Advertisement
Wednesday, June 4, 2008, 11:44 PM
So a lot has happened in the past two days. I had my first day of work yesterday (!), and of course, I woke up early to find it pouring. Typical. But I drove in with Lea, the Connect-123 director, who introduced me to the doctors I’d be working with, sat in on our meeting, and helped me get settled. The Red Cross Children’s Hospital is slightly old-school, yet well established, and the staff is very welcoming. I’m currently assigned to two projects, both focused on pain management (or the lack thereof) in Africa: the first is studying the care given to NAI (non-accidental injury, specifically, sexual abuse) patients (there is a widespread custom of not prescribing anesthetics in these cases), and the second: a more research based study of pain management in sub-Saharan Africa, especially focusing on the legality of specific drugs in individual countries.
Sorry, that was kinda wordy and obnoxious, but that’s what I’ll be up to in the mornings haha. In the afternoons, a few of the interns and I go to the Sarah Fox Convalescence Hospital, a smaller “overflow” clinic for the Red Cross, to play with and
help feed the patients there (most are younger than three years). So adorable, yet so sad…most are recovering from TB, eczema, traumatic injuries, etc. I wasn’t able to go today (because I had to register with the University of Cape Town as a research student--I even get an official ID card haha (!)), but the three hours I spent with the kids on Tuesday was AMAZING. I think it will be a nice balance to the research work I’ll be doing in the mornings.
Last night, we discovered the godsend that is Mr. Delivery. We order off the menus of a select number of participating restaurants in our area through the Mr. Delivery website, and the company delivered your meal for R10 (a little over a dollar). We ordered from a recommended Chinese place, and ate dinner at 21:30, which has become the custom these days. Along with late dinners, we have made a habit of eating cheaply…on Monday, we found a cute pizza place up the street with a “two, two-topping pizzas” deal for the equivalent of $8.50. Split between three people, we managed to spend about $3 each (and we had leftovers for the next day’s lunch ☺). Wine is also quite affordable, so we have had a couple wine parties in preparation for the “Wacky Wine Weekend,” a big wine tasting festival that many of the interns will be attending in a couple days. I’ve met so many great people already, but there are still newbies coming in, so this event will provide good “bonding opportunities.” ☺
Tonight, upon recollection of the severly sub-par fitness center in our apartment building, my roommate and two friends, Oliver and Blake, and I decided to check out the gym up the street. We managed to get a free trial, and we have decided that it is the equivalent of a $400-a-month gym in the U.S—TVs built into the treadmills, spotless equipment, pool, free wireless, café, etc, etc. The biggest plus is the locker room and showers (which far surpass the quality of our apartment’s shower…which apparently is clogged due to structural, not easily reparable, damage). So for $50 a month, we’ll get a lot more than just exercise.
After that, a bunch of us ate at a nearby tavern (keeping with our fashionably late dinner hours), which was amazing, just like the rest of the food we’ve had, and now I’m headed to bed…seven hours will help me catch up from the last few nights haha. Mucho amor from South Africa~~
Random Facts of the Days: ALL the cars here are miniature, obviously much more environmentally and economically friendly. Normal, mid-sized sedans are beasts, and it makes you wonder what the heck Americans are thinking…
Also, EVERYTHING is pay as you go--electricity, phone, internet. And as a result, my roommate and I conserve energy like our lives depend on it haha.
***Anyone who is actually reading all of my entries, shoot me a comment or email so I know who I’m “talking” to. Miss you all!***
Advertisement
Tot: 0.101s; Tpl: 0.013s; cc: 5; qc: 44; dbt: 0.0602s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.1mb
T-ster
non-member comment
Mew
I guess I'm reading all of your entries, or I just finished reading all of your entries. It's good to know that you're enjoying yourself, but you're going to a "Wacky Wine Weekend"? Aren't you a bit young? What would your parents think, tsk tsk, jk. Last night I dinner with your favorite Gavin C, along with Dan and Reese Alexander, Ben Zambito, and a former camper of mine that you don't know. I also slept over at Al Spencer's house, wow he has a nice place. Laters, T-ster