This week will be the last we’re staying (and working) with CCS. On Sunday we start our climb on Kili, then back for a day before heading to Dar and then Egypt.
Last week at work was more laid back, ended up giving tours to a few medical and nursing students from Sweden and Germany that we met at the coffee shop (where we spend every morning, and many afternoons). But generally, more of the same. This week we’ll be saying goodbye to everyone we work with, we’ve become close to the women at the pharmacy and one of the doctors (ironically, not the doctor we were supposed to be spending time with). People keep asking what we got out of working there, and in return what the hospital has gained. We’ve found it difficult to answer. In terms of short term we have been able to help out a great deal, but in terms of long term sustainable aide, we’ve been essentially useless. But, whatever we can offer them is at least…something. What have I gotten out of it? Aside from knowing that clinically, I am not inclined, it has been extremely interesting to view such a drastically different form of medical care. Disturbing and upsetting at times, but overall interesting. Through the chaos how much they could accomplish was actually better than expected. However, for conditions to improve large governmental changes must happen, which as in most of Africa, slow coming. More on this topic later, I’m sure.

This weekend I went to Arusha (not with CCS) for the earth day festival, we stayed in the Arusha hotel (one of the oldest in the cities)  The hotel is beautiful and much like any in the states or europe. Arusha is very modern and we got to go to a “western” supermarket. Words cannot describe how exciting it was to go. They had drak chocolate. enough said. There is also a cinema in the complex, currently showing UP (not in 3D, obviously). The party itself was interesting, it was at the Masai camp, where some of the others stayed in dorm type rooms. There was a DJ playing some sort of strange fusion of local and american music…not sure, there were a lot of people. But overall entertaining. It was really nice to get out of Moshi (which I’m a bit sick of) and be around people who aren’t related to CCS. We had been to Arusha previously with CCS, but after the Tribunal they just took us to random markets, so it was nice to see the other side of Arusha-excuse my slight synical attitidue towards CCS.

So this week is getting ready to climb (renting boots etc.) and bookings for Egypt- will keep updated!