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<\/a>Kigamboni Beach: what I’m leaving<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/a>Del Mar Beach: what I’m returning to<\/p><\/div>\n
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For this summer of 2013, I\u2019m participating in Harvard\u2019s Global Health Institute<\/a>\u2019s international Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (iSURF<\/a>) program. The institute supports both domestic and abroad research and serves as a liaison between eager students and professors\/postgraduates.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n More specifically, I\u2019m interning on clinical research trials examining the topics of maternal health and nutrition in Tanzania. It\u2019s my first time: diving into clinical research as well as nutrition research; in Tanzania as well as on the African continent; and feeding myself for an extended period of time.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n So many \u201cfirsts\u201d completed in just a few months which have truly been an incredibly transformative experience. It\u2019s my second time spending the summer abroad on a Harvard program (summer 2012: Summer Internship Program<\/a> (shadowing at a private clinic in Peru) with the David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies<\/a>) and I already feel much more like an experienced traveler. I\u2019m more comfortable in foreign places, navigating rough\/sketchy transportation systems, and communicating via charades.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The time has come when you can just sense everything winding down \u2013 like an (epic?) end is imminent. In the midst of a transition, many people are asking general questions about my overall experience in Tanzania. I feel a little guilty saying this (because I absolutely loved last summer in Peru and Bolivia!!), but my Tanzanian experience may be better overall. I think my preference can be explained by how last summer felt more like a summer of learning \u2013 I was learning tons of Spanish (with a Latin American accent) and learning a lot about myself: what I can do\/what I\u2019m capable of. And this summer feels like a practice run (of senior year? of real life?) where I\u2019m using the characteristics and skills learned last summer and I\u2019m honing them now to not only tackle, but also overcome challenges. If I wanted to be more clich\u00e9, I\u2019ll say that I\u2019m growing up!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n My Latin American program last summer had more structure \u2013 students would go to class\/work Monday through Thursday and weekends had fun excursions planned by the program coordinator. There were only a few weekends free for spontaneity and everyone had a host family to more personally watch over us and protect us.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n My African program this summer has less structure \u2013 students get accepted into the program, are written a check (iSURF comes with automatic funding. Yup, best thing ever.), and can determine their preferred dates to work basically all on their own. You may or may not get picked up<\/a> at the airport. You may or may not receive help in finding accommodations. All they really ask of you is to send a quick email upon a safe arrival. It\u2019s like pushing a baby bird out of its nest and telling it to chirp if it can fly.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Regardless of a summer program\u2019s structure, abroad experiences are phenomenal and every undergraduate student has to have one. Have to. I really can\u2019t say if I have a preference for either type of structure because they have both fostered an abroad environment in which I thrived; but what I can say is that I\u2019m really glad my first Harvard program abroad was the more structured one. This initial guidance definitely provided me with a grace period to learn the basics of adapting abroad – and adapting quickly.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I have had two main challenges while in Tanzania. These challenges arose early and have endured throughout the summer. Remember when I was venting (\/complaining) about all the hardships<\/a> concomitant to finding safe and affordable housing in Tanzania? My program partner and I settled on a hostel\/guest house that was mid-range in costs, but also out of range of the city (which contributed to much of the problems I had finding safe and affordable transportation to\/from work \u2013 but that\u2019s a whole other story).<\/p>\n It was here at our guest house where we got comfortable and complacent, and even stressed all the benefits of our living situation when the chance came up in conversation to convince ourselves and our friends that we were doing just fine.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I was openly jealous of all the other summer interns in the area though because their accommodations were both better and free \u2013 and better not just because it was free! I\u2019ve met a handful of other students, all on different programs, who are interning with different organizations for the summer. Their housing stems from US Embassy supported housing or alumni\/coworker networks that have led to house sitting gigs.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n One of the friends I made here \u2013 and probably the most gracious friend I\u2019ve made here \u2013 was offered a house-sitter position in a house with 5 bedrooms. She invited both me and my program partner to house sit with her so she wouldn\u2019t be all alone in a big house. Needless to say, I was (and still am) beyond super grateful for her invitation. To live in a house with a kitchen and running water, let alone a nice<\/em> house\u2026all for free?? \u201cToo good to be true\u201d doesn\u2019t even describe it \u2013 mostly because the situation was true! My friend is a student at the Kennedy School<\/a> (+100 for networking) so I hope she\u2019s ready to be constantly showered with presents and love when we\u2019re all back in Cambridge.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n So there my program partner, Leanna, and I were. We just finished hiking Mt. Kilimanjaro<\/strong><\/span>. We hadn\u2019t showered nor looked in the mirror for 6 days. I was sure my hair was about to dreadlock. I was living out of a trash bag in which clothing that only smelled a little sweaty were considered clean. Think when dirty, grubby children are coming home from the playground and their parents were excited but also disgusted \u2013 I\u2019m sure this was how my roommates received Leanna and me.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I\u2019ve never lived in a house that wasn\u2019t owned by my parents before! I feel so grown up! Not only did the move ease my financial constraints, but it was also closer to work which ameliorates my ongoing transportation predicament. The move made my life 1000% better. Yes, 1000. Because if I had 10 lives, all 10 lives would have completely improved in every aspect and every manner.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Now that Leanna and I had access to a kitchen, we didn\u2019t have to live off of ready-made food! Although I didn\u2019t hate my avocado and tomato diet, I also don\u2019t hate variety. (Ironic that I\u2019m researching nutrition?) Probably a subconscious manifestation of me missing my Asian roots and home, the first dish I made was fried rice.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n