Time is really flying now. Tomorrow is going to be my last day visiting villages, and it is definitely going to be an epic day. Wake at 6am, leave by 7am, and visit 4-5 villages in the following 12 hours. On Sunday, we will finish up our direct tests and then organize/hand-off all relevant data.
Yesterday, the nutrition group from UofI (led by Prof. McNamara) joined us in Kamasondo, and two chickens were slaughtered for the occasion. Today, they went out in the field to conduct nutrition / health surveys. Craig joined us on ours and really got into the swing of things by the end.
Oh, yesterday morning was spent with Kelly (and Brad) on her project studying the lighting and ventilation conditions of dozens of schools here. Kelly apparently had an awkward experience with public transportation, so I'm sure she was happy for the company. In any case, along the way, we picked up a Coca-Cola at a gas station, and it was the best I've ever had. The roads and bridges, however, were the same as always, but the minivan could handle it.
Its hard not to feel nostalgic about the situation here. I feel personally invested with the communities, and I've grown fairly close to my coworkers. Also, it's hard not to feel a little prideful about our harsh living conditions compared to the UofI nutrition group (who had excellent internet access, running water, daily feasts, etc.), but I also realize that the comparison is very much relative, especially after visiting the villages.
Tonight, we heard about a massive earthquake in Haiti. Information is limited, but even with more, I'm sure I would not be able to fully imagine the devastation.