The neighborhood

This trip wouldn't have been this great without the people we met here at KCMC.  I introduced Baba Alfred and his family in a previous post.  There have also been many great residents and medical students who welcomed us to KCMC and helped us find our way around.

We've also been lucky enough to meet other medical & nursing students from all over the world, as well as a few American residents and med students we wouldn't otherwise have met.

Our house on the doctor's compound happens to be inhabited only by Americans since we've been here.  Chris, a 4th year student from Mizzou, was the only one home when we arrived and was super helpful in finding our way around, giving tips on places to get internet and how to use our Vodacom phones, and introducing us to some of the other students.  Marianna returned from a Kilimajaro climb a week into our stay, and just left for home last week after a 3 month stay.  With Chris now on his own Kili climb it's been a bit quiet around here lately.

Our roommates on our last pizza & beer outing before they left (above, left) and out in town on Marianna's last night (above, right).

We've also made friends from all over the world.  Our neighbors on this street were from Wales and Sweeden, and we spent quite a bit of time exploring with them.  The Welsh girls turned out to be excellent hostesses and cooks, planing a potluck for the international and Tanzanian students last week which was quite impressive.

Here's just part of the spread:

And a picture of all 6 of us girls:

The month wouldn't have been the same without these and so many more wonderful people we've met here.  I miss them already!

Coca-cola is everywhere

One of the most surprising things we've noticed in Tanzania is that Coca-Cola is, quite literally, everywhere.  Most signs for hotels, stores, small family businesses, restaurants, and even the Moshi post-office are Coca-Cola sponsored.  Coke even supplies tables and chairs for many local restaurants, bars, and the medical school cafeteria (below).

Even our attempts to try new things not available in the U.S., such as a delicious non-acoholic ginger beer called Stoney Tangewezie, take us back to the Coca-Cola company.  And the ubiquitious drinking water, of which we've purchased gallons during our trip, says this on the label.

"The water in this bottle originally fella s snow or rain on the top of Africa's highest mountain, Kilimanjaro.  The water filters through thousands of feet of volcanic rock and lava, it surfaces on the lower slopes of the mountain and is bottled at Shirimatunda located on the Kibo volcanic lava slope."

And then, if you read a little further:

"Trademark of the Coca-Cola company."

Seriously??  I traveled 9,000 miles over 24 hours and the only thing I can find to drink that's not made by Coca-Cola is beer!