This week is already substantially better than our start to the last. We know our way around and how things work so it’s a lot more comfortable. The food, as I’ve ranted, is really monotonous, so we’ve been buying produce to add to the rice and beans diet (avocado, beans, noodles, and cabbage is our favorite). The next one to try is mango in the rice and beans (inspired by a meal my Mom used to cook all the time). Also, we brought our own soap and extra toilet paper so the bathroom thing is conquered (we also found the shower that doesn’t also have a toilet- I’m pretty pumped).

                For the first two days this week we’ll go to the clinic and the final days we’ll spend at the villages. We bought mosquito nets that we didn’t end up needing, (next week is Lushoto and it’s too cold for mosquitos) so we gave them to the medical students to bring to the villages. The families get tired of answering surveys and not seeing a result that benefits them. They hear empty promises of change and give information to people who give nothing back (to them directly) so we will bring the nets to the villages this time as a peace offering of sorts. The clinic yesterday was interesting. I’ve realized that extent of the unbalanced diet here. There is a substantial lack in education as well as resources. For example, a woman was starting to wean her child off breast milk at 2 months, another was giving her newborn tea in addition to breast milk. People eat meat about 2-4 times a month, and fish 4-5 times a month. Fruit is more common, many people eating it 5 times a week (because so many are farmers) but during the dry season these numbers will drop. I am much more grateful now that we get such luxuries at each meal, I get a vegetable on the side of my rice and beans each time, and have the money to buy fruit whenever I like. Marc gets meat at both lunch and dinner.

Notes:

1. The babies were adorable, I almost died. They all have the plumpest cheeks I’ve ever seen and they kind of stare off at the corner when they’re really little. I considered throwing all my clothes away and putting one in my carry-on.
2. MOM: I’ve heard that it charges us less if we get calls from the US instead of us calling you so I could then talk on the phone longer (I think, it’s just a rumor right now) so we should test it out and compare. However I think it might charge you… so maybe check after you call the first time and see how much it was. And don’t call me until I call you and say that I have more minutes! I was at like 9000 shillings and then called Wilson.. so we’ll have to try it this weekend or next week.
3. Doxy (malaria drug) definitely gives you weird dreams, I have a ton of them each night. (Dad- I had a dream you crashed your motorcycle so be extra careful with it until I get back?)

We started our final project! We’re interviewing each of the students about their opinions of public health in Tanzania, how it compares to the US, and a few questions about us working together. It’s been interesting, we’ve gotten some good responses, and the guys talk a lot more than the girls which was unexpected.

Something that has really started to stand out to us is the education system here. The students (in our eyes) are very underprepared in terms of being a doctor. They’re in their 4^th year of med school and we keep noticing a lack of motivation, sense of responsibility, and just lack of knowledge; all kind of scary. For example, we took one of their exams and answered all the questions in half the time, or that when they’re asked basic questions about healthcare by their professor, they struggle greatly. I’m not sure what they’ve spent the last 4 years on, but they need skills! Dr. Kessey was here and was talking to them about what they’ve done and seen, but they would barely answer- it was like pulling teeth. The students wouldn’t make eye contact with her (something I thought was rude) and when she would call on people for a response, they could barely be heard and would say very little (something that seemed childish and immature). A few times she ended up asking us the questions, which we answered correctly-  I know that the culture is difference, but I fear for the patients they’re about to treat. The med students are all lovely, and in certain respects they are very smart (like about world news) but they just are not ready to be doctors.

notes:

1. being vegetarian is super weird here, Richard asked me if I had registered as a vegetarian in the US.. and asked me if I owned animals? like I love them so much that I must have a pet cow? (Dad- if you had bought me that pig I wanted this could have been true) A few of the questions are a little offensive, they just don’t understand, which is understandable, but it’s getting old to explain it to someone who’s never heard of such a thing. it’s like if I met someone who refused to eat cereal because the toys in the box would lose a home

2. Marriage is weird here- the men essentially buy their bride from the family, took me a while to explain that I want someone who will make me happy, not someone with a huge wallet, and that they didn’t have to ask my parents first because I’m the one getting married

Location: Kibiti, Tanzania