Bachelor Brooke

Quick post: In Uganda, many people go by their last names, including me (although not necessarily by choice). You must admit--"Bachelor" sounds kind of hilarious when used to refer to me. But it still happens.

To make things even easier, I have been given the Luganda name of "Nakuya" by my co-fellow which means "kind person". Exciting!

These past few weeks have really made me realize how fast this year is going to fly. It has already been over 2 months and I have my work visa officially!

A weather forecast of "smoke" for our time in Malawi?

I am obsessed with pineapple

Perfect Chaos

It's amazing for me to think that we all exist right now under the same sun and same moon and same stars, although we may be so far from each other. Impressive.

It has been an interesting week or so since I have last written. Yesterday marked my 2 months here! I walked to work today along Entebbe road, and it was so perfectly Ugandan. I bought a mandazi from a local guy, shuffled around in the dirt with my flip flops, dodged bodas, and marveled at the endless stream of cars heading to Kampala. I really feel more comfortable here and less on edge. I have more confidence when I speak and when I walk around. I even got a new mattress from my landlord, so no more dip in the middle!

Last week, I had some highlights:

*New lunch place- only 2000 shillings and all of the millet I can eat (one of my favorite local foods!) Sure, it was simple, but it was awesome and I was definitely the only mzungu there in the crowded joint! Win!

*There are these really loud birds that fly overhead and make the craziest noise. No one else seems to care, but I literally laugh out loud when I hear them (and sometimes, unfortunately, in serious meetings) because the sound is so jarring and ridiculous.

*Banff film festival-This past Tuesday and the Tuesday before that, I went to Uganda's first Banff Film Festival. It made me want to climb all the mountains, run all the runs, and be super active. I didn't think I'd really like it, but it was really inspiring and I can't wait to see another. Hung out with some local mzungus, Gail and Shane. Shane goes to my gym and I see him most of the days of the week. He is a nurse from the Australian military and has many great stories and a much-appreciated, laid-back sense of humor.

*We had a really interesting mental health presentation on Thursday by Professor Seggane Musisi from Makerere University in Kampala. He focused on HIV-associated neurodegenerative disorders, which are afflictions directly caused by the virus itself. I never really thought of HIV directly affecting one's brain and causing some of some mental illnesses like anxiety, depression, and psychosis-I always thought of someone being anxious and depressed and perhaps more apt to have psychotic episodes as a result of the mental and emotional toll of having HIV/AIDS after one finds out one has it. He gave some really interesting statistics, particularly that 97% of HIV-infected children in Uganda are orphans, and really pushed for a more integrative solution for our patients. We do not currently have a psychiatrist here, but that may be in our future, especially after this compelling presentation.

*Reading-I have really been enjoying reading lately. Haven't done that for a while.

This past weekend, I had planned to go to Jinja to see Devin & Danielle & others and to go to an (Almost) Full Moon Party, but it didn't quite work out. We were warned by the US embassy about a possible terrorist attack in Kampala, which we later found out was perpetrated by Al-Shabaab (whose leader was killed in part by US & Ugandan efforts in the beginning of September). Needless to say, I didn't go anywhere near there after hearing that, so it was a pretty lowkey weekend at home. We stayed safe with GHC checking in on us and through the many updates through the US Embassy. All under control and all safe.

However, on a lighter note, I did make it out to Kisubi beach, which is away from Kampala in the direction of Entebbe airport, and enjoyed some reading in the sun. I saw a colony of teardrop shaped nests attached to a tree sticking out of Lake Victoria near the shore with vividly yellow, orange, and black birds fluttering around. Also, I saw some really unique storks I had never seen before. There are SO many birds in Uganda! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_birds_of_Uganda

Wednesday through Friday, I am heading to Kampala for JCRC's 6th Annual HIV update conference, which serves as a forum to share new and pertinent research for clinicians working in HIV care. Tonight is my first Luganda (local language) lesson as well because it's due time that I learn more 2 months in.

Future trips:
*Lake Mburo National Park
http://www.livinginkampala.com/tourism/tourism-in-uganda/lake-mburo-national-park/

Next week:
Lake of Stars, Malawi!


Fun pictures:

*Prehistoric (looking) birds seen in Kampala (Marabou Stork)

I love this! It's called "Tears of Joy"

On the Road Again!

I have been here for almost 8 weeks, but it seems like a whole lot longer and shorter at the same time! Not a huge post this week, but I can give you a bit of an update.

I will start this post with 10 things I am grateful for:

1. Supportive parents

2. Opportunities to travel all over the world

3. Professional progress in the direction I want it

4. Friends that are really great at listening

5. Health

6. Sound of rain

7. Good conversations with friends/people who have a vested interest in my wellness

8. Hot water

9. Mosquito net

10.  Internet

I was talking to Bernard in my office again and he was shocked to find out that there is hunger in America. I sent him this article, which I think merits a gander.  Interesting read.

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/foodfeatures/hunger/


Booked my tickets to the US, friends! I will be on the ground there around Chicago, Denver, and LA from October 7-October 16. Found out I got some free accommodations included in my layover with Qatar Airways in Doha, the capital of Qatar. How cool is that?

Don't know where Qatar is?  See below! Looks amazing.

Qatar in relation to Uganda (5 hour flight or so)

Doha is where the red pin is. Qatar is a country of only about 2 million! 

That would mean in about one week, I'll be on the ground in Uganda, Malawi, Qatar, and the US! Wow!

In other news, I have been meeting some really interesting people lately. I have met quite a few professionals that need to do extra work to make a living, even with their current salaries here in Uganda. For example, I met an engineer that went to Oxford and came back to Uganda and can't easily make ends meet, so he raises animals and has a farm. It's amazing how creative people are here as entrepreneurs. Makes me really interested in pursuing more entrepreneurial endeavors as I did in Peru. Mzungu (white person) chapati stand? Probably not. But who says I can't bring kombucha to the people? Yeah!

This Sunday, it took me about 1.5 hours to get home when it should have only taken about 30 max. I thought I'd save a few thousand shillings and take a matatu home. I did not anticipate the offroading adventure with which I was greeted. Felt like a roller coaster at times... Many of the roads, especially if they are side roads, can be a bit rugged. I enjoyed seeing the banana leaves blowing in the wind and lots of music and church services as I passed through the neighborhoods. Carcasses of animals hanging ready for sale. Bananas being grilled and many a chapati and rolex being made. Hard to exactly translate this experience for someone who is not here.

This past Sunday, I felt the need to really connect strongly with the Universe, and I went to Govinda's Vegetarian restaurant  which was right below the Kampala Hare Krishna temple!
I almost asked which dishes were vegetarian, but I was afforded quite the luxury of realizing I didn't even have to ask this time! So exciting!

We talked with a teacher there who was quite inspiring and managed to give us a good overview of Hare Krishna philosophy, much of which I agree with. We were offered a second lunch (we had just eaten downstairs) and I loved the smell of the incense mixing with the delicious spices of the food. I felt like I was back in the US again, specifically back in Champaign/Urbana for the vegan Monday night buffets with what I didn't know then was provided by a group of Hare Krishnas. We discussed reincarnation, being minute parts of a beautiful Whole, and how many of us have forgotten our Divine roots and are waking up again to that Truth of who we are.

I look forward to going back to chant and spend more time in that sacred space.

Ceiling of Govinda's right above the table

Daily schedule for the temple (start time 4:30 am!)

Holy wow!

My upcoming few weeks are jam-packed!

This week, I am supposed to check out a new lunch place with Kakeeto, my co-fellow (whose birthday is at the end of the month!). When I asked him about the lunch place he found, he says, "Too cheap compared to the dining hall, the place is muddy, but it can have stories for Chicago." So we'll see how that goes. You know I am going to try it.

This weekend:
Potential island visit or Jinja music festival

Weekends after:
Lake of Stars Malawi and GHC QUARTER 1 RETREAT (can't believe the first quarter is almost done!)


Much love, friends.

No Hurry in Africa

First of all, a very happy birthday to my mom, Carol, who is undoubtedly the #1 fan of my blog.

Now that we are entering rainy season, there are usually a few minutes at around 4 PM each day where the rain commands my attention as it falls on a tin roof. But just a few, normally. At times, like this past weekend, I found out it can be a lot more. I adore that earthy smell after it rains here.

For work this week, I participated in solidifying my work plan for the next six months, created minutes from meetings for reference and filing, and I am following up on my waiting time survey results, making a more in-depth report that includes my methodologies and more. I decided for time purposes not to do research in the clinical trial after all at this point, and focus more on quality improvement in the clinic until I see what time of time commitment that will take. I think it's taking a while for me to get used to the more administrative aspect of health. I am so used to being at the bedside, so this is a really interesting experience.

Below, you'll find a description of the weekend with pictures (from my cell phone and others' cell phones)

On Friday, I went to Jinja to hang with my friend Devin and the transit was quite characteristic of Kampala, but I did finally make it!

Traffic jam complete with a boda lane

Two traffic lanes converging into one during rush hour

Old taxi park in Kampala

Very true bus statement

Watermelon, carrots, sugar cane, and jackfruit. Snacks in transit to Amber Court/Jinja.

Shot of the old taxi park as I am waiting for my matatu to leave for Jinja

Inside of a jam-packed matatu to Jinja

At Nile River Explorers (NRE), we celebrated as I shared that I was offered some med school interviews. This means that yes, I think I will be heading back to the US in October for probably about a week. My dream is coming true!

Pineapple cutter extraordinaire with Nile Special

Saturday morning, we woke up to fresh mandazi (think amazing donuts) from his neighbors delivered to his doorstep and we left early to make chapati by hand with some village neighbors. I found out my future looks bleak in chapati-making as they all had a hearty laugh watching me [attempting to] prepare the chapati in an adequate way. We cooked it over an open fire and it was awesome. We enjoyed breakfast together and some super amazing and ripe papaya from the papaya tree in their yard.

Things I learned from the chapati experience:
1. You need a lot of flour, some warm water, and a little oil, perhaps a little salt. 
2. Success directly correlates to a firm yet not too firm consistency. 
3. The cooking may need to be a 2-person project for best results. One person on oil and one person on chapati-pressing & turning. You first turn the chapati a bit, use a spoon to put oil under it so one side touching the pan cooks, check it by lifting it up with a spoon, and one you're ready to cook the other side, you put oil on the uncooked side and flip it and wait! Have a bag ready to put it in when it's done to keep it warm for breakfast.
4. You can turn the chapati with your hand until it gets hot. Then you should probably use a piece of cardboard or brown paper.
5. You can stretch the chapati into more of a circular shape if you fail to do so early in the game before it hits the pan (my rolling skills were not up to par with the bottle I was given)
6. Flour the rolling bottle and flat surface you're rolling on so it doesn't mess up your chapati circle
7. I'm in Uganda and Uganda is really different. I feel like one could never just show up to a stranger's house and make bread in the US and be welcomed so openly.
8. Going to visit that community is great because there is a large organization that Devin works for there, SOUL, whose executive director is a nurse Brooke, so everyone can say my name there!!! And there are many baby Brookes running around as well.

See below for pictures of chapati and mandazi:

Chapati

Mandazi

Then, Saturday afternoon, we met up with some fellows working in Eastern Uganda and made the trek out to Mabira Forest, where we set up camp. It was so nice to be in nature. Unfortunately, it rained pretty bad and flooded one of our tents. We spend the night at Rainforest Lodge, had a beer, and headed back to the campsite with many rolexes (chapati with egg and tomato) where we shared (ghost) stories. Lots of chapati that day. Thanks to our friend Brin, we had the revelation that we can get chapati without oil, too. Amazing! Just like naan.

Local kids playing at our campsite before the rain and helping us to collect firewood

Much of the crew!

CAMPING!!

Cuties!

Chris, who works remotely in Uganda while his girlfriend Rebecca completes her GHC fellowship, and me attempting to start a fire with flint and a pocket knife like Bear Grylls

Orrin, Devin, and me in a small tent during the downpour

Survival of the fittest in Moonshadow (name of tent)

Sunrise!

Awesome moth that looks like he has a face of a person (Do you see it? 2 black eyes, brown nose right below it, brown cheeks, frown face? Is this an inkblot?) right outside of my front door Sunday morning.



Check out GHC's executive director in a NPR interview! http://www.npr.org/blogs/goatsandsoda/2014/08/31/321705866/a-trip-with-her-folks-turned-barbara-bush-into-a-global-activist?utm_campaign=storyshare&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=social

Lastly, a funny vehicle quote:

"JUST NEVER SAY NO" (Found by Danielle-thanks!)


Weekend success :)  In a few weeks, I think I will be heading to the some of the Lake Victoria islands, so stay tuned!