uganda again

I have just one more post for Greece and a post about the Kampala bombings, but in the meantime, here are a couple of memories from the present:
-I taught my first exercise class last week. I was at the gym, lifting weights, minding my own business when a group of 25 women entered the gym. They were in skirts, flip flops, all manner of 'exercise gear' and they started asking me to teach them something (apparently the instructor did not show up). I thought, 'ok what can I show them that won't injure anyone? not kickboxing for sure.' So I took the ladies into the group exercise room (I use this term very loosely) and we did a yoga class-- sun salutations, downward dog, plank- the works! I was a bit worried when some of the women dropped out, but nobody collapsed so I suppose we did fine. After the class, the ladies clapped and everybody shook my hand- it was great.
-I've adopted yet another baby- his name is Ethan and he's the love of my life. I'm on track to becoming his godmother....
-Last night two of my gym buddies told me- 'You are just very fine, please don't reduce (lose weight) or increase (gain weight). It's not good to be too fat or too skinny.'
-there's no power in Gulu at the moment, so we've been having cold showers (yep, this time i get a shower rather than just a bucket of cold water!) and incredibly slow meals, but over the weekend to top it all off- there was no water at my hotel.
-yesterday at lunch, the staff asked me if there were any maize meal or posho in the US - I said, no we don't have those. Nobody could believe it - 'you just eat rice?' they asked me. Well, no, there's bread and pasta. No way, they didn't believe we fat americans could survive on bread and pasta and rice.
-Ugandans know how to SMACK TALK. I've never seen anything like it. On Sunday I was playing pool with a bunch of people and they were all, 'I hope you have gone to church today, because you need to say your prayers.' and 'Please sit and relax, while I take my white ball and win this game.' it's totally courteous and totally hilarious. If you're just starting a game, you say to everybody, "Who am I caning?" (meaning whom am I going to beat?)
-if you have a zit, at least 12 people will ask, 'oh no, my dear! what has bitten you?'
-apparently the baby-doll/empire waist style is not common here in Uganda. Last week, 4 out of 5 days at work I was told, 'Wow, that top would be so nice for a pregnant lady.'
-no matter what you are doing - you always answer that mobile phone. One of my friends at the gym had just arrived, was doing situps with weights, and chatting away on the phone. Another guy was kicking my ass at pool with one hand, and talking on his mobile with the other.
-every time I come back, my friends tell me, "But you were lost." meaning I haven't been around for a long time. I still haven't figured out how to respond to this- mostly I just say, "Yes, but I've come back."
i still love this country- can't help it.