So not much happened this week here in Uganda. Our job was to travel with Ponny and the two new interns Wendy and Noah. Every time I say Noah’s name I get more excited to go see Simon and Noah. Wendy is sooo smart and speaks Amazing English so it’s so nice to talk to her. They have explained so much to us and it’s just nice to have another person to have a normal conversation with. The whole week we traveled to other sub counties of Kassanda. I have FINALLY figured out the whole program they have going on here. Ok so it goes like this, I’ll put it as easy as I can. We are volunteering through Healthcare Volunteer Uganda. This Healthcare program is something that was created by Neil Patel so that people who wanted tovolunteer could say exactly when and where they wanted to and they would set it up according to those specifications. There is no real connection to the program I am going to explain other than providing volunteers. So HCVU hired Ponny, Ponny taught the pastor Vincent at KCF, Kassanda Cornerstone Foundation, and so Ponny was able to make a partnership with them and bring in volunteers. People here are very focused on getting resources and help for orphans and HIV + patients in their area, but if there is more than one program there is competition and obviously their cause doesn’t work so well so they set out for partners and work together. KCF has started a program called PPLP, Partnering for Positive living Livlihood Program. What this does is sets up TOT’s, trainer of trainers who are in charge of certain parishes where CCG’s are local to. These TOT’s train CCG’s, community care givers. The CCG’s are trained to take care of 15 people, a certain amount of HIV + patients and then some orphans. They train them to advise good nutrition, where to get medical treatment, monitor their treatment, give them counseling, just about everything they need the CCG’s are trained to help them with. They report back to the TOT’s and they make up reports to monitor this.
We work at Peoples Medical Center. PMC is a private clinic and KCF is partnered with PMC because this is where patients can receive treatment, get their ARV’s and counseling and what not. They also do the outreaches to test for HIV in the sub counties where CCG’s then can get their PHA’s (not sure what that stands for but I know it’s their Positive patients). It’s better to be partnered with a private clinic because the treatment is much better, more personal and just all around better treatment. We visitied a governement funded clinic and it just didn’t seem so clean or friendly, very different. We will be shadowing there for a day here soon so I will let you know how that goes. They also have most of the births there and so we are trying to arrange that we can get to see a birth here. I hope I explained that well enough to understand how all this works here. It took me forever to figure out!! They tried explaining it but it’s so unorganized, they don’t have any pamphlets set up explaining it. It’s all very new. So our whole week was going to these meetings with TOT’s and CCG’s making sure that everyone was divided up and had their training, hearing their concerns. They were talking about these kitchen gardens they want to start up in each sub county. It is very crucial for these patients to eat healthy, but it’s hard to ask someone to do so when they don’t have the money, so these kitchen gardens will provide healthy food for everyone. The meetings were pretty boring for us cause they were all in Luganda and we understood nothing until Noah or Wendy told us something. One of the concerns that someone voiced was that wife was HIV+ and she asked the CCG not to tell her husband because if he knew and tested + that he would divorce her. So they didn’t know what to do in those types of situations. Also the CCG’s themselves are mostly HIV patients so they were concerned with what do they do when they are sick and their PHA is sick and has no family members to help them. They are still working out their kinks.
Over the weekend of the 18th we went to Jinja to see the Nile. Man that thing is HUGE! Then this last weekend we went to Kampala (the city) just to go shopping but as soon as we got there I realized I had food poisoning (I’m pretty sure that’s what it was). I can’t even explain what that was like. First of all the only way to get to and form Kampala is a taxi. A taxi here is a van that is meant to fit 9 people. They added little seats on the end of each isle to make it so that there can be 3 rows for 4 people to sit in (12 people), but no to maximize their money they fit around 17+ in at a time. So we’re in this overcrowded taxi I ended up throwing up outside the taxi, also in a bag in the taxi. Not only is this taxi full to the max but they don't’ always have the windows open because the dust is so bad, so it’s scorching hot and smells horrible. Thirdly you have never experience pot holes or bad roads until you have traveled here. I’m serious it feels like at any minute the van is just going to collapse from all the holes and how bad the road is. I tried laying my head down on the seat in front of me but from all the bouncing my forehead was bruised. It was pretty much the most miserable day and the taxi ride from Hell! Today we are back at the clinic. We should be here for the next two weeks, then we are off to Rakai before we come home.
As I was sitting here writing e-mails a woman sat down and put her arm out for me to look at. She has some kind of rash. The nurse told me she wants me to look at her arm and tell her what she has. Of course I have no idea, I guess they must not be to certain here either. Then she starts pointing at her eyes. I guess she has a problem with them constant tearing up. When people see a white person that to them automatically translates into knowledge/education and money. So she of course thinks I know how to do all this and I have no training what so ever. Even after the nurse left she continues to try and talk to me in Luganda. I can tell she tries to make little small talk but then she pulls her arm back out at me. I keep telling her I can’t help her and speak no Luganda but bless her heart she just keeps trying to have a conversations. I so wish there wasn’t a language barrier here.
Monday, June 28, 2010
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
So the outreach went great! When we first arrived there had been a death in the village and in Uganda is customary for visitors to visit the home and family of the deceased. When we got there pretty much the whole village was camped out around this mans house. Apparently he was 72 and died of diabetes. How he could live so long here with diabetes is beyond me. But we learned that when someone in a village dies they lay the body in the house (un preserved) and friends and family camp out around the house for up to 3-4 days. They lay out old palm leaves for people to sleep on and sit on for the duration of the visit. I couldn't’ believe how many people were there. We were introduced and we asked everyone to come and stop by to be tested for HIV. They all seemed pretty happy to meet us as usual, and again loved when they learned our Ugandan names. They get so excited to here that. They tell us that when people yell mzungu or bzunugu at us we are to yell muganda, which is the name of the native people of central Uganda (where we stay). People are starting to know us by our African names. We were at church the other day and were introduced and so while we were walking by the school some girls started yelling Naku at Alicia. Vincent (the pastor) told us they remembered from church, I was sad they didn't’ remember my name but we’re going again this Sunday so I told them they have to remind them. Back to outreach. So we went back to where their clinic was stationed, which was basically just a tiny room, big enough to see one person at a time. They told us how the system was going to work and threw us into it. We would tie of their arm, draw the blood, give it to Edith to test, and then they would talk to Vincent (the pastor) for counseling and information where they could get meds and more counseling. For a while Alicia and I would test a few people and switch off, but it was just so crowded with everyone coming in and getting so hot Alicia decided that she wanted to just tie off the arm while I drew the blood. We ended up making a great team and made the system very efficient. I ended up getting really good at it. The bigger the people are the hardest to find and access a vein so that was a little difficult but I figured it out soon enough. It’s weird sitting there and everyone keeps says “Ugh oh, this one is fat!” (knowing it may take me a couple tries to get the vein). They have absolutely no problem with calling people fat here, it’s hard to get used to. Nobody minds, which is nice to see I guess. By the end I didn’t have trouble, even with the “fat” ones, I was so proud of myself. I loved doing all of it! We ended up testing 107 people and only 3 were tested positive!!!! Which was is amazing news!! It was one male and two females. When we met up with Eva this weekend and told her she was very surprised to here the number was so low. So the outreach went great! I can’t wait til we get to do it again. Ponny told us we’re probably get to do maybe one more before we leave. It makes me wonder if I would prefer nursing, I really enjoy being so hands on with the patients.
Sorry so long..2 Posts
I always forget what I have last written to everyone on here but good news we trapped and killed the critter that has been running around our room every night. We thought it was a mouse but after seeing it’s size and tail I’m pretty sure that it is a rat. Pretty gross. I was relieved to have it taken care of but surprised at how much it really didn’t bother me.
So Tuesday the clinic was slow and I sat down and had a long chat with Joseph the doctor at the clinic. He explained sooo much to me. We started talking about the symptoms of Typhoid and Malaria (fairly the same but I think Typhoid comes with more joint pains). Typhoid, Malaria, and Anemia are the most prevalent viruses here and as I said earlier (I think) are the deadliest. Anemia however usually only affects younger children, mostly with kids from 4-5 months. When children get Malaria the virus takes over the blood cells and lowering the blood levels to toxic amounts causing Anemia. Malaria can be treated but it is more difficult because it’s not something where they can just inject you with medicine and you are cured. Quinine injections are what kills the Malaria virus but because so much has taken over the blood cells the quinine can’t travel through the blood. So patients have ot be administered and set up on a quinine drip with gluocose/glucosinolate do help give the body more energy (I assume to make more blood cells) allowing the quinine to travel through the system. This is timely and expensive and is another reason why Malaria is such killer here; it all comes down to money. I also learned that there is a Malaria vaccination, I had never heard of it before. When Joseph was younger they had a family doctor who was able to vaccinate is whole family for Malaria. He was Malaria free for 17 years, but now has the virus, which I was very surprised to learn. He says that he keeps good care of himself, always eating and drinking plenty of juice to keep his energy and immune system up so he needs little medicine. I’m still a little confused on how that works for him. Apparently the vaccination is 500,000 shillings, which is about $240 for us. No one here can afford that and the government definitely doesn’t fund it. He says that Africa has come a long way with HIV/Aids, providing free testing, counseling, and treatment but now the big killer is also Malaria.
He also explained to me that for women cervical cancer is a huge problem here as well. I guess HPV is pretty bad here, he went into descriptions about it but that isn’t necessary for me to put up on here. He told me that he thinks it has a lot to do with birth control pills. I don’t think it is so much the actual pills as the misunderstanding of what they do or their purpose. I think people are ill informed that it’s strictly to prevent ovulation but does not protect against STI’s. He said left and right women are dying from cervical cancer. It’s so sad these diseases are killing sooo many people and yet there are vaccinations to prevent it but no access to them. I was surprised when he said that he sympathized with the government in why they couldn’t/wouldn’t fund these vaccinations. I think the way he tried to explain it would be so hard for the government to get these vaccinations and actually distribute them. Villages are so far apart form each other, roads are horrible, and there is no telling how many people reside in one community. Either way I still think its sad that there are these vaccinations available but not being used. It sounds like Malaria is the 2nd deadliest disease in Africa next to Aids. It’s really about the only type of patients that come in to the clinic.
You can tell that Joseph is sympathisizes with these people and wants so badly to help. I’m pretty sure I wrote this before about how people are to poor to get transport to clinics, or even to pay for treatment if they some how got there. Clinics can be soo far for people to get to help. So Joseph has this idea that sounds great but sadly I don’t know if it will ever happen. What he wants to do is set up little branches of clinics in other towns. It would be just a few beds and when someone was sick they would phone the Peoples Medical Center (the clinic I’m at), which would be the main branch, and they would send nurses up to that specific branch to assess and give treatment. That way people can have access to medical treatment with out having to travel such far distances. The nurse can either treat the patient there and continue to check up, or it if is serious enough transport the patient to the PMC. It really would help to save so many lives having that availability I just don’t know how he is going to get that with out major sponsoring.
Thursday Alicia and I will be traveling with 2 nurses doing an outreach in a village testing for HIV/Aids. Apparently the process is pretty simple. We have to draw blood from the vein and put it on what he explained to be like a test strip, almost like litmus paper, but I know it has to be a little more complex than that. Then we can offer free counseling and treatment. I’m not really sure how this is all going to go down but I will write all about it after we finish. This is all that I got out of Joseph for the outreach. I really like him, he has been teaching me so much. I enjoy our talks. He loves that we are here. He thinks it's the greatest thing. He said it is an amazing thing that we have come this far to experience this different way of life and the different plagues of Uganda. He likes the fact that we have come to this clinic to get to know them so that when we go back we know that they “are good people and not trying to con us into helping them”. I hope my posts make sense. I’m pretty tired by the end of the day and feel like I can’t put anything into words while I write. Update you on how the outreach goes later. Love you all!!!!!!!!!!!
So Tuesday the clinic was slow and I sat down and had a long chat with Joseph the doctor at the clinic. He explained sooo much to me. We started talking about the symptoms of Typhoid and Malaria (fairly the same but I think Typhoid comes with more joint pains). Typhoid, Malaria, and Anemia are the most prevalent viruses here and as I said earlier (I think) are the deadliest. Anemia however usually only affects younger children, mostly with kids from 4-5 months. When children get Malaria the virus takes over the blood cells and lowering the blood levels to toxic amounts causing Anemia. Malaria can be treated but it is more difficult because it’s not something where they can just inject you with medicine and you are cured. Quinine injections are what kills the Malaria virus but because so much has taken over the blood cells the quinine can’t travel through the blood. So patients have ot be administered and set up on a quinine drip with gluocose/glucosinolate do help give the body more energy (I assume to make more blood cells) allowing the quinine to travel through the system. This is timely and expensive and is another reason why Malaria is such killer here; it all comes down to money. I also learned that there is a Malaria vaccination, I had never heard of it before. When Joseph was younger they had a family doctor who was able to vaccinate is whole family for Malaria. He was Malaria free for 17 years, but now has the virus, which I was very surprised to learn. He says that he keeps good care of himself, always eating and drinking plenty of juice to keep his energy and immune system up so he needs little medicine. I’m still a little confused on how that works for him. Apparently the vaccination is 500,000 shillings, which is about $240 for us. No one here can afford that and the government definitely doesn’t fund it. He says that Africa has come a long way with HIV/Aids, providing free testing, counseling, and treatment but now the big killer is also Malaria.
He also explained to me that for women cervical cancer is a huge problem here as well. I guess HPV is pretty bad here, he went into descriptions about it but that isn’t necessary for me to put up on here. He told me that he thinks it has a lot to do with birth control pills. I don’t think it is so much the actual pills as the misunderstanding of what they do or their purpose. I think people are ill informed that it’s strictly to prevent ovulation but does not protect against STI’s. He said left and right women are dying from cervical cancer. It’s so sad these diseases are killing sooo many people and yet there are vaccinations to prevent it but no access to them. I was surprised when he said that he sympathized with the government in why they couldn’t/wouldn’t fund these vaccinations. I think the way he tried to explain it would be so hard for the government to get these vaccinations and actually distribute them. Villages are so far apart form each other, roads are horrible, and there is no telling how many people reside in one community. Either way I still think its sad that there are these vaccinations available but not being used. It sounds like Malaria is the 2nd deadliest disease in Africa next to Aids. It’s really about the only type of patients that come in to the clinic.
You can tell that Joseph is sympathisizes with these people and wants so badly to help. I’m pretty sure I wrote this before about how people are to poor to get transport to clinics, or even to pay for treatment if they some how got there. Clinics can be soo far for people to get to help. So Joseph has this idea that sounds great but sadly I don’t know if it will ever happen. What he wants to do is set up little branches of clinics in other towns. It would be just a few beds and when someone was sick they would phone the Peoples Medical Center (the clinic I’m at), which would be the main branch, and they would send nurses up to that specific branch to assess and give treatment. That way people can have access to medical treatment with out having to travel such far distances. The nurse can either treat the patient there and continue to check up, or it if is serious enough transport the patient to the PMC. It really would help to save so many lives having that availability I just don’t know how he is going to get that with out major sponsoring.
Thursday Alicia and I will be traveling with 2 nurses doing an outreach in a village testing for HIV/Aids. Apparently the process is pretty simple. We have to draw blood from the vein and put it on what he explained to be like a test strip, almost like litmus paper, but I know it has to be a little more complex than that. Then we can offer free counseling and treatment. I’m not really sure how this is all going to go down but I will write all about it after we finish. This is all that I got out of Joseph for the outreach. I really like him, he has been teaching me so much. I enjoy our talks. He loves that we are here. He thinks it's the greatest thing. He said it is an amazing thing that we have come this far to experience this different way of life and the different plagues of Uganda. He likes the fact that we have come to this clinic to get to know them so that when we go back we know that they “are good people and not trying to con us into helping them”. I hope my posts make sense. I’m pretty tired by the end of the day and feel like I can’t put anything into words while I write. Update you on how the outreach goes later. Love you all!!!!!!!!!!!
Friday, June 11, 2010
Today was another day at the clinic. Every day we are getting to do more and more. Today I dressed the wounds of the man that was in the car accident, or who actually just got run over. I gave an injection in the behind today as well as intravenously, and helped to distribute medication to the patients. They want to show us how to do stiching so that will eventually be able to do it. They really are letting us do everything here, which I love I’m learning so much.
One of the nurses at the clinic is getting married soon and invited us to the introduction ceremony. I guess this is where the bride and groom introduce one another to their family and friends the day before the wedding. I thought it was pretty exciting that she invited us, but I don’t know if we will be able to go. It’s in another town ways from here. The staff also gave us some Ugandan names. They now call me Namuli and Alicia Nakku. They wont call us by our real names anymore, we are official Ugandan. Tomorrow there is a meeting at the clinic and a whole bunch of doctors and HIV postivie patients are coming in. I think we are to sit in and listen. I asked what time the meeting was at and they told me 10 but added African time, which means it’s suppose to start at 10 but will most likely begin around mid day. It is so annoying because everything here works on African time. I told Eva that I don’t understand the point in designating a time for something when no one follows and she thought it was absolutely hilarious. After that meeting we will be having our our Healthcare Uganda meeting. They have put Alicia and I on the board because we are their first volunteers. I can’t figure out if that means just from America or the first since the received real funding. I think it may be both. They call us their pioneers and their daughters. We are to give feed back on the program and offer or suggestions to fix flaws in the program and to help them expand the program later on. So even after we leave they want us to stay in contact and be a part of the program. Oh and I just found that we are invited to another wedding this Sunday.
One of the men apart of the KCF program has a brother that is getting married at his house so we are going to go the wedding. I’m pretty excited to see if it is any different than at home. I know it has to be because absolutely everything else here is.
One of the nurses at the clinic is getting married soon and invited us to the introduction ceremony. I guess this is where the bride and groom introduce one another to their family and friends the day before the wedding. I thought it was pretty exciting that she invited us, but I don’t know if we will be able to go. It’s in another town ways from here. The staff also gave us some Ugandan names. They now call me Namuli and Alicia Nakku. They wont call us by our real names anymore, we are official Ugandan. Tomorrow there is a meeting at the clinic and a whole bunch of doctors and HIV postivie patients are coming in. I think we are to sit in and listen. I asked what time the meeting was at and they told me 10 but added African time, which means it’s suppose to start at 10 but will most likely begin around mid day. It is so annoying because everything here works on African time. I told Eva that I don’t understand the point in designating a time for something when no one follows and she thought it was absolutely hilarious. After that meeting we will be having our our Healthcare Uganda meeting. They have put Alicia and I on the board because we are their first volunteers. I can’t figure out if that means just from America or the first since the received real funding. I think it may be both. They call us their pioneers and their daughters. We are to give feed back on the program and offer or suggestions to fix flaws in the program and to help them expand the program later on. So even after we leave they want us to stay in contact and be a part of the program. Oh and I just found that we are invited to another wedding this Sunday.
One of the men apart of the KCF program has a brother that is getting married at his house so we are going to go the wedding. I’m pretty excited to see if it is any different than at home. I know it has to be because absolutely everything else here is.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
So it has been forever since I have gotten to write on here. The internet is a little sketchy here now. It only works at certain parts of the village and after the clinic we are so tired to walk over there to get on. So much has happened I don’t even know what to write on here. The hosue is real nice here. Way better than I thought it would be. It has tile floors, a sitting room, two rooms (even though Alicia and I decided to sleep in the same room). They have a toilet and shower but no plumbing so we have to bathe out of a basin and have to pee and poop in a hole where the walls are covered by flies. I feel like they swarm on my butt while I go to the bathroom, I don’t like it much. Really I hardly eat at all. I can’t tell if its the food, or my medicine, or just being in this area., probably a combination of all three. The first day at the clinic. We met everyone and they were very nice. We saw a lot for just the first day. There was a guy who was passed out drunk on the side of the road and got run over so he had some really bad cuts that we watch them clean and dress. We saw how to give IV drips and to give antibiotics intravenously and in the butt. The first day there I had to leave the room like 3 times because I was getting so faint. I was so upset with myself. So frustrating that you want to do something so bad but have no control. I was frustrated and annoyed all day that day, but things have gotten much much better! I can set up drips now, I know how to give injections into the IV, I know how to test for malaria and what to look for under the microscope, what they use to treat Malaria, I saw a tooth extraction, and today (June 10) I actually put an IV in! I was so excited I did it! So now I think I’m set I can do all the stuff they need me to do.
Malaria and Anemia are the most prevalent here, and are very deadly to the people, but only because everyone is so poor. It’s hard for them to even get money to reach the clinic let a lone get to the clinic and receive the treatment. A man came in the other day with Malaria, Typhoid, diahrrea, and vomiting. He was so very sick. It was hard to watch. I get to set up the drips and everything for him. The next time they are going to have me put the IV in and give shots. I think I can do it now, and I am so excited. The clinic has hardly any equiptment or any room. They have to do with out so much. You have no idea how poor these people are. The poorest people in America would never know what it was like here. The doctor sat us down and tried to explain how difficult diseases are here. Parents have to let their children suffer and go untreated because they have absolutely no money to get them any treatment. People die all the time here because of money. Money rules everything, and no one has any. Not all villages have medical clinics so they have to travel far distances to get treatment and many times they die on the way. The clinic we are at is a private clinic so next week we will be going to the government funded clinic, and it’s possible we will see a birth. I’m excited and nervous, we’ll see what happens. Also next week we will be traveling to some of the villages to do an outreach and give immunizations. Ok well I’m tired hopefully I will be able to put up another post sooner than the last. I tried to post pictures but it's not letting me for some reason. So maybe next time.
Al
Malaria and Anemia are the most prevalent here, and are very deadly to the people, but only because everyone is so poor. It’s hard for them to even get money to reach the clinic let a lone get to the clinic and receive the treatment. A man came in the other day with Malaria, Typhoid, diahrrea, and vomiting. He was so very sick. It was hard to watch. I get to set up the drips and everything for him. The next time they are going to have me put the IV in and give shots. I think I can do it now, and I am so excited. The clinic has hardly any equiptment or any room. They have to do with out so much. You have no idea how poor these people are. The poorest people in America would never know what it was like here. The doctor sat us down and tried to explain how difficult diseases are here. Parents have to let their children suffer and go untreated because they have absolutely no money to get them any treatment. People die all the time here because of money. Money rules everything, and no one has any. Not all villages have medical clinics so they have to travel far distances to get treatment and many times they die on the way. The clinic we are at is a private clinic so next week we will be going to the government funded clinic, and it’s possible we will see a birth. I’m excited and nervous, we’ll see what happens. Also next week we will be traveling to some of the villages to do an outreach and give immunizations. Ok well I’m tired hopefully I will be able to put up another post sooner than the last. I tried to post pictures but it's not letting me for some reason. So maybe next time.
Al
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Hallo!!!!
I finally made it here and found internet. After traveling for 3 days straight and finding ways to get food and hotel rooms comped, I can officially say I am an experienced traveler. We left Chicago Sunday and flew to London. In London we had a 24 hour lay over, then from London to Amsterdam with a 12 hour lay over there. Note to Jess there are mice in the Amsterdam McDonalds.
When we first got to Entebbe, Africa the first thing I though was "What the hell did I get myself into". It was definetly a little overwhelming the first day but as of right now I think it will all be ok. Right now we are traveling with our "guides?" Ponny (and I found it is pronounced like the animal Pony), Eva, and Mordern. They are extremley nice and helpful. We are in a hotel for the second night and will go to Queen Elizabeths Park before we go to Kassanda where the clinic and our hosue will be. In the hotel room we have tile floors (surprising how pleased we were to see tile), an actual shower, and a toilet. I am kinda nervous for the "house" because there will be no showers or toilet. We will have a bucket of water that we splash and clean ourselves with, and a hole in the ground to do our business. I do not squat over holes well and am terrified of what could happen to me in the dark. Alicia and I both go to the bathroom a lot at night and agreed that we are cool with waking each other up and if neccessary squating outside the house instead of traveling to the hole (if it is too far).
Today we went to the market but instead of going to what I was picturing they took us to the high end market where the richer people here shop. I think that it is so nice to them that they wanted to share with us what nice markets they do have, but to us it was nothing new. If you could only see the streets here, it is insane. I have never in my life seen so many people on the streets. There are "buda budas" that are taxi motorcycles driving everywhere! According to Mordern "they are a cheap and easy way to move but you die", so no traveling on those. Another thing is that I don't know if they know how to listen to music at a normal level. This is beyond normal. Everywhere you are the music is BLARING!! Right now it is 11 and no way can I go to sleep because the music is so loud that in my room it sounds as if I have it turned all the way up in here with me.
As we were traveling into town Mordern showed us the poorest houses in the city. Some of them aren't even shacks and they are rented for what would be to us $1 a month, but sadly most people can't even afford that. Im wondering what the villages in Kassanda will be like because this is considered the urban area of Uganda. We found out that we wont neccessarily be working but observing and following on house calls. However, they will be needing our help when we travel to the villages to give immunizations, which Im pretty excited to do. They told us to be prepared for little children running up to us yelling "Bazungu" which means white people. Most of the children in the village will have never seen a white person. I feel like I am leaving so much out but for one day of being here we have had a lot thrown at us. Well I will leave it at that and since we have a traveling internet modem I will hopefully be updating frequently. I miss you all so very much! Love you!!!
Al
I finally made it here and found internet. After traveling for 3 days straight and finding ways to get food and hotel rooms comped, I can officially say I am an experienced traveler. We left Chicago Sunday and flew to London. In London we had a 24 hour lay over, then from London to Amsterdam with a 12 hour lay over there. Note to Jess there are mice in the Amsterdam McDonalds.
When we first got to Entebbe, Africa the first thing I though was "What the hell did I get myself into". It was definetly a little overwhelming the first day but as of right now I think it will all be ok. Right now we are traveling with our "guides?" Ponny (and I found it is pronounced like the animal Pony), Eva, and Mordern. They are extremley nice and helpful. We are in a hotel for the second night and will go to Queen Elizabeths Park before we go to Kassanda where the clinic and our hosue will be. In the hotel room we have tile floors (surprising how pleased we were to see tile), an actual shower, and a toilet. I am kinda nervous for the "house" because there will be no showers or toilet. We will have a bucket of water that we splash and clean ourselves with, and a hole in the ground to do our business. I do not squat over holes well and am terrified of what could happen to me in the dark. Alicia and I both go to the bathroom a lot at night and agreed that we are cool with waking each other up and if neccessary squating outside the house instead of traveling to the hole (if it is too far).
Today we went to the market but instead of going to what I was picturing they took us to the high end market where the richer people here shop. I think that it is so nice to them that they wanted to share with us what nice markets they do have, but to us it was nothing new. If you could only see the streets here, it is insane. I have never in my life seen so many people on the streets. There are "buda budas" that are taxi motorcycles driving everywhere! According to Mordern "they are a cheap and easy way to move but you die", so no traveling on those. Another thing is that I don't know if they know how to listen to music at a normal level. This is beyond normal. Everywhere you are the music is BLARING!! Right now it is 11 and no way can I go to sleep because the music is so loud that in my room it sounds as if I have it turned all the way up in here with me.
As we were traveling into town Mordern showed us the poorest houses in the city. Some of them aren't even shacks and they are rented for what would be to us $1 a month, but sadly most people can't even afford that. Im wondering what the villages in Kassanda will be like because this is considered the urban area of Uganda. We found out that we wont neccessarily be working but observing and following on house calls. However, they will be needing our help when we travel to the villages to give immunizations, which Im pretty excited to do. They told us to be prepared for little children running up to us yelling "Bazungu" which means white people. Most of the children in the village will have never seen a white person. I feel like I am leaving so much out but for one day of being here we have had a lot thrown at us. Well I will leave it at that and since we have a traveling internet modem I will hopefully be updating frequently. I miss you all so very much! Love you!!!
Al
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