Week Two

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Week two was spent hiking, assisting to deliver healthy babies, counselling and prescribing for HIV/AIDS clients, enjoying local cuisine, attending daily HIV/AIDS seminars, and paying a well deserved visit to King Fisher, a local resort. It's hard to believe that we have been in Rugazi for 12 days already. We are becoming more comfortable in the health centre and have found specific areas where our nursing expertise is an asset, such as the HIV/AIDS clinic, Antenatal and Out Patient Department. There are more than 120 languages spoken in Uganda with Runyancole being the native language in Rugazi. The language barrier poses the greatest challenge and we are realizing how much of our assessment and nursing work replies on spoken word. With that said, we have familiarized ourselves with basic lingo and have honed our miming and hand gesturing skills. The locals are pleasantly surprised when we greet them with words like, "Agandi" (hello, how are you) and "Osibirio'ta" (good evening).

Tye:

I had my best day as of yet today. I was frustrated with what little I could do in the clinic this morning and decided to venture to Trinity Preparatory School, where I had been invited on the weekend by one of the teachers. The headmaster gave me a warm welcome and after a 3 minute conversation in his office I was off to the Grade 6/7 classroom to provide health education. I was greeted with synchronized clapping and 35 smiling faces dressed in pristine blue uniform. The classroom teacher gave me the floor and I was off and running answering questions about puberty, menstruation, healthy lifestyle choices, and Canadian geography. I brought along a small whiteboard, which proved extremely useful in the classroom for drawing diagrams, making lists, and engaging students. The classroom began to shrink as the number of students grew, all wanting to catch a glimpse of the strange muzungu with curly hair who was visiting their school. To my surprise, Ugandan culture is very open minded when it comes to health and sexual education. Not one snicker or wrinkled nose was made when I said the words penis or vagina, something very common in the Canadian classroom. The school staff has invited me back at my leisure and have asked me to join their students for lunch. I will return on Thursday with a more structured teaching plan talking about the male and female reproductive systems. I have already begun homemaking labeled diagrams to use as teaching tools. The students begin school at 7:00am and end their day at 4:45pm with the majority needing to walk a minimum of 30 minutes to and from school. Nonetheless, the kids are constantly smiling, laughing, and joyous.

We eat all of our meals with the Ugandan students and have been enjoying traditional foods such as matooke (mashed plantain), posho (maize flour), rice, beans, cow peas, dodo (kale), g-nut sauce (savoury nut sauce) sauce, milk tea, cabbage, Irish (potatoes) and seasonal fruit. Eating and spending considerable amounts of time together has lead to great discussion around culture, relationships, politics, health care, and difference present in Uganda compared to Canada. The Ugandan boys cannot believe that Canadian boys are allowed to date girls without a formal introduction to immediate and extended family prior to the first date. It also baffles them that we, as women, live in different communities, cities, provinces, and countries compared to our parents. Ugandan men are rather chivalrous and are expected to provide their future brides’ family with gifts as recognition of the fact that the family is losing a resource and valuable asset. FYI Regan, I have been told that I am worth no less than 100 heads of cattle.

Thanks to Sandi and my grandparents I brought over 200 pairs of reading glasses to Uganda with me. They have been a big hit among health centre staff, Rugazi locals, and members of the community that I am working in. I’ve been made popular, as people know who is distributing the eyewear. I have had multiple people knock on my door in search of their own pair of specks. It’s very rewarding to help people see clearly.

Vivian:

To me Uganda is home. I was born in Kampala, Uganda’s capital city. I moved to Canada 10 years ago. Today, I am proud to call Canada my home. This experience to me was my opportunity to give back to this beautiful country that I was raised in. I was particularly excited for the other Canadian students to be apart of this experience. In addition, I was quite nervous for the cultural shock that some of them might experience. As a new immigrant to Canada, I can relate to the shock that one goes through when immersed in a completely different culture. I knew that as a Ugandan-Canadian, I would have to lean in and support the other students if they had to go through any inter-cultural differences. Not surprisingly, there were some learning opportunities that required inter-cultural understanding. The first was the concept of time keeping; there was a bit of frustrations on the side of the Canadian students as they found that events were usually behind schedule. In trying to reach an understanding the Canadian students learnt to adjust to this cultural difference. Over all, this has been such as great learning experience. One of the best parts of this placement is working hand in hand with the Ugandan students. I find that I have grown exponentially both personally and professionally. These Ugandan students bring with them a breadth of knowledge about the Ugandan way of life and the health care system. Working in the village health centre has brought to light the importance of the determinants of health. What I have enjoyed the most is counselling and working with clients and families who are coping with HIV/AIDS. It has also been thrilling for me to be able to connect with family and friends who I have net seen for several years.

Philomena:

Like Tye I have enjoyed eating meals with the Ugandan students and the discussion that comes from time spent together. For me the best moments have happened spontaneously when sitting together. The more I spend time with the Ugandan students, the more I feel privileged to have met them and realise how much I will miss our time together. I knew I would learn a lot from them! It reminds me of mottos from my time with Intercordia Canada, "live with and learn from" and "being with not doing for". Both of these phrases underline the importance of being present and the meaningful moments that come from that. Another highlight of the last week has been rounds of Matatu (Ugandan card game) amongst good-natured teasing and deep belly laughs.

I am becoming more comfortable around the health centre. I have learned about treatment and dosing regimens from spending time in the Outpatient Department. I am impressed with the communication and coordination between the staff here; the interprofessionalism is excellent. I had the opportunity to attend HIV/AIDS education sessions for staff and help in the Anti-retroviral Therapy clinic. What I enjoyed most at the health center this week was conducting antenatal check-ups. The common refrain heard in North America – that public service people are overworked and understaffed, is even more true here. I marvelled at the amount of work a nurse was expected to complete for a pregnant mother in one short visit, and was happy that the staff found our presence there helpful.

Self-awareness and patience are important for "living it well" (another important lesson from Intercordia). Before coming on this trip I reviewed the process of cultural adjustment to prepare myself for what I would go through. This week I became frustrated with some of what I saw at the clinic and with the staff. I had to remind myself to be curious and open to learning more about a situation that frustrated me, rather than being quick to judge. I know that I don't have the whole picture, I am missing so much context, and I still will not have the big picture by the time I leave.

I came to Uganda to learn and have been learning a lot!

Rene here,

Or “Ren” rather, as most Ugandans call me. I have accepted it as my Ugandan name.

The last week has been exciting to say the least. On Friday, we began community entry, which involved us visiting the rural villages, Buhara Central and Nyakega. These will serve as the communities that we are directing our community health services towards. The kind-hearted people that greeted me filled my heart with joy. The beauty amongst the hand made homes were amazing, so clean and pristine. I myself am working with the Buhara Central village. Entering a community in Canada is rather simple, you go meet a leader or school and begin your work. Here you must first meet the village chairperson and then the Village Health Team (VHT), of which both must give you the permission and mobilize you within the community to meet the locals.

Although I could not understand a single thing being spoken as we walked house to house, I was able to greet everyone with “Agandi” (hello, how are you). Most times this produces a shocked face or laughter. Initially surprising that I able to speak some of the local language and then laughter because this same picture is so foreign. I may not understand the concerns they present to us but I am able to provide each one with a smile and laughter. Which lately, if I can simply make one person smile a day…I am doing an excellent job.

This past weekend, we Canadians, took some time to rest and relax as we sat poolside at King Fisher resort taking in the picturesque view. The pool over looked many national safari parks and among them was the Queen Elizabeth National Park. Simply put the view took my breath away! We spent 6 hours swimming, lounging, and attempting to teach a group of Africans how to swim. LOL

I have also been able to work more within the health centre. Providing some hands-on nursing care was something I came to realize that I missed. Again, I cannot understand what is being said but most nursing procedures are universal, or are interpreted from our Ugandan friends. Giving needles, taking blood pressures, wound cleaning, and dispensing medication are some of the things I have come to do. But more importantly have come to do with limited resources. I found it so interesting when one of the Ugandan medical students mentioned that he wanted to work in a rural health centre to improve his “jungle medicine”. Meaning that he wanted to work in an area where he could provide medical care with limited resources, which is always the case here. You run out of gloves, medications, and scissors even…but you make it work and do the best you can. This same “jungle medicine” can be said to be happening in our backdoors, in northern Canada. Northern isolated communities are having to provide medical services with limited resources. So, from this experience here in Rugazi, I shall be being built to provide “Jungle medicine” for when I begin my career in a First Nation northern community. Ultimately, what is happening globally is also happening locally OR Local is Global!

On my end note, I must say that still sadly no organic or local made coffee yet. Still imported instant coffee to couple with the delicious milk tea I look forward to every morning.

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Comments

[Beth Graas]

Teacher Tye
Hi Tye! My heart is so full right now! Thank you for your courageous decision to go to Uganda - what an experience you are having! To be able to present in a classroom is the greatest privilege ever. Influencing lives for the future!!

[Queen Elizabeth Scholars Take on Uganda]

So good to hear from you Mrs. Grass!
I'm sorry this response is finding you a bit late- internet is spotty in the village. I hope you are well:) I'm glad you are reading and enjoying our blog. Each day is a new adventure with new challenges and successes. I am currently waiting for the bus to transport me from the village to the large city of Mbarara where I will work in the hospital for the next 5 weeks. This will be followed by touring Uganda for 2 weeks then I will meet Regan in Europe for a 2 week stay. Take care, Tye