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!