updates

Things are starting to come to an end here. I’ll be in Chicago in less than a week. I’m very ready to head back to the states, but I will miss the people I’ve met here. I really have formed some of the warmest friendships in this past month.

Tomorrow I’m heading to Lesotho (a little mountainous country surrounded by South Africa). My buddies let me know yesterday that we’ll be camping! How much do I hate camping? A LOT. I won’t even camp in America, let alone poverty and AIDS stricken Lesotho. But I said I was really excited and that’s that.

I guess I should disclose what I’ve actually done here work wise. I was supposed to spend my time with one of the health directors. The first day he took me to a meeting. Then he decided that it would be best for me to spend a week in each of his departments (TB, HIV, Malaria, etc). That never really happened because people were always busy so I’ve spent my entire time with the Malaria group. I of course have some blame in this, because my 2 week vacation in Cape Town dampened some of the plans.

So this is my day:
I wake up at around 6:30am (half my bedroom is a moon roof so I get up with the sun)
I then have breakfast, chat with my roommates, the maid, or the gardener
Spend some time watching music videos
Take a shower and get dressed
At about 9 I head out the door and walk for about 5 mins to the mini-buses.
I get to work at about 9:30. I gossip and discuss South Africa’s shitty issues with my co-workers, and attend some meetings until lunch time.
After lunch I head to another office and gossip and discuss South Africa’s shitty issues with other co-workers, and attend some meetings.
I really enjoy the meetings because I’m getting to see health policy decisions made from the very very very top. They always ask my opinion, and I usually respond with a question.
Around 4 in the afternoon I’m done talking and I head back home.
When I get home I usually watch part of a Rugby, Cricket, or Soccer game with one of the roommates. By 6 the house is full of people and we braai (bbq), play poker, watch music videos, talk, go out, whatever…then I go to bed

On the weekends: we’ve either had more braais, hang out at the pool, play poker, or go out

They ask me what I think of the place and I tell the truth and say “sometimes I love it and sometimes I can’t wait to leave.” They usually think it’s because I haven’t seen their South Africa. Today the Indian’s found out I was Indian and I’m heading to little India in about half an hour. I have to buy some spices anyway. Tonight I’m cooking for a large group of people. I hope no one gets diarrhoea (that’s the English spelling of diarrhea).