Greetings from Africa everyone! I'm coming up on two weeks in Sierra Leone, and I am happy to say that I am acclimating well to the culture and climate here, making many new friends and memories by the day. I've grown used to the environmental challenges here, and I have to admit that I am already starting to feel that Sierra Leone is a second home for me. I have no doubt that I will be sad to depart in August! Recently, I have been fortunate to get to know many locals involved in WAMM and local schools, as well as friends of our In-Country Director, the legendary Frank Bio. Our oft driver, Mohamed, is a young man with a fortitude of inner strength and no shortage of personality, truly one of the most sincere and jovial individuals I have ever met. I have had the pleasure of joining many of the senior scholar graduates of the Young Scholars of Sierra Leone (Y.S.S.L.) program, who are now making the transition to defined roles as Program Assistants for WAMM, for social gatherings at Lumley beach and at their family homes. I can't continue to emphasize enough the friendly, personable, and genuine nature of most of the Sierra Leoneans I encounter on a daily basis, and the program assistants are excellent examples of the youth in this country. They are so bright and full of energy and big dreams for the future, both for themselves and their country. It is a privilege to be working with them moving forward, and I look forward to witnessing their personal growth during my stay here this summer.

I have continued to grow in my confidence and independence since arriving. Most of that arises from a combination of careful observation of the actions and initiatives of our directors, as well as a dash of personal ambition in asking good questions and getting out as a group to test the hectic streets of downtown Freetown and the taxi system. At first, this system and the often stressful congestion in Sierra Leone's streets was a bit unnerving and, frankly, intimidating. I am now realizing that there is a definite order and logic to this chaos, and a system can be devised for efficiently navigating Freetown without undue anxiety. Fortunately, we are rather close to the stretch of Aberdeen/Lumley beach in the neighboring Aberdeen township. Close enough, in fact, that an ambitious soul can jog or walk to the beach if they want to forgo the cheap cab fare. The beach has been the constant venue for weekend social reflections and gatherings with WAMM staff and young scholars, and for good reason. It is every bit as serene and beautiful as the pristine beaches and calm surf of the hotspot Hawaiian beaches I used to frequent years ago. I thoroughly enjoy a slow walk down the beach, reflecting on the amazing nature of life and my presence here in Sierra Leone. When I left to United States, I had a little anxiety and was somewhat worried that I would not be able to cope with the culture shock without the basics I had become accustomed to back home: my computer, my music, and my social group! While I sometimes long for my trusty iPod, I am thoroughly glad I left the crutches of technology behind when I boarded the plane out of Minneapolis. I feel I am now getting a complete and proper immersion into the Sierra Leonean culture and the social norms here, an experience I feel is very important in getting the most out of my time here.

I want to take a moment to once again reassure those of you coming over to join WAMM 2012 that there isn't much to be afraid of in coming here. Certainly, you will note some challenges and stark contrasts in terms of social communication mores and lifestyle, but these are nothing more than simple obstacles to be overcome. Also, if you are at all worried about medical experience and your exposure to the medical community and culture here, don't be! From my admittedly limited medical experience thus far, I have noted that an important skill in medicine and any service based career is the ability to connect emotionally with patients and build trust and comfort. Through the interactions and initial exposure I have had to elders and youth in Sierra Leone, I can already see how my perspective and understanding of those with differing backgrounds has been strengthened. You will also find that patience is a key word over here. I have found that time has different meanings to different cultures, and my ability to deal with dynamic schedules and continuous change has been of critical import in Sierra Leone. Teaching and relating to young minds, something many of you will experience during the Y.S.S.L. Program in July, requires confidence, composure, and patience. Again, this is an extremely important skillset in medicine.

Since week one, when Gin Johnson and I joined Gabriel and Frank, we have received our newest Global Health Volunteer, Kate Anderholm. Together, the three of us are growing in confidence and our understanding of ours roles here. We have trekked together to local internet cafes, walked the streets of Murray Town in search of good, cheap food, and gained from each other's perspectives and thoughts. One of the highlights from the week was a scavenger hunt orchestrated by our crafty directors, during which we were sent to a location of importance in the Freetown community and given assignments to complete. I had the privilege of tackling the challenge of navigating to Fourah Bay College (the oldest such institution in West Africa) with Johnathen Kalawa, one of our senior scholars, and connecting with the exam officer and engineering staff. I am excited about the potential for interacting with FBC students in organizing engineering projects in the communities we will be operating in moving forward. Hopefully, we can put together a windmill or a water collection system of some sort. This morning, I had the privilege of joining Gabriel in Murray Town during the aftermath of a family weekend at church, an event wherein members of each family in the community wear different colored shirts and gather to enjoy time with each other. For the runners out there, I challenge you to bring your A-game and motor through the steep hills and uneven terrain around Murray Town and not stand in awe of the sights you will witness along the way! Of course, it would be criminal of me to conclude without sharing that on friday (8th of June), I began my first ever classroom teaching experience at the prestigious Prince of Wales High School in Kingtom. I was extremely fired up to be getting involved in community outreach so soon, and I had no problem shaking off any jitters. The students here are, on average, very respectful and passionate. I felt welcome and appreciated as I reviewed basic physics with the Senior Secondary School I science stream students. It's not without it's challenges, but teaching students will be exrtemely rewarding, and I look forward to continuing my own personal growth and development through the two-way learning that occurs during this process.