Proud 'Mommy' Moment

Being from the first graduating cohort of a unique program in the delightful little town of Wolfville, Nova Scotia, I think I get bragging rights to all of the really cool things the students past and present are doing. I am frequently in touch with many of my Acadia friends and family, so I'm often updated with the goings on of my undergraduate program - Environmental and Sustainability Studies (ESST). If you're interested in a degree that's hands on, yet academic, you should probably have a look at it. After all it gave me not only the skills, but the confidence to pursue the career I'm slowly sculpting for myself.

The Town of Wolfville hides University Hall and Acadia's beautiful campus.

Last year, I received an email from my friend and former professor/supervisor Dr. David Duke, informing me that he was about to go on stage for a TedTalk he was giving at Bishops University in Sherbrooke, QC. Ever since, I've been checking back to the TedTalk site in search of his speech, and time after time I was unsuccessful. Then, just a few weeks ago, he emailed again to tell me the talk had been posted, but didn't attach the link.

It was during my search that I discovered another favourite professor had just given a talk, along with one of my fellow classmates. This, of course, left me both excited and extremely proud. And I hadn't even seen any of them yet.

David sent me the link to his talk shortly after the original email, and I soon discovered the links to Emma and Alice's talks through the good 'ol Book of Faces. I watched the latter two by myself, and shared David's talk with my flatmate. The amount of pride I felt for not only the ESST program and what it's achieved in the last several years, but also for my colleagues, my friends was and continues to be pretty great. Watching Emma talk about her current research, hearing David and Alice talk about the many and growing number of accomplishments of the current and past cohorts of ESSTers, as I like to call them, was overwhelming - but awesome!

Check out the links below to see just how amazing my people are!

Emma-Lynn Wallace is a 3rd Year ESST Honours Student:

Dr. Alice Cohen is a fellow water researcher/enthusiast. She was a big influence and is one of the reason I am where I am today:

David, I am honoured to call a friend and can attribute much of my academic success to him. Also, he's got a pretty cool family, that do really cool things:

If anyone is interested or knows anyone interested in the ESST program, please put them in touch with me or any of my ESSTers, who you can contact via the ESST website.

-the Orange Canadian

Whose Win Is It Anyway? A recap of Uganda's National Election

Well, the votes have been tallied, and no one is surprised at the outcome. This isn't to suggest that the people of Uganda are thrilled by this result, but that it's exactly what they expected. If you've read either of my pre-election posts you'll know a bit about the background to the election and the build up to the big day. You'll also likely be unsurprised to learn that President Museveni has once again found himself in the position of Head of State. What does this mean? Allow me to give you my opinion...

A friend of mine inquired about this exact question. She asked if the win was good. I replied with a two answer response. It's not that I think the outcome is great, but on the short-term, where my personal wellbeing is concerned, I'm okay with this outcome. It means that Museveni didn't* take military action against his people, and so far, it's seen relatively little protest by the people here - at least as far as physical protests are concerned. But, on the long term, it's bad. Really bad.

As I've stated previously, even if Museveni were the greatest leader that ever lived - which we can't deny that he's done some good for the country - no leader should be in power for 30+ years. So, with this win not only will he continue to make personal gains the basis of the vast majority of his decisions, he is also hurting Uganda. He's destroying the country's leading tourism destination**, he's making it more and more difficult for farmers to move beyond subsistence farming, and these are only a few of the issues that a good majority of Ugandans were hoping to address with the actual  results of last week's election. He's also heavily invested in the country... as in, he and his family own a lot of the industrial sector. Win or lose, he's a disaster for the long term wellbeing of Uganda. And sadly, I think this has played a factor in many of his votes - the fear that worse will come from change.

But I don't want to focus solely on this aspect of the election. I'd actually like to address the questions, concerns and comments I've been receiving over the last week. First, let me just say that I have appreciated all the messages I've received inquiring about my safety. By the fact that I am now posting this, I am happy to report that I am safe, unharmed, and overall felt very secure throughout the whole experience. Second, I'm going to tackle the post-election recap by touching on the events of election day, results day, and post-results. I'll finish by tackling an apparent theme in some of the commentary about this outcome. Some of you may not so much appreciate the latter part, but I'm not going to sit back and let these comments go unnoticed.

So, here goes...

Election day felt relatively regular in the morning. I went about my regular weekend routine, since we were housebound. The atmosphere appeared to be more engulfed in excitement and hope than fear or the potential threat of violence. In fact, there were record numbers of voters that cast their ballots. But there were also a number of polling stations that didn't open until later in the day (especially in areas where members of the opposition were thought to be the leading vote!). The reason for these delays was reported as not having yet received ballot papers. This left voters waiting in the intense heat for hours, just to have their say. But three really interesting events happened aside from that:

1. Museveni called for the immediate shut down of all social media sites, which lasted until Monday morning. No Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, etc throughout election day and post-election weekend. This, he suggested, was to prevent violence and to stop the spread of lies. But, Ugandans also downloaded VPNs which allowed them to access these sites. The internet was also shut down for the better part of Thursday (election day) and sporadically throughout the weekend. Conveniently it came back online just moments before I had a scheduled Skype chat which had been planned for some time!
2. Reports of pre-marked Museveni ballots were confiscated. Mind you, the linked article is from the Ugandan equivalent of the National Enquirer, so not really sure how serious to take this claim.
3. Presidential candidate Dr. Kizza Besigye was detained by police. Suspicious? Yep. Why? Well, of course he was arrested when he found a home that he and a group of citizens believed to house a vote tampering operation. Reports from police insisted, however, that he was not "detained" but merely taken in for his own safety and protection! Regardless, he was later released.

In the evening, Aaron and I decided to order in. We figured this would be easier than venturing out, since we'd forgotten to thaw meat for dinner. Our first choice had a pop-up which stated that they couldn't deliver due to political unrest. And that was really the only indication that there were issues taking place. Well, that and the fact that our street was now being patrolled regularly by police.

The following day (brace yourself) Besigye was arrested... again. This time for wanting to hold a press conference where we was slated to suggest that the results of the election were not legitimate. He was later released, but was basically under house arrest, where no one was allowed to enter his home, and he was not allowed to leave. This speaks enormously to the legitimacy of the election process and Museveni's inability to accept defeat.

Saturday is what I have affectionately named Results Day! This was pretty much like any other day, except that there were plenty of military guys on the streets. It also included a delightful and unwelcome 5:30AM helicopter wake up call. This continued throughout the day, although I'm not certain of what they were doing. My understanding is that there was a mix of transporting officials and surveillance. Either way, it was pretty low key. Results were announced at 4PM, and to no one's surprise - and as the beginning of this posted already indicated - Museveni won... and by a whopping 60.75% of the votes! Now, obviously there is some speculation that this is not reflective of the actual votes cast, but, for now these are the results. Besigye had initially stated he would not contest them (as he's done with previous elections), but a recent article is suggesting he's changed his mind. However, as I said, it's still early days - anything is possible!

The day following the announcement of the election results, it rained. This was the first time I'd seen actual rain in a couple of months**. And, if I didn't know better, I'd say god was crying over the outcome of the weeks events. However, there was a distinct moment where I was actually uncertain of whether I was hearing thunder in the distance or an explosion of some sort... It turned out to just be thunder, thankfully.

You can't really tell... but it's raining.

There also appeared to not be a lot of news or any foolishness related to the results announced the day before, other than a pretty displeased statement from the US Embassy, making it a (thankfully) fairly uneventful post-election weekend. Lots of articles were posted, and in an attempt to not make this the most depressing post ever, I'd like to share with you a screen shot of my favourite election-related article.

To read the associated article click this here. 
Photo credit: Daily Monitor

Now on Monday, we were permitted to return to work, but cautioned to avoid large crowds and such. Oh! and Besigye was arrested once again. I know - you're probably just as shocked as I am. This time he has been detained whilst finally being allowed to leave the premises of his home. Where was he going, you ask? Well, of course to the Electoral Commission to request a copy of the results!

And finally, I apologize if the following rant upsets you, but it needs to be said. And actually, I'm not sure I do apologize... particularly given the topic matter. If I've misinterpreted comments, then I do apologize for that, or if I misquote something here, then please, by all means let me know so I can correct it. But, for those of you who have commented on the "disorganization and lack of common sense" depicted in some of the media reports, I'd like to say this: People are fighting here - not because they seek violence and mischief but because they want a future that is in their favour, that is peaceful, and that is free. They are fighting for freedoms that many of you reading this are given, without thought, just because we happen to be born in a particular area of the world. Ugandans came out in droves, and depending on which results you look at, the final tally has not been reflected. The "disorganization" referenced is a reflection of the current, and sadly, continuing government, that has created the chaos being reported through Western news outlets. And this "lack of common sense" is also a complete fabrication. I spoke with MANY Ugandans prior to the election, and the vast majority stated they were voting for representatives which do not reflect the outcome of last week's election. The people here know what's going on. This apparent lack of common sense is being perpetuated through a government that isn't willing to step down, and has taken extreme measures to ensure it will not have to.

Africa, on a whole, has in fact seen some pretty horrific and unjust events, but perhaps we need a little self-reflection on this matter. Africans are not inherently violent, stupid, or insert any number of the inaccurate and unfair adjectives that have been labelled on the people of this continent. This is a myth that has been exasperated and perpetuated by the legacies of the very people who have created these falsehoods in the first place. And let's take a step back for a second - has anyone been watching the current US election? Donald Trump**** winning primaries?! Or, perhaps a more Canadian example, anyone remember the massive riots that occurred after Vancouver lost the Stanley Cup a few years back?! Common sense can be found both functioning and lacking in any area of the world - it is not exclusively found in one particular spot and to think so is nothing short of racist.

So, with that, I'm going to take a breath. I promise to post any updates should anything arise. But hopefully, all will be calm, and that the true results come to light, followed by nothing less than peace.

-the Orange Canadian

UPDATE:
So, it appears as though our friend, President Museveni is up to his old tricks... or should I say, continues to be. Dr. Besigye has been arrested AGAIN! Making it a total of 4 times in just over a week. Ugh. BUT this just in: Museveni has declared tomorrow a public holiday. For what, you ask? Well, there are mayoral elections taking place and he is trying to show his encouragement of the democratic process... The next few days should be interesting. People are becoming more and more outraged with the continuous arrests of Besiyge. So, it appears this won't be my last post on the National Election. 

*It's still early days, so there is still a possibility for things to go sideways.
**To get involved or to learn more check out the Save Adventure Tourism in Uganda website or Facebook page
***Rainy season ended in December.
****Who recently stated that Ugandans were cowards... and who is actually in agreement with most of the garbage that spews from his mouth?!

What Starts with Chaos Must End with Chapati

Well, Election Day is here, and it's amazing how quickly things can change! We've been sanctioned to the safety of our home until prior notice, which isn't horrible, but also, isn't great.

Over the weekend - while attempting to purchase those food stores we'd been advised to gather - we drove passed, and in some cases through, several rally's for current president Museveni. There was a lot of excitement, but I was also happy to just be breezing through. Not really a place I'd want to be caught in - especially given the events of the week to come. In addition to the excitement, there was also an obvious increase in military and police presence. There's just something about a bit unsettling about being stopped in the middle of a crowd that is being supervised by a number of depressingly fit men in uniform causally toting AK-47s.

Monday saw a very drastic change in atmosphere. I could almost feel something different when I walked out of the flat on my way to work. There wasn't anything obvious, per se, but it just felt... tense. This, of course, was only exasperated by the fact that at around mid-day the local (and international) news outlets were reporting the arrest of presidential candidate, Dr. Kissa Besigye. This came with a lot of police action in one area of Kampala*. There were stores looted, tear gas used and other such drama. This of course, only raised tensions in the city. The arrest, apparently, was due to Besigye creating traffic disturbances in the city centre**.

Tuesday was a public holiday, or as some suggest, a last-ditch effort at winning over a few votes. Why, you ask? Well, this is the first year that this public holiday has been observed. And, not only is it the first year for this commemoration (will get to that in a second), but it was declared on my birthday... February 11th... LAST Thursday!

The public holiday is known as the Archbishop Janani Luwum Public Holiday. The Archbishop comes with a very... shall we say, colourful?...story? You can read the full Wikipedia notes, but basically, he was arrested in February 1977 by then president, Amin. The Archbishop was accused of treason and aiding Amin's predecessor, Obote. And then...surprise!... Amin had him killed. It's actually a lot more brutal than the 'jazz-hands' recount I've just describes, but, sometimes you just need to, because otherwise it's really, really disturbing.

Anyway the overall atmosphere had definitely toned down from the previous day, which was good. But people, I think, were still on alert. In the evening there were helicopters circling the city - for what purpose, if any, I don't know. This was both a bit unnerving but also really exciting. And of course, all I could think of was Arnold shouting - "Get to da choppa!"

Yesterday (Wednesday), proved to be fairly uneventful aside from the lack of chapati production near my office. This of course, was because many people have begun travelling to their villages, where they will be casting their ballots today. Luckily one of my co-workers had a vehicle, and a few of us dashed off to the nearby market to rectify our chapati deprivation. We probably placed far too much enthusiasm into this 'mission' than was necessary, but I mean, chapati... AND rolex!

Election 'eve' views from the balcony. See! All is calm.

Good luck to my fellow Ugandans. May your votes be heard and may your voice be reflected in the results.

-the Orange Canadian

*Close to my office, but not close enough to hear or see anything, or to be worried.
**He was actually on his way to a rally, which was shut down before he arrived, the alternate venue was also shut down, and so he decided to gather his supporters in a public setting.

Building up to the National Election

Well, it’s election time once again! Now, I’m not talking about the upcoming US election that appears to be capturing much of the worlds attention – no I'm talking about the fast-approaching Ugandan National election! And, while the excitement of pre-election anticipation is in the air, it’s certainly not the same as what I’ve become accustomed to. For starters, let me give a little background information.

Uganda became independent of British rule on October 9, 1962. The presidency was held the following year, and has had a series of presidents since. Most notably is Idi Amin, who held office from 1971 until 1979. Anyone who follows history knows that didn’t go so well… And then another group of presidents took office, until January 1986 – thirty years ago – when current president Yoweri Museveni took lead of the country. Museveni is associated with the National Resistance Movement, or NRM.

President Museveni
Photo Credit: Wikipedia

Now, I know what you’re thinking, that’s a long time to be in power – and you’d be right. He’s been in power longer than most of my friends and co-workers have been alive*. But he’s not necessarily been in office that long because of his excellent policies and ability to lead... Depending on who you talk to there is a myriad of tales riddled with corruption and fixed election results. I mean, after all there is supposed to be a two-term maximum in office, which would equal no more than ten years**.

You will undoubtedly be unsurprised to learn that Museveni is, once again, running in this election. But there are a number of other candidates vying for this top spot, as well. These include (but are not limited to***):

• Kizza Besigye from the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party – Besigye has been a presidential candidate since the 2001 election campaign. According to Wikipedia, he challenged the outcome of the 2006 results, but was ruled in favour of Museveni’s win. He was also arrested in 2001 for allegedly committing an act of treason. Besigye and Museveni have been the main contenders for the last 15 years.

Presidential candidate, Besigye
Photo Credit: the Observer (Uganda)

• Amama Mbabazi from the newly formed Go Forward party – Now, Mbabazi is an interesting case, for he worked – for many years – as one of Museveni’s top advisors. There has been much speculation that he was responsible for many of the acts of corruption within Museveni’s group. This makes his candidacy especially intriguing, because despite these allegations, he appears to be the real contender against Museveni. In contrast, however, there is also much speculation that the two are actually working in cahoots with one another – despite the very public quarrel between them.

Presidential candidate Mbabazi
Photo Credit: Wikipedia

Now that I’ve outlined the main contenders, let’s talk about the election itself. Speaking with many of my Ugandan friends, my co-workers, boda drivers, and random people I meet along my adventures, there’s a lot of resistance to the idea of voting. For those unwilling or unsure of whether or not they will be casting their vote on February 18^th, it’s not because they don’t want to have their voice heard – it’s because they are certain regardless of who they vote for, it will be meaningless.

Many of you have endured conversations and rants – including in a previous post – about my sentiments of not casting a vote when you have been granted the right, but in this instance, I understand, fully, the reluctance to do so. I’ve heard a wide range of rationalizations as to why some I have spoken with have decided not to bother participating in the coming election. Most of these include some derivative of the fact that many believe, no matter who the people vote for the outcome of the election has already been determined. Some have also stated they fear the initial outcome if Museveni were to loose (which will be discussed momentarily). And in one interesting conversation, the individual outlined a concern for what could be if they vote for a new regime. This individual used the example of past president Amin, and even used examples of some of the alleged acts initiated under the current presidency. Bottom line, there is a real fear and validated concern for the unknown. Even for those who do not like Museveni, they still would prefer to see him continue on, than the potential for someone far worse.

So, what’s it like ‘on the ground’? Exciting, for one. But, there’s also an element of caution and awareness that things are a bit tense and could get messy. I don’t feel as though there is anything for you lovely folks at home to be worried about, but it is, of course a reality.

I’ve been told that regardless of whether Museveni is re-elected or not, people will likely take to the streets. Museveni, himself, has threatened military action if he loses****. People are also claiming they will protest if he wins. Either way, my co-workers, friends and even the Canadian Consulate here in Kampala have advised to stay inside for the days following the election – including the day of. And, of course, I’m taking these recommendations seriously. The Consulate has instructed us***** to stock up on food, maintain airtime, and to ensure we have plenty of electricity, cooking gas, and that our phones are fully charged.

I’ll be honest with – I appreciate so much more my privilege of being Canadian. Even with Harper in power for the past 10 years, the concerns expressed by many I have chatted with don’t even come close. The Robocall scandal, while unacceptable, is nothing compared to the vote-grabbing tactics alleged here******.  The fact that I can line up, without fear, to cast my vote, or knowing that if an unfavorable outcome is reached people may show their dissatisfaction, but the threat of violence or military action is not something any of us would ever ponder, let alone realize. Even just to be able to discuss, openly, an election without fear. I’ve had no say over where I was born, but I’m so thankful for the rights I have been afforded by something so arbitrary and out of my control. It’s shameful to me, that given these freedoms, so many Canadians choose not to exercise their right to vote – even if they don’t have an individual they identify with or desire to vote for. Spoil your vote – show up, but don’t select a candidate. I mean, we’d see a major difference if all who chose to be voiceless were heard… ESPECIALLY the younger folk!

Anyway, there is definitely a certain nervousness for what’s to follow in the days after the results are revealed, but that is also met with a lot of excitement. It’s an exciting time to be in Uganda! There are many possibilities for the results, even though it seems likely that the status quo will remain. But there’s hope. Hope for change and hope for a better, stronger Uganda.

-the Orange Canadian

*When I first grasped this fact, I realized – in partial disbelief – that in this same span, I have lived under the “leadership” of 6 Prime Ministers, 3 (4?) of which were in the last 10 years of my life or my entire adult life/since I was eligible to vote! Paul Martin’s winning election was my very first time voting.

**Each term is 5 years.

***Throw back to the good ‘ol days of Mr. Bullock’s GBJH!

****Which is unlikely that he will lose, so please don’t worry! But also, even the head of the military says he won’t allow that to happen - regardless of who is causing havoc.

*****We’ve also been told to keep our passports handy… just in case we need to move – a precaution highly unlikely to be required.
******There have been reports of buses of people from Rwanda and South Sudan arriving in the country to vote, even though they are not Ugandan citizens. 

The Final Days of My Youth

“I’ve been worrying – that my time is a little unclear.

I’ve been worrying – that I’m losing the one’s I hold dear.

I’ve been worrying – that we all live our lives, in the confines of fear 

And I, will become what I deserve.” 

– The Fear, Ben Howard

Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve become acutely aware that my 31^st birthday is quickly approaching. This time last year, I had a countdown until the big 3-0. This year, I’ve been caught off-guard by a looming uneasiness about changing that ‘0’ to a ‘1.’ Usually the idea of aging, or stating my age, is met with a degree of pride and confidence. But this newfound reluctance of my fast approaching birthday, left me questioning, what, exactly, the issue was.

I have probably spent far too long searching for the answer to my question re: my soon to be upgraded age. There didn’t seem to be any reason for the negative sentiments I had for my birthday. That is, until I was reading an article for work on youth in Uganda, and realized Canadian youth ends after the age of 30.

This was the only picture I could find where I'm "crying."
Let's pretend the tablet is my disappearing youth...
Photo Credit: Aaron Wolf

The idea of my youth being over scares me slightly. Partly because I’m pretty sure this means I have to act a little more maturely, but also because I’m just not ready to accept being a full-fledged adult.

In a recent conversation with a friend about a project I’m trying to get started, the topic of my life abroad came up. I shared with her about my love of living in different places – especially here in Uganda – and that I thought my family feared I’d never go home. But part of that, is also my own fear that I won’t come home. For visits, yes, but I mean for the long run. And this is directly related to an ever-growing sense of guilt and responsibility to be at home, and also to the lyric found at the beginning of this post.

The thing is, for as much as I love life outside of Canada, there is a massive part of me – one that consumes more of my energy and thought than warranted – that feels like I shouldn’t be living the life I want, because I should be at home helping out and settling down (i.e. getting married an having babies). This, of course, I know is ridiculous …but, society.

The pressure to conform to what “most*” women do is overwhelming. I’ve noticed this more and more as I get older. It first really set in when I started my undergrad at age 26. Suddenly I felt panicked to complete my education in full so that I could get going on my career before I was too old to find one. However, this relaxed over my first year. When my Mom died, it resurfaced again. And now, to my surprise, I find it back, once again. But the funny thing in all of this is that marriage and baby making isn’t something I’ve ever really desired to achieve in my life, nor is it something my family questions me on. So why the pressure?

The truth is, I don’t know. My sense of responsibility has increased since my mother passed, but it’s also when I’ve really started to live. I’m continuously encouraged by friends and family – particularly my brother – to chase after every opportunity. Sure, there is often sadness upon departure, but the support far outweighs this. I shouldn’t be facing this constant dilemma of shooting for that project/accepting that contract, or making sure my family at home is being taken care of. And this is why that lyric speaks to me so… the scariest part of living away from home is the fear that those I love may not still be there when I return, or that I will lose sight the things that afforded me the opportunity to achieve what I’ve been and continue to be working towards. But I also know these last few years have allowed me to embrace it all, instead of focusing on the fear.

My Mom always used to say “honesty is the best policy!**” "you've got two legs and a heart beat!***" “There’s no time like the present!” And she was right. So, rather than focusing on my concluding youth, I’m going to be focusing on how that youth has put me exactly where I am today.

-the Orange Canadian

*Even though statistically women are doing both of these things later in life if at all! See: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/11-630-x/11-630-x2014002-eng.htm
**…wrong Judy-ism.
***…another incorrect Judy-ism.

Just Me and my Friend(s) Bil’

Warning: Some readers might find some of this post uncomfortable, if not disgusting. The following is not for those with a weak stomach or who do not like creepy crawlies.

I’m officially on the back half off my contract here in Uganda. While this is exciting, it’s additionally great that on my mid-term evaluation I was able to write under the “How are you feeling?” heading that This is the first month that I’ve had no physical health issues! The parasites have left my system! 

Well, ha-ha-ha the joke’s on me. It turns out they haven’t, and it also turns out they’re back in far greater numbers.

In November I recounted in great detail (with some over dramatization for comedic effect) my experience with Andy, my amoeba. In that case the discomfort was far more of a concern than the living organism inside me… and also because I was able to catch it fairly early. Since Andy and I parted ways I’ve periodically wondered if he had, in fact, actually left. But overall, I haven't really give him that much thought.

Before I left for Ghana*, when I learned of all the things that I could potentially contract, there was one parasite in particular that concerned me. This fear was only intensified after taking a course on waterborne illness last year – a course that dealt, in far too great of detail, on this same parasite. And that my faithful readers, is a little thing called Schistosomiasis, or Bilharzia, as it is more commonly known.

As it turns out, facing my water/drowning fears weren’t the only ones I was facing in my recent rafting adventure – for the Nile is riddled with these little guys, just waiting to cling to us unsuspecting pseudo-adrenaline junkies. That’s right – I have Bilharzia**. I can feel them swimming around in my abdomen, chewing away at my innards. And the scariest part of all of this is that I never would have suspected a thing, because I’ve shown zero symptoms***. My flat mate, however, showed every single one. He was a textbook case of Bilharzia. …Oh! Except for the fact that he didn’t actually have it. 

A sign posted at the Source of the Nile... probably should have paid better attention to this! 

I’m making light of this, slightly, because I’m honestly trying to keep calm about it. You see, while it is easily treatable when caught early enough, if it’s left ongoing, it can do some serious damage. So, the fact that it’s been fairly undetectable – looking back now, I can see some things that I probably should have clued into – it's quite disconcerting. Terrifying, even. Also, the handful of drugs I just threw back are also making me quite nauseous.

The simplest way to describe Schistosomiasis is a worm****, that enters through ones skin via tiny, microscopic snails. It’s found predominately in freshwater sources and is considered to be one of the worst water-borne diseases. Sounds fun, eh? But, then, those little friggers lay eggs in you, and when they hatch, well, that’s when the party really gets started… which is exactly the point I am at now! 

The lifecycle of Schistosomiasis
Image Source: CDC

But the more serious description of Schistosomiasis is “a disease caused by parasitic flatworms […] and are released from infected freshwater snails.” It is found most often on the African continent, although cases have been recorded all over the world… including CANADA!

It pretty much tells you what's up...
Image Source: Wikipedia

Anyway, there are two forms of this parasite – acute and chronic. Acute Schistosomiasis (which I have) is a very short-term form of the parasitic infection. If treated early enough, it can be dissolved in a day or so. Chronic Schistosomiasis, on the other hand, is far more serious – and why I am frightened of it. Without treatment, the parasites can cause abdominal pain, enlarged liver, and even an increased risk of bladder cancer, to name a few. In women, it can even cause infertility, menstrual disorders and a slew of other “fun” things. In children, the untreated parasite can lead to stunting and even “a reduced ability to learn.” Oh, also, it can cause death… in extreme cases, for all, not just children.

But before I end this post, let me just point out the irony in this present situation. Aaron SWAM in the Nile… multiple times… throughout that trip. And me, you ask? Oh, well I was in the water for about 5 minutes during the emergency procedures exercise, and then maybe 20 minutes after we got dumped out of the raft during the final rapid. 

Possibly the moment Bil and I became acquainted.
Photo Credit: Nalubale Rafting

I’ve read several articles and blurbs about the presence of Bilharzia in Jinja, and from what I understand it’s fairly uncommon for a rafting tourist to catch, because the time in the water is limited. But, as per my usual, I beat the odds and get the thing! Go me! But, at least it makes for a good blog post!

-the Orange Canadian

*almost TWO years ago!!
**There's nothing quite as sweet as hearing the nurse say "You have excellent stool!" Only to be followed by something far more sobering, such as "But your urine is full of Bilharzia." Only one of those things is making the "Achievements" category on my CV.

***From the CDC: rash and/or itchy skin, fever, cough, chills, and muscle aches.

****Yes, Mike, you can call me "Lowly" again if you wish.