What are you doing now??

As I have just recently graduated from college, I have been asked the same question (in some variation) countless times:

“What are you doing now?”

I have encountered a wide variety of responses after informing people that I would be moving to Kampala, Uganda for one year through a Rotary Ambassador Scholarship.  These responses ranged from absolute excitement (most friends) to accusations of losing my mind (most family).  My own feelings concerning the upcoming year have followed a similar gradient at different points during this preparation process.

The second question that typically followed the first is quite simple: “Why?”  I decided to apply for the Rotary Ambassador Scholarship after my junior year at the College of Wooster.  Since I did not want to incite unnecessary worry with my parents, I did not tell them about my application decision.  A previous trip to Kenya with the Rotary Club of Wooster in conjunction with the College sparked my interest in international service.  Also, an insanely busy year filled with long, grueling months studying for the MCAT and several difficult courses made a year-off seem quite enticing before 4 long years at medical school.

The summer of 2008 I applied for the Rotary Ambassador Scholarship with the help of my sponsor club in Wooster, Ohio.  The application required the selection of 5 schools of interest.  I chose schools that were located in Eastern Africa and that had a program in Public Health (including Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda).  I heard back from the district and scheduled an interview in early September.  Two weeks later I was informed that I received the scholarship.  I was ecstatic… but still did not share my happy news as I waited for the perfect moment.

My senior year of college passed in a blur.  On top of medical school interviews, a large research project, and numerous extracurricular activities, I was making plans for my trip.  My biggest obstacle for my scholarship was obtaining admission into Makerere University School of Health Sciences, the school I was assigned in December.  With a certain destination, I finally told my family of my plans just before Christmas… I was counting on the holiday spirit to soften the blow.

Many people are familiar with the headache that the college application process in the USA can create.  Imagine that hassle multiplied by 100 and you can envision the two-by-four to the head, nails-on-chalkboard migraine that results from applying to an African university.  I would wake up at 2 to 3 in the morning to ensure that it was the school’s morning office hours.  Although the secretary or receptionist I spoke with was fluent in English we both had difficulty understanding each other; partially due to our accents but mainly because it was 2 AM and all I wanted was to go back to sleep.  Needless to say most of these conversations did not end in much being accomplished besides waking up my understanding roommate (thanks Erica!).

With only a few of my questions answered, I mailed my application to Makerere University in late February.  In addition, I airmailed it once more, emailed it approximately 15 times, and faxed it 10 times.  This might seem a bit excessive but I wanted to ensure my application got there safely (in the end my efforts proved both excessive and futile).

The application process and my scholarship shifted to the back of my mind as my senior year at the College of Wooster came to an end.  I enjoyed the last months with my friends, graduating on May 11, 2009.  Besides a two week trip to Ukraine, my summer was spent working in an agricultural research lab and living with my sister in northern Ohio.  After receiving no news from Makerere about my application in late June when other Ambassador Scholars had, I decided to take the initiative and find out my application status in Kampala.  After several phone calls, I received disheartening news: the University had never received my application.  A major panic attack followed.

After breathing into a brown paper bag for about an hour, I calmed down and started scrambling to figure out a way to still go to Uganda.  Luckily, to complete the Ambassador Scholarship you can either attend a university (my previous attempt) or conduct a research project (my new hope).  I immediately contacted every professor at Makerere University’s College of Health Sciences to inquire if they could use a free set of hands in their lab.  Most emails were not delivered successfully but after only 2 days of waiting in anticipation, Dr. Moses Joloba emailed me back… he would happily accept me into his lab to complete a project which focused on the epidemiology of tuberculosis in HIV patients.

So with renewed energy, I completed plans to leave for Uganda: airplane tickets purchased, forms filled out, immunizations updated (ouch), and contacts within Kampala made.  Now August 31^st (my day of departure) is rapidly approaching and I’m both excited and terrified…