Why and Where?

Three days ago I upgraded to Ubuntu 12.04. I now view this as a HUGE mistake. Ubuntu is purported to be user friendly, with the user of each computer having the freedom to personalize their desktop as they desire. It is also supposed to be one of the LInux distros that is friendly to beginners. I began using Ubuntu almost two years ago. I began with 10.04, learned on that, upgraded to 10.10, and then to 11.04. I still had the look of the Gnome 2 desktop, because my graphics card would not allow Unity to run. I liked it, it was user friendly, and I felt for the first time in my life as though I had a computer OS that was set up specifically to my needs and which I could control. I was a real fan of Ubuntu and encouraged my friends to try it. I learned to add and delete software and had fun doing it. And I could change the appearance on my desktop with ease. Now I am in 12.04. I am running the 2D Unity. I have NO control of my desktop at all. I am able to surf the web, open the software center and LIbre Office (which does not open properly) and and open the dashboard. My installed programs tab indicates that I have a terminal installed, as well as a calculator, Thunderbird Mail, software for managing my passwords, menu, etc. and this evening, after doing some reading on the subject, I have installed the launcher and docker to revert to Gnome 2 desktop.
Now the program which I installed this evening, and which originally showed as installed along with accessories that go with it, have disappeared from my computer. And the listing for them has also disappeared from my list of software. I found no way to switch the desktop to the Gnome look once I had the program installed either. NONE of the aforementioned applications show on my desktop, or in my computer, nor can they be accessed, despite being listed as installed. I feel as though I am in a cardboard box of a size about four feet by four feet, and that is about all the space I have to wander around in. Really I can do NOTHING with my computer except check e-mail. and I won't even consider using Libre Office or entrusting anything I write into it, until this is all straightened out. So, by upgrading I now have a computer with which I can surf the web . . . period.
I have several questions. 1. Where are my programs and why do I have no menu application for finding them? 2. Where did the program I installed tonight go? 3. If I uninstall Unity 2D, will that help restore the Gnome 2 look and allow me to find the missing programs? Please do not ask me to type anything into the terminal. I can't. I can't locate it. And I don't know how anyway. I'm a newbie and have never been shown how to do that. It isn't that I am not willing to learn. Thanks for listening. I'd appreciate any help you can give.