6/30/11 (a day late)
Cheers to writing day! I’m turning a little British. I also like the word rubbish, along with some fun new expletives that sound a little classier. I was barely functional last night from exhaustion, so I’m writing this morning instead. It’s Friday, and I have a designated writing day to put together some of my paper. So of course I’m starting with my blog instead. :) I’m terrible at academia. The only thing going for me is that most of my friends and family are asleep right now, so that’s one less distraction.
Yesterday was pretty low key. I went with several of the staff to do a school screening. They do this once a term, and it’s kind of like doing physicals but less thorough. They palpated for pregnancies (which I found odd), had the dentist on hand for problem teeth, and gave medicine if it was needed. The team of 7 people saw about 300 students in one day, and that was only half the school. We did get to ride in the back of the ambulance on unpaved roads, which I’m starting to find a lot of fun. Motorbikes are fun, too, but I try really hard not to use those for the safety factor.
I came home pretty late after work to an email from Lucy, which was lovely because we thought she’d fallen off the earth, but she’s just been busy. Her dad is completely back to normal, and she’s interviewing for midwife jobs since she’ll graduate soon. Dani and Verity and I did our usual dinner/Sex and the City, and I passed out quickly.
I’m thankful...
1. for a less emotional day. All in all, it’s been one of my favorite work weeks this week, although I have yet to do all 5 days at the clinic.
2. for roommates who can cook. I can only follow a recipe (and that’s only if I have the desire which is never), but they can throw stuff together and make it taste great, so they cook, and I do dishes. I love this set up.
3. for the ability to make kids laugh by doing nothing at all. At one point we had to walk a decent way to meet our ride, and a house full of kids scrambled to the door to stare at me. I waved and said ‘agandi’ (hi), and they cracked up. I’ve grown to like my celebrity status in the villages. Some of the girls at the school got in line to be screened just to shake my hand, too. I’ve also made friends with the custodian’s kids at the clinic. They don’t speak a lick of English, but they can blow kisses now, even though they have no clue what it means. Oh, and one day at lunch a kid named Crispus climbed in my lap for no good reason, but it made my day.
4. for my lunch lady, Gillian. She actually owns and runs a restaurant right next to the clinic, and it’s completely Ugandan food (fish still with eyes, goat meat, really chewy beef, g-nut sauce, etc), and hers is one of the few places that make it taste really really good. She doesn’t speak much English, but we’ve gotten used to each other. I asked for silverware my first day (they don’t really use silverware that far outside of town, I learned quickly after), but every day since then I get my plate of food with another small plate with a knife, spoon, and fork. She also no longer serves me matoke because she noticed I only ate about half of it. Oh, and I had a Coke on first day, too, and every day since she doesn’t ask what I want, she just plunks a Coke down on the table. She moves at a turtle’s pace, and is absolutely no nonsense. I really like her.
I have to stop procrastinating and get to work now. Much love!
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
"May God's love be with you always"
6/29/11
The song above is the only sentiment I could think of for some of my patients today. I am absolutely exhausted, but I desperately wanted to write about today, because I saw so much in a day. I woke up cranky, because, again, there was rain, and let’s face it, my caffeine shortage is not helpful. But I got to the clinic and Amir asked me if I wanted to go on ward rounds, which is where the doctors go visit and assess each patient in the clinic for long term care. I learned a lot about ‘blind care’ which means if the patient doesn’t have the money, the tests don’t get run and you treat the patient with what you think they have. I know every person who reads this has access to drugs and doctors and hospitals, so please thank God for that. Also, my hospital at home looks like the Ritz compared to the clinic, and I never once saw any of the doctors wash their hands between patients. There was a lot of sadness on that ward. A man with end stage AIDS came in for pain control and just broke my heart. He couldn’t follow the conversation, and when Amir listened to his lungs, I could see them inflating under his skin. His eyes were yellow from liver dysfunction, and it is an image that will haunt me tonight, and I’ve seen a lot of sad things in my day. A kid with pneumonia also had a newly diagnosed heart murmur, but his parents couldn’t afford any tests, so Amir is going to have to follow up with them later to see if it “worries him” 50,000 schillings worth ($25) to tell the parents their son needs tests. $25!!! I wanted to hand him the cash right then, but then I realized every patient there needed a test, and that added up to a little more than $25.
After rounds, Dr. Alex drove me to another district where I did school visits and interviewed several people about the school insurance programs, and I got a ton of good stuff, and I think my report (fingers crossed) might actually lead to something useful. I also got to hold a sweet baby for awhile, and I got so homesick for my sweet bald babies (aka patients) at home. We ran some errands too, and I met a man who had not only heard of Georgia, but knew we grew peanuts, and knew that Jimmy Carter had started out a as peanut farmer. Turns out there’s a world renowned lecturer walking the streets of the Bushyeni district, and I had no clue. Oh, and within five minutes I got an invitation to his daughter’s wedding in September. The people here amaze me. Alex also drove me by a neat Catholic church that had a beautiful outdoor sanctuary.
I came home, joined Dani and Verity at the pool until we got rained out, and then Adam, the physician/lecturer that rode with us to the island, had us over for dinner tonight. He made Indian food (in Uganda, go figure), and it was fantastic! He promised he’d send me very simple (vegetarian, hmm) recipes that even I can’t screw up.
Oh, and I’m going to try giving blood while I’m here. That’s something free that I can donate. I’m O positive, they need it, and if I pass out (which I’ve done every time), I know who to call. I’ll keep you posted on that. If you feel so inspired to donate blood at home, please do it! My kids at home need transfusions and platelets every day!
I’m thankful...
1. for my health and the wealth to maintain my health. I wish fairness existed, but I am so lucky for all I’ve been given, and I hope I never forget that.
2. for FINALLY feeling useful. I think even Alex was surprised at all we uncovered today.
3. for a full stomach. I’m pretty sure that even with all my sickness, I’m still gaining weight. I’m thrilled to feel full, though.
Love you all!
The song above is the only sentiment I could think of for some of my patients today. I am absolutely exhausted, but I desperately wanted to write about today, because I saw so much in a day. I woke up cranky, because, again, there was rain, and let’s face it, my caffeine shortage is not helpful. But I got to the clinic and Amir asked me if I wanted to go on ward rounds, which is where the doctors go visit and assess each patient in the clinic for long term care. I learned a lot about ‘blind care’ which means if the patient doesn’t have the money, the tests don’t get run and you treat the patient with what you think they have. I know every person who reads this has access to drugs and doctors and hospitals, so please thank God for that. Also, my hospital at home looks like the Ritz compared to the clinic, and I never once saw any of the doctors wash their hands between patients. There was a lot of sadness on that ward. A man with end stage AIDS came in for pain control and just broke my heart. He couldn’t follow the conversation, and when Amir listened to his lungs, I could see them inflating under his skin. His eyes were yellow from liver dysfunction, and it is an image that will haunt me tonight, and I’ve seen a lot of sad things in my day. A kid with pneumonia also had a newly diagnosed heart murmur, but his parents couldn’t afford any tests, so Amir is going to have to follow up with them later to see if it “worries him” 50,000 schillings worth ($25) to tell the parents their son needs tests. $25!!! I wanted to hand him the cash right then, but then I realized every patient there needed a test, and that added up to a little more than $25.
After rounds, Dr. Alex drove me to another district where I did school visits and interviewed several people about the school insurance programs, and I got a ton of good stuff, and I think my report (fingers crossed) might actually lead to something useful. I also got to hold a sweet baby for awhile, and I got so homesick for my sweet bald babies (aka patients) at home. We ran some errands too, and I met a man who had not only heard of Georgia, but knew we grew peanuts, and knew that Jimmy Carter had started out a as peanut farmer. Turns out there’s a world renowned lecturer walking the streets of the Bushyeni district, and I had no clue. Oh, and within five minutes I got an invitation to his daughter’s wedding in September. The people here amaze me. Alex also drove me by a neat Catholic church that had a beautiful outdoor sanctuary.
I came home, joined Dani and Verity at the pool until we got rained out, and then Adam, the physician/lecturer that rode with us to the island, had us over for dinner tonight. He made Indian food (in Uganda, go figure), and it was fantastic! He promised he’d send me very simple (vegetarian, hmm) recipes that even I can’t screw up.
Oh, and I’m going to try giving blood while I’m here. That’s something free that I can donate. I’m O positive, they need it, and if I pass out (which I’ve done every time), I know who to call. I’ll keep you posted on that. If you feel so inspired to donate blood at home, please do it! My kids at home need transfusions and platelets every day!
I’m thankful...
1. for my health and the wealth to maintain my health. I wish fairness existed, but I am so lucky for all I’ve been given, and I hope I never forget that.
2. for FINALLY feeling useful. I think even Alex was surprised at all we uncovered today.
3. for a full stomach. I’m pretty sure that even with all my sickness, I’m still gaining weight. I’m thrilled to feel full, though.
Love you all!
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Stay Young, Go Dancing
6/28/11
Ever heard of DJ Bobo? We looked him up today, and had a dance party. Ugandan music is lacking. Actually a different song title above, but I haven't danced in awhile, and it was fun. I woke up to a thunderstorm, so yesterday’s sun was short lived. The clinic was cold and kind of empty today. Most of the physicians went into the community today (there was no room in the truck for me), so I had Dr. Amir’s office all to myself (with a private flushing toilet!) for awhile, but then Dr. Keith came in and we had a quiet day with computers, tea, and as much chit chat as a Ugandan can tolerate. They’re very direct here, not big on small talk, but we managed. I got to leave a little earlier today, and came home and napped and had some lovely conversation with the roommates. We had another take out and Sex and the City night (our after dark African evenings). An uneventful day, and I prefer it that way.
I’m thankful...
1. for rainy mornings where I can stay in bed a little longer. Dr. Alex was affected by the rain, too, and he called to say we would just leave an hour later. I love dozing in the rain.
2. for g-nut sauce (ground nuts). I’m not sure I want to know the nuts involved, but it tastes pretty good, and it’s one of the few foods that I crave that’s from here. Also on the list is pineapples. I’m telling you, U.S. pineapple is not pineapple.
3. for a night cool enough for my UGA hoodie. That thing is so old and huge, but it’s kind of like my security blanket. I wear it to work back home to give me something comfortable to start my long days in or to hide in when something bad happens or to lounge in when I have to study. It is literally security when I am unsure/stressed/overwhelmed. Anyway, I miss it in the summer, so at least I got to pull it out tonight.
Goodnight my loves!
Ever heard of DJ Bobo? We looked him up today, and had a dance party. Ugandan music is lacking. Actually a different song title above, but I haven't danced in awhile, and it was fun. I woke up to a thunderstorm, so yesterday’s sun was short lived. The clinic was cold and kind of empty today. Most of the physicians went into the community today (there was no room in the truck for me), so I had Dr. Amir’s office all to myself (with a private flushing toilet!) for awhile, but then Dr. Keith came in and we had a quiet day with computers, tea, and as much chit chat as a Ugandan can tolerate. They’re very direct here, not big on small talk, but we managed. I got to leave a little earlier today, and came home and napped and had some lovely conversation with the roommates. We had another take out and Sex and the City night (our after dark African evenings). An uneventful day, and I prefer it that way.
I’m thankful...
1. for rainy mornings where I can stay in bed a little longer. Dr. Alex was affected by the rain, too, and he called to say we would just leave an hour later. I love dozing in the rain.
2. for g-nut sauce (ground nuts). I’m not sure I want to know the nuts involved, but it tastes pretty good, and it’s one of the few foods that I crave that’s from here. Also on the list is pineapples. I’m telling you, U.S. pineapple is not pineapple.
3. for a night cool enough for my UGA hoodie. That thing is so old and huge, but it’s kind of like my security blanket. I wear it to work back home to give me something comfortable to start my long days in or to hide in when something bad happens or to lounge in when I have to study. It is literally security when I am unsure/stressed/overwhelmed. Anyway, I miss it in the summer, so at least I got to pull it out tonight.
Goodnight my loves!
Monday, June 27, 2011
Good Day Sunshine
6/27/11
Today was the first day with no rain in awhile. Way to go dry season (which supposedly started last month). So my boss has definitely kept me out too late. Today was a good day at the clinic, even though I spent most of it on my computer. The fun part was researching health programs, and ignoring those obnoxious green charts I've been mindlessly working on. Also got a school visit in, and a meeting with the guys who designed the school insurance program on Wednesday. Woo! Anyway, Stephen (in what I think is an attempt to make me less homesick) drove me by his house that is being built, gave me some honey from his family's farm, and took me out to dinner with some of his friends so that I could advise their daughter on college life in the states. Definitely a good day. Although the highlight might have been a sign posted at a school that said "Avoid Sugar Dadies." Practical advice (ask me later, and I'll explain how Sugar Daddies lead to HIV/AIDS in young women, but it's a long rant and I'm sleepy), but it still made me giggle. Didn't take a picture because I was trying to be respectful.
Today's list. I'm thankful...
1. for overcoming my fear of slimy critters long enough to remove the 6 inch slug from our shower this morning. Since I've been here, I've peed outside and removed weird animals from my house. I'm freakin Wonder Woman.
2. for nice supervisors who genuinely want to make this a good experience. He even invited me and my parents to stay next summer when his house is built. I didn't tell him that there was pretty much no way in hell my mom will get on a plane, let alone come to Uganda.
3. for friends who email to say they'll write more later. Made me happy even though I get full emails that make me happy, too.
Love you all!
Today was the first day with no rain in awhile. Way to go dry season (which supposedly started last month). So my boss has definitely kept me out too late. Today was a good day at the clinic, even though I spent most of it on my computer. The fun part was researching health programs, and ignoring those obnoxious green charts I've been mindlessly working on. Also got a school visit in, and a meeting with the guys who designed the school insurance program on Wednesday. Woo! Anyway, Stephen (in what I think is an attempt to make me less homesick) drove me by his house that is being built, gave me some honey from his family's farm, and took me out to dinner with some of his friends so that I could advise their daughter on college life in the states. Definitely a good day. Although the highlight might have been a sign posted at a school that said "Avoid Sugar Dadies." Practical advice (ask me later, and I'll explain how Sugar Daddies lead to HIV/AIDS in young women, but it's a long rant and I'm sleepy), but it still made me giggle. Didn't take a picture because I was trying to be respectful.
Today's list. I'm thankful...
1. for overcoming my fear of slimy critters long enough to remove the 6 inch slug from our shower this morning. Since I've been here, I've peed outside and removed weird animals from my house. I'm freakin Wonder Woman.
2. for nice supervisors who genuinely want to make this a good experience. He even invited me and my parents to stay next summer when his house is built. I didn't tell him that there was pretty much no way in hell my mom will get on a plane, let alone come to Uganda.
3. for friends who email to say they'll write more later. Made me happy even though I get full emails that make me happy, too.
Love you all!
Sunday, June 26, 2011
"Listen to the rhythm of the falling rain..."
6/26/11ish
Ish is becoming one of my new favorite adjectives. I should be exhausted, and I kind of am. It was a wonderful weekend. We went to Bushara Island in the middle of Lake Bunyoni. It’s a beautiful island with this fantastic resort kind of place with furnished tents and fantastic food and beautiful views of the lake and a ton of birds to look at. They’re much prettier to look at than they are waking you up in choruses at 5 am, but lovely nonetheless. Believe it or not, I think I can safely say we went camping. The tents were nice (even with 3 girls crammed into a tent for 2), but we still had to wash our hands and bathe out of a bucket, and we had to walk a mile to get food, so I’m counting it. We did have a beautiful view and an outdoor ‘patio’ for reading. It was a very peaceful place, and I’m grateful.
We left Friday afternoon, and when I say ‘we’ I mean Dani and Verity, my roommates, and Adam, a physician at the University hospital here. Adam is about 60 years old, brilliant, and very very kind. I was reminded of how nice it was to travel with a man (do not mistake that in any way for needing a man of any sort). Things happen faster, negotiating is shorter, and people here just deal differently with men than with women. Anyway, he made life easier. Also, he’d been there before and he helped us find our way. He also shared his box of wine with us at dinner, which was a nice treat. I felt a little out of my league with this crowd. He’s a medical professor from the UK and my roommates are med students, and they all discussed respiratory diseases like they were reciting a textbook I’d long forgotten from nursing school. I held my own, though, when it came to discussing universal healthcare, and the pitfalls of both of our nation’s systems. I also rocked the conversation about Stage IV Neuroblastoma, but I better have after 3 years. Anyway, other than the medical talk, I swam in my new bathing suit, read a lot of a book, napped on the dock, and basically just enjoyed a beautiful lazy weekend. Adam and Verity are also healthnuts, and one weekend with the two of them made me want to take up exercising a ridiculous amount every day and go vegan. I think those urges will pass, call me crazy.
We drove back today in a lightning storm (kinda scary), but it quit just in time for me to walk into town and find that the store that I needed was closed. So instead I walked back, figured out the issue with my Internet, but then we lost power with the second wave of the thunderstorm. We still had dinner, and tried to have “Film and Gin” night, but we skipped the gin and just watched Big Fish in the dark. Dani, Verity, and I have had quite a romantic weekend, ending it in a candlelight dinner and movie. Still a good day.
I enjoyed my weekend away from Mbarara, and my computer, especially at the urging of my big sister, Amy, who rightly told me that I was getting a little whiny, and I needed to be a little more present here in Uganda. I think she was right, but I’m still looking forward to home more than anything for a lot of different reasons other than warm showers, a normal feeling stomach, and junk food.
And my list. I’m thankful...
1. for Range Rovers. We hired a driver and car through a physician at the hospital, and while I will never EVER again in my life compliment such a gas guzzler, it was a comfortable ride, and pretty cheap split between four people.
2. for a sense of humor. I’m not at all outdoorsy (big surprise), but laughing at our ‘toilet’ and trying to hang bednets in a tent definitely not made for them was fun.
3. for people who are smarter than me. They always say to surround yourself with those, don’t they?
4. for a nice rain jacket. It came in handy since it was about half sunny and half rainy while we were there.
5. for real food! This place is actually a non-profit run by a nearby church, and the profits are given to use in the local community. It’s sustainable, beautiful, well run, and caters to lots of muzungus, so they had quesadillas, cinnamon buns, and real chocolate!
6. for sun bathing. It’s nice at a mountain lake when you’re not covered in sweat or sunburns.
7. for big fires. It got pretty cold at night, and the fire was huge and beautiful. Wish my dad could have been there, because he loves homemade fires (even if it’s just a pile of leaves in our backyard).
8. for rest. I rested most of last week, and now this weekend. I feel better, especially now that my stomach seems okay, and I’m ready to brave the clinic again tomorrow.
9. for a rainy lazy night. I love the sound of rain, I loved the conversations tonight, in real life and online, and I’ll love going to bed very very soon.
Goodnight all!
Ish is becoming one of my new favorite adjectives. I should be exhausted, and I kind of am. It was a wonderful weekend. We went to Bushara Island in the middle of Lake Bunyoni. It’s a beautiful island with this fantastic resort kind of place with furnished tents and fantastic food and beautiful views of the lake and a ton of birds to look at. They’re much prettier to look at than they are waking you up in choruses at 5 am, but lovely nonetheless. Believe it or not, I think I can safely say we went camping. The tents were nice (even with 3 girls crammed into a tent for 2), but we still had to wash our hands and bathe out of a bucket, and we had to walk a mile to get food, so I’m counting it. We did have a beautiful view and an outdoor ‘patio’ for reading. It was a very peaceful place, and I’m grateful.
We left Friday afternoon, and when I say ‘we’ I mean Dani and Verity, my roommates, and Adam, a physician at the University hospital here. Adam is about 60 years old, brilliant, and very very kind. I was reminded of how nice it was to travel with a man (do not mistake that in any way for needing a man of any sort). Things happen faster, negotiating is shorter, and people here just deal differently with men than with women. Anyway, he made life easier. Also, he’d been there before and he helped us find our way. He also shared his box of wine with us at dinner, which was a nice treat. I felt a little out of my league with this crowd. He’s a medical professor from the UK and my roommates are med students, and they all discussed respiratory diseases like they were reciting a textbook I’d long forgotten from nursing school. I held my own, though, when it came to discussing universal healthcare, and the pitfalls of both of our nation’s systems. I also rocked the conversation about Stage IV Neuroblastoma, but I better have after 3 years. Anyway, other than the medical talk, I swam in my new bathing suit, read a lot of a book, napped on the dock, and basically just enjoyed a beautiful lazy weekend. Adam and Verity are also healthnuts, and one weekend with the two of them made me want to take up exercising a ridiculous amount every day and go vegan. I think those urges will pass, call me crazy.
We drove back today in a lightning storm (kinda scary), but it quit just in time for me to walk into town and find that the store that I needed was closed. So instead I walked back, figured out the issue with my Internet, but then we lost power with the second wave of the thunderstorm. We still had dinner, and tried to have “Film and Gin” night, but we skipped the gin and just watched Big Fish in the dark. Dani, Verity, and I have had quite a romantic weekend, ending it in a candlelight dinner and movie. Still a good day.
I enjoyed my weekend away from Mbarara, and my computer, especially at the urging of my big sister, Amy, who rightly told me that I was getting a little whiny, and I needed to be a little more present here in Uganda. I think she was right, but I’m still looking forward to home more than anything for a lot of different reasons other than warm showers, a normal feeling stomach, and junk food.
And my list. I’m thankful...
1. for Range Rovers. We hired a driver and car through a physician at the hospital, and while I will never EVER again in my life compliment such a gas guzzler, it was a comfortable ride, and pretty cheap split between four people.
2. for a sense of humor. I’m not at all outdoorsy (big surprise), but laughing at our ‘toilet’ and trying to hang bednets in a tent definitely not made for them was fun.
3. for people who are smarter than me. They always say to surround yourself with those, don’t they?
4. for a nice rain jacket. It came in handy since it was about half sunny and half rainy while we were there.
5. for real food! This place is actually a non-profit run by a nearby church, and the profits are given to use in the local community. It’s sustainable, beautiful, well run, and caters to lots of muzungus, so they had quesadillas, cinnamon buns, and real chocolate!
6. for sun bathing. It’s nice at a mountain lake when you’re not covered in sweat or sunburns.
7. for big fires. It got pretty cold at night, and the fire was huge and beautiful. Wish my dad could have been there, because he loves homemade fires (even if it’s just a pile of leaves in our backyard).
8. for rest. I rested most of last week, and now this weekend. I feel better, especially now that my stomach seems okay, and I’m ready to brave the clinic again tomorrow.
9. for a rainy lazy night. I love the sound of rain, I loved the conversations tonight, in real life and online, and I’ll love going to bed very very soon.
Goodnight all!
Thursday, June 23, 2011
6/23/11
Definitely a better day. I have regrouped, had a nice break, but still been productive, and feel better. I am amazed and never thought it would happen, but not only did we get water back, but we have hot water in the shower! And the toilet is flushing! And I can really wash my hands and not just use hand sanitizer! The workers did walk in while I was bathing with a bucket and a cup (the caretaker has a key, they didn't just walk in), but other than that, I was very pleased. I hope I never again take for granted the luxuries I have here and at home. I leave again tomorrow to go to Bushara Island with Dani and Verity. It's supposed to be a nice place to go for a weekend, and I'm looking forward to a tan in my new bathing suit bought in Mbarara since I didn't bring mine from home. I know, it's a rough life.
Here's my list. I'm thankful...
1. for research days. I actually got a lot done, and I hope some new programs can be started here to teach the kids more about sexual health and oral hygiene, since those seem to be the biggest problems the clinic sees (other than malaria), and they're preventable.
2. for random bathing suits. I'm pretty sure it was a kids' clothing store, but they had one cheap that fit, and I didn't see another one in town.
3. for walks in the rain. Granted, the Mbarara dirt roads aren't quite as nice to play on as the paved ones at home, but rain still feels good on your face, if not your feet, every now and then.
4. for hot showers.
5. to be able to wash my hands. Nursing has changed my life in that I desperately need to clean my hands regularly. That's another thing we're all lucky to have in the U.S. We have the ability to clean our hands and prevent diseases just based on where we were born. I can't tell you how many lives would be saved here if there was running water and soap everywhere.
6. for washing dishes. It's strange, but I love to do it. There's something very therapeutic about the sound of water, and scrubbing things clean.
Apparently, I'm all about being clean. Hope it's been a good one for you as well! Much love!
Definitely a better day. I have regrouped, had a nice break, but still been productive, and feel better. I am amazed and never thought it would happen, but not only did we get water back, but we have hot water in the shower! And the toilet is flushing! And I can really wash my hands and not just use hand sanitizer! The workers did walk in while I was bathing with a bucket and a cup (the caretaker has a key, they didn't just walk in), but other than that, I was very pleased. I hope I never again take for granted the luxuries I have here and at home. I leave again tomorrow to go to Bushara Island with Dani and Verity. It's supposed to be a nice place to go for a weekend, and I'm looking forward to a tan in my new bathing suit bought in Mbarara since I didn't bring mine from home. I know, it's a rough life.
Here's my list. I'm thankful...
1. for research days. I actually got a lot done, and I hope some new programs can be started here to teach the kids more about sexual health and oral hygiene, since those seem to be the biggest problems the clinic sees (other than malaria), and they're preventable.
2. for random bathing suits. I'm pretty sure it was a kids' clothing store, but they had one cheap that fit, and I didn't see another one in town.
3. for walks in the rain. Granted, the Mbarara dirt roads aren't quite as nice to play on as the paved ones at home, but rain still feels good on your face, if not your feet, every now and then.
4. for hot showers.
5. to be able to wash my hands. Nursing has changed my life in that I desperately need to clean my hands regularly. That's another thing we're all lucky to have in the U.S. We have the ability to clean our hands and prevent diseases just based on where we were born. I can't tell you how many lives would be saved here if there was running water and soap everywhere.
6. for washing dishes. It's strange, but I love to do it. There's something very therapeutic about the sound of water, and scrubbing things clean.
Apparently, I'm all about being clean. Hope it's been a good one for you as well! Much love!
"It's gotta get bad before it gets good"
6/22/11-ish
I’m sorry I forgot to blog last night. I stayed up too late talking to friends who were actually awake. I’m not complaining, but I’m not sure that my ability to stay so connected is totally beneficial for my homesickness. It just makes half a world away seem that much further sometimes. And while I have good friends and good coworkers here, I miss the people who know me and connect with me and who know how to make me laugh and smile. I’ll just be grateful that I at least have that online, and that in person is not THAT much further away.
Anyway, so the meltdown continued. I woke up several times early Wednesday morning with stomach troubles, and between that and my anxiety over no water and those stupid green charts, I just stayed home on Wednesday. We had absolutely no water until about noon, and then we lost power until that evening, also. I was still able to email, so I emailed Stephen, my UGA supervisor, and told him that I’d had enough and I was ready to leave. I’m grateful for my meltdown even if only that it resulted in a long talk with Stephen last night. In an effort to not complain, I hadn’t really been telling him how pointless I felt that work was, and with all of his many projects, I don’t think he realized what I had actually been doing. He agreed to plug me into several different things, told me not to do any more data entry (yay!!!!), and said to instead focus on evaluation, research, and prevention related to the school health program all in a paper that might even be published at some point. I’m not sure I can picture being published, but it’s a fun thought, even if I don’t get that far. He said if I absolutely had to leave I could, but he reminded me that I’ve spent a lot of money and time already, and wouldn’t it be a shame to waste it. Yes. My mom also reminded me that if I were to leave early I would never forgive myself, which is true, too. I’m willing to give it more time with this new stuff, but I would still rather be on a plane home, just for the record. My favorite line from last night was “you need an uncle here, and now that I’m in Mbarara, you have that. You call me for anything. I’ll even take you to barbecues.”
I came home from tea (it still trips me out that tea time happens here) to find power at home. We had food delivered since it was starting to rain (again, cell phones here are a nightmare for communicating. It took 15 minutes of back and forth and probably offensive slow and loud speech to tell him what we wanted), I kept down some chips and some toast, we watched our usual Sex and the City, and then I got to catch up with several friends. Today is an at home research day, so I slept in a little to make up for staying up ‘late’ last night.
Here’s my list. I’m thankful...
1. for heart to hearts. I need some serious lessons in the difference between complaining, and being assertive. That’s something I struggle with at home. Anyone know of good (not cheesy) assertiveness training?
2. for peanut butter and honey toast. It’s one thing I truly enjoy.
3. for no more stupid green charts. I hope this works out.
4. for sweatpants. They feel good in every country.
I’m sorry I forgot to blog last night. I stayed up too late talking to friends who were actually awake. I’m not complaining, but I’m not sure that my ability to stay so connected is totally beneficial for my homesickness. It just makes half a world away seem that much further sometimes. And while I have good friends and good coworkers here, I miss the people who know me and connect with me and who know how to make me laugh and smile. I’ll just be grateful that I at least have that online, and that in person is not THAT much further away.
Anyway, so the meltdown continued. I woke up several times early Wednesday morning with stomach troubles, and between that and my anxiety over no water and those stupid green charts, I just stayed home on Wednesday. We had absolutely no water until about noon, and then we lost power until that evening, also. I was still able to email, so I emailed Stephen, my UGA supervisor, and told him that I’d had enough and I was ready to leave. I’m grateful for my meltdown even if only that it resulted in a long talk with Stephen last night. In an effort to not complain, I hadn’t really been telling him how pointless I felt that work was, and with all of his many projects, I don’t think he realized what I had actually been doing. He agreed to plug me into several different things, told me not to do any more data entry (yay!!!!), and said to instead focus on evaluation, research, and prevention related to the school health program all in a paper that might even be published at some point. I’m not sure I can picture being published, but it’s a fun thought, even if I don’t get that far. He said if I absolutely had to leave I could, but he reminded me that I’ve spent a lot of money and time already, and wouldn’t it be a shame to waste it. Yes. My mom also reminded me that if I were to leave early I would never forgive myself, which is true, too. I’m willing to give it more time with this new stuff, but I would still rather be on a plane home, just for the record. My favorite line from last night was “you need an uncle here, and now that I’m in Mbarara, you have that. You call me for anything. I’ll even take you to barbecues.”
I came home from tea (it still trips me out that tea time happens here) to find power at home. We had food delivered since it was starting to rain (again, cell phones here are a nightmare for communicating. It took 15 minutes of back and forth and probably offensive slow and loud speech to tell him what we wanted), I kept down some chips and some toast, we watched our usual Sex and the City, and then I got to catch up with several friends. Today is an at home research day, so I slept in a little to make up for staying up ‘late’ last night.
Here’s my list. I’m thankful...
1. for heart to hearts. I need some serious lessons in the difference between complaining, and being assertive. That’s something I struggle with at home. Anyone know of good (not cheesy) assertiveness training?
2. for peanut butter and honey toast. It’s one thing I truly enjoy.
3. for no more stupid green charts. I hope this works out.
4. for sweatpants. They feel good in every country.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
6/21/11
I had breakdown number 2 tonight. After a day of trying to be happy typing charts into a computer for hours, I came home exhausted and cranky, and nothing seemed to get me out of my funk. I had a good vegetable stew prepared by Dani, with real vegetables, and even some garlic. I had a small nap, a small drink, and was going to try to shower and get to bed early and try fresh tomorrow. But then, naked, and covered in soap and cold water, the shower decided to just quit. I just stood there and sobbed for a solid five minutes. It’s the same stuff as last time. I hate working on a computer for pretty much no great reason, I hate the food, I miss my home, I miss my job, and I’m sick of trying to enjoy it here for other people. I really have loved some parts. But between the not working shower, my hundreds of ugly mosquito bites, the constant state of awkward, my dirty hair, my lack of effectiveness, and my greasy face, I just want to be at home doing a job I love (some days), with people I love, and a life that genuinely makes me happy. What’s the point of staying, when I have that to come home to, and I’ve already had some good experiences? I’m sure I’ll wake up tomorrow and feel differently, just like last time, but we shall see.
Here’s my list. I’m thankful...
1. for roommates who perk me up when they’re feeling down, too.
2. for green beans. They exist here!
3. for ITunes. I’ve enjoyed some random music this evening.
Goodnight my loves!
I had breakdown number 2 tonight. After a day of trying to be happy typing charts into a computer for hours, I came home exhausted and cranky, and nothing seemed to get me out of my funk. I had a good vegetable stew prepared by Dani, with real vegetables, and even some garlic. I had a small nap, a small drink, and was going to try to shower and get to bed early and try fresh tomorrow. But then, naked, and covered in soap and cold water, the shower decided to just quit. I just stood there and sobbed for a solid five minutes. It’s the same stuff as last time. I hate working on a computer for pretty much no great reason, I hate the food, I miss my home, I miss my job, and I’m sick of trying to enjoy it here for other people. I really have loved some parts. But between the not working shower, my hundreds of ugly mosquito bites, the constant state of awkward, my dirty hair, my lack of effectiveness, and my greasy face, I just want to be at home doing a job I love (some days), with people I love, and a life that genuinely makes me happy. What’s the point of staying, when I have that to come home to, and I’ve already had some good experiences? I’m sure I’ll wake up tomorrow and feel differently, just like last time, but we shall see.
Here’s my list. I’m thankful...
1. for roommates who perk me up when they’re feeling down, too.
2. for green beans. They exist here!
3. for ITunes. I’ve enjoyed some random music this evening.
Goodnight my loves!
Monday, June 20, 2011
"I'm feeling tired, I've had enough, I'm getting messed up on a Monday"
6/20/11
I did not actually get messed up today, I just appreciate the sentiment of that song. As is typical with any Monday, it was hard to go back to work today. I made it, however, and of course, everyone asked again how I was feeling. I work with good people. I did not get to go any schools or villages today (bummer), but I did get off work a little earlier than usual, which was really nice. I came home and had time to finally put pictures on Facebook (sorry those of you not on there, ask your kids to show you), run some errands, and finish another book. Verity (I finally figured out how to spell her name) and I ran into town, got some dinner, and brought it back for Danny who now has her own African stomach bug. We’ve all officially been hit. It’s good times, and you get to know each other very quickly when there’s one bathroom between three sickly people. I did bring Sex and the City with me, and it’s been a lovely little family get together every night, as we eat junk food, and watch trash television. I’m bringing culture to the British in Africa. Also, egg rolls in Uganda are literally boiled eggs wrapped in bread. Get it, egg roll? Not quite what I thought, and I’m not really a fan.
Another list of mine is a list of my names on the street. Here are some of the typicals and also some of my favorites:
My Friend
My Frog (I think they were trying for friend there?)
My Princess
My Size
My Future
I’ve become really intolerant of the yelling on the street. Some of it is good natured, some of it is sales strategy, and some of it is blatant harassment. I’m starting to realize my feelings about Africa and geckos are similar. They’re fine for awhile, and ultimately good things, but I still frequently get creeped out, even if I try to have friendly feelings. I’m working on my international voice of diplomacy this evening. I’m out of practice and patience. I also had to bleach my floor in my bedroom from all the lizard poo. Me and Gomez (I’m trying that name out, it might change) are not on good terms at the moment.
So here’s today’s list. I’m thankful...
1. for short work days. I could get used to 7 hours shifts. I’ll bring it up in the next staff meeting at home.
2. for pictures. It really was fun to go through them today and see all that I’ve already done, but 5 more weeks still feels very very long.
3. for the smell of bleach. With all of the judging I did of my mother in my youth, I’ve come to love the smell and the feelings associated with bleach. My definition of clean has drastically changed since I’ve been here.
Goodnight Y’all!
I did not actually get messed up today, I just appreciate the sentiment of that song. As is typical with any Monday, it was hard to go back to work today. I made it, however, and of course, everyone asked again how I was feeling. I work with good people. I did not get to go any schools or villages today (bummer), but I did get off work a little earlier than usual, which was really nice. I came home and had time to finally put pictures on Facebook (sorry those of you not on there, ask your kids to show you), run some errands, and finish another book. Verity (I finally figured out how to spell her name) and I ran into town, got some dinner, and brought it back for Danny who now has her own African stomach bug. We’ve all officially been hit. It’s good times, and you get to know each other very quickly when there’s one bathroom between three sickly people. I did bring Sex and the City with me, and it’s been a lovely little family get together every night, as we eat junk food, and watch trash television. I’m bringing culture to the British in Africa. Also, egg rolls in Uganda are literally boiled eggs wrapped in bread. Get it, egg roll? Not quite what I thought, and I’m not really a fan.
Another list of mine is a list of my names on the street. Here are some of the typicals and also some of my favorites:
My Friend
My Frog (I think they were trying for friend there?)
My Princess
My Size
My Future
I’ve become really intolerant of the yelling on the street. Some of it is good natured, some of it is sales strategy, and some of it is blatant harassment. I’m starting to realize my feelings about Africa and geckos are similar. They’re fine for awhile, and ultimately good things, but I still frequently get creeped out, even if I try to have friendly feelings. I’m working on my international voice of diplomacy this evening. I’m out of practice and patience. I also had to bleach my floor in my bedroom from all the lizard poo. Me and Gomez (I’m trying that name out, it might change) are not on good terms at the moment.
So here’s today’s list. I’m thankful...
1. for short work days. I could get used to 7 hours shifts. I’ll bring it up in the next staff meeting at home.
2. for pictures. It really was fun to go through them today and see all that I’ve already done, but 5 more weeks still feels very very long.
3. for the smell of bleach. With all of the judging I did of my mother in my youth, I’ve come to love the smell and the feelings associated with bleach. My definition of clean has drastically changed since I’ve been here.
Goodnight Y’all!
Sunday, June 19, 2011
"I bless the rains down in Aaaafrica..."
6/19/11
I’m so sorry that I’ve been MIA for a few days. A lot has been going on. I am currently staring down the gecko on my wall. I know I should be okay with him, but he still catches me off guard and creeps me out a little. I named the one in the last house Rafiki. I need a new name for this one so he’ll be less scary. I’m open to suggestions.
Also, I really need to say again how wonderful the people in the clinic have been to me here. They got me home in one of their off duty ambulances on Wednesday (not kidding), gave me free medicine, several of them have called to check on me between Wednesday and today, and they’ve done everything in their power to make sure I have everything I could possibly need. I feel bad for using their resources, but I am so grateful to have genuinely kind people looking out for me. I am not 100% back to normal, but I am definitely better than I was.
This will be a longer post, so forgive me, but this is also how I’m documenting my trip for myself, and I’d like to be able to throw in as much as I can remember.
Thursday morning Lucy and I left at 5:45 am to catch a bus to Kampala. We had to climb onto a motorbike with several bags and three of us altogether to get to the station to wait in line. I was telling Mom, I’m amazed at how things work here. You don’t plan ahead, you just show up, hopefully at the right place and time, and hope for the best. Anyway, we did get space on a tightly packed bus (some people stood the WHOLE way), and made it to Kampala about 4 hours later. We didn’t know exactly where we were going, and when we drove by the place she was staying, we had to run to the front of the bus, or else they keep driving and you’re out of luck. Everyone was annoyed and said we were doing it the wrong way anyway. I really need a printed list of rules. Anyway, we found her hostel, threw some stuff down, and wandered to the National Mosque to kill some time. We had to rent the traditional garbs, and we climbed an awful amount of steps to get to the top. The view was pretty amazing from the tower, and we got some good pictures in our Muslim wear (to come at some point, I promise). I still think Kampala is disgusting. We had to shower again after our walk just to not feel covered in dirt. The hostel did set me up with a taxi to take me to the bus park to meet Missy, one of Dad’s McAfee students, and some of her coworkers to leave that night for Rwanda.
This bus left at 10:30 pm, and we were late, so we got the last seats in the very back with no leg room. Turns out it’s the worst place to sit late at night, on roads that are being constructed, with a driver who speeds, and instead of going over speed bumps, swerves off the road (because that’s better), and also with passengers who think the whole bus wants to listen to their music selection at 2 am (thus my title, courtesy of Toto). None of us slept that night. Also, we got to the border at around 6 am, and we had to sleeplessly stumble across a bridge in the freezing cold with all of our luggage to get to the Rwanda immigration office to stamp our passports. We finally made it to Kigali, had some awesome breakfast at a very trendy coffee shop, and found our hotel. We spent the rest of the weekend wandering the city, listening to cheesy pop music from ten years ago, eating amazing food, and visiting the many genocide memorials in and around the city.
If you don’t know about the Rwandan genocide in the early 1990s, I encourage you to Google it, or at the very least, netflix Hotel Rwanda (we walked by the hotel the movie was based on and it served as a safe house for many victims during the killings). The Kigali Memorial was amazing and disturbing and beautiful all at the same time. They really explained the history leading up to the genocide from colonialism to independence to civil war. Thousands and thousands were killed by their friends and neighbors, and the rest of the world ignored and downplayed the problem for 100 days before finally sending aid. The U.S. even withdrew its aid workers to protect them, leaving those on the brink of death with no one to turn to. The memorial had pictures of victims, including an entire wing dedicated to the children who were killed, with not only pictures, but stories of their favorite foods and best friends. Gardens surrounded the building, all with special significance to remember what happened, and honor those who were killed. I took lots of plant pictures since I have a weakness for plants in memory of people. :) As we were leaving, all I wanted to do was fly home ASAP and hug my parents and family. We were there during the 100 days of remembrance, and there were silent parades all over the city. You can tell that everyone is still trying so hard to rebuild their country, and recover personally. It was recent enough, that so many still remember and carry scars from all of the tragedies. Rwanda is incredibly clean (you get EXTREME fines for littering) like they’re trying to remove the dirt from the past, and everyone still seems very serious. I missed the friendliness of my Ugandan friends while we were there, and you can still sense the pain everywhere you go.
One place we visited was a church turned into a memorial for those who were killed in mass there. People (Tsutsis) ran to churches thinking they would be spared, and instead, some of the priests alerted the army of where they were, and thousands were killed with bullets, machetes, grenades, whatever the Hutu soldiers had. So many died during this time, that the graves were dug quickly and unsustainably. While we were visiting, family members of victims were digging up bodies, cleaning them, and building lasting graves to bury and honor their family in. It was just so sobering. Inside were just piles and piles of clothes the victims had worn, folded, laid out on pews, and covered in dirt untouched since they were placed. Rosary beads were strewn everywhere, and bullet holes were still in the ceiling of the church, skulls with different traumas were on display, and long bones were in stacks and stacks underground (I've learned Rwandans are not afraid to be graphic). The guide who was walking us around said he works there so that he can make peace with all of the atrocities that he witnessed. It was his coping mechanism to make sure the rest of the world never forgets what happened, and knows that genocide still happens and must be stopped.
Speaking of making peace (and to switch to a more pleasant topic), we ate dinner at Peace Restaurant and Bar, and we stayed in the Hope Lodge, which was conveniently right upstairs. I told you, I like the words hope and peace. I took it as some sort of sign. We did have some fun while we were there, we didn’t just mourn for those lost. We went to the same coffee shop about 4 times for the best ice cream I’ve ever had in any country, and for the free Internet and clean bathrooms. We also found some amazing Rwandan food in real restaurants, and found some interesting music at a bar close to our hotel. It was good to be around a few Americans, and laugh and talk and dance a little. It was a lovely trip.
I am grateful to be home in Mbarara. Seeing Kampala and Kigali makes me grateful for my home here. The people always smile and greet you on the street (and occasionally yell stupid stuff, but I’ll overlook it), and it’s fairly modern, even though we are currently without a refrigerator and still have no hot water in the shower. I will miss Lucy terribly, because I think she helped to get me through my first weeks here, but she is home in her clean house with drinkable tap water and a hot shower. My newer roommates are lovely as well, and I’m hoping that my next 37 days will go quickly and pleasantly.
I still have a list! Also long, get excited.
I’m thankful...
1. for incredible Rwandan white chocolate ice cream.
2. for new friends to be made in foreign countries.
3. for cheesy love songs sung down the street.
4. for hot water in showers even if you have to squat under the faucet (all I could think was Ashley would DIE).
5. for my youthful face. This is actually on the list of things I hope to be grateful for when I’m 35. Three women in Rwanda placed bets on how old I am: 16, 18, and 22 were the guesses. My age is now universally questioned, and at least they got up to 22.
6. for coming home to a full email inbox.
7. for kind people who check in to make sure I’m feeling okay.
8. for 37 days to go. I’m one week from halfway!
9. for pizza. Finally found some at the hostel in Kampala!
10. for tweezers. It's amazing what plucked eyebrows can do for your self esteem.
11. for the fake Gerber daisy I brought from home to decorate my room.
12. for honeysuckle in Africa! I thought it was just a southern thing, but most definitely not.
13. for my amazing Dad on Fathers’ Day. He makes me laugh even with his corny jokes, offers me money if I need it (and even if I don't), always sends emails to check in (even when I’m in the same country), is the sweetest man I know, loves good clothes almost as much as I do, puts up with my sarcasm/bluntness/crassness, loves to talk to ANYONE, has always been proud of me even during my less than proud moments, and passed on his cheeks, nose, love of the Braves/Bulldogs, and clumsiness to me. Love you, Dad!
Goodnight everyone else! You are loved!
I’m so sorry that I’ve been MIA for a few days. A lot has been going on. I am currently staring down the gecko on my wall. I know I should be okay with him, but he still catches me off guard and creeps me out a little. I named the one in the last house Rafiki. I need a new name for this one so he’ll be less scary. I’m open to suggestions.
Also, I really need to say again how wonderful the people in the clinic have been to me here. They got me home in one of their off duty ambulances on Wednesday (not kidding), gave me free medicine, several of them have called to check on me between Wednesday and today, and they’ve done everything in their power to make sure I have everything I could possibly need. I feel bad for using their resources, but I am so grateful to have genuinely kind people looking out for me. I am not 100% back to normal, but I am definitely better than I was.
This will be a longer post, so forgive me, but this is also how I’m documenting my trip for myself, and I’d like to be able to throw in as much as I can remember.
Thursday morning Lucy and I left at 5:45 am to catch a bus to Kampala. We had to climb onto a motorbike with several bags and three of us altogether to get to the station to wait in line. I was telling Mom, I’m amazed at how things work here. You don’t plan ahead, you just show up, hopefully at the right place and time, and hope for the best. Anyway, we did get space on a tightly packed bus (some people stood the WHOLE way), and made it to Kampala about 4 hours later. We didn’t know exactly where we were going, and when we drove by the place she was staying, we had to run to the front of the bus, or else they keep driving and you’re out of luck. Everyone was annoyed and said we were doing it the wrong way anyway. I really need a printed list of rules. Anyway, we found her hostel, threw some stuff down, and wandered to the National Mosque to kill some time. We had to rent the traditional garbs, and we climbed an awful amount of steps to get to the top. The view was pretty amazing from the tower, and we got some good pictures in our Muslim wear (to come at some point, I promise). I still think Kampala is disgusting. We had to shower again after our walk just to not feel covered in dirt. The hostel did set me up with a taxi to take me to the bus park to meet Missy, one of Dad’s McAfee students, and some of her coworkers to leave that night for Rwanda.
This bus left at 10:30 pm, and we were late, so we got the last seats in the very back with no leg room. Turns out it’s the worst place to sit late at night, on roads that are being constructed, with a driver who speeds, and instead of going over speed bumps, swerves off the road (because that’s better), and also with passengers who think the whole bus wants to listen to their music selection at 2 am (thus my title, courtesy of Toto). None of us slept that night. Also, we got to the border at around 6 am, and we had to sleeplessly stumble across a bridge in the freezing cold with all of our luggage to get to the Rwanda immigration office to stamp our passports. We finally made it to Kigali, had some awesome breakfast at a very trendy coffee shop, and found our hotel. We spent the rest of the weekend wandering the city, listening to cheesy pop music from ten years ago, eating amazing food, and visiting the many genocide memorials in and around the city.
If you don’t know about the Rwandan genocide in the early 1990s, I encourage you to Google it, or at the very least, netflix Hotel Rwanda (we walked by the hotel the movie was based on and it served as a safe house for many victims during the killings). The Kigali Memorial was amazing and disturbing and beautiful all at the same time. They really explained the history leading up to the genocide from colonialism to independence to civil war. Thousands and thousands were killed by their friends and neighbors, and the rest of the world ignored and downplayed the problem for 100 days before finally sending aid. The U.S. even withdrew its aid workers to protect them, leaving those on the brink of death with no one to turn to. The memorial had pictures of victims, including an entire wing dedicated to the children who were killed, with not only pictures, but stories of their favorite foods and best friends. Gardens surrounded the building, all with special significance to remember what happened, and honor those who were killed. I took lots of plant pictures since I have a weakness for plants in memory of people. :) As we were leaving, all I wanted to do was fly home ASAP and hug my parents and family. We were there during the 100 days of remembrance, and there were silent parades all over the city. You can tell that everyone is still trying so hard to rebuild their country, and recover personally. It was recent enough, that so many still remember and carry scars from all of the tragedies. Rwanda is incredibly clean (you get EXTREME fines for littering) like they’re trying to remove the dirt from the past, and everyone still seems very serious. I missed the friendliness of my Ugandan friends while we were there, and you can still sense the pain everywhere you go.
One place we visited was a church turned into a memorial for those who were killed in mass there. People (Tsutsis) ran to churches thinking they would be spared, and instead, some of the priests alerted the army of where they were, and thousands were killed with bullets, machetes, grenades, whatever the Hutu soldiers had. So many died during this time, that the graves were dug quickly and unsustainably. While we were visiting, family members of victims were digging up bodies, cleaning them, and building lasting graves to bury and honor their family in. It was just so sobering. Inside were just piles and piles of clothes the victims had worn, folded, laid out on pews, and covered in dirt untouched since they were placed. Rosary beads were strewn everywhere, and bullet holes were still in the ceiling of the church, skulls with different traumas were on display, and long bones were in stacks and stacks underground (I've learned Rwandans are not afraid to be graphic). The guide who was walking us around said he works there so that he can make peace with all of the atrocities that he witnessed. It was his coping mechanism to make sure the rest of the world never forgets what happened, and knows that genocide still happens and must be stopped.
Speaking of making peace (and to switch to a more pleasant topic), we ate dinner at Peace Restaurant and Bar, and we stayed in the Hope Lodge, which was conveniently right upstairs. I told you, I like the words hope and peace. I took it as some sort of sign. We did have some fun while we were there, we didn’t just mourn for those lost. We went to the same coffee shop about 4 times for the best ice cream I’ve ever had in any country, and for the free Internet and clean bathrooms. We also found some amazing Rwandan food in real restaurants, and found some interesting music at a bar close to our hotel. It was good to be around a few Americans, and laugh and talk and dance a little. It was a lovely trip.
I am grateful to be home in Mbarara. Seeing Kampala and Kigali makes me grateful for my home here. The people always smile and greet you on the street (and occasionally yell stupid stuff, but I’ll overlook it), and it’s fairly modern, even though we are currently without a refrigerator and still have no hot water in the shower. I will miss Lucy terribly, because I think she helped to get me through my first weeks here, but she is home in her clean house with drinkable tap water and a hot shower. My newer roommates are lovely as well, and I’m hoping that my next 37 days will go quickly and pleasantly.
I still have a list! Also long, get excited.
I’m thankful...
1. for incredible Rwandan white chocolate ice cream.
2. for new friends to be made in foreign countries.
3. for cheesy love songs sung down the street.
4. for hot water in showers even if you have to squat under the faucet (all I could think was Ashley would DIE).
5. for my youthful face. This is actually on the list of things I hope to be grateful for when I’m 35. Three women in Rwanda placed bets on how old I am: 16, 18, and 22 were the guesses. My age is now universally questioned, and at least they got up to 22.
6. for coming home to a full email inbox.
7. for kind people who check in to make sure I’m feeling okay.
8. for 37 days to go. I’m one week from halfway!
9. for pizza. Finally found some at the hostel in Kampala!
10. for tweezers. It's amazing what plucked eyebrows can do for your self esteem.
11. for the fake Gerber daisy I brought from home to decorate my room.
12. for honeysuckle in Africa! I thought it was just a southern thing, but most definitely not.
13. for my amazing Dad on Fathers’ Day. He makes me laugh even with his corny jokes, offers me money if I need it (and even if I don't), always sends emails to check in (even when I’m in the same country), is the sweetest man I know, loves good clothes almost as much as I do, puts up with my sarcasm/bluntness/crassness, loves to talk to ANYONE, has always been proud of me even during my less than proud moments, and passed on his cheeks, nose, love of the Braves/Bulldogs, and clumsiness to me. Love you, Dad!
Goodnight everyone else! You are loved!
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Dancing in the Moonlight
6/15/11
So, I definitely got my first African stomach bug today. I had a rough couple of hours at work this morning, but they got me some antibiotics and a comfortable ride home in no time (Mom, you were right, at least if I get sick I’m in the right place). Almost as soon as I got my Flagyl in, I felt much better. I am very lucky, and I hope that that’s the worst of it.
I am still planning to meet up with one of Dad’s students to go to Rwanda for the weekend tomorrow. Yay! I’ve heard it’s clean and pretty, and I’m hoping for a hot shower after a gross long bus ride.
A quick list tonight-I’m thankful for...
1. an amazing group of coworkers who took great care of me. Again, I truly love the people here. They’ve been checking in all day and night, too. I am loved here, too.
2. a lunar eclipse. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen one, but I got one in tonight. Again, how often will I see that in Uganda or anywhere?
3. a good person who kept me company on g-chat most of the day when I was bored and sick at home.
Much love!
So, I definitely got my first African stomach bug today. I had a rough couple of hours at work this morning, but they got me some antibiotics and a comfortable ride home in no time (Mom, you were right, at least if I get sick I’m in the right place). Almost as soon as I got my Flagyl in, I felt much better. I am very lucky, and I hope that that’s the worst of it.
I am still planning to meet up with one of Dad’s students to go to Rwanda for the weekend tomorrow. Yay! I’ve heard it’s clean and pretty, and I’m hoping for a hot shower after a gross long bus ride.
A quick list tonight-I’m thankful for...
1. an amazing group of coworkers who took great care of me. Again, I truly love the people here. They’ve been checking in all day and night, too. I am loved here, too.
2. a lunar eclipse. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen one, but I got one in tonight. Again, how often will I see that in Uganda or anywhere?
3. a good person who kept me company on g-chat most of the day when I was bored and sick at home.
Much love!
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
"It's All Coming Back to Me NOOOW!!"
6/14/11
The song title is proof of how much Ugandans love Toni Braxton and Celine Dion. It was blaring over dinner at what's supposed to be a pretty trendy place.
“Here you go, Grizzle.” It’s followed me here. Dani found out my last name, and it’s stuck. I’m not complaining. I grew to love going by my last name in high school, and I recently fought with a friend about the necessity of me keeping it when I get married, no matter how much of a source of pride it is for a man to have his last name taken. Suck it up, men. Grizzle is awesome, and if it was yours, you wouldn’t want to change it either.
Anyway. Today was uneventful compared to yesterday’s village excitement. I have made a new friend at the clinic. One of the physicians who didn’t say much at first, decided to ask me every odd and awkward question in the book today. My favorite one was “Do all women have to have IUD’s placed before they come into the country?” I assured him that was false, and said it was a little personal to ask, just in case he ran into another muzungu and wanted to ask her that, too.
I went into a gas station to buy air time for my Ugandan phone today. Aside: cell phones here have been really hard to get used to. I have no concept of how to pay as you go in shillings, and it’s impossible to carry on a conversation. Either person can only understand about half of the conversation, and I never hang up feeling like I got what I needed out of the phone call. And cell phones trump everything!. People answer them in staff meetings, medical rounds, in the middle of real life conversations, etc. It’s amazing. Anyway, the clerk at the gas station told me I was beautiful, and I could have cried and kissed her for it. I felt dirty, hairy, greasy, and sunburnt (thanks malaria pills for photosensitivity), and it may have just been a sales tactic, but I don’t think she’ll ever know how much I was dying to hear that.
The night ended with a dinner of fried chicken and chips (which are french fries, in case no one ever told you that), a cold shower, and a talk with both of my parents. All in all, I guess it was actually a really good day. I have learned from these new roommates that I have become a lot more tolerant of the way of life here than they have. I think it’s a learning curve because this time last week, I had all of their same complaints. I can talk to people when they ask questions, I have learned how to work restaurants here, and I’m grateful for my rural clinic peeps who are incredibly kind, and not creepy like some of the city folks.
So my list. I’m thankful...
1. for compliments. Again, I’m vain, but it meant so much I can’t stand it.
2. for Grizzle. It’s got pizzazz (which also has the rare double Z thing going). I feel bad complaining about it for so long.
3. for sleep. I need it, and I’m off to get some.
Goodnight my loves! I apologize for the random train of thought tonight.
OH! And Lucy's dad is just fine. He's stable, and probably going home in a day or 2, so she didn't have to change travel plans.
The song title is proof of how much Ugandans love Toni Braxton and Celine Dion. It was blaring over dinner at what's supposed to be a pretty trendy place.
“Here you go, Grizzle.” It’s followed me here. Dani found out my last name, and it’s stuck. I’m not complaining. I grew to love going by my last name in high school, and I recently fought with a friend about the necessity of me keeping it when I get married, no matter how much of a source of pride it is for a man to have his last name taken. Suck it up, men. Grizzle is awesome, and if it was yours, you wouldn’t want to change it either.
Anyway. Today was uneventful compared to yesterday’s village excitement. I have made a new friend at the clinic. One of the physicians who didn’t say much at first, decided to ask me every odd and awkward question in the book today. My favorite one was “Do all women have to have IUD’s placed before they come into the country?” I assured him that was false, and said it was a little personal to ask, just in case he ran into another muzungu and wanted to ask her that, too.
I went into a gas station to buy air time for my Ugandan phone today. Aside: cell phones here have been really hard to get used to. I have no concept of how to pay as you go in shillings, and it’s impossible to carry on a conversation. Either person can only understand about half of the conversation, and I never hang up feeling like I got what I needed out of the phone call. And cell phones trump everything!. People answer them in staff meetings, medical rounds, in the middle of real life conversations, etc. It’s amazing. Anyway, the clerk at the gas station told me I was beautiful, and I could have cried and kissed her for it. I felt dirty, hairy, greasy, and sunburnt (thanks malaria pills for photosensitivity), and it may have just been a sales tactic, but I don’t think she’ll ever know how much I was dying to hear that.
The night ended with a dinner of fried chicken and chips (which are french fries, in case no one ever told you that), a cold shower, and a talk with both of my parents. All in all, I guess it was actually a really good day. I have learned from these new roommates that I have become a lot more tolerant of the way of life here than they have. I think it’s a learning curve because this time last week, I had all of their same complaints. I can talk to people when they ask questions, I have learned how to work restaurants here, and I’m grateful for my rural clinic peeps who are incredibly kind, and not creepy like some of the city folks.
So my list. I’m thankful...
1. for compliments. Again, I’m vain, but it meant so much I can’t stand it.
2. for Grizzle. It’s got pizzazz (which also has the rare double Z thing going). I feel bad complaining about it for so long.
3. for sleep. I need it, and I’m off to get some.
Goodnight my loves! I apologize for the random train of thought tonight.
OH! And Lucy's dad is just fine. He's stable, and probably going home in a day or 2, so she didn't have to change travel plans.
Monday, June 13, 2011
Ok, It's Alright With Me
6/13/11
I’m starting to realize my coping skills are sub par compared to the rest of the world’s. One roommate (whose name I have no idea how to spell) was puking her guts up her entire first week here, and poor Lucy just found out her dad is in the hospital. He’s alright, but Lucy is behaving remarkably, and is calmly finding her way home a day or two early. If it were me on either count, I’d be a wreck and in tears and blindly crying to some poor stranger begging them to take me to the airport. Pray for her dad and their family. I think he’s stable, but it’s still stressful to have someone in the hospital anytime.
In other news, I got to visit the village of Mozilla today. I’m not sure if that’s actually how it’s spelled, but I enjoyed myself, regardless of spelling uncertainties. I went on an ‘Outreach’ with the HIV clinic today. They drive into the remote villages once a month and bring medicine and do check ups free of charge for the patients who can’t physically make it to the clinic. I didn’t do a darn thing but watch and carry a couple of boxes of pills, but I got handshakes and hugs and a feast of a meal in return. I can’t get over the genuinely kind hearts of the people here. This one woman, who isn’t even seen by the clinic, cooks a MASSIVE amount of food for this group every time they come. She does it free of charge for the ‘kind people that save our village.’ I wanted so badly to eat every bite of beans and potatoes that she gave us (two of my least favorite foods in the entire world), and I did pretty well for the first serving, but I struggled with the second and third servings that she slapped on my plate without asking. I’m guessing she wasn’t too offended because she offered for me to stay the night next time I was there. Freakin amazing.
I’ve been carefully calculating the days and hours that I have left (I can still get some credit if I only do half the time, a dangerous piece of knowledge), but I’m starting to feel like I need to try A LOT harder in adjusting my attitude. You were all right, it doesn’t take much other than my presence to give a sense of hope, and that really perplexes me. Stephen had such pride on Saturday when he looked at the clinic he helped to build from the ground up, and couldn’t be happier to have a student come, and to hopefully build a bridge for more students to come to his home village. I think (I could be wrong), but I think that part of why the villagers especially get so excited about muzungus is 1) I have weird hair that they love to touch and 2) someone from the outside has taken an interest and just that fact might mean something (however miniscule it may be) for the future. Well, crap. I just want to get home and buy shoes that aren’t caked in dirt and eat enough Willy’s cheese dip to last a lifetime.
Here’s my list:
1. for now, I have a healthy family not lying in hospital beds thousands of miles away
2. for mountains of beans and potatoes. They tasted terrible, but were filled with enough love that I could stomach it.
3. for funny drivers that pretty much just honk on dirt roads until cows move, and ask TONS of questions about ‘Joooor-ja.’ I’m starting to question my abilities in communication.
4. for mountain top views and sunflowers in Kabwohe. If nothing else on this trip does, I think those could have changed my life.
I’m starting to realize my coping skills are sub par compared to the rest of the world’s. One roommate (whose name I have no idea how to spell) was puking her guts up her entire first week here, and poor Lucy just found out her dad is in the hospital. He’s alright, but Lucy is behaving remarkably, and is calmly finding her way home a day or two early. If it were me on either count, I’d be a wreck and in tears and blindly crying to some poor stranger begging them to take me to the airport. Pray for her dad and their family. I think he’s stable, but it’s still stressful to have someone in the hospital anytime.
In other news, I got to visit the village of Mozilla today. I’m not sure if that’s actually how it’s spelled, but I enjoyed myself, regardless of spelling uncertainties. I went on an ‘Outreach’ with the HIV clinic today. They drive into the remote villages once a month and bring medicine and do check ups free of charge for the patients who can’t physically make it to the clinic. I didn’t do a darn thing but watch and carry a couple of boxes of pills, but I got handshakes and hugs and a feast of a meal in return. I can’t get over the genuinely kind hearts of the people here. This one woman, who isn’t even seen by the clinic, cooks a MASSIVE amount of food for this group every time they come. She does it free of charge for the ‘kind people that save our village.’ I wanted so badly to eat every bite of beans and potatoes that she gave us (two of my least favorite foods in the entire world), and I did pretty well for the first serving, but I struggled with the second and third servings that she slapped on my plate without asking. I’m guessing she wasn’t too offended because she offered for me to stay the night next time I was there. Freakin amazing.
I’ve been carefully calculating the days and hours that I have left (I can still get some credit if I only do half the time, a dangerous piece of knowledge), but I’m starting to feel like I need to try A LOT harder in adjusting my attitude. You were all right, it doesn’t take much other than my presence to give a sense of hope, and that really perplexes me. Stephen had such pride on Saturday when he looked at the clinic he helped to build from the ground up, and couldn’t be happier to have a student come, and to hopefully build a bridge for more students to come to his home village. I think (I could be wrong), but I think that part of why the villagers especially get so excited about muzungus is 1) I have weird hair that they love to touch and 2) someone from the outside has taken an interest and just that fact might mean something (however miniscule it may be) for the future. Well, crap. I just want to get home and buy shoes that aren’t caked in dirt and eat enough Willy’s cheese dip to last a lifetime.
Here’s my list:
1. for now, I have a healthy family not lying in hospital beds thousands of miles away
2. for mountains of beans and potatoes. They tasted terrible, but were filled with enough love that I could stomach it.
3. for funny drivers that pretty much just honk on dirt roads until cows move, and ask TONS of questions about ‘Joooor-ja.’ I’m starting to question my abilities in communication.
4. for mountain top views and sunflowers in Kabwohe. If nothing else on this trip does, I think those could have changed my life.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
6/12/11
All of the letters that everyone wrote me before I left have been priceless while I’ve been here. However, today’s letters won best overall because a few of the kids that I worked with at Camp Weiuca (it was 5 years ago that I was a summer counselor) sent me letters, and they were priceless! I got pictures, and whole sentences from some of my favorites, and I remember when they were just learning to spell. Made me feel great! Old, but great.
Compared to the past couple of days (or any day, really) today was very uneventful. I slept in because I stayed up late, and put off grocery shopping and showering. It proved a poor decision with the groceries because it rained again this afternoon, and I never did make it into town. I did take a freezing cold shower (the water works, but hot water is an issue), and cooked some spaghetti for dinner. I did get to talk to Mom over the phone without it dying five minutes into the conversation. I bought a Skype subscription since they don’t have a computer camera, and it really was worth it to me. I also finished two books and watched Sex and the City DVDs on my computer. I’m surprised I’ve gotten an entire paragraph out of today.
I’m thankful...
1. for a double bed in a quiet room. It really is a pretty comfortable room.
2. for DVDs from home. Although, the characters from Sex and the City definitely seem hard to relate to from here.
3. for roommates to keep me from going crazy. The new girls are very nice! They’ve had a worse start than any of us, so if they can stick it out, why can’t I?
Goodnight and much love!
All of the letters that everyone wrote me before I left have been priceless while I’ve been here. However, today’s letters won best overall because a few of the kids that I worked with at Camp Weiuca (it was 5 years ago that I was a summer counselor) sent me letters, and they were priceless! I got pictures, and whole sentences from some of my favorites, and I remember when they were just learning to spell. Made me feel great! Old, but great.
Compared to the past couple of days (or any day, really) today was very uneventful. I slept in because I stayed up late, and put off grocery shopping and showering. It proved a poor decision with the groceries because it rained again this afternoon, and I never did make it into town. I did take a freezing cold shower (the water works, but hot water is an issue), and cooked some spaghetti for dinner. I did get to talk to Mom over the phone without it dying five minutes into the conversation. I bought a Skype subscription since they don’t have a computer camera, and it really was worth it to me. I also finished two books and watched Sex and the City DVDs on my computer. I’m surprised I’ve gotten an entire paragraph out of today.
I’m thankful...
1. for a double bed in a quiet room. It really is a pretty comfortable room.
2. for DVDs from home. Although, the characters from Sex and the City definitely seem hard to relate to from here.
3. for roommates to keep me from going crazy. The new girls are very nice! They’ve had a worse start than any of us, so if they can stick it out, why can’t I?
Goodnight and much love!
Saturday, June 11, 2011
"You can stand under my umbrella-ella-ella"
6/11/11
It rained for the first time since I've been here today, and I did indeed share an umbrella with several people. Apparently rain now is as strange as snow in the summer back home. It's the dry season, and it never rains in June. I hoping that means things will stay greener a little longer.
I think Kati has been trying for a shout out in the blog, because I feel like about half of my letters from home are from her, and today my inbox was full of pictures and emails (I think while she was supposed to be working). Thank you, Kati! I love you!
I saw Lucy lose it last night. She’s a lot like me, if she hates something she keeps it to herself, and tries to look on the bright side. She came out after three attempts at sleeping in the pit of despair, and started cursing and ranting about the ‘damn professor’ and this stupid apartment! We ended up sharing the room furthest from the road, slept terribly, had a moment of laughter/terror involving sleeping pills and a banging door that we still can’t find, pitched some pretty big fits today to several people, and are now comfortably sleeping in a different house with water and power and roommates (yay!) and no noise from the road or crying babies. (Sidenote: I’m sitting in the hotel lobby waiting for Dr. Whalen to get settled, but what looks like a church group has pulled up, and they’re wearing the most conspicuous outfits, they’re loud, and they just scream American. I shouldn’t judge, but I see what people mean now.)
Turns out my weekend was busier than my week. I spent most of today with Stephen, my supervisor, who’s finally in town (yay!), and Dr. Whalen, the big shot epidemiology professor at UGA who gave me my only B in grad school. He really is an important guy, and he was very kind and helpful today. I’m grateful to have them here for awhile. It’s always interesting to see how you look to others, and honestly, I think they were both a little impressed that I had settled in as well as I had (too bad they didn’t know about the big breakdown Wednesday), and were grateful that I was brave (aka stupid) enough to make this trip on my own. This internship means a lot to them, even if it only means it will be easier for more students to come and start a partnership here between UGA and KCRC. Dr. Whalen and Stephen both have a lot of love for this place, and it’s obvious in all that they do.
Anyway, after several presentations, and a lot of meals (I might be the only person to gain weight in Africa), I’m finally unpacked in my new (I hope) permanent home for the next 6 weeks. The power was out all over campus earlier, but it came on while I was at dinner, and I did just have a new and interesting experience getting the toilet to flush. It still beats the pit of despair any day.
There are a lot of differences in America and Uganda, but I’ve also noticed some things are universal. See below:
1. Everyone always laughs at farts. I’m convinced that farts will always be funny.
2. Everyone is annoyed when they play Solitaire on the computer, and the person watching tries to help.
3. Everyone turns to idiots around babies.
4. It always rains on outdoor weddings, even in Uganda.
I think I may try to add to this list as I go now, too. I like lists a lot.
Here’s today’s other list.
I’m Thankful...
1. to have some faces from home, even though I still think the people from the clinic seem almost as familiar now.
2. for Coke to keep me awake. I’ve had about 3 today, but I would have been falling over otherwise.
3. for a bright and almost pretty bedroom to call my own. Meg, I didn’t believe you about the bandanas, but they also work to decorate an ugly room.
4. for Katy Perry songs playing in the hotel. Amy, thought of you.
Goodnight, All! Love you!
It rained for the first time since I've been here today, and I did indeed share an umbrella with several people. Apparently rain now is as strange as snow in the summer back home. It's the dry season, and it never rains in June. I hoping that means things will stay greener a little longer.
I think Kati has been trying for a shout out in the blog, because I feel like about half of my letters from home are from her, and today my inbox was full of pictures and emails (I think while she was supposed to be working). Thank you, Kati! I love you!
I saw Lucy lose it last night. She’s a lot like me, if she hates something she keeps it to herself, and tries to look on the bright side. She came out after three attempts at sleeping in the pit of despair, and started cursing and ranting about the ‘damn professor’ and this stupid apartment! We ended up sharing the room furthest from the road, slept terribly, had a moment of laughter/terror involving sleeping pills and a banging door that we still can’t find, pitched some pretty big fits today to several people, and are now comfortably sleeping in a different house with water and power and roommates (yay!) and no noise from the road or crying babies. (Sidenote: I’m sitting in the hotel lobby waiting for Dr. Whalen to get settled, but what looks like a church group has pulled up, and they’re wearing the most conspicuous outfits, they’re loud, and they just scream American. I shouldn’t judge, but I see what people mean now.)
Turns out my weekend was busier than my week. I spent most of today with Stephen, my supervisor, who’s finally in town (yay!), and Dr. Whalen, the big shot epidemiology professor at UGA who gave me my only B in grad school. He really is an important guy, and he was very kind and helpful today. I’m grateful to have them here for awhile. It’s always interesting to see how you look to others, and honestly, I think they were both a little impressed that I had settled in as well as I had (too bad they didn’t know about the big breakdown Wednesday), and were grateful that I was brave (aka stupid) enough to make this trip on my own. This internship means a lot to them, even if it only means it will be easier for more students to come and start a partnership here between UGA and KCRC. Dr. Whalen and Stephen both have a lot of love for this place, and it’s obvious in all that they do.
Anyway, after several presentations, and a lot of meals (I might be the only person to gain weight in Africa), I’m finally unpacked in my new (I hope) permanent home for the next 6 weeks. The power was out all over campus earlier, but it came on while I was at dinner, and I did just have a new and interesting experience getting the toilet to flush. It still beats the pit of despair any day.
There are a lot of differences in America and Uganda, but I’ve also noticed some things are universal. See below:
1. Everyone always laughs at farts. I’m convinced that farts will always be funny.
2. Everyone is annoyed when they play Solitaire on the computer, and the person watching tries to help.
3. Everyone turns to idiots around babies.
4. It always rains on outdoor weddings, even in Uganda.
I think I may try to add to this list as I go now, too. I like lists a lot.
Here’s today’s other list.
I’m Thankful...
1. to have some faces from home, even though I still think the people from the clinic seem almost as familiar now.
2. for Coke to keep me awake. I’ve had about 3 today, but I would have been falling over otherwise.
3. for a bright and almost pretty bedroom to call my own. Meg, I didn’t believe you about the bandanas, but they also work to decorate an ugly room.
4. for Katy Perry songs playing in the hotel. Amy, thought of you.
Goodnight, All! Love you!
Friday, June 10, 2011
Highway to Hell
6/10/11
That's exactly what it sounds like outside our window currently.
Thanks again to everyone for all of the kind letters and messages and even pictures of frogs (John Boozer) and song lists for a hypothetical mix tape (Christie). They’ve been fun, and kept me in good spirits again today.
So today. I got through work just fine and dandy, but no school visits, just computer stuff. I do get to do a different type of outreach next week specifically for the HIV clinic patients, not the school visits, so I’m looking forward to that, even though I’m not sure what all it entails. Anyway, after a long day of work, I came home in a good mood, and I was stopped by the caretaker on my way in the gate, and she told me to pack up, we were moving tonight. I was a little annoyed because this has been going on for the past few days. A Canadian professor came walking unannounced through our apartment to ‘tour’ about 4 hours after Kay had left for good. The next day we were told to stay in the house, they didn’t need it after all. That night he came knocking on our window, scaring the mess out of two single girls alone in a house, and said he was moving his stuff in that night, and expected to sleep there the next night, without roommates. I’m sorry because I know lots of good Christian (including my parents) and good non-Christian people are reading this, but douchebag is the only word that comes to mind to describe this pompous microbiology professor. So I walked into the house this evening, and he came out, and said “oh, you’re actually leaving. I’m sorry, I didn’t actually think they’d make you leave.” Seriously? I mean, seriously?!? Anyway, he offered to buy my dinner out of guilt, and since it was close to dark, I let him because I didn’t have food at home, and Lucy wasn’t home, and I wanted to eat and not walk home alone.
So after dinner, Lucy and I packed and crossed the campus in the dark with suitcases and all to our new home. We walked in, and it’s a pit of despair. We’ve both been on the verge of tears/laughter all night because it’s bad. And Lucy travels. A lot. To the dumpiest places on earth, like India. And lives in hostels for weeks and weeks. We’re not really complainers, but it was dirty because it’s right off the road, and the windows don’t close ALL the way. People can’t get in, but dirt and noise definitely can. It sounds like an airport hotel outside our window. Also, it’s an apartment, and our neighbors include a baby that hasn’t stopped crying all night, and some ridiculous hippies with terrible music above us. At least the ants here are smaller, which pretty much means they’re just regular size. I boiled water to refrigerate for tomorrow, and it’s still a darker color than the other bottles. I’m drowning my sorrows in a jelly doughnut (not nearly as good as the ones back home). I’ll be fine for a few days, but I’m pitching the biggest fit I can muster to be moved to a house (I know there’s a room in one with some girls my age from the UK) once Lucy leaves on Wednesday.
Even so, I’m still in better spirits than the other night. My U.S. supervisor will be here tomorrow, and I’m looking forward to seeing a familiar face, even though my friends here might already seem a little more familiar these days. I’ve got good books, good music, good letters, and 2 days to sleep in, if I can block out the noise.
So today, I’m thankful...
1. that Dr. Alex was back in town. He’s become a good friend, and I’m grateful for him, and Dr. Amir. Carpooling has been great for making friends.
2. for Benadryl. I’m going to need it to sleep tonight.
3. for nice Africans, who laugh with me, and include me in conversations, even when they forget I don’t know the language they’re using. :)
4. for cute kids toddling around the clinic. I felt bad though. If I thought being a nurse scared small children, try being the first white person they’ve ever seen.
Hope you all have a quiet night. Love you!
That's exactly what it sounds like outside our window currently.
Thanks again to everyone for all of the kind letters and messages and even pictures of frogs (John Boozer) and song lists for a hypothetical mix tape (Christie). They’ve been fun, and kept me in good spirits again today.
So today. I got through work just fine and dandy, but no school visits, just computer stuff. I do get to do a different type of outreach next week specifically for the HIV clinic patients, not the school visits, so I’m looking forward to that, even though I’m not sure what all it entails. Anyway, after a long day of work, I came home in a good mood, and I was stopped by the caretaker on my way in the gate, and she told me to pack up, we were moving tonight. I was a little annoyed because this has been going on for the past few days. A Canadian professor came walking unannounced through our apartment to ‘tour’ about 4 hours after Kay had left for good. The next day we were told to stay in the house, they didn’t need it after all. That night he came knocking on our window, scaring the mess out of two single girls alone in a house, and said he was moving his stuff in that night, and expected to sleep there the next night, without roommates. I’m sorry because I know lots of good Christian (including my parents) and good non-Christian people are reading this, but douchebag is the only word that comes to mind to describe this pompous microbiology professor. So I walked into the house this evening, and he came out, and said “oh, you’re actually leaving. I’m sorry, I didn’t actually think they’d make you leave.” Seriously? I mean, seriously?!? Anyway, he offered to buy my dinner out of guilt, and since it was close to dark, I let him because I didn’t have food at home, and Lucy wasn’t home, and I wanted to eat and not walk home alone.
So after dinner, Lucy and I packed and crossed the campus in the dark with suitcases and all to our new home. We walked in, and it’s a pit of despair. We’ve both been on the verge of tears/laughter all night because it’s bad. And Lucy travels. A lot. To the dumpiest places on earth, like India. And lives in hostels for weeks and weeks. We’re not really complainers, but it was dirty because it’s right off the road, and the windows don’t close ALL the way. People can’t get in, but dirt and noise definitely can. It sounds like an airport hotel outside our window. Also, it’s an apartment, and our neighbors include a baby that hasn’t stopped crying all night, and some ridiculous hippies with terrible music above us. At least the ants here are smaller, which pretty much means they’re just regular size. I boiled water to refrigerate for tomorrow, and it’s still a darker color than the other bottles. I’m drowning my sorrows in a jelly doughnut (not nearly as good as the ones back home). I’ll be fine for a few days, but I’m pitching the biggest fit I can muster to be moved to a house (I know there’s a room in one with some girls my age from the UK) once Lucy leaves on Wednesday.
Even so, I’m still in better spirits than the other night. My U.S. supervisor will be here tomorrow, and I’m looking forward to seeing a familiar face, even though my friends here might already seem a little more familiar these days. I’ve got good books, good music, good letters, and 2 days to sleep in, if I can block out the noise.
So today, I’m thankful...
1. that Dr. Alex was back in town. He’s become a good friend, and I’m grateful for him, and Dr. Amir. Carpooling has been great for making friends.
2. for Benadryl. I’m going to need it to sleep tonight.
3. for nice Africans, who laugh with me, and include me in conversations, even when they forget I don’t know the language they’re using. :)
4. for cute kids toddling around the clinic. I felt bad though. If I thought being a nurse scared small children, try being the first white person they’ve ever seen.
Hope you all have a quiet night. Love you!
Thursday, June 9, 2011
"Cause, Baby, You're a Firework!"
6/9/11
Shout out song title to my big sister who among others, has sent me tons of messages to help me through my home sickness and self pity. I’ve been saying all day that I should have public breakdowns more often. It was a great day! I woke up still in a funk, but by lunchtime I had shaken it off, with the help of Candice Young’s photo shop skills and some lovely pictures of Ryan Reynolds. Lucy and I had a field trip with our third roommate’s organization, Healthy Child Uganda. I got permission to skip work for it, even though it’s a public holiday anyway. We crammed into a car with about 8 other people, and drove down more bumpy dirt roads. We landed in a small village about 30 minutes outside of town. The women of the village had more wrinkles and fewer teeth than anyone I’ve ever seen, but they were still beautiful as they were all smiles and wearing their finest traditional Uganda wear. They gave us guavas as a snack, and we practiced some very poor Luganda (the local language) that we had picked up in the car.
These classes were really amazing. These teachers are certified to go to the villages and set up village health teams made up of respected members of the community. The teams are trained to do first aid, or to refer people to find health services for serious health problems. The teachers also train the villagers about filtering water, washing hands, appropriate places to defecate (crazy, but it makes a huge difference, and people just don’t know), growing food, and all kinds of life skills. I couldn’t understand a lot of what was going on, but the people were attentive, and the teachers were obviously well respected.
At one point I looked down at my feet, which are constantly dirty and dry here. My poor toenails have been ripped to shreds and my feet look like they belong to an 80 year old woman. I had a moment though as I started looking at everyone’s feet, and realized we all had the same dry dirty wrinkly feet. It made me feel as if I was actually connected to them through feet, since our language, looks, wealth, and style are all so vastly different. I’m not someone who’s huge on Biblical references, but Jesus washing the disciples’ feet took on a whole new meaning for me after that. I feel like that’s part of what these teachers are doing for the villages. They’re helping them find ways to wash each other’s feet, and take care of each other in ways that their government can’t or won’t.
So after all of that, Joan, a girl from the group of teachers took us to a place that served real ice cream. I was almost in tears of joy, but then I saw a restaurant that served actual hamburgers. I about died. I ate the best hamburger of my life (if they had had cheese, I really might have cried) for only $3. I can’t tell you how happy a full stomach and junk food has made me. I told my parents earlier, it’s depressing how much junk food has come to mean to me.
Anyway, thanks for the prayers and emails and phone calls (Dad). They all helped a great deal. I’d still much rather be at home, but today was great, and I just have to keep taking days as they come, good, bad, and mediocre. I might still come home early, but today added a little more time to my stay, I think. Thanks, y’all. I love you!
I’m thankful...
1. for random villagers that share their valuable fruit with strangers. Hospitality here puts the south to shame. :)
2. for hamburgers. Again, pure joy.
3. for family and friends at home who reach out to me in times of self pity, and get me through one more day. Again, I love you!
Shout out song title to my big sister who among others, has sent me tons of messages to help me through my home sickness and self pity. I’ve been saying all day that I should have public breakdowns more often. It was a great day! I woke up still in a funk, but by lunchtime I had shaken it off, with the help of Candice Young’s photo shop skills and some lovely pictures of Ryan Reynolds. Lucy and I had a field trip with our third roommate’s organization, Healthy Child Uganda. I got permission to skip work for it, even though it’s a public holiday anyway. We crammed into a car with about 8 other people, and drove down more bumpy dirt roads. We landed in a small village about 30 minutes outside of town. The women of the village had more wrinkles and fewer teeth than anyone I’ve ever seen, but they were still beautiful as they were all smiles and wearing their finest traditional Uganda wear. They gave us guavas as a snack, and we practiced some very poor Luganda (the local language) that we had picked up in the car.
These classes were really amazing. These teachers are certified to go to the villages and set up village health teams made up of respected members of the community. The teams are trained to do first aid, or to refer people to find health services for serious health problems. The teachers also train the villagers about filtering water, washing hands, appropriate places to defecate (crazy, but it makes a huge difference, and people just don’t know), growing food, and all kinds of life skills. I couldn’t understand a lot of what was going on, but the people were attentive, and the teachers were obviously well respected.
At one point I looked down at my feet, which are constantly dirty and dry here. My poor toenails have been ripped to shreds and my feet look like they belong to an 80 year old woman. I had a moment though as I started looking at everyone’s feet, and realized we all had the same dry dirty wrinkly feet. It made me feel as if I was actually connected to them through feet, since our language, looks, wealth, and style are all so vastly different. I’m not someone who’s huge on Biblical references, but Jesus washing the disciples’ feet took on a whole new meaning for me after that. I feel like that’s part of what these teachers are doing for the villages. They’re helping them find ways to wash each other’s feet, and take care of each other in ways that their government can’t or won’t.
So after all of that, Joan, a girl from the group of teachers took us to a place that served real ice cream. I was almost in tears of joy, but then I saw a restaurant that served actual hamburgers. I about died. I ate the best hamburger of my life (if they had had cheese, I really might have cried) for only $3. I can’t tell you how happy a full stomach and junk food has made me. I told my parents earlier, it’s depressing how much junk food has come to mean to me.
Anyway, thanks for the prayers and emails and phone calls (Dad). They all helped a great deal. I’d still much rather be at home, but today was great, and I just have to keep taking days as they come, good, bad, and mediocre. I might still come home early, but today added a little more time to my stay, I think. Thanks, y’all. I love you!
I’m thankful...
1. for random villagers that share their valuable fruit with strangers. Hospitality here puts the south to shame. :)
2. for hamburgers. Again, pure joy.
3. for family and friends at home who reach out to me in times of self pity, and get me through one more day. Again, I love you!
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
"Hold on for one more day!"
6/8/11
I am dying to come home. I couldn’t get to clinic today, and so I spent my day doing some research on prevention education in schools, but my heart is not at all in it. I miss my patients. I miss my family. I miss my friends. I miss working hard for something that I believe in. I love Africa. The people are kind, and my experience has been welcoming and friendly, but it’s this feeling of utter uselessness that makes me want to pack my bags for Entebbe, not the next guest house. I try to stay upbeat. It's something that I'm pretty good at outwardly. I just can't seem to transfer my outward attitude to the rest of me.
I’m disappointed because I chased this internship with such a single mindedness. This was right, I knew it, I had prayed for it, and it came at the perfect time. Everything fell into place for me to leave, and I was looking forward to all that I would see and learn and do.
It’s not the bugs, or the lizards, or the stares on the street, or the constant state of dirt. It’s not the heat outside or the cold showers inside. I can deal with bug bites, I can navigate the streets much better now, and I can even stare down the women in the market so they know I’m not intimidated. But my heart just isn’t in it.
I don’t want to come home to all 120 people who wrote me letters and tell them that they were wrong, I’m not doing awesome work, and I couldn’t even stick it out. I’m not really the type to quit. I’ve worked bad jobs before, I’ve lived in bad places, I've kept bad friends, and I’ve felt out of place many times in the name of “I’ve committed myself to this.” I AM the type to get somewhere and decide quickly that I hate it. I hated college for months, I hated every summer camp I went to, and I hated nursing school until the day I graduated. I don’t want to leave early and wonder ‘what if’ but I just don’t think I can stick it out and keep my sanity either.
Here’s my hope for tonight. I hope that I sleep peacefully, and wake up tomorrow refreshed and renewed in mind, body, and spirit. I hope that I will feel my purpose in my actions and interactions over the next few days. I hope that if none of that happens, I can at least navigate my way back to the airport with my massive suitcases. :) I hate to be such a downer, but this is where I am right now. Pray that my attitude or my situation changes soon.
I’ve still got a list. I’m thankful...
1. for a day off to read, walk, and enjoy some fresh air
2. to have learned how to do laundry and hang clothes to dry. It’s a fun new skill.
3. to be able to put off moving for another day. Beatrice said the other house had no shower, and she wasn’t moving us for the more important professors until we had a comfortable place to stay. Thank you, Beatrice.
I wish I could be more upbeat and sunshine happy, but it’s just not me tonight. Tomorrow will be better, I’m sure.
I am dying to come home. I couldn’t get to clinic today, and so I spent my day doing some research on prevention education in schools, but my heart is not at all in it. I miss my patients. I miss my family. I miss my friends. I miss working hard for something that I believe in. I love Africa. The people are kind, and my experience has been welcoming and friendly, but it’s this feeling of utter uselessness that makes me want to pack my bags for Entebbe, not the next guest house. I try to stay upbeat. It's something that I'm pretty good at outwardly. I just can't seem to transfer my outward attitude to the rest of me.
I’m disappointed because I chased this internship with such a single mindedness. This was right, I knew it, I had prayed for it, and it came at the perfect time. Everything fell into place for me to leave, and I was looking forward to all that I would see and learn and do.
It’s not the bugs, or the lizards, or the stares on the street, or the constant state of dirt. It’s not the heat outside or the cold showers inside. I can deal with bug bites, I can navigate the streets much better now, and I can even stare down the women in the market so they know I’m not intimidated. But my heart just isn’t in it.
I don’t want to come home to all 120 people who wrote me letters and tell them that they were wrong, I’m not doing awesome work, and I couldn’t even stick it out. I’m not really the type to quit. I’ve worked bad jobs before, I’ve lived in bad places, I've kept bad friends, and I’ve felt out of place many times in the name of “I’ve committed myself to this.” I AM the type to get somewhere and decide quickly that I hate it. I hated college for months, I hated every summer camp I went to, and I hated nursing school until the day I graduated. I don’t want to leave early and wonder ‘what if’ but I just don’t think I can stick it out and keep my sanity either.
Here’s my hope for tonight. I hope that I sleep peacefully, and wake up tomorrow refreshed and renewed in mind, body, and spirit. I hope that I will feel my purpose in my actions and interactions over the next few days. I hope that if none of that happens, I can at least navigate my way back to the airport with my massive suitcases. :) I hate to be such a downer, but this is where I am right now. Pray that my attitude or my situation changes soon.
I’ve still got a list. I’m thankful...
1. for a day off to read, walk, and enjoy some fresh air
2. to have learned how to do laundry and hang clothes to dry. It’s a fun new skill.
3. to be able to put off moving for another day. Beatrice said the other house had no shower, and she wasn’t moving us for the more important professors until we had a comfortable place to stay. Thank you, Beatrice.
I wish I could be more upbeat and sunshine happy, but it’s just not me tonight. Tomorrow will be better, I’m sure.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
"We'll All Float On Okay"
6/7/11
That song got stuck in my head after dinner out tonight where it was playing. Modest Mouse in Africa makes me feel better. It’s funny how random songs have that power. It is really hard to keep up with the dates around here. If my lovely Mac didn’t tell me the date, I’d be completely lost. In some ways it’s hard to believe I’ve been here for a week and a half, and in some ways it feels like I’ve been here a lifetime. Today was uneventful at the clinic, and I even woke up to my alarm this morning which is a first. Even with Benadryl every night, I've been waking up tons and long before my alarm goes off. I think it significantly helped my mood and my coping skills to sleep well.
I did have a couple of downers this evening. Dr. Alex is not coming back from Kampala until Thursday, which means my rides to the clinic will be hit or miss between now and then. I might have to have some ‘online research’ days at home, which is fine by me, but I get the feeling I’ll just frantically check emails from home more than I’ll research. Also, the caretaker of my guest house told me today that I have to move out of my current house into another one by tomorrow afternoon. I’m bummed because I have to move, but she said that there were other girls at the next place, too. Lucy has to move, too, which really sucks because she’s only here for one more week. At least if we split up, we’ll meet more people. I’ve just gotten used to this place! I’m looking forward to hauling my massive suitcase across campus without the help of Dr. Alex and his car like I had last time. With all of my big talk about not needing a man, I’ll gladly use one for heavy lifting any day. Everyone here seems incredibly helpful, so maybe I’ll luck out and find a nice security guard who will take pity on me and help me with my ridiculously sized bags.
On that note, I need to shower and finish packing some things. Here’s my list for today.
I’m Thankful...
1. for spaghetti sauce and Oreos (not together). I found both at a new grocery store further from me, but well worth the trip. Comfort food=happiness, even if it is incredibly overpriced.
2. for dresses. I put on the one dress I let myself take to Africa (praying it won’t get messed up) to feel like myself today, and it helped. I also put on some make up, which made me feel normal, too. I’m incredibly vain, and I’ll finally just own it.
3. for small deeds of kindness. I’ve been riding with Dr. Amir to the clinic this week, and he stops and offers rides to any woman he sees and can fit in his car. He even tracked down a woman in the middle of nowhere who left her bag in his backseat. I’ve forgotten how genuinely good people can be.
Goodnight and much love!
That song got stuck in my head after dinner out tonight where it was playing. Modest Mouse in Africa makes me feel better. It’s funny how random songs have that power. It is really hard to keep up with the dates around here. If my lovely Mac didn’t tell me the date, I’d be completely lost. In some ways it’s hard to believe I’ve been here for a week and a half, and in some ways it feels like I’ve been here a lifetime. Today was uneventful at the clinic, and I even woke up to my alarm this morning which is a first. Even with Benadryl every night, I've been waking up tons and long before my alarm goes off. I think it significantly helped my mood and my coping skills to sleep well.
I did have a couple of downers this evening. Dr. Alex is not coming back from Kampala until Thursday, which means my rides to the clinic will be hit or miss between now and then. I might have to have some ‘online research’ days at home, which is fine by me, but I get the feeling I’ll just frantically check emails from home more than I’ll research. Also, the caretaker of my guest house told me today that I have to move out of my current house into another one by tomorrow afternoon. I’m bummed because I have to move, but she said that there were other girls at the next place, too. Lucy has to move, too, which really sucks because she’s only here for one more week. At least if we split up, we’ll meet more people. I’ve just gotten used to this place! I’m looking forward to hauling my massive suitcase across campus without the help of Dr. Alex and his car like I had last time. With all of my big talk about not needing a man, I’ll gladly use one for heavy lifting any day. Everyone here seems incredibly helpful, so maybe I’ll luck out and find a nice security guard who will take pity on me and help me with my ridiculously sized bags.
On that note, I need to shower and finish packing some things. Here’s my list for today.
I’m Thankful...
1. for spaghetti sauce and Oreos (not together). I found both at a new grocery store further from me, but well worth the trip. Comfort food=happiness, even if it is incredibly overpriced.
2. for dresses. I put on the one dress I let myself take to Africa (praying it won’t get messed up) to feel like myself today, and it helped. I also put on some make up, which made me feel normal, too. I’m incredibly vain, and I’ll finally just own it.
3. for small deeds of kindness. I’ve been riding with Dr. Amir to the clinic this week, and he stops and offers rides to any woman he sees and can fit in his car. He even tracked down a woman in the middle of nowhere who left her bag in his backseat. I’ve forgotten how genuinely good people can be.
Goodnight and much love!
Monday, June 6, 2011
No clever title tonight
6/6/11
So sadly, today was back to work as usual. I did a ton of computer stuff today, until my battery died, and I read some news while I waited for my ride home. No school visits today, the funny old doctor was out for some reason. I’ve made a decision that I need to stay working with kids whatever I do after this degree. Computers and grown ups just don’t suit me. I like giggling, and grown ups just don’t giggle as much. Except Lucy. She trips me out because she giggles all the time. She’s also been sick as a dog pretty much since she’s been here, and I feel terrible, but also glad that I have avoided it so far. Although, during a bout of homesickness today, I did consider skipping my malaria tablets in an attempt to have a good excuse to come home early. No, Mom, I won’t actually do it. And don’t get me wrong, I love the people here, and I work with some pretty incredible ones. I’m learning SOOO much about the world, and healthcare, and policies, and how everything we do in the U.S. impacts SOO many other people and policies. I’m seeing it firsthand, and if I was liberal before, I’m going to be out of control when I get back. Lesson of today: Bush actually did a lot of good things for HIV/AIDS research and outreach here. That totally burst my bubble of hatred for him. Obama has been cutting back on funding of these things (yay recession, which was also caused by Bush policies, so I still have some excuse to dislike him), because it’s not sustainable. However, without a plan for slowly handing control back to local governments, the patients are the ones suffering, and not receiving the life saving medicines that they desperately need and deserve. Everybody do me a favor, and if you’re a praying person, thank God tonight for the access that I know everyone reading this has to medicine and nutritious foods and education and clean water and all of the things that people struggle for daily here. Off my soapbox. I was going to write 'sorry' but I'm not, and I hope I kick that habit like I have Diet Dr. Pepper while I'm here. And one last random thing, I asked Dr. Amir what it means when people tell me I'm "a good size." I've heard that a few times on the street, and didn't know how to take it. He said it's pretty much just a compliment, and left it at that. Figured I'd throw in some local phrases just to educate :)
Today I’m thankful...
1. for the opportunity to learn, even if I’m not saving the world quite like I thought I would.
2. for the ability to drive to food whenever I want at home, and to feel full after just about every meal. Cooking really is a pain in the ass.
3. that even though money wasn’t always flowing freely in our family, I’ve never had to want for anything that I really needed in life.
4. for hot showers! I finally got a good one in. Not sure what the trick was with the water heater, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Goodnight y’all! Hope it’s a happy Monday for you!
So sadly, today was back to work as usual. I did a ton of computer stuff today, until my battery died, and I read some news while I waited for my ride home. No school visits today, the funny old doctor was out for some reason. I’ve made a decision that I need to stay working with kids whatever I do after this degree. Computers and grown ups just don’t suit me. I like giggling, and grown ups just don’t giggle as much. Except Lucy. She trips me out because she giggles all the time. She’s also been sick as a dog pretty much since she’s been here, and I feel terrible, but also glad that I have avoided it so far. Although, during a bout of homesickness today, I did consider skipping my malaria tablets in an attempt to have a good excuse to come home early. No, Mom, I won’t actually do it. And don’t get me wrong, I love the people here, and I work with some pretty incredible ones. I’m learning SOOO much about the world, and healthcare, and policies, and how everything we do in the U.S. impacts SOO many other people and policies. I’m seeing it firsthand, and if I was liberal before, I’m going to be out of control when I get back. Lesson of today: Bush actually did a lot of good things for HIV/AIDS research and outreach here. That totally burst my bubble of hatred for him. Obama has been cutting back on funding of these things (yay recession, which was also caused by Bush policies, so I still have some excuse to dislike him), because it’s not sustainable. However, without a plan for slowly handing control back to local governments, the patients are the ones suffering, and not receiving the life saving medicines that they desperately need and deserve. Everybody do me a favor, and if you’re a praying person, thank God tonight for the access that I know everyone reading this has to medicine and nutritious foods and education and clean water and all of the things that people struggle for daily here. Off my soapbox. I was going to write 'sorry' but I'm not, and I hope I kick that habit like I have Diet Dr. Pepper while I'm here. And one last random thing, I asked Dr. Amir what it means when people tell me I'm "a good size." I've heard that a few times on the street, and didn't know how to take it. He said it's pretty much just a compliment, and left it at that. Figured I'd throw in some local phrases just to educate :)
Today I’m thankful...
1. for the opportunity to learn, even if I’m not saving the world quite like I thought I would.
2. for the ability to drive to food whenever I want at home, and to feel full after just about every meal. Cooking really is a pain in the ass.
3. that even though money wasn’t always flowing freely in our family, I’ve never had to want for anything that I really needed in life.
4. for hot showers! I finally got a good one in. Not sure what the trick was with the water heater, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Goodnight y’all! Hope it’s a happy Monday for you!
Sunday, June 5, 2011
"You Are Welcome"
That's a pretty standard greeting around here. I like it a lot, because it sounds better when you say all three words, and when it's separate from thank you. It also seems to summarize people's attitudes around here, which is pretty refreshing.
I'm back from the park, and other than some massive home sickness, I had a fabulous time. After the lodge yesterday, we found a boat to ride around the lake, and we saw some crazy birds, crocodiles (not my favorite), and TONS of hippos. We came back to the hostel worn out, and right about the time it started to get dark the power went out. A generator turned on a few lights, but the one plus about the hostel was the fan in our room, which provided no relief without power. After a couple of hours, the shedding of some clothes, some ridiculously loud banging outside our window, and some lamenting from both me and Lucy, the fan roared to life at around midnight. We both got a lovely night's rest after that.
Today we woke up, stopped at a craft shop that supports women's rights, and Theodore got us on the road. I had a small moment because he pulled over in front of some slum-looking homes and told us to get out. Lucy and I were a little concerned as Theodore was very insistent, and the people inside the homes look just as bewildered. We walked from the car, through the neighborhood (the poorest I've ever seen in my life), scared some goats, and walked past a tomato garden, and then he pointed for us to look down. We'd climbed the hill to see we were on top of a mountain, looking into the greenest lake I've ever seen. I decided then, that I'm just going to go with the flow and chalk up what comes to it's an adventure! After that, we went about a mile down the road and had lunch at the richest looking resort on top of the mountain I can imagine. Looks like the U.S. isn't the only place with division of wealth problems.
So I'm back in Mbarara, and glad to be still for a minute. I feel like there is so much in my head, and I have a hard time putting it down on here. I'm happy and having fun, but I'm also crazy with homesickness, and it seems to come and go pretty violently. I'm still a little iffy about my work at the clinic, since I don't seem to be doing much but getting in the way. It's only been one week though, so I'm giving it at least one more before I pack my bags and hitch a ride back to the States.
Today, I'm thankful...
1. for a home away from home at the guest house. Even with cold showers and lizards, it beats a gross hostel any day (which also had cold showers and lizards).
2. for fun banana drinks and fish stir fry.
3. for good trashy books. I finished another one today called Girls in Trucks. It's pretty much just smut, but it was on the bargain table at Barnes and Noble and it was about the south. Good times!
4. for toilet paper. It's been everywhere I've gone so far, but I can't imagine being without it.
5. for a free afternoon to get clean and catch up.
Here are some things I'm NOT thankful for (I think I should be able to get in a few)...
1. mosquito nets. The first night it was cool, but now I see why no one wants to use them because they're hot and they suck.
2. toilets that only flush occasionally. There's no rhyme or reason to them around here.
3. napkins and hand towels are a rarity. My hands always seem wet or dirty.
4. not being able to feel pretty. I always feel plain and dirty, and I miss my pretty dresses and straight hair. Lucy saw my drivers license picture (which is actually a decent picture) and couldn't believe it was the same person.
I think that's all I've got for now. Much love!
I'm back from the park, and other than some massive home sickness, I had a fabulous time. After the lodge yesterday, we found a boat to ride around the lake, and we saw some crazy birds, crocodiles (not my favorite), and TONS of hippos. We came back to the hostel worn out, and right about the time it started to get dark the power went out. A generator turned on a few lights, but the one plus about the hostel was the fan in our room, which provided no relief without power. After a couple of hours, the shedding of some clothes, some ridiculously loud banging outside our window, and some lamenting from both me and Lucy, the fan roared to life at around midnight. We both got a lovely night's rest after that.
Today we woke up, stopped at a craft shop that supports women's rights, and Theodore got us on the road. I had a small moment because he pulled over in front of some slum-looking homes and told us to get out. Lucy and I were a little concerned as Theodore was very insistent, and the people inside the homes look just as bewildered. We walked from the car, through the neighborhood (the poorest I've ever seen in my life), scared some goats, and walked past a tomato garden, and then he pointed for us to look down. We'd climbed the hill to see we were on top of a mountain, looking into the greenest lake I've ever seen. I decided then, that I'm just going to go with the flow and chalk up what comes to it's an adventure! After that, we went about a mile down the road and had lunch at the richest looking resort on top of the mountain I can imagine. Looks like the U.S. isn't the only place with division of wealth problems.
So I'm back in Mbarara, and glad to be still for a minute. I feel like there is so much in my head, and I have a hard time putting it down on here. I'm happy and having fun, but I'm also crazy with homesickness, and it seems to come and go pretty violently. I'm still a little iffy about my work at the clinic, since I don't seem to be doing much but getting in the way. It's only been one week though, so I'm giving it at least one more before I pack my bags and hitch a ride back to the States.
Today, I'm thankful...
1. for a home away from home at the guest house. Even with cold showers and lizards, it beats a gross hostel any day (which also had cold showers and lizards).
2. for fun banana drinks and fish stir fry.
3. for good trashy books. I finished another one today called Girls in Trucks. It's pretty much just smut, but it was on the bargain table at Barnes and Noble and it was about the south. Good times!
4. for toilet paper. It's been everywhere I've gone so far, but I can't imagine being without it.
5. for a free afternoon to get clean and catch up.
Here are some things I'm NOT thankful for (I think I should be able to get in a few)...
1. mosquito nets. The first night it was cool, but now I see why no one wants to use them because they're hot and they suck.
2. toilets that only flush occasionally. There's no rhyme or reason to them around here.
3. napkins and hand towels are a rarity. My hands always seem wet or dirty.
4. not being able to feel pretty. I always feel plain and dirty, and I miss my pretty dresses and straight hair. Lucy saw my drivers license picture (which is actually a decent picture) and couldn't believe it was the same person.
I think that's all I've got for now. Much love!
Hakuna Matata!
I am currently sitting at Queen Elizabeth National Park (she visited once 60 years ago, and they named it after her, isn't that crazy?) at the very expensive lodge drinking a Coke and stealing some WiFi. Lucy and I are actually staying at the much cheaper hostel next door (which still has good cheap food on a picturesque patio), which has a shower where people could potentially see you, and questionable toilets. The outdoor patio here overlooks the lake, and across the lake, elephants are gathered and drinking some water. Definitely can't complain.
We met our driver, Theodore, yesterday, and drove through some gorgeous countryside to get here. There are tea plantations that cover entire mountains with leaves and things. When we got to the park, we were heading up the hill, and we saw some elephants crossing. As I was pulling my camera out of my bag, I heard Lucy shriek "they're charging, go, go, go!" Sure enough, an elephant was booking towards us because we were between her and her baby. I didn't get any great pictures after that, because I didn't want to stir up trouble. Someone tell Mrs. Olive I've seen tons of them, and they are indeed majestic, if not ornery. I had a grilled cheese and tomato sandwich at the hostel, and then we drove a little more, watched the sunset, and called it a night. My shower was interesting since I hung a flashlight on the wall and tried my best to wash up while also praying that no one walked by the one pane of glass that wasn't frosted. Lucy woke up halfway through the night with night terrors from her malaria pills, went to the bathroom, and saw a bat which was awesome to wake up to.
After a tiny bit of sleep, we got on the road again at 6:30 to go see more stuff. We saw pumbaas (warthogs, not nearly as cute as Pumbaa in the Lion King), elephants (still ornery), antelopes (aka water bucks, and my favorite quote "the males are horny"), tons of beautiful birds, a python, and a couple of lions. I took a ton of pictures, but I think I'll have to wait to post them, since I haven't had luck posting them on here. Old folks who read this, talk to your kids, because Facebook might be an easier way for me to post them.
I'm about to clear out, and get on a boat to go see some more things, but I think the highlight of this lodge has been a toilet that flushes and actual towels to dry your hands. I never thought a bathroom could make me so happy.
Here's a list for 6/4ish? Hard to tell anymore.
I'm thankful for...
1. sunsets in Africa. I think everything in Africa related to the sun and stars is way more beautiful.
2. clean bathrooms. Americans, enjoy!!!
3. guides who risk breaking laws to get a close picture of lions.
4. grilled cheese sandwiches.
5. not reacting as heavily to my malaria pills as Lucy seems to have
Much love!
We met our driver, Theodore, yesterday, and drove through some gorgeous countryside to get here. There are tea plantations that cover entire mountains with leaves and things. When we got to the park, we were heading up the hill, and we saw some elephants crossing. As I was pulling my camera out of my bag, I heard Lucy shriek "they're charging, go, go, go!" Sure enough, an elephant was booking towards us because we were between her and her baby. I didn't get any great pictures after that, because I didn't want to stir up trouble. Someone tell Mrs. Olive I've seen tons of them, and they are indeed majestic, if not ornery. I had a grilled cheese and tomato sandwich at the hostel, and then we drove a little more, watched the sunset, and called it a night. My shower was interesting since I hung a flashlight on the wall and tried my best to wash up while also praying that no one walked by the one pane of glass that wasn't frosted. Lucy woke up halfway through the night with night terrors from her malaria pills, went to the bathroom, and saw a bat which was awesome to wake up to.
After a tiny bit of sleep, we got on the road again at 6:30 to go see more stuff. We saw pumbaas (warthogs, not nearly as cute as Pumbaa in the Lion King), elephants (still ornery), antelopes (aka water bucks, and my favorite quote "the males are horny"), tons of beautiful birds, a python, and a couple of lions. I took a ton of pictures, but I think I'll have to wait to post them, since I haven't had luck posting them on here. Old folks who read this, talk to your kids, because Facebook might be an easier way for me to post them.
I'm about to clear out, and get on a boat to go see some more things, but I think the highlight of this lodge has been a toilet that flushes and actual towels to dry your hands. I never thought a bathroom could make me so happy.
Here's a list for 6/4ish? Hard to tell anymore.
I'm thankful for...
1. sunsets in Africa. I think everything in Africa related to the sun and stars is way more beautiful.
2. clean bathrooms. Americans, enjoy!!!
3. guides who risk breaking laws to get a close picture of lions.
4. grilled cheese sandwiches.
5. not reacting as heavily to my malaria pills as Lucy seems to have
Much love!
Thursday, June 2, 2011
"Islands in the stream, that is what we are"
6/1-6/2
So Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton exist on a tape in a truck in rural Uganda. I started laughing, and I'm still not sure if I explained it enough to the others for them to understand.
It has been a long several days, and I’m grateful that today is a holiday (Martyrs’ Day) because I have a day off. I have a little bit of time to catch my breath before Lucy and I leave for the park this afternoon. I will say that I woke up to find a lovely yellow lizard on my bathroom sink. I didn’t quite know what to do with that so I just turned the light out and left. I don’t know if lizards bite, and I don’t really want to remove it enough to find out. Anyway.
So, ‘Muzungu’. It’s a lovely word meaning white girl. I’ve visited several schools by now, and that’s what they all call me. It’s not a bad thing, but everyone stares and waves and smiles, and says ‘how are you?’. Then when I say ‘I’m well, how are you?’, the kids giggle and scatter like ants. It’s a little like being a celebrity. A lot of the kids in the rural areas only speak a little English, so it’s fun for them to practice on me.
Other than my family and my friends (who I continue to dream about every night), what’s struck me as odd is how much I miss my patients back home. I think of them constantly, mostly because so many of the children here are bald (which we all know is a major weakness of mine), and I miss trying to make them smile during the day. Watching the nurses in the clinic has made me very grateful to work where I do, and to have the resources that I have.
Last night, I was lucky enough to be introduced to a restaurant called Peers. It’s a lovely little place with outdoor seating, a large border of greenery, and a rooftop bar. When we arrived there was either a) a group of businessmen doing karaoke or b) a band rehearsing for their set tonight. We heard both from different servers, and couldn’t tell from their talents which it was. I had a couple of Guiness beers with Dr. Alex, and they tasted so much better after the week I have had. It’s hard to believe I started my plane rides only a week ago. I came home to find Lucy also needed a beer after her day, so we split a Heineken, too. I know my parents don’t approve, but beer really does solve some problems sometimes.
So these days, I’m thankful...
1. for bananas. I’m going to be sick of them soon, but they’re filling and everywhere! I don’t have to think about breakfast much at all.
2. for good books. I finished The Help a night or two ago, and I highly recommend it.
3. for the view of stars in Uganda. Absolutely indescribable.
4. for new friends who are kind to the new foreigner and risk being seen in public with my awkwardness. It was nice to talk about America for a little bit, and it felt a little like being with my friends at home, laughing over beers.
5. for kind doctors and nurses who let me ride in the truck to see schools. I’m very limited by language, but I really wish I could jump in and start being a nurse again. This truck has seatbelts, but they really don’t matter because on the dirt roads I’ve bounced and hit my head so many times that I think my IQ may have dropped a little bit.
6. for paved roads.
Has anyone ever written a grant proposal before? I’m looking into that, and could use any help you’ve got. I’ll tell all about the park we're going to this weekend as soon as I can. Love you!
So Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton exist on a tape in a truck in rural Uganda. I started laughing, and I'm still not sure if I explained it enough to the others for them to understand.
It has been a long several days, and I’m grateful that today is a holiday (Martyrs’ Day) because I have a day off. I have a little bit of time to catch my breath before Lucy and I leave for the park this afternoon. I will say that I woke up to find a lovely yellow lizard on my bathroom sink. I didn’t quite know what to do with that so I just turned the light out and left. I don’t know if lizards bite, and I don’t really want to remove it enough to find out. Anyway.
So, ‘Muzungu’. It’s a lovely word meaning white girl. I’ve visited several schools by now, and that’s what they all call me. It’s not a bad thing, but everyone stares and waves and smiles, and says ‘how are you?’. Then when I say ‘I’m well, how are you?’, the kids giggle and scatter like ants. It’s a little like being a celebrity. A lot of the kids in the rural areas only speak a little English, so it’s fun for them to practice on me.
Other than my family and my friends (who I continue to dream about every night), what’s struck me as odd is how much I miss my patients back home. I think of them constantly, mostly because so many of the children here are bald (which we all know is a major weakness of mine), and I miss trying to make them smile during the day. Watching the nurses in the clinic has made me very grateful to work where I do, and to have the resources that I have.
Last night, I was lucky enough to be introduced to a restaurant called Peers. It’s a lovely little place with outdoor seating, a large border of greenery, and a rooftop bar. When we arrived there was either a) a group of businessmen doing karaoke or b) a band rehearsing for their set tonight. We heard both from different servers, and couldn’t tell from their talents which it was. I had a couple of Guiness beers with Dr. Alex, and they tasted so much better after the week I have had. It’s hard to believe I started my plane rides only a week ago. I came home to find Lucy also needed a beer after her day, so we split a Heineken, too. I know my parents don’t approve, but beer really does solve some problems sometimes.
So these days, I’m thankful...
1. for bananas. I’m going to be sick of them soon, but they’re filling and everywhere! I don’t have to think about breakfast much at all.
2. for good books. I finished The Help a night or two ago, and I highly recommend it.
3. for the view of stars in Uganda. Absolutely indescribable.
4. for new friends who are kind to the new foreigner and risk being seen in public with my awkwardness. It was nice to talk about America for a little bit, and it felt a little like being with my friends at home, laughing over beers.
5. for kind doctors and nurses who let me ride in the truck to see schools. I’m very limited by language, but I really wish I could jump in and start being a nurse again. This truck has seatbelts, but they really don’t matter because on the dirt roads I’ve bounced and hit my head so many times that I think my IQ may have dropped a little bit.
6. for paved roads.
Has anyone ever written a grant proposal before? I’m looking into that, and could use any help you’ve got. I’ll tell all about the park we're going to this weekend as soon as I can. Love you!
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