End of Homestay

Saturday of my homestay, Peter set up a hike with a guide he knew from FIMRC, Michael. We left the Zaale compound a little before 9 and took a boda boda to the FIMRC guesthouse where we met Michael. Turns out, it was Mike who had guided the girls and myself around Mbale to the various health centers. The hike was hot and quite strenuous. We hiked up to a waterfall (that doesn't have a name!) that took about 2.5 hours to get to. The waterfall:



Naturally, a little kid joined us on our walk. Pretty much anywhere you go here as a muzungo (white person) little kids will stare and or follow you, laughing the whole time at the ridiculous things you inevitably do, say, or wear.



This is me, Mike, and the kid (whose name I unfortunately didn't catch).

It was a very enjoyable hike, but super long and tiring (about 5 hours in total). After the hike, Peter and I got a soda and chapatti with Mike in Khololo (colddd soda mmmm). Then we headed back to the Zaale's, where we spent most of the afternoon relaxing, reading, and eating pineapple. Peter learned how to make the G-nut sauce that is made with bamboo shoots. I stayed far away!

Dinner as always at the Zaale's was amazing. Just so much food! The spread:



That is David, my host dad, showing off the food (which of course he didn't help prepare, that is women's work!). It included Matoke, posho, rice, avocado, chicken, chapattis, cabbage, the bamboo shoots, and a sort of gravy/sauce for the chicken. We just ate ourselves silly and then hung out with David and Elizabeth for a while before bed. Here is me and my host parents:



Then Sunday morning, we woke up for church, which was going to be at 9. Well Peter and I were ready to go by 8:50, but no one made any move to go anywhere. Typical Ugandan time schedule. We finally headed out at about 5 of 10, and walked about 5 minutes to get to the church. They showed us where about 10 years ago they started to build a new church, but stopped once the foundation was completed due to lack of money. We entered the church where they were saying the rosary, then some singing. The actual service seemed to begin around 10, so really we were right on time, and more people even came in after us. It was pretty much a typical Catholic service, except in Lugasa, so Peter and I didn't understand it! They did have 3 separate times for donations (we gave 1000 USh each), so that part we understood. Church lasted about 2 hours, then we went back to the house.

Then I headed back up to Matuwa, Julius (their son) drove to Bunaporo, where I caught the Matatu, and then a boda boda from Bubulo back up to Matuwa. Finally got home, made some lunch (scrambled eggs with peppers and onions), did some laundry, and just generally cleaned up my stuff/room/life.

The girls arrived back from Nairobi, having loved their safari yet having had some travel snafus, particularly on the way back when they discovered they had purchased the wrong visa upon entering Kenya. I'm excited for my trip, but now I know what not to do as well!

Today was just a typical clinic day, I spent most of the day shadowing Rachel who was seeing patients. Mary and Natalie were seeing patients in the next room, so everyone was pretty busy.

After clinic, I went for a run and my Nike Plus that tracks my runs died. So now I guess I'm just running without knowing how far/fast. Whatever. I'll have to get a new one when I get home.

The next thing to plan is our trip to Jinja. White water rafting on class V rapids on the Nile. The girls do not intend to bungee jump, but I think I am going to!

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