Day 9 already and where to begin?! Start with Jambo :)

I am sitting at an internet cafe in Kabuezi, Kenya next to my friend Angela as we stare with huge smiles at our first computers in the country while we are stinky, covered in orange dust, and a little bit hungry for a dinner of what surely will be focused on rice, bread, some ugali if we're lucky and a mystery meat. Oh, and chapati, which is the best! And, if there is salad of any variety, I'm staying far, far away, but that's a story for another day. But we're so happy to feel some connection to the world - puts our reliance on internet into perspective, that's for sure. It has been QUITE the adventure to say the least, but the amount of things that our SGU/AMREF group of 28 or so has seen and experienced has been incredible. I will write much more when I have reliable internet and some more free time, but I just wanted to write a little bit and let everyone know that I'm safe, sound, healthy, and opening my eyes wider and wider. I have seen a live c-section, done rounds with doctors at several hospitals of various levels and how they deal with TB, malaria, fractures, stroke patients, skin grafts, diabetes, ulcers, hernias, pregnancy, etc. etc. ETC. I have seen several villages and done community health projects with some adorable children, and run some really memorable new routes starting before the Kenyan sunrise. The altitude is killer though! I certainly have my moments when the grime, group time, and early mornings to late nights get the best of me, but overall, I have to keep reminding myself how grateful and blessed I am to be having this unique experience.

First YEAR of med school - CHECK. On to Kenya...and Ethiopia!

My first year of medical school is officially over. Man, it was a long and challenging experience I have to say, but I also cannot believe it's already over. Term 2 brought Parasitology, Neuro, Immuno, Physio, Genetics, and Community and Preventive Medicine with it, and thank goodness I passed them all - moving forward! I continued to enjoy the Orphanage Student Organization kids and beach days tremendously (haven't adopted any of them yet, but it could happen..!), and I made some great new friends through church, my new Bible Study group, and also through OSO. My roommates and other friends continued to be a wonderful support system, and I cannot imagine Grenada without the awesome people that make it not only bare-able but also more interesting, fun, and motivating. Alex and I made some great runs and hikes happen, and I am really looking forward to exploring the island even more when there is a little more (promised!) free time in term 3. It's amazing how much a good dose of sweat and fresh air can solve many of life's problems, and I am so lucky to have a friend who is always willing to lace up his shoes and join me! I also was lucky enough to have Abby, my Dad, and Lindsay all come visit me this term, and that definitely added to some really memorable adventures. Finally got to do some good snorkeling, see the Belmont Estates, and enjoy some new restaurants (and a HUGE lobster tail at the Red Crab when Dad was in town!). Oh, another highlight - I got a dog bite (on the butt!) while running, and now I run with a big stick...thankfully no rabies shots were involved! AND, get ready, I have a car for next term!! A red Escudo (the car that everyone has!) that is full of island character and rough edge charm. I love it. Now, for the excitement of a six week break. It's been a great 4 days since I came back from Grenada. Nothing fancy, but spending some quality time with my Dad and Mom and enjoying some beautiful Connecticut weather, good food, and excellent sleep in my favorite little kid bed. Twin or not, I sleep here like a baby, and it just can't be beat no matter where I go or how tired I get! However, time for me to get used to less comfy sleep because I'm leaving tomorrow night and flying overnight to London. There, I have a day layover (going to try and explore as much as possible!), and then doing a Tropical Medicine Selective with SGU in Kenya until June 5th. The group of 23 or so of us will be in a hospital in Nairobi with AMREF, the Flying Doctors--I imagine them to be like Doctors without Borders but only in Africa--and then we go out to more remote areas to see the Masai people, deworm some kids, which I'm really excited about, and then do some safari adventuring as well as many other things on the detailed itinerary that I can't conjure up right now in my sleepy state. After I leave Kenya, I am flying to Ethiopia to meet up with Kwazo for a little bit of a "played by ear" adventure/reunion of sorts. We are planning to focus on the capital city of Addis Ababa for a few days and then hit the Northern regions where there are supposed to be some pretty spectacular historical sites, old churches and monasteries, an opening to the Nile River, and some good trekking up in the Simian Mountains. I will also be comparing running techniques between Kenyans and Ethiopians so that I can incorporate the speed tactics of each into my usual routine. I'm sure that I will be at around a 5 minute marathon pace in no time! Haha. Sure. Anyway, then, on June 14th, I'll fly home and get a good final dose of family and friends (and study up a little for terms 3 and 4!) before I head back to SGU on June 30th. That's the plan. Stay tuned for more travel updates as I get back into my blog :) Exploring time begins again!