June 3

This morning, Adrienne and I both did not want to get out of bed.  Our alarm went off at 7am, and we both just laid there for another 15 minutes, even though we needed to leave the house at 7:45.  I finally got up, poured myself some tea, and started getting dressed.  We ended up leaving 5 minutes late but still got to school by 8am to use the wifi before class started.  Class started off with a short lecture on problem trees (which are basically the same thing as concept maps--and if you don't know what a concept map is, it is basically a diagram that lays out a problem with different levels of causes and effects).  After the lecture we got in our case study groups, received faculty feedback on our case study topics, and finalized our topics.

My group received pretty good faculty feedback, and we are going to do our study on the high incidence of motorcycle accidents in Moshi, Tanzania.  (Everybody's location has to be Moshi because we aren't allowed to go anywhere else to conduct interviews).  I've only been here for one week and have already seen a motorcycle accident on campus.  After finalizing our topic, my group started to work on our problem tree/concept map.  We decided that some of the direct causes for motorcycle accidents include poor adherence to current safety regulations, a high number of untrained motorcyclists on the roads, and poor road conditions/lack of traffic infrastructure.  Some of the underlying factors that lead to these direct causes are cell phone use, lack of helmet use, speeding, and alcohol consumption as a result of few policemen and poor enforcement of regulations, lack of funding, affordability and easy access to motorcycles for all ages, government inefficiency, and a poor economy.  We also noted that motorcycle accidents lead to injury, deaths, or disability; a burden on the law enforcement; and a burden on the healthcare system.  All of these may further lead to an inability to get to work and produce an income, burden on the family, poverty, delays in receiving healthcare, and poor working conditions or overcrowding in healthcare facilities.  Sorry if none of that makes sense.  Basically, we will do research on our own and conduct interviews at KCMC hospital, around the town of Moshi, and in rural sites in order to gain specific information needed to be able to come up with policy recommendations that could help decrease the incidence of motorcycle accidents in the future.  Our case studies are due on June 21, and the following Monday we will all split up and start our internships.

Here is our concept map

All the groups got done working pretty quickly today, so most people left the school early.  Adrienne and I went to the other mama Mary’s house to do insanity with Ume.  There was enough space in that house for all three of us to do insanity inside, so that was nice!  I’m glad I got a workout in because we ended up having chapatti for dinner (which makes me feel fat).  Our mama Mary showed us how to make it, and I’m definitely making it when I get back to the states (so you should be excited, family).  The only concerning thing is that when she went to add the eggs, she just reached into a cabinet and pulled out two of them.  I guess they don’t refrigerate their eggs here?  Hmm… Well, I haven’t been sick yet and I’ve had a lot of eggs, so I guess it’s okay?  While mama was making eggs, we somehow got on the topic of alcohol.  Adrienne and I asked if she ever drank hard alcohol, or if she only liked beer.  I quote mama: “You give mama coffee, mama drink coffee. You give mama beer, mama drink beer. You give mama whiskey, mama drink whiskey. You give mama any alcohol, mama drink alcohol”.  So I guess that’s a yes to drinking hard alcohol.  Mesha came over again, and I asked him what his favorite type of alcohol was.  He said “I like the shot with the lemon”.  I didn’t think he was referring to lemon drops, so I asked him, “Do you mean tequila?  The shot with the salt and the lime?”  And he goes… “Yes, that is the one!  You take the shot, then you squeeze the lime into your eye, then you snort the salt.  My friend showed me!”  Umm… what?  Apparently tequila shots are a litttttle bit different here, haha.  Don’t worry mom, I don’t think I’ll be doing any of those.  Adrienne and I couldn’t stop laughing when he told us that.  Could you imagine watching someone do that? So funny.  The rest of the night was pretty chill—we just hung out with mama, Delke, and Mesha on the couch. 

My group :)

Highlight of my day: For tea time, we were served mandazi.  Mandazi is basically a giant donut ball minus the frosting.  I think the main ingredients are flour and sugar.  I'm not sure what the other ingredients are, but it is soooo yummmmy and we had it with our tea today.  Also, learning how to make chapatti could be considered a highlight!