Vernacular Architecture in Uganda

I was browsing Facebook a couple of days ago, and someone posted a link to this website about vernacular (indigenous) architecture in Africa. It's AMAZING. Most people (including me until recently) think everyone in Africa lives in mud huts. This website shows that's seriously not true. Everyone should check out this website!



http://www.africavernaculararchitecture.com/

http://www.africavernaculararchitecture.com/uganda/

What is it That You're Doing Again?

So I realized that I never actually posted what I will be DOING in Uganda.... I keep getting this question when I tell people I'm MOVING TO UGANDA IN NOVEMBER (not that I'm excited), so here it is!

"The primary literacy project focuses on three goals; improving teaching, increasing pupils' success, and improving the school community. Thus, as part of the primary literacy project, volunteers choose to serve as either a teacher trainer or a literacy specialist. While both roles utilize approaches to capacity building that include model and co-teaching, assessment, and engagement in national literacy initiatives, such as National Drop Everything and Read (DEAR) Day, the my language spelling bee, or literacy month, there are distinct differences int he day to day job activities. Children with learning disabilities are often undiagnosed, and learners with physical challenges, visual impairments, and who are deaf or hard of hearing, are typically main streamed. While we support the inclusion model for these learners, they are often included in the general classroom without modifications and accommodations that help them access learning.

"Teacher Trainers are placed at Primary Teachers' Colleges (PTCs). They deliver conten based instruction in math, science, English, and/or ICT [I don't know what this is right now.] to pre-service teachers, in addition to training future teachers on the best practices for teaching literacy, instructional approaches, innovative instructional materials, engagement strategies, resource room or library development, positive behavior systems, and alternative discipline. [Caning is still very common in Uganda.] Teacher Trainers also provide instructional coaching for pre-service trainers during their school practice, small group remedial classes, and collaborate departmentally with faculty.

"Literacy Specialist are placed at Primary schools. They work with in-service teachers to build their capacity for literacy instruction by leading professional development on teaching phonemic awareness, alphabetic principle, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. Additionally, they collaborate with head teachers to create positive school culture and staff climate, implement resource room or library development, and design positive behavior systems and alternative discipline. Literacy Specialists also implement school-based reading intervention programs for early readers. Literacy specialists serving in primary schools implement reading intervention programs to help support pupils who are reading below grade level through various approaches including multiple modalities and small group or one-to-one instruction that support struggling readers.

"There are many opportunities for collaboration across the PTCs and the primary schools. The education programming staff will also provide support and guidance for Trainees as they determine which role is the best fit.

"One of the exciting parts of your professional work is to participate in the Peace Corps monitoring, reporting, and evaluation (MRE) process. [Oh I'm sure it's thrilling....] All Volunteers receive training on the MRE tracking and reporting system. Each Volunteer regularly reports MRE information, and this information is summarized to describe overall progress of the project. This important MRE system helps Peace Corps improve its programming and report its accomplishments. The opportunity to learn and practice professional monitoring and evaluation skills are some of the many valued benefits of Peace Corps service."

So there you have it. My official job description. Basically, I'll be working with the education system in Uganda, whether teaching future teachers or working with kids. From what I've read on other volunteers' blogs, I should get to choose between these two positions, though I have become nice and comfortable with the idea of being a Teacher Trainer like my invitation stated. Either way, I'll be working in Uganda!!

YAAAASSSSSSSSSSSS

Finishing off Medical Clearances

So I finally did it. This came in my email this morning to confirm it. I have submitted all of my tasks for review for final medical clearances!!!

I know I'm going to receive clearance. All of my tests came back normal (even the TSH one, which I was particularly worried about), everything is uploaded. As long as my nurse doesn't find something else I'm missing, I'm golden. I'M GOING TO UGANDA!!!!!

With how frustrating it has been to get all of this done while away at camp, let me tell you, this comes as a serious point of excitement. I have traded so, so, sooooo many messages with my nurse, bless her heart. Sure, sometimes she would miss the entire point of my message, but for her to have put up with all of the questions from my end, I love her to the end of the world and back. And as for my doctor, she is even more amazing. She has given me so much more consulting than she technically should have outside of an appointment. The ladies at the front of her office as well as her have printed so many test results out for me, so many orders for tests, etc. Without these wonderful medical professionals, this would not have been possible.

I am so incredibly thankful for everything my doctors, dentists, and nurses have done for me these last few months in order to get me to this point.

Now I guess I have to get a hold of the student loan people and figure out how to adult...



Aug. 17 edit: I just want to pop in and add to this post how frustrating it was to do and redo and redo some of these tasks. Seriously, bless my nurse, the number of times she had to send tasks back to me with MORE clarification or pointing out something that was already on the task that I missed. I'm sure it was frustrating for her as well. I got this same email three or four times because she kept sending tasks back to me. I kept yelling at the computer, but now I realize she was just doing her job, making sure that PCMO can take care of me while I'm abroad. :)

Privilege(d)

I've just gotten home from camp, and while I was there, I was surrounded by all kinds of "socially conscious" people, as one of them called us. I've been thinking about that social consciousness, and realizing just how much I have grown in the last several years. For one thing, I now realize my privilege.

I am a straight, white, American woman living with a middle class family. Because of this, I have been afforded the opportunity to go to college, expand my world view enough to want to expand it more, and receive the qualifications to be able to follow my dreams for a fairly reasonable price.

In other parts of the world, my privilege is not to be taken for granted. Especially being a female, I am incredibly privileged compared to much of the world.

I have always been one to question my privilege, though. I remember being in 5th or 6th grade and wondering why I was born in the USA instead of Australia or Asia or Africa. Why was I born to these particular parents with grandparents who insisted on taking us on vacations every summer to see the United States? Why are there people who don't have food when I am able to just throw mine away if I so please? Before I even understood what privilege was, I was questioning everything about mine.

If anyone ever questions why I am joining the Peace Corps, it's because this is truly my heart. It's because I love people for simply being people. No other qualifications necessary. It's because, to a degree, I hate that I have all of the privilege to become a doctor (which my pastor's wife is totally rooting for even still), but others in the world are struggling to feed their children. It's because I have the opportunity to turn in my privilege to give someone else a little more privilege than they currently have.

I can't wait for the day when I land in Uganda and turn my privileged life into a privilege-sharing life.

Staging Update

I received an email earlier today which shared that our staging date has even moved up a couple of days. Staging (in the US) now begins November 7  instead of November 9. I now have two fewer did to figure out how to pack my life away in two suitcases, but it'll be okay. I've changed my countdown accordingly.

Aug. 14 update to the update: I have read like 30+ blogs from current or recently-former PCVs, and it would appear every one of them had staging in Philadelphia, PA, then took a bus (at some ungodly hour of the "morning") to NYC to fly out of JFK airport. They then had a couple of different layovers, but they flew into Entebbe, Uganda, where they began their PST right away. Thus, it is a good assumption to make that this is what we'll be doing. :)

October 9 update to the update on the update: Yup. This is in fact what we're doing.

100

Today is a very important day. As of today, I have 100 days to prepare to move to a different country, continent, and culture. I can't even fathom what's in store for me, but one thing is for sure: I'm so close to medical clearance I can taste it!

Heat, Hot, Bleh

So today is one of those days in Missouri where the air temperature is close to 100F and the heat index is much, much higher. (Slightly off topic, I just relearned that a heat index is what it feels like IN THE SHADE.) The heat just has me thinking about what it's going to be like living in an equatorial country. Is Uganda humid? Well, Google has that answer.

Today in Kampala, the capital of Uganda, it is 70F with about 80% humidity. This is an average day in Uganda.

DID YOU SEE THOSE NUMBERS?!

I would KILL for that weather right now. Even though I work in the air-conditioned library during the day, IT'S STILL HOT OUTSIDE.

Anyways, here's some more information about Uganda's climate if you're interested. I found them interesting. :)

http://www.bbc.com/weather/features/18025180
http://www.mapsofworld.com/uganda/geography/weather.html
http://www.journeysbydesign.com/destinations/uganda/when-to-go


PS: Note to self- Learn how to interpret centigrade temperature and military time....

Languages

I feel like this quite is truly the heart of Peace Corps. Right now, I'm working with kids, speaking their language. It is preparing me for my service in many ways, mostly by trying my patience and stretching my appreciation for a life that is not technology centered. However, it is preparing me in another way. I am learning to interact with the completely different culture of these kids, both from the fact that they are kids and from their backgrounds. As exhausting as this job is, I'm so grateful for the opportunity to learn more from these kids than they will ever learn from me,the opportunity to experience a whole different culture from only two hours from home. Soon, I'll be a whole continent away...!

The Horror Stories Are True!

If you do a quick search for Peace Corps medical clearances, you'll see horror story after horror story of phone calls, emails, office visits, rude people, ignorant people, etc. I've had my hand at the repeated phone calls and office visits, although I've thankfully not had to deal with rude people. Just, I've had to use a majority of my breaks at camp figuring out this week of appointments.

Coming into break, I had six appointments scheduled over three days. My first appointment was with the health department at 9:00 am on the first day of break. I got two vaccines: polio and varicella (chicken pox). The polio one hurt initially, since it was in the muscle, but didn't hurt in the long run. The varicella one didn't hurt at all, and it was subcutaneous, meaning it was in the fat on the back of my arm. The second appointment I had that day was with my doctor. I had a physical and lab work to have done. Unfortunately, I didn't realize until the night before that I would probably need to fast for the lipid panel I had to have done (because my BMI is close to 35). I called them before my first appointment, and they told me I definitely needed to fast. Great. My appointment wasn't until 2:00 pm, and I needed 12 hours of fasting. 

My plan for this fasting included a much-needed shower long enough to run the house out of hot water and then a nap to pass the time. While I was in the shower, though, my sister came home. Now, don't get me wrong, I love my sister, but I really wanted a nap so that I wouldn't recognize how hungry I was during that time. Instead I talked to her for an hour or two, piddled around on Facebook, and tried my hardest not to think about how hungry I was. Finally it came time to go to my appointment.

My physical was basically what you would expect. My doctor had a student with her, but the student left half way through because of the insanely large amount of paperwork that was boring all of us. My doctor informed me that she could do my pap smear while I was in the office, easing my mind about my pending gynecologist appointment. (Because if I'm going to have anyone look at my vagina, I'd rather it be my doctor, whom I already know and trust.) One appointment I could cancel. She explained that I could go over to the blood work place after the appointment, looked at every single page at least three times, and just tried her hardest not to miss anything. She told me more than once that this is the most intense physical that she had ever seen, telling me that I was signing my soul away by filling this out. As if I didn't already know that. I told her, though, that I would rather them know everything about me when I'm out of the standard medical care of the developed world than have my privacy. After the physical, I went over to the blood work place, and I realized that my doctor had forgotten to send the order for my lipid panel, the whole reason I had been fasting for a million hours. I told the lady who would draw my blood, and she had me just go back to my doctor's office (the two offices are just across the highway from each other) and ask my doctor to send the order over before 4:30 pm. The lady had drawn blood from both arms because of a combination of scar tissue and forgetfulness, so I have bruises on both arms from those holes. All in all, everything worked out fine, and I got to eat at about 4:00 pm. (I only fasted for 19 hours total....)

The next day I had two official appointments and one off the book appointment. These appointments really showed me the difference between doctors through this process. My first appointment was pretty great, well, for a dentist appointment anyways. I didn't have my normal hygienist because of a massive scheduling misunderstanding, but I was with an okay hygienist. When I walked in, everyone knew what was going on with my Peace Corps paperwork. My dentist had already printed and filled out a large portion of it, all of it he could do without doing an exam. The ladies at the front told me that they would be emailing me the x-rays that I would need, and that my hygienist would be filling out the rest of the paperwork for me. As long as I didn't need any work done, I would walk out of the office with all of my paperwork ready to be scanned and uploaded. I was incredibly appreciative of their hard work, thankful that they made everything easy for me. Unfortunately, I have a couple of cavities that need to be filled before I can upload my task, but as soon as I have that appointment in August, I will be able to upload it to MAP. I left the office a little bummed that I needed cavities filled, but overall happy with my visit. I had lunch with a friend to fill the time until I could drop by my eye doctor's office to pick up my new frames. (I had to have mine replaced because I broke the clip-on sunglasses that came with them.) When I got there, they informed me that my doctor had never gotten the paperwork I sent to him two weeks ago. I thought, Why didn't you tell me this yesterday when I called to remind you about the paperwork? Whatever. It would only take five minutes. So I sent it from my phone to another email address and continued with having my glasses fit to my face, assuming that the paperwork was being done at the same time. As I went to leave, I asked once again about the paperwork, and I found out that my doctor had just then printed it, and he had patients for the rest of the afternoon, so he wouldn't be able to do it. I almost lost it. He didn't even technically have to anything but sign the form. All of the information was in my file. The ladies up front could do it for him. Instead, he went into his appointments and made me wait. I told them to let me know when it was finished, and I would make the trip (about 20 minutes) to pick it up. As I drove home after my chiropractor appointment (no paperwork, yay!), I was struck with how different my two doctors were. I was peeved that I would have to make another trip to my eye doctor's office, but I suppose it could be worse.

The next morning, I had my last appointment. I had to drive into St. Louis to get my Yellow Fever vaccine. I had been warned by one of my fellow invitees that this vaccine was the worst. I met a friend for breakfast, and then I went to this super 80s office building after getting lost twice in the parking lot. I was the only one in the office, even though I had been told the location I was going to was a fairly busy one. The nurse was super nice, and she kept me well distracted as she administered the vaccine, also subcutaneously, like the varicella. She actually ended up giving it to me in almost exactly the same spot at the varicella vaccine, not that it mattered. Altogether, I paid $180 for a ten minute appointment, five minutes of which were small talk while the nurse got the vaccine ready. Hopefully Peace Corps will reimburse me the whole $150 they say they will. During breakfast, my eye doctor's office had called me to inform me my paperwork was finished, and so on the way back into town, I made the 20 minute detour to pick that paperwork up. I decided after all of that trouble to treat myself to some thrift shopping and actually found a skirt for Uganda! On the way home, I went to have my TB test read, negative of course. Throughout the morning and afternoon, I couldn't figure out why my fellow invitee had told me that it was so bad. Then the welt came.... And for the next 2-3 days, my arm ached! I had this massive red, swollen welt that hurt when it was touched by even the lightest touch. It had a fever in it, and it just plain hurt. I couldn't move my arm without pain, and neither could I sleep on my dominant side! Today is the first day it has really started to feel better, and it still hurts when I scratch it (BECAUSE IT ITCHES AND HAS ITCHED FOR DAYS). 

So in short, sometimes, the horror stories are true. Thankfully, I didn't have to work with anyone who ws being blatantly rude to me about allllllll of the paperwork I had for them, but I did have the overly prepared, the overly thorough, and the frustratingly unprepared and uncommunicative. With the help of my wonderful dad, I have everything uploaded except for my lab work (which I don't have back yet) and my dental eval (which I can't upload until August). 

Now, for more waiting.