blood as red as mine

Sometimes my titles make me think that I must be half-mad, at the very least… as if a ki nigeria! but they just pop in and many times, I can’t resist them…

So yeah, their blood is as red as mine.. I am grateful to have been living in the Midwest USA coz of the friendly people….

Everyone was asking if I experienced any racism toward me and frankly speaking, I did not… I wasn’t even looking for it. I was looking for friends and looking forward to experiencing the American culture (still don’t know what that is!)

You’re probably wondering why, then, would I have a title as weird as that.. well, am gonna tell you.. I picked up a bit of the accent…

It seems obvious that Americans are human beings just like you and I… Yes, you are right! It is obvious and they are, actually, human just like you…

It’s just that many people here (“the me of b4 diaspora” inclusive) think of them as small gods of sorts… It was like a light bulb in my head when I realized that they are human beings.. Of course, I already knew that but I never really believed it, I think!!! Otherwise, why was I so surprised?

I know that America is a super power and that is so true… with a tax base like that, of course they are a super power…. And it is the land of opportunity which most of the citizens take for granted. Students have a chance to work part time which many of us only pray for!

But the people are just people…There are people from all walks of life… the most interesting discovery was that the majority have never been out of the US.

Forgive me for mentioning obvious things but I found it interesting!!! So anyway, these people who have never stepped out of stato are just like the majority of Ugandans who haven’t been out of Uganda (who probably would kill to go to stato!!)… and their blood is just as red as mine and yours…

If one is called “unexposed” for having never crossed the borders of Uganda and the international air space, then the same should be said of one American who has never crossed their own borders… get it?!! Light bulb yet??!!

If someone in Bukomansimbi doesn’t know what the Statue of Liberty is, they are no different from their North American counterpart who doesn’t know what Lake Victoria or even River Nile (making it easier!) is!!!!

If we both present in the same way when sick of the same illness whay should we be looked at differently? If we have the same basic body structure, why should we be looked at as different?

Am not even talking about skin colour here… that is not even an issue of difference… skin colour doesn’t make us different coz everything below it is the SAME!!! I did anatomy, I know!

Am talking about being looked as different because we are from different continents!!! My reflections are starting to confuse me… We have and always will bleed the same way no matter where we live..We are the same…

But even with my obvious realizations, It was one of the best experiences yet and I would do it all over again…

DIASPORA; Reflections

3 weeks post-diaspora… my reflections are a mystery to me… I still can’t believe how much impact 2 months can have on someone….

I really did not care for several things in UG.. I love UG but I really didn’t care fo several issues.. Its sad but I got tired of the disappointment that our city/country was and, unfortunately, still is.

It came as a shock to me when I finally realized that I was defending my country and trying to correct the misconceptions that my Iowan friends had about it…

I also had to answer questions about cultures in Uganda, health indicators, mortality rates and life expectancy… more questions on whether or not my government was democratic, what Kampala looked like, if we had cats for dinner (really!!), if the wild animals roamed around the city….

For a person who hardly ever believed what she read on the first 3 pages of the newspapers, it initially was a challenge for me but I caught on pretty quick… I had to set some records straight..

So my colleague and I took turns educating our new friends.. when one would get stuck, there was always another Ugandan to help redeem our reputation…

Now I read the newspapers from start to end and I try to learn something new about the political scene and what developments have been done in different fields….

And now I understand why we are always examined on health indicators…

So many things matter… my reflections will continue….

meeting BABYFACE!!!!

Long story short; my flight was cancelled due to clogged toilets (even before taxi) and rescheduled to 1am (from 11am) and I was not looking forward to the mile-long security queue!!

2 shuttle rides, a nap, dinner and a mile of queue later, I was just 2 people away from the security desk when I noticed someone...

I was like ... gee, I know this dude... oba from where??!! I notice he's with a bodyguard of sorts... then this security lady goes to greet him... BABYFACE!!! It suddenly hit me!!! The 2 people in front of me were not leaving... He even managed to fluke our line and go through security into the confines of the VIP section, or so I thought..

I wished I'd said hi over the ropes... Well, there was a missed opportunity... But, for some reason, the UG in me jammed.. I decided to look for him... I kept hoping that they'd missed the entrance to the VIP room.. and I must have been right coz I walked past my gate and saw him walking toward my direction!!!!

So, I smiled and stopped him... I asked him if he was Babyface (duh!!) I needed to break the ice.. Banange how is a Ugandan supposed to know how to stop a celebrity in a Los Angeles airport!! He's like "yea" and starts to walk off... I asked to take a picture with him... I begged... told him I was a foreigner (I am:) ) and, God bless his heart, he accepted!!!

The other guy (who looks familiar... still trying to place him) was smiling and helped us take the pic... I went on about how its a wonderful opportunity etc etc.. Ndowooza he thought I was crazy!!

Just to give a mental picture... I was holding 2 loaded bags... my hair was all over ... my lip balm was lost... and I had to fish for my camera from the red bag shown below...

My friends were amused because I was visibly excited in the snap and he was smiling just a crack... It occurred to me in retrospect that I must have looked like a crazy homeless woman at LAX!!! haha!!

here below are the migugu I was carrying when I met Babyface..

But no matter how unconventional the circumstances were, I am glad that I got to meet Babyface someplace other than on the radio or TV... What are the chances that you meet a celebrity on your best hair and luggage days??!! I never could have been more prepared!!

Return to Maryland; I love this state!!

I can never find words deep enough to express my love for this state…

Being here for just a weekend made it sad but I am always glad to be here… And this time, it was even more special coz I got to meet my little niece and nephew for the first time and also got to share good times with my older nephews..

It was so cool to know what innate things we have in common.. Like we all love to have fun and do the famous “peace yo!!” So many times in UG am threatened for always doing my peace yo in snaps ….

MD has the best shopping in America.. it’s a shame that I was broke by the time I discovered the fact.. but it was still lovely to go around the malls and just look at stuff.. then my auntie nantekamu ko ku some dyme…

Another super thing was getting the super mac makeover.. this one I had to show off… couldn’t help it…

I did more window-shopping than sight seeing but being with family and doing 2 of my favourite things (travelling & shopping) made it worth my while.. I will always love MD….

shopping as an adult, what a pain!!

yep, it is a pain.. when I was younger I would find everything so beautiful and so intriguing,, as long as it had colour, flowers and butterflies... Shopping in my teens was a breeze as well,, it just had to be tight enough and decent at the same time (??)... tough but I would pull it off.. also, volume/quantity played a huge role during my teen shopping days...

Yesterday, I decided to go shoppping.. Now, lets say am a 20 something year old who likes clothing... So, i go to the mall with a focus on buying shoes for a guy and possibly throw in a few tidbits for myself.. of course at a bargain.. I am the queen of bargain anyway; I am Ugandan.. we thrive on bargaining!!

The shoes I managed to find after walking between 3 potential stores about 3-4 times and they were on different floors. When I hit the "princess store", I was in shock,,, well, either the economic recession has reached the mall or china has flooded the American market or maybe am too old for the princess store!!! I just couldn't find the right thing.. It was too shiny or looked too fake or too something else!!

Well, for sure I am older and wiser but how could I fail to buy a pair of earrings, studs for crying out loud!!! I hate shopping as an adult,, I really need to buy something nice and cheap... am I asking for too much???!!!

sleeping in and road trip!!!

This morning was fantastic!!! waking up and glancing at my alarm clock, I was more than thrilled that it was 9.30 am... I'd had more than my fair share of sleep and wasn't going to complain about that today... i vaguely remembered switching off my alarm at 6.30am and retreating to my bed... I have a heating mattress cover.... sweet!!

Pam and I went to run some errands and to post some letters.. Of course we went through the 27th street to see the big houses and stopped at Terrace Hill to take photos of the governor's mansion.


We then headed for the road trip to the Amana colonies; a historical landmark in Iowa.

We used the Interstate highway 80 (I-80); which if followed East takes you to Philadelphia and if followed West takes you to Los Angeles California.. There were many farms along the way and they were interesting to look at... Whoever owns these farms must be a ka-trillionnaire!!




The 7 Amana colonies were inhabited by German immigrants in the late 1800s who lived in communal societies and everyone who lived there had a job to do in the community. They are East Amana, West Amana, Homestead, High Amana, South Amana, Middle Amana and Amana. Currently, it is a national historic site and it is tourist site...



I found it surprising that there are actual families that live there.. The place is jammed with visitors.. I would fell crowded if I lived there.



It has modern houses as well as the original colony houses. The buildings in the historic area all look similar and all the sign posts are black and white... the outer and inner parts of the buildings are worlds apart.. The exteriors were preserved to maintain the history but the interiors were given oomph and are modern and elegant. Most of the houses and restaurants have basements and are actually bigger than they seem on the outside.




We visited the local microbrewery and i tasted the cherry soda.. y'all know am a teatotaller (sp)! This brewery pulls the biggest crowd in Amana; the main settlement.




We also went to see the only wool milling place in Iowa.. i don't quite remember the name but it was cool to see how much stuff is made from wool and the machinery that was used in days gone by.



We had tons of sweets to maintain our glucose levels and then had a nice German dinner at the Ox Yoke Inn.


We drove home as dusk was approaching.. Its like we were chasing the sun... We were driving West.. The sun rises in the East and sets in the West...

gliding on the ice ;)

Today was a good day at the clinic... and not because of the extra time we took with each patient nor the interesting patients who told us stories nor the free lunch.... It was a good day because I made a friend...

I'll fast forward to the part of the day when Kelly said we'd be going out for friday night dinner and might possibly be going to glide on the ice.... I was extra excited and kept changing till I found the perfect pair of jeans for the occasion.. I mean, I was just going to wear ice skates and glide, right? "Piece of cake," I thought.




We had dinner at a Thai restaurant.. can't quite remember the name but the food was yummy.. better than the one in Kla, in my opinion... We then headed to the ice rink a few blocks down the street...



Panic started to set in when I saw the number of 3 year olds who were skating perfectly... I got my shoes and balancing almost perfectly on the carpet, I headed for the ice...



Hhhhhmmm, the balance suddenly disappeared and i was reaching out for the handle bars and hoping that I would not crush my face on that hard hard slippery ice.... this was supposed to be a piece of cake... as earlier mentioned,, damn!!!



I managed to make it round the rink a few time with full support from the handle bars (re; both hands plus torso!!). Then Kelly helped both John and I to gain more stability and balance on the ice.. He said, "It's not ice skating until you fall." My worst fears started to re-surface... Whatever had brought me to step onto this ice!!! My toes and fingers were icing up even with the gloves and thick skates!!

I eventually had my one fall on my right knee. It was kinda comical now that I think about it.. I was swaying like a tree being blown by wind and i finally gave in to gravity with a thud on my knee.. It feels good for now but only the future will tell.. I prayed against any injury that would land me in the clinic am working in!!! After that fall, I gained more balance but decided I was done...


John had 2 falls; he stayed longer on the ice and by the time we left, he could slowly move aroung the rink unsupported... The journey home was so short.. Today was a good day!

movie night; part 1

In retrospect; how had i never watched GRAN TORINO? If u thought SHAW SHANK REDEMPTION was the greatest movie of the 90s, then GRAN TORINO is the one for the 00s...

African time, the lib & gyros!

today was a record day for us coz we were so late that i couldn't walk into the clinic at the time even with my excess dryness!! i haven't felt this guilty in a while and hence my midyear resolution is to get to school early whether its raining or snowing, I'll be there!! Pam and Kelly were too amused to know that we got there at 10am...

so we went to the library.. JB dashed off to the computers while the serious one (me) went to the endocrinology section and picked up a bunch of books on Diabetes Mellitus. I last went to Albert Cook Medical library sometime last year... going to the DMU medical library was hard coz am so used to standing for hours on end doing ward rounds and running after SHOs for signatures that i found it difficult t stay awake in the lib... it was a job!!

when we finally went to clinic it was focused but i had only 2 patients to see and Dr. Elliott released me.. Dr. Elliott is a unique person... he was a teacher and wrestling coach before he became a doctor and he loves photography. I liked the way he explained to his patients about their conditions..

hitting the library in the afternoon was a feat but i made it to 5 o'clock without fallin off the chair (they are so comfy!!).. supper for me was gyros.. a Greek special.. it is pronounced as "year-os" and not guy-ros!! and not only does it taste good, it's also so darn healthy... proteins and veggies!!

change of clocks, church and tech shopping

Last night having been a blast and us having come home late, Sunday morning was a bit of a challenge to drag into properly.. The other reason for this was that at some hour, x, between when we got home and when we finally woke up "spring forward"came into action and clocks were moved one hour ahead.. a certain bi-annual tradition to create an illusion of day light for the farmers and give them more light to the day..

So, anyway, I was busy sleeping and Pam woke me saying am going to be late for church.. I didn't believe her because according to my clock it was 8.30 am and i had more than enough time to catch up on more sleep and get ready for church.. She then reminded me about Spring forward and I slowly crept out of the bed... We got to St. John's Lutheran church in time for the service.

we then did brunch at what Pam likes to call a greasy diner; informal, laid back and extra yummy food.. I had the least amount but tasted everyone else's food!!

we then spent the afternoon trying to find the perfect camera for John..