"There and Back Again"

After two weeks of working a steady 9:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. lab schedule, my mentor and I decided that it was time I took a much needed weekend vacation to Foz do Iguacu. Apart from the incredible scenery, this trip was even more phenomenal because we finally completed the last day of experimental sessions on the day I boarded a bus destined to a border town between Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay!

Above is a video of "La Garganta del Diablo" (the Devil's Throat), a waterfall located on the Argentinian side of the falls.

Above is an image taken from a walking trail on the Brazilian side of the falls.

Bittersweet chocolate and goodbyes

I thought that my hardest times while being in Brazil would include sickness or not fitting in or even feeling uncomfortable not being in my own home country. But, none of those issues really arose or mattered while I was here. I’m now sadly ending my time abroad and looking at my last two weeks in Brazil: one left in my city Sao Paulo and one more travelling to Rio de Janeiro with other program participants. Thankfully I have the opportunity to travel with my fellow peers and friends so that I can temporarily distract myself from the hollowing sadness I know I will face this next week as I slowly pack my things and say my eventual goodbyes.

My time here certainly was filled with fun times and busy work, and for that I’m incredibly grateful. I can happily say I finished the program with great results as well as great memories of all the people and food and odd situations I’ve come to be in. It’s truly amazing how similar we all are in the world, even if we are distanced by both physical barriers and cultural differences. The warmth I felt from the people here cannot be matched by anyone in the near future nor will I likely forget anyone from my time here for years to come. As I was applying for a random job last night, I was incredibly happy and proud to write down what I experienced while here as a MHIRT participant. There’s nothing harder than trying to explain personal experiences, especially ones that are completely foreign and therefore abstract, but I can concretely say that every small experience I had here in every different area I was involved in, I had thoroughly phenomenal experiences.

Thanks everyone!

This trip has been an unforgettable experience thanks to the incredible food, amazing views and of course the fantastic people. I just wanted to say thanks. I wasn't sure what to expect when I got here but I can't say I was disappointed at all.

Beco de Batman boasting some impressive murals and a rather diverse audience. This art covered alley is crawling with people of all ages just waiting to get that Instagram worthy shot with some vibrant works.

Special thanks to Silvia, who fed us until we needed to nap and then fed us some more. Stroganoff, galinhada, bread pudding with goiabada, torta de limao, blackberry cake and dolce de leite cake with chocolate icing and that's just from one weekend. We spent three weekends at her house and all I can say is I'm really going to miss Silvia. 

Farewells and Goodbyes... no, "See You Later"

It is so hard to believe that just 2 months ago, I landed in the Motherland for the 2^nd time in my life. This time, I was blessed to visit the beautiful region of Eastern Africa, specifically the country of Uganda. The moment I landed in Kigali, Rwanda and along the 2.5 hour trek to Kabale, I felt so at home. What happened over the next 2 months is sure to go down in the memory book of life.

You are already aware that my team and I have been working, and very hard at that, but I thought it would be great to mention it again :) Interacting with Ugandans, whether in the health facilities collecting data, or in and around town making lasting friendships, it is surely an aspect that cannot be matched and will forever be treasured. Here’s to developed friendships!

It was an honor to coach my first 'football' team, consisting of “visitors” from America and Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST). The home team truly got a run for their money, and the intensity was definitely high throughout the duration of the game. Go team, you were great!

We weren’t the only ones in Kabale working though… MUST students definitely challenged us during our stay to continuously bring innovative research ideas to the table. We also provided consistent and reciprocal feedback to one another throughout our projects. At their research presentation, I, along with KIHEFO staff learned a lot about their project focusing on dental hygiene. I am so very proud of these guys! They are truly inspiring and will certainly be missed.

So, all things must come to an end, right? Eh… Sure. When asked what will be missed most about Uganda, definitively, my answer is the people. Unfortunately, during my stay, saying goodbye to groups of people happened a bit more frequently than I would like. But when I was reminded to not say goodbye, and that the appropriate phrase is 'see you later', things seemed a bit better. I certainly hope to meet these people again!

Until next time… I encourage everyone to make it a priority to travel to the Motherland. I promise you won’t be disappointed. A HUGE thanks goes to Christian Brother’s University MHIRT for the opportunity to travel, learn and grow in such a beautiful place.      

No Monkeying Around

 

We have been busy at work analyzing the data we collected thus far. As a break I had the opportunity to go gorilla tracking in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Southwestern Uganda on the border of the Democratic Republic of Congo. In this specific national park there are at least five families of gorillas each having more than 11 gorillas. Before the tracking began we were told that along the journey we would see wild elephants, baboons, monkeys, and of course gorillas.

We set off on our hike downhill. I naively thought the steep downhill portion would be easy, but I was wrong. Even though our guide cleared our path using a machete I quickly learned the true meaning of an “impenetrable forest.” After over three hours of trekking through streams and heavy brush we reached the gorillas. First, we came across a five year old gorilla that was playing with sugarcane. His name was Happy, and he thought it’d be funny to touch my ankle. He was playful and harmless, so we all laughed. We saw gorillas of all ages from small three year olds to the great male silverback. The male silverback is the prominent male leader of the family weighing over 400 kg (which is over 850 lbs.) Wherever he was moving it was a sure bet that that rest of the family would be close behind following.

Being with the gorillas for over an hour made me appreciate their magnificent beauty. I could tell they were very intelligent, gentle creatures.

Here are some of my favorite gorillas:

Posing with the family's male silverback mountain gorilla

 

This is the infamous gorilla Happy

 



A mother gorilla and her baby

 

In fact gorilla siblings play and fight too