It's Sunday evening, and I have just completed my first day of class at the JPGSPH. Following a half-day of orientation yesterday, all 30 students are now better acquainted, and as we spend all of our time together, we are quickly developing rapport (everyone is so friendly). Today we began our first module, "Introduction to Public Health", in which we will become familiar with the concepts needed for the rest of the program. Class runs 8 hours a day, and this particular course will be approximately 12 days in duration. We have three fantastic instructors, however, so there has yet to be a dull moment.
I the true spirit of a research-based course, we will be going into the field for the first time tomorrow morning. As luck would have it, I have been placed in the student group that has been charged with the task of casually (for it's only our first time) observing health seeking behaviour AND water use patterns (among other things). So I'm very excited. The groups are composed of both national and international students, so I'll be relying heavily on my Bangladeshi classmates for translating until I pick up some conversational skills. We'll be going into the village a lot within the next two months (during the qualitative and quantitative sections), so I'm excited to have this informal introductory period so early on.
We've already been given our first writing assignment, too, so that will keep me busy for the next few nights. I had a little while before dinner, however, so I decided to use that time to write a quick update. The school, on its first day of class, is hosting 6 students from Harvard's School of Public Health, so they will be joining us for dinner (and increasing the American faction considerably). One of the professors there, Dr. Richard Cash, is teaching here presently.
In other news, I have only seen one cockroach so far, and he seems to have vacated my room now. I'm almost entirely on local time, and I've started to sleep more soundly, which means the Mefloquine is having less of an effect on my dreams (they were frighteningly dynamic and realistic for a few nights earlier this week). The climate, too, is seeming a little less hot. It's only been in the 70's so far, but coming out of a Vermont winter, it felt much hotter. I think that's all for now. More tomorrow, hopefully.
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4 comments:
richard cash = health research ethics? yes? (someone has spent more time on the harvard mph site than she'd like to admit...)
sounds so exciting! wish i was there doing it all with you :(
Aww, you're so cool. I am glad everyone is friendly. Maybe we should all go to Harvard in 2 years... I don't think Myles would mind if you we were all roommates.
We have roaches in our apartment. I did not know I could harbor such hatred toward other living beings, but I can, apparently. Their little tentacles fill me with deep rage... which is why I have just availed myself of the finest poison Target has to offer, in order to more speedily bring about their demise. If you need me to hook you up with some using the pouch, let me know.
One of the few things I remember from my days as a chemist -- straight boric acid laid down in a fine trail around the room will get rid of your cockroach troubles.
They walk thru it, lick off their legs (I guess then have little cockroach tongues) and then die or explode or some other fitting demise. Worked like a charm in our grad housing apt (many moons ago).
If you get a chance, wander down to a market (with someone else, mind) and get yourself a can of Raid (it's the same brand as the stuff in the US). Useful stuff to have around.
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