ah!

Oh my gosh, I have so much to say I do not know where to start.
So, I will start with a very overdue apology: I am so sorry to everyone that I didn't get a chance to say goodbye to, AND also to say congratulations on graduation! I was so overwhelmed with exams, subletters, moving out of my room, and packing for this trip that I was totally in my own little bubble and I'm sorry about that. So, CONGRATULATIONS!

okay. so now an update.

The group of 13 of us students split up for a week to go to more rural sites and work in the health center which was a great experience. I was with three other girls and we bonded so much and just had a blast together. The best part was that we stayed with a wonderful Ugandan family that cooked really yummy food for us, and really welcomed us into their home. It was nice to see how Ugandans actually live, although they were pretty wealthy compared to the average Ugandan. The work we did at the health center was eye opening, frustrating, and very sad. It is absolutely impossible to compare the clinics here from the ones in the US. The system is: first you wait in line to see the "clinical manager," (I don't think we had any doctors there, I think they were all nurses). Three or four people are in same room with you while you then have your "exam" which is not an exam. They don't even take vital signs, it was basically a verbal report of signs and symptoms, and then the nurse prescribes your drugs and injections, and maybe blood or urine tests. so then you wait in line for the lab for your tests. then you go back in line to see the doctor again, then you go back in line for your injections, and then back in line again for your medications. AND, maybe you need gloves? or a special syringe? You have to go buy it somewhere and come back and wait in line again. Also, we didn't have enough medication to give everyone there full doses, so we gave what we could and then they have to go buy the rest.Of course, many of them won't....antibiotic resistance anyone?
It was very hard to see.

But being in Ndejje was great! We made friends with a shop keeper and had lunch at his shop everyday, we went out to the one bar in the town, and hung out with the family a lot. The family was all women - the mom, her three daughters, and then two granddaughters. One granddaughter was named Shellina and was about 4 and very cute. The other was a little baby named Frank.

When everyone came back from their communities, we went on a little "vacation" to the Southwestern part of the country, which was an 8 hour car ride on some very bumpy roads. Adi, you would've yakked. :) First we went to Kibale National park which was sooo beautiful. We saw lots of different kinds of monkeys and heard about really cool research happening there that has to do with the links between animal health, human health and conservation. Then we drove to Queen Elizabeth National Park and went on a boat ride where we saw hippos, water buffalo, waterbuck, crocodile, and elephants! the next day we went on a game ride and saw babboons, elephants, antelope, waterbuck, waterhogs, guinea fowl, AND a lion!! it was so nice to get out of the city for a while and relax in beautiful places. I am taking a lot of pictures, but so is everyone else, and when they get back they are going to make a website to post all the pictures on. I will share that link so everyone can see those pictures before I come home! Kibale also felt very luxurious because we had hot showers (not buckets) and flush toilets!

For my "travel time" I am planning on going to Sipi Falls and Mount Elgon in the east,and I also want to go to Lake Bunyone (I'm spelling that very wrong), and to Lake Mbonge (also spelled wrong) where there are supposed to be zebras. But then there's also this international music festival in Kampala, and Linda (my professor) wants me to work for a couple days at the diabetes clinic where she is doing her research, and said that she'll pay for me to do that, AND I also want to see Gulu in the North, which every Ugandan, including our high-strung professor here says is extremely safe now. As expected, I have tons of options and am getting really excited to explore on my own, although I will miss this group. Kenya is looking less likely because Jesse can't figure out her plans..but we'll see, everything is open!

All in all, I am having a great time here. It is hard to feel so disconnected from everyone at home, and unlocking my phone is proving to be extremely unsuccesful, which is frusterating. If it doesn't work soon, I will buy a new phone here. Okay, that's all for now.
I love you all, and I miss everyone a lot!!
love, shelly