The Plight of My UK journey.

Many have it different when it comes to their relocation journeys. I finished off medical school as one of the most excited female students. I was only 23 and soon turning 24, but despite my young age I was very expectant and ambitious when thinking of what to do next.?

During my bachelors degree, I rotated in Sweden as an international student from Makerere University. This experience broadened my ideas about life and career greatly. I wanted something unique and beautiful which might be considered as a huge challenge by many and difficult to achieve.

Immediately after my internship, that year I started my journey toward a UK career. I have always wanted to be an interventional cardiologist although knowing very well the training for that in Uganda is very scarce. I say neither my sex nor my financial background as a limitation and at this point no human being could convince me otherwise.

Quickly booked for my PLAB 1 exam in 2019, I began diligent personal revision and using all kinds of online material to elevate my knowledge and chances of passing the exam. That very year I was pregnant with my precious first born Hailey, and amidst all else my magnitude of revision only elevated. I refused to quit my dream journey. My friends have always said I am resilient in ways even I don't know of. Over time I am coming to believe they are right and embracing multiple unique truths of my personality.

Later in June my adorable little Hailey was welcomed into my life. It was another experience altogether that I hadn't planned for fully to be entangled in my gigantic career visions. In which I had persistently refused to be a regular girl who simply grows up and marries then stays home dealing with chores and raising children. However, enticing that sounds, it had never been my portion. I wanted more than that, I wanted to have it both ways.

During my maternity leave, amidst all the baby sitting and postpartum blues, I ensured I prepared sufficiently for PLAB 1 and passed with flying colors. I booked for PLAB 2 as soon as possible but unfortunately, later on in 2020 we had the Covid pandemic and Uganda was added to the red list. Sadly, this meant I could not travel to the UK to do the exam, so I had to wait until 2022 where I secured the earliest exam booking.?

I moved into one of the Academies in UK, Manchester City, I knew no one and most of my bookings from accommodation to Hotels were secured online. I had never been to the UK and I cannot lie to you that I wasn't scared to death. I knew no one in the UK and even a few connections I got here and there from people who knew someone were not helpful. They even gave me options of sleeping in church accommodations to reduce costs but none was willing to house me or show me around. I realized it's mainly in Africa where that extreme hospitality is not considered strange. It finally hit me am on my own as always and my mind had to be at its best level of inventing ideas.

I remember reaching the airport in Manchester city and asking myself, now your hear what next? My friend Rodney, who had arrived a day before, directed me on what bus to take to get to the hotel I had booked. I only had money for booking for the academy, accommodation and some little balances for food throughout my stay their. On such a fixed budget I needed to find accommodation near the academy as soon as possible. Tired as I was, I just dropped my luggage at the hotel reception. Then left to look for the location of Swamy's academy. It was at least one hour away from the hotel.?

At the academy I joined the sessions half way and only had 21 days before my exam. Classes started at 9:00am-7:00pm on a daily basis. It was around February and it was the end of winter. I barely saw the sun, I only rested 1 hour after class and resumed discussions with a reading partner for 2 hours. Later on I would rehearse alone through scenarios until past midnight. I often slept at 2:00am. Eventually the exam came and I remember the lines being full of Indians and Asians. On the day of my exam I was the only African or black person. I told my spirit not to get intimidated now after coming such a long way. I immediately said my brief prayer in my heart while I waited in the lobby. The good news is I excelled one more time at Plab 2.

At this point my envisioned story was my UK practicing license in 3 months and a job in 5 to 7 months. It wasn't that easy. I needed to redo my English exam. Several months later of applying for NHS jobs with no success got me feeling sick in my stomach. I would feel my impatience grow yet I had to balance and maintain my daily routines. Oftentimes I read a bible verse or prayed in order to calm down my nerves. Suddenly one day I received an interview for a Junior doctor in the Urology department. I told myself there is hope actually. To my own disappointment after the interview, I wasn't even contacted to let me know I had failed or passed the interview. I felt it was done for formality for inclusion and matters of to seem equal and equitable but they already had their own goals in mind. After a whole two months of waiting I decided to move on and at this point, I would struggle to even log into these job websites to apply, it was demoralizing at all levels.?

At the moment when I had completely given up, suddenly I was contacted by one of the hospitals I had applied to. It seemed like a joke, I didn't bring myself to believe I was finally relocating until 4 weeks to my departure. I would glare at my environment and everyone in it with disbelief of leaving them in a few days time. I got a placement in a hospital in Bournemouth south of England. I can't deny it has the best weather and is one of the most beautiful towns in the UK. Suddenly, it started to feel like all the hard work and waiting was worth it. I have come to believe that all creation begins in the mind. How far your mind can take you is how far you can possibly go.