Hi everyone, it’s Mehmet again. This week has been very informative and adventurous. Let me take you through my days.

This past Sunday, our American roommate and I went to play in a basketball tournament at the local sports complex. We split into teams of 5 each, with seven teams in the tournament. It was fun to navigate the cultural differences in play style and rules. I plan to join the sessions every weekend! It’s incredible how something as simple as a sport can bring people together.

On Monday, we had off from work due to Eid. As a result, we decided to participate in a sunset hike up Mount Ndirande. Hiking up the 1600m mountain was quite challenging, but the view absolutely made up for our “suffering.” Once we reached the summit, we sat at the top for around an hour, eating oranges and taking pictures before making our way down as the sun set. It was an exhilarating experience, and I plan to hike more during my time here.

During the week, Katie and I participated in multiple workshops. On Tuesday, we finalized the design criteria for our new project. My partner, Racheal, and I are developing a digitized system to monitor longitudinal child growth. Our current solution will include the creation of an app, a database that synchronizes with the existing health passport system, and a digital scale that automates the process of weighing a child. I am excited to start prototyping soon! This project will help build my understanding of microprocessors, app development, and database management.

On Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, we participated in Arduino and CAD workshops with our TAs. The lessons were eye-opening, and I am excited to develop our projects with these tools. We also met with a couple of our clinical mentors and planned the next steps for receiving feedback and needs-finding. In the coming weeks, I plan to visit the Queen Elizabeth Hospital more frequently and better scope out the healthcare system in this country.

This weekend, we are heading to the Majete National Park to explore the wildlife and go on a safari! I can’t wait to share the pictures and further progress on our projects!

Thanks for reading my blog post! See you next time.