Our last week here: reflection….
So our last week here has been slow and relaxing—much appreciated after the torture of Kilimanjaro! The month has gone by quickly and I feel like I got a lot out of this trip culturally, less from a medicine point of view. However, I prefer it that way. I did not do much at the hospital for the month, but that seems to be the trend here. There is no schedule for most things, and you need to put in a great deal of effort just to find something to do after morning report. It is a very ‘pole, pole’ atmosphere and it seemed the medical students and interns did about as much work as we did! I could have been more active, but I did see and experience a good amount nonetheless. I wanted to mix a few things into this month: travel/tourism, cultural experiences, adventure and medicine. For the short month we were here, I think we were able to accomplish something from each category. The people here are so welcoming and kind. Not once did I feel unsafe. Every once in a while someone would bug you to buy something, but that was the worst of it. Having Bob from Nebraska here was a great help, as he has now lived here over 5 years and practically runs the place. Wildabeast stew for dinner at his place was delicious and we saw his extensive collection of ‘stuffed animals’ from his hunting adventures –true Nebraskan style :P It was interesting to see things through his eyes in comparison to a local. It was a better learning experience that way, and we experienced more of the culture with him. I still can’t believe how small the world is: a Nebraskan in Tanzania that we just coincidentally met who runs a rural hospital near Mt. Kilimanjaro! Connecting with people is such an amazing thing….
We said our goodbyes in the chapel this morning. We heard one last performance by the choir. I took some more pictures of the hospital grounds, and we gave back our white coats to Bob. I also gave Mr. Mushi my blood pressure cuff, a small donation that I am sure the hospital needs more than me. We head to Kilimanjaro airport this evening and off to Zanzibar for a few days….
I have been reading a lot since we set out on this trip. Currently, I am reading the amazing novel by Jared Diamond “Guns, Germs, and Steel”. It is so broad and relevant to our journeys this year. It generally asks the question: “Why did different societies develop in such different ways across the globe?” It’s a historical picture from the beginning of our species to present day and it outlines all of the causes and interpretations of such changes/developments. It is an interesting read, especially as I (European roots) sit in East Africa where homo sapiens originated from and branched out from. The complexity and history of us is such a fascinating journey. It is great to be able to sit down and read something like this for pleasure. …
I am so happy to be here. I am so lucky to have this opportunity. Travel has always pulled me in different directions. It has always had a pull on me. I have always wanted to see what I don’t know. Experiencing the unknown exhilarates me! Every new setting, every new experience, every new sight and sound, teaches me something more about myself and the world around me. It makes me more aware and more informed. I love the feeling of stepping into the unknown, becoming familiarized with it, and then coming out knowing more and more! I wouldn’t say that I feel fully comfortable here. It is, after all, a world away from what I am used to and what I have grown to know. However, I am adapting better with each day, and each new learning step makes me want to see more and more! It seems to be a never ending passion for me—Kilimanjaro and safari and Zanzibar this time, but next time will be the mountain gorillas of Rwanda and Congo, South Africa, Namibia, etc…..The world is just too big and there is not enough time for it! But, for now, I will enjoy the present, and take in as much of Tanzania as I can, an experience like no other….
