moja kmojo (or something like that)

good evening from tanzania!

today was a good day.  mostly because at the end of the day, i got to play soccer in the hallway of the unit with about 6 of the little patients.  they don't speak english, and i certainly don't speak swahili (although i make some small attempts).  but, we managed to figure out the rules.  we also managed to giggle and laugh (they thought this white girl in a skirt kicking the soccer ball was pretty hilarious...even funnier when i hit them in the head with the ball - it's a soft ball, don't worry).  and, then a bunch of the little girls came up to us as we were getting ready to go and wanted our sunglasses.  so, they put them on (upside down) and started dancing, shaking their little booties!  so great!  they love glasses - the other day, a little boy took my regular glasses and put them on and gave me the best grin.  i will have to take a picture of him in my glasses.  then, we hopped in a taxi for our ride home.  sue has become quite the expert at taxi driver directing.  and, at haggling with them for their fee.  the best is when we get to our apartment gates, she says moja kmojo (which is not spelled right, i don't think.. but it works phenotically... and it means straight ahead or something).  the taxi driver tonight was so excited to hear her speak swahili!  when it was time to get out, he asked for sue's number!!  it was great - he was like, ooo la la - tall mzungu who speaks english, i must get her number!!  or, he just wanted to be able to give us more taxi rides...  one of the two. 

i thought i would just tell you all a bit what our days are like...

645AM - wake up... mostly just to the sun and to the rooster that lives somewhere near here.  maybe he lives at the spanish embassy.  we don't have any watches or clocks, but i keep my ipad handy so we can check it out.  nameeta sleeps on the window side and wakes up first, grabs the ipad, checks the time, and gets the day rolling... by crawling out of our mosquito net. 

647 - AM flip mosquito net up so it's put away for the day.

648 - AM brush teeth, apply DEET and sunscreen (dry off with cool breeze from A/C - that we only run just before bed and just as we get up), get dressed

700 AM - one of us boils water for chai, the other gets the bread from the freezer to toast, someone grabs fruit, butter and jam from the fridge and breakfast begins.  we eat outside at a beautiful table made of recovered wood, with a beauitful view of the green trees and pool (although, its currently obstructed by our drying clothes).

730 AM - bajaj driver guy arrives, we hop in - first, kristina, then nameeta, then sue - this is how we sit in any vehicle because it just works best and we are off for the 1.5 mile ride that takes about 20 minutes to drive with traffic (there are some street lights but it is unclear if they mean anything).  the police stop traffic if someone important is coming down the road, so we have to wait (apparently, we aren't THAT important). 

8AM - arrive at the hospital, give a lecture to the medical staff of the unit (one that we prepare the night before on topics ranging from acute leukemia to lymphoma to wilms - whatever they request).  we sit in this little room that is called the chemo room (i don't know why - there isn't any chemo there), and try our best to avoid bugs climbing up the chairs. 

9AM - we each go to our respective locations for rounds/clinic.  Sue is rounding on the ward called upendo - the more acutely ill children.  Nameeta is rounding on the ward called tumaini - the kids mostly chemo.  I'm going to clinic to see outpatients.  But, there is typically a moment, where we open up a wound clinic accidentally and children line up to get their wounds cleaned...

1PM - break for coke hut or lunch... and, today, we braved the canteen.  the med students did not get sick, so we felt safe.  however, we did decide to bring our own forks...  i tried to order just white rice, and the lady looked at me like i had 7 heads - as did the med student who was trying to help us order.  eventually, i settled for rice and peas.  we both thought it was buttery and delicious...and so far... so good. 

2PM - we are doing a little chart review for the team here to see how we can help look for areas of improvement for delivery of chemotherapy, and mostly because we can do this in the air conditioned clinic. 

5PM - round up Sue, take care of last minute things, high-five the kids, either walk or taxi home

we come home to delicous smelling food prepared by the wonderful Hilda.  we sit around and chat and eat and then grow sleepy.  We take showers at night, then prepare our lecture for the next day. 

10:30PM - lights out.  mosquito nets up. 

one more thing... today, i had my first close encounter with a cockroach.  it climbed out of a chart i was looking at, i promptly flung the chart, causing the cockroach to go flying toward a patient's mom, she and i both screamed, dr jane laughed.  she told me they come toward me because i don't like them.  so, then i looked at the cockroach and told him i liked him, and asked him to pass it on to all of his little friends.