Another wonderful day has come and gone in Kiwoko (pronounced “chee-woke-oh” if I hadn’t mentioned prior). I have begun to develop a routine as the days are very much governed by the weather and rising/setting of the sun. People rise just before sun up and do a lot of movement outside either going to church or work or school. The morning hours are spent working and then there is a long lunch from about 1 to 3, the hottest parts of the day, which allows people to stay inside. This is followed by another period of work and then at about 5 to 6 people head home and do some type of exercise, typically a sport like football (aka soccer) or volleyball.
I worked again in maternity today and there were no surgeries but many patients to round on. Just like in the US, the attending wanted to be in and out quickly as it is a weekend day. I found this similarity very amusing. After work, I was invited over for cake and coffee with some of the ex-pat doctors from the UK. They are very kind and their stories of how they ended up here are very interesting. Then, two of the physical therapists from the UK took me “downtown“ for the weekend market. It is much larger than the regular shops and stores that are open during the week. There was so much to look at that I will need to go back to really soak it in. Everything you could want or need was being sold including shoes (used and new), fabrics to make dresses, sunglasses and watches, plates and cutlery, football jerseys, butchered meat, live chickens, fruits and vegetables, laundry soap, and cosmetics. Everything is displayed on blankets on the ground or card tables. There were tailoring services available also and people making all varieties of hot food. Some of the most popular “fast food” items here Include samosas, mandazi (an African donut), and “the Rolex” which is fried egg and tomato rolled up in chapati. These items cost approximately $.15-$.25. We got a Rolex each to take home for dinner and it was absolutely delicious (although I’m not sure how healthy it is). I am at the guest house alone this weekend and was thinking I might get bored, but there always seems to be something to do and I have relished catching up on reading (both for work and pleasure) and slowing down my life a bit. More on those reflections in the future.
Lugandan word of the day: lungi (adj., beautiful)
Medical learning point of the day: The most common species causing malaria in Uganda is Plasmodium falciparum.
