Thankful<3

Dumela from beautiful Botswana!

It has been a crazy week and I am so glad I finally have some time to sit down, relax, take a few deep breaths, and write this blog! Keeping up with three classes, daily clinic rotations, and our adventures are exhausting but continue to make each day more exciting than the last. People keep telling me I will get used to things I see in the clinic or on the streets. However, I don’t believe them because seeing a monkey is still so exciting. On my way back from class last week, there was a group of about 15 monkeys eating scraps from the trash, and I sat and watched them for a good 30 minutes. I was late to move into the campus dorms because of it, but I feel like you would do the same in my situation! 

I’ve come to learn that studying abroad in Gabz is like riding a roller coaster blindfolded. One moment you’re diving headfirst into the intriguing history and rich cultural traditions of Botswana, and the next, you find yourself having to yield to monkeys and a warthog crossing the street. The next turn will be horseback riding at “crocodile pond” and before you know it you’re watching tooth extractions then a woman giving birth in the hospital. It seems like six flags need to update their roller coasters because damn, the twists and turns Gabz has offered are unlike anything I have ever experienced. 

Although there is so much I want to talk about, I will start with one of the most unforgettable experiences of my life. Also, if you know me you know I have zero patience, so I don’t want to make you wait to hear about it! Each Monday and Thursday morning is spent at a local clinic. In the past few clinic visits, I have seen some crazy things; a little boy swallowing a coin, infected body parts (I won’t go into more detail on that one, as I would like to forget it), HIV counseling, and multiple procedures. 

I’m usually excited about the visit but this morning I was dreading going because my classmates said this clinic was boring, and not as busy as the others. When I left my room this morning, I made sure I had a pen and paper to doodle and other fidgets to keep my ADHD brain busy! However, as soon as we made it to the clinic, I knew it would be an exciting day. 

Each clinic visit starts with a tour and then my group mates and I split up into different specialties. However, when we entered the maternity ward, the doctor said in the next 2-3 hours he would be delivering a baby, and we were welcome to watch. My three group mates were so excited, and I was nervous. I was scarred from my high school health class watching a birth video but knew this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The four of us split up and were with different doctors, but 20 minutes later we got the message that the woman was starting to deliver. I apprehensively walked into the delivery room, where I saw only the midwife (they have no doctors at the hospital, only nurses) and the woman in agonizing pain as they don’t use any pain medication. Once the other girls walked in, the midwife talked us through each step of the delivery and described what we were seeing in GREAT detail. Seeing the baby’s head start to come out was my queue to take a step outside and get some fresh air. As I said before, I am very glad I decided to forgo the doctor's route. Once I gained my composure (and woke up from fainting in a chair), I walked back into the delivery room. Soon the room was filled with the sounds of a crying baby girl, and we four crying adults who just witnessed the birth.

Not only did the mother let four students watch such an intimate and raw moment, but she also wanted us to choose her firstborn's middle name. Botswana puts a large emphasis on the meaning behind a name, even stating it on a birth certificate, so we had to think hard. After some time, we chose Willow as her middle name meaning “To grow and prosper even under unfavorable conditions.” Although she is only 14 hours old, she is strong, brave, smart, beautiful, and perfect in every sense. Even though it was probably the most grotesque thing I have ever seen, it is a memory I will cherish forever. 

As I said earlier, I am glad I changed careers because medicine is not for me. However, this program has cemented my passion for public health. On Wednesday we spent the morning at the Ministry of Health. I met with the director of non-communicable diseases and learned more about Botswana’s health and government systems. As you may know, I am studying Health: Science, Society, and Policy at Brandeis, and hope to get my Master of Public Health degree. We talked about the large focus on HIV/AIDS and TB and the disregard for diseases such as diabetes, cancer, and heart disease (when they have higher death rates). The rates for such diseases have immensely multiplied in the past few years, making noncommunicable diseases Botswana’s top priority. We ended up talking about preventative care and primary care physicians (and Botswana’s lack of PCPs). I had asked her if there was any sort of annual physical mandate to participate in sports or school activities, and she said no. I told her that my thyroid cancer was discovered at my annual physical, and they are meant to increase preventative health. She had written it down and said she would suggest it at her next meeting. We also deep-dived into universal healthcare and the benefits and drawbacks of it. Most people think we are coming to the clinics to judge or critique them when in reality, we are constantly learning so much from how the system operates here.

I have so much more to say but I will save it for later because it’s bedtime for me after such an exhausting and exciting day! This upcoming week we are visiting a local village and more clinics, and then next weekend we drive 12 hours to Chobe National Park and Victoria Falls! I can’t wait to update you soon! 

Xoxo, 

Abbie

**P.S. Thank the women in your life who have given birth because they’re badass!! Or even if they haven’t given birth, thank them anyways<33