5 months

Greetings again from Ndanda! Most importantly from a more familiar face :)

It was such a lazy/relaxing day today that I spent some time experimenting with the tools on the computer webcam and found out how to attach this "golden" frame to my picture:)

So, 5 months since I arrived in Tanzania.....it doesn't feel like it; seems like time has flown by, like it was the other day I was living and working in Chicago.....actually I have been having this recurring dream where I am back in the States and wondering how and when I will be able to return to Africa! (I don't know what my subconscious is trying to tell me!)

5 months in Tanzania.....technically will be 5 months on Wednesday (arrived October 5); 4 months since starting work at the hospital here in Ndanda. 4 months working in a rural hospital in Tanzania and what do I have to show for it? Escargot, a small crocodile and live chickens? :) just kidding....if you have actually spent the time to read all of the previous entries you might know what I'm talking about....

It rained for most of the afternoon, very heavy downpour for a few hours.... some of the loudest thunder I've heard. Didn't see any lightning but thought that the eye of the storm must have been over my house because it was so loud. Its been raining almost every day for longer periods of time...skies usually clear by 5 or 6 with much cooler temperatures.....

This morning I had a brief meeting with the hospital administrator to complete an application for funding for a "small scale project" that would in essence provide financial assistance to purchase new equipment for the maternity department in the hospital - such as fetal dopplers, a vaginal probe ultrasound and pulse oximeters....If the application is accepted, the sponsor would provide 8,000 Euro, the equivalent of about US $13,000 to pay for equipment..........

Back to work tomorrow and on call on wednesday. Off next weekend and will make another attempt at traveling to Mtwara.