Jambo, from Arusha! Hope this finds you well! Since my last update, I have shifted into spending more time on the internal medicine ward at Selian Lutheran Hospital, the government district hospital at the outskirts of town. The walk to Selian, as I have mentioned previously, is quite beautiful and offers plenty of time to interact with the school children who come and go at similar times as us. I would suffice the walking experience to say that the only thing you can truly expect is the distance. The walk is long, literally up hill the entire way (but not both ways), but it is often quite refreshing and one of the closest interactions we have with the community around us. Work at Selian has engaging, with many interesting cases and a great group of coworkers. The Xray machine, which has been a prolonged saga of working, not working, working again, not working, is currently working! It is something that I have taken for granted in my practice to have a simple device such as an Xray; it is a luxury that I had come to rely on, but being without it has definitely stretched our skills in physical examination and creativity. That being said, it is a relief to have it back.

This week for our Swahili lesson I would like to introduce kwaheri. The meaning is simple,; it is equivalent to good-bye.  Literally, it means go with luck or happiness, which adds some richness to the expression, in my opinion. I wanted to introduce this word today, not because I am leaving (still have about 4 months left here), but because a good friend is departing. If you remember from some of my wintertime updates, Joseph is one of the pediatric registrars who has been at Selian for about 3 years. Beginning my time in Tanzania on the pediatric ward at Selian, Joseph was a peer with whom I was completely impressed. There is something entirely different about Joseph: a joy in the work that he does, a commitment to improving the care of patients, and a curiosity in the science and art of medicine that makes him one of Selian’s best young doctors. His knowledge of pediatrics is impressive, especially for not having formal training in the field, and he is always looking to add to it. On top of his skills in pediatrics, he also has a rich personality, both humorous and introspective. I had the great opportunity to host Joseph while he spent one month in Minneapolis taking the Tropical Medicine Course offered at the University. It was then that we really became friends. This year Joseph was accepted into a pediatrics residency program in China, which is a tremendous opportunity. He plans to return to Selian to continue his work in pediatrics after his 3 years of training. Selfishly, I am entirely sad to see him leave. It is an odd feeling to be in Arusha long enough to see many people coming and leaving; but of all the people I have met, I will certainly miss Joseph the most. But I recognize the significance of his departure, that he is becoming the future of Tanzania; this opportunity is part of the fulfillment of his goals and a new piece of hope for Selian. Thus, it is with a heavy and hopeful heart that I say, kwaheri, go with luck, my friend.