Muli Bwangi from Malawi!!

After a journey of 20 hours in the air (not including layover times), I've finally arrived in Lilongwe, Malawi and already into my second week here!  I've been looking forward to this trip in a long time.  I know I haven't been posting since July, but it was more to save you the time of reading about my boring life which until now has mostly consisted of non-stop flying for away rotations and interviews.  But January 27 finally came, and my rank list has been submitted, and I left for Africa!!

So far I am currently into my second week, and it is absolutely beautiful here.  Since Day 1, the landscape has been absolutely gorgeous full of rolling green hills and sunny skies.  Take a look for yourself!

A view from right outside Dr. and Mrs. Podgore's house

I was a bit worried that it would be raining all the time at first since that's what weather.com predicted, but so far so good!  Only a teensy thunderstorm last night--nothing a Texan couldn't handle ;)  The Irish nurses, however, were a bit overwhelmed by the lightning show and thunder.

Here's a few pictures of our living arrangement--really nothing to complain about except for the fact that our water was shut off on the fourth day we were there..and has remained off--but minor details really because take a look at the house we're staying in and you'll see:

Gotta have the mosquito nets!

That's Dr. Podgore making some tea.

Not the best pictures, but one of the first it's Danielle (med student from Southwestern), Stephanie (N. Irish/UK midwifery student), Dana (RN from Philly), and Dierdre (Rep. of Ireland midwifery student)

A better arrangement than I had in China!

Not to mention, the hospital where we mainly work, Daeyang Luke Hospital, is absolutely gorgeous.  Those Koreans are very detail-oriented!

The microscopy lab which is absolutely essential since most the peds cases here need blood smears for malaria diagnosis.

Peds rounds with Dr. Podgore

One of my favorite patients so far--a little 3 month old and her twin is laying in the mess of blankets!

Inside the ER

Steph, Deirdre, Danielle and I before our first Hash run!

Hashers who committed "offenses" during the run and their "punishment"

post-run beauty

cute babies!

Baylor Medical School's peds branch here in Malawi

Fuel shortage is a very common problem here in Malawi.  Mrs. Podgore finds herself driving around looking for fuel very often.

Sorry for the lack of content.  Internet here has been sparse at best so I figure images would probably be the thing most people are interested in.  More pictures to follow and I promise they will be more interesting!!

Going to Lake Malawi this weekend and a safari weekend after :)