I'm on my break. Finally, it's in the southwest corner of Uganda, a region known as Kigezi. I wasn't really in need of a break, but it sure does some good. This area seems rich next to our region of Congo. The people don't have anything, but there's a stable governmentm and no looting.
Right nowm I'm on a huge lake, Lake Bunyonyi, with 29 islands. I leave on foot to town, Kabale, in a few minutes (about 2 hours) for some purchases for myself, coworkers in Kayna, and MSF too. After a night in town, I leave for a national game park, Bwindi, for a day and a half. They have gorilla tracking, but that's too expensive. I will be going on a foot trip through the park with a guide. Then back down to a border town where we meet up with the MSF contact, getting back to Kayna Saturday afternoon.
The whole trip should cost about $250, with my purchases costing more than that. Fortunatelym most of them will be reimbursed.
Tuesday, November 29, 2005
Wednesday, November 23, 2005
Before the Break
Just a quick update before leaving on my break. We get a week off every three months. Yes, it's been nearly that! I was scheduled to go to Kampala in Uganda, but the recent riots there caused a change in plans. I will be going to a game park just over the border in Rwanda, with Alexandra, a nurse who arrived here at the same time that I did. Apparently, one of the things we can do is an overnight hiking trip to look into an active volcano! I also have a list of things to buy, for myself as well as for the mission and the other expats here. The purchases will be in Goma, our new regional headquarters.
I'm trying to get things in order here before leaving, but it's going to be tough. We are in the middle of budgetting 2006. I'm transferring all the files from our old computer to the new one which arrived Sunday. We have a mobile clinic right now for about 400 internal refugees about an hour south of here. And the planning for our 4 four-by-fours and a flatbed truck changes about every 5 minutes.
On the positive side, our new surgeon arrived Sunday. His name is Jean-Pierre. He's 70 years old, and he's here for a month. (Our last one, Sam, was here for 2 weeks.) He's a great guy, but the flight and the drive here from Goma really racked up his back. I feel pretty bad for him, but he's determined to operate, even though he suffers quite a bit.
We had a party Saturday evening to say goodby to a nurse, Dominique, and an anethesiste, Jean-Michel. Dominique is going to Beni, 6 hours north of us, to close the mission there by the end of the year. She should come down before leaving to celebrate new Year's Eve with us. And Jean-Michel is returning to France.
Got to go. Bye,
Ed
I'm trying to get things in order here before leaving, but it's going to be tough. We are in the middle of budgetting 2006. I'm transferring all the files from our old computer to the new one which arrived Sunday. We have a mobile clinic right now for about 400 internal refugees about an hour south of here. And the planning for our 4 four-by-fours and a flatbed truck changes about every 5 minutes.
On the positive side, our new surgeon arrived Sunday. His name is Jean-Pierre. He's 70 years old, and he's here for a month. (Our last one, Sam, was here for 2 weeks.) He's a great guy, but the flight and the drive here from Goma really racked up his back. I feel pretty bad for him, but he's determined to operate, even though he suffers quite a bit.
We had a party Saturday evening to say goodby to a nurse, Dominique, and an anethesiste, Jean-Michel. Dominique is going to Beni, 6 hours north of us, to close the mission there by the end of the year. She should come down before leaving to celebrate new Year's Eve with us. And Jean-Michel is returning to France.
Got to go. Bye,
Ed
Sunday, November 13, 2005
This Week in Kayna
Just to give you an idea how isolated we are: This week I went to the bank. It takes 4 hours each way. This was the first time I had been out of Kayna since I arrived at the beginning of September. The bank is in Butembo, which is a fairly large commercial city. On the way back, I bought 4 cheeses (dear to the hearts of our French expats) and about four quarts of strawberries. These are two items we bring back each time someone comes down from the north; they are both on the roadside during the trip.
There was some pillaging in town again this week. The thieves steal mainly the items needed to live: food, livestock, clothing, and any money they find. They sometimes kidnap someone to carry the loot for them, letting them go after they are away.
There is some population displacement south of us, around Butalongola, south of Kanyabayonga, due to armed conflict between the regular army and a faction which doesn't want to be mixed in with them. We are going to set up a mobile clinic in Butalongola for the medical needs of the 1000 displaced families in the area.
I managed to set up a system of batteries in the house, so that we can have electricity after 9:30 when the generator is shut off. For the instant, one electrical outlet is functioning, so we can listen to music or watch a film on the computer without depleting its battery. Next week, we'll have light after 9:30 in the living room, dining room and hallway. This is luxury! Anyway, I'm usually asleep by 10:00 or 10:30, getting up at daybreak at 6:00, so it won't affect me much.
I'm scheduled for a one week break the end of November/beginning of December. I will be going to Kampala, Uganda. Some of my collegues have already given me information about where to stay and what to do. I also have some shopping to do: deodorant, razor blades, chocolat, video and audio CDs, some Christmas gifts for here, and some Swiss Army knives for our emergency evacuation backpacks.
Until the next update!
There was some pillaging in town again this week. The thieves steal mainly the items needed to live: food, livestock, clothing, and any money they find. They sometimes kidnap someone to carry the loot for them, letting them go after they are away.
There is some population displacement south of us, around Butalongola, south of Kanyabayonga, due to armed conflict between the regular army and a faction which doesn't want to be mixed in with them. We are going to set up a mobile clinic in Butalongola for the medical needs of the 1000 displaced families in the area.
I managed to set up a system of batteries in the house, so that we can have electricity after 9:30 when the generator is shut off. For the instant, one electrical outlet is functioning, so we can listen to music or watch a film on the computer without depleting its battery. Next week, we'll have light after 9:30 in the living room, dining room and hallway. This is luxury! Anyway, I'm usually asleep by 10:00 or 10:30, getting up at daybreak at 6:00, so it won't affect me much.
I'm scheduled for a one week break the end of November/beginning of December. I will be going to Kampala, Uganda. Some of my collegues have already given me information about where to stay and what to do. I also have some shopping to do: deodorant, razor blades, chocolat, video and audio CDs, some Christmas gifts for here, and some Swiss Army knives for our emergency evacuation backpacks.
Until the next update!
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