7/7/08

presentation or our PI. The evenings of Thursday and Friday have been taken up with this TV Series called “Prison Break”. Willie brought all of Seasons 1 + 2 on DVD and we have been roaring through those. It has been fun. I am getting to know Willie, Justin and Erica a lot better and deeper then I ever would have at school. Each is such a dynamic individual with a breadth of talents and a depth personality.

On Saturday we hitched a taxi ( Which is a muni type transit of small cars) down to city center where we tried to find a taxi down to masaka. We found a taxi, but they do not leave until the entire car is full, so we waited for 90 minutes in that car baking as every man woman and child came to our windows trying to sell us trinkets and toys. We got off on our way to Masaka to visit where the northern and southern hemispheres meet. The water demonstration was cool…. It flows clockwise in the N, counter-clockwise in the S, and if you pour water in a funnel right on the equator, there is no pull of water in any direction.

After touring around a little at different villages and shops we decided to find a way home. We had no taxi, or transportation available but were finally able to flag down a large bus. Once boarding we realized the bus was PACKED with barely any seats available. The conductor (The man who handles the fairs) told me to go to the back of the bus with him. There sat a mother nursing her infant child, and in the seat next to her sat her two toddlers, both whom looked under three. The conductor proceeded to grab the children’s arms and yank them off the seat. The mother started screaming and crying and I tried to plead with the conductor that I would sit in the aisle. He would not listen. My heart was broken for these people. I did not feel I deserved these children’s seats, nor did I want them. Once I was made to sit down I grabbed the young girl and pulled her onto my lap so that she could sit down. The rest of the ride back to Kampala that little girl sat on my lap and slept…I really felt touched for some reason. Not that she was a child, but because of the hassle it caused, and the opportunity I got to make something “right”. A lot of the country men here do not look favorably upon the “Mazungus (White Skin)” because most that visit here come for the crazy African adventure, and tour around. They swing there big paychecks, act like they own the world, and view the local people as some sort of exhibit. How would you feel if anywhere you went an oily faced tourist was trying to snap a picture of you in poverty or working for his church back home, or for his buddies waiting at the airport. Anyway….. Sorry, quick heated moment.

I am loving the culture here! The rich vibrancy of life is amazing. The people are all o so friendly and I cant help but feel at peace here.


7/7/08 12:55 PM

I rounded this morning on the surgery ward. It was quite an experience to assist in the care of these patients. Gang Green, Large Tumors, Burns, Laceration.... Maybe it is the lack of primary care, or the shortage of doctors. But when people come to the hospital they REALLY have a problem, and there is not enough doctors to go around so medical students do alot of the work. I am learning alot from these experiences and I plan to use my time in the hospital valuably.

I went to the market place the other day and on the way back found an african tribal antique store..... found alot of really awesome things that I need to take back for my collection.