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Uma is short for Umalohókan which is my Jedi name. It means "messenger of light/peace."
I'd love to tell you more about my involvement in the Jedi community. Feel free to ask when I'm not driving ☺️
I'm a Christian Jedi and my family and I attend Rock Church in El Cajon, which is also where I serve as a community chaplain. When I'm not driving a school bus, I'm working on my Master’s of Divinity degree with a chaplaincy focus.
Did I miss anything? Contact the Transportation Office to get in touch!
Do you have kids?
Yes, I have 2 stepsons who are 22 and 24 years old and they go to San Diego State University.
I’m also happily married since 2010.
Where are you from?
Originally? It's complicated.
I was born in the USA and grew up in Switzerland.
I've lived in San Diego since 2006 and in Ramona since 2024.
Honestly, my very favorite is smoked salmon. It's been my favorite since I was about 2 years old. And then I also like Swiss chocolate a lot. And Snickers.
If I have to choose a fruit, it's persimmon. I also like avocados. Is that a fruit or a vegetable? And tomatoes with Mozarella cheese, topped with fresh cut basil, olive oil and a pinch of salt.
I definitely enjoy a good ribeye steak, although I can't always find a good side dish for it. Usually, steamed green beans or asparagus and maybe some corn.
What is your favorite restaurant in Ramona?
My latest favorite place to eat is LaBasil Thai on D and 11th Street.
On a Tuesday, though, you might find me at Los Rancheros on Main and Pala getting the Taco Tuesday discount on birria bowls. I really do like birria. I also like the caldo de birria from Mi Ranchito and the birria tacos from Mañana's.
You'll never go wrong with Pho or Sushi with me either. I've enjoyed Ramona Pho & Grill, but I haven't found a sushi place in Ramona that I like. My favorite is Yummy Sushi in Coronado.
It’s interesting that as I get older I’m starting to like driving more and more. I find driving in and around Ramona therapeutic. Occasionally, Mrs. Uma and I will drive to Julian Bakery & Café and have a meal and of course the apple pie with vanilla ice cream. We like doing that with friends or family who come and visit us from out of town.
In general, we like to travel. Take a look at the travel tile below to learn more.
I enjoy watching the sunrises and the sunsets. And I like going to the beach too. Although, not as much to swim but to walk on the sand and let my feet get wet by the waves. I like swimming but in the pool and not as much in the ocean. And sitting in the hot tub!
Movies
As far as I remember I’ve always enjoyed going to movies or watching them at home. But I avoid going in September and October because I don’t like scary movies or the scary previews. I like action and action comedies, romance and movies based on true stories.
Video games?
Not really that much. When our kids were younger we played Minecraft and I still have the xbox ... somewhere.
A favorite is Great Little War Game that I play on my phone ... sometimes.
Other games
Chess. I like playing chess.
And I'm on Duolingo. Learning to play chess better and playing against other players. And I'm also learning Spanish, Hebrew, French, Dutch and Norwegian in Duolingo too.
Instruments
When I was younger, I learned to play the recorder, then the cornet and later the trumpet. And when I was a teenager, I decided that I wanted my instrument to better match the kind of music I was listening to and so I started to learn to play the drums.
I played in different bands for about 20 years including worship bands in church. But I've switched gears in about 2015 where I started learning more about pastoral care and chaplaincy and no more drums.
Today, I dug up our old ukulele. I don't really play but I want to learn it. We bought it a while ago and thought we would learn it but life happened and other things became more important. Maybe one of these days I can start.
What do you have for breakfast before your morning route?
First thing in the morning I drink a cup of warm water with a 1/4 teaspoon of salt and juice from half of a lime or lemon. That really gets helps my body wake up! Then I drink a small cup of coffee — that wakes my brain up! And then I make myself a smoothie with a custom protein powder (see my special blend HERE) and I put a 1/2 teaspoon of green tea matcha in it. I find that the coffee give me a jumpstart and the green tea give me some more caffeine later in the morning.
What do you have for lunch before your afternoon route?
Usually I try to have a high protein and low carb meal, maybe something like scrambled eggs with some onions and spinach, and I’ll melt some sheep cheese on top. I like potatoes but not for lunch. If I eat potatoes or something high carb for lunch I feel sluggish in the afternoon. And we don’t want that for our bus driver! I also avoid sodas for the same reason. I’ll have some Sprite or Dr. Pepper on the weekend occasionally.
What do you drink during your route?
My current favorite is LMNT watermelon or mango-chili flavor. I used to get cramps in my legs A LOT but ever since I started drinking LMNT during the day and before bed the cramps have stopped.
Alcohol?
I don’t drink alcohol. It’s not that I’m not allowed to at all but I don’t really have any desire for it. And as a commercial driver I have to take random drug and alcohol tests.
Yes! Did I mention that I grew up in Switzerland? During that time, I've traveled to many different European countries. But also, because my family lives on 2 separate continents, I've traveled a lot between North America and Europe over the years.
But wait, that's not all! Mrs. Uma is originally from Mexico, so now I also have Mexican relatives. And yes, we travel to Mexico a lot.
Languages
In case you were wondering … my first words were in Swiss German. Switzerland has 4 national languages: German, French, Italian and Romansch (think: ancient Latin like the Romans spoke). I grew up in the German speaking part of Switzerland so I naturally learned German and Swiss German dialect, and I also learned English because we are an international family 🤷♂️ In 5th grade I learned French in school and in 8th grade, Italian, and when I moved to San Diego, I've been learning Spanish ever since!
Swiss Army Knife
Yes, Yes. I get this all the time: Do you have a Swiss Army knife? Yes, I have about 5 different kinds. And guess what! I served in the Swiss Army over 5 years and I was issued a standard Swiss Army knife there too!