Home Again

I really can't believe that I am back in Uganda again!! I mean, I have been planning this since I left in August 2012, but it feels like it came up really quick. I knew that with the cost of a trip and the amount of time in my school schedule, I wouldn't be able to be back in 2013. It was the first calendar year in 5 years that I didn't go to Uganda, which was really, really sad. Instead I planned my schedule so that I finished the majority of my credits in the U.S. by February and then come here for the last 12 weeks of medical school to finish my electives, enjoy time with my Ugandan friends, and experience a longer time in this country that I love and hope to continue to work in. Prior to this, the longest I have been is 6 weeks. 3 months seems like an overwhelmingly long time, but I know it will be over before I know it!

I don't have a whole lot to say yet, as I have only been in the country for about 12 hours. The trip was uneventful and kind of tiresome. Although it is sometimes nice to travel alone, it can be lonely to not talk to anybody for 26 hours worth of flying and walking around airports. I had a few conversations with seat mates but I think I was so exhausted from the last four weeks of staying up late with friends and planning and packing that I just wanted to sleep. Let's be honest, airplanes do not make for good sleeping so I was anything but rested by the time I got here.

It wasn't until we landed in Entebbe that reality set in and excitement welled up. I felt like I had superhuman strength as I lifted my carry on (which is probably 50 lbs) form the overhead bin. It was the first time it felt easy to lift since the trip started over a day ago. Thanks to wanting to bring medical textbooks to give away along with the heavy electronics and some equipment, I had to overload my tiny bag to a weight nearly equal to my checked luggage. I always try to be inconspicuous about how heavy it actually is, but it is hard to hide a grimace and the struggle of lifting that thing above my head and getting it tucked away. Also, my struggling reminded me how nice it is to have a travel partner to help with all the lifting, but I will have those later on during this journey.

The next week I get to just relax and enjoy being here. Hopefully will be able to catch up with some old friends, maybe visit at least one of the orphanages, and meet some new people. There are many students and faculty from the University of Minnesota working at Mulago and I hope to spend some time learning from them as well. My official rotation will start Monday in Infectious Disease for 2 weeks. I don't know where I will end up after that. It's a bit of a mystery, but I know I will end up getting lots of good experience.

For now, I am just praying for guidance on where to go and what to do. It is nice, in a way, to have no real plans, but at the same time I like to have some things to do. I need to adjust to the heat a bit. I think the swing is about 100 degrees if you consider we had multiple days below zero and now the high's are 85 or greater. This Minnesotan will need to take some time to feel like the heat isn't going to make me pass out!

I will be staying with Angella, her friend and her son for at least the next 3 weeks and then possibly going to a more rural site in Kayunga. I will find out more of the details later. For now, the view is great. We are a little further outside the city so it is much calmer and quieter than where I have stayed before, but it is nice to leave the snow and wake up 30 hours later to this!

I will make updates as things happen. I can't promise it's always going to be exciting, but there is usually at least one or two things you might find interesting! I can't say I am going to miss the snow, but I will miss all the people back home for the next three months! Hope you all are enjoying the latest big snowfall!