Yes, Harry Potter fans, I made a reference. Good call... now, moving right along.
Yesterday I met with a politician at NEMA, the National Environmental Management Associate... ok I made that up, I remember the acronym, not what it stands for (good guess though). Anyway, NEMA is excited about our study and wants us to give a presentation next week! Also, today we are going to the Ministry of Education and Sports in order to seek their support. People are really interested in our project because, as I understand, a lot of people feel strongly about the Mpererwe Dump and that it is in a bad location. Christine, Dr. Luboga's wife said that she can sometimes smell it at the house.
I think that it's hard to blame the govenment here for the placement of the dump, Kampala has grown and continues to grow exponentially. The infrastructure could not keep up with the population... a common problem in developing countries, specifically in their cities. If someone really wanted to help millions, they would be a city planner, civil engineer, or something like that and lend their time and expertise to developing cities and countries... you could also probably make a mint. Part of the problem, depending on how you look at it, is people like me. We are working on a research project to help the people of Uganda lead healthier, longer, and more productive lives. (I am not sure I like using the word productive, might seem like I am making a xenophobic western comment, but it makes sense here because lead (Pb) can really prevent people from reaching their potential.) Because of people on medical and other missions here, the Ugandan people are living longer, surviving more childbirths, and having more kids. The population is increasing at a rate of 3.5%, the US is growing at only 0.9% (google). Unless there is some major investing and developement of the cities in developing countries, we will continue to have shanty towns, bad roads, not enough hospitals, schools, and public services, and thus more disease. It's a really serious issue.
On the lighter side, suprisingly, I found KOSHER FOOD here! Last night, for dinner, I made (made in africa) pasta with fresh tomatoes (also made/grown in africa, but less suprisingly). I also found okra and tomato sauce so for shabbat I am going to make something called bamia (think gumbo, but without the meat and spicier). I am also making something called courge (sp?), which is basically a butternut squash cooked and mushed with garlic, cumin, and (hopefully if I can find some) hot pepper. I am also making poor-man's guacamole... have only avocado (no, not hass avocado, Cassie <-- a real guacamole guru), limes, and onion, but it should be alright. Lastly, and just to make sure I have leftovers, I will make some potatoes and couscous and of course I will bake some challah.
Day 3 of watergate... We still don't have running water at the house, but things are falling into a routine. John, the caretaker heats water for our baths, you flush with a jerry can, and you wash dishes in a small tub. No biggy....anymore...kinda. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaanyway.
Last night, just like any good doctor who cares about his community, Dr. Luboga had a woman visit with her child who had a fever. Cute kid. He was fine, just had a little immunization fever. However, the man who brought the woman, a neighbor, was really intersted in me... you see, in the house, I wear my yarmulke (sounds like: Yam-ma-ka even though it's not spelled that way). He is a devout Catholic and thought that because I had to be a rabbi. So we had a conversation about Judaism. It's nice to be able to share such an important part of my life with someone who has never met a Jew before. I think that if I were to wear my yarmulke on the street I would get more questions than stares.
OK, off to Parliment, we have an appointment with the Ministry. Shabbat Shalom!
Friday, June 27, 2008
Thursday, June 26, 2008
water, water..... where?
Thursday, June 26th 10:30am
Flishing the toilet can be a danger to your health. Did you know that one good flush can aerosolize tons of particles and disperse them throughout your bathroom? I learned this year that one should put their toothbrush in the medicine cabinet so that there is no fecal-oral transmission of particles... did I just go too far? Flushing the toilet is becoming even more of a challenge here because we haven't had water in 2 days. Hopefully we'll get it before shabbat because I'd like to take a shower... I might go to the student housing for Yale students and use thier shower, they have HOT water!
Here is a small list of stuff that I miss from home / the US: Hot running water in your bathroom, smooth roads, driving faster than 20 mph, street lights, meat, barbeques...(seriously, I will have a BBQ for every meal when I get back), swimming, being able to drink water from the tap, being able to wear open toed shoes outside of the house, taxis with less than 14 people in them (no joke), internet that moves faster than it did in 1995, MOM'S COOKING!
Flishing the toilet can be a danger to your health. Did you know that one good flush can aerosolize tons of particles and disperse them throughout your bathroom? I learned this year that one should put their toothbrush in the medicine cabinet so that there is no fecal-oral transmission of particles... did I just go too far? Flushing the toilet is becoming even more of a challenge here because we haven't had water in 2 days. Hopefully we'll get it before shabbat because I'd like to take a shower... I might go to the student housing for Yale students and use thier shower, they have HOT water!
Here is a small list of stuff that I miss from home / the US: Hot running water in your bathroom, smooth roads, driving faster than 20 mph, street lights, meat, barbeques...(seriously, I will have a BBQ for every meal when I get back), swimming, being able to drink water from the tap, being able to wear open toed shoes outside of the house, taxis with less than 14 people in them (no joke), internet that moves faster than it did in 1995, MOM'S COOKING!
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Logistics
Wednesday, June 25, 2008 4:00pm
Yesterday was a really early day where we had a meeting with Dr. Luboga in his office at 7:00am (yea, we got a ride in with him, but it's nice not to mix business with pleasure). We discussed the project, which I just realized that I did not explain to everyone. I could include the abstract, but I feel like most won't be that interested in hearing too much scientific babble so here is a breif summary:
Lauren and I are looking at children's lead levels in their blood and taking soil and dust samples in their houses in order to better understand the prevalence of high lead levels in children. The plan is to go to 7 schools and get 25 kids from each school. Anyone found to have high levels (really high) will be treated at a local hospital for free :) . The hope is to continue this project to include water and air samples taken from all around Kampala so that we can track the sources of lead in the city. We are going to use GPS to coordinate locations of measured blood levels.
So we woke up early on Monday and went to a conference after the meeting with Dr. Luboga. The conference was about the changing role of a surgeon and basically explained that the surgeon in Africa can not specialize too much because he/she will be called to do all types of surgeries regardless of his/her specialty. The entire presentation was horribly dramatic pictures of different patients who came in for surgery to his practice in the DRC (congo). Most were gun shot wounds, though there were interesting C sections, cancers that went way beyond stage IV, and other crazy cases. It was a lot to handle and I had to look away for some of it.
There is a lot of "freak show" stuff in African Hospitals (I heard that term from a doctor at Sinai). Stuff we don't even think of in America. People wait way too long to seek treatment for minor things that eventually become makor. They come on the verge of death and they worry only about making sure that it doesn't cost too much to save their lives. That is the healthcare system in Africa, at least here in Uganda or some parts of it.
Yesterday, we also met the students and docs staying in the Yale housing, which is just an apartment, not the dorm that I imagined. Anyway, one of the docs saw a woman with ebola who vomitted blood on his gown. We didn't let him touch any of the food, he is also on contact precautions (jk).
Last night we went to Dr. Luboga's 60th birthday party at the snazziest restaurant in town, Fang Fang (Chinese food). I drank water and snuck a cliff bar... oh and they had some fresh pineapple. I should really bring one of those home with me. They're delicious. And besides, we are bringing soil, blood, and dust samples back so who cares about a pineapple.
Today was a slow day, relaxed a lot, did laundry with rainwater collected by the family cistern in the back of the house, which is the coolest thing ever. Think about it: instead of water that comes down your gutters and drenches your basement, collect it, and install a system to fill up toilet bowls. You could save thousands of gallons a year. You could also have the water from your laundry machine get pumped into the toilets... no more cleaning toilet bowls!
Tonight I start Luganda classes, they should be really challenging, but fun anyway.
Please send cookies. I will get the address soon.
Yesterday was a really early day where we had a meeting with Dr. Luboga in his office at 7:00am (yea, we got a ride in with him, but it's nice not to mix business with pleasure). We discussed the project, which I just realized that I did not explain to everyone. I could include the abstract, but I feel like most won't be that interested in hearing too much scientific babble so here is a breif summary:
Lauren and I are looking at children's lead levels in their blood and taking soil and dust samples in their houses in order to better understand the prevalence of high lead levels in children. The plan is to go to 7 schools and get 25 kids from each school. Anyone found to have high levels (really high) will be treated at a local hospital for free :) . The hope is to continue this project to include water and air samples taken from all around Kampala so that we can track the sources of lead in the city. We are going to use GPS to coordinate locations of measured blood levels.
So we woke up early on Monday and went to a conference after the meeting with Dr. Luboga. The conference was about the changing role of a surgeon and basically explained that the surgeon in Africa can not specialize too much because he/she will be called to do all types of surgeries regardless of his/her specialty. The entire presentation was horribly dramatic pictures of different patients who came in for surgery to his practice in the DRC (congo). Most were gun shot wounds, though there were interesting C sections, cancers that went way beyond stage IV, and other crazy cases. It was a lot to handle and I had to look away for some of it.
There is a lot of "freak show" stuff in African Hospitals (I heard that term from a doctor at Sinai). Stuff we don't even think of in America. People wait way too long to seek treatment for minor things that eventually become makor. They come on the verge of death and they worry only about making sure that it doesn't cost too much to save their lives. That is the healthcare system in Africa, at least here in Uganda or some parts of it.
Yesterday, we also met the students and docs staying in the Yale housing, which is just an apartment, not the dorm that I imagined. Anyway, one of the docs saw a woman with ebola who vomitted blood on his gown. We didn't let him touch any of the food, he is also on contact precautions (jk).
Last night we went to Dr. Luboga's 60th birthday party at the snazziest restaurant in town, Fang Fang (Chinese food). I drank water and snuck a cliff bar... oh and they had some fresh pineapple. I should really bring one of those home with me. They're delicious. And besides, we are bringing soil, blood, and dust samples back so who cares about a pineapple.
Today was a slow day, relaxed a lot, did laundry with rainwater collected by the family cistern in the back of the house, which is the coolest thing ever. Think about it: instead of water that comes down your gutters and drenches your basement, collect it, and install a system to fill up toilet bowls. You could save thousands of gallons a year. You could also have the water from your laundry machine get pumped into the toilets... no more cleaning toilet bowls!
Tonight I start Luganda classes, they should be really challenging, but fun anyway.
Please send cookies. I will get the address soon.
Monday, June 23, 2008
My enemies are numerous (don't worry though)
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
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
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.
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