Yesterday sitting around the frying Irish Potatoes Agnes taught us the Ugandan word for I am happy, Demosanufa. And it was true. Despite the unrest my stomach experienced all day, and the my disrupted mental state from the days field work, I felt happy. Because of the lack of light pollution stars littered the sky almost enough to rival those in the mountains in Colorado. It had given me comfort to see the Southern Cross, and that night did not differ. Life around the house has started to become more normal. Eliza and I are settling into a comfortable routine with the family. As I cried on my way home yesterday I felt relief at coming home to my family. We still feel uncomfortable around the father, but we are starting to feel like family. Today Eliza joked that we were like grandparents, always eating, sitting, wanting to talk, and not being particularly helpful. Yesterday and today we sat around the fire and chatted with Agnes about life here and at home. She was shocked to find we did not have wild zebras or monkeys in America. We had an awkward moment when we described divorce to her, and how the women traditionally has gotten to keep the house, and gets half of the stuff the family shared. She looked amazed. She began to say something to the effects of “divorce here…” then looked at the charcoal stove in silence for around two minuets. I am probably confabulating, but I could swear I saw tears swell then dissipate from her eyes like a wave.
The past two nights we have gotten a chance to connect to our 19-year-old brother, and our remaining sister. Bonita (the one who had to do everything) went to school on Tuesday. Unbenonst to Eliza and I she left for boarding school, and we fell terrible that we did not get to say a proper goodbye. However, I attribute the change in attitude to her absence. Not because I do not like her, but now I do not have to feel an overwhelming sense of guilt for her having to do everything for the family. We heard from her father that she is doing well and that she says hello. I told him to tell her we are sorry we did not get to say a proper goodbye, and that we miss her. Which is true she was so sweet. Yesterday Eliza’s fears were stilled when we finally got to have a full conversation with the older brother. You can read about that in my segment called handwriting. Today we talked with our sister about how she wants to marry a white boy. We sat on Eliza’s bed under the mosquito net and had girl talk. Even tonight the father was funnier and more inviting. He called me fragile and everyone laughed. I did too. I don’t blame him. I have been telling them that I am allergic to meat, which is true to a small extent, and that coupled with my stomach problems no wonder! It was also the first dinner where there was any real laughter. It’s nice to be able to feel like being part of a family. The summer is the only time I usually have the opportunity to have that feeling, and it is nice that even though I am so far from mine I can feel that I am family here.
