“Hakuna maji” – a familiar phrase for me now since it’s been uttered every day for the past 2 weeks in the morning meetings and ward rounds. It means, no water! More recently, for the past 36 hours we have also had no electricity. I am very pleased I brought my headtorch and that we have kerosene. I wouldn’t like to imagine going through a whole day without my chai (tea J ).
In other news, I have still not got sick, it is still very hot and still everyone is being diagnosed with malaria. It appears that some people have forgotten that there are other causes for fever in the tropics. I have been working in paediatrics the past whiley and have been enjoying noting all the different reactions the children have to seeing me. I have been surprised that most haven’t started crying until I have tried to put a stethoscope on them, and they do that even with the Tanzanian docs! The art is to listen to their breathing through the screams and/ or through them gurgling breastmilk.
I feel pretty settled in here now – I am trying to not get frustrated with the pole pole (slow) pace of life but instead embrace it and enjoy it. I am getting to know some student nurses and enjoyed going away for the weekend with my hostel-mates George, Ruth and Nicky. I have started my project on childhood immunisations and have already achieved...managing to annoy the immunisation nurses by continuously asking them why there are pages of reports missing and nothing documented for entire months... I have also got pretty good at making dishes from tomatoes, onions and rice/pasta, which nearly sums up everything that can be bought in Muheza! Night routine= bucket shower, put fan on, apply insect repellent, tuck in mozzy net, set alarm for 6.30am, sleep. J
Hope you are really cold at home...heehee. Love Emma
