Bop, a bug spray
This week seemed incredibly short. It’s funny, the longer we live in Uganda, the faster the time goes by. One month in Uganda has taught and humbled me beyond my expectations. So far, it’s been an extraordinary ride, working with the amazing people at TASO and just experiencing what it really means to live and appreciate life.
This week I decided to work with the counseling department at TASO and leave Casey with medical. Unlike the medical staff, each counselor spends a minimum of 30 minutes with each client on clinic days. I shadowed Julius, a counselor with a pleasant deposition and the shiniest cheeks I’ve ever seen. He was more than happy to have me sit in on his sessions, and I took this as an opportunity to record clients’ thoughts, opinions and fears about life and HIV. Most sessions were in Acholi with Julius translating, but when a client was fluent in English it was a treat to listen to their words describe a life I have not the faintest idea of. Some of the stories were distressing, some were remarkable, but all were extraordinary. One older woman came in and sat down in the chair beside me, she wasn’t comfortable enough speaking English so Julius translated. Her and Julius talked for 45 minutes straight. She was distressed. Many years ago, after she became HIV positive, she left her husband (who was also HIV positive) and moved back into her parents’ house. She left her children with their father. Now, her children are adults. They still live with their father but told their mother that they need her back for “motherly love.” She went back to her husband’s compound for her children. She explained that her husband physically and verbally abuses her but her children don’t see this because they work in town during the day. Because of her responsibility as a mother and wife she cannot leave again. Julius and this woman talked about solutions to her problem. Perhaps her children can build their mother her own house so she won’t be bothered by her husband but still be near enough to her children. Julius gave the woman his cell phone number so she could call him, and they arranged a date when he would make a home visit to talk to her family and discuss the solutions with them. Julius gave out his personal number numerous times during the sessions and told his clients to call him whenever they needed anything. The client sessions have been one of the most memorable and personal experiences I’ve had in Uganda so far.
Thursday was an outreach day. Casey stayed in bed sick (he’s better now) while I went into the field. We went 45 km away to Awach Health Centre where TASO cared for about 100 clients. I enjoy outreach days. Since I have no concrete responsibilities and TASO, I can decide to help who I want, I talk with other TASO members and I explore the neighbouring communities. In Awach, I purchased an eight foot stalk of sugar cane for less than 25 cents and 5 fried doughballs. It was a good day. When I came home Casey was feeling better. We went over to Ellie’s for Thai food, and drank with friends late into the night.
We were at TASO by 8am Friday for a meeting that didn’t start until 9. The meeting was with TASO’s board of directors to discuss what TASO has achieved, issues and recommendations with the staff of TASO Gulu. When the meeting was over I sat in with Julius for another clinic day, but left after lunch to practise guitar for that night’s Poet’s Night Out performance. Poet’s Night Out is a monthly open-mic set up hosted by Crispy Poetry, a local poetry club. I decided to perform with our newly purchased guitar from Kampala… being my guitar debut I was extremely nervous. The night went well, with local poets reciting folklore, their own peotry, stories, and gospel songs. Casey, Ellie, Cooper and I also performed and were met with a considerable amount of applause. Casey’s performance formulated an amazing response, with Ugandans jumping up and down, fist-pumping and playing air guitar to Katy Perry’s Teenage Dream. Fantastic.
As for the cockroaches and mice, this week’s evenings were spent spraying and chalking every inch of our place. There are definitely less bugs around now, but I don’t know how long the relief will last, as the cockroach infested kitchen for the whole compound is directly beside our room. I can safely say that the GIGANTIC mother cockroach that crawled on my back late in the night last week has passed away, may it rest in peace. It took almost a quarter can of spray to kill it.
Well, this weekend is the Ugandan Independence Day… I’m sure BJZ will be hoppin’ tonight.
- Sarah
