Over the Easter break I decided it would be a good time to plant my maize out. Our lovely next door neighbour had volunteered her front garden a few weeks back for me to plant the maize in. I am following a new method (for here anyway) of planting, which I tell you gets me a few laughs, scoffs, funny looks from the passer-byers. I also get my fair share of compliments as most are surprised that I know how to dig (they fairly assume we just use tractors). They genuinely ask rhetorically ‘you know how to dig’!
So I’m planting away with my neighbour’s nephew (who I have roped in to help) and Jody comes out with the camera to get a picture for the blog. We are posed ready for the picture when I see the boy isn’t smiling (very normal for Africans not to smile) so I say in Acholi what I believe is smile and the boy starts cracking up. There is now teeth to be seen but he is now facing the ground or the sky laughing (not good for a pic). I quickly assume I’m not saying it right and he tells me I’m telling him to swallow – argh…So I try again a little bit differently and get the same reaction, this time I’m telling him to box (punch)! (obviously my lessons are coming on well). 
Dan and Jodes... in Gulu, Uganda 