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So I'm attempting to write this so that it gives you an idea of where I tended to be at in the middle of the week for the last couple of weeks. With that in mind, just pretend that you're reading it this past Wednesday or so…

I'd be lying to you if I said I haven't hit a bit of a wall lately. Being in Africa has been nothing short of an amazing experience. It has opened my eyes to so many things. However, it isn't all safari-ing and hikes and other "insert tourist activity here"-ing. The hours are long, and after a while it's starting to get to me. Don't misunderstand: I knew what I signed up for, and I knew it wasn't going to be easy. It's also not as though I don't very much enjoy what I'm doing here. It's pretty awesome to be able to make a difference to the degree we can here. I have patients who I've really connected with, and I've been able to learn from some of the brightest minds in global health and some of the finest doctors and medical students that programs like Indiana University, Duke University, and Brown University have to offer. At the same time though, weekends are really the only rest time our brains get, and Monday mornings keep getting tougher and tougher with each passing week.

I am to be a pharmacist, possibly a future clinician. Even if I don't go into clinical practice and choose to pursue a career in community pharmacy, I have still sworn an oath to protect my patients to the best of my ability. Part of this is being a lifelong learner, and it's one of the reasons I chose a career in a medicinal field--who on earth ever wants to stop learning? There is but one answer, in my opinion: the fool who thinks he is ever done. I truly do enjoy being challenged on a daily basis, and here in Eldoret challenges come in no short supply. Each day comes with something new, and something new turns into something to study, whether it be a drug or disease state. I love learning, but the brain is a like a muscle. You can't flex it for too long without relaxing it, or it will sprain. Usually my time to let my brain relax is my runs, but I haven't even really had the time for those lately (which is starting to make me nervous considering I'm scheduled to run my first ever Marathon on November 1). I have started setting aside 30-60 minutes each night for recreational reading right before bed, though, which is helping.

Long story short, I'm beginning to feel the pangs of longing to return back to the good ol' U.S. of A. I'm very blessed to be here with classmates and people who help keep me grounded, a couple of whom also share my emotions. I still maintain that this clinical rotation is providing me with experiences and skills that I would not be able to get anywhere else. If anything, my time here has certainly given me a greater appreciation for what the amazing people in the global health field do; I'm only here for two months, but there are many folks here who have dedicated their entire lives to this cause. I think that I will be content with my two months.

As I have said many times, it's been amazing, humbling, inspiring, and difficult so far. I'm sure that when September 25 rolls around, there will be a part of me that will be sad to go; there will always be a part of me that will want to come back. There will also be a part, however, that is more than ready to return home, and that voice is already starting to creep into the back of my mind. Do not despair for me though, dear friends and family! I am still loving being here and wouldn't trade my time in Kenya for all of King Midas' silver. It just gets a little mentally taxing at times, and as the one currently helping you procrastinate all the tasks that you should actually be doing, I feel I would be doing you an egregious disservice if I didn't present you with all the facets of my journey. Besides, the next two and a half weeks will be gone in the blink of an eye, and I'll have a cheesy gordita crunch in each hand laughing about how retrospectively melodramatic this post sounds before I know it. I just need to buckle down, work hard for a couple more weeks, and be patient. After all, being here and doing what I'm doing is the opportunity of a lifetime. Before I spend too much time feeling sorry for myself and wishing my remaining time in Kenya away, I need to focus on taking all that I can from it while I can. Nothing gold can stay.

"A patient man will eat ripe fruit." ~ African proverb