Working Hard

Hey everyone,

Sorry it has been a while since I have written in here. New news is that my family got the box I sent them in the mail with gifts and they like them. I am also getting to know people better and seeing out things work here. I got a letter from my Cousin JJ and it really made my day, I hope he gets the ones that I am sending. On anther note, today is my Aunt Linda’s Birthday! HAPPY BIRTHDAY AUNT LINDA! I hope she has a great one!

I now inspect the defacs (dinning facilities) daily. I enjoy the work and it helps my day go by. I am also meeting cool people at these locations. For one, each time I go into a defac I have to have the guard check my ID. Most of the guards here are Ugandan military, and very intimidating. They are all over 6’ and have a very deep voice; if they were here in the states we would have no women left. At first I was very intimidated by them, they carry guns and don’t really deal with any bullshit. But after you have been coming by a while they get nicer. I have sat down with these guys a few times now, they are really cool. They do a 2 year tour here and are making good money to raise a family back home. They complain about the heat, in Uganda it is around 78 degrees all year round. One of them told me it sucks here because if it isn’t hot it is too cold (it gets in the 30’s here in the winter time). Another thing to note is they speak very good English, they sound like the guy who did the voice for Darth Vader. They talk about home, say how nice it is and how they can’t wait to get home and raise a family. Everyone here seems to have the same goals, make a better life for themselves and family. It really doesn’t matter what part of the world you come from, or what language you speak, better ones’ life seems to be the reason to be here. The guards I think hare the hardest job all day. They literally sit in these open shacks all day and do nothing. I bought them some word finds and Sudoku puzzles, they say it helps the time go by. I hope to take them some taskey kakes soon.

I have been drinking Tea with the Indian workers in there break room every day. I really like it. I wanted to learn how to make it so I asked what kind of tea it was. Like maybe a Indian secret or something. They told me it was “iptan tea boss, iptan, very good.” I thought it sounded cool, like some indigenous tea to India. So I asked them to show me, and it ended up being regular freaking Lipton Ice Tea bags that they were pronouncing wrong.

That was the same day I ate one of there meat meals for the fist time. The usually just have veggie ones since none of them eat anything but chicken. It tasted really good, although I knew I had never had that meet before. It had a chewy almost bitter taste too it. I said to them, “Meat, what kind of meat is this?” The replied just as I was taking another bite, “Mut sir, Mutten Meat.” I jump up out of my seat, spit the crap in my hand and start yelling, “Mutt Meat? Like dog? WOOF WOOF?” They thought it was funny as hell, “No No sir, BAAA BAAA.” Apparently “Mutten” is the Indian word for Goat meat. I really thought I was eating dog meat. Now they mess around and bark at me, they really found it funny, and I guess it is.

I got a chance the other day to get a drive though of the ASP (ammo supply point) Freaking sweet. It was like driving though a grocery store of a grown up. “Alrighty here is your small arms fire, and that on your left is the rifle ammo. And here is the good stuff, hellfire missiles, Rocket Launchers, grenades. I can’t say anything about the area, but it was impressive.

Sorry it took so long for this blog, I have been crazy busy. I am looking forward to coming home!