Lots Down, Eight to go...

Well I have been preparing for this trip for what seems like ages. Emails, applications, visas, passports, vaccinations (a lot), mosquito nets, weird drugs, and now it comes down to these final eight hours.

For those of you who aren't quite up to speed on what I am doing I will give a little synopsis:

In the Fall I decided that going into regular veterinary medicine just wasn't for me at this point. I wanted to do something a little different while I still could. Then a friend of mine reminded me of Christian Veterinary Missions. I contacted them as well as some other veterinary/humanitarian organisations and through a round-about way I was put back in contact with one of my old profs. Dr. Card is involved with the organisation called "Veterinarians Without Borders" and she had recently sent in a proposal for someone to go to Uganda for about 4 months and work in co-ordination with an organisation called "Foundation for AIDS Orphaned Children" or FAOC (http://www.faoc.kabissa.org/). They are an organisation that works with orphans and widows who have been plagued by AIDS by helping them get back on their feet. They have started a goat program where female goats are given to orphans and widows and there are community males (bucks) that are to be shared. The first couple goat babies (known as kids for you non-vet type) are to be given to other families. Unfortunately, it is hard to raise the goats to an age where they are profitable. Enter Dr. Weir....goat vet extroidinaire. ha ha ha. I will be helping them to learn basic goat farming techniques, goat care and in general helping monitor the program as there is little infrastructure right now.

So tomorrow morning at 8 am I fly from Edmonton to St Paul, St Paul to Amsterdam and finally Amsterdam to Entebbe, Uganda (just re-read that and got butterflies). I will then take a series of cabs (I think) to arrive at Mbarara. Mbarara is at the Southwest tip of Uganda and reportedly has 40,000 people. When I "Google Earth" it...I see 4 streets. Riiiight! Should be interesting. Upon arrival I will learn where I will be staying (as it is still undecided at this point), I will either be in a house that FAOC has or in a gated compound. Either way it will be something totally new and likely a huge eye-opener.

I have all sorts of thoughts floating throught my head right now. I am excited to see what this journey will unfold and what God has planned for me. I am nervous that I may not be entirely qualified to do this. I am happy that I have been given such an amazing opportunity. I am sad to be leaving behind such amazing friends and family. I am scared to be going to a country all alone where I am a minority. Most of all I am hopeful that God will use me in ways I never imagined possible and that my work in Uganda will make a difference in someone's life. I don't know what kind of internet access I will have but I look forward to hearing from you all and sharing with you my stories and pictures.

Please keep me in your thoughts and prayers.

I Saw You Last Night, and it was...Weird

So, Mefloquine....depression - no, paranoia - no, seizures - no, insomnia - yep, nightmares - ofsorts. So I don't really sleep like I used to...I dream, and I dream A LOT! The dreams aren't really nightmares but they would make for really awkward situations in real life. I just have the most bizaare interactions with random people, most of whom I know quite well. For Example:

Last night I went shopping, not so weird right? Well maybe the fact that the people I went shopping with consisted of my father, 2 technicians from the school (Amanda and Randean) as well as myself. Now I wasn't really shopping...I was more of a fashion consultant. Amanda tried on a pair of jeans that were really just too high and tight making her look like an old woman.

The night before, I was sharing a bed with a friend. Now this bed was HUGE like I mean massive and I slept at a right angle to them, with my feet on their chest. Like what the heck? It's not that a lot happens it is just so awkward to think about when I wake up. To the person who this involves....I may tell you someday that it was you but at this point I just can't do it.

So that is what I deal with...everynight. It has been new people each night. The weirdest part is that they are sooo real. I wake up and I am embarassed that I may have actually done what I have dreamt. I guess that accounts for the "vivid" dreams everyone warned me about. If I haven't told you about a dream....it doesn't mean you haven't been in one. I think when I get to Uganda (in 9 days) they will get a little more nightmare-ish. Stay Tuned...

My Dreamcoat (aka: Mefloquine)

So I started my anti-malarials today. No big deal right? Well I am a little nervous here is what Wikipedia has to say about this drug:

"Mefloquine may have severe and permanent adverse side-effects. It is known to cause severe depression, anxiety, paranoia, nightmares, insomnia, seizures, peripheral motor-sensory neuropathy, vestibular (balance) damage and central nervous system problems. For a complete list of adverse physical and psychological effects — including suicidal ideation — see the most recent product information. Central nervous system events occur in up to 25% of people taking Lariam, such as dizziness, headache, insomnia, and vivid dreams."

Ok so oddly enough the part I am most worried about....the vivid dreams. I have never really been affected by any of the other things listed I do however get very vivid dreams. Actually not uncommon for me to wake up and be totally unable to decipher whether the dream was real or not. I was already worried about the freaky dreams I was going to have in Uganda.....what should I expect now?

Well here I go...off to bed....I'll keep you posted on the freaky dreams I have!

Pictures...

Well it looks like it posts pictures quite easily. Here
is a nice picture from last Valentine's Day where
I ...hmmmm that didnt work like it was supposed
to , ok that is better,........

Today....

Trying to find the best blogging site....is this it?