Exciting Events!

Something interesting happened this weekend!  I’ll start from the beginning.

Friday night a group of  mzungus decided to go out to dinner. We went out to the only Chinese restaurant in Moshi called “Panda Chinese” or something like that.  We were a little nervous to try our luck on Chinese food in Africa, but were comforted when we saw an Asian women writing the evenings specials on a chalkboard as we walked in.  Although the power went out for about a half hour and we didn’t get our food for an hour and half it wasn’t bad!  Not great, but not bad.  The spring rolls were amazing and only cost 800 schillings (60 Cents)!  Overall, a successful food adventure. 

We came back to the home base, but it was only 8 o’clock on a Friday night so we made the hop, skip, and a jump across the dirt road over to the Mzungu Bar.  The Mzungu bar is right next to CCS and I’m sure we account for 90% of their business (therefore justifying the name).  Really, it’s just a tent pitched over a few plastic chairs in someone’s backyard, but it’s nice to go and get a coke or a beer and relax with your fellow volunteers when you don’t feel like venturing into town. Once we had all gotten comfortable, one of the girls suggested we play a game that works well in groups that are just getting to know each other.  Basically, someone comes up with a statement such as “Most likely to be attacked by a lion while in Tanzania” or “Most likely to get arrested while we’re in Africa”.  You get a few seconds to think about it and then the person who made the statement does a count down, “5, 4, 3, 2, 1”.  At the count of 1 everyone has to point to the person they think that statement describes best!  It was a blast and it was a fun way to get to see what kind of impression people have of you.  Of course, you have to take the game light heartedly and I wouldn’t suggest playing if you don’t have a good sense of humor. 

We were about a group of 12 girls and no doubt with all the pointing and laughing drew a little bit of attention to ourselves.  One Tanzanian man asked if he could join and we pushed our plastic chairs together to make room for him around the makeshift tree stump tables.  Throughout the game we learned his details.  His name is Ben, he’s a doctor, he’s done research in Toronto, and he is currently working on a medical research project in Tanzania.  Sarah, a Toronto native who studies Global Health was sitting next to Dr. Ben through most of the game and they must have chatted about their studies for awhile.

 The next morning as well sat drinking our coffee in our pajamas in the common area someone yelled for Sarah saying someone was looking for her at the gate.  She knew it was Dr. Ben and insisted that I came with her because I was studying health too.  I was a little hesitant considering I was in pink flora pj shorts, but she talked me into it!  As it turns out Dr. Ben was looking for research assistants for his current project!  He works in the pediatric department of a hospital in town here and is doing neonatal research in relation to HIV/AIDS!  He said he could train us and we would collect data from urban and rural communities using surveys, and interviews with tape recorders, etc.  This is honestly the most exciting thing that has happened since I’ve been here!  He told us we have to write letters of intention to the head of the peds department and the head of the hospital, but he thinks it should work fine! 

As amazing as this all sounds, Sarah and I are being cautious.  How can you not be skeptical when you meet a “doctor” in an outdoor, backyard bar?  We want to make sure that he is legitimately who he says he is.  We went to an internet café to look up the hospital he works for and they do have research department involved with pediatrics. Dr. Ben said he would stop by on Monday to talk to our Program Director (Moses).  This is honestly so exciting!  I can’t imagine how incredibly it would be to be apart of research on HIV/AIDS in Tanzania!  I’ll keep you all updated!