Returning health and heat

Wow, baby, it’s HOT.  I broke out the fan for the first time last night, and my critical error was setting it on the timer rather than just turning it on; I’m certain I woke every 60 minutes when it cut off.  Then again, I dreamt that Professor Byaruhanga was elected president of Uganda, and we were concerned about a peaceful transfer of power.  I reckon that’s what happens when the last thing you look at before bed is BBC Africa.

Despite the restless and disrupted sleep, I gratefully awoke actually looking forward to accomplishing something, which hasn’t happened in a hot minute.  So I went to the library in search of the contributions of the Christian missionaries to Uganda, then returned and celebrated with a nap.

Most of the USPs went whitewater rafting and bungee jumping today, and will be back tomorrow.  Of the two that remained, one is going to visit her homestay family, so the only buzungu in the dorm are Julia and me.  Wow, it’s quiet.  She allowed that she’s enjoying the quiet too… which we celebrated with a nap after lunch, because while it wasn’t as hot as it’s been, it was still hot.  And though the quiet is nice, I do miss my USP friends who went on the trip.

The girls in the dorm have been wonderful during my sickness, getting me juice and food.  One of my classmates brought me two pineapples, which we happily chopped and devoured.  Citric acid+sore throat=pain.  But it’s delicious pain.

I'm betting that once the clergy at the cathedral (because one is never quite certain who will be there, though the leading/preaching schedule is posted) hear my voice, I'll have absolutely nothing to do in the service tomorrow.  This is not necessarily a bad thing, as tomorrow is rather packed.  Hmm... I may need to reconsider some of this.  But since I missed two morning chapel services and one Eucharist due to being sick, people who saw me this morning though I had gone on the mission that departed yesterday.  Whoops.

Sick slug

Mom - I'm FINE.


I went to the clinic this morning, because in addition to the raging throat pain, my voice dropped three octaves overnight.  Once I did a software demo the day after said drop, and my colleague/friend Donna explained my inability to speak with "Yesterday her voice sounded sexy.  Now she just sounds sick."


Things at the clinic still operate as they do in the US; the doctor gives me meds without telling me his medical opinion, but today I noticed that there is a column for "Diagnosis" on the meds sign-out sheet.  I was diagnosed with RTI, which I presume to be a respiratory tract infection.  So I left with the antibiotics I had last time, the vitamin (pronounced with short i, not a long i) C like the last time, and two other meds that I had to Google.  Turns out that diclofenac is an NSAID, an anti-inflammatory, and Cetrizine is Zyrtec.  Seriously.  


I had to do some wash because it's a sunny day with the sun shining (read: hot), and the wash wasn't going to get done otherwise.  I shall celebrate this victory with a nap.

Supervisor says

We were discussing with Rev. Omona (lecturer and my dissertation supervisor) the frighteningly fast pace of the semester, and asking him when we could present our dissertations, what what (etc.).  I mentioned that I had purchased my ticket back to the US for 4 May, and he was surprised; apparently, he thinks I should stay through the end of June.

Well, that’s not really feasible, from either a financial, employment, or logistical point of view.  He was surprised that my company isn’t paying my salary while I’m on my educational leave of absence.  I thought that was hysterical.  He did ask me what I thought I could get done from the US that I didn’t get done here, and while that’s a valid point, my mortgage company and my employer would probably all prefer that I return to the US in May as planned.

The good news is that we learned the secret to appearing at graduation:  as long as we finish everything – presentations, corrections (because they’re always there), printing/binding, everything – before the Senate meets to review candidates for graduation, we’re set.  So the timeline isn’t as firm as I initially thought, but I’m choosing to view that as a back-up plan.  I want to leave in May unfettered. 

On a separate note, I cannot imagine how the Senate reviews 900+ students to ensure that all are properly ready for graduation.  That just gives me a headache.  And I already have one from the massive thunderstorm (complete with hail!) that just blew through here.

Planned, spontaneous fun

Was it yesterday, or the day before, that I said I didn't anticipate spontaneous fun?  Yesterday morning, I received a call from Dan Button, a friend and one of the American lecturers here, inviting me to the standing hockey game that the ex-patriot families play weekly.  Since it was a holiday, the dads decided to make it a cookout also, so though no one could really go shopping (things were sane in town, but it was generally deemed wise to stay in the safe confines of the campus), he couldn't guarantee what would be served.


It was a wonderful feast, as well as a wonderful time.  I met quite a few new people, connected with some I'd not seen in a while, and got to eat fabulous things I'd not had in a while:  salad (!), potato salad, baked beans, hot dogs, mac-n-cheese, and Kool-Aid.


One of the thoughts that's been forming in my heart and in my head is that as I'm preparing to return as a lecturer (Lord willing and the creek don't rise), the vast majority of my friends won't be here, and the ones who remain won't exactly be my friends anymore, because I'd be staff, and they'd be students.  So this was a sweet introduction to a new group of soon-to-be peers, as well as a chance to unwind outside the dorm, and garner about five new mosquito bites, despite having applied repellent.

Pre-national elections

Tomorrow is Election Day, and therefore is a national holiday.  Despite the numerous requests to go to Mbarara, Hoima, etc., I'm staying here trying to be productive.  Officially, the University closed at 1, but a number of students left yesterday.  Good thing too; the news was on in the dining hall, and the mass of people trying to get out of Kampala was insane.  We were to have a class this morning, but the students mutinied, and basically informed the lecturer that we wouldn't be coming this morning.  Allrighty then.  We're also continuing to pray for peaceful elections, and a peaceful after-elections.


Since I'm obsessing over my dissertation (and I have 21 responses; praise God!) and don't see a lot of spontaneous fun in my future, here is some of the fun I've had thus far this semester:


Flat Stanley.  I have a friend who has managed to get Flat Stanley to all seven continents for her son's class, and I'm tickled pink to be a part of the project.  Flat Stanley is more Folded Stanley now, due to his living in my wallet these days, and if I remember to keep my camera with me, we'll see if we can add to his adventures.


ABCs in photos.  Some time ago, another friend posted photos of the alphabet, only the letters had to occur naturally, not be printed, then she dropped several hints that she'd like to see an African edition.  Wow, that was a lot harder to do than I thought!  G, K, and Q were particularly challenging to find, but once I started looking, I saw letters everywhere!

Contingency planning

I met with my dissertation supervisor briefly this week; he had picayune changes (thanks be to God!), and now I can proceed with analyzing my data and writing my little fingers to the bone.  This is the fabulous news.  When I asked him if there was any chance I could finish this semester, he said I could if I deprived myself of sleep.  This is the unfortunate news, but I'm still holding out hope, because hope does not disappoint us.



but we also rejoice in our sufferings [dissertations?], because we know that suffering produces perseverance;  perseverance, character; and character, hope.  And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.  Romans 5:3b-5.


Rev. Omona (my supervisor, lecturer, patron of the international theologians, and all around stand-up guy) said that I have until May to finish.


For me, hoping for the best does not preclude preparing for the worst.  In the event that I do not finish my dissertation this semester, the school lets us register for another semester (at only 3/4 cost) and work away.  Registration is 4 May.  Therefore, my contingency plan is to purchase my ticket home for 4 May, arriving home 5 May.  If I do indeed finish early, I'll change the date and come home earlier.  If I don't, I'm set to register, take off, then have a minute to rest and unpack before resuming work on 9 May.


I've already made my reservation for "my room" with the Muhimas in Kampala, so that's ready.  


One uncontrollable outlier is that we must present our dissertations to the faculty.  Rev. Omona and another lecturer are going to be traveling a bit (like I hoped he would be gone this week or next, but no, he's around then).  We can't do a whole lot without them, so we're essentially stuck.  I have a couple friends who have been waiting for dates to present for several weeks now; please pray that all is aligned as God desires.

Election week

We survived the UCU Guild elections (and Intrepid Joan passed through (won one of the seats)), with the most votes to boot!  Now we move on to Ugandan elections.


Like in the US, one must vote where one is registered.  However, few people in urban settings are from there; even if you live in the town or in Kampala (also called a town, which makes NO sense to me), you're from somewhere else.  So, most folks in the urban areas must travel to their rural polling places to vote.  Which means there's gonna be a whole lot of travelin' going on this week, mostly on Thursday, then again on Sunday.


Many of my Kenyan friends have gone home for this week; I suspect that they remember the riots in Nairobi last year and wish to be out of Dodge were anything to erupt here, but since it's a public holiday on Friday, and the University is closing at one on Thursday to allow for travel, I suspect it's a convenient holiday as well.  Honestly, if I were them, I'd be more concerned about getting back into Mukono.


I'm all set to be hunkered down here.  I've got coffee, sugar, powdered milk (can get real milk on campus), milk biscuits (more like cookie/crackers; I drown them in milk.  YUM.), drinking chocolate (hot chocolate milk), toilet paper, laundry soap, and my laptop.  I'm set.  You noticed the priority on the items, there, didn't you?

There was a rumor floating that the University was closing on Wednesday, and the lecturer that we have for two classes was going to travel to monitor elections.  Except that he's here, and the school closes Thursday.  I was really coveting that time to get stuff done.  Yes, coveting is one of the Big Ten, and I repent, but it was a fabulous opportunity, yes?  And I might try to see if that lecturer still wants to go monitor elections...


But please pray for peace and order.  There's no reason to think things will be anything other than peaceful.  I think current polls put President Museveni with 69% of the vote, so that bodes well.  But as we've learned lately, events can turn on a dime.