Late breaker...

So Dr. Bola just sent me these pics of when he and Dr. Dotun (aka Dusty) came to visit me at my posters in Mexico. As soon as I get my new laptop I can return the favor and send them the pics of the two of them in front of their poster, yeah! So here are Bola and Dotun....and me in Mexico.

This is me and Bola



And this is Dotun and me (yes, he's tall).



So this is me with my suave Nigerian doctor buds. And no I didn't wear the same shirt all week Mom, this is all the same day when everyone had a chance to come by and visit.

Ok, back to Rwanda time and jet lag :).

Welcome to the US...

Dear Luci and M,

So I actually made it all the way inside the Embassy today. Last time I was here we made it to the security gate and ended up going into town for our meeting. I was supposed to give a presentation so I brought my lap top and the necessary USB to be told we couldn't bring any of it in. This time, I knew enough to send things in advance, but apparently the USB rule has been laxed a bit so I didn't have to send everything in advance after all. They have consolidated the US Government agencies into the new Embassy building here, USAID, CDC, State...

All that to say, we made it fully inside the walls today. There is a first set of walls, then you enter another building and go through security again. As we cleared the second level and walked through the courtyard one of the guys we were meeting said "welcome to the US". It was shockingly accurate. It feels entirely separate from the place we are actually in. A piece of US soil in the middle of Kigali. It was all constructed by US contractors. I wouldn't be surprised if the materials were sourced from the US too. It's an impressive structure, and there is a nice atrium area and coffee shop and official looking Marines around. I would not have been the least surprised has I encountered a McDonald's or a Starbucks.

For obvious reasons, there are no pictures. But just wanted you to know I was stateside for about an hour and half today and I didn't even have to change planes!

Cheers,

Kik

A hot shower beats a bucket any day!

Dear Luci and M,

While I have remained in a perpetual state of jet lag for the past several years a few fundamental truths are beginning to emerge:

1) No matter what your watch says it is in fact morning when the sun comes up, get used to it.

2) Sleeping on the plane doesn't really help.

3) Coffee is good.

4) A hot shower beats a bucket any day!!!!!

xo,

kik

For once my bag got here before I did!

Dear Luci and M,

Hello from Rwanda...again. Made it safe and sound. Ethiopian Airlines may be my new favorite carrier. The plane was old and I skipped the meals because they looked pretty, ummmmm, not pretty (but it's airplane food which is a lot like hospital food without the added bonus of a hospital stay). The upside? The plane was only about half full so I got an entire row to myself which means I got some sleep! And even though I had to transfer in Addis Ababa and in Entebbe (which made little sense since there is a direct flight from Addis to Kigali but I'm not complaining as all flights took off and most importantly landed!) my bag arrived. Ahead of me in fact. Apparently my bag was smarter than my itinerary and hopped the direct flight instead of the detour through Uganda. I might want to think about that next time.

Off to a running start, the work is going well and so far no goat on a stick! No pictures yet but will try and get some shots of the blooming jacaranda trees since it is coming into springtime here.

Hope all is well in B'more and NYC! Miss you both.

Kik