Jambo again!

It rained yesterday - which was wonderful! All that red dirt that was flying around is now packed down a bit. I worry that we are headed into rainy season, though. Jolene and the other NGO folks were discussing Karatu mud - it may be worse than the dust. I'm so thrilled I get to experience both seasons here...

Yesterday, Jolene hosted a brunch at her house. Peter, the Peace Corps physics and math teacher, made eggs benedict - so similar to my dad's recipe! Delicious! Ashley, the American ex pat who owns the art gallery, and Zoe, the Brit, were there. As well as Dr. Frank and his wife Susan (both from California, but live here now) and Jean, a Canadian who works for another NGO in Karatu called CPAR (they have a website). Dr. Frank moved here a number of years ago to open a clinic after almost dying while climbing Kilimanjaro. I am going to his clinic this morning to check it out. Everyone has been raving about how nice it is in comparison to the local hospital. He also wants to consult with me about a few patients and maybe have me give a lecture on current ob/gyn practices.

I wanted to share a little of what I've learned about female circumcision. It's illegal in Tanzania, but still widely practiced. There is apparently a small tribe near Lake Victoria that self-circumcises - but this sends a very powerful message to everyone in their tribe. The women there are not to be fucked with. Because it is now illegal, it is more common for female infants to undergo this procedure shortly after birth (rather than at the time of adolescence). Many men refuse to marry a woman who has not had FGM (female genital mutilation) because it means they are not a virgin. It can cause some serious problems with the delivery of their babies - which usually occurs at home by a TBA (traditional birth attendant). The TBAs are often the ones in the community also performing these circumcisions. This is a cultural practice that I hope will change with time and education. I will never understand it.