a wink and a smile

Another busy clinic day. I am now not checking out to a supervisor as much- usually only if I have a specific question. It is pretty easy to get into a routine here. Everything is so standardized. I am enjoying it because I don’t spend half my day trying to find my supervisor. I am sure the walking does me some good but it sure doesn’t help relieve the patient load on the other doctors! Today I got through quite a few patients before lunch- I almost felt like a regular doctor here!

running noses and still super cute!

One of my favorite things about the kids here is how easy it is to get them to trust you. I have formed a strategy that only works sometimes in the United States. I always try to greet the child as well as the parent. This usually catches both the child and parent off guard since medicine is still very paternalistic here. While I interview them I always try to make eye contact with the kid when the parents aren’t looking. . . then I move in with a quick, yet subtle wink! If I don’t get a laugh, I definitely always get a smile. It usually helps if they are on my left though- my right eye winks look more like a tic than an actual wink. After that examining them is a piece of cake- we are officially friends. I then get fist bumps on the way out (that is what they do here, high fives just don’t happen) and a happy child. On occasion I am not so successful, but I usually notice that more in the states- here it has worked beautifully. And hence. . . I totally love my job.

Went to the mall yesterday to do a little shopping and then had dinner at my favorite restaurant with one of the doctors, Teresa. She is the one that is friends with the person I am house sitting for. She is also the one who’s awesome maid is doing my laundry! =) It was a nice dinner. It is always so great to get to know the people here. They are all very interesting and inspiring, as I guess you would expect from people that move across the world to help children with HIV/AIDS. Still, life is different here, and you give up an entire lifestyle to be here, in addition to not seeing family and friends. It is a huge commitment and I respect them for their ability to do it. I have only been here a little shy of a month and I already miss my family and friends terribly. It might just be that I am a bit of a weenie though!




On that note- I have just 2 days till Ryan gets here and we start our Africa adventure!! I can’t wait!  


I hope everyone is doing well. Love you all.

ladies making Lesotho hats next to the Basotho hut!  These are very popular here!

downtown Maseru