Entebbe pizza and helping doggies

We had 'za for the first time in a month (and) in Uganda, and well, the crust was quite nice but they forgot the sauce, well they call it tomato and it turns out you have to ask for tomato on your pizza.  The ambiance couldn't be better, it was on the beach on Lake Victoria. The lake flies are only active for an hour, like a cloud they pass, and then they mate and fall asleep or cuddle in the bushes or something. So you only have to cover your drink for an hour and make sure you don't chew with your mouth open. Entebbe is a 1 hour drive north of Kampala and also where the main airport is.  Coincidently enough, Entebbe is also a 2 hour drive from Kampala during rush hour on a Friday, see just like Chicago...  I don't miss not driving at the moment. Hey Ma, no road rage =)

Meeting James from Uganda Wildlife Education Center (UWEC) went very well.  We all just wanted to get to know each other and not talk business too much.  Dom and I, Innocent and Lawrence (who Dom is working with on a PhD) all drove together from Kampala.  As expected, UWEC reminds me just like Munda Wanga Environmental Park in Zambia.  We were all invited by James to see the park, and behind the scenes on Saturday so we are very much looking forward to that. I hope to be invited to volunteer sometime, we'll see. It is definitely NOT ok to be pushy in Africa... especially as a muzungu... I'm sure you are all holding your breath for me, yes I'm working on holding my tongue in everything that i do!

Jonna and Tasha applying Frontline



dark dog run over by a bus-twice. blondie has two limbs macheted off.




Did you think this strip mall photo was a mistake from my chicago batch? nope, in Kampala, SUVs and all




Kampala traffic at a round-a-bout. not efficient, who designed these things in the first place?




polluted sunset, very nice though, barely out of the city now.

 Jonna took me to the ASPCA (in Uganda =USPCA?) where she volunteers on an almost full-time basis.   The dogs were due for their monthly Frontline application. Luckily this is not invasive, it's just some goo that goes on the skin on the back of their necks to kill ticks and fleas.  Jonna was hoping to get half the dogs done with mine and Tasha's help, but things went smoother than we expected and we finished 50+ dogs in less than 2 hours.  And no bite wounds to boot!  The doggies were sweethearts, each wth a different story.  The puppies were adorable and need homes, anyone, anyone? from Uganda? haha. I didn't bring one home, but it was tempting...The cats were cute too, for all you cat lovers.

Most cultures don't worship their pets like we do in the States. In fact, they usually abuse domestic animals, especially the street cat and dog.  Not only are the animals misunderstood, but the people do not have the means to help them even if they wanted to.  So as you can imagine, the issues involved in stray animals is complicated and numerous. But this is not different at all from the problems we have in the States where animals are also abused and not neutered, etc. The only difference in the States is that the spectrum is wider - those who hire masseuses for their pets, and those who ignore 'em.

   So, the moral of the story is: take a visit to your nearest ASPCA in whatever country you reside; they need your help.   
 xoxoxoAMY