Doughnut!

We have management meetings on Wednesday. Today I knew a little better what is going on and it was not so much like watching a Spanish soap opera as it has been in the past. The lab director is over-whelmed enough to be spectacularly inefficient in getting the things done that really need to be. As I have been thinking more about the organization that I am now a part of I am beginning to realize that the structure that was originally in place is no longer sufficient to accomplish the goals of the project. The intern turnover has contributed significantly to this issue as the interns are only signed on with one year contracts. That one year is only sufficient only to mostly understand how the project is supposed to work and what a particular department should be busy with. Well I will continue doing research into what I can do in the Laboratory to make the operation run more smoothly.

Today was the first time that Kahler and I officially had something handed over to us... This understanding thing is a double-edged sword for sure.

I finally got a doughnut! I have heard all of these stories about how great the doughnuts are and I got one. Now it wasn't the one that I have heard is the best, which is the chocolate iced one. The little pastry that I landed was kind of like a filled bar except the filling was more like a sort of icing than a custard. It was pretty tasty though! I am very much looking forward the trying the others tomorrow.

Nshima: I am still not good at using it instead of utensils though the flavor (or lack of flavor) has grown on me remarkably. I do not yet know how to parcel it out to last through the entire dish. There are times when I have half a ball left and times like today when I just used my fingers because I ran out. I will keep you updated on the honing of my nshima technique.

Tomorrow there is a debate happening in Washington D.C. on discordant couples and HIV transmission. Dr. Allen (our project PI) will be defending the effectiveness of the counseling that is provided by RZHRG (Rwanda Zambia HIV Research Group). The interns are invited to attend the live tele-conference at the World Bank installation in Lusaka at 16:00 tomorrow. The World Bank location is rumored to be very nice. I am enthusiastic to see how Dr. Allen defends herself against some heavy hitters from Harvard and Hopkins and to sit in a comfortable auditorium and cram as many refreshments as I can without getting caught in my mouth and/or pockets (i kid... kinda, haha)

Well I am going to throw in the writing towel for the evening and get some sleep. Hope that you all have a splendid Wednesday afternoon/evening.

All is Well