I've spent the past few weeks buying important supplies for my journey such as bug spray, malaria pills, Swahili phrase book, appropriate clothing (which does not include shorts or sleeveless shirts), and cleansing wipes (for days when bucket baths are not convenient). Unfortunately there are some things I have yet to do before I leave, like packing and learning Swahili!
For those of you who don't know, one of my goals for this trip is to collect information for my UAlbany thesis. My project will highlite the relationship between malnutrition and HIV, a complex issue affecting much of the African continent. Through researching this topic in Arusha, I hope to provide evidence that improved nutrition has decreased HIV mortality rates. The idea behind this hypothesis is pretty simple: Improved nutrition boosts immune systems of all people, including PLWHA (People Living With HIV/AIDS), thereby decreasing their chances of dying from disease! In an area where drugs for HIV aren't widely available, good nutrition is the best defense against the virus.
I also want to answer some of the questions I've heard a lot of lately:
1. I'm staying with a host family during my time in Tanzania, and I am guaranteed a room with a lock on the door and a mosquito net. I will probably have electricity and running water, but I won't be sure until I get there!
2. The chances of me getting jumped/kidnapped are (scarily enough) probably higher living in Albany than in Arusha. There is no civil war going on, and thousands of tourists travel there each year and return with no illness or injury. I've been vaccinated for yellow fever, immunized against typhoid, and will be taking anti-malarial pills for the duration of my trip, so I'm good to go!
3. The best way to keep in touch is online!
I probably won't post again before I leave, so Kwaheri Amerika, Hujambo Tanzania!
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