Before I came to Uganda, I thought the trip was going to be like another quarter of college with some adventure thrown in, and my dad said it sounded like a mini vacation. It turns out that both of us were wrong. Over the past 4 weeks I have discovered that, although the program is unlike any quarter spent at Northwestern, I'm learning more than I ever could in a classroom. We may only be taking three classes, and they may only meet in the mornings, but it is the time outside of the classroom where I feel like I learn the most. Now, I know this sounds cheesy, but let me explain. Our fourth "class" involves doing an individual project. It can be research, an internship, a performance, or just learning about and helping an NGO. The whole idea is that it should be tailored to the individual strengths, interests, and goals of the student. As I have developed my Photovoice research, made contacts in the community to find participants, and worked out the kinks of how a project dreamed up in the States will play out in a Ugandan context, I have been the most rewarded. My project, which looks into the HIV/AIDS experience of family members and caretakers of individuals infected with HIV, has given me a chance to learn about the reality of the disease outside of a classroom setting. Now, that's not to say that our Public Health classes haven't been phenomenal, because they have. We have heard lectures by some of the most famous Ugandan doctors, researchers, and scientists, and I am truly honored to have met them. But, graphs in a slideshow and theoretical models only go so far in conveying the true scope of disease in Uganda. Perhaps it's my anthropological training, but I love the human experience--I have to witness the real-life impact to fully appreciate the statistics from class.
For our first set of exams, I found it particularly difficult to study. It had nothing to do with how hard the material was or a lack of understanding, but rather because I felt I could be using the time in a different way. Instead of studying charts of disease indicators specific to Uganda, I felt like I could have been getting more experience with public health in the field--and many times I did. At home, I appreciate the university setting in which teaching is more structured, but my time in Uganda has taught me how important informal observation and training can be. As much as grades on a transcript might matter, for the past four weeks I'd rather have been learning untested material. At the end of these ten weeks I think I will look back and feel most rewarded by the time spent doing our "practicum" in the community. Facts and figures are important, but I have a newfound appreciation for unconventional learning and an increasing patience for the laid-back attitude and lack of promptness and planning that is customary in Ugandan society.
No comments:
Post a Comment