Jinja, Uganda

Week 2

1.     1. Week of June 19. Report for week 2 of 6 weeks.

2.     2.  This week has been a lot more challenging than I expected. On Wednesday, I started my internship, but I was only able to observe the water sources in Kamuli. These sources include boreholes, shallow wells, and water tanks that collect rainwater. The term “shallow well” can mean either a literal well that was not drilled very deep into the earth, so a couple hundred feet, or basically a tiny pond that has collected runoff and rainwater. The first day of this was great, because I had not known what to expect in terms of my research and I was able to add a few things before everything was set in stone. The downside is seeing the horrible quality of water that hundreds of households rely on that cattle and other livestock stand in and drink directly out of. On Thursday, I continued these observations and helped out at the school gardens when I had a spare moment. Although seeing these giant puddles of muck really took an emotional toll on me, I was still excited to finalize my interview questions and consent forms to start surveying, especially because any answers I got during this observation phase I cannot use to present publicly, thanks to the IRB. Unfortunately, I was told that due to a lot of uncontrollable events I would have to wait until Monday to start my surveys. This was really discouraging, especially because Friday did not go very well either. I started the day by teaching my first class, and it did not go as planned. The kids had a really hard time understanding me, because this is the first year Iowa State students are teaching at this school, and a lot of them do not know English. My teaching partner did a great job translating, but math is hard enough on kids that it was an overwhelming experience for us all. On the bright side, teaching on Monday went a lot better once we became more organized. The weekend was really well spent. We started by transplanting a full-grown tree on the construction site for the new compound, and I had never seen that before. Sunday, I accompanied one of the staff members to church, and it was a really great experience of love and life in the community. Monday after teaching is where things started to look discouraging again. I came into the week with really high spirits because I was finally able to start surveys. Unfortunately, my translator was sick and could not make it, so I had to spend the rest of the day gardening. It was productive and not bad by any means, I just felt let down. Today (Tuesday) was the best day in terms of my internship I’ve had. We got to help construct a concrete 6,000 liter water tank from scratch, and I finally started my surveys.

3.        

a.       The best thing during this week was again, team bonding and getting to know the staff and my translator. My translator and I have a really good working relationship, although he tends to act like my dad at times because he has never heard of a sunburn before and was mortified by mine, and therefore treats me as if I’m fragile. It’s hilarious!

b.      Time management and organization would be nice, but I am officially on Uganda time and I am still trying to work on that whole flexibility and patience thing.

c.       I am talking about the sad things and hard concepts we face every day with the other students in this group, which is really important to me because I am rather sensitive when it comes to this type  of stuff. I do feel really sad sometimes, but it’s necessary to talk about instead of bottle it up.

d.      I really need to create a list of things to do when I cannot for some reason follow my internship schedule. Hiccups in transportation and time management are common, so if I knew exactly what needed to be done in the gardens when I’m sitting around waiting for my ride at school I think I would be more productive.

e.   I can affect change by getting rid of all of my expectations. ISU-UP is understaffed at the moment and the Makerere students have yet to arrive, which is making the program have to be run differently in the past and it is disappointing us all. If we appreciate and focus on the positive things, everything will get better.

Pictures From Kerri

First Day of Teaching

Equator

Josiah from Sanyu Babies' Home

Week 1 of 6

Hi everyone!

So here is how these posts will typically work: I will complete weekly reflection assignments that will ask the same questions every week.  I will then post my answers on here for everyone to read! 

These are the questions:

Our Compound 

1. Date and week #
2. Activities and accomplishments from the week
3. a. What is going well
    b. What needs to be changed
    c. What am I doing well
    d. What do I need to change
    e. How can I affect change in the internship

1.      Week of June 7, 2017. Week 1 of 6.

2.      We spent the first five days in Kampala before heading to Kamuli. In Kampala on day one, we exchanged money and went grocery shopping before packing a backpack for the week, so we could send our big suitcases ahead to Kamuli. The big activities that were accomplished was our visit to Queen Elizabeth National Park and team building. The trip to the park has been my favorite thing so far, and the memories of being ten feet from hippos and elephants and even a lioness from our van will last forever. I’ve always wanted to go on an African Safari, so I can cross that off of my bucket list! I can also now say that I have crossed the equator twice. We also got to go watch a traditional African dance troupe, and it was absolutely phenomenal and showed a lot of the history and art within Uganda. My favorite part was that it ended with a massive dance party and everyone in the audience got to go down to the stage and dance with the professionals. The team-building was exciting, and I have really loved getting to know the other students on this trip. On the other hand, going into great detail on my future research and projects over the next 5 weeks made me nervous. I am not scared of the actual work, that’s going to be the fun part. I am anxious about the “organized chaos” way of doing things around here. I am continuously being told to be flexible, because most inconveniences cannot be helped in Uganda, and I will just have to adapt and change my game-plan.

3.a.      I absolutely adore the ISU students and professors on this trip, along with the ISU-UP staff and volunteers. I have instantly made strong connections with everyone, and I can already tell that this will prove to be important as the trip progresses.

Top Bunk is where I sleep

3.b.      The one thing that I would like to be different is a clear schedule and a clear plan that both of my supervisors agree upon and are updated with. I believe Mike, my Ugandan supervisor and ultimately the person I report to, is working very hard on this right now thankfully. He has been so kind to ask me exactly what I want and need for this internship, and I know he will try his best to accommodate me.

3.c.      I believe I have been doing well by focusing on my surroundings in a busy area such as Kampala, as well as following instructions from the professors.

3.d.      As I previously mentioned, I just need to relax and learn to be flexible when it comes to my research when I don’t know exactly what is going on. I need to put my trust into Mike and Dr. Masinde and know that I am in very good hands.


3.e.      I can affect change in my internship as well as myself by communicating to my peers, professors and leaders about what I need and what may or may not be working. I can also keep telling myself to stay positive, because even though this week was my “fun” week, I know I will be working in the sun will experience a lot of things I have never considered before, and it is important to realize that I am here to learn and gain valuable experience.

Kappa Delta in Uganda

To clarify: my research revolves around the water resources in Kamuli, Uganda outside of the boreholes, which are the cleanest sources of water available. To complete this, I will be interviewing people that I randomly select at these outside sources. I am very grateful to have the best translator in Kamuli, Ronald, to complete this task. When I have everything organized and better details to share, I will try to post what I can. I will also be maintaining the 18 boreholes that Iowa State has put in over the past decade, as well as training community members to keep it a sanitary source of water. On Mondays and Fridays, I will be teaching 5th grade math with Elizabeth, an ISU student from Uganda. On top of all of that, whenever time allows or if transportation is not available for my research project, I will be helping out in the primary (elementary) school gardens, where all of the yields go towards the school feeding program. I will be working on the irrigation project when it comes to the school gardens.

In my free time so far in Kamuli, I have really loved playing Bananagrams, journaling, and eating lots of yummy Ugandan food! I am already loving the idea of tea time, where we get home at 5 to yummy mendazi or scones and coffee and African tea!

If you have any questions for me, post in the comments, and I will be happy to answer.  


XOXO
Kerri

A Mom's Perspective

Kerri has asked me to update her blog while she is gone.  I will post snippets that I receive from her throughout her journey in an “as-is” format, but I will also try to give you a bit more insight when I have it.  :) 

Leading up to this point, you should know she has been extremely excited, fearless, and well prepared.  Brian and I have had a hands off approach, only giving advice when asked and really letting her manuever through the logistics of this trip.  

She took the initiative to get all of her shots, sponsorships, passport/visa, etc.  Brian and I even had a little scare when we thought she may not have everything in order minutes before boarding the plane.  She did! I am so proud of her.  We literally didn’t help her much at all for this trip as we needed her to demonstrate independence, courage, and above all, faith, to carry this out on her own.  

Running Late as always……

For international flights, it is recommended to arrive at the airport 3 hours prior.  We are quite the traveler’s so we decided 2 hours was plenty of time.  Leaving our house at 9am would put us at the airport by 9:30 for an 11:30 departure.  Perfect.  Car loaded, lots of girly squeals of excitement, but…. Oh wait!  

Notice her bracelets!

“Mom, its 9:00, do I have time for a quick picture with Chowder?”  Of course.  

We make it 1/2 mile, maybe, and during my “You did pack this, right? What about this?  And that?” speech, we make our first U-turn at the middle school to retrieve a small pocket bible. She had planned to use her Bible ap on the phone, but the what if no electricity.  The bible is important!  

On the road again, we begin chatting.  We pass the school (phew), but we didn’t even get to the red light and have to turn around again.  This time, for a very important bracelet. Kerri will wear this 37 year old bracelet the entire time she is in Uganda. It was a gift from our cousin.  Alex wore it the 3 years he was in Ghana and it was given to him by a fulani man to make the talents you have stronger.  

Third time is the charm.  No more turning back.  Driving like a mad woman, we make it to the airport and even have a little time to kill.  Daddy is helping her stash money while Mom is a blubbering idiot.  I promise if I had known my kids were listening when I said,  “DREAM BIG, YOU CAN DO ANYTHING YOU WANT TO DO IN LIFE,” I might would have left that RAH RAH speech out during my parenting.  

A long ride…..

Hotel Room in Kampala

She was “wheel’s up” at 11:30am Central Standard Time on June 5th while I sat blubbering at Eppley Airfield and snapchatted the process.  I offered to fly with her to MSP to meet up with her peers and even Amsterdam to spend extra time with her, but she politely declined my offer.  "I've got this, Mom."   I received the text at 2:32pm on June 6th that she arrived.  For those of us not quick at math, that is 27 hours!   Her text said she planned to go straight to bed when she got to the hotel.  I don't blame her!

Nets

Text From Kerri:  have to sleep in nets!! can't use tap water! but other than that it's pretty nice. will be here for two nights then the next two nights will be at queen elizabeth national park. will send pics of our tentative schedule when i wake up tomorrow but i'm off to bed!

Her first two days will be in Kampala and will primarily consist of travel and jetlag recovery, currency exchange, shopping for personal supplies, and packing items for team orientation.  She recommended I put the KAMPALA clock on my world clock (iphone), so I would know what time it was for her.

UP NEXT: Queen Elizabeth National Park where she will meet up with the local college students (MAK) and then on to Kamuli where she will do her work.  

As always, please keep her in your prayers.   Prayers for safety and strength!  

Additional pictures from her hotel:

Good morning from Omaha!

I officially finished my junior year!  Two down. One to go.  With all A's and one B+ (that 300-level Botany class really snuck up on me), I landed a 3.88 GPA for the semester, boosting my cumulative from a 3.56 to a 3.67! I was really wanting that 4.0 semester, but I still have 2 semesters left to achieve that goal. I won't stop until I get there! 

It's down to less than a month before I embark on my trip to Africa! With part of my belongings in storage in Ames, and part at home in Omaha, I can finally begin to think about packing.  I found the skirts that I will need (modest and below the knee) in my mom’s closest and the work pants that I will need at the outlet mall. 

Since my last post, my internship coordinators and professors have asked me to teach in one of the three primary schools in the area. I was originally a bit disappointed when I didn’t think I would be able to teach, so I was excited by this change of events!  

English, my favorite subject, would be a complete joy!  Any subject that requires reading would be great as well.  Math?  Well, as a child, I would always tell my mom, “math makes my brain hurt!”

I will be teaching mathematics, more specifically fractions, twice a week to fifth graders at a school called Naluwoli. I am extremely nervous for this portion of my internship because I did not expect it. Although the children speak English, like any other English-speaking country the language is very different from the English we speak in America. Thankfully, I will have a partner teacher from my bi-national team member from Makerere University. Even though math has always been a shaky subject for me, I am excited to work in a team to teach these children.  I've spent the past five summers nannying and so I have a lot of experience and love for working with kids! 

Thank you for reading this and thank you in advance for praying for me on this wonderfully exciting time in my life that I'll be spending in Uganda! 💕💕💕

XOXO
Kerri 

Hey everyone!

I'm about 5 weeks out from beginning my internship in Uganda, and I couldn't be more excited! Especially because I got accepted for my visa today! 🎉

As an update, it is currently finals week here at Iowa State, and I am finishing up my IRB course to be eligible to conduct research with the use of human subjects.  As soon as I complete this training, I will submit my interview forms for approval! Once I tackle that and my last 2 finals, I will be headed to Omaha to pack and prepare for Africa.

A big thank you to all who have made donations to me!! My wonderful and beautiful mom helped me figure out my total budget and expenses, so I thought I would post it here in case you are wondering exactly where the money will go!

Thank you so much for reading and for your prayers and donations!

XOXO,

Kerri