Sunday, June 22, 2008 7:08PM
As I was completing my pre-bedtime mosquito killing spree, this popped into my head:
To my foes, the mosquitoes,
My arch nemeses on these premises,
Keep your malaria out of my area and
Damn you all to hell!
Stop buzzing in my ears and playing with my fears.
You know each little itch makes me twitch
With disgust and rage.Because with you comes the plague and disease
Which does nothing to ease
The suffering of a people with already few means.
So get out of my room
And stay away from the cage I lock myself in to protect me from you malicious bites.
I hope you get tangled, desiccate and die in the folds of my net as you try infiltrate my wing-free haven.
And damn you all to hell!
Sincerely, a malarone-deet-permethrin-net-protected mesungo* who cares.
*mesungo = white person in Uganda
Monday, June 23, 2008
The changing marketplace
Sunday, June 22, 2008 6:30PM
After hanging around town with Lauren and Mike, Dr. and Mrs. Luboga picked us up and brought us around on errands. We went to a small supermarket at which someone follows you with a cart while you do the shopping. We then went to the open market where we picked up sugar cane through the window and picked out some beans and split peas. It was my idea to pick up the split peas because I want to make a big soup for the family. So tonight I am going to make one of their large pots kosher (by boiling water in it) and (hopefully) make a tasty hearty soup. I saw huge hollowed gourds for sale in the market and I’m thinking about getting my hands on a few of them. They look like big 3D commas with a large rounded bottom and a pointed top. I know, I know… I need to get pictures up. I am still debating in my head how to go about taking pictures; I don’t want to invade people’s privacy, but also don’t want the shots to be posed. You ever go into someone’s house and look at their pictures and realize that they are in the same exact position in every single one… I used to do that, then I stopped taking pictures so much.
We also stopped to see Mrs. Luboga’s business. She designs and makes clothing and graduation gowns in a factory near downtown Kampala. She specifically hires women with little skill so that she can teach them a profession and help them bring themselves out of sometimes dire straights. The Lubogas are people who live what they preach and are truly striving to make a better, more self sufficient, Uganda.
Also, on the way home we saw a bunch of those huge birds soaring over us and hanging out in the upper reaches of trees. They are called Malibu storks. They have a huge gullet that swings back and forth as they flap their wings.
Now that we are back home in Mperewe, I am tired and blame it on the pack of dogs keeping me up last night and the elevation here. (will someone please upload Dr. Eggena’s chart, would be classic). I would love to take a nap, but I hear people cheering so much, the cows are answering back with a regal MOO!… I think there is a football game going on.
About the cows… I read an article somewhere about how American black and white cows, which can produce almost 50 liters of milk a day, are taking over Africa slowly because of their milk-producing capacity. Because of this, many people who have African cows are breeding them with American cows to make a hybrid which is disease-resistant and makes lots of milk. I’m not sure how to respond to this because, on the one hand, the face of Africa is changing (good or bad, I don’t know), and more milk is being produced (definitely good). The question in my head, I guess, is: what is the price the world should be paying in order to preserve the cultures and standards of a country? Is it important to preserve them at all? Change can be good. Granted human life is most important, and there is so much poverty and starvation here that extra (insert resource here) is good for lowering prices and feeding more people, but should the world shoulder that responsibility instead of local economies so that people can maintain the culture they have had for many generations…? I’m not sure how easy my thought process is to follow, but I am trying to stay as true as possible to my linear thinking.
On a different note, I want to thank you all for reading my blog and for your wonderful comments. I always check them out and they make me smile. Keep on doing it.
PS, can someone find that article about the cows and email it to me? Thanks.
After hanging around town with Lauren and Mike, Dr. and Mrs. Luboga picked us up and brought us around on errands. We went to a small supermarket at which someone follows you with a cart while you do the shopping. We then went to the open market where we picked up sugar cane through the window and picked out some beans and split peas. It was my idea to pick up the split peas because I want to make a big soup for the family. So tonight I am going to make one of their large pots kosher (by boiling water in it) and (hopefully) make a tasty hearty soup. I saw huge hollowed gourds for sale in the market and I’m thinking about getting my hands on a few of them. They look like big 3D commas with a large rounded bottom and a pointed top. I know, I know… I need to get pictures up. I am still debating in my head how to go about taking pictures; I don’t want to invade people’s privacy, but also don’t want the shots to be posed. You ever go into someone’s house and look at their pictures and realize that they are in the same exact position in every single one… I used to do that, then I stopped taking pictures so much.
We also stopped to see Mrs. Luboga’s business. She designs and makes clothing and graduation gowns in a factory near downtown Kampala. She specifically hires women with little skill so that she can teach them a profession and help them bring themselves out of sometimes dire straights. The Lubogas are people who live what they preach and are truly striving to make a better, more self sufficient, Uganda.
Also, on the way home we saw a bunch of those huge birds soaring over us and hanging out in the upper reaches of trees. They are called Malibu storks. They have a huge gullet that swings back and forth as they flap their wings.
Now that we are back home in Mperewe, I am tired and blame it on the pack of dogs keeping me up last night and the elevation here. (will someone please upload Dr. Eggena’s chart, would be classic). I would love to take a nap, but I hear people cheering so much, the cows are answering back with a regal MOO!… I think there is a football game going on.
About the cows… I read an article somewhere about how American black and white cows, which can produce almost 50 liters of milk a day, are taking over Africa slowly because of their milk-producing capacity. Because of this, many people who have African cows are breeding them with American cows to make a hybrid which is disease-resistant and makes lots of milk. I’m not sure how to respond to this because, on the one hand, the face of Africa is changing (good or bad, I don’t know), and more milk is being produced (definitely good). The question in my head, I guess, is: what is the price the world should be paying in order to preserve the cultures and standards of a country? Is it important to preserve them at all? Change can be good. Granted human life is most important, and there is so much poverty and starvation here that extra (insert resource here) is good for lowering prices and feeding more people, but should the world shoulder that responsibility instead of local economies so that people can maintain the culture they have had for many generations…? I’m not sure how easy my thought process is to follow, but I am trying to stay as true as possible to my linear thinking.
On a different note, I want to thank you all for reading my blog and for your wonderful comments. I always check them out and they make me smile. Keep on doing it.
PS, can someone find that article about the cows and email it to me? Thanks.
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Sunday, June 22 3:47PM
I went to church today and listened to a sermon about the importance of action. It was really interesting because of what was being said, but also because of how they said it. Specifically, when referring Esther and how Haman tried to annihilate the Jews of Persia, they related it to the genocides in Africa, not to the Holocaust. I guess that it makes sense, this is something that they could really relate to, but I was still surprised. It was funny to hear a whole sermon about the plight of the Jews, though.. made me think about Shul (synagogue) and how much I miss people who completely understand what it means to be an observant/religious/orthodox (choose your label) Jew.
So about church... it was very friendly, Lauren and I were asked to stand and wave to everyone at least twice. However, I don't think I will be going back anytime soon. As much as I respect the religions of others, I feel in no way that I have to participate. I hope people didn't notice that I did not bow my head or sing along with the choir... I think that's alright as long as I didnt insult anyone / act disrespectfully.
I saw a huge bird in a tree in kampala... looked like a stork (?), I'm glad I wasn't walking underneath it. While we are discussing animals, ladt night there was a pack of dogs running around the neighborhood, kept me up until 2:30. I woke up ontime this morning anyway and took a WARM SHOWER!!! Ok so it wasn't an American style shower, I have boiled som water and mixed it with cool water from the tap and used a washcloth, but boy was it refreshing! Oh the luxury! Seriously though, we have it good here.
Now, I am in an internet cafe with the slowest connection ever. Met one of Lauren's friends, Mike. We have a great crowd here. I am connecting to a lot of the people that you are all trying to connect me to... please give them my phone number. Also give me a call sometime, I would love to hear from home.
Tried some Ugandan coffee, really strong stuff... then I realized that ebcause it was iced coffee, I might get sick. Hopefully I won't and will think about this in the future. You'll hear from me again soon.
So about church... it was very friendly, Lauren and I were asked to stand and wave to everyone at least twice. However, I don't think I will be going back anytime soon. As much as I respect the religions of others, I feel in no way that I have to participate. I hope people didn't notice that I did not bow my head or sing along with the choir... I think that's alright as long as I didnt insult anyone / act disrespectfully.
I saw a huge bird in a tree in kampala... looked like a stork (?), I'm glad I wasn't walking underneath it. While we are discussing animals, ladt night there was a pack of dogs running around the neighborhood, kept me up until 2:30. I woke up ontime this morning anyway and took a WARM SHOWER!!! Ok so it wasn't an American style shower, I have boiled som water and mixed it with cool water from the tap and used a washcloth, but boy was it refreshing! Oh the luxury! Seriously though, we have it good here.
Now, I am in an internet cafe with the slowest connection ever. Met one of Lauren's friends, Mike. We have a great crowd here. I am connecting to a lot of the people that you are all trying to connect me to... please give them my phone number. Also give me a call sometime, I would love to hear from home.
Tried some Ugandan coffee, really strong stuff... then I realized that ebcause it was iced coffee, I might get sick. Hopefully I won't and will think about this in the future. You'll hear from me again soon.
Saturday, June 21, 2008 8:34PM
Shabbat in UgandaI am very lucky to be living at the house of a very religious family. They respect that I have my own religion and allow me to do what I need to keep to it's laws. Because of that, Shabbat in Uganda was exactly what it should be, extremely relaxing. Preparing for Shabbat was a small challenge. I wanted to cook things that would taste good cold (no salads, veggies must all be cooked or peeled) and bake challah. So I made couscous, potatoes with onions and cumin, sugar snap peas,and I opened a pack of Punjab eggplant from Trader Joe's, (once again,thanks mom). I even baked challah in a frying pan. Basically took water and flour, mixed 'em together until they felt right, let it rise a bit (it didn't), and then made them into little pizzas or dough, coated them with a little flour so they didn't stick to the pan, and threw them on the frying pan (no oil, its 32000Ush for a container of extra virgin olive oil, about$20). I basically made laffa. Oh and I made them yellow by throwing some tumeric in them. Yummy. I had no wine so I made the Kiddush blessings over the bread. I ate very very well, I even have leftovers. Shabbat was peaceful, I was the only one home besides John, the caretaker. I read and slept all day. Exactly what I needed, though I hope I can fall asleep tonight. I ran into a few problems. Specifically, I didn't know what time Shabbat started because I neglected to check up sunset in Mpererwe. I got by this by accepting Shabbat, lighting candles, way before the time. I then waited until late Saturday night, I saw some stars and then waited a little more. The sky was full of stars by 8:20. I had about 26 hours of relaxation. Tomorrow I get back to work, but I think we are all going to church in the morning so we cane be introduced to the congregation.
Shabbat in UgandaI am very lucky to be living at the house of a very religious family. They respect that I have my own religion and allow me to do what I need to keep to it's laws. Because of that, Shabbat in Uganda was exactly what it should be, extremely relaxing. Preparing for Shabbat was a small challenge. I wanted to cook things that would taste good cold (no salads, veggies must all be cooked or peeled) and bake challah. So I made couscous, potatoes with onions and cumin, sugar snap peas,and I opened a pack of Punjab eggplant from Trader Joe's, (once again,thanks mom). I even baked challah in a frying pan. Basically took water and flour, mixed 'em together until they felt right, let it rise a bit (it didn't), and then made them into little pizzas or dough, coated them with a little flour so they didn't stick to the pan, and threw them on the frying pan (no oil, its 32000Ush for a container of extra virgin olive oil, about$20). I basically made laffa. Oh and I made them yellow by throwing some tumeric in them. Yummy. I had no wine so I made the Kiddush blessings over the bread. I ate very very well, I even have leftovers. Shabbat was peaceful, I was the only one home besides John, the caretaker. I read and slept all day. Exactly what I needed, though I hope I can fall asleep tonight. I ran into a few problems. Specifically, I didn't know what time Shabbat started because I neglected to check up sunset in Mpererwe. I got by this by accepting Shabbat, lighting candles, way before the time. I then waited until late Saturday night, I saw some stars and then waited a little more. The sky was full of stars by 8:20. I had about 26 hours of relaxation. Tomorrow I get back to work, but I think we are all going to church in the morning so we cane be introduced to the congregation.
Friday, June 20, 2008 1:55PM
Yesterday was exhausting. I was able to get to the internet café in the centerof town, but I paid for it on the way back to Mpererwe with traffic. Let's talk about traffic for a moment. New York City traffic is pretty bad; I've been stuck in Friday rush hour traffic for a long time, but it endseventually. Kampala traffic, on the other hand starts at 7am and goes to 10am and then begins again at 4:30pm and goes until about 10pm. And traffic means people sitting in their cars with the engines off for hours at a time while waiting for the car ahead of them to move. Then, when things start moving again, there is a blast of dust and exhaust that lasts for about a minute, before things stop again. Try doing that for an hour or two.
I don't want to seem like I am a complainer, I think that I am just realizing the stark differences between living in a first world country and a third world country. For example, today, the tap ran out of water. I'm not sure what that means for the future, but we have some rain right now so maybe that will help. In order to explain some of the differences that I am experiencing, I decided to take some pictures, kinda like a how to speak Australian, but in Luganda. I've included some other pictures as well. Probelm is, they arent loading right now... will try to get them on soon.
Yesterday was exhausting. I was able to get to the internet café in the centerof town, but I paid for it on the way back to Mpererwe with traffic. Let's talk about traffic for a moment. New York City traffic is pretty bad; I've been stuck in Friday rush hour traffic for a long time, but it endseventually. Kampala traffic, on the other hand starts at 7am and goes to 10am and then begins again at 4:30pm and goes until about 10pm. And traffic means people sitting in their cars with the engines off for hours at a time while waiting for the car ahead of them to move. Then, when things start moving again, there is a blast of dust and exhaust that lasts for about a minute, before things stop again. Try doing that for an hour or two.
I don't want to seem like I am a complainer, I think that I am just realizing the stark differences between living in a first world country and a third world country. For example, today, the tap ran out of water. I'm not sure what that means for the future, but we have some rain right now so maybe that will help. In order to explain some of the differences that I am experiencing, I decided to take some pictures, kinda like a how to speak Australian, but in Luganda. I've included some other pictures as well. Probelm is, they arent loading right now... will try to get them on soon.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Trial by fire
Thursday, June 19, 2008 3:25PM
So today was rough, and it’s not quite over yet. It’s not easy seeing the lack of basic resources at St. Stephen’s hospital. Lauren and I spent the morning going over supplies and detailing the next number of steps for our study. At 11, Gonzaka (I’m naming one of my kids that), picked us up to bring us to St. Stephen’s. I sat in the back of the ambulance and boy was the ride rough. Imagine going off road in a sports car; I nearly smacked my head against the window.
When we got here, we were greeted by the very friendly staff, specifically Irene, who brought us around the hospital. The floors are concrete and the walls are dirty and cracked. We saw some patients. Lots of malaria. We learned that they diagnose malaria via microscopy. We took a look at one slide and could identify the tropozoites, but it was a real challenge; you see, St. Stephen’s has no power, we were using a mirror to illuminate the slide. We were taught the protocol for testing for HIV and even had a small microbiology lesson about malaria… I got all the questions right (me = gunner).
When we were taken around to see patients, I noticed that there are no male patients. “Men wait until they are really sick,” we were told. I can’t imagine what really sick means when we were surrounded by what I would call “really sick people”. We met a 70 year old woman who had GI pain and other issues that I am going to skip over for brevity and because there are some non-medical people reading who would rather not hear about it. But while we were asking her questions and discussing her case, a young girl about 10 feet behind me vomited violently. No doctor or nurse ran to her aid, mostly because there are no nurses here. She was on a IV. I got sweaty and uncomfortable so I took a seat. I noticed a 3 or 4 year old child lying listlessly, but breathing regularly, on the bed across from the old lady. I don’t think we’re in Sinai anymore, Toto.
I got out of there pretty quickly. Had some water and a cliff bar, felt better with every processed bite.
So today was rough, and it’s not quite over yet. It’s not easy seeing the lack of basic resources at St. Stephen’s hospital. Lauren and I spent the morning going over supplies and detailing the next number of steps for our study. At 11, Gonzaka (I’m naming one of my kids that), picked us up to bring us to St. Stephen’s. I sat in the back of the ambulance and boy was the ride rough. Imagine going off road in a sports car; I nearly smacked my head against the window.
When we got here, we were greeted by the very friendly staff, specifically Irene, who brought us around the hospital. The floors are concrete and the walls are dirty and cracked. We saw some patients. Lots of malaria. We learned that they diagnose malaria via microscopy. We took a look at one slide and could identify the tropozoites, but it was a real challenge; you see, St. Stephen’s has no power, we were using a mirror to illuminate the slide. We were taught the protocol for testing for HIV and even had a small microbiology lesson about malaria… I got all the questions right (me = gunner).
When we were taken around to see patients, I noticed that there are no male patients. “Men wait until they are really sick,” we were told. I can’t imagine what really sick means when we were surrounded by what I would call “really sick people”. We met a 70 year old woman who had GI pain and other issues that I am going to skip over for brevity and because there are some non-medical people reading who would rather not hear about it. But while we were asking her questions and discussing her case, a young girl about 10 feet behind me vomited violently. No doctor or nurse ran to her aid, mostly because there are no nurses here. She was on a IV. I got sweaty and uncomfortable so I took a seat. I noticed a 3 or 4 year old child lying listlessly, but breathing regularly, on the bed across from the old lady. I don’t think we’re in Sinai anymore, Toto.
I got out of there pretty quickly. Had some water and a cliff bar, felt better with every processed bite.
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