Still enjoying the view

The emailed instructions told us to be at the Paediatric ward of Kijabe Hospital at 9am for rounds with Dr. Muma. So there Danielle and I stood at 8:55am, dressed and ready.  Shadowing day 1. We waited excitedly but with an air of confusion as neither of us had ever met this doctor to know what he looked like. Would he come find us? It's not like we're hard to spot since we just blend in so well with all the Kenyans around… Eventually, we gathered the courage to push through the ward doors and find someone who knew more than us. We walked cautiously down the hall and finally stopped to tap the shoulder of a large Kenyan man wearing a white coat. He turned and looked at us with a blank yet authoritative expression. "Excuse me, do you know where Dr. Muma is?" I managed to ask. The large man simply smiled a bit, raised his eyebrows and nodded. "You're him aren't you" I offered. Dr. Muma nodded again and listened as we explained that we were invited (by his attending physician, Dr. Hansen) to shadow that morning's patient rounds. The slight smile disappeared as he handed us a list of patients and turned to his college with a rumbling "let's get started then". At that moment, Danielle and I became like actual shadows as we darted from bed to bed after the two physicians, listening intently to their low-voiced conversations about each patient's condition and further treatment plan. Pre-med student gold, even if we didn't understand everything. In each room, we met the eyes of patients and moms and other various family members. People just trying to get through another day of waiting and question answering and (hopefully) healing. Their weary eyes held a thousand different stories. Only a few returned a smile. Rounds ended in the infant ward at the crib-side of a few-day-old baby being prepped for surgery. His mother sat exhausted in a corner chair as the two physicians examined the infant and discussed the plan of action. The decision was made, notes were written, and just like that, the morning rounds were over. Dr. Muma grabbed his coat and sauntered off down the hallway without a word to us. We were left to say our thanks and goodbyes to the remaining college who wished us luck for the rest of the day.

Quite a quick but interesting morning. One that revealed to me the cultural difference in Kenyan doctors with their subdued expressiveness and their calm, quiet speech. It also revealed the difference between being around a doctor who wants you there (to some degree) and one who treats you more like a shadow. It will be interesting to see how next week pans out. Hopefully Dr. Muma's stoic and aloof character is not something picked up from Dr. Hansen.

The rest of the day's highlights included:

• Being "special guest" representatives for LeTourneau University and talking with RVA high school students about college life and future plans (aka: free lunch). Was I that undecided of my life in high school? Oh you betcha.
• Riding the two+ hours back to Thika with Antonio who stopped to show us tea plants and got so excited about our tea enthusiasm that he took us on a special road through miles and miles of rolling hills of tea plantations.

TEA!

• Getting cleverly swindled out of 20 bucks at the Overlook but still enjoying the view. The Overlook is a sweeping vista of the Great Rift Valley and a popular stop for tourists in Kenya. If you've never been to an African/foreign tourist destination, they are usually accompanied by plenty of confident curio vendors selling things we affectionately call "Africa Crap" at inflated "hey-you're-a-rich-foreigner" prices. Let's just say I'm not a bargainer.

At the Outlook

Panorama shot. oooh aaaah.

Danielle gets free necklace...

• People watching along the Kenyan roads (aka: my favorite)

Some shops (aka: Dukas)

"A'm Allergic To Fake People" Okay, Kenya.

• Returning "home" to Thika and good 'ol SACDEP meals
• Computer/wi-fi time in the SACDEP office w/ front-desk Joseph. As I cover myself from head to toe and madly fight off mosquitoes, Joseph seems unaffected. Good one, Africa.
• The bathroom at Tusky's (The Kenyan 'WalMart'). We were not prepared.

Well that's new.

This week we finish our research tasks at Joytown and the professors prepare to go home while Danielle and I prepare for the next leg of our journey: living on our own in Kijabe and shadowing medical missionary physicians. Let's go.