“Pick a country and do something remarkable there” they said.
As an intercalating medical student in International Health, this proved to be a daunting challenge. The trickiest bit of course – finding the country in which a tan and saving the world could be incorporated in one.
With my heart set on East Africa and the (perhaps) stereotypical urge to save the children, I managed to procure a chance to conduct some research about exclusive breastfeeding in one of Uganda’s many deprived Parishes within Kampala. Finding the perfect host who was willing to help develop my research project was the easy part – or so I thought! Months of research and planning ensued. I had to attend numerous lectures, undergo meticulous ethical checks and vehemently swear to never get into a vehicle without a seatbelt, and to slather on factor 50 sunscreen at all times in order to pass the most rigorous of risk assessments.
There was also the challenge of positively ‘adapting’ the information provided by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office regarding the risk of terrorism and recent bomb attacks in an attempt to calm a nervous wreck of a mother upon finding out my travel plans. However, I have learnt that nothing can ever prepare you for the problematic situation of turning up in an unfamiliar country and after spending three days attempting to track down the ever elusive host, being told that she’s randomly decided to move to Norway. I believe the exact words were: “Ah, you must be the Mzungu. I was going to tell you, but I got busy. I am moving to Norway.”
Despite all these setbacks, I still remain a strong advocate for conducting research abroad whilst intercalating if you get the chance. Nothing is more rewarding than when everything finally falls into place and the actual research can finally begin. Working conjointly with a translator and a community guide, I was guided round the Parish and introduced to participants willing to be subjected to my many questions. I was welcomed into a world totally different from my own and was genuinely moved by the level of kindness and hospitality shown towards me. And yes, don’t judge me, but it has to be said that my communication skills definitely improved. There is definitely something to be learnt when attempting to explain exclusive breastfeeding using only hand gestures when the translator isn’t available. But in all seriousness, I was introduced to so many inspiring people, my passion for Medicine was reinvigorated, and I now have many exciting anecdotes to share with friends who are too polite to remind me that I’ve already told them the story of when I almost got eaten by a lion whilst in a make-shift tent! I really do recommend giving research abroad a go if you get the chance, it’s not as hard as you think and I assure you, you won’t regret it!
Ps. Just to clarify, the lion turned out to be a group of hyenas, but nevertheless, only the donkey living next to me was eaten.
I am a fourth year medic at the University of Leeds with a keen interest in paediatrics. Some call it broodiness, I call it a passion...
