T Zed: End & Beginning

We finished our class exactly a week ago, with group presentations taking up the majority of the last two days. We finally presented the work that felt as though we had been developing for three months rather than three weeks. I was somewhat sad to see the class end-- learning with Tanzanian students has been challenging and rewarding. It was frustrating to realize the ways in which the students are at a clear disadvantage to the Western educational system. Their typing skills are very undeveloped and they are not used to English writing intensive work. Considering how writing intensive our project was, we had to think of ways to work around this time and time again. On the other hand, I saw how equipped these students are for practicing medicine. Many of the students I met are very much hard sciences-style learners and very good at learning in that fashion. And as native Tanzanians, they are in touch with the realities of practicing without optimal resources, adapting health recommendations to the culture etc. I chose not to say good-bye to them. Rather, I'll try to keep in touch as they begin their clinical rotations and we begin our internships. I'm still close to KCMC so it should be easy!

Then on Thursday we headed out for a 3 night, 4 day trip to Zanzibar before we all dispersed to our internship placements on Monday. We packed so much into our few days there: we went out the first night we got there :), went on tours of the main tourist area Stonetown and then Prison Island a historic and incredibly scenic place just an hour boat ride from Stonetown. We of course hit the town that night as well, ate, drank, spent excessively (my wallet still hurts) and then the next day went to another tourist trap called Kendwa Beach. Touristy and wazungu-like as it all was, it opened my eyes even more to the beauty of this continent. Kendwa was so amazing-- difficult to put into words. SO-- I'll take this opportunity to use the gift of visual imagery rather than my words :)