Respect

One of the things I really like about the culture here is the high level of respect that people offer to each other. I was taught to be respectful growing up, but here people are even more deliberate about showing respect. My host siblings have set a great example in this by the way they treat my host parents. Here, you not only respond with a polite yes? when you're called, but if you're answering a parent, you have to say yes, mama? If you leave their name off the end, then you're not being respectful.

It's the same kind of thing when you're saying thank you. Which you say for just about everything. You can't leave the supper table without expressing gratitude to whoever did the cooking. Not only in the words used, but also in the tone of voice, respect permeates the whole interaction.

Particularly towards parents, it's obvious that respect is a key cultural value. It's traditional in the Baganda culture to kneel down when greeting an elder or bringing them their tea. (As a side note, ladies here don't squat like we do in the Solomons. They kneel or bend over, depending on what they're doing. My legs are sore now from bending over while doing laundry.) So my host sisters kneel when they bring my host parents their food, which to me is a sign of a strong culture and a strong family. In the same way, the parents always get their food first, and then the others are served.

Growing up, my parents taught me to be respectful, and because of our Southern roots I know how to say yes ma'am and yes sir. But watching the respect ingrained in my host family's culture here has taken it to another level. Especially for me, coming into a new culture, showing that I hold their culture in high esteem is something that's important to me. And even more valuable than the culture are the people. I want it to be clear
that I'm not merely here to objectively ask them questions about their way of life. I want to get to know them. While I'm here, I'm learning ways to show respect that will communicate clearly to those around me and bring honour to the people who are allowing me into their lives.