One Week

I have reached my final week here in Tanzania; I can not believe my trip is coming to an end. I leave for Uganda tomorrow and will be finishing my trip off by rafting down the Nile, bungee jumping, exploring Kampala and hopefully a stop at Lake Victoria.

This past week has been a good wrap up to my time in Arusha. Last weekend we returned to Magi Moto for an amazing day of swimming in the springs. Sunday a couple of the volunteers and I went shopping for supplies for our makeshift Thanksgiving that happened on Monday night, we all over the city and stopped at some of my favorite places – Central Market (the most amazing fruit and veggie market) for veggies, walked up Soqoine, and took a dala dala to Ngiro for groceries. Sunday night we went to one of my favorite restaurants L’Oasis… I have been trying to fit in meals at all of my favorite places this week.

Monday we left placement early because our doctor’s brother passed away so he was not at work, it ended up working out well for us because it gave us more time to prepare Thanksgiving dinner. Thanksgiving was a lot of fun and surprisingly not too stressful… the oven ended up turning off for about 30 min before we realized so dinner was a little late but delicious. We ate 4 chickens, my home made mac and cheese, garlic mashed potatoes, rice casserole, carrots and green beans, and ice cream cake for dessert… a little different but amazing. After dinner we all pilled onto the couches and watched movies, it was an awesome night.

Tuesday night a few of us went to see Mama Afrika, a circus that is in Arusha for the month, it was awesome… Africa’s version on Cirque du Soleil. Halfway through the show during the clown act I was called up on stage with four other members to perform an air band… slightly embarrassing, but fun at the same time. It was a great thing to do on a Tuesday night.

The rest of the week has been pretty low key. The doctor has been off all week so work has been very quite, most of the staff have been away at the funeral (which last 3 days) so Andrea, Nancy (the other two girls at my placement) and I have been filling in where we can and spending more time in the laboratory. Andrea and I have been going into town a lot after work getting last minute things done before leaving for Uganda. We leave tomorrow and get back next Wednesday, the day before I depart for South Africa. I now have a mere 3 weeks before arriving back in Canada

Kwaheri Rafikis!