"Auntie, first wait, I have your ebbaluwo."

I was utterly confused when one of my P.4 students told me that she had my "ebbaluwo" (sp?). As I understand it, this word can mean "letter" or "envelope," neither of which I had given her. I tried to ask, but then she got confused and went running back into her classroom to bring me the mentioned object. Under the admonishment of other P.4 members, I waited. She came running back out waving a dirty and oft-folded envelope with the inscription "TO AUNT CHRISTINA" written under the crossed-out name of the previous recipient. I read the name even as she told me who gave it to her, "Nagaddya Phiona," a student who sat for her PLE last October and who had lived at the same home as the one who had just brought me the envelope.

This is the second letter I've gotten from the group who has now left for secondary school, and I've decided to let you share in my delight and amusement at seeing them put to actual use one of the skills we emphasise in English Composition lessons. [Just so you know, she mis-wrote the address, so don't try to send me mail at this one]. I've done my best to maintain the spelling, and punctuation, but blogspot is not cooperating with the formatting.

As you read, remember that this is a student who has finished essentially the equivalent of an American middle school education, who knows English as a second language, and who is approximately 13 years old.

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ST JUDE JUNIOUR,

P.O. Box 1982,

MASAKA UGANDA,

12th/02/08.

Dear AUNT CRISTINA,

How are you now days?

I think it is good.

I have written this letter to imform you that I thank you for what you taught me in English. I did wel in English. I did 6 in It now Iam going in a Secondary school. May the living God bless you. Good bye Aunt.

Your loving friend NAGADDYA PHIONA.