Prairie Girl sees the world

The Grande Finale

2008-08-20T07:52:00.000-07:00

Hamburg was a really big concrete jungle that made me realize I appreciate nature over man-made 'beauty.' I did a harbour tour in a little boat. I saw some of the huge cargo ships, we even cruised under the bow where Leonardo would have been saying "I'm the King of the world." The captain kindly directed me to a really old restaurant for a seafood dinner. The only table free was for 8 people. I sat down, ordered my beer and fillets and was joined by a group of really big, German men who proceeded to take over my table and not even look in my direction. Nice. After the great fish, I joined a double-decker bus tour and saw the major sites from the top level. At the train station, I passed about 20 police with riot gear and some fierce-looking puppies: I think there was a football game or something. Surely, the wouldn't be there for me, right?

I took the train to Luebeck with much anxiety since I couldn't successfully book a dorm for the night. The second place had an empty room so I rested easy. I had a nice look around town as I walked from one end to the other carrying my ridiculously heavy backpack. The Hostentor (gate) has two slightly-leaning towers that guard the entrance. They are impressive! After a good night's sleep and hearty breakfast, I headed out to catch a boat tour. It was good, but since it was all in German, I mostly smiled and nodded. The ticket guy came by occasionally and pointed things out to me in English, which was really nice of him. I saw the city from the top of a church, viewed the several-hundred-year old town office and had cake in a famous cafe. I saw the shattered bells in another church. They fell during a WWII bombing raid and were left where they fell. I think it was one of the most powerful war memorials I saw (besides the camps, of coarse).

I had to move hostels then race to catch the train to Travelmuende, which is a beach-resorty place on the sea. I saw Germany's oldest lighthouse and accidentally wandered past the nude beach (FKK). I was looking for shells along the shore, glanced up and saw things nobody should ever see. The town was nice, but I found it a little difficult to enjoy: my anxiety for the coming days was building. The last time I saw the ocean was in Zanzibar and everything seemed okay. This time, it was a bad dream that I can't wake up from.

I had supper back in Luebeck at a cafe beside the river and the gates. It was a nice setting to finish off with. The people watching was fantastic as there was an outdoor concern just down the street. Mullets are very popular in Northern Germany.

I took an early train to Schwerin, dropped my bags and had breakfast in a cute, little half-timber house. The waitress spoke no English, so I had to really break out my German. It was challenging and fun. I think we both enjoyed it.

The palace at Schwerin was the nicest one I visited. The audio tour was excellent and the rooms were gorgeous. I can't believe people actually lived (and continue to do so) like this.

I discovered my favourite piece of art so far: Venus teaching Cupid to shoot his bow. Cupid followed me around the room with his eyes and bow. I wasn't scared, he's already got me once.

The grounds were all recently re-done. There were many statues, but I couldn't locate David holding Goliath's head. This lead to some interesting conversations as I asked people where David was. I had some fun with this one, but it turned out, David was being fixed and wasn't to be seen.

At 12:30, I was smelling roses in the garden instead of meeting Micha at the top of the Dom. I contemplated not going, but decided I was a better person than that. On the way up, I stopped to admire the bells, when they went off and scared the bejebes out of me. The view of the city was excellent, seeing him again was difficult.

We took the autobahm to Berlin. It was less scary this time, I can't decide if it was because he drove faster or if the traffic jams prevented the real speed-demons from gaining momentum.

I packed my stuff and everything just barely fit. We went into the city for all-you-can-eat-sushi. It was really good sushi. After some souvenir shopping (I had a tiny bit more room), we checked out Checkpoint Charlie, the Holocaust Memorial, and the Brandenburg Tor. Goodbye Berlin!

The flights home were good. I left Berlin at 7:20 and arrived in London at 9:45. I wrote in my journal, shopped and evacuated when the fire alarm went off. Just before I boarded the plane at 2:30, they announced me name and summoned me to the desk. I thought someone had died, but they just wanted me to change seats.

All my banana leaf items and honey made it through customs. Jess came to pick me and I got to see her boyfriend and new apartment for the first time.

I imagined running to the North Saskatchewan River, rolling in the muddy bank, and shouting "I'm home!" ala Kevin Costner in Robin Hood. Since I hadn't really slept for 2 days, I resisted the temptation.

To recap, Michael #1 style, Top Five Events from Africa:
5. Mchomo (meat on a stick)
4. Bwindi: hiking, cooking with Immaculate, dancing Calipso
3. The Great Migration in the Serengeti
2. Zanzibar
1. Examining an anesthetized lion

Top Five Things I did in Europe:
5. Salzburg with Sabrina and Theresa
4. The Gutenberg Museum in Mainz
3. Castles, Palaces, Fortress, and other ridiculously big homes.
2. Dresden
1. Vising the Siefert's in Michaelstat.

Top Five Low Points: we don't need to go there.

Now that I'm home, I can't believe I did all these things. Life will never be the same again. As I prepare to enter my 3rd year of Veterinary Medicine in a few days, I have a lot to get ready! I plan to work hard, enjoy the homestretch, and try not to think about what might have been.

Up next: I'm going to Kentucky for the American Association of Equine Practitioner's Student Conference over the September Long weekend.

Whirl Wind

2008-08-14T23:35:00.000-07:00

I'm neglected to write because I've been so busying seeing the most amazing things:

I went to Salzberg with Sabrina and her friend Thersa. We had a fabulous time touring Mozart's birthhouse, the castle, and the rest of town.

I took a train to the middle of nowhere to visit the Sieferts in Michaelstat (ironic name, huh?). When they walked me into the door, I thought I had died and gone to heaven. Cafe Siefert serves a vast oray of sweets, chocolate, marmalade, cakes, and eis (Ice Cream). Then they asked what I wanted to try! Bernd is the world champion sweet chief! His sister Astrid was my host for the stay and took very good care of me. I got to 'help' her decorate a cake! She took me around Michaelstat and showed me all the good sites including the castles, the 500 year old town hall, and the beer gardens where I tried Apfelwien (apple wine). We took a day trip to Würtzburg. It was a nice city with a fabulous palace. Next, we went via the autobalm to Rothenburg. It was just as scary and crazy as people said. As the cars zoomed past us, I couldn't help but wonder 'what would their mothers say?'

Rothenburg was awesome! I am so lucky to be named after such a beautiful place.

Hiedleberg was next on the agenda. Astrid took me to the castle and we had a great time shopping. I took the train to Mainz, birthplace of Gutenberg, inventor of the printing press. After a good night's sleep in my own room at the hostel (luxury!), I saw the dom. As I was propping my camera to snap a picture, an old man said 'come with me.' He took me around the corner to the best view then snapped my picture for me. Nice guy. The museum was amazing, almost a religious experience for me since books have been such an important part of my life. I took a train to Bingen and hopped the boat on the Rhine. I had a chance to look around before the boat came. Another beautiful place with some fantastic wine. I landed at Bacharach and dropped my bag so I could wander around. The town great old buildings and a wall. I hiked up the hill and viewed the castle I couldn't get a room in, then walked along the town wall. It was nice to have some piece and quiet (lots of kids on the boat). I had supper at the cutest little cafe with a grandpa waiter. He was so sweet.

Back on the boat, I happened to sit next to 2 guys from Mannhiem. They turned out to be lots of fun and we had a great visit as the gazillions of castles passed by. There were so many castles, I think I lost count. I think the owners must have thrown rocks at eachother turing times of conflict. I took the train to Köln. It was raining as I stepped out of the train station. I looked around to get my bearings and completely lost my breath. Across the platz stood the Köln Dom. It was so beautiful and magnificent, I stood there for 5 minutes gapping. In the morning, I toured the town and saw the important sites: the Dom, the Roman museum, and the Chocolate Museum! It was fantastic. I took a train to Hamburg where I am now.

I want to see the city today then go to Lübeck and maybe Rostock before I go to Berlin to fly home. I can't believe it is almost over!

Still here...

2008-08-08T07:52:00.000-07:00

I joined a free walking tour of Munich and learned all about some amazing historical sights. The guide was hilarious and I really enjoyed myself. We started with the famous Glockenspiel which has characters that act out famous Bavarian historical events. I saw the sights related to Hitler and the Third Reich, I listened to tales of beer drinking and rubbed 2 lion's paws for good luck. I think the 1st one I rubbed this summer was more lucky!

I met Sabrina, a friend of Michael's. She took me for Bavarian food, which was amazing. Even more amazing, she introduced me to beer with lemonade. 1 Litre later, I was feeling pretty good about Munich. Sabrina's tour included Hitler's favourite pizza place, the veterinary campus including the infamous party room, the nude sunbathers in the Englischer Garten, Siegstrasse 12 where I sent so many letters, cards, and good thoughts, the site where Oktoberfest is held, and finished with a beer garden.

Yesterday, I learned fairytales are true. I visited the ultimate fairytale castle, Neuswanstein, located in Fuessen. I was up at 4am, took the 4:50 train, and made it into the short line for tickets before 8:30am. I toured both castles and marveled at their lavish interiors. There were so many fine things to look at, my eyes didn't know where to focus.

I took the cablecar to the top of the hill and had a spectacular view of the alps and castles. Only after I had started up did I realize people were parasailing from the top. I wish I had done a tandem jump...would have been a great way to see the castles. A Chinese-German guy rode the train with me home and we had a good time comparing the three cultures. He also taught me some more German, which is great.

Today, I went to Dachau Concentration Camp. I decided to join a tour this time and I was glad I did. Our guide didn't gloss over certain details or cite the politically-correct statements like I heard in Sachsenhausen. This place was just as horrible, if not worse. I walked through a gas chamber. The design and planning seems incredibly sinister. Someone worked hard to plan such an efficient system. What really struck me this time was a description of how the German people felt. Only about 40% actually voted for Hitler, the rest had to support or face the consequenses. I found myself wondering what I would have done...deep questions that will never have an answer.

Tomorrow, I think I will be going to Austria with Sabrina to see the birthplace of Mozart. After that, I'm not sure because I can't reach Dr. Siefert's family and there is a huge rock concert in Rothenburg (the tourist office told me to come Monday when they have all cleared out). It's okay, I'll find something to do and someplace interesting to visit.

Berlin, Dresden, and München

2008-08-06T00:36:00.000-07:00

I went to Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp outside of Berlin. For the second time this summer, I stood in a place of tremendous human suffering and was horrified by the actions of humanity. The shoe testing site was a track made of various types of terrain. A company commissioned a 'study' to evaluate various shoe sole materials. Men were forced to march for hours at a time. If you stopped or collapsed, you died. I walked through the passage between infurmiry buildings and felt like I was near the dementors described in Harry Potter: that I would never be happy again. Once I was outside, the audioguide revealed that the passage was used to store bodies when the autopsy room was full. This is one experience I couldn't have shared with anyone.

I got lost leaving the memorial and a kind man took me to the trainstation. I guess he restored my faith in humanity. I rode to Berlin with a group of Austrian guys who were on their annual beer-drinking holiday. They had some excellent travel advise.

I went to the Jewish museum and was again horrified. It changes things when personal stories are involved. I decided to attend a show to remind myself of the good things in life. The only thing I could get tickets for was a Spanish Dance rendition of an opera. It was fantastic! They were incredible. It occurred to me as I watched that people living in concrete jungles must be so far removed from nature's beauty that they rely on art to fill the gaps in their lives. I met a Dutch couple and had a drink with them after. It was really great to visit with such nice people.

I met up with Dr. Siefert's friend, Gudrun. I expected an elderly grandmother, instead, I was greeted with a lively blonde with more energy that I have! Her English was a bit rusty from lack of use and my German hasn't improved significantly, so communication was slow but rewarding. She fed me juice and cake, showed me around her massive garden, then insisted on taking me to Potsdam. Ok! She got me there, set me up with tickets to the palace and left me to explore. What a great experience! I saw several of the palaces (including the room where the king ordered the start of WWI). The gardens were magnificent.

After consulting various people, I choose Dresden over Leipzig, despite my gut feeling. I ended up going twice! I was almost there when I was asked to show my ticket, only I couldn't find it. Another girl I was sitting with had a pass that wasn't good for the Czech Republic, so we got off at the next stop and went back to Berlin. My pass was sitting at the deli where I bought my breakfast. I caught the next train back and was absolutely delighted. The hostel I stayed at is located in a trendy, youthful part of town. I dropped my stuff and headed to the Old City to see the magnificent buildings. Although they were bombed to smithereens during the war and have been resorred, I was still in love. Classical music played from a hall as I walked the edge of the Zwinger. I am so happy I went.

I took the early train to Munich and arrived around 1pm. I saw the main sights yesterday, drank a huge beer in a park (and barely stopped myself from dancing on the table as the blue-eyed bar man promised) and got a job offer to work as a groom at the University stables. It is really hard being here and I think I will be leaving soon. Everywhere I went was a place he had told me about or shown me pictures. It is not a good place to be alone. Munich is nice but every second person seems to be smoking. The streets are crowded and busy... I need a small town to visit and collect my thoughts.

Berlin or bust...

2008-08-01T11:08:00.001-07:00

This is one busy city! I have been going full throttle to get all the sites in. I viewed the city from the Reichstag Dome (National Parliament building). I toured the Museum of Medical History. They had some crazy gross pathology specimines. Lucky for me (and my feet), they had only a few displays with English, so lingering wasn't an issue. I a saw the Deutches Historishes Museum (Germany History Museum) which had an interesting display on the war. It was interesting to hear the other side of the story. I passed through Checkpoint Charlie without a scratch.

Today, I bought some new shoes. I picked up HushPuppie Sandles in London and hoped the blisters would go away now that I don't have to run after Mr. Long-Legs-Let's-Go, but instead, they seem to have gotten worse. My theory is that my feet are not accustomed to so many hard surfaces and the new shoes. Combined, this has been rather unpleasant. The sales lady was great, she even sent my new über cool shoes to the till by a space-aged elevator. I also looked in KaDeWe, Berlin's Harold's equivalent, but refrained from buying. It was expecially hard in the chocolate section. I had my first Currzwurst (Curry Sausage), which was fantastic!

I saw the Museum für Naturkude (Natural History Museum) which was like the British Natural History Museum, only in German. Again, lucky because I had not reason to linger. I saw the Pergamon's exceptional display on Babylon. I had supper beside an ancient church. I sadly missed the Jüdisches Museum, but I'll try tomorrow.

Germany so far is gute. I think my lack of German hasn't been too much of a problem so far. The hostel I'm staying in is nice. Overall, things are working out just fine.

I am going to Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp tomorrow. I might go to Dresden or skip straight to München, I can't seem to decide. You'll know when I do!

Pussy Cat, Pussy Cat Where have you been?

2008-07-29T16:00:00.000-07:00

I'm in Berlin.

London was great. I saw the Tower, the bridge (which isn't falling), Oxford, the Underground, Westminster and St. Paul's, Buckingham Palace and the Royal Mews, Stonehenge, Chicago...the list goes on. It was so amazing to see these famous places. Today's Royal Day Out and Westminster was definately the best day here.

I continue to be amazed at how things run on time, work properly etc. compared to Africa.

I will be in Berlin for the next few days. I have lots to see and have no idea exactly how long it will take. From here, I will travel to Munich for another long stretch, then Rothenburg. From there, I want to take a boat trip up the Rhine River and see a few towns in the north, including a visit to Dr. Siefert's family to deliver a gift and try their world-famous sweets.

When life gives you lemons...

2008-07-27T01:54:00.000-07:00

you make the most delicous lemonade ever! I had great lemonade in Queen Elizabeth National Park due to the abundance of lemon trees. Only, Mary, the elephant liked to pick the ripe ones!

Dr. Siefert was amazing. I had the time of my life with him and learned so much. Everytime I sat near him, I assumed my best sponge pose and tried to absorb as much of his vast knowlege as I could.

He darted a lion to radio collar it. I had my hands in the lion's mouth and got to hold his paws in my hand. Words cannot describe how amazing the experience was for me.

Then next day, we darted an elephant to remove a wire snare. Once again, I couldn't believe I was able to do what I did. I have my hand burried inside the wound, debriding the dead tissue to help this elephant literally get back on its feet. They have incredible ears! Pinch me!

I'm in London with he-who-must-not-be-named. I'm riding a rollercoaster of emotions here. The sites are amazing! This city is crazy busy and there is so much to see. I'm so fortunate to be here. The days have been jam-packed with site-seeing so this has left little time for internet. I will have some awesome pictures to show! The hightlight so far was the War Chambers and Winston Churchill museum.

Don't worry, Mom, I'm still alive and mostly well.

The girls are back in Town

2008-07-09T08:58:00.001-07:00

I said goodbye to Bwindi on Friday morning and headed to Lake Bunyoni for a weekend break. The road took us through sections of the park, which were fantastic. The lake was very beautiful, despite the rain. Angela and I shared a tent the first night. It was on a raised platform with a roof, so we didn't get wet, but it sure was cold!

We met 5 medical students (this seems to be an ongoing trend) and helped them celebrate their Independence Day. The next day, we boarded canoes and headed out onto the lake. At one island, we landed and partook in the nature walk around the parimeter. I didn't partake in the rope-swing-thingy into the water though, I forgot my swimsuit (shucks!). After lunch (which took 2 1/2 hours), we paddled to Punishment Island. Legend has it that unmarried, pregnant women were taken here and abandoned as their 'punishment.' They either died to starvation, drown trying to swim to shore, or were rescued by a man who couldn't afford to pay a bride price. We considered leaving someone there, but decided against it after some serious discussion. The next island we came to had an older man, a hut and not much else. We stopped only briefly to have a picture, oogle at the gigantic grasshoppers (about 12 cm in length), and look at the flowers.

Somehow our navigator missed a turn and we ended up paddling several km out into the lake. Before sundown, we came across a man with his wife and 2 kids paddling in the other direction. We asked for directions only to be told we were really far from the hotel. He had someone call the manager from on land to tell them where we were. It was after dark by the time we paddled back to the inlet. Thankfully the hotel lights directed us once we made the correct turn. What an adventure!

The next day, we took it easy and drifted out on the lake reading our books and singing 'repeat after me songs.' Thank-goodness Ang used to be a camp counselor. We took the Uganda Post bus to Mbarara; Angela continued on to Kampala to meet her sister.

The last few days have been restless: we don't know really when Dr. Siefert will be able to come get us, if at all. Hopefully tomorrow we will be either 'picked' or we will take public transportation to Queen Elizabeth National Park. I'm excited to start our last project!

I have posted pictures of Bwindi on my Flickr website, please take a peak!
Also, dear readers, after 2 months away from home, I'm feeling a bit homesick...please feel free to leave me some comments.

As I write this in the FAOC office, I heard a thump. When I looked up, I saw a bat had flown into the window and landed on an old copy of National Geographic. I'm all alone here and pretty scared of bats...if I don't write for a while, chalk it up to a rabies bite from this vicious vampire bat who continues to watch me (and listen) from across the room. Seriously though, I'm vaccinated and I likely won't have internet in the park, so once again, my apologizes for the sparse postings.

Canada Day in Uganda

2008-07-02T00:24:00.000-07:00

CTPH has been a wonderful experience so far. Our days are spent in the Gorilla lab analyzing fecal samples for parasites. The work is very interesting! I even identified a new type of parasite egg (confirmed by my colleagues of course). Once the samples are prepared, there is lots of down time because we have only one microscope. Between my turn to scan the slides, I have been planning my trip to Germany and reading the most fascinating book: Tales of a Female Nomad. I’m starting to get excited and inspired.

Our evenings have been busy. Supper is usually street food. Typically, we order chips (French fries) then walk to the open market where we purchase banana cookies/cakes, a tomato, bananas, corn on the cob, or avacados. Then we cross and buy muchomo (meet on a stick). I’ve developed quite a liking for the goat meat cooked on coal cooking pots. We were half-joking, half-serious about finding a local butcher in Saskatoon and buying an Mbuzi at the auction mart. Once our meals are purchased, we go back and eat at the chip place where the children quiz us on the local language and laugh at our accents. I am thriving in the small-town attitude of the place where everyone is starting to recognize us and all seem willing to help us learn the language.

I made a friend with Immaculate, a local school teacher. I lent her my copy of Anne of Green Gables (a testament to how much I like her). One evening, we ‘picked’ Immaculate and bought ingredients at the market for dinner. She taught us how to cook cabbage and Irish (potatoes) in the local way. Her neighbour kindly shared his bean stew so we had a complete meal. Later in the evening, he was not-so-subtlety hitting on me: I forgot my ‘wedding’ ring. We danced the Eclipso, which is a local children dance involving shoulder shrugs and simple steps, for the first time in the shelter of the yard. It was so fun to delve into the local culture. I feel so fortunate to have met her and even luckier she is an English teacher. Yesterday, we went to her school and danced for her students. We first attempted the Eclipso. I’m the only one who seems to do it reasonably well, but we all enjoy laughing at the experience. The children were thrilled when we taught them the chicken dance. That’s right, the best we could do was the chicken dance. They did a local dance for us involving drums, stomping, jumping and beautiful lyrics in a language I don’t understand. I continue to be so fortunate to have these experiences.

We celebrated Canada day with our usual supper, some dancing in the streets for the Boda drivers (apparently everyone heard about our Eclipso performance). At our hotel, another Canadian, Der, Missy, the American we are working with, and 2 English Medical students all drank a beer with us and visited. There were no fireworks, but it was very fun.

My time here is almost finished, but I have been very content here and I will be sad to leave. I have not seen the gorillas, my sore throat made my decision for me (you shouldn’t treck if you are sick), but I will be doing a walk in the park this afternoon. I’m excited to experience my first rainforest in all its gory. I should be able to see the Congo and Rwanda from the trail, places I never imagined I would ever see first hand. For now, viewing the Congo from Uganda is close enough!

Inside Bwindi Impenetrable

2008-06-26T00:51:00.000-07:00

The bus ride from Kampala was long but I felt like home when we stopped for road construction for an hour in the mid-day sun. They were placing a culvert and had just started digging when we pulled up. The bus easily could have driven across the broken soil (the trench wasn’t even started!), but the bossman wouldn’t allow it. It took so long, I was thinking of getting off to lend a hand, but decided a nap was a better course of action. I also planned my trip to Berlin: lots to see and do, hopefully I can fit it all in! I was joking about the chicken thing before, but it actually happened on this trip, a woman carried one in a bag all the way from Kampala!

I’m in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park , which is home of 340 of the worlds last remaining mountain gorillas (approximately 700 left). I really like this place so far, it is beautiful and we’ve made friends in the village already. I think the small town atmosphere will be more my kind of place. The mountains with their rainforest-covered slopes are straight out of George of the Jungle. I really want to do a forest walk inside the park. The volcanoes are surrounded by mist in the morning…this place is magical.

We rode a pickup truck from the end of the bus line to the park. A kind lady made sure we found the right place. We stayed in a hut inside the park; it was fantastic, but too pricey to remain there for 2 weeks. Yesterday, we found a lodge to stay at which even has a shower! The key to cold showers is warm thoughts: Jamie’s African philosophy.

Last night, we were looking for supper and met Immaculate, a teacher at a nearby primary school. She took us around the village in search of a 4 course meal for under 1000 Ushillings ($0.70). We had muchomo (meat on a stick), chips with raw cabbage, corn on the cob and mangoes for dessert. She even found us a place to sit and enjoy our food by lantern light. This was probably the most random meal I have ever eaten, but so good! Her sister, Penelope is the headmaster at the primary school. She invited us to come play football with the children when we have time. Game on!

We will be working on health monitoring of the gorillas including fecal floatation for parasites and PCR for other infectious disease organisms. A 3^rd year Vet student from Cornell, Missy, is here for a longer stay. We will be helping her in the lab as well as community education sessions. From the material I have read, I really agree with the direction of this organization which focuses as much on the community as the gorillas. The director, Dr. Gladys Kamela-Zikusooka, the founder and CEO of CTPH sounds like an amazing woman with incredible vision.

Jinja!

2008-06-22T04:43:00.000-07:00

Our time with Dr. William was very informative, even though the Brucellosis testing was not ready to begin. I unfortunately missed the first call because I was back at the hostel unpacking and he needed to complete his surgery before dark. The second call was a heifer that needed a caesarian. After an exam, the heifer was layed on her side and 2 farm hands held her legs with ropes. Dr. William impressively shaved her flank with his scalpel, injected some lidocaine anesthetic, and went about cutting. I helped hold the calf’s leg, which was very slippery inside the uterus. I couldn’t get a grip, so my gloves were cast aside and he was able to make the incision. With the help of Maria and another farm hand, we pulled the calf out. Dr. William closed the first layer, then I had a go. Despite my lack of recent practice, I was able to suture the simple continuous will little difficulty. Viv had a go then Maria and I closed the skin. The calf was alive when we left, but it didn’t look too promising.

The next call was to help with a ring vaccination to control a Foot and Mouth Outbreak in the area. The affected farm had been quarantined, but the surrounding herds need to be vaccinated to control the spread of the disease. We arrived at the first ranch and were warmly welcomed by the owner, Charles. He is a fairly important person in the Uganda military, I gathered he was in charge of internal security for the region. After cold sodas, we headed to the corral area. The cattle were moved in small groups into a ‘crush’ which was an alley wide enough for them to stand diagonally. They were vaccinated in the neck before being released and the next groups run in. The cattle were Friesian Holstein crossed with the local Ankole breeds, which maximizes the milk production without sacrificing hardiness. From what I could see, the hybrid vigor was working well. The last group was pure Ankole. Their horns reached up to 1metre, diameter must have been 15cm. They can only be described as impressive. Move over Texas, the Ugandan Longhorns are definitely bigger! We did 2 other farms before heading back to Mbarara dog-tired, but satisfied.

On Friday, we took a bus to Kampala. I was sad to say goodbye to Mbarara since we won’t be going back until right before we are leaving. The ride was good and I enjoyed some excellent Mchomo on the bus (meat on a stick). The gritty texture adds to the experience, you can’t often tell if it is dirt or salt (maybe a bit of both?). In Kampala, we went to the Mzungo Mall, Garden City. I had an iced coffee and chocolate ice cream, I can’t remember having tasted something so good (except African Tea with chocolate, I guess). I was a little overwhelmed by the western-style bright lights, flashy signs and so many white people in one place. I went back to the craft village near the mall to lighten my wallet. I exhibited some self-control and left the giraffe statues there.

Back at the mall, we divided and conquered the movie theatre. I decided on Indian Jones: it was just the right amount of cheese for my taste. In the theatre, I could almost forget I was in Africa. Angela (who will be with us for a few weeks now), brought me back to reality when her doxycycline (antimalaria drug) alarm went off.
In the morning, we took a Matatu (minibus) transport of Jinja. I wanted to go for some equine therapy along the banks of the Nile, but it wasn’t meant to be as they company was fully booked. The rest of the group went whitewater rafting. I decided not to, I can do that at home and I would rather save that $100 to do something else. I walked down to the Source of the Nile: where the Nile River leaves Lake Victory and starts its journey across Africa. I joined some American tourists and took a boat out onto the river. It was so amazing to see. I caught a ride with the tour company to the rapids. A British gal, on her gap year, kindly took me to the rapids. Bujagali Rapids are really impressive! After seeing them from dry land, I was quite pleased with my decision to forgo a more up-close encounter. I spent a few hours sitting at watching the water go by. It was all very peaceful (between the school groups, of course). At the tour company base, I walked down to see the Nile upclose once again. On the way, they have showers set up so you can look out over the river while washing. Too bad I didn’t stay there! The BBQ was great and my rafter friend were very excited and tired about the whole experience. I decided to spend the night in Jinja to save on travel time, they opted to stay up at the rapids. On the truck back, I sat with a group of American law students who are volunteering in Kampala. It was so refreshing to talk to some new and different people! I slept like an angel in the hostel. I ate breakfast with my new lawyer friends (always good to have some of those on your side) then headed off to see Jinja. It is the nicest city I have been in here: reasonably clean, nice people, and tree-lined streets. I found another Kanga to replace the one that was lost/stolen (these are rectangular cloths with Swahili proverbs). I stood in the street listening to Diamond Rio’s “One More Day.” The locals were very curious. Sorry, no pictures this time, I’m in an internet café listening to the Backstreet Boys without my camera cable.

The plan is to go to Kampala tonight, stay at the Red Chilli then catch the bus across the country to Bwindi National Park. We are volunteering with Conservation Through Public Health there. This is the website: http://www.ctph.org/
I might have very limited internet access there, so please don’t fret if it takes a while for a new post.

June 14th: Partay Uganda Style

2008-06-15T01:40:00.000-07:00

Our understanding was that Leanne and Judy would be arriving today and needed their rooms back at Aqua View. So we packed and moved: Maria and I to Full Stop, which is down the road from FAOC, Viv to the FAOC office where she lived last summer. One room wasn’t clean so we just dropped everything off and went back to the office. Carol (a FAOC employee) invited us to her mother’s home for a party. Her English isn’t that good and my Ranyakory is terrible, so I wasn’t exactly sure what was happening. Leanne and Judy hadn’t yet messaged us to say what time they would be arriving, so we were stuck with what to do. Viv finally called and found out they were in Zanzibar! So, since we hadn’t unpacked, we moved back to Aqua View for the next 2 nights (at a savings of 30,000 Ugandan Shillings, approximately $21 Canadian). I was really sad about not having a hot shower but the double mattress will make up for it (Viv didn’t move back so I had 2!). We packed the car: Viv, Maria, Rebecca, Hilda, Carol, and Fancis (FAOC Accountant) plus myself.

The party was set up in what would be the yard. There were tarps stretched over cut matoke tree ‘trunks’ and furniture all around. We were warmly welcomed (alliteration is fun!) and offered some millet beverage. Food was served potluck style. We were invited to eat first, which was a great honour. The servers didn’t think I had been eating enough because even though I asked for only a little, they still piled on the matoke, beans, ‘cow’, sweet potatoes, and some type of millet-jello. I was full before I finished 1/2, but managed to get 3/4 through it. I feel so bad not finishing my food here, but it is really filling!

Between lunch and the program, I noticed the most scrumptious baby (that’s right, it was so cute, I wanted to eat it). Her mother noticed me eyeing it up. I walked over as if drawn by a magnet and she kindly dumped her into my arms. Princess (yep that’s her name, I double checked) is 5 months old and has the most gigantic eyes. I agree with Teri that black babies are the way to go.

Before the program could commence, the sound system and speakers had to　ｂｅ　ｕｎｌｏａｄｅｄ　（ｉｔ　arrive via bicycle）. The music started and Carol’s mother and family danced in procession. Different groups of people took turns dancing up and presenting her with gifts. I saw a few plates, a clock, 2 wash bins, and an encocoa (chicken) wrapped in matoke leaves. I was a little chocked I didn’t know about the gift giving because I would definitely have bought a few hens. When our turn came, I led the way and busted a move. Rebecca handed over an envelope with some money and we all shook our hostess’s hands and what our mama’s gave us. The audience was especially thrilled when Rebecca and I did a do-see-do type turn. The minister gave a speech followed by Francis who said some words on our behalf. He said we were sadly going to depart, and the minister’s clan insisted we stay to see them dance. The women strapped on shakers to their legs, the minister even hiked up his robe (don’t worry, he was wearing pants). They did a great dance to the beat of handdrums and the shakers.

Regarding the children: There were so many, and they were all very well-behaved. A few girls performed a dance for us. They had fashioned skirts out of matoke leaves and sashayed in what I would describe as belly-type dancing. After the second song, people handed them coins, so I ｇave a 500, hopefully they will share. The kids were very excited to shake our hands and have their pictures taken. I think they get a real thrill out of mzungus.

Supper was at Francis’s brother’s restaurant. We sat on the balcony which provided a beautiful scene of stars, the moon, and Mbarara below. Our food took a rather long time, which suited me fine. I still haven’t gotten used to how long it takes to get food here. I often sit down for a meal not feeling the least bit hungry, but by the time my food arrives, my belly button is rubbing my backbone. It was nice to sit and look at the stars (malaria be damned)! I have been keeping busy to really avoid thinking too much. I was able to settle down and focus on what is happening.　　It is hard, but in perspective, nothing compared to what I see around me. I just wish it wasn’t happening. Time to wake up, Princess, the fairytale is over.

June 13th Another Day, Another Pig Pen

2008-06-15T01:05:00.000-07:00

The road to the grandmother’s farm was torturous, but we made it! I was a little nauseous and hadn’t slept so I passed on the millet even though I risked offending my host. I think she understood my gestures and I figured it was better to politely decline rather than puke under her matoke trees. Despite picking up new supplies (2 hammers, 2kg of nails, a panga, and a spike), we didn’t actually help that much. They holes were dug when we arrive and I just finished one off before the poles were added. I mostly handed the one guy nails. I guess if there is a man present, he is given the hammer and is the only one allowed to actually pound nails. I figured with 3 hammers, we could have multiple people hammering and cutting, but it didn’t seem to work because everyone stopped and waited. After a few failed attempts at hammering (I was pretty weak), I sort of decided I should give up. These grandmothers were amazing with the pangas again and it was almost embarrassing how pitiful my chopping attempts were. The language barrier was huge today since Carol came rather than Hilda, who speaks much better English. There was a lot of nodding and gesturing. I caught on to “Mzungu move”…and “give me a nail.”

The woman who the pen was for had a pig. She was so cute and wanted a picture with it, us, and the new pen. They actually tie their animals by the leg here. The pig had a piece of rope around one leg, which the women cut off with a panga. I was sort of scared when they went after the pig with such a big weapon, but it worked out okay. I managed to eat some lunch of beans, matoke, and sweet potatoｅｓ．

We got to play veterinarian twice today since the Veterinarians Without Borders vets are away for a short holiday. The first goat we examined was a 1-day postpartum nanny goat which had prolapsed 2 weeks before delivery. We diagnosed her with having ridiculously large twins that may have caused premature straining. Luckily, the goat seems to be fine now with no evidence of inflammation or abnormal discharge. She had plenty of milk and her kids looked very strong. I was shocked when she said they were only delivered yesterday.

Our second patient was a 2-month post-partum nanny goat that had 3 swellings on her udder. Our exam failed to reveal no pain or heat. Her milk was great. We took pictures to show Dr. Leanne and Dr. Judy when they arrive. I suspect neoplasia or a granuloma, but really I have no idea. Overall, I don’t think we did too much, but I hope that us looking at the goats reassured the women to some extent.

I was so dirty after today, I thought my tan was actually starting to develop. Turns out it was a thick layer of red dust. I did laundry when I got home and I really have come to appreciate washing machines. Kudos to women the world over who wash clothes by hand, this is no easy task.

We had supper at the Lord’s Bar (that is actually the name): muchomo (meat on a stick) and a Tusker beer. It is brewed in Uganda, but it tasted like all the other beer I’ve tried.

June 12th: One Trying Day...

2008-06-15T00:25:00.000-07:00

The scheduled activity was to head to the field and build a goat pen. We ‘picked’ Innocent (FAOC’s hired hand) and left him to cut grass for the craft hutch roof at a farm along the way. After a millet beverage that was so bitter it would put hair on my chest if I could have drank any more, we got started. First, we dug holes for the posts with pangas (machetes) and a spike. The posts were added to the holes and stabilized with rocks and soil. Next the floor was placed followed by the frame for the roof. Finally, the side poles were added and the gate, roof and ramp were to be completed at a later time. It turns out I am ok with a panga, but I don’t hold a candle to the grandmothers that were out helping. They would cut a piece in less than 1/2 the time it took me and with fewer strokes. The pen was actually intended for a pig, and after it was finished, I think it looked quite impressive. We were served lunch of beans, matoke and poeshow (mashed-potato like dish).

Back at the grass field to ‘pick’ Innocent, we found him along with several bunches of Ebinyansi (grass). It quickly became evident that the bunches were not going to fit inside our little Suzuki SUV. Onto the roof they went with 2 ropes holding them down. The passenger doors were tied shut because it was the post stable place to tie, so we had to all crawl into the front. The back was loaded with a Matoke (banana) bunch, sugar cane, and our tools. There must have been 50 kids gathered around watching us. The whole scene was very African! There were strands of grass draped on the windshield to complete the picture. The only things missing were an Mbuzi (goat), and some Encocoa (hens). The car definitely got more than the usual stares as people must have been wondering what the Mzungus (white people) were doing with so much grass.

On the ‘highway’ a matoke truck (small semi) stopped in front of us. We stopped in time, but then he backed up, right into us! He drove off as we got out to survey the damage. The bumper was loose and needed fixing, but it was still driveable. We ‘chased’ after at a brisk 30 Km/H in our grass-ladened vehicle. Miraculously, we caught up with him. When he pulled over, he denied hitting us then finally agreed to fix the car. After following him through Mbarara, he stopped at a mechanic on the side of the road. He tied the bumper on with wire and a bolt and superglued a rubber piece that came off.

I rushed home to eat and shower before an anticipated phone call. The news was devastating. I checked, but the Worst Case Scenario Travel Guide that he gave me does not contain a chapter on what to do if your boyfriend breaks up with you a month before the trip. I’m trying my best to understand and to be thankful he didn’t do this after. Europe travel plans will be changed, details to follow regarding what I will do.

As per requested, my flickr address is: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jme_r3/
I've recently posted a few more pictures, enjoy!

June 11th Agriculture Conference in Mbarara

2008-06-15T00:19:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Dr. William’s kind invitation, we attended a conference title: Capacity Building of Regulatory Agencies to Handle Genetically Modified Plants, Seed, & Processed Foods. The topics covered include Genetically Modified Organism spread, Biological Safety Containment, and Monitoring once Released. At lunch, we had to split up to find seats. I ended up with a botany professor from the University of Nairobi (he was giving the presentations), an Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) employee, and an Agriculture communications expert from Argentina. They had some nice things to say about working with Canadians. It was really neat to be rubbing shoulders with suck important people. I was especially impressed with the woman from the FAO. She was born in Japan and has worked all over the world, including her current base in Rome. She has a Ph.D in sociology, has done some work on Avian Flu, and been accepted for publication by the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). She sounds like she has a very exciting life. The conference was intended to direct policy in Uganda about GMO’s. Some concerns are trade issues, especially with the EU, spread of GMO’s and consumer perceptions. The conference was scheduled for 5 days but we only attended one. I found it very interesting to hear the discussion on similar issues we face in Canadian agriculture.

June 10th Miss Rothenburger, School Teacher

2008-06-14T13:20:00.000-07:00

Things got a bit busy around the office so I was nominated to represent and teach school by my self. I okay with this because Maria didn’t want to and Viv was very busy. I drove for the 1^st time, Hilda kindly reminded me to “keep left.” It went much better than I had anticipated. On the way, we stopped at a primary school and gave them 2 soccer balls. One building had a diagram of the parts of the heart and flower painted on it.

At the school, the deputy headmaster asked if I had ever taught before then had a jolly good laugh when I said no. He assembled the senior biology students for me, approximately 25. I was introduced as a Medical Doctor. After clarifying this point, I launched into my lesson plan. I started off by encouraging them to pursue studies in sciences, even though they are challenging. I told them of my problems with math but said I didn’t let that keep me from doing what interested me. I was just wrapping this up when the teacher raised his hand and excused himself for interrupting me. I thought I was doing something wrong, but instead of commenting on that, he asked: “Can you please explain how radiation causes cancer?” Whoa! I was hindered by a dirty chalkboard so my drawings were a little rough and hard to see but I did my best. I was bombarded with questions after this one and my lesson on how the sciences are related to each other was forgotten.

Here are some sample questions:

Why are some women barren?

How does a toad’s heart work since it only has 3 chambers? (I had no idea and had to tell them I didn't know)

If Canada has so little sunlight in the winter, how do Canadians get enough Vitamin D?

How does cancer occur?

How do mutations occur?

Describe agriculture in Canada.

How does haemoglobin hold onto oxygen in the lungs yet release it in the periphery?

How does a fetus develop? (I told them I took an entire class on this one)

What causes edema?
The most heartbreaking: How can we get to study University in Canada?

I was pleased they asked me so many questions. I had a little quiz at the end and handed out pens and pencils to the ones who answered correctly. Once we wrapped up, a few keeners gathered around. They wanted my email and phone number. Some asked me to find them Canadian pen pals, of the opposite sex. Shyne, one of the good question askers, was very friendly and she showed me her dorm room. Her mother is the secretary at the school so that is why she goes to this one in particular. She wants to be a doctor and I hope she makes it.

June 9th Hero’s Day

2008-06-14T13:06:00.001-07:00

It is a public holiday in Uganda to commemorate the people who died in one of the many coos/wars that have occurred in this country. The project for the day was to paint 2 signs that advertise crafts for sale. The other group painted the front of the craft hut, but didn’t do the background. We filled in between the letters and animals. The sign for the fence needed a background too. The signs looked great when they were done. Dr. Willam (our next volunteer assignment). He is very nice and enthusiastic. He is doing a research project looking at Brucellosis in cattle around Lake Mburo National Park. The rainstorm tonight was spectacular and scary all at the same time. I think it was raining Mbuzi (goats). There was thunder and lightning so close, I couldn’t count 1 second between the flash and the sound.

June 8th: Church in Africa

2008-06-14T12:56:00.000-07:00

I went to church with Hilda and Warren today. The Lift Up Jesus Church is located in a bar. They welcomed us and asked for an introduction. There were lots of hallelujahs and amens. The singing was very animated with clapping, dancing and shouting. The sermon was delivered by the minister’s wife because he was away on mission. She breastfed her 3^rd born while we introduced ourselves. I had a little trouble following the speech due to the random hallelujahs and amens interspersed. It was not as formal or stuffy has church back home, nobody was quite and still except me. I’m glad I went, it was definitely a new experience. On the walk home, I had my first yoghurt in a bag and it was delicious. Between the yoghurt and chocolate African tea, I should definitely not starve.

June 6th

2008-06-14T09:49:00.001-07:00

Today, we traveled to a Parish (I think equivalent to a Rural Municipality, nothing to do with the church). A group of 30 women were gathered under a tree. I felt a little shy but the women rushed over and welcomed us with hugs and handshakes. We sat on a bench and they started in on the meeting. The women supported by FAOC receive 2 goats. They pass on one kid and keep the rest. They share the bucks between them. Goats are the rural banking system, so when money is needed for school fees or other expenses, they sell some goats. Women pay into a group fund as well, which is available on loan when people need it. The group has been buying 2 mattresses a month. Once everyone has one, they will move on to something else, like pots, mosquito nets, etc. They were also having a lottery. Everyone puts in some money and names are drawn. 2 people split the pot and can use the money however they need. The next week, their names are excluded, but they still contribute the 2000Ush ($1.40 Canadian).

We were given a warm welcome. After introductions (they can’t seem to say ‘Jamie’), Warren, another volunteer asked Economic-related questions for his contribution to the project. Currently, they are paying 5% per month interest. Wow! The woman next to me kindly taught me some works in Runyakora, which is the local language. Maria leaned over and told me (or so I heard) Mbuzi is good. So, when my teacher said Agandi (some type of greeting), I replied Mbuzi. Then everyone started laughing. Mbuzi is actually goat. “How are you?” I’m goat, thanks!” My teacher has 10 goats and 7 children. When we were leaving, the preschool children ran up and gave me high five’s. They are so enthusiastic!

I went for tea when we got back and Mama Jane was in the tea house! She was very happy and proceded to slap my face several times. I think it is a sign of endearment. Gloria, an employee, asked about Dr. Kent Wier. They really miss him. I promised to send him a message to see how he is. Gloria was shocked about how long I have spent in University. We went for supper in town. Due to my boda fear, we took a taxi. On the way home, our driver stopped and waited because there was a convoy of fast-moving vehicles. Hilda said it was the President. She figured an important person had died and he was in Mbarara for the funeral. When the coast was clear, we started off. A few seconds later, another vehicle whizzed by: we were in the Presidental Convoy!

June 5th

2008-06-14T09:47:00.000-07:00

This morning we went with Group A to Mama Jane’s for tea. She wasn’t in, but I had another good cup of African tea. We discussed with the other group some Global Vets business. Another Canadian volunteer with a different organization brought over an abandoned kitten that wasn’t doing so well. The poor thing looked a little rough and her new owner was leaving for 5 days. Viv offered to care for it while she was away. Her name is Tusker after the world-famous Ugandan beer.

June 4 School Link

2008-06-14T09:45:00.000-07:00

The first school we visited was to receive 2 soccer balls and a match against the Mzungus (us). After arranging a time with the headmaster, we went to the neighbouring primary school. The whole school turned up for the assembly. After introductions, we launched into our discussion about Canada. Hilda, a social worker at FAOC, did a great job translating. We talked about the different seasons, especially winter, animals, and how we are veterinarians. We presented pencils to the P2 class which is has many deaf students. Next, we went to the P5 (primary Five = Grade Five). These students received a Canada pin and a pen. This class was asked to write letters to students in Saskatoon. We will take the letters home with us and then arrange for the next group of volunteers/students from Saskatoon to take the replies.

I was a little apprehensive about the soccer match since it has been probably 5 years since I’ve kicked a ball. We had a tour of the school before the match. The classrooms were very basic with simple desks, a chalkboard, and cement floor (the primary had dirt and no desks). The girls door had a dirt floor and rows upon rows of bunkbeds. They had very few possessions: a blanket, a small trunk, and maybe teddy bear. Only about five beds had mosquito nets. I was mauled by a group of girls on the way out. They wanted to touch me. One brave one poked my back. I turned around and started to shake hands. They were shrieking with delight. In the next dorm, I was again surrounded. They started asking me questions in English. Firstly, I had to clarify that we were not from the UK despite Hilda declaring we support Manchester United. They wanted to know what types of food we eat in Canada which let to a discussion on how cold it was so fruits can’t grow most of the year. One girl then asked “Do you have any problems?” I was speechless. The few things that came to mind paled in comparison to the situation here. My life really isn’t so bad and I had nothing to say. These girls live in an over-crowded dorm, who knows how far from home. They are surrounded by messages about HIV/AIDS.

I took some pictures of the girls and they were so delighted. As I showed them, someone touched my hair. I whipped off my sunglasses, shook it out and offered it to them. I can’t remember ever being so popular. I would have loved to stay all day and talk but the game had to be played.

The ‘pitch’ was lined with students, the grass was tall, and we gained an extra defender in the form of a giant rock near the far goal post. We gained a few girls from the school to complete our team. They played in barefeet and skirts and they were really tough. We tied 1-1 and I even kicked the ball a few times. It was really fun!

That night, I discovered the most amazing beverage. At supper, I added chocolate drink mix to my African Tea. I don’t think I have ever tasted something so good.

June 3rd: Mbarara

2008-06-07T01:21:00.000-07:00

A taxi took us through a traffic jam to the bus station in Kampala. For once, the travel guide was spot on: it was just as chaotic as the book said. Some guys came to our car and talked to Viv (she’s the boss since she’s done all this before). He took us to a bus which was different than he said. It had seats (only 1/3 full) so we got on for 15,000 Ugandan Shillings (about $8 Canadian). It made the bag handler promise my stuff wouldn’t go missing before I got on. The buses don’t leave until they are full so I went to find a newspaper and buy phone minutes. There were people everywhere, including on the buses, selling everything from plates of hot food, cell minutes, shoes, belts, and water. At a shop along the way (no idea where but definitely on the Southern side of the equator), I bought meat on a stick. The vendors come up to the bus windows. It cost 500 USH ($0.30 Canadian) and tasted awesome! I couldn’t decide if it was beef or goat, but after a few hours on the bus, it was heaven. The bus ride had 2 positive points that stuck out: 1) it was really cheap 2) I didn’t have to ride with a chicken on my lap.

We took a taxi to the hostel where we are staying (we’re in the rooms of 2 Vets who are taking 2 weeks holidays). At the Foundation for AIDS Orphaned Children (FAOC), which is a 30 second walk down the road), we met Boaz (director). FAOC is the first project we are voluneering with. He took us to a fair. There were all kinds of people, food, booths, and the odd goat, which made the place very busy. We met Hilda, who is a social worker with FAOC at the booth (paid by Dr. Kent Wier’s church in Lloydminster as a donation to help the women). They were selling crafts made by the local women, which were actually very nice and I may have bought a few too many! We met up with the other Global Vets group. It was nice to see them and do some catching up. Hilda took me for more meat on a stick (twice in one day!). This time it was definitely goat. I also had some fried grasshoppers, which tasted like shrimp (delicious!). Don’t fret, I have pictures to prove it! While we were standing in the booth, people were taking pictures of us (i.e. local people were delighted to see some Mzungu girls aka white). Everyone seems so nice in Uganda!

I will add the last few days when I can. The internet is slow here as well. I also am deathly scared of riding the Boda Bodas (motorcycles) which have no helmets and don't obey traffic rules. Therefore, getting into town is a little difficult, so don't fret if you don't hear from me for a while. I will be okay and my tan has improved immensly due to the red dust!

June 2nd: In Kampala

2008-06-07T01:20:00.000-07:00

It rained overnight and into the next day but luckily I dug out my $1 rain poncho which protected me quite well and amused the heck out of the locals. I had my first ride in a Matatu, which is a minibus/van type thingy here than is used as public transportation and holds 14 passengers legally (sometimes more are crammed in). We split up: Viv went to see if we could buy Gorilla Tracking permits from the Ugandan Wildlife Authority (no luck though), Maria and I went in search of one of Viv’s favourite coffee shops. The walk there took us past the Ugandan parliament and National Theatre, both of which had a very stately appearance. Lunch was at an Indian Restaurant. The nice waiter helped me order because I didn’t understand any of the dishes. It turned out to be a gigantic crepe with veggies. Yummy! We headed to a Craft market where I really enjoyed shopping (probably too much because my bags are now really, really heavy). After a few failed attempts, we boarded a matatu home and ate at the Red Chilly for supper.

June 1st

2008-06-07T01:18:00.000-07:00

Our visit to the Ugandan Wildlife Education Centre (UWEC) was very interesting. We had initially hoped to catch the boat to Chimp Island in the morning, but it was full. Instead, I had a leisurely walk around before the crowds hit and while the animals were still active. The highlight was a pair of white rhinos. They were neat to see up close. We also saw some gigantic spiders that almost gave me nightmares. The webs were at least 1 meter in diameter and the spiders must have been at least 10cm. Thank goodness I didn’t get eaten!

After lunch, we took a boat across to Ngamba Island, home to the Chimp Sanctuary. It was a very nice facility. After disembarking from the boat, we were greeted by the head veterinarian who gave us an introductory talk on chimp management including their diet (same as healthy people). The animals are confiscated from the illegal pet trade, or orphaned when their mothers are killed for bush meat. The afternoon feeding was quite the affair! The keepers through various pieces of fruit over the fence while we watched from a viewing platform that was very Jurassic Parkesque. The chimps came out of the bush and made quite the display. The dominant ones stole food from the subordinate ones. It turns out, the dominant male is named Micha! What a coincidence… I’m sorry to report to some of my readers (all 2 of you) that there were no feces thrown while I was there. The veterinarian caught wind of our vet studentness and gave us a whirl-wind tour of the facilities before we boarded the boat. The chimps come in each evening and sleep in chimp dormitories (the forest is too small for them to be in it all the time, apparently they are hard on trees and need a large area). They have an exam room complete with an x-ray machine (provided by a Canadian veterinarian), a laboratory, and a storage room for drugs. The vet was very excited to show us the lazer-guided dart gun! The boat ride back was pleasant and I can now say I have crossed the equator by plane, boat and bus (see later). We took a taxi (Frank of Green Valley’s brother drove us) to Red Chili Hostel in Kampala. It had a great BBQ and I slept like an angel (well, pretty close, anyway).

In the Air Again...

2008-05-31T06:13:00.000-07:00

Our last night in Zan was nice. We took the day to just wander around. I bought an English newspaper from a guy who is doing his Math Degree in Waterloo.

The flight to Dar es Salem was uneventful. The whole flight took us 15 minutes. After checking into the Jambo Inn, we walked down to see some old churches on our way to the National Museum. The churches were nice. The Museum was fantastic! The displays on the history of Tanzania were very informative and I was definitely in my element.

We walked to a book store called "A Novel Idea" and by chance, ran into 2 Canadians. They are doing their masters on International Studies. They invited us to a cultural dance near our hotel and since they knew their way around, we agreed. It was very neat to see some local performers on an open-air stage. We walked home without incident. I had some type of beef kebab at the hotel's restaurant. It was decent. It was so luxurious to have power (lights and a fan) once again. I slept like a log.

This morning was an early one: 5am to catch our "7:45"am flight. One the taxi ride to the airport, we were almost hit by another driver. He swerved around us and hit the car in front of us. It was pretty scary, even our driver was doing some Hail Mary's. Turns out our flight was delayed and this caused us a great deal of stress because we would miss our connection in Kili airport. Everything worked out okay and we made it to Entebbe in one piece. We are staying at Green Valley again tonight. Tomorrow we are going to Kampala for a day trip then meeting the other girls for a trip to Chimp Island.

Zanzibar

2008-05-29T02:58:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone!

I thought I was headed to civilization in Zanzibar, but it turns out that power and water are in very short supply. This has been my first chance to go online in several days.

Day 1: we settled into our hotel, which is in a renovated Sultan's Harem. Our room was nice with 3 beds, an en-suite bathroom and a fan. The only problem is it was terribly hot with no power.

Day 2: Spice Tour. In a min-van type vehicle, we headed up to the highest point of Zanzibar. Our guide walked us through a spice plantation and showed us a variety of spices including cinammin, pepper (looks like peas!), and lemon grass. We also tasted some fruit: oranges, star fruits etc. On the way back to town, I had my first bath since I left Jess's place in Edmonton (don't worry, I have been showering!). It was in the Indian Ocean! I really enjoyed the white beach, the waves and the warm aqua-blue water. I even tried swimming (read: floundering)!

Day 3: This day was dedicated to exploring Stone Town. We followed the map and saw all the big sites including the 2 sea-front palaces, the Natural history Museum (including a dodo skeleton minus the head). The Anglican Church over the old slave market was very sad. The holding chamber we entered was tiny, tiny and they said it would hold 75 slaves before they were sold.

Day 4: Out to the coast we went to swim with the dophins! We had a nurse from Holland join us, Monique. She was very fun. The 2 boat drivers suddenly told us to get ready and then to jump! My initial fear of the water (the waves looked really big) combined with my poor swimming skill (and lack of recent practice) made me quite apprehensive about the whole thing. Once I saw the sleek, grey dophins arching out of the water, my fright evaporated and I very ungracefully jumped into the water. I got a good look at a few below me and also saw several jumping out of the water. They were amazing. We snorkled a while near a coral reef. The fishes were great, but the Jelly Fish were not! I must have been stung 10 times, it felt like a mosquito bite, so not too bad. Yes, Teri, I was takin' on the Jellies!

Day 5: we hired a car to drive us to the North coast. We stopped at a local fish market on the way. They fish for sale were layed out on these cement tables. There were all these people arounds staring at us. I felt like a fish out of water. Our guide explained the different species. I watched as a toothless old man gutted a shark. To my delight, a small fish hit the ground. Then I realized it was a fetal shark, not something the big one had eaten. The shark minus the fins sold for 80,000 Tanzanian Shillings, which is around 80 US dollars. The beaches so beautiful! I really enjoyed walking down the beach with the waves trying to wash me out to sea. I found some pretty shells, but I have to leave them behind because I have bought too many books! The turtle sactuary hosted about 10 turtles in a natural pond. Maria went swimming with them, but I didn't want Salmonella so just petted them from outside the water. They are very fast and elegant swimmers. I held a baby one and have some great pictures! On the way back to town, we stopped at a Place Ruins. There were several individual baths with a couple really big ones including one with water lilies. Sadly, the local people actually use these for bathing (water shortage and all). I don't think it is very clean...
Day 6: we are just hanging around Stone Town today. I finally managed to buy a newspaper from a guy who is home for the holidays. He is studying math (ewe!) at Waterloo and actually knew where Saskatchewan is! I took a stab at my German lessons and I realize I have a lot of work to do.

We fly to Dar es Salam tomorrow then Entebee. Next post will be asap but I have no idea when.

Safari Day 1: May 11th

2008-05-29T02:53:00.000-07:00

Somewhere between Moshi and Arusha, we stopped because neither Elis (our Kili guide) nor Walter had “taken breakfast” yet. I drank a glass of African Tea (boiled milk, water and sugar). The 3 of us shared a bowl of African Porridge, which contained bananas and some tough beef. It actually tasted like potato soup. Maria and I shared the African equivalent of a meat and egg spring roll. I really enjoyed eating some local cuisine.

The hike up Mount Kilimonjaro started with fairly easy. The forest was so beautiful; I have never seen anything like it. There were plants growing on top of plants!

Lunch was a welcome rest. I watched 2 porters go by, they carried the baggage on their heads with perfect balance in addition to the load on their backs. 2 young Canadian women were just leaving when we rolled in. They said they are from Ontario and are volunteering in Tanz for a few months.

The post-lunch climb was more challenging for 2 reasons: 1) I was more fatigued and 2) the path was much steeper. We saw Colobus Monkeys, which I would describe as skunks with hands. The Blue Monkeys are actually blue-grey but are named for their juvenile colour.

Our climb could only be described as “Pole, pole (slowly, slowly). 5 hour later, we reached the camp and took a short pause. I had a snack and changed my socks as the men watching had a laugh at me (my new socks were tiny and pink).

On the descent, Maria and Viv led the way while I walked with Elis and had the most informative conversation:

Kenya: Old tribal issues are the root of the current violence. Tanzania hasn’t experienced this because the first president successfully united the countries tribes. Everyone is so intermarried it would be nearly impossible to create such divisions any more.
Education: “Free” primary school for all children has come at a great cost. The attendance has sky-rocketed and there are not enough teachers or spaces for the new students. Also, teachers are not being paid regularly, so nobody wants to teach. There are fees, which fund new classrooms and supplies like desks. This fee is still limiting for some people who live in absolute poverty. Secondary and post-secondary school is inaccessible for most students.
East African Community: in Elis’s opinion it will be good for Kenya, bad for Uganda and Tanzania because the education is not comparable (Kenya has the best education system of the three). Kenyans will out-compete Tanzanians in all aspects of business.
Government: corruption is rampant and offenders resign when caught but are not brought to justice. Elis said: “Tanzania is a poor country, but not as poor as you would think.”
Rwanda Genocide: The Tribunal is being held in Arusha.
World Cup in South Africa: The construction of the stadium has doubled the price of cement in Tanz. People can no longer afford to build homes.
Marriage: complicated because very beautiful women should be avoided in Elis’ opinion because of the risk they might run off with a wealthy man. He thinks most marriages in Tanz are more like business arrangements.
Women: Elis is definitely a feminist! Unprovoked, he launched into a rant about women’s rights, education for women, family planning, and overall empowerment of Tanzanian women as the solution to his countries problems.
The trail: paid for by someone in Denmark and built with the help of a Canadian engineer.

It was dark before we reached the bottom. Maria had her headlamp, which was great. She turn around on the really difficult sections so we could see as well. As I crossed a wooden bridge, I saw the remnants of the sunset. The words hauntingly beautiful do not begin to describe the African Jungle.
Our hotel was nice enough with hot showers and food.

Safari Overview

2008-05-22T01:46:00.000-07:00

I am back in Arusha. My appologies, but I forgot my journal at the hotel, so I will only briefly describe the safari with more detail to come.

The safari was amazing! It was really neat to see all the animals in their natural habitat. The entire trip fits with the theme of seeing to believe rather than reading about it. Our guide, Walter, proved to be very knowlegible (and a safe driver!). The lodges we stayed in were fantastic! All had rustic, African-themed decor with excellent service. It might be a little hard to revert back to budget hostels and simple meals after 5 star luxury ;)

The climb up Mt. Kilimonjaro was very tiring and long. I can't remember ever walking 16 Km in one day, let alone up hill and down. That said, the experience was well worth the sweat and blisters. The forest had more shades of green than I have ever seen before. It contained Colobus and Blue Monkeys, which were a delight. We were rather slow and made it to the 1st camp at 5pm. After a quick rest, we hurried down, but still didn't make it before dark. Maria gets the girl-scout award for bringing her headlamp. I had the most interesting discussion with our Kili guide, Elis. We talked about all things Tanzanian from the school system to coruption in the government.

Arusha National Park, Lake Manyara NP, Serengeti NP, and Ngorongoro Crater were all stops on our trip. My favourite was Ngorongor Crater which had all the animals I wanted to see (except giraffes) set in beautiful flowered open areas and the crater side as the back drop. I saw 5 black rhinos! Walter had said we would be very lucky if we get to see one! Another favourite experience was being 'charged' by an angry female elephant when we got too close to her baby. Walter very quickly 'backed the truck up.' The girls are teasing me now because I thought we were gonners. I saw 3 cheetahs and over 40 lions! One female was so close to the safari vehicle (I can't think of a good name for it), I could have almost reached out and touched it. Another male gave me the shivers when he looked directly at me with piercing green-yellow eyes and licked his lips.

I watched the sunrise over the Serengeti one morning at breakfast and concluded the classic Acacia tree silhouetted with a red sky might actually be a morning scene rather than sunset.

We saw wildebeast in a portion of their great migration. As the hundreds of animals plunged across the stream, I couldn't help but think what I was seeing could be straight out of Discovery Channel. The herd was divided when a hyena trotted into their path.

Zebras are really neat. They also migrate, we must have seen several thousand.

This hippos were much different that I expected. They are in the water to avoid the hot midday sun. The few hippo pools we came across were vats of excriment that according to Maria and Viv smelled really bad (thank goodness for my poorly-functioning sniffer).

Aside: My written descriptions cannot begin to describe what I have seen, but my attempt to upload pictures is failing miserably. The internet is rather slow. I will try this again soon. There are a few on Flickr, please take a look.

We are going on a 1-day Culture Tour including Camel Rides (yay! Note: South of the Sahara, Micha!). Then we are flying to Zanzibar, which should be fantastic!

Safari planned!

2008-05-10T03:39:00.001-07:00

We got one! It is a 11 day 10 night safari including a hike up part of Mt. kKilimanjaro. It also includes 3 of the near-by national parks including the Serengeti. There was a great deal at the company we choose because this is there 'slow' season. So our package includes 5 star lodges, and our own personal tour guide/driver. We leave tomorrow at 8am for Kilimanjaro. I am so excited.

There was a party in the bar at the Masai camp last night. They know how to party here, the music played until 4am. Thankfully I brought my earplugs, but unfortunately (I guess) my book was so gripping I wasn't tired and couldn't sleep. I just finished Blood Letting and Miraculous Cures.

Today we walked into Arusha again to finalize our safari plans, get our phone minutes working (we can receive calls, but not make them), buy some more fruit, hit the bank, and do our emails. It has been much better today because I think the locals realize we are not brand new. I also stopped saying Hi to everyone I meet. The cook at the camp told us some choice works in Swahili to discourage the "fly catchers" and other 'sales people' who harassed us yesterday. Go away is Apana Nenda (this is phonetic spelling). Works like a charm.

I am uncertain of the internet access on Safari so don't fret if you don't hear from me in 11 days. We should have cell coverage.

Arusha

2008-05-09T00:23:00.000-07:00

We arrived via a tiny little plane. Thanks for taking me flying Harold, because I was slightly more prepared for this than I would have been without. We stayed at the Masai camp outside the city. Our taxi drive was special. The driver had little English and was unfriendly. I think he was having a bad day. We were stopped by a police type person who gave him heck, I think about insurance. Then I was pretty certain he was having a bad day. The car also shut off periodically. There were people grazing animals along the road and there were half-built brick houses along the route.

Our room was tiny with 2 beds. I slept on the floor for 2 reasons: I had the single bed the night before and I also wanted to give all my nifty camping gear a try since I've lugged it all the way from Canada. We had a great supper in the restaurant, even though it was over-priced. There was one shower, which had icy cold water. I keep having to remind myself that I can't use the water to brush me teeth.

We are looking into Safari's today. It has been quite the adventure going into the city. There are people everywhere trying to sell things. We got our money exchanged, which is nice to actually have some local currency.

The plan is to buy some water, fruit ect. on our way home and book the room for an additional 2 nights. The culture shock is starting to hit me. I think I will be glad to leave the city and get into the parks. It looks like the Safari for 10 days will be more than I expected, but it will be worth ever penny.

Entebee

2008-05-07T22:38:00.000-07:00

I think we should fly Emirates home. The food and service were amazing. I had 3 seats to myself on my flight from London to Dubai so I watched The Bucket List and had a great sleep. Dubai was amazin! On the dessent, the desert was visible: dunes dotted with shrubs and straight roads. There were people from all over in the airport. It was insane how many there were! There were families sleeping on the floor and there was no respect for personal space. If I stopped, I felt I would have been run over. We only had time for a quick look around the airport before our flight left.

The flight to Addis Ababa was good. We had a delicous breakfast. The landscape in Ethiopia looked like I expected Africa to look like. There were irregular lots of tilled land, women in long, flowing dresses, and modest homes. The Airport was definately where I realized I was in a developing country. There were a few older planes parked along the runway. We stopped for 1 hour but were not allowed to leave the plane. During the wait, it started to rain. This may sound cliche but I didn't think it rained there.

I was very tired when we started the descent into Uganda and I could hardly keep my eyes open. I saw some of Lake Victoria. The lanscape is green and lush. We disembarked from the plane and walked into the airport. Our visas were easily obtained for $50 US. I spelt Mbarara wrong on the application and the Official teased me. Our bags miraculously made it here! I was so relieved. Even though I had prepared for the worst, it would have been very hard to live without my bag. Moses and Peter from Green Valley hotel had a sign for Viv. Viv went to find out about our flight to Tanzania and left Maria and I with Peter. We were standing by the airport entrace with around 20 men. They are all well-dressed in white shirts and dress pants. They were staring and talking about us (I'm pretty sure), but it wasn't awkward. Maria saw a stork flying overhead. The airport was all decorated with flowers and shrubs. Sorry no pictures for this because the travel guide said it wasn't a good idea. They drove us to the hotel in a white van. This was a fun drive. We passed people walking, riding bikes and driving motorcycles. The roads are RED (think PEI). They drive on the left, like England. It has taken some getting used to because I keep feeling like we're going to crash. Our room is large with a double and single bed complete with mosquito nets. The windows are screened and barred and the patio door has this ginormous lock on it. The bathroom has a tub with shower (but no curtain).

After 36 hours on planes and in airports, I needed a shower. It was glorious. The plan was to go find an internet cafe but as Viv was getting our phone hooked up, I fell asleep in the chair. They woke me up at 6pm so I could get under the mosquito net before dusk (that's when the Malaria bugs come out to play). I tried to stay up reading with my flashlight, but I only lasted another 20 minutes. We slept until 4am local. The birds started to sing and they are very nice. We couldn't watch the sunrise because the malaria risk.

We had breakfast at the hotel (eggs, passion fruit, pineapple, toast, and tea) then walked to downtown Entebee. It is very tropical and warm here. The plants are beautiful. I feel like I am in the jungle (or what I would imagine it to be). We passed by people with motorcycles offering us rides on their Abodas, but we say no to that! So far, my impressions of the people are that they are very polite and nice. They are well-dressed and proper. I'm a little sad we're leaving so soon, but we will be back! We fly to Tanzania this afternoon.

My phone number:
011-256-754-637-411
It doesn't cost us airtime if we recieve the call, so feel free!

Heathrow

2008-05-06T09:21:00.000-07:00

After much last-minute shopping, packing, repacking and packing once more, I am finally on my way! The flight from Edmonton to London left at 8pm. We (Maria and I) arrived at 11:30am London Time. A few flight highlights:

Finally getting a chance to catch up with Maria. It has been so busy these last few months...it was nice to have a visit without the stress of school weighing overhead
Watching National Treasure: Book of Secrets
Seeing the sun caress the horizon somewhere over the North Atlantic
Comparing the perfectly-square Alberta farms to the oddly-shaped, tree-lined lots around the Heathrow Airport.
2 really good airplane meals (chicken for dinner and a continental breakfast-how appropriate).

We weren't really exactly sure how to find Vivaen in the airport. After waiting by the airline counter for a few minutes, we found the Air Canada counter (it was hiding) and discovered her flight arrived before ours did. We choose to wonder around Terminal 3 in hopes of running into her. Barring that, we would see her at the gate, when it is announced before the flight. Luckily, the book worm in us all worked in our favour. We found Viv in a bookstore shopping for a novel.#

Heathrow is nice, but it actually reminds me of a shopping mall. We found a cosy set of benches between Gucci and Armani to settle down in. Maria is reading and Viv is fast asleep. The people watching has been great! There are people from a multitude of ethnicities; more than I have ever seen in one place. For example: across from me is a Jewish family with 6 boys + one baby in the carriage and another on the way. I have seen 3 African men in traditional-looking robes. I just passed a fellow that has the same haircut as mine. There are seasoned travelers, obvious tourists, business people, employees and lots of children (more than I expected). I always thought it was difficult to travel with kids.

Viv has us booked into a hotel in Entebee and a driver will be picking us up at the airport. The plan for Tanzania is yet to be finalized but likely we'll take a day or 2 to see what types of tours/safari's are available and go from there.

Jenna teased me this year about my habit of saying "I've read about it...". After this summer, I should be able to say I've actually seen it. So far, I noticed vehicles driving on the opposite side of the road. I also saw a Double-Decker bus and overheard a woman saying "David" with the same accent as in Love Actually.

I'm feeling tired, excited, and content all at the same time. It still hasn't sunk in that this is actually happening! We board the plane in another few hours, then off to Dubai!

*Jme*

2008-05-05T13:55:00.000-07:00

Marie is on her way to pick me up then I'm off to see the world.

I just wanted to say thank-you to everyone who has supported me on this trip. You know who you are ;)

"The young have aspirations that never come to pass, the old reminiscences of what never happened" -Saki Munro.

I don't want this to be true for me, that's why I'm off to see Africa and some of Europe.