The friendly Ugandan.

Uganda is known to be one of the countries with the friendliest people in the world. It is so simple to fit in when you are new to the country. And its not like people are only friendly to the foreigners, they are good to each other all in all. A Ugandan person is one who will find you on the street and strike a conversation with you for the first time.

A few weeks ago I was walking a friend to the road and my room keys feel in a trench with a metallic cover which no one could open. Then two men approached us for help, one of them went to bring a stick to pull out the key but it was in vain. The second man went and brought another longer stick with some nails so the he could fix them to my key rings and pull them out, and with that, we were successful. I was so happy at how these people were kind to me and very willing to help yet I did not know them.

I have met some nice and friendly people during my tours, and some who are not nice one too. Not everyone can ever be good. Mostly people in markets are not quite friendly and I understand it. Maybe some are frustrated because they have not made sales for the day, and hence will not be happy with anyone. But there are nice people whom you ask to take pictures of their items and they will gladly allow you. Some will show interest in where you are from, they always ask questions like;

"Are you from America?" because they think most of the foreigners are from the U.S.A.

The people I walked on this day kindly asked if they would take pictures of the butchery and they were accepted.

On other occasion some people were calling us to taking pictures of them with their products. I was like, this is different, I mean no one would call you to have a picture with them or of them. But its always nice to make people feel at home in a foreign land. It makes it easier for people to interact with each other.

This man Kindly asked me to take pictures of him with the "walkers".

I always like teaching the basics of the local language to the people I walk with because they are the most greeted and called out on the street like;

"Mzungu, how are you or Oli otya? And people would want them to reply in the local language. So while on the go, I teach the "walkers" how to greet and how to say thank you and the sort.

And don't be offended when you are called "Mzungu" which means "White".  It is just a simple way of being referred to a foreigner with no hidden agenda.

Chatting away.

All can I say is feel free while in Uganda, and I promise you will want to come back the next time. I have seen that happen to my friends, they enjoy Uganda and they always return. Talk about its nature, good weather and the nice people.