Now being homeschooled my ENTIRE elementary and high school years I had no school experience in which to compare my kids school experience with. And lets face it – my childhood was spent in Wyoming and Montana, twenty to twenty five years ago, so things are very different here twenty years later in urban Uganda when I’m raising my kids! Some things though I HAVE noticed are probably different from my kids experience than to a “normal” American elementary school experience today. I love some of the stories they come home with and the subjects they learn about! Here are just a few.
Ella comes home from school and nonchalantly mentions that a man was stripped butt naked behind their school and forcibly bathed by a group of boda drivers. When I asked why she matter of factly stated, “Because he was over smelling.” Ha!! Definitely made a big impression on the students about the importance of personal hygiene!
Both of my kids wear uniforms, tall socks AND shine their shoes. Yes, they are Ugandan! The funny thing is I have been mocking my friends and colleagues for the last eight years about Ugandans obsession with shiny shoes, and here I have two of my own little obsessers! Love it!
The fat little boy at school is one of the MOST popular. I love this! Americans are so down and mean on heavy people and I love that here the fat kid is TOPS!
Stories of the “mean goat” at school who chases kids. He even knocks down “fat Ericki” because he can’t run fast. I actually saw this goat in action. He’s a young, cocky, black billy goat who swaggers in and stands on his hind feet the way goats do, shaking his head at the kids. It’s a game and he is eventually run off! But yeah, I love it that my kids go to school with a goat and it’s perfectly normal!
Frankie tells me about the mama hen and her chicks at school, that he likes to count. Awww!!!!
Frankie rides a motorcycle home from school every day and Ella does once a week.
The awesome things that they learn at school that are SO relevant here. I asked Ella what she learned at school today and she told me, “Diphtheria, Measles and Polio.” And she could tell me their symptoms! How cool is that? I sure as heck didn’t know that when I was in the second grade!
And this is just funny – I guess it could happen at any school anywhere- Frankie telling me, “I don’t poop at school because the kids peak under the door and watch your poop fall.” (it’s a squatty potty) Ha ha ha!!! I don’t think I’d want to poop at school either!
And, this isn’t particularly funny, but let me brag a bit here. Frankie is doing FRACTIONS in KINDERGARTEN! Say what?? Kindergarten? Yep, and he actually understands them!
So yeah, in a nut shell, my kids go to school on motorcycles in uniforms, tall socks (ha ha ha!) and shiny shoes, with goats, chickens and men who are forcibly bathed butt naked behind their school. The cool kids are the fat ones and they like to watch each other poop, when the kindergarteners aren’t doing fractions or the second graders aren’t busy learning about diseases like Diphtheria, Measles and Polio. Awesome, eh? I think so!
On an added note, the kids are also learning Luganda and Frankie has FINALLY achieved a Ugandan accent so that others can understand him!
And of course when the kids are at home, they have our beloved dogs!
