Days since arriving in
Rwanda: 17
VAST courses
completed: 2
Near-death experiences
with motos: 22
Kilometers travelled
by bicycle: 40
Number of times Patty
has asked me to write a blog post: 1,438… 1,439 (just got another email) ;)
Rwanda has been dubbed ‘the land of a thousand
hills’. It’s a lie. It’s the land of a million
hills. The tall-tale about having to walk uphill both ways to school
probably originated here, and is likely rooted in some element of truth. My
wife, Allison, crashed her bike going downhill during our 40km tour of the
northern part of Rwanda. 10 minutes later, she got a flat tire on the same hill!
Ambulatory struggles aside, Rwanda is
absolutely breathtaking. Villages snake up the hillsides, ribbons of road
follow the natural topography of the land, and everywhere you look you are
surrounded by some of the lushest and greenest flora that you’ll ever see. The
capital city of Kigali is also uniquely beautiful in its own right. While urban
planning and a sensible layout of roadways is essentially non-existent, Kigali
is exceptionally clean and hosts a variety of unique and charming
neighbourhoods – each with its own characteristic vibe. It’s a wonderful city
to explore on foot and there are countless sights to see and things to do.
The people of Rwanda are also wonderful, but
there’s one big hurdle you have to get over once you first arrive here. Have
you ever had a dream where everyone is staring at you? You know the type of
dream I’m talking about… It’s the one where you have a long string of toilet
paper stuck to your shoe and, as you walk through the halls of your high
school, literally every person you walk past stops and stares. Well, that’s
exactly what happens in Rwanda. I’m not talking about quick glances. I’m
talking about full on, 180 degree head turns whilst scanning you up and down. I
haven’t gotten used to it yet, and I don’t think I ever will. What I have come
to realize, however, is that these stares are largely based in an immense
amount of curiosity. A quick smile or a friendly “hello” is enough to break the
analytical stares and engage the warm and friendly personalities underneath.
Not once have I waved, smiled, or said “hello” to a single person here and not
had a reciprocal reaction 10x more enthusiastic than my initial delivery.
I have been exceptionally fortunate to have
been able to help facilitate the VAST (Vital Anesthesia Simulation Training)
pilot course and participate in weekly resident teaching sessions. I’ve also
gotten multiple opportunities to participate in teaching in the ORs at CHUK.
What an experience that has been. Resourcefulness and ingenuity are absolutely
essential in order to be a functional anesthesiologist in this setting, and the
Rwandan residents are experts in both of these regards. I liken my experience
in the operating rooms to experiences I’ve had in multiple restaurants around
Kigali…
(One example of an actual event)
Me: *looking at a menu
containing 14 different types of omelettes* “I’ll have the Spanish omelette
please”
Waitress: “No, we don’t have
that one”
Me: “Ok, no problem. I’ll have
the ham and cheese omelette instead”
Waitress: “No. We have cheese
omelette, or plain omelette. You can have plain omelette”
Me: “Sooooo do I actually get a
choice? Actually, I’ll just get scrambled eggs”
The moral of the story: In the OR - just like in the restaurants - you
can ask for it, but it doesn’t mean you’re going to get it; you’d best be
prepared to compromise and make the most out of alternative options available
to you.
To date, my time in Rwanda
has been everything I’ve hoped it would be. My interest in global health –
which, prior to this elective, was primarily idealistic - has been reinforced
with real world experience, excitement, and intrigue. Participating in global
health initiatives is no longer just a pipe-dream, but something I have
experience in and plan on fully incorporating into my future practice.
 |
| Our lively Jeopardy game at academic day |
 |
| Resident initiative, getting ready for VAST week 3 |
No comments:
Post a Comment