We are now nearly halfway through the internship and time seems to be flying by! The interns have adapted well and have settled into a comfortable routine; on weekdays they start the day with a breakfast of Chapati and egg, then head off to the office to start work at around 8:30. The interns break for lunch at around 12:30. For lunch they often pick up a variety of fresh fruits from the Madizini market-which is only a few minutes walk away. Work at the office is usually wrapped up at 3:30.
The team spends the remainder of the day going on walks and hikes to explore Morogoro, head to the local gym for exercise, and almost everyone spends some of their leisure time reading before dinner. After dinner, the interns use the time before bed to wind down by journaling, watching a movie, or playing card games (Dutch blitz is all the rage!).
Saturdays are very similar to the weekdays except that it's a half day, interns will usually use the extra time to head to town to get the necessities of the week. Sundays, however, are often packed full of adventure as interns often take that day to try something new. Last week, the interns held a cultural exchange meeting with students from Mzumbe University. It was extremely enjoyable to see their perspectives and to see the similarities and differences in our daily lives!
Furthermore, the interns have finally completed the project proposals for our WASH expansion project and the accompanying menstrual hygiene curriculum project. The internship has been progressing at a good pace and the interns are happy with what they have accomplished so far. Now they are looking forward to a well earned week off!
-Ahmed.