Danger Zone

I just got a cell phone number for uganda if you want to call me think of the time zone difference and their is no voice mail. From the us dial 011 256 777-813971. I had my first experience yesterday on boda bodas which are Motorcycles and the fastest transport around. They are everywhere and constantly trying to get you to ride with them. The first boda boda I took had never given a muzungu (white person) a ride before so we had quite an experience. It was a bit scary at first because where I am staying is like a dirt bike track, but once we got on a flat not as dusty road it felt safe untell we hit traffic and the boda bodas weave in and out of everything they can to get you to your destination as fast as possible. It made the crazy chase scenes is the movies look like bumper cars. So I learned a few tricks, if I git on a little boda boda it can't go as fast because I am so big which makes it a little safer. I also need to get a helmet because they don't have them for passengers. They also go to boda boda school to learn how to drive the way they do so that they have communication with cars and other boda bodas with honks and flashes of the head lights. I also decided not to ride the boda bodas at night.
Three people from pigrim have already got Malaria since I have been here, it is not as big a deal here as in the us. I also learned that the sweet annie that heron made for me is about to take the lead as the first line against Malaria and it grows in africa, but now one at the department of health seemed to know that because they have been buying it from china. But Dr. katie is excited about the possibility of growing it and using it later in their malaria campaign.
Yesterday I ordered chicken gizzard but it is so popular here they were all out so I had fish instead which had the texture of jerky but the flavor of salted fishy chicken, very good.
I am off to soroti tomorrow and might stay their for a while but I feel quite free to work on what ever I please and I will miss kampala but I think soroti is where the real work will begin.

Meeting the big wigs

Yesterday I met one of the top people at the minisrty of health and we almost ran into a heard of cows in the road and I got to learn how to do laundry by hand without a wash board. I also had possible the best fruit in the world called jack fruit. I have been learning so much every day about culture and division of labor and cooking and malaria. Culturaly I have learned that the guests here are not expected to do anything. I also don't get to eat with the 12 other people living at calvins house. Everybody has jobs and things to do around the house and it is all done by hand. cooking is often done outside of the house in a small metal cillinder the size of a family size can of soup. It is also used in combination with the stove which has a propane can attached. All the water goes into a water tower for a resever because the water often stops working. People here are so used to working all day thyat doing dishes cooking from scratch washing clothes and cleaning are not a burden but just a way of life. It also feels strange to see kindness as letting people wash your clothes and cook your food with out your help or exchange of work. They did however gratiously accept the chocolates I got for them in sweden. And still no luck on the sponsor front.

Miracles

So The first miracle of today was meeting Doctor Katie She is from Seattle and has been living in Tulsa Oklahoma the past 3 years which is where I am from. The Second miracle is meeting Josh because my brother was the best man at his wedding. Two Miracles and I have been here less than a day. I have already started developing a training for the volunteers of Pilgrim to start the implementation of malaria drugs and teach was of preventing rexposure to it. I really feel like I belong.

I made it!

Last night I arrive in Uganda and was greeted by charles david and simon 3 of the nicest people I have meet in the last 3 weeks. We dorove an hour from entebbe into Kampala and I stayed at Calvins ouse the director of pilgrim. He was not their but all the rest of his family seemed to be and some other volunteers from pilgrim. I have been walking around kampala and saying hello to every smiling face I see which is alot. I look a mess compaired with all of the locals, here they where dresses and suits which is a sight because most of the roads seem to be made out of dirt. I will be helping develp a trainging today for the malaria volunteers and soon will find a ride to soroti so I can see my new home.

Credit! Is it really worth the effort?

I have 11 rejections and 0 support for my internship contract for study abroad in Uganda. I leave on Tuesday and tomorrow I surf. Maybe Monday will be my lucky day.