Lira etiquette school to teach Ugandans how to eat

If you go to a five-star hotel in Kampala or anywhere else in the world, you will find a whole range of food to eat from with a whole set of cutlery on the table. If you lack knowledge, believe me and you, you won’t know where to start.

The best thing you can do in these situations is to take a step back, relax and wait for someone to come on the line and hope that you will do exactly what he or she does. However, that’s not the way it should be.

Believe me, if you take classes at the newly opened Polish Stride Etiquette School in Lira City, you will be the first on the line at that hotel – be it international or domestic – and other guests will copy what you do.

This etiquette school – the first of its kind in Greater Northern Uganda – has opened the door for all Ugandans to learn to eat, walk and sit.

Polish Stride Etiquette School Ltd, launched on Friday, November 15, 2024, located near Adyel Children Park in Lira City West Division, teaches different food styles including American and European or Continental.

The training ensures that students feel more comfortable at the table, whether they are in a professional or social environment.

Ms. Eunice Apili, the general manager of the Polish Stride Etiquette School, said they teach table manners, and also show you how to maneuver the cutlery.

“And once that’s done, you’ll be a very polished individual, you’ll be very confident, because one of the things that doesn’t make us confident is a lack of knowledge,” she told Monitor on November 15.

“If you don’t know anything, you will always fall back, but this is an era of no backsliding. You have to fight for your space. So, every chance you have, fight for your space, educate yourself and be good in the community.

Ms. Apili noted that many young people, including adults, do not know how to make the first impression during job interviews, something that can help you earn the job.

“I really want to thank God for this opportunity because it is a dream come true. This dream started about five years ago, and for the past four years I have been thinking about how best to fulfill this dream,” she added.

“The lessons we teach at the Polish Stride Etiquette School are of international standards – European and American standards. So when we talk about table etiquette, this is something that you can apply worldwide.”

According to Mrs. Apili, grandparents taught children table manners around the fireplace in the evenings. Currently those classes are no longer available because everyone is so busy.

“But with the opening of the Polish Stride Etiquette School at the moment, we think we will get those lessons to rebuild the morale we have in our children. So we want to have a confident society, a team that has a lot of support and a team that can compete – not only nationally but also internationally. We are open Monday to Saturday,” she says.

Common mistakes versus table manners

Ms. Apili said that we often make common mistakes all the time while eating, walking and sitting, and yet those mistakes humiliate people.

“Simple mistakes, like talking with food in our mouths. But there is a way you can do it. If you have food in your mouth and someone is talking to you, show him with the strength of the index finger that I have food in my mouth and then I will chew my food. When it’s done, I’ll respond to you,” she explained.

“When your cutlery falls, most of us rush to pick it up, and you end up picking up germs and putting them on the table, dirtying your hand. So if your cutlery falls down, usually raise your hand to a nearby server with a smile. If you do that, you will get their attention and they will come to your rescue. You can say, “Excuse me, I just dropped my fork.” Could I kindly have another?’ They will answer, ‘Sure, sure.’ Your waiter will pick up the dropped fork, take it wherever they take it, and serve you a new one.

Mr. Lawrence Egole, Lira City Commissioner, acknowledged that so many people, including some adults, lacked many good manners.

“Most children grow up independently. They have no parents on their side. The only manners they learn are from the internet, and in most cases the manners are very negative,” he said.

Mr Egole added: “If you go to many families today, children do not know how to welcome visitors. They don’t know how to greet. They don’t know the difference between a guest, a parent or anyone else. I urge many people to take advantage of this opportunity so that the younger generation can at least have good manners when they grow up.”

Mrs. Rebecca Alwedo, Deputy Mayor of Lira City, said: “This is one of the unique learning centers we are fortunate to have in this region. On behalf of the Mayor’s office, I would like to thank Ms. Eunice for bringing such a learning center to Lira City.”

Mr. Benson Moses Tiwo, Registrar of the Board of Lango Cultural Institution, said: “We are grateful for all you have done, and I want to say that you should carry our blessings to do even more than the level you are at now . ”