The Standard Article (2/5/14)

Colons versus semicolons – Yes, they are different!

Over the past few months I have noticed grammatical errors using colons (:) and semicolons (;) incorrectly, but I have seen these errors much more consistently lately in staff agendas, emails, coursework, and various publications. People use colons and semicolons synonymously, but they do have different purposes. Therefore, I would like to take this opportunity to explain some of the uses of these punctuation marks. Keep in mind that I am writing this is the context of academic (formal) writing.

Colon Uses

1. Colons may be used to introduce lists.

Besides the main campus in Mukono, there are three locations of Uganda Christian University: Arua, Mbale, and Kabale.

According to Mukisa (2013), the following reasons for failing Writing and Study Skills are: not completing coursework, dodging class, and failing the final exam.

2. Colons may be used to indicate a sub-title or subdivision of a topic.

The History of Uganda: A Personal View

3. Colons may also be used in writing references to separate the location and publisher in APA style.

Oyot, B. (2014). The history of Uganda. Kampala, UG: Fountain Publishers.

4. Colons may be used to separate time. 3:45

5. Colons are used in the manuscripts of plays/dramas.

The Black Mamba

Namuddu:

Berewa:

Professor Coax:

6. Colons are used in the salutation of a business letter.

Dear Sir/Madam:

Semi-colon Uses

Disclaimer: Semi-colons are not used frequently in contemporary English. Full stops and commas are much more common.

1. Semi-colons are sometimes used to separate items in a sequence or list, especially when the list involves phrases of words.

Reckless driving in Uganda is caused by inadequately prepared drivers; ill-maintained vehicles; and poorly maintained roads.

2. Semi-colons may also be used instead of full stops to separate two main clauses. The clauses remain grammatically separate but are linked in meaning.

Some students dodge class; most students attend class.

Kampala is the largest city; Jinja is the most industrialized area.

So next time you see a colon or semi-colon, I expect you to use it correctly!!

Writing and Study Skills Workshop 1/29-2/1 (Jinga, Uganda)

 

On Wednesday afternoon I headed to Jinja with 20 other staff members for a work session to review our textbook for Writing and Study Skills. Now, I know it looks short on the map and is only about 58 kilometers (36 miles), it took about an hour and a half to reach the hotel. The roads here are paved, but have huge pot holes and the traffic can sometimes double and triple the amount of time on the road. We rented a "coaster" which is like a mini bus for about 25 people. I am not sure why cars are not air-conditioned here, but NONE are and the rides are very hot, sweaty, and bumpy! I love to sit in the back and many times

We are revising this book, Writing and Study Skills, which was last revised back in 2010. Part of my job description is to update this book and also to write a teacher's guide. It is a BIG undertaking, but one that I can do (and another opportunity for me to publish!).

Before the actual workshop, I went with three other people two weekends ago to check out the resort. We needed to book the reservation, pay for it, and check out the facilities. Things are not done here without paying for it, so we had to go in person to make the reservation. So, we all piled into Jerome's car and headed to Brisk hotel. Everything worked out, so we booked the hotel for the next week.

Daniel, Bernard (Jerome and Agaba) on our way to check out the facilities.

waiting to try the food

Once arriving with the whole group, we got settled into our rooms and waited for evening tea. Tea is a very interesting phenomenon here. It is a HUGE deal and everyone loves it. Tea involves drinking milk with tea, coffee, or hot chocolate. There are usually some "eats" involved in these teas too.

After tea, we relaxed and played games. Then, some people from our staff came into the lobby to ask if I wanted to see "lake flies". Now, it has been my experience that when people from here ask me if I want to see something, I should go see it. So, I headed to the other wing of the hotel to discovered what everyone was talking about. Lake flies are these little insects that look like mosquitoes, but they don't bit. They are literally EVERYWHERE at night. If you don't keep light off in your room until about 7 p.m., they will completely fill your room.

These are the carcasses just outside the window.

See the black spots?

On Thursday, we got down to the nitty gritty! We listened to very many presentations and collaborated together to make decisions.

I really like the collectivist way of revising our workbook and we spent a lot of time trying to make sure we agree and support each other. I wanted everyone to be on board with what is going on and the changes we are making, so I needed everyone to vote and be a part of these decisions. Everyone worked beautifully together and through some debate we had a rough layout of the workbook. Then, people divided into their prospective groups to get busy on their chosen rhetorical modes.

We would work during the day and then had some leisure time in the evenings!

We got a lot done over the week, but we have a lot more to do. Although I won't see the finished product until after I return home, it will feel so great to be done with this revision!

This and That

Happy New Year! 

I am excited to announce that I have an office now! I even have an office mate, Alex, which makes having an office not so lonely. I have a tendency to spread out and he is amazingly forgiving! I have been really struggling for space here especially after having a large classroom for so many years. I really needed a place to call my own and with my dissertation starting this month, I had to have a place to keep confidential information. I have a phone and computer on my desk. The phone is actually to connect my Vonage device so that I can make and receive calls from the U.S. If you want to give me a call, my number is 314-260-7785. If I am not in my office, the number forwards to my local cell phone. I pay $10 a month for unlimited calling, so it is an awesome deal! I am the only one who picks up the phone, so don't hesitate to call me! However, keep in mind that I am nine hours ahead (CST), so I won't answer your call in the middle of the night.

There are people in our lives that make our job easier. I have three. They are our office assistants: Lydia, Kazozi, and Dorothy. They are amazing. They clean our offices, close our windows, empty the trash, make copies, get food, and generally do anything and everything we ask. One of my favorite things they do is cleaning my coffee cup. I drink coffee and leave my cup on my desk. Magically, it appears the next day...clean! This might not seem like a big deal to you, but it is huge to me!

I had a faculty board meeting today and on my way there, we saw many monkeys playing around. I think the mangos are getting ripe, which usually causes them to rummage through the trees. I am fascinated by them, but people here think they are a nuisance. I knew this difference in our views, but Alex reiterated it today when he said, "Ugh, those are so annoying!" I am still totally fascinated by them!

I have the pleasure of teaching "recess" classes for the last three weeks. These students are actually teachers who are working on their Bachelor's in Education during the holiday time. They come in January, May, and August when their schools are on break. During this module, I taught Writing and Study skills. These pictures are students discussion an article that I gave them from our English Forum magazine how to incorporate more "student" talk as opposed to "teacher" talk. They came up with very good and practical ideas.

Every class has a class leader who communicates information to the class from the lecturer, straightens the room, picks up copies, passes out papers, etc. For this particular class, our leader is Anthony and he is AMAZING! He provides supplies for me and makes sure the room is ready for class.

Anthony and I

The coordinator the program, Daniel, works very hard to make sure all students are successful. I caught him just before he was heading to class.

Daniel Omaya

 There are not many food places I recognize in Uganda and fast food is non-existent. So, imagine my excitement when one of my friends told me we were getting a KFC. I didn't believe him, so I told him if they were actually opening a KFC, I would buy him lunch. Guess what? It was true! So, we set off to have KFC a few weekends ago. 

Kizito and I

The bottom bones are mind, the top are Kizito's! He licked his clean!

So excited about ice cream!! It was delicious!

I work in two departments: Foundation Studies (FS) and Languages & Literature. Foundation Studies is like the core coursework we have at the university level. I think we might refer to them as per-requisites. The FS department is entirely comprised of part-time lecturers. We have a meeting every Monday morning and it is one of my favorite times during the week. We gather together, have a devotional, and listen to department announcements. The people in this department are truly a joy and amazing to work with day in and day out. We actually went on a writing workshop this past weekend, but that is for another post!

Paul and Solomon hard at work...or hardly working?

I guess that is all for now. You are all caught up with most of the things happening in my life. I will make two more posts this week about my latest article and the workshop we had in Jinja. Hope you are all well.

Lastest Article for The Standard (1/20/14)

Jargon III

As we begin a new semester, I wanted to share some different English words I have heard around campus over the past five months. This is the third article of this type, but I have found many, many differences between our “Englishes.” I described the way things are said in Uganda first and then the way I would say them back home (U.S.).

luggage

This word makes me laugh because I first heard it from one of my friends when he complained that he had too much luggage. We were walking quite a distance when he said this and I could not understand what he was trying to tell me. The term luggage is often associated with a trip when carrying is a suitcase or duffel bag. But my friend used it to describe all of the things he needed to carry with him while walking. I now know that luggage can be used to explain things you are carrying, no matter how long the trip.

sloping down – walking down

Many people use this phrase on campus because our university basically sits on the side of a mountain. One of my colleagues used this phrase a couple of weeks ago and said, “I am going to slope down to the canteens to get some lunch.” I was so confused because I did not really understand the phrase, but I deduced that he meant he was going to go down the hill to the canteens. We often use the expression “walking down” if we are talking about going down in elevation.

wise acre – smart alec

I absolutely love this phrase and will use it back home. I first heard this phrase when talking with other lectures and they said students were wise acres. I asked them what it meant and they told me these are students/people who think they already know everything. We often refer to these types of people as know-it-alls or smart alecs. It seems that this is not a positive character trait in either usage.

uses of sorry

One of my favorite things about Uganda is the many uses of sorry.  People use sorry when you drop something, sneeze, cough, etc. People also say sorry if you are having a hard time, had a death in the family, or went through a bad experience. For example, earlier this week I forgot my wallet in my apartment and needed to borrow some money from a colleague for lunch. He immediately apologized and then offered to give me some money. I’ve also noticed people use sorry when they misunderstand me or do not hear me, which is often. I know my American accent often throws people off, so I try to speak more slowly and use words that are common. At home, we use sorry when accepting fault such as a mistake or offending someone. We also use it if we misunderstand someone by saying, “I’m sorry. I misunderstood you. Could you please explain?” I really appreciate the way people use sorry here because it is genuine and honest. People truly feel for you and want you to feel better, which adds to the beautiful feeling of community.

yes, please – what

I have always been curious about people saying yes, please when I call them instead of what. I asked a colleague about this and he said that it was rude to say what because it is rude in the local language. Therefore, people transfer the cultural expectations in the local language over to English. Waanji is the way most people respond and that is a polite way of saying yes, please. At home, we usually say what or yes when answering someone and it is not thought of as rude. I have learned to adjust my language so that I can be thought of as polite.

Some other words I have noticed are the following:

course – major (such as BAED, BLANG)

coursework – assignments/homework

reduce my hair – cut my hair

chit – small note

lay the bed – make the bed

tarmac – highway (paved)

polythene bags/kavera – plastic bags

Overall, I have learned many words over the past five months and I look forward to learning many, many more. Have a great start to the semester!

Last day of East African Vacation

What a Christmas already and it is only 1:45 p.m. This morning Megan and I got up, had breakfast together, and I checked out of the hotel at 10:00 with no incident. In fact, we were talking at breakfast about how everything from has run so smoothly from point A to Z…stupid us! The shuttle left on time and I arrived at the airport with plenty of extra lounging time. I went through security without incident and waited for my flight to be displayed on the check-in screens. About an hour before check-in, I noticed that my check-in counter was deserted, but I knew everything was on time because I had received an email that everything was fine and my flight displayed on the monitor as “on time.” So I talked up to the counter and asked about my flight. They said it was not ready yet, but they asked me to hold on a minute while they checked on something. The supervisor came out, which is never a good sign when you are traveling, and told me the flight was canceled. He displayed a paper with my name on it.

I asked, “Where are the other passengers?”

He said, “They have all been notified, but we knew you were coming to the airport, so my supervisor gave me this paper this morning.”

So, I inquired, “What should I do?”

He said, “Come with me to my office.”

When I accompanied him to his office, we began the fun process of calling Air Uganda to rebook my flight.

I asked, “Why was the flight canceled?”

He said,  “Sometimes the company cancels flights when they are not fully booked. Since it is Christmas, I think people did not show up to work.”

I said, “Are you freaking kidding me?”

He laughed and said, “yes, it’s East Africa.”

“So, how am I getting to Entebbe? I have a flight tomorrow to Dubai and I have paid for accommodations tonight. Plus, I have a bag to pick up that I left at the airport.” I asked.

“Well, the only person that can approve you for a new flight is Air Uganda. They have two flights a day and the next one is tomorrow at 12:15.” He replied.

“But that would not get me back to Uganda in time to catch my Dubai flight or pick up my bag. I also will have to pay double accommodations and I don’t want to do that.” I whined.

“We have a flight going to Nairobi and then Entebbe, but it is with Kenya Airlines and you would need to book and pay for it yourself,” he stated.

“Could we continue trying to call Air Uganda and your supervisors until we reach someone?” I pleaded.

“Sure. But I can tell you no it is difficult because it is Christmas and most people are not working today,” he stated.

We began the process of calling multiple numbers  on multiple phones to no avail. We called the offices in Dar Es Salaam, Kampala, and Entebbe. We also visit the office at the airport and they were completely closed. So, I came back to the office and decided to go up to Kenya Airlines to book a flight. I went up and talked with the agent and he said a new flight would be $335, cash only. Of course I didn’t have $335 cash on me. I had a bit of cash, a few Tanzanian and Uganda shillings. That did me no good. He told me that it was too close to book online.

Then he had an idea, “Why don’t you book it for three or four days later and then I will change the flight today free of charge?”

“Okay, sounds good.”

So I began the process of rebooking my flight, but the Internet kept crashing. We switched computers and tried again. Finally, it worked. I was able to book a flight and the agent switched the date for me.

I went back downstairs to retrieve my luggage from the office and headed to the check-in counter. I checked, went through immigration and boarded the flight. They were actually boarding when I went through security. So, now I am sitting on the flight enjoying all of the extra room and fabulous music. Kenya Airlines is really quite nice. I was very surprised at the cleanliness of the plane, TV screens and services. Too bad this is just an hour flight to Nairobi and then one hour to Entebbe. Hopefully, everything will go smoothly.

East African Vacation Days #8-10 (12/20-12/22)

Day 8 – Friday, December 20

Today we left our hotel at 7 a.m. to catch a bus to Moshi. As soon as we arrived at the bus station area, we were surrounded with many people who wanted to take us on their bus. I bartered for 3000 each, which is what we were told to pay (about $2). The bus was the standard type we have in Uganda where you have four seats across the row. They stopped several times along the way until we reached Moshi about two hours later. I was so happy to see my luggage still on top of the bus. We quickly retrieved our luggage and got a taxi. The taxi driver again wanted to charge us more, but we knew the ride should be about $5, which is 8,000 shillings. He wanted 20,000, but I offered 10,000 and he settled (about $6). We arrived at Honey Badger Lodge and were greeted with an orange juice drink. Our room was not be ready until 2 p.m., so we hung out by the pool and used the free wifi. The lodge is so nice with a fully stocked bar, free wifi, and a resort-like pool. The room was worth the wait, with three large beds in a huge room. There is also a separate shower and toilet with a sink in the middle. Everything is eco-friendly with solar power and utilizing recycling. There is hot water, well, when everyone does not use it and a very friendly staff. We had planned this day just to be relaxing and catching up on our sleep before we set off for a quick climb on Kilimanjaro.

Day 9 - Saturday, December 21

Today we headed out early to get bus tickets and then meet some other people at a hostel to go to a waterfall on Mt. Kilimanjaro and a coffee plantation. Things are so much cheaper when you can go with more people. We decided to take the Dar Express.

The ticket was 20,000 TSH ($18.75) and then we headed up the mountain. The first stop was at a coffee plantation. I love that we went with a local instead of a company. Then, the money we pay goes directly to the family. I could not get over the process of making coffee. 

1. You grow it. I can't remember how long it takes to grow or how often you harvest, but I know they had just harvested it. You harvest it when the berries are red. 

2. You soak it in water for a few days and then pass it through a machine to separate the berry from the bean.

3. You dry it for 2 weeks or so, depending on the sun.

 4. You beat it to separate the bean from the shell.

 5. You separate it from the shell and roast the beans.

6. You pound it to grind it. Then, boil water and poor the coffee into the boiling water. Finally you pour it through the strainer and enjoy!

After drinking our coffee, we hiked to a beautiful waterfall. It was a long hike, but so worth it.

Day 10 - Sunday, December 22

Today was our long journey to Dar es Salaam. We had heard anywhere from 7-11 hours for the journey. Ours took 9. I thought there would be frequent stops along the way, but they only stopped once for about 15-20 minutes. The rest area along the way was very much like a rest area from home. I was so surprised that they only stopped once. The buses are very much like airplanes with a "flight attendant" and movies. The movies were in Swahili, but some parts had subtitles in English. The journey was long and hot, but we arrived into Dar about 4:30. It was easy to get a taxi and we headed to The Holiday Inn. We were greeted with juice and fabulous air conditioning. I love that tradition! After getting settled in, we had dinner together and then slept like the dead! 

East African Vacation - Day #7 (12/19)

Today we had lunch reservations for Shanga Gardens so the taxi picked us up at 11:30 a.m. for our 12 p.m. reservation. One of the girls found this place on trip adviser. We knew it was beautiful, but we had no idea how beautiful and beneficial the place actually was for the community. Shanga Gardens is a place for people with disabilities to work and earn a living and feel productive in society. People who have disabilities are often shunned here in East Africa and there are few services for them. Many of the people who work at this facility are deaf. They communicate through sign language and gestures. All of the people at the shop are incredibly talented…from artists to glass blowing to weaving to making jewelry, they are really amazing. 

There was one guy that was laying on his side named Moshi who was painting name plates. I bought one for my niece. He was absolutely incredible. He personalized these unique pieces of art for anyone who passed by the shop. Everyone who worked in the shop seemed to enjoy his or her job. I bought many things including jewelry, art, homemade wine, and a small glass vase. After touring the workshop, we headed out to the garden for our welcoming drink. They offered passion juice or champagne. I won’t tell you which one I chose! Then, we headed into the restaurant for our meal. The first course was a carrot ginger soup with a bread roll. It was so velvety and smooth that it slid right down my throat. Then, we had a vegetable samosa with mango chutney. We have samosas in Uganda, but this was the most delicious samosa I had ever tasted. Then, we had a buffet for lunch. The buffet included potato salad, carrot salad, pasta salad, tomato/mozzarella, and lettuce, lentils, chicken, beef, and tilapia. It was just divine. It reminded me of some of the really nice places I have had lunch like Josephine’s in Godfrey. After dinner, our waiter served coffee and a dessert tray. The coffee was from the plantation next door and the deserts included chocolate covered coffee beans, fruit, fried coconut doughnuts, and some toffee dessert. They were in little portions, but we were still stuffed by the end of the meal. After the meal, we sat in the garden a little longer and also completed our purchases at the shop.

After leaving the gardens, we headed to the Maasai market. This market is known for its incredibly cheap prices and great products. There are many, many artists there and they all want you in their shop. I didn’t really intend to buy anything, but I ended up buying a painting, a decorative gourd, and two pillowcases. I can’t believe how comfortable I have become at bartering. In fact, the girls took me because they wanted me to barter for them. Sometimes I crack myself up. I was happy with our purchases and I know people were please that we bought many things.

After the market, we headed to the ATM, Shoprite, and then a Mexican place, which had wifi. I love to buy food in other countries, so I learned to buy goodies in grocery stores where you can pay the same price that locals pay. I bought passion fruit jam, mint tea, vanilla tea, coffee from Kenya and Tanzania, chia tea, and of course a bottle of water. After groceries, we headed to the Mexican place to eat good food and enjoy connecting with our families. I hadn’t talked with my parents since Saturday and I knew they were worried because my mom actually called my cell phone. I had a friend email them last night to let them know I was okay, but I knew I needed to touch base with them. I know I put my parents through a lot with all of my travels, so I knew communicating with them was priority today. Plus, I needed to add to my discussion post for my class, so I could kill two birds with one stone.

After connecting with the outside world, I enjoyed some food and headed back to the hotel. We are planning to leave early in the morning to catch a bus to Moshi.