Day 4 in Kenya, the second day of work in Kisumu and the hours are beginning to blur together. Haha just kidding.

I am working for Safe Water and Aids Project as a epidemiologist/consultant. They recently did a pilot study on reducing respiratory illness by improving cookstoves. Using those results we are starting the primary study and it is quite exciting. They actually listen to my suggestions and I feel like my work is actually means something. There is a measurable impact on health outcomes for rural Kenyan villages, and my involvement is actually improving lifes. When I stop to think about it, it is quite awesome.

I am staying with Benson, a local teacher at the international school. He is giving me a warm welcome and he plans on taking me drinking, Kenyan style, whatever that means this weekend. I have already seen giraffes, elephants, and rhinos. And not like the zoos back home. I had a giraffe eat out of my palm. Their tongues really are black, and truthfully, disgusting. The local coffee is fantastic, I am probably drinking the low grade stuff but it tastes amazing. The local tea is also quite delightful. Because of the British influence, the team breaks for morning and afternoon tea. I need to implement this in the clinic back home.

We are finishing a two-day intensive training for the improved cookstove study and tomorrow I will be going out into the field to collect data. I feel like a grown-up, working, and not for classes. Real world epidemiologic work with geniune colleages. I work directly with (not for) a CDC investigator, an EIS officer and the organization head. They are already talking about introducing me to their other staff back in Altanta. Connections really hold the world together.

Despite all this amazing work, I have not lost sight of my true objective. I will pose majestically with a lion. Look forward to it.