A little relaxation

Afternoon coffee with OB/GYN residents

The workshop is over after three days, 13/16 participants passing, 2 needing some remediation.  The OB/GYN residents were only in it half-heartedly and seemed like they had better things to be doing, but my real triumph is in the enthusiasm of the family medicine residents, the health officer, and the one nurse who completed the course.  They are super excited to spread the cervical cancer screening and the family med residents have asked if I could do a demo on IUD and contraceptive implant insertion for them!  Good things developing.  Suggestions from the OB audience welcome on how to accomplish that without any kind of model kit or supplies.  I don't have any implant available right now, but if I do, I was thinking maybe chicken breasts for the simulation?

Last night to celebrate finshing the workshop, Dr. G. treated us to massages at the hotel, which was AMAZING and cost about $13 USD.  It will be hard not to do that far too often.  We then went over to Dr. D's house for dinner and met his family, including his adorable 2 year old boy,newborn girl, and beauty queen-worthy wife.  Did I mention that Ethiopian people are beautiful?  I can't put my finger on it, I think it's something about the cheek bones.  Fortunately, along with diseases of poverty, there is a much higher prevalence of beauty in Ethiopia than other places.  I'd rather have one of those then neither, but we can work on the former.

This morning before Dr. G flew out we drove up to the nearby Entoto Mountains to get some fresh air and views of the city.  It was like we were immediately transported to a rural area- lots of livestock, few cars, women carrying impossible looking loads of firewood down a very steep road bent over almost 90 degrees.  It was nearly impossible to take inconspicuous pictures because everyone turned around to see who was driving the only car up the road and looked in to see the farangis (foreigners) inside, but I wish I could have.  There was also a small religious holiday today, and one of the churches up the mountain had a huge gathering of people- tens of thousands I'd say- flocking toward a church.  (They closed the road there, only public transport and farangis [seriously!] allowed to pass.)  Such a beautiful and somewhat eerie site to see thousands of people covered in white while the priest's singing emanated from loudspeakers coming from the church.  We made it to the top of the mountain where we found a couple churches, one of which Dr. G has visited several times.  We went to the other one.  So glad we did.  It had a huge mural on the inside made by a single painter 150 years ago (per the guide), filling the octagonal walls with many of the major stories from the bible.  The church (not having services today) was still filled with frankincense smoke.  It was stunningly beautiful and dramatic.  Outside was a 700 year-old church carved from rock that was the precursor to the 150 year old structure that we toured.  Amazing, amazing culture.

Now trying to make some friends with the residents with moderate success.  I'm going out for a "traditional" dinner with some of them any moment.  Meanwhile I'm texting with Charles on my iPhone over the internet... funny how some things can feel so much the same.

From Entoto