7813

...my official registration number with the Uganda Nurse and Midwives Council. At least I think that's what I remember seeing on the form. Needless to say, I am officially registered as of today, 9 Sept. 2008 as a nurse in Uganda. After the process of the last several months, this feels like a big deal. You wanna know what's also a big deal? That it only took me two hours in the office to accomplish this monumental task! I was honestly prepared for it to take almost all day. I went with my water bottle and ipod in tow.

So, yes, I was rockin' out to Old Crow Medicine Show sitting in the Council waiting room this morning. "Rock me mama like the wind and the rain, rock me mama like a southbound train, hey, mama rock me..." While everyone else was watching/listening to Ugandan pop music videos. Tell you the truth I was watching the videos while listening to OCMS...the music was all in Luganda so the audio doesn't do me any good anyways. But it was quite the juxtaposition, Ugandan pop music videos with OCMS as the soundtrack...anyways, I digress.

There were a few moments when I thought I was gonna blow a fuse...

Administrator Lady: "We also need 2 smaller passport photo sized black and white pictures for the ID card..."
Heidi (internally): you've gotta be kidding me, I bring 3 black and white 5.5cmx5cm photos and you're telling me you want two more of a different size? just cut the bigger ones down to whatever size you want for goodness sakes...
Heidi (audibly): "you need them, (throat clearing), today?"

or

Administrator Lady: (handing the handwritten letter confirming my registration with the council to be given to immigration for continuing on with my work permit progress to the receptionist) "You type this for this one her. She needs to take it with her."
Receptionist: "My computer, it's not working. I don't know why" (with a puppy dog like sad smile on her face as if to say 'sucks for you!')
Heidi (internally): you've gotta be kidding me. let me type it for you, her computer was working back there in her office, let's try, beyond all cultural norms, to be pro-active
Administrator Lady: "These ones, they need their letters, you find another computer, let someone else come here."
Heidi (internally): "that's what I'M talkin' about!"

But in the end, it all worked out. I delivered the letter this afternoon to my friend Richard at MAF who does some of our immigration work for us in Kampala, and he was duly impressed. That was satisfying. He understood what a long process this has been, and understood my enjoyment of being able to put that letter of recommendation in his hands. He says he'll deliver it to immigration tomorrow.

The interesting thing about the timing of all of this is that today is Sept. 9, 2008, the day I "passed the test" and got registered as a nurse in Uganda. 7 years ago (minus 3 days), on Sept. 12, 2001 (yes the day after 9/11) I took my nursing board exam at home, the NCLEX exam, and passed (although I didn't find that out until weeks later), which rendered me a Registered Nurse in the United States of America, or at least in Pennsylvania.

So, Sept. is a big month in my nursing career it seems.