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November 12, 2010
zanzibar
Hello,
This past weekend I went to zanzibar, the paradise on an island. I was very lucky to spend one night near stonetown with a very good friend who now lives on the island for the year.
We also went up north and stayed at the hotel there.
We saw dolphins as we sailed in a daoh to Mnemba archipelago where we snorkeled. There were amazing amounts of sealife and fish and anemone.
We walked along the beach and saw amazing starfishes and overall had a great time with my friends and coworkers. Check out my friend's blog (with more pictures) of our trip!
PS The internet has not been great, so it has contributed to me not posting on this blog
This past weekend I went to zanzibar, the paradise on an island. I was very lucky to spend one night near stonetown with a very good friend who now lives on the island for the year.
We also went up north and stayed at the hotel there.
We saw dolphins as we sailed in a daoh to Mnemba archipelago where we snorkeled. There were amazing amounts of sealife and fish and anemone.
We walked along the beach and saw amazing starfishes and overall had a great time with my friends and coworkers. Check out my friend's blog (with more pictures) of our trip!
PS The internet has not been great, so it has contributed to me not posting on this blog
November 5, 2010
a quick update
Hello,
A quick update. I have spent the week working at MUHAS, having a great time meeting the wonderful physicians and staff. I had a great week!
Last weekend I went to the beach (south beach) with gary and molly. it was fantastic!
I will also post some photos. This weekend we are going to Zanzibar!
Being here I find myself reflecting on a lot of important issues. I wanted to discuss them in my blog except I dont seem to find the time to write them down.
only one week left :(
A quick update. I have spent the week working at MUHAS, having a great time meeting the wonderful physicians and staff. I had a great week!
Last weekend I went to the beach (south beach) with gary and molly. it was fantastic!
I will also post some photos. This weekend we are going to Zanzibar!
Being here I find myself reflecting on a lot of important issues. I wanted to discuss them in my blog except I dont seem to find the time to write them down.
only one week left :(
where i live..
the building next to the one where i work
fisherman
the beach
cows (mgombe) on the beach
October 31, 2010
a small update
Hello,
Everything is going well in Dar. Yesterday I went to the beach and it was fantastic!
The internet is a bit slow right now, but I will upload a picture or two if it gets any better.
This Tuesday I will be going to a district health center at Bagamoyo to work on Gary's project and see what another town is like. You can check out Gary's phenomenal blog here and learn more about the project and Dar. http://inspiredaction.typepad.com/writing_as_i_see_the_worl/
Everything is going well in Dar. Yesterday I went to the beach and it was fantastic!
The internet is a bit slow right now, but I will upload a picture or two if it gets any better.
This Tuesday I will be going to a district health center at Bagamoyo to work on Gary's project and see what another town is like. You can check out Gary's phenomenal blog here and learn more about the project and Dar. http://inspiredaction.typepad.com/writing_as_i_see_the_worl/
October 28, 2010
mambo mogorogoro
Mambo !
Why have I been strangely silent on this blog since I arrived in Tanzania. Well, I have been busy working and adventuring with Gary and Molly. I arrived on a Monday night, went to the office on Tuesday, drove the Mogorogoro on Wed and have been here ever since. Mogorogoro is a city that is inland of Dar, about two hours. It is in the mountains near both a national and regional parks. Since I have been here, I have seen some monkeys, a baboon, a hedgehog –like animal, and Mgombe (cows!).
I am going to try to make this blog less of a resume of things that I have done, but rather I am going to pick a topic or two and write about my thoughts on that subject. Maybe it will seem less overwhelming that way. This blog is about what I am doing in Dar Es Salaam.
I realize that I have not told many people what I am doing in Tanzania. I am currently working on the MUHAS-Academic Learning Project (ALP). The ALP is a collaboration between UCSF (the University of California; San Francisco) and the Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Science. When the partnership began, MUHAS was planning on conducting a curriculum review. The partnership lead to sharing of information and an interest by MUHAS in competency based curriculum. The idea that each graduate must finish medical school with a certain number of precise skills- such as good communication with patients and knowledge of infectious disease rather than an input based system focuses on the input, or rather how much information they have to learn-biochemistry etc. The partnership is unique because each institution has equal footing and will stand to benefit.
My role in the project is flexible, which I enjoy. My main project is to help to write up the Tracer Study, a study that traced recent alumni at their workplace. There is qualitative and quantitative data that I am combining and presenting to each school (medicine, nursing, dentistry, pharmacy, allied health sciences and environmental health). But because my job is a bit flexible, I can also pursue other projects that I find interesting. I would really like to encourage some student collaboration between students here at MUHAS and students at UCSF.
When I get back to Dar and have a bit more time to write this weekend, I will tell you about the rest of my adventures in Mogorogoro.
October 25, 2010
Jambo from dar
I have finally arrived here in Dar after a stellar Emirates flight and an overnight stop in Dubai. It was a great nights rest and Emirates has delicious food.
I noticed alot of things on the way from the airport, whether it was the tons of traffic, rather scary driving style or lots of cigarette advertisements. But there were also many things that reminded me of Brazil.
I am getting sleepy so that is all for now!
I noticed alot of things on the way from the airport, whether it was the tons of traffic, rather scary driving style or lots of cigarette advertisements. But there were also many things that reminded me of Brazil.
I am getting sleepy so that is all for now!
October 22, 2010
on my way
Jambo!
Heading to Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania tomorrow.
I am passing through Dubai, with a 15 hour stopover.
Wish me luck and watch this space for all of my adventures!
Photo courtesy of Kunal Sood. I am volunteering at a complex humanitarian emergency simulation. I am a refugee in the Uzbekistan/ Kyrgyzstan conflict. Clothes courtesy of Harmonie and Tajikstan!
Heading to Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania tomorrow.
I am passing through Dubai, with a 15 hour stopover.
Wish me luck and watch this space for all of my adventures!
Photo courtesy of Kunal Sood. I am volunteering at a complex humanitarian emergency simulation. I am a refugee in the Uzbekistan/ Kyrgyzstan conflict. Clothes courtesy of Harmonie and Tajikstan!
May 9, 2010
Vik Muniz- TED talk
Vik Muniz- a fine arts artist, born in Brazil, shares his artwork on TED talks...check it out!
http://www.ted.com/talks/vik_muniz_makes_art_with_wire_sugar.html
http://www.ted.com/talks/vik_muniz_makes_art_with_wire_sugar.html
May 5, 2010
dengue
There is a small dengue outbreak here in Salvador.
I am pretty sure I had it last wee (along with a secondary bacterial infection). My american friend who is visiting also came down with it. The infectologista we spoke with told us he has seen 10 cases of suspected dengue this week alone.
Dengue is no joke! Some people say its easily preventable..just make sure the mosquitoes cant breed...but mosquitoes can breed anywhere (including a few drops of water) and with the rain we have been getting they have been having a hey-day.
Scientists seriously need to develop a vaccine...it was one of the sickest I have ever been. I was completely out of commission...plus I hurt everywhere really terribly!
I am pretty sure I had it last wee (along with a secondary bacterial infection). My american friend who is visiting also came down with it. The infectologista we spoke with told us he has seen 10 cases of suspected dengue this week alone.
Dengue is no joke! Some people say its easily preventable..just make sure the mosquitoes cant breed...but mosquitoes can breed anywhere (including a few drops of water) and with the rain we have been getting they have been having a hey-day.
Scientists seriously need to develop a vaccine...it was one of the sickest I have ever been. I was completely out of commission...plus I hurt everywhere really terribly!
April 29, 2010
alas I am sick
So last weekend was great. My friend Dan from Brown, who studied abroad in Salvador, is back visiting for a month. On saturday we took a lovely walk down a crowded street with lots of vendors! I bought some shoes (finally) and had lunch at this amazing vegetarian/vegan restaurant (why I did not go before I do not know!)
Then I went with Dan, Estela and Helder to the most amazing ice cream shop that was quite far. Estela drove us and was a most amazing host. I believe it may have been the best ice cream I have ever had (and yes I do have pictures and they will be up on my food blog eventually...see below). Then we went to the beach to watch the sunset. It was a fabulous day.
On sunday I went to a lunch of one of Dra Fabiannas relatives to celebrate the baptism of twins. They were adorable and it was one of the poshest parties I have ever been to! The mother really had an eye for party planning. Every detail was perfect. I definitely felt out of place....since I was wearing a simple dress and flats and all the women were in gorgeous dresses and very high heels. I have pictures and will post them later when I return home. Why am I not at home you may ask?
I have been staying at Dra Fabianna's house since monday so she can keep an eye on me. I have a fever and rash....and probably have some sort of viral infection, but puzzling nonetheless to both ID doctors that have seen me. But it certainly has taken me out, like no other illness has before. Anyway, I think that I am on the path to recovery so hopefully I will be in full form on saturday where I will be going to Praia de Forte (where there are honu or turtles!) and on sunday there is the Disney parade (not entirely sure what that will entail but I am sure I will be entertained)
Then I went with Dan, Estela and Helder to the most amazing ice cream shop that was quite far. Estela drove us and was a most amazing host. I believe it may have been the best ice cream I have ever had (and yes I do have pictures and they will be up on my food blog eventually...see below). Then we went to the beach to watch the sunset. It was a fabulous day.
On sunday I went to a lunch of one of Dra Fabiannas relatives to celebrate the baptism of twins. They were adorable and it was one of the poshest parties I have ever been to! The mother really had an eye for party planning. Every detail was perfect. I definitely felt out of place....since I was wearing a simple dress and flats and all the women were in gorgeous dresses and very high heels. I have pictures and will post them later when I return home. Why am I not at home you may ask?
I have been staying at Dra Fabianna's house since monday so she can keep an eye on me. I have a fever and rash....and probably have some sort of viral infection, but puzzling nonetheless to both ID doctors that have seen me. But it certainly has taken me out, like no other illness has before. Anyway, I think that I am on the path to recovery so hopefully I will be in full form on saturday where I will be going to Praia de Forte (where there are honu or turtles!) and on sunday there is the Disney parade (not entirely sure what that will entail but I am sure I will be entertained)
April 18, 2010
April 17, 2010
more rain
So this week was filled with rain...much rain.. so much rain that two bridges collapsed, several neighborhoods were flooded and countless trees and light poles were down. This was the same storm that caused flooding in Rio de Janeiro and all of those deaths by mudslide. Luckily it was not so bad here and I do not believe we had any deaths, I just got really wet four days in a row trying to get to work. I was pretty grumpy because I could not get my morning run in until today (4 days of getting up early only to see pouring rain :( )
Thursday evening was my colleague's birthday so I went to her house for a party. I ate lots of brigaderos and practiced my portuguese until I got too tired...then I watched brazilian music video.
On friday I went out for acaraje ( balls of black eyed peas fried in dende oil or palm oil, served with shrimp, a tomato, cucumber salad and caruru, a sort of sauce made of dende oil, peanuts, shrimp, okra among other things....) through a miscommunication with my friend we accidentally ordered a huge piece of beef on a giant skewer. This was the first time I have eaten beef in over two years.....and I must say I do not enjoy it..... :( I miss vegetarianism and plan to revert once I eat at churrascaria (i am willing to try anything once and a churrascaria is basically an all-you-can-eat buffet where waiters bring every type of meat imaginable to the table and you can ask them to slice some off of their giant skewers).
Today was finally nice and I went to the beach... again it was a very different experience. We did not go swimming because of all the rain. But we did go to the baraca....or cafe on the beach and drink beer and ate food (more acaraje). It was fun and nice to finally be outdoors!
Thursday evening was my colleague's birthday so I went to her house for a party. I ate lots of brigaderos and practiced my portuguese until I got too tired...then I watched brazilian music video.
On friday I went out for acaraje ( balls of black eyed peas fried in dende oil or palm oil, served with shrimp, a tomato, cucumber salad and caruru, a sort of sauce made of dende oil, peanuts, shrimp, okra among other things....) through a miscommunication with my friend we accidentally ordered a huge piece of beef on a giant skewer. This was the first time I have eaten beef in over two years.....and I must say I do not enjoy it..... :( I miss vegetarianism and plan to revert once I eat at churrascaria (i am willing to try anything once and a churrascaria is basically an all-you-can-eat buffet where waiters bring every type of meat imaginable to the table and you can ask them to slice some off of their giant skewers).
Today was finally nice and I went to the beach... again it was a very different experience. We did not go swimming because of all the rain. But we did go to the baraca....or cafe on the beach and drink beer and ate food (more acaraje). It was fun and nice to finally be outdoors!
April 8, 2010
slow internet is worse than_________(fill in the blank)
when it rains it pours
and when it pours all wireless electronics stop functioning.
I mentioned before that my home internet connection is very slow and stopped working last weekend when we had a bunch of rain.
Well the rain started up again and not only does the home internet not work, but the wireless internet at work stopped for several hours. I asked why and of course chuva (rain) was the answer.
In addition to the internet, cellular phones stop working as well! so strange.....
to think of sunnier things....here is a photo of the city from the high city of the marcado (an old slave market) that reportedly has a tunnel to the harbor right next to it.... what for I did not understand..
and when it pours all wireless electronics stop functioning.
I mentioned before that my home internet connection is very slow and stopped working last weekend when we had a bunch of rain.
Well the rain started up again and not only does the home internet not work, but the wireless internet at work stopped for several hours. I asked why and of course chuva (rain) was the answer.
In addition to the internet, cellular phones stop working as well! so strange.....
to think of sunnier things....here is a photo of the city from the high city of the marcado (an old slave market) that reportedly has a tunnel to the harbor right next to it.... what for I did not understand..
April 7, 2010
Happy World Health Day
Today is WHO's World Health Day. Every year WHO focuses on a theme to raise awareness of topics that effect health.
The theme of World Health Day 2010 is Urbanization and Health. As more and more of the world's population is moving to cities; the link between urban life and health is becoming more important. There are many health challenges facing cities, including problems with clean water, atmosphere and air, pollution, damage, violence, diet- both over and undernutrition, noncommunicable diseases such as diabetes and heart disease, and traffic accidents to name a few. Cities are a nexus for a wide varieties of illnesses and health related problems that are not faced by rural populations.
The slogan for the “World Health Day” 2010: “1000 cities-1000 lives – Urban Health Matters”.
WHO is encouraging cities across the world (in fact trying to get 1000 cities to participate and they have been very successful with over1300 participating.)
Cities will host events meant to improve health by opening up public spaces and closing down streets. By encouraging events at the city level the WHO can create a campaign that will reach a large number of people with a local message that still relates to global health. The cities campaign allows the common citizen to participate in world health day and to recognize the importance of health in their lives and well being. This is a great way to raise awareness about health issues related to urbanization, as well as global health in general.
http://www.who.int/world-health-day/2010/en/index.html
The theme of World Health Day 2010 is Urbanization and Health. As more and more of the world's population is moving to cities; the link between urban life and health is becoming more important. There are many health challenges facing cities, including problems with clean water, atmosphere and air, pollution, damage, violence, diet- both over and undernutrition, noncommunicable diseases such as diabetes and heart disease, and traffic accidents to name a few. Cities are a nexus for a wide varieties of illnesses and health related problems that are not faced by rural populations.
The slogan for the “World Health Day” 2010: “1000 cities-1000 lives – Urban Health Matters”.
WHO is encouraging cities across the world (in fact trying to get 1000 cities to participate and they have been very successful with over1300 participating.)
Cities will host events meant to improve health by opening up public spaces and closing down streets. By encouraging events at the city level the WHO can create a campaign that will reach a large number of people with a local message that still relates to global health. The cities campaign allows the common citizen to participate in world health day and to recognize the importance of health in their lives and well being. This is a great way to raise awareness about health issues related to urbanization, as well as global health in general.
http://www.who.int/world-health-day/2010/en/index.html
April 6, 2010
what have i been up to...
Well lately I have been very busy trying to get my abstraction sheet finalized and trying to learn
I had a great time this past weekend which was semana santa. It was basically a four day weekend! I spent thursday at Fabianna's house working on our respective projects. The whole weekend was very hot (95 degreesF or 35 in C) and humid, so very humid. We had lots of storms all weekend. Apparently when it rains, the internet does not work at my house....how strange? On friday I had a wonderful lunch at Fabiana's grandmother's house. The meal consisted of a lot traditional foods cooked with dende oil (palm oil). I was warned to eat only a little bit as it can be abrasive. In fact we then got into a discussion of how palm oil can be used to run cars.
I then watched a movie in the afternoon. It turns out I have been living under a rock the past few years as Sandra Bullock has made not one, but two movies. I one about alaska where she is a book editor, I have no idea what the american names is.....
As it was raining all day on friday and saturday, my activities consisted of reading books, watching movies, going to the shopping mall (i think I have been almost 10 times now.... way more than in the US). I have more to say on shoppings but I will save that for the future..
I had a great time this past weekend which was semana santa. It was basically a four day weekend! I spent thursday at Fabianna's house working on our respective projects. The whole weekend was very hot (95 degreesF or 35 in C) and humid, so very humid. We had lots of storms all weekend. Apparently when it rains, the internet does not work at my house....how strange? On friday I had a wonderful lunch at Fabiana's grandmother's house. The meal consisted of a lot traditional foods cooked with dende oil (palm oil). I was warned to eat only a little bit as it can be abrasive. In fact we then got into a discussion of how palm oil can be used to run cars.
I then watched a movie in the afternoon. It turns out I have been living under a rock the past few years as Sandra Bullock has made not one, but two movies. I one about alaska where she is a book editor, I have no idea what the american names is.....
As it was raining all day on friday and saturday, my activities consisted of reading books, watching movies, going to the shopping mall (i think I have been almost 10 times now.... way more than in the US). I have more to say on shoppings but I will save that for the future..
March 28, 2010
March 27, 2010
March 26, 2010
Liberate the Data!
I have a new moto: liberate the data!
I think its very appropriate to the work I am doing here in Salvador, which is basically taking medical charts and reading them. carefully. I am trying to find a lot of information from charts that are handwritten and in Portuguese, no easy task
I did not find this motto by myself, but the geeky, global-health, data-part of me was extremely happy to see this post http://aidwatchers.com/2010/03/new-portal-seeks-to-liberate-the-aid-data/ on the Aid Watch Blog (William Easterly).
here is a taste of the article...
New portal seeks to liberate aid data
By Laura Freschi
Published March 25, 2010
AidData, a new development finance data portal, was launched on Tuesday along with a companion blog called The First Tranche. From their inaugural post:
AidData 1.0, …assembles more aid projects from more donors totaling more dollars than have ever been available from a single source before. AidData catalogues nearly one million projects that were financed between 1945 and 2009, adding or augmenting data on $1.9 trillion of development finance records. We currently have data from 87 different donors, and data from even more donors will come online every few months.
Today I observed a lumbar puncture on a woman with encephalitis. It was over 90 degrees in the room and the physician could not find any of the CSF fluid. The whole time I thought I was going to faint because it was so hot. But it was interesting to see a patient. I am going to try to observe other procedures.
I went to the beach yesterday and walked past a church that had a huge cage of hundereds of guinea pigs. I think they were for eating and they reminded me a lot of rats. It was the first time a guinea pig freaked me out. I think large numbers of small rodents are particularly scary. I also went to get ice cream with the two students who live in the same apartment as me. They study a lot and I have not had much of a chance to interact with them (that and I dont speak very well), But we had a hilarious conversation about university. I made some funny language mistakes, like accidently calling them cooks rather than cousins :).
I think its very appropriate to the work I am doing here in Salvador, which is basically taking medical charts and reading them. carefully. I am trying to find a lot of information from charts that are handwritten and in Portuguese, no easy task
I did not find this motto by myself, but the geeky, global-health, data-part of me was extremely happy to see this post http://aidwatchers.com/2010/03/new-portal-seeks-to-liberate-the-aid-data/ on the Aid Watch Blog (William Easterly).
here is a taste of the article...
New portal seeks to liberate aid data
By Laura Freschi
Published March 25, 2010
AidData, a new development finance data portal, was launched on Tuesday along with a companion blog called The First Tranche. From their inaugural post:
AidData 1.0, …assembles more aid projects from more donors totaling more dollars than have ever been available from a single source before. AidData catalogues nearly one million projects that were financed between 1945 and 2009, adding or augmenting data on $1.9 trillion of development finance records. We currently have data from 87 different donors, and data from even more donors will come online every few months.
Today I observed a lumbar puncture on a woman with encephalitis. It was over 90 degrees in the room and the physician could not find any of the CSF fluid. The whole time I thought I was going to faint because it was so hot. But it was interesting to see a patient. I am going to try to observe other procedures.
I went to the beach yesterday and walked past a church that had a huge cage of hundereds of guinea pigs. I think they were for eating and they reminded me a lot of rats. It was the first time a guinea pig freaked me out. I think large numbers of small rodents are particularly scary. I also went to get ice cream with the two students who live in the same apartment as me. They study a lot and I have not had much of a chance to interact with them (that and I dont speak very well), But we had a hilarious conversation about university. I made some funny language mistakes, like accidently calling them cooks rather than cousins :).
March 25, 2010
A lack of materialism
One thing that I have noticed here in Brazil so far is a lack of materialism and attachment to things ( at least in the older generation) as I have only visited elderly women. Their houses are clean and sparse and they really dont have many possessions. The possessions they do have, they value and fix them when broken instead of throwing them away. It is much easier to get things fixed here than in the US. So far, in two days, my grandmother has had her slippers (flip-flops for you mainlanders) repaired where they had ripped, the ethernet cord repaired (the man literally opened it up and put on a new connector thing) and fixed an extension cord that exploded in flames when she tried using it with her 1950s iron. She says it now works but I am unsure if I should test it out with my computer.
I love Telenovelas, its been great for learning language and the plots are definitely full of drama. I have been watching the one that comes on at 5. But there is another one on from 8-9 that everyone watches, that I have yet made it through without falling asleep during (thank you jet lag and not sleeping much during finals). Its the only thing on tv that people watch. Last night one character, who was confined to a wheelchair because her car flipped over, tried to take public transport in Rio to visit her friends in a very posh restaurant. She could have taken a taxi (she had lots of money) but instead championed for handicapped rights and took a bus that was handicap accessible. It was a great example of how Brazil is very modern. They have wheelchair accessible buses! Its very much a middle class country. In the south and southeast there is a whole class of people that are very well off. There are supermarkets, air conditioning, great traffic signals with crosswalks. Yet, this coexists with a lot of infectious disease and poverty. I am going to be meeting with a professor at Cornell who has lived in Salvador for the past 20 years and worked on slum health in Favelas (slums). It should be very interesting.
I love Telenovelas, its been great for learning language and the plots are definitely full of drama. I have been watching the one that comes on at 5. But there is another one on from 8-9 that everyone watches, that I have yet made it through without falling asleep during (thank you jet lag and not sleeping much during finals). Its the only thing on tv that people watch. Last night one character, who was confined to a wheelchair because her car flipped over, tried to take public transport in Rio to visit her friends in a very posh restaurant. She could have taken a taxi (she had lots of money) but instead championed for handicapped rights and took a bus that was handicap accessible. It was a great example of how Brazil is very modern. They have wheelchair accessible buses! Its very much a middle class country. In the south and southeast there is a whole class of people that are very well off. There are supermarkets, air conditioning, great traffic signals with crosswalks. Yet, this coexists with a lot of infectious disease and poverty. I am going to be meeting with a professor at Cornell who has lived in Salvador for the past 20 years and worked on slum health in Favelas (slums). It should be very interesting.
March 24, 2010
Oi do Brasil
I made it safely to Brasil on sunday afternoon after 24 hours of flying. I only missed one flight, not bad considering Chicago was having snowstorms. Fabianna picked me up from the airport with her daughter and took me food shopping at Pelerini, an upscale, gourmet food store. I tried panzhino, a Salvadoran specialty bread that has a creamed cheese filling. It is very delicious.
I am living with (as in sharing a room with) a very nice elderly woman whose name I cannot spell and who I will now call my Brazilian grandmother. She does not speak English and I have to try very hard to communicate, but its good fun. My portuguese is getting better!
I started work on monday at 7am (Fabianna gets up early!). I work in the public hospital on the 7th floor (by stairs). The hospital here is 100 years old and could use some renovations. They do have an elevator which Fabianna warned me against using as there is always a line of 15 people for it (when 5 can reasonable fit) and it goes very slowly.
We just submitted the IRB to brazil today so it will be at least 4-6 weeks before I can start collecting data from the national hospital. I started collecting records today from the stadual HIV center because it falls under Fabianna's IRB that was previously approved.
Besides doing lots of work... I have also been going shopping with my grandmother and meeting all of her sisters and nieces. So far I have met 3 sisters and at least 6 or 7 nieces.
I have been eating a lot of payaya, bananas and mangoes (yum!). The fruit and climate both remind me a lot of home. I seem to work best when its 85 degrees out (30) and humid!
I am living with (as in sharing a room with) a very nice elderly woman whose name I cannot spell and who I will now call my Brazilian grandmother. She does not speak English and I have to try very hard to communicate, but its good fun. My portuguese is getting better!
I started work on monday at 7am (Fabianna gets up early!). I work in the public hospital on the 7th floor (by stairs). The hospital here is 100 years old and could use some renovations. They do have an elevator which Fabianna warned me against using as there is always a line of 15 people for it (when 5 can reasonable fit) and it goes very slowly.
We just submitted the IRB to brazil today so it will be at least 4-6 weeks before I can start collecting data from the national hospital. I started collecting records today from the stadual HIV center because it falls under Fabianna's IRB that was previously approved.
Besides doing lots of work... I have also been going shopping with my grandmother and meeting all of her sisters and nieces. So far I have met 3 sisters and at least 6 or 7 nieces.
I have been eating a lot of payaya, bananas and mangoes (yum!). The fruit and climate both remind me a lot of home. I seem to work best when its 85 degrees out (30) and humid!
March 1, 2010
Home of all future travel adventures
I realized that it makes more sense to have one blog for all my travels instead of one blog per travel experience. So for simplicity sake, all my future travels will be documented here.
I am going to be traveling to Salvador, Brazil and living there for ten weeks from March 21st to June 1st. I will be completing my fieldwork for my masters degree in global health at UCSF. Though I will document my travels here, I also hope to discuss the application of many concepts I have learned about in class, in the Brazilian context.
I am going to be traveling to Salvador, Brazil and living there for ten weeks from March 21st to June 1st. I will be completing my fieldwork for my masters degree in global health at UCSF. Though I will document my travels here, I also hope to discuss the application of many concepts I have learned about in class, in the Brazilian context.
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