BACK IN THE KLA

Back in Kampala and it feels like I never left. It has been great running into old friends and meeting new ones everyday. Back at Mulago and the IDI, things are still the same - for good and for bad. It is nice, though, to show up and know where to go and what to do and not having this awe-struck look on my face all the time. I know how to respond to the mzungu calls, negotiate a boda or taxi ride, and where to get the best Indian food. Grant is doing great, much better than I did on my first appearance in Africa! And he is doing a good job on keeping you all updated. But I thought I would give you my perspective too, whether you like it or not.

Work has consisted of doing some training in what my new job will be as study coordinator of a large clinical trial. I will be in charge of some of the accountability and quality management, so basically making sure the protocol is followed, everything gets documented, and regularly reporting to the organization funding the project (National Institute of Health, Division of AIDS). We are going to apply this process to a current study and hopefully it will be a well-oiled machine by the time this trial starts.

At the IDI, where we work, there are journal clubs, research meetings, and clinical conferences that give us some structure to our day. Our first day we showed up and it was nice to have a welcome from Andrew Kambugu, and entertaining to see all the mzungus start whispering when we walked into Monday morning journal club. They were warned of our coming by various sources (Katie P and Kristina) and we all became fast friends. Soon enough our social calendar was full.

This week we went out for pork, were part of a winning quiz night team, went to watch some intense Uganda basketball, spun at Kabira (me), took 3rd in a poker tourney and won $300 (Grant), and we went to a braai hosted by new South African friends.

I am grateful for all of our friends here, Ugandan and expat, new and old. Looking forward to more adventures to come!

But also missing our friends and family back home. We love you.