Arriving in Cape Town, South Africa
Oh, man…
Forgot my passport at home
Conquered a 2 minute layover in Atlanta
Survived a 15 hour flight in the middle seat
Locked the key inside my closet’s safe
Did nothing to prevent this abysmal jet lag
So far, this trip is off to a fairly irresponsible start.
But 28 hours later, I made it to Cape Town! The purpose of this journey is to satisfy the International Field Experience component of my Master of Public Health degree. Over the next three months, I’ll be working as an Intern/Research Assistant with the Desmond Tutu HIV Foundation. At the Foundation, my work will largely consist of conducting geospatial analyses of tuberculosis disease and transmission locations within a local, high burden, community. Back in Florida, I created a model to predict hyperendemicity of TB in the county based on a potpourri of sociodemographic components that influence the transmission cycle. In short — figuring out where TB outbreaks occur, how the environment influences transmission, and how to prevent infection and reinfection. I’m thrilled to start working with the data sets to see how the projects take shape over the course of my practicum. Also, the medical anthropologist in me is keen to learn more about the social conditions in the townships, as well as the lived experiences and perceptions of those afflicted with tuberculosis.
Aside from the academic formality and scholarly inquiry, I've been wanting to travel to Cape Town for a number of years. I've always described my "paradise" as a place where the mountains meet the sea. There is just something about the majesty of the mountains encompassing the city bowl and the dramatic rocky coast being pounded by the waves of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. It seems like the perfect union of nature’s rigor and civilization. Just my style.
I’m not one to establish a bucket list of activities at the start of an international adventure. There always seems to be this foreboding pressure to accomplish a set of tasks that end in disappointment if not all of them are completed. With that in mind, I just have a goal to take advantage of the amazing opportunities this city has to offer.
… and hiking
… lots of hiking
and surfing ...
lots of surfing ...
