On Ugandan Communication

In my 21 years of life in the U.S., I have discovered that brevity is most appreciated when communicating with fellow Americans. The straightforward, two-line email elicits an immediate Blackberry response, whereas the reply to a 4-minute voicemail is indefinitely postponed.

It is exactly the opposite here in Uganda. The most efficient way to obtain information is to make a significant initial investment in befriending a Ugandan, and then ask your question. A simple question like "Where is the nearest ATM?" will almost surely be replied to with "I don't know" (a red flag, as Ugandans always have some sort of answer, even a wrong one!) if it is not prefaced with at least 10 minutes of small talk. From an economic standpoint, it makes the most sense to make a few friends with a solid knowledge base early on.

A demonstration of Ugandan knowledge and communication: Jenn plans to meet friends for dinner at 7. She knows that the hotel where they are staying is 10 minutes away. Jenn gets on boda at 6:45. Boda driver insists that he knows where La Fontaine is. Boda driver drops Jenn off at a random location across town at 7:15, insisting hotel is nearby. Jenn gets off and goes to ask for help. At 7:45, after discussing the U.S., Chicago, economics, MTN, and her boyfriend (at least 3 times), the valet driver at a nearby hotel (who has ignored at least 5 cars) calls a cab driver to take her to La Fontaine. Jenn arrives at 8, after driving back across town. Luckily, "Africa time" holds, and she was only a few minutes past the rest of the group arriving :)