Many of us like the idea of working from home… what if work comes to you?
The past few weeks’ adventures have been great but hope I haven’t done all the best trips already?! Time to get on with some more work…
My first house. Namuwongo, Kampala. UCF team. Larking about in front of the house, taking photos for the company web site!
I have noticed that people aren’t proactive and will defer as much as they can until the last minute. I feel like a bloody nag and I hate it, it’s not my normal style. Hard enough to liven myself up some days especially since our boss is in the UK and very busy with his day job and we have infrequent contact. I live and work in the same building (house) too of course.
As for living and working in same location there are obvious pros and cons. Here it means I can arrive at work cool as a cucumber, not sweaty and covered in red dust! I can even take a shower in the middle of the day. When 5 o’clock (yes 5 o’clock!!) comes, I’m already home but it doesn’t mean I’ve left work behind…
The lounge / diner. My bedroom’s to the right and the spare (office) bedroom is to the left
Personal project over the next few weeks is to create a more personal living space. Everyone walks in and out through the lounge / dining area. First couple of weeks, people were flicking through my books, leaving them here, there and everywhere – I can’t stand that – so I retreated with my things into my bedroom, not wanting a confrontation. Now I know everyone better I’m going to reclaim my space!
Ugandans generally will pick up things and look at them, they don’t have this ‘do you mind if I take a look?’ approach us overly polite British have. With so many people living in very small homes, my guess is that Ugandans haven’t had the chance to adopt the possessive / protective tendencies us mzungus have. When I buy something new for the kitchen Eva and Simpson thank me. And I feel awful. Inside I’m thinking hands off it’s mine I’ve bought it for my kitchen! But they are so open and genuinely appreciative of every small thing I do or buy, it’s so humbling. We came back from Mt Elgon hike with an unopened tin of drinking chocolate. I knew Eva would like it and she was over the moon when I offered it to her. When she saw it was Cadbury’s – the real thing – she went crazy, grabbed hold of my hand and shook it!
Eva was very excited when a harvest of avocados dropped into our compound!
It’s hard to be angry or resentful towards anyone here for long. Eva had a long face just now so I cut her off a chunk of pumpkin to take home; she’s beaming from ear to ear now.
A bumper avocado tree harvest
The fruit were so heavy the branch CRACKED off the tree. We all went running outside. The thud of the fruit sounded like someone had fallen out of the tree. Eva collected fifty avocados that day.
So much time out of the office exploring Uganda – west to Lake Bunyonyi and east to Mbale and Mount Elgon – must partly explain why I’m finding it hard to get motivated at work. I have great chats with office staff Patrick and Enid but neither seem to have a lot of work on so I try and liven them up. Am I helping?
I noticed no comments on this blog episode and it may be that we were all speechless and did not know how to express oursleves given your circs. The way of life over there is so unimaginally different from the uk, but having had a few glasses of wine I will venture to say it might do us all good to come over and experience it to get life balance more on track. So little wher you are means SO MUCH…
I didn't mean express our sleeves and I think I meant unimaginable…but not sure as it is bedtime. Admireng you from afar xxxxx
if not admiring………………..
Now you've got lots of comments. I'm going to send you some photos taken with "that camera" inc. the card Sarah gave me LOLoudxxxxxxxxxxxxx