Life at home

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I am staying in Kalyango village in the home of one the local councillors. I think it was felt that the teachers lived to far away from the school ( average about 5km). The councillor has two houses, so I'm living in relative luxury. One of the teachers (Nastwa) is staying with me and so is the councillor's sister, to help look after the 'visitor'.

The house is a concrete construction with a tin roof. There is glass in the front windows but not at the back. The house is organised around a central, enclosed courtyard where the cooking, washing etc takes place. The toilets are pit latrines out at the back and there is an external screened area for bathing. This is literally a bucket, but it's hot (boiled on the fire) water and if we've been out late ( dark around 7pm) then I can 'shower' and look up at the stars, which are just incredible. Nastwa is incredibly protective and won't let me bathe after dark without her standing nearby! There is another family living in one of the rooms off the courtyard and she has two young boys: Joseph, who's around 3 and Victor, who's about 1. Victor is still very vary of the mzungu, but Joseph and I bonded over a spinning top I gave him.

The food has been great - much more varied than I'd expected. Typically for breakfast there will be omelette, cooked tomatoes and fresh fruit. Lunch and tea are usually similar and can consist of things from: meat stew, cooked green bananas, cabbage, maize, cassava, rice, yams, beans, peas, sweet/Irish potatoes. There is plenty of it! I'm getting used to eating with my fingers and even managed a fried egg this morning.

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