As the children energetically yet patiently teach us each day, Jambo, Mambo, and Good Morning Teacha are just a few of the many acceptable salutations offered to everyone encountered. This reflection of intense community spirit is a welcoming reminder of the incredible value of universal salutations and the respect they engender. It's wonderful to be back in the land of long walks, random chats with new people, and compulsory salutations. It is remarkable how respectful these children are with playful greetings and light conversation in Swahili (which I can pretend to understand by judging the nature of their smiles). Some roll tires or bike wheels alongside us, greeting us in Swahili, trying a little English, or just smiling and staring up at us a little-- without chanting and only rare demands for money. They seem to be accustomed to living with Mzungus, and they enjoy interacting with us as real people. The 6 km walk to work is hilly, but it has been a delightful form of exercise with the accompaniment of schoolchildren.
My flight through Amsterdam found me a new batman wristwatch, and my voyage was only slightly delayed with de-icing in Amsterdam prior to departure and a little intense visa discussion at the airport. My taxi driver waited for me for a few hours, and he looked purely relieved to see me...the last person from my flight out of the airport. I tried to explain the need for de-icing the planes in Amsterdam, but it was a complication that seemed rather peculiar to him. As we walked to his taxi, his buddies at the airport all shouted out to him that they were glad he found me. There was so much support and no irritation for my delay-- a lovely introduction to this culture. We had a lovely chat en route to Arusha on a beautifully paved road. My "host-mother" Linda (the wife of the doctor who moved here after residency at the U to start 2 hospitals) met me at my house around midnight and gave me some keys and a phone along with some basic orientation. Linda is an effervescent woman with a heart of gold and a creative, quick wit that is a pleasure to experience. She drove Ryan (med/peds resident staying in Arusha through Feb) and me to the " Pic n Pay" Middle-Eastern Grocery Store for one of the most lively grocery visits I've ever experienced. She gave us a tour of the 5 aisles and greeted every third person whole-heartedly (they were close friends) as she shopped and advised us on our shopping. It was a great introduction to the community, and it was followed by a visit to the Dutch fruit/vegy vendor. We pulled up to the gate and noted that it was closed, but she was not deterred. She found a way to slide open the gate and walked in to ask what their hours were. It was 5:58, and she thought it had closed 2 minutes early. She came running back to the car in a minute to tell us we could enter to buy food. The market had closed at 5, but the vendor was more than happy to welcome us to buy some of the most delicious mangoes, avocados, greens, oranges, and tomatoes. Arusha is a very large city, but Linda has delightfully created a tight-knit community that suddenly gives it the feel of a warm, small town. Today we heard that she took out a few of the medical students from New Zealand cheese shopping, which caused a instant pang of jealousy and regret. The Linda fan club is vast but devoted, and I can't wait to meet with her again!
We met with Dr. Mark Jacobson and Dr. Steve Swanson, toured the 2 hospitals of Arusha Lutheran Medical Centre and Selian, and have now had an opportunity to follow interns, registrars, and AMO students on rounds at Selian. There has been talk of the creation of didactic sessions such as morning report and case presentations. However, presence during daily rounds and coaching with the ultrasound machine seem to be of particular importance for the hospital staff at Selian. After a few more days learning the system, I plan to ask some of the staff what their needs are and try to match them with my skills to pave a position for the UN global health chiefs in the future. In the meantime, I'm thoroughly enjoying refreshing rains, long walks to the hospitals on bumpy dirt paths surrounded by bright green foliage, banana trees, palms, and corn fields with cows herding by, the same African dog calmly watching, and an endless stream of energetic children walking to and from school and fetching water.
Sunset en route to Kilimanjaro Airport
One of the many beautiful hibiscus bushes blooming in front of our house
A pretty, but unlucky bird with a blue tail who slammed into our window and temporarily sat dazed under our porch chair
Ryan (aka the Flash) joyfully running from our house in the morning on the way to work
Med students from New Zealand and Ryan, walking back to our house
Purple flowers marking the outside of our house
