Anecdotes from Kampala

Sorry for the lack of posting.   

Here are some stories about life in Kampala.

The Doctor:  I went to the doctor today, a lot of money for very little results.  The Doctor I see, Dr. Paul, was not who I wanted when I first went to SAS clinic in October.  African Male Doctor did not sound like something I wanted to deal with.  But Dr. Paul came in whether I liked it or not.  He is very nice, mid thirties and not at all awkward.  So he was working today and consulted with him again. 

Sadly it took most of the day.  Blood tests and attempted other tests took lots of time.  Blood tests showed that I don’t have anything, but didn’t explain why my stomach is occasionally feeling like I am being brutally stabbed.  Hopefully tomorrow something will show up.

The Local Market:   There is a big market at the end of my road.  I wish it was about 5 minutes closer, because on a hot day or when I am carrying pineapples, it’s too far.  Across the street from the market is a taxi park, which is handy.  The market has everything which is standard in Ugandan kitchens:  Carrots, green peppers, onions, avocados, potatoes, mangos and pineapples. There are of course bananas and a few other things, all sold by pile.  The veggies and fruits are fresh, which is really nice.  Today I bought green beans for the first time, we’ll see how they cook up.  I try to buy a bunch of veggies on Monday and eat through them throughout the week. 

There are also clothes, big bunches of matooke, bags, and all sorts of plastic house items.  So I enjoy visiting it occasionally and picking up what I need.

Party!  This past weekend I was celebrating one year in Africa.  Esther and I decided to throw a party.  I thought that maybe 10 people would come...  I think that in total we had about 20 people at some poinst!  We ran out of sauce and cooking was intense but it was fun.  The best thing about the party was that it was such a strange mix of people.  It was wonderful to see people, who otherwise would never come together, be in the same room enjoying themselves.  I am really hoping I can stay around Kampala to be a person who brings people together. 

Home:  I am coming home to America for 2.5 months... I leave in 2 weeks and I am excited.  I have a lot of writing to do for the various programs I am working on.  I’ve been pretty exhausted, so I am resting a good bit.  I am hoping for a lot of fun and refreshment, and of course work, while home. 

Lots and very little is going on all at once, if that makes any sense.  The next year will be interesting!