Kristen here. Lyndsay and Michelle sat me down with my laptop and told me to blog. I'm not sure if it's my "turn" or if it's my punishment for being the first to use our stock of cipro (it's a MIRACLE DRUG!). But really, I think it's because they keep teasing me about making what they have deemed "Kristen comments". My initial response wasn't good. In fact, I'm sure I made a face similar to this emoticon: :-/ You, like myself, are probably wondering what these "Kristen comments" could be. They are the incredibly witty, often sarcastic, brutally honest, FUNNY things that come out of my mouth. Apparently, Michelle and Lyndsay only agreed to being around me for 24/7 for 2 months for the pure entertainment that I bring. Knowing there would be no comedy clubs or cable television, they knew they would need some laughs. Halfway through our adventure today, they both say "So Kristen, you're going to have to blog about this. We need your sarcasm and vivid descriptions." I hope I can live up to my name.
To start, a few things that we forgot to tell you about our day to day life here in Bumwalukani:
-We have a guard who sits outside most nights. And his weapon of choice? A bow and arrow. No lie. Sits outside in the dark, alone, with his bow and freaking arrow in hand. And a machete. You know you live in Uganda when… Lyndsay and I are convinced he is a raging alcoholic and shows up wasted most nights. Last night, she was trying to use the latrine and and with pants at her ankles, he comes bounding over the fence and runs into one of the empty rooms, turns off his flashlight, and waits. It scared the crap right out of her… or back in her? Needless to say, I had to go with her a second time and body guard the latrine door from any creepy, fence jumping guards. Nothing says friendship like pooping together.
-There is also a cat here. Well, 2… and I hate cats. Actually, I'm allergic to them. But the more important of those 2 facts is that I hate cats. So what does this kitten do? Insists on being around me all the time, ended up in our room despite drastic efforts to keep it out, and will plop herself down right on the book I'm trying to read. Lyndsay loves kittens, but Tux jumps up from any snuggling efforts. I've resorted to reverse psychology on the cat. I've started playing with cats. Sound the alarms. I cant even believe I've just typed those words. Only in Africa would Michelle and I become cat people.
Today, we got to tour around some of the other clinics in the area. FIMRC's clinic is a level 2. We went to the next village's clinic which is a level 3 since they have a maternity bed (Lyndsay once again compared it to something out of a Saw movie. We really need to ban her from watching horror movies…Photos to prove it will come) and they birth about 40 babies a month. We will be spending some time there these next few weeks. We'll have to pull the knowledge gained from our maternity clinicals out of our brains. Feels like forever ago that we were in clinicals together, frightening our instructor by getting up in stirrups in full delivery position.
Next was Bududa Hospital. It's a Level 5 which is basically just a community hospital with a minor operating "theater" and several in patient wards. Let me just say that this place makes SLU hospital look up to date. We spent some time talking to a nutritionist about life in the hospital and specifically the care of a HIV positive girl we got to meet. She is 2 years old and is the size of an 11 or 12 month old. Her mother only brought her into the hospital due to a bad case of diarrhea.. again, the importance of education while we are here is emphasized.
We were touring around our district with Richard who from day 1 has been titled my "Ugandan brother". He likes to tell Lynds and Shell stuff like "Take care of her over the weekend" etc. He took us to see the local orphanage he works at where we will be doing some teaching next week to the first and second graders. He took us to the local market which is held on Thursdays. This market was sorta similiar to the one we saw in Jinja…American crap (emphasis on crap) everywhere. Remember Jelly sandals? Yeah… africa is still trying to sell those. You know that shirt you left 2 years ago after you volunteered? Yep.. you can buy that too. Where are the African beads? Where are the wood carvings? Oh right… this market is for the locals, not the Mazungos. So I couldn't buy any beads for my sister BUT I could buy…. A CHICKEN. There were all these livestock animals on makeshift leashes. Take a second and imagine several chickens, cows, and goats on leashes. ….right… it's hilarious, yes? Ok.. we need to upload some photos. Next thing we know Lyndsay is walking down the main road through the market and a Ugandan man is laughing, and talking, and pointing at her repeatedly. Lyndsay asks Richard what on earth he is saying, and he replies "He is telling his friends that you are his wife now." Man, and we thought internet dating was efficient? Uganda has it going on.. apparently you can walk down the side of a road, not speak, nor make eye contact, and it will have you married in 5 seconds or less.
So I leave on a boda with Katie and we are cruising along passing a lot of other bodas and pedestrians coming to and from the market. Katie goes, "Oh goodness, dead pig on a boda!" So I look over and there is a pig, strapped to the back of a mini motorcycle. And then it squeals and squirms. Live pig on a boda! T.A.B.
Please note that our food craving of the day is a bratwurst with relish and ketchup. And a cold beer. ;-)
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| Xena and Tux |
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