Back from safari and back to Zanzibar! Ahh... so lovely to be back on the beach. And sooo beautiful here. We're in the northern part now which is a little more populated and touristy (as much as Africa gets, I guess) but still lovely. We had a very long day of traveling yesterday, took the 6 am bus from Arusha (9 hours long) then a two hour ferry then an hour cab ride. Basically half the trip home time wise. The safari was AMAZING though! We saw everything we wanted to see, including lots of babies. Baby elephants, giraffes, zebras, wildebeasts, warthogs (little Pumba's... they were just so cute... "are you hungry for a hunk of fat and juicy meat?"... hehe, watch Lion King again if you don't get that), lions, and even cheetahs. The little cheetahs were my favorite. We got very lucky, our guide told us there was only a 50/50 chance we would see a cheetah at all, and we saw a male one hunting and then a female one with her two little cubs SUPER close. We were probably 20 feet from them... in the middle of the Serengeti. Very cool. We did have to camp... like in real tents and everything, but I managed very well, if I do say so myself. I mean, if Caroline's mom can handle it, I think I can. She was very excited at our first camp site to find that the bathroom had a plug so she could use her hairdryer (that she brought on SAFARI) to style her bangs in the morning. SOO funny. She did well too though, even though we were told that we could not use the bathroom at night because animals regularly came into the camp site at night. Yikes! One night as we were using the bathroom right before bed when it had already gotten dark, Caroline peaked around the little building that had the bathroom, and let out one of the most genuinely terrified screams I have ever heard! Her mom and I thought it was hilarious until we peaked around also and saw nothing but darkness at first until all of a sudden two pairs of yellow glowing eyes were staring directly back at us. They sort of looked like devil eyes, and we realized they were coming from two water buffalo that were directly behind the bathroom. I just about died when those eyes appeared I was so startled! We didn't find out until the next day that they are apparently very aggressive animals. Good thing we didn't know that then... there probably would have been more running and less laughing if we'd known!
Can't wait to show everyone my pictures from the safari and talk more about it... I think I could go on for days about how cool/beautiful it was. I just can't get over how lucky I am to be here and be able to have all of these experiences that so few people ever get to do! (Thanks Mom and Dad... and Wash U!)
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Done with work... until I'm a real doctor! Yikes!
Last day of work today! All done. Pretty weird... as Jess pointed out, that was my last day of work until I'm an intern. Crazy. I took lots of pictures and left them with a few of the things I brought with me (scrubs and safety goggles). I gave the safety goggles to the doctor who is the head of ob/gyn because he was operating with these terrible glasses. They were this awful thick clear (well, used to be clear... now turning yellowish) plastic (picture super thick coke bottle glasses from the seventies), and get this... one the lenses was completely shattered into this star figure. And HE OPERATED WITH THEM! How in the world you could operate like that I don't know. So anyway, I handed him mine and said, "Please Dr. Marwa... please please take these." He was hesitant at first, not sure if they were good, he claimed. But then when he put them on he was convinced. It was sad though because two of the younger surgeons in the room got these wide eyes and looked at me hopefully and said, "Ohh... do you have any more?!" I didn't, but where I got mine in the anatomy lab there is a huge bin just full of glasses people have left behind. Such a simple thing, but I never thought to bring extra. Only one other doctor has his own glasses, and other than that they all just operate without any eye protection. Pretty scary. Everyone at the hospital also really wanted my shoes (crocs) and my purse (flowered, which I got at a resale shop and literally cost me negative 7 dollars). I felt bad about not giving these to them, but the shoes were not really that cheap (even though I got them at the outlet) and will be good for next year (plus, I couldn't decide which of the many nurses who requested them I should give them to), and it's the only purse I brought with me, so I need to have something to carry for the rest of the trip and home with me. (Plus, the purse if really dirty!) They also were requesting things of me like a doppler for the labor ward (to listen to the babies heart tones) and a watch (guess she just wanted one). It's easy to feel taken advantage of when you give them a few simple things and then just keep asking for more, but you can't really blame them. They just see white person who had enough money to fly across the world just to volunteer in a hospital, they can't really differentiate "student with a hundred thousand dollars in debt whose school and parents paid for the trip" from anyone else.
On a different note, getting very excited about the safari and then back to Zanzibar! When we were on Zanzibar before we stayed in a "town" called Jambiani on the east coast. We picked it because it is supposed to have the bluest water of anywhere on the island. This could definitely be true, it was gorgeous. The water is so blue because it is so shallow for SO far out. Which makes the tides pretty crazy too. When we first arrived the tide was out, and I remember being so disappointed at this beach! All there was was sand and beached boats (called daos) for hundreds of yards out... where was the ocean?! It was hard to believe that in a few hours all that water would be right up to us at the beach. But indeed it was, and when the water was in it really was extremely blue and pretty. You could walk out seemingly forever into the ocean too since it was so shallow. The hotel itself was very nice, small, with about 15 little bungalows and an open air restaurant perched right on an overhang above the ocean. Unfortunately it was also seaweed season, so the beach was sort of covered in dried seaweed, but it really didn't make too much of a difference as we mostly lay on the comfy lounge chairs near the small pool looking out at the sea. Also, we couldn't even lay in the sun for more than a few hours a day because it was so strong and we were just so darn white.
The town of Jambiani itself probably wouldn't really be considered a town anywhere else... more of a village/collection of mud homes with thached/corrogated metal roofs. There was a herd of goats that liked to sleep on the "street" (dirt) outside the gate to the hotel. Needless to say, we rarely left the grounds of the hotel, except occationally to buy bottled water (cheaper than at the hotel) from a TINY store front down the way, and one night to go to a bar (literally just a wooden bar with a few stools plopped right down in the sand on the beach covered by a thached hut) that was having a bonfire. So very quiet and relaxing. We ate all of our meals at the hotel (pretty good food, although I ate quite a bit of pizza) and the only other people to hang out with were a group of South Africans who came for a wedding. This time when we go back tO Zanzibar we are going to the northern part near Kendwa, which is supposed to be a pretty different experience. They don't get the severe tides, so the water is swimmable 24 hours a day. Kendwa is supposed to have the actual prettiest beaches, not just blue water. And the north is known more for being busy and crowded and having more night life. So although we are going back to the same small island, it's almost like visiting a different place.
Alright, have to fun. This afternoon we are going to visit a local school and then to the Paradiso orphanage to both pick a child to sponsor for Mom and Dad (not really pick... I think I'm just going to ask who is the oldest without a sponsor, cause really... how could you ever PICK?!) and to give them the money that Caroline's mom raised for them before she came. She even made a big check to give them, all publishers clearing house style. I'm quite excited, I have always wanted to be involved in a big check giving ceremony.
On a different note, getting very excited about the safari and then back to Zanzibar! When we were on Zanzibar before we stayed in a "town" called Jambiani on the east coast. We picked it because it is supposed to have the bluest water of anywhere on the island. This could definitely be true, it was gorgeous. The water is so blue because it is so shallow for SO far out. Which makes the tides pretty crazy too. When we first arrived the tide was out, and I remember being so disappointed at this beach! All there was was sand and beached boats (called daos) for hundreds of yards out... where was the ocean?! It was hard to believe that in a few hours all that water would be right up to us at the beach. But indeed it was, and when the water was in it really was extremely blue and pretty. You could walk out seemingly forever into the ocean too since it was so shallow. The hotel itself was very nice, small, with about 15 little bungalows and an open air restaurant perched right on an overhang above the ocean. Unfortunately it was also seaweed season, so the beach was sort of covered in dried seaweed, but it really didn't make too much of a difference as we mostly lay on the comfy lounge chairs near the small pool looking out at the sea. Also, we couldn't even lay in the sun for more than a few hours a day because it was so strong and we were just so darn white.
The town of Jambiani itself probably wouldn't really be considered a town anywhere else... more of a village/collection of mud homes with thached/corrogated metal roofs. There was a herd of goats that liked to sleep on the "street" (dirt) outside the gate to the hotel. Needless to say, we rarely left the grounds of the hotel, except occationally to buy bottled water (cheaper than at the hotel) from a TINY store front down the way, and one night to go to a bar (literally just a wooden bar with a few stools plopped right down in the sand on the beach covered by a thached hut) that was having a bonfire. So very quiet and relaxing. We ate all of our meals at the hotel (pretty good food, although I ate quite a bit of pizza) and the only other people to hang out with were a group of South Africans who came for a wedding. This time when we go back tO Zanzibar we are going to the northern part near Kendwa, which is supposed to be a pretty different experience. They don't get the severe tides, so the water is swimmable 24 hours a day. Kendwa is supposed to have the actual prettiest beaches, not just blue water. And the north is known more for being busy and crowded and having more night life. So although we are going back to the same small island, it's almost like visiting a different place.
Alright, have to fun. This afternoon we are going to visit a local school and then to the Paradiso orphanage to both pick a child to sponsor for Mom and Dad (not really pick... I think I'm just going to ask who is the oldest without a sponsor, cause really... how could you ever PICK?!) and to give them the money that Caroline's mom raised for them before she came. She even made a big check to give them, all publishers clearing house style. I'm quite excited, I have always wanted to be involved in a big check giving ceremony.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Orphans, orphans everywhere...
Wow, can't believe this is my last week in Arusha! Really not even week, just three days if you don't count today because we leave for safari Friday morning. I am so excited about the safari. We had a little safari appetizer yesterday because we took the kids from the orphanage where Caroline's mom is working (Farasha) for a day trip to Arusha National Park. we had a big bus full of the five of us, 22 kids, and 3 teachers from the orphanage. The kids were absolutely adorable and very excited about seeing animals. We saw lots of zebras, giraffes, monkeys, warthogs, and water buffalo. The kids were definitely the most excited about the monkeys. Two of my favorite kid moments... first, one of the littlest kids was wearing a three piece suit (vest and all) and didn't take any of it off the entire day! He wasn't really an orphan, he was the son of one of the teachers and had been to church that morning, but I have no idea why she didn't have him change! I was filthy with dust by the end of the day and there he was in his tiny suit with his fancy church shoes on! He also was a little performer, he tap danced for us and Caroline even got it on video. Stay tuned for it being posted on facebook or YouTube when we get back. Second favorite moment, another one of the little guys (about 4 years old) ate more than I have ever seen a small child eat in my life at lunch. The teachers were LOADING up the plates at lunch (rice, meat of some sort, french fries, fruit, cucumber salad) and we were thinking there is no WAY any of these kids is going to be able to eat that much, even the older boys (about 13-14 yo). Well, were we wrong. It was incredible for any of them to do it, considering I'm not sure I could have eaten that much, and I'm used to stuffing my face with large plates of food... but most of them finished it, and then this little four year old cleans his plate and then goes back up for seconds! Then, not only did he finish that plate, but started finished off what all the older kids around him had left on their plates. Before you start thinking "oh, poor African orphan, he probably hasn't eaten in weeks...", he looked like a well fed child. Plus, I'm pretty sure to eat like that you have to be USED to eating like that. His name was Johnson (great name for an eater, huh?) so now instead of "Oh, give it to Mikey, Mikey will eat it!" we're substituting "Johnson" instead. It really was one of the craziest things I have ever seen. I told Caroline's mom she should take him home and start training him to be a linebacker now. (She's always tempted to take one home, but she's pretty sure Caroline's dad would object... this is the perfect solution though, who can object to a future NFL linebacker?) The day was lovely, the kids were incredibly well behaved for 22 kids who don't get out much on a big bus all day.
We also have the kids from the other orphanage where we volunteer at periodically (Paradiso) over for our barbeque last Wednesday. Again, same story... incredibly cute, very well behaved, and just breaking your heart continuously the whole time. Caroline's mom caved in and decided to sponsor one of them. Of the kids at the orphanage, 5 of them are old enough to go to "secondary school" (I think like middle school) instead of just getting taught at the orphanage. But only 4 were sponsored so the pour fifth little girl had to just stay at home because they didn't have the money to send her to school. When they came to our house Caroline's mom asked her if she wanted to go to school and she got these big sad eyes and said "yes... very much!" and so clearly she couldn't not sponsor her. I think it's somewhere around $700 a year to sponsor one of them, which literally includes everything - food, clothes, school , school supplies, etc. Can you image fully supporting an American kid for $700 a year?! Mom and Dad are thinking of sponsoring one of them now too. I'm so exciting about it, I think it's such a fantastic idea. It's such a concrete way to know that you are really making a difference in someone's life who is SOOO incredibly less fortunate than we are. They have this book at the orphanage that has a page for each kid that has a picture of them and gives information about them like what happened to their family, and some of the ones that are sponsored have a picture of the family that sponsored them. And they are so very proud of it, showing off the pictures and saying, "oh, my sponsor is from Australia... or oh, that's my sponsor... she's from Canada" etc. The secondary school they go to is actually supposed to be really good (as evidenced by the fact that the older kids who do go to school speak very good english and they're only 9), so it's hopefully a ticket out of poverty in the future.
I'm so glad I have gotten to do this kind of stuff while I've been here (both being at the hospital and working with the kids) because it's a very different experience than most people get just coming and being a tourist and staying in nice hotels and going on a safari. The people here in general are just so friendly and welcoming. Sad to be nearing the end of my trip, but ready to be going home at the same time... I can't decide if my first meal back is going to be Chipotle or a big salad (can't eat lettuce here because of the water... drives me crazy!)
We also have the kids from the other orphanage where we volunteer at periodically (Paradiso) over for our barbeque last Wednesday. Again, same story... incredibly cute, very well behaved, and just breaking your heart continuously the whole time. Caroline's mom caved in and decided to sponsor one of them. Of the kids at the orphanage, 5 of them are old enough to go to "secondary school" (I think like middle school) instead of just getting taught at the orphanage. But only 4 were sponsored so the pour fifth little girl had to just stay at home because they didn't have the money to send her to school. When they came to our house Caroline's mom asked her if she wanted to go to school and she got these big sad eyes and said "yes... very much!" and so clearly she couldn't not sponsor her. I think it's somewhere around $700 a year to sponsor one of them, which literally includes everything - food, clothes, school , school supplies, etc. Can you image fully supporting an American kid for $700 a year?! Mom and Dad are thinking of sponsoring one of them now too. I'm so exciting about it, I think it's such a fantastic idea. It's such a concrete way to know that you are really making a difference in someone's life who is SOOO incredibly less fortunate than we are. They have this book at the orphanage that has a page for each kid that has a picture of them and gives information about them like what happened to their family, and some of the ones that are sponsored have a picture of the family that sponsored them. And they are so very proud of it, showing off the pictures and saying, "oh, my sponsor is from Australia... or oh, that's my sponsor... she's from Canada" etc. The secondary school they go to is actually supposed to be really good (as evidenced by the fact that the older kids who do go to school speak very good english and they're only 9), so it's hopefully a ticket out of poverty in the future.
I'm so glad I have gotten to do this kind of stuff while I've been here (both being at the hospital and working with the kids) because it's a very different experience than most people get just coming and being a tourist and staying in nice hotels and going on a safari. The people here in general are just so friendly and welcoming. Sad to be nearing the end of my trip, but ready to be going home at the same time... I can't decide if my first meal back is going to be Chipotle or a big salad (can't eat lettuce here because of the water... drives me crazy!)
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