My New Friend Omax

Posted by larsviggo on May 24, 2010 · 11 Comments 

Yesterday Adam went to “the beach,” which I think means he went to nearby Lake Victoria.  I opted not to go and reveled at the chance to have a day to myself just to read, write, pray, reflect, and whatever else I felt like doing.  I’m so glad I stayed behind because otherwise I wouldn’t have met my new friend Omax (pronounced long “O” and then “max”).

Around dinner time I headed down the road to a restaurant that Adam and I had gone to on Friday night.  That’s when I had originally met Omax, who was our waiter.  But we didn’t really talk much until last night.  Since I was by myself for dinner, Omax sat down and joined me.  I learned a lot about Omax in the next hour and a half.  He comes from a village in western Uganda near Queen Elizabeth National Park, and he’s in Kampala going to a university here to study travel and tourism.  I think he’s going to be great at it.  When I told him that I planned to go to Queen Elizabeth at some point this summer, he went to the back of the restaurant to grab one of his tourism books that was all about Uganda’s national parks.  He had so much to tell me about the Park.  He showed me pictures of the wildlife and helped me pronounce the names of some of the animals.  For instance, the word for ox in Luganda (the dominant language here)?  It’s kobs.  Apparently, there are lots of kobs in Uganda.  After all, they are important enough to show up on the 10,000 schilling bill here.

I also learned a little about Omax’s family.  He’s the 4^th of 7 children.  And his father was killed about 6 years ago in an auto accident.  He says that his father prepared his family really well for the day they might be without him.  So, he and all his siblings have been able to continue attending school and college.  But by no means does that mean they’re wealthy.  Omax works as a waiter to support himself, after all.  He works full-time at the restaurant during the day, and he goes to college at night.  So, long story short, he’s working really hard to build a better life for himself and his family.  I hope he succeeds in that endeavor.  Admittedly, I’ve only spent a short time with Omax, but I’m pretty confident he will.  I saw a spark in him that is the mark of a person driven to making the most of this life.  I doubt the obstacles he faces now will be much of a match for his spirit and determination.

I’ll end with another food picture.  This is what I ate at the restaurant last night.  I normally don’t eat peas (they’re gross, after all).  But since that was the only sauce they had left, that’s what I ate.  And let me tell you something, the British could learn a little from Uganda when it comes to peas.  You would think after all those years colonizing this country, the Brits would have picked up a little on how to make peas properly.  These were by far the best peas I’ve ever tasted.  And by “best peas,” I mean I actually liked them!

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