today was my first day at the CDC. it is a clean, official, american-looking office building on the KEMRI (Kenya Medical Research Institute) campus about 15 minutes from my apartment. I arrived and was introduced to a diverse staff of Americans and Kenyans, all wearing official badges and with immaculate English. I took an internet security training course (i.e. don't post sensitive, CDC material on facebook or blogs, don't give out your password to strangers, etc.) and received my very own laptop! I also got a .gov email address for all the important buisness I hope to handle one day. I was gifted a pizza lunch (with pineapple on it--an indulgence i am only comfortable with in Kenya) and talked with my two supervisors about the structure of the CDC-Kenya and what projects I will be working on.
Then I spent the majority of my afternoon sitting under a tree, cruisin' the net, and reading about technical instructions for TB detection for panel physicians during the pre-resettlement medical exam. once i get up to speed on what docs are supposed to do in order to test, asses and treat i will probably examine some medical documents from Atlanta and see if there are any gaps between what is supposed to be done and what is done during these exams. On Wednesday, we have a meeting with IOM (International Office of Migration), a big partner and will go to the Transit Center, which is where refugees are held for 5 days prior to flying for last minute screening for cholera, etc. I'm excited for that part. The office is fancy, my laptop works, and I didn't even break a sweat. I want to hang out with the refugees, so i'm looking forward to Wednesday.
then i got a ride home and walked to the grocery store (= i may grocery shop little by little, every day, just to give me something to do) and then my grandpa called. 4 times. we talked for about 45 seconds. i then went to the fancy restaurant and treated myself to dinner. i asked for the tomato and cheese sandwich and ended up with an avocado panini. naturally. the area of town i live in, about 1 in every 4 people i see in this mall-like-building nearby are white. so, even though in theory, while abroad it sounds appropriate to strike up a conversation with another lone-white-restaurant patron, it feels weirder in actuality. so, i ate alone, read the newspaper and wandered home. tomorrow, i have a hunch, will be pretty similar. personal excitement is limited when you should be safely indoors after dark.
i'm on my 4th episode of mad men, but the weather here is delightful!
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