Arrival Day

 It took over 23 hours of flying to travel from Vancouver to Entebbe (the only international airport in Uganda). I was completely exhausted lacking any quality sleep, through 4 stopovers before finally arriving. Unfortunately, these delays continued once I arrived, as my checked baggage was lost, along with everyone else’s on the flight.

The anxiety of arriving to a new country and arranging to meet someone is whether or not they will be there, especially when delays happen and communication is not possible. Luckily, even though I was delayed a few hours, Dr. Josephine and her husband were there to greet me in the early hours of Sunday morning. Included in the TASO internship fees are the cost of pick up and drop off from the Entebbe airport, although will not reduce your fees if you opt for another means of transportation. This is one less thing off your plate when you arrive to an unfamiliar place. The journey from Entebbe to Kampala is about an hour through some chaotic traffic. I wouldn’t trust anyone other than an experienced Ugandan driver to get me through it.

I was dropped off at the Mulago Guesthouse, which is about a 10-minute walk to TASO headquarters and based within the hospital grounds (http://www.lonelyplanet.com/uganda/kampala/mulago/hotels/guesthouses). This guesthouse offers short and long-term stays for an affordable price and comes with a filling breakfast(~$20 USD/night). Many clinical workers, students, volunteers that work at the main Kampala hospital will stay here, so making friends and having someone to explore with becomes easier. Another recommended place a Canadian/Ugandan friend of mine runs is called Nyumba 591 (check it out on Facebook or call to arrange your stay +256 792 172017), which offers comfortable short-term stays at affordable rates.

Wherever you choose to stay, it is common practice to ask to inspect the room before you pay the bill. Key things to check for include that there are no holes in the mosquito nets over the bed, the water is working, locks and screens are intact and the room is clean. Once you are satisfied then you can talk price (or sometimes negotiate if you are staying longer). These practices are not perceived as rude so don’t be afraid to do so- they are likely expecting it.

In general it is safe to walk to work, but I would use caution at night even though it is close, mostly because of the poor conditions of the road and sidewalks and lack of lighting.

Within walking distance or a short bodaboda (motorcycle transportation) ride away from the Mulago hospital grounds is Acacia Mall. The mall and surrounding complex has all the essentials to get you started (grocery stores, markets, coffee shops, mobile phone companies, restaurants, clubs and exchange bureaus).

I arrived at 5am Sunday morning then started work at 8:30am Monday morning, which was a quick way to adjust to the Eastern African Time (EAT) zone. I felt a bit nervous, but mostly excited for my first day to finally meet the TASO team I had travelled very far to meet and learn from.

In the next blog I will describe the experience of my first day and week at headquarters and the process of mapping out the remainder of my internship.

Remember to follow me on Twitter (@kowalchuk_jill) and Instagram (@ciaobellas) for more #journeytothepearlofafrica.