You know you've been in Uganda for a long time when......

One of my facebook friends belongs to a group called "You know you've been in Uganda for a long time when...." These are some funny things that we come across often when living in Uganda. I thought I would share a few with you. For those of you who have had the privilege of visiting this country you will appreciate them all the more. Enjoy!

YOU KNOW YOU'VE BEEN IN UGANDA FOR A LONG TIME WHEN...


- When you walk into a restaurant and ask 'is there food?' (Brenda Mawenu)

- When "E" on the fuel gauge means Enough (Alex Porter)


- When "being lost" to someone actually means they haven't seen you for a few days (Jamie Mills McKenzie)


- When the taxi driver indicates that he is turning left when is actually turning right because only one indicator works but he needs to let you know that he will be turning in some direction at some point.... (Joyce Byaru)

- You get arrested and start bargaining over the bribe whilst you drive yourself to jail. (Jason McKelvie)

- Clothes becomes a two-syllable word. Clo - thes. (Ruth Townley)

- When the sight of a boda-boda with a passenger carrying yet another boda-boda [effectively a boda-boda breakdown service] does not cause you to raise an eyebrow. (Kaz Kasozi) (Boda boda is a motorbike taxi)

- When you stand in a queue and feel something is very wrong because it is orderly and the person behind you respects your personal space. (Nick Astles)

- When you have named the potholes. (Nanna Schneidermann)

- Its 32 degrees C outside and you can still see one or two people fully dressed Sweater and all. (Kaliika Annat)

- When you point with your lips and say yes with your eyebrows. (Marcia Baugh)

- When are reluctant to let go of a new, CLEAN 1000 shilling note. (Daisy Asiimwe)

- When your home does not have an address. (Alice Kimbowa)

- When you still have to look left,right and left again before crossing a one way street. (Francis Musinguzi)

- When you consider going to Garden City a "trip to the Mall", made even more special if the escalator is switched on (Stuart Cook)

- When you give inanimate objects the capability to act and feel, e.g. "this soda is defeating me" or "This computer is refusing to work" (Marianne Bach Mosebo)

- When you say "let me come" and you go in the opposite direction! (Maureen B Ndahura)

- When instead of asking to be passed something you say stuff like "Please assist me with the salt" (Bill Reynell)

- When the taxi conductor speaks of Obama like a long lost friend! (Jimmy Delyon)

- When you finally take it as a compliment and smile sincerely when someone comments on how fat you have grown (Karin Bridger)

- When you express surprise by saying "Eh!" (Rebecca Swan)

- When you call a cab a 'special hire' (Charles Mugyenzi)

- When a road that has not been opened for public use [Northern bypass] develops potholes (Benjamin Muganzi)

- When you ask where the bathroom is, and the response is, "short call or long call"? (Karen Cassidy)

- When it is o.k. for another guy to impulsively call you, 'My dear' (John Kamau Matalanga)

- When you have nicely chiseled and perfect square potholes (Suna Kironde)

- When traffic lights are always off and the traffic police guys have to battle it out with whistles (Patricia Nandyose)

- When you have lost count of the number of districts in the country (Benjamin Maguanzi)

- When "the speed bumps" develop a pothole (Moses Katafiire)

- When a Polite Notice of 'No Peeing Here' carries a fine of 100,000shs (Suna Kironde)

- When tear gas is part of the weather forecast (Patricia Nandyose)