Introduction to Embarkation

Howdy! Welcome to my blog. The purpose of these entries are to detail my everyday experiences, while I work for The AIDS Support Organization (TASO) in Jinja, Uganda. How did I finalize an internship in Uganda, you might wonder? Well, it's starts with Haverford's Center for Peace and Global Citizenship (CPGC). Every year, the CPGC funds domestic and international  internships based on the principals that the internship addresses a specific social or global justice issue. Having spent the past two summers working in research labs, and being immersed in the Biology department's molecular biology curriculum this past year, I wanted to step back and examine how other parts of the world deal with diseases, specifically HIV/AIDS. I find it fascinating that a disease that has been researched so extensively in the USA can be so prevalent in other parts of the world. The larger question that I am examining on my trip is how information regarding HIV/AIDS or preventative treatments can be distributed more efficiently to the public in developing countries. Currently, I plan to formulate an answer by working directly with patients at TASO. I hypothesize that activities such as setting up mobile health clinics, working in medical labs, treating, diagnosing, and talking with patients can help illuminate areas in Uganda's public health policies that could be improved upon.

Before I delve into my pre-departure thoughts, there are some people and organizations I'd like to thank: Sam Gant '13, for introducing me to TASO and for helping me find a homestay; Margaret Nassozi for assisting with travel arrangements and the homestay; the Mukisa family for hosting me; the CPGC for funding this trip; Chloe Tucker for her assistance and support in the application process and contacting various organizations; my family and friends for worrying about me.

Currently, I am doing last minute laundry and packing. There are three facets of the trip that worry me. Firstly, I have to be careful and diligent about where my water comes from. Anything that is not bottled or boiled water poses a threat. Water filters, boilers and iodine tablets will provide some defense, but I have to be very mindful of my water source. Secondly, mosquitoes are notorious for carrying diseases like Malaria and Yellow Fever. I am all caught up on shots and have anti-malarial pills and repellents, but I can still become a feeding ground for mosquitoes, and that is never fun. Lastly, Uganda passed "anti-gay" laws earlier this year, essentially making it illegal to identify as homosexual. While this is not a concern for me, I'm curious to know how many patients I interact with are affected by the new legislation and the opinions of Ugandans about the law. This facet was not originally something I had thought of when designing my internship, but I have a feeling it will become very prevalent when I start working.

My flight leaves today at 6:15 PM, and I will have a connecting flight in Brussels. The game plan is to arrive in Entebbe (international airport in Uganda) at 9:45 East Africa Time (EAT) Saturday evening. I will stay the night in a hotel and travel to my host family Sunday morning. The next time I post will be once I've settled down and start work. I currently plan to post two times a week with pictures, but that may increase or decrease depending on what's happening.

Cheers,
C