August 1. Denice Dorchak-Ochola

“Charles!!!”

Denice ran out of the office and gave me a big hug. Not once, but twice; one for left, and one for right. She said that no one hugged her when she came here for the first time; she wanted to do me a favor what she really wanted, warm and sweet greeting.

“Let’s take a picture!”

As always, I have in mind that I need to capture any historical(?) moment for my blog. It is something like a journalist spirit. The feeling, the moment, and the emotion that I just had should be written. My memory will be slowly blurred as time passes, but I can return this memory within a minute by reading what I would write, just like getting in time machine. I was happy about this moment. The more unexpected, the more I would feel excited. 8-hour of driving from Dar es Salaam to Dodoma and coming to the office directly was really worth to do it.

I met Denice Dorchack-Ochola, World Vision Global Health Fellow in Tanzania, in Dodoma in Tanzania. How could we imagine that we fellow would meet right here? There are 5 African countries – Mauritania, Sierra Leone, Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania – where AIM-Health Project has been implemented, and 4 fellows from Johns Hopkins School of Public Health has been dispatched to each African countries, except Mauritania. Until AIM-Health Project Mid-term evaluation will have been completed, each fellow has no reason to go to another African countries. However, I came to Tanzania because I am attention No.1 fellow! I have experienced very special exception, evacuation that I only had imagined, has really come true. Coincidentally, 4 months of my fellow duration has been divided into exact half; I was in Sierra Leone for 2 months, and I will have stayed in Tanzania for 2 months. But my project for Sierra Leone will be continued in East Africa, Tanzania.

Denice is not only my schoolmate from the same department, International Health, but also has been doing the same role in World Vision. I may never get bored for the rest of 2 months because I am able to see my colleague Denice, who has been experiencing exactly same situation as mine, here in Tanzania. I already like World Vision Tanzania; they have accepted both of us, which must be really redundant when it comes to their work, and greeted me as well like their family. Okay, I only have two months to be here, but I will repay their kindness by learning Swahili as much as I can and finding out what I can contribute to their work.

“Naku Penda Sana!” (I love you so much!)

I used this sentence with my full confidence to the project manager, Jane. I had practiced it many times, and I was convinced she would understand my Swahili. Everyone in the room laughed, and Denice was surprised by my Swahili. Hey, Denice, I only know a few!

Denice took me to the several departments and introduced staff to me, and I had my brief introduction time with every staff. As soon as I heard their names, I typed it in my cell phone note app to remember it. I also met Modest Kessy, the person who appears in Denice’s blog many times. I felt like I am actually meeting main actors in a novel who I am not likely to see. It was already around 5pm, the closing working hour, so many staff were about to leave. I may know more staff at the devotion time on Monday.   

Life in Tanzania has officially begun. The biggest difference comparing to first arrival in Sierra Leone is comfort. My first feeling in the office was ‘Oh, what should I do? I know nothing, I know nobody!’ two months ago, my another first feeling in this office is ‘I am ready to say hi because I know what to do!’ New start might be stressful or energy consuming, but on the other hand, it should be exciting and full-hearted, depending on how I consider this situation. Everywhere I go, I can enjoy the new environment because I am hard-core survivor like an unnamed weed in the desolate land.

P.S. I accidentally figured out why chef Sofu said weird breakfast time 2 days ago while I was talking with WVT staff today. (Check the post “July 30. Breakfast is between 12pm and 4am?”) He actually meant 12am to 4am, and this TZ time is added to 6 hours, which means 06:00 – 10:00 am. But why TZ people count the time differently? I will figure that out later. Charles’ TZ research time will begin from next Monday.