them and what on earth should I pay them? On Saturday, lacking inspiration, I gave them some bananas and they could hardly conceal their laughter, although they accepted them. On Sunday, I gave them 5000 shillings each (about 1 pound 60) for washing my sheets and they smiled and bowed and gushed thanks. Ever since they've been very ostentatiously mopping my porch every half hour. So it seems money speaks louder than words.