May 19

Oooooh I hate Kevin. THAT MAKES ME SO MAD. What a jerk wad. I think you
should absolutely tell Jason. Like, maybe not that it isn't going to
work and you want Kevin fired, but just to let him know what is going
on. You shouldn't have to deal with him being utterly absurd. And he
totally doesn't get to lazer all year. I don't care if he thinks he is
"boss" because he totally isn't. Grrrrrrrrr. Also, Sam is the social
worker at the clinic who works with us the most. He is a little crazy.
Yesterday at the clinic we sang "Lean on Me" after we introduced
ourselves. Mark played the guitar and we all sang, with parts and
everything. It was actually pretty good. And it must have been super
effective because there was a MAD RUSH of clients all wanting their
wills written. At one point my intern and I had three clients we were
working with at the same time, she with a woman who spoke Luganda and
me with 2 clients who spoke English. I had to have Savannah come help
me though. I may be a genius and the most capable person you know, but
even I can't write 2 wills at once.
We American students have finally figured out a cultural gap between
us and the Ugandans. It is regarding the word "safe" as in
–adjective
1.
secure from liability to harm, injury, danger, or risk: a safe place.
2.
free from hurt, injury, danger, or risk: to arrive safe and sound.
3.
involving little or no risk of mishap, error, etc.: a safe estimate.

Here in Uganda, apparently "safe" does not have the same meaning. We
were beginning to suspect something was amuck when the list of things
we were told were "safe" grew to include:

1. The killer spiders in the zoo
2. These giant horrendous looking wasp things
3. Walking around the streets of Kampala with the terrible traffic
(where there is one single traffic signal for the entire city)
4. Swimming in lake Victoria (where floating garbage creates a three
foot thick perimeter)
5. Riding the bodaboda's (little dirt bike taxi's that zip in and out
of the aforementioned terrible traffic and have no helmets)
6. Bungee jumping
7. Malaria
8. Political riots
9. (related) Tear gas
10. Eating fish (including fish heads, a common delicacy here in Uganda)
11.Drinking the water

Apparently, here in Uganda "safe" means "your chances of dying are
pretty slim" as in "it is very likely that it will dismember you or
maim you terribly or make you very sick. But, hey, at least you will
still be alive." Don't worry, I've learned to trust my own instincts
and NOT the words of Ugandans. I really like my limbs.

Love you all!
Stefanie