Monday 4/7/2024

Good morning!

I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that I have been here in Atiak for 3 weeks and training will finish up this Friday! It feels like I've been here for ages and also that the time went fast. Training is going very well, and I have met the local sonographer that will act as the mentor for the local trainees after I leave. I have no control over the next 2 phases of training, so I'm just hopeful that everyone has the opportunity to practice and improve before I return next year. 

Saturday morning, Picho and I hit the road at 8am, taking one of the trainees (Geoffrey) with us. We dropped off Geoffrey in Gulu then drove to Murchison Falls National Park. Rachel recommended the Red Chili Rest Camp, which was affordable and fun, kind of like a hostel, offering large tents, 1 room Bandas, Bandas with bathrooms and a few larger buildings for families and groups. The camp is located just up the hill from the Nile and hippos are known to cruise through the camp at night. There is a family of wild pigs that share the space and a troop of greedy baboons that will steal the food off your plate, if you're not paying attention.

We arrived at the camp in the afternoon, had a late lunch and settled into our rooms. While Picho took a nap, I went back to the lounge area and had a great time getting to know the managers and chatting with other travelers. We booked a Nile cruise for the next morning, and we were the only 2 people who booked early, so we were on a smaller boat. Now let me tell you something about my beloved friend, Picho, he is afraid of everything! Animals, water, water with animals, boats in the water with animals, snakes (especially snakes!), and in true friendship fashion, I love to give him a hard time about it. He has taken the Nile cruise many times, with other volunteers, so I told him he did not need to come along but he insisted. He is a very good sport, but also an endless source of entertainment for me. 😁 

The cruise takes us up the Nile to the base of Murchison Falls and our Captain, Denis, was great. We saw hundreds of Hippos, HUGE crocodiles, so many beautiful birds, a colobus monkey, water bucks, water buffalo and gazelle. Every time we saw a big croc, Picho would say "Jesus!" and frantically ask the captain if they could get into the boat. 😂 The Captain thought it was hilarious!

After the cruise we drove up to the top of the falls, then back to the camp for lunch before driving back to Gulu to pick up Geoffrey. It was a short, but wonderful break, and I have not been to this area of Uganda before. 

Once out of the National Park, we ran into some serious weather. We drove through a rainstorm so heavy; we could barely see the road in front of us! The major storm did not last long, but it continued to rain for most of the drive back to Atiak. We arrived back at the birth center around 7pm, to a warm welcome and lots of mud! 

No surprise, but the Wi-Fi is super shady this morning, so I'm going to try send this as soon as possible. :) We drive back to Kampala next Saturday, so I may wait until we are there to write again. I'm looking forward to the final week of training, although I will definitely miss this group when I leave. Everyone here has been so welcoming and friendly, like an instant family. It makes the hard work, extreme heat, and being away from home for so long, much easier. 💗

My new roommate is here, so I have to sign off now. 😉

Much Love, Jo/MB