Sweet! I am going back to Uganda in the summer of 2008

Today I found out that I will be going to Uganda for 10 weeks in the summer of 2008. Isn't that awesome? The University of Washington Department of Global Health runs the International Health Opportunities Program (IHOP for short) every summer. The program accepts 10 students each year who are between their first and second year of medical school. The 10 students who are selected are sent to 5 different countries (2 students at each location): India, Madagascar, Peru, Palau, and usually Kenya. The program gives the selected students $5,000 each for airline tickets and to help pay for living expenses while in the country. To apply students fill out an application listing experiences, career goals and the languages you have experience with. You also have to get letters of recommendation from faculty members and then you have an interview.

I listed Kenya as my first choice location for obvious reasons. (Previous experience in Nairobi and elsewhere in Kenya, some experience with Swahili, and a draw towards that part of the world). However, due to the recent violence related to the elections in Kenya and the consequent travel warnings for US citizens, they decided to switch the Kenya site to Uganda.

We still don't have the full details about what we will be doing in Uganda, because it is a backup site some of the details are still being ironed out. However, it is known that we will be working in the capital of Uganda, Kampala, and that we will be at one of the city's larger universities. I also know that I am supposed to going with a girl who is a first year medical student from Idaho. (She is WWAMI student currently doing her first year of medical school in Idaho so I haven't met her yet). We will get to meet during the IHOP orientation in March.


This is a map of Uganda I found on a Google Image search. Kampala isn't really marked that well on the map, but it is just north of Lake Victoria. (On the map you can also see Kitgum which is where I worked when I was volunteering with Working to Empower in 2007).


This is the flag of Uganda. I hate to say it, but I think the flag is just a touch on the less attractive side. Kenya has the coolest flag ever and Tanzania's flag is really nice too, but Uganda's... I don't know. I once accidentally insulted a Ugandan by asking who decided to put the chicken in the center of the flag. I was severely reprimanded and it was explained that the bird on the flag is actually a very special crane. Perhaps when I go to Uganda this summer I will get the full story on the flag, learn to love it and will be eager to explain to all I meet about the Ugandan Crane.