I am off for my adventure through Eastern Africa!

I just don't even know where to begin as I look through my last post online and where I left off! I guess it hasn't been too long since I posted last, but I feel like I have experienced so much in such a short amount of time!

I had the opportunity to travel to Fort Portal two weekends ago to attend a introduction ceremony. An introduction ceremony is a tradition here in which the bride introduces her future husband to her family and friends. Fort Portal is in western Uganda and it is absolutely BEAUTIFUL! There is a ring of mountains almost encircling the whole town and I like how it is more peaceful and calm compared to the craziness of Kampala. Well funny story, we actually missed the entire ceremonyhaha (good old African time). I was definitely bummed because I had been really excited about getting to experience something like that.

Right when we got there I went to use a "toilet" better known as a port-a-john here and as luck would have it, it started to pour, and I found myself trapped in this port-a-john for about 30-45min. My first experience in Fort Portal, and an exciting one at that.

In the morning I decided to roam a bit, see if I could find a good view. Not far from the hotel, I found an amazing view, complete with a small village with some energetic, fun-loving kids. It was a bit rough trying to talk to them, the language barrier strikes again, but they gotthe biggest kick out of the camera out of anyone I have met so far. At first a lot of the kids and moms were running from the camera as if it frightened them, but soon, I had taught some of the kids how to use it and they were taking shotslike crazy or "photocopies" as they called them. They actually requested that I sing for them which I found odd, but I did haha. I couldn't tell if they were laughing because I was that bad for simply because they had never heard a mzungu sing before. I took a video of the kids singing themselves (which I think is what inspired them to ask me to sing), but I found it interesting that despite the fact they didn't know English, they were able to sing a couple of popular American songs in perfect English.

I have been reading A LOT since I got here. I just finished this book called Poor Story by Giles Bolton which I suggest all of you pick up and read if you get the time! It talks about poverty in Africa, and why despite international aid, Africa continues to be stuck in poverty. In one part he talks about two families he built friendships with in Africa; one, an older couple in a village calledMachini, a small town on the way to Naivasha from Nairobi (yes - I am very tempted to retrace the authors journey); the second, a 19 year old mother living in poverty in the Congo, fighting to give her son a better life. I feel like Bolton more beautifully expressed something I tried to address in an earlierentry, "that while Africa have wildly differing lives, they share with the rest of the world the same basic aspirations, day-to-day joys and sadness: a good or bad week of work, a desire to provide for the family, see friends, keep up with local events. Where they differ, particularly from those of us in the West, is in the near-impossible choices with which they are often faced. It is these choices that are the hallmark of poverty: dilemmas to which sensiblesolutions are simply not available. It is a poverty trap."

Bolton invents the Republic of Uzima, a fictional state based on the average conditions and statistics of Africa: a population of 14,014,662; a life expectancy of 46; an average income of $340/year, with 6.5 million living on less than $1/day; where 21% die from AIDS, 10% from lower respiratory infections, 9% from malaria, and 7% from diarrhea; where hunger contributes more to the death rates then AIDS, malaria, and TB combined; where 44% of the population is younger than 15; 28% of the children between 10-14 are part of the workforce; only 13% of the roads are paved; 42% of the public lack a source of clean water and 47% to improved sanitation. What this all boils down to is that Africa is stuck in a trap with much to improve and without the funds to do so. So how does even the most righteous leader make such big decisions? Do you build more schools or bring in more teachers? Do you build auniversity so you can prevent those who can afford to go abroad and never return or do you use the money to make sure children in primary school actually have textbooks? Do you improve water conditions for the rural poor or sanitation facilities for the disease ridden cityslummers ? Do you pave roads or improve electricity? Do you immunize babies or provide bed nets to reduce malaria? Because the reality is that you don't have enough funds to do it all.

So why am I telling you all of this? Because I am seeing this EVERYDAY. It really does exist! The lack of clean water, the poorly managed roads, the widespread AIDS and malaria, starvation, hard working 10 yearolds . It made me wonder, how much of an impact it could make if Western countries would gain an interest in Africa. The unfortunate thing is that its poor markets hold little interest for western business, and the continent provides no political or strategic threat to the west's stability. In a nut shell, Africa doesn't matter. I have had such a desire to increase my knowledge and awareness of Africa because I really do think that if people would get passionate about helping the people here, that we could really make a difference. To quote the book one last time, "we have the ability to affect and bring positive change to people thousands of miles away."

Another book I picked up and started reading, (I hope I don't gain enemies for this one haha), is Barack Obama's first book, Dreams from my Father. Even though it is talking about the racial tension between blacks and whites in America, it has really helped me to understand some of the things I have been feeling and thinking here, for example, why I get stared at so much. In one part he talks about his white mother's experience in Indonesia and says, "she was a foreigner, middle-class and white, and protected by her heredity whether she wanted protection or not. She could always leave if things got too messy." In another part,Obama is talking to friend who starts talking about his white friend. The friend Frank says, "...he doesn't know me and he can't know me, not the way I know him. Maybe some of these Hawaiian's can, or the Indians on the reservation. They've seen their father humiliated. Their mothers desecrated. But your grandfather will never know what that feels like. Doesn't matter how tired I get, I still have to watch myself. I have to be vigilant for my own survival." That is why I believe I get stared at. As much as I want to be an equal, to blend in and be like family here, there will always be a barrier. I can no pretend that I have even the slightest idea of the pain and suffering people have gone through here - to understand their daily struggles. I have lived aseverely inflated, safe life and at the touch of a button, I have the freedom to leave this place if things get sticky or too much for me. I just pray that despite this line, that I can build relationships, trust with the people I encounter. I want them to teach me about their lives - the pain and the suffering, the joy and the compassion. I want my eyes to be opened because I am no longer content with living the life I have been blessed with in American.

Alright! No more about my reading...I don't want you guys to think that I sit day in and day out reading books ;-). I continue to work atWatoto every Monday and Wednesday and still love that place just as much if not more than I did before. My last day is tomorrow and I am really going to miss some of the woman I have grown to love there! There is Margaret who works in the kitchen. She always sneaks me the extra pumpkin and pineapple from the morning and afternoon snackshaha . There is Laura, such a beautiful, encouraging woman! There is Edith who works in the clinic and Nina who is in the office all day with me. I have pictures of them all that I will have to post once I get home!

I have not been working so much at Mulago, half because it really crashes my spirits, and partly because I have been taking the extra time to explore the city with Ronnie and meet more people. The majority of my work inMulago will be done in the last 10 days when the team from Duke comes. I am headed for Mulago to take on the Labor and Delivery Ward right after I finish this post, and I am going to help out in the Special Care Unit again on Thursday. I read another quote somewhere that "No one could make a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could only do a little." I think a part of me has avoidedMulago out of frustration because I felt like I was lost, like I wasn't helping to make any kind of difference. But I don't want to not do anything because I felt like what I was doing was so little. If there is one thing I keep repeating to myself, it is that compassion and empathy know no borders. That humor, respect, and dignity know no boundaries - they are international. Simply taking a patients hand in yours and giving them eye contact lets them know you are there and that you care about them and will do the best you can to take care of them. I had a patient who was struggling to get his cup and I walked over and handed it to him. He looked so shocked I had done that because I think he had gotten used to being lost in the masses atMulago . Touching a patient gently on the back or simply sitting with a patient; being with a patient if is it an infant, just holding the baby, loving the baby. Even if it is his last night, at least he learned what it felt like to be loved and cared for. So what if I can't speak apatient's language, so what if there are no medications or equipment- through compassion I can let the patient know I care about him and that I am there to serve him.

When I am not at Watoto or Mulago, I am either hanging out with the guys who work next door, Henry and Nelson, helping Florence out in the house, or I am roaming the streets with Ronnie. I hung out with Ronnie this past Friday. It was so good to see his smiling face! It had been weeks since I last saw him. First we went back toBukoto so I could give out the last of my pictures. I met the mother of two kids I took pictures of, Aisha, who gave me some matoke in her local restaurant! It felt so good to return to a familiar place - to be able to build existing relationships and friendships and create new ones. Relationships and friendships - that is what it should be all about. I will definitely miss matoke when I get back home. Aisha invited us back next Saturday for my birthday! She said we would celebrate which I am not sure what that means..but I am excited anyways!

After we left there, Ronnie took me to see his sister Grace and her new baby boy who was born on May 30 at exactly 5:50pm. As it turns out, Ronnie and Grace named him Denzel Woodruff Mujwisa. I really don't know what to think of it. Legacy is a big deal here and passing your name on to your children and your children's children. I am extremely honored that he named his son after my "father's name" as he says, but at the same time I do not feel that I am deserving of such a gesture. Either way, Denzel is beautiful and I will be putting some pictures up of him and Grace hopefully soon!

So some other interesting stories. I ate a mango the other week that, are you ready for this, had maggots in it. Yep, I was pretty excited about that and I avoided mangos for a full week. I was about to take a bite when two of them crawled right out into my bowl. In other exciting news, as luck would have it, an ATM "swallowed" my bank card yesterday haha. So I am currently trying to get the thing back.

I guess that is all for now! All in all, I really have found that I have learned a lot more than I give myself credit for in these few weeks! Better time management and priortizing my tasks, the importance of teamwork and delegation, confidence in the abilities that I have learned, how important compassion and empathy really are in the nurse-patient relationship, and how to be more relaxed! How to really slow down and enjoy the moment! This trip really has started to fly by and I can't believe I have been here for a month this Thursday!

I leave for a trip through Western Uganda this Monday the 16th and will be gone until the 24th. I will be back in Kampala for a day before boarding a plane for Nairobi, Kenya where I will be until July 15th. The 16th I leave for Arusha, Tanzania and will be there until the 26th. I guess what I am trying to say is that, it is quite possible that this will be my last post until I return back to NC in August. I have no doubt this trip is going to really fly by as I start traveling around Eastern Africa. Please pray for my safety as I go to all of these foreign places! When I return, I will definitely do my best to summarize two months of traveling! And of course I will be posting tons and tons of pictures! Thank you so much for your prayers thus far, and for taking the time to check out my blog! I miss everyone and can't wait to be back in the states!

And last but certainly not least, a few more pictures for your enjoyment! Again, remember the pictures load backwards, so they are a bit out of order and sometimes I think my captions don't make a whole lot of sense being as they are out of order to...

These are two of the kids at Watoto. David is the one on the left. The child who was left on a trash heap and burnt but fought for life! He is so sweet! I love him and wish I could bring him home!

This is me holding Esther, one of the premies I have been taking care of

This is Laura. I love her and I am going to miss her SO MUCH! There isn't an ounce of mean in her!

The kids I met in the village by the hotel I was staying at in Fort Portal. They just started dancing and singing! It was so much fun. Again, I was amazed at how perfect their English was when they started singing popular American tunes, despite their lack of ability in speaking English or understanding me.

Another view of the town of Fort Portal.

This is a view of Fort Portal from a top of the hill where the King's palace sits. Abby and I couldn't see the king's palace because security wouldn't let us through, but we still go an amazing view of the town from the hill! I feel like I already said it once?...but the king in Fort Portal is the youngest to ever reign...he is 17. They don't really have the political power in Uganda, it is more of a tradition.

One of the cute, cute, CUTE kids at Watoto that I am blessed to see twice a week!

Taking more fun pictures with the beautiful kids in Fort Portal! The kids loved taking pictures!

This is one of the children's homes in Fort Portal with the mother working out front. Now just imagine the mountains that are in the background! I would love to wake up each morning with the breathtaking view they have!

This is one of the daughters doing laundry. I couldn't imagine having to wash clothes by hand everyday. It really makes you start appreciating the simple things like washing machines that we taken advantage of everyday and often forget that they are luxuries that a lot of the world will never get to use.

This is an outdoor shower used by a dozen or so families in the village.

More fun loving kids in Fort Portal!

I actually met this woman in Mbale across the street from the kids I was hanging out. She was staring at me from behind a row of crops so I decided to go over and say hello. I wish so bad that I could have been able to talk to her. She was such a compassionate, welcoming woman.

This is the inside of her home...

This is me! Stuck in the port-a-john in Fort Portal for about 45 min during the downpour! Now how many of you can say you've had to entertain youself in a port-a-john for that long?

A compound of a couple of homes in Fort Portal.

Teaching one of the kids how to use the camara! He actually became quite a pro!

Switching gears, this is the village I visited in Mbale. There was no electricity so it was extremely difficult to see into the homes even in the daylight. But the homes were very cozy and a part of me felt more at home here then in my life spent up in Kololo.

This is one of the mothers of all of the children I met in Mbale. This is a very common picture in Ugandan culture. The mother kneeling on the ground cooking food over a fire with a few pots and pans.

This is one of the girls that I met in Mbale, in the village that I wandered into. It is a very common thing to see young girls carrying around their baby brothers and sisters. "Young mothers" is the term I have often heard them referred as.