Settling into life in Masaka

It's been a week and a half since I arrived to my final destination of Masaka.  My first impression of Masaka is that it is beautiful here but I don't mean only in a landscape kind of way. The area is lush with vegetation but also, the people are so friendly. They work very hard but then seem to really enjoy themselves as they do it. I am working at the Masaka Regional Referral Hospital four days a week. I walk to and from my practicum site each of those days. It's a lovely walk and everyone on the street says hello and waves. We are foreigners but feel so welcomed.We have even been escorted to the hospital from some children from the daycare where Jaclyn is working!
More so than anything else, the dedication of my supervisor Thomas is inspiring. He truly cares for his patients. He  is a clinician but has also organised mental health support groups, and home visits as well as even football games between neighbouring support groups. This dedication is returned by such thankfulness from the patients. Each time that I go into the Mental Health Unit, there are several people who come up to me to tell me their stories. The stories are of how their medicine has made them able to work and contribute at their home. I feel very honoured to hear each of their stories. I have been overwhelmed with how positive everyone has been from the patients all the way up to the clinicians. I look forward to learning more from Thomas and his colleagues as well as hearing more of the patients stories as my practicum continues.