Pet Update!

Ok, well I have names for my pets now. When the other volunteers and I were hanging out one night in Masaka during our IST (a meeting that occurs after 3 months at site to talk about issues and develop plans for activities to do for the next 2 years) I asked them to help me think of names for my pet goat and kitten. For the goat I wanted a name that was appropriate, so I thought about where in America I would find one besides large farms. Not to stereotype, but I thought of the south. Since there are many PCVs in my year from the south I asked for some suggestions that are traditional southern names and one of my friends said, well here are the names of my uncles, “Carthell, Lamoine, Delton, Kenny Wayne…” and once he said Kenny Wayne, I knew that was it. So, although my goat is female, I call her Kenny Wayne and I think it’s funny.

Naming my kitten (who is just ridiculously cute) was a little tougher. I could have gone with the cliché tiger cat names like tigger or something but the name Carrera came to mind I thought about conversations I have had with people about names that I like. I remember back in college when a few friends and I were comparing names that we like and one of my very good friends said Carrera, like the car. Again, not exactly a pet name, but I like it. When I got back to site a few days ago and told everyone that I want to call her Carrera, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to keep that name. Then I realized that Ugandans have a hard time saying the name because there is no ‘r’ spoken in luganda, it is a mixture of an ‘l’ and ‘r’ sound. So, I kept the name because it makes me laugh inside a little when my neighbors try and say it—I know I know, I’m a jerk, but it’s the little things that make you happy.
While I was at IST my neighbors were calling my kitten Sheena. I actually really like that name for a pet, but because they named her sister (who I gave to my neighbor) Tina, I cannot call her Sheena. Cmon, sister cats living next door to the other named Tina and Sheena? No way, so Carrera it is. My cat is finally getting used to me and doesn’t run away all the time, even though I still have some scratches. However, she doesn’t eat all the time, is very picky, won’t come when I call her, bothers me and jumps on my lap when I am busy and don’t want to play with her. So she is such a pain sometimes, does what she wants when she wants and expects me to abide by her rules. No wonder people say having a pet is a bit like a child. (-: