Work on my projects is going well, and in a few weeks we hope to launch two new websites. The olfactometer (which measures odor dilution ) we are using for the smelly sock project is slowly becoming more functional, which means soon we can start collecting data and having people ship us their socks. As odd as it is to be excited about someone shipping their smelly socks to us, it is a good sign that the original project I was brought over to work on is progressing forward again. The project leader, Salum, is in the process of “training” mosquitos to fly back and forth through the race course (olfactometer’s tubes) and testing response levels of different smells. After a month and a half break from this project, I am happy to be getting back on track.
Here is a picture of Salum and I testing which of our fingers the mosquitos prefer more. Having put his finger in the test chamber after recently washing his hands, my finger which was not recently washed attracted about 15 more mosquitos.
It’s proposal writing season here in Ifakara, and many scientists are writing their ideas to different grant donors. I have read probably close to 20 proposals in the last few weeks with ideas ranging from emergency birthing kits to medicine delivery systems using fixed-winged drones. Yes, drones…and it sounds like the scientist who proposed this idea has already carried out several tests and the institute is starting to invest in his idea. Deadlines for these proposals are coming up soon, so this week has been dedicated to a writing boot camp.
Here is a picture of boot camp. These sessions usually last from 8am to 12am.
They take proposal writing very seriously here, and reviewing these proposals has been my main job over the last few weeks.
Even though the scientists are busy writing their proposals, the mosquitos still have to eat. Here is a picture of my buddy Joseph feeding the latest batch of Anopheles Gambiae mosquitos.
I fed one batch of mosquitos in the same way, and it is not as easy as he makes it look. I originally said that one time would be enough for me, but I may have to feed them again to get photographic proof.
Outside of work I have had a very fun time. Three weeks ago I was able to visit the Udzungwa waterfalls in the Udzungwa Mountains National Park. The trip consisted of a two hour hike up a slippery mountainside, but it was definitely worth it. The best part of the hike was being able to swim in the base of the waterfall and seeing the views from the top.
Other adventures in the past weeks include:
-More cows and bike tours
-Piki piki (motorcycle) rides with friends in the rainy season. There are more puddles than roads right now
-Living with a new roommate for three weeks while the owners traveled
This past weekend I had the chance to visit Iringa, a town 200km northwest of Ifakara. The town is located on a plateau centered between 4 mountains. Its elevation is quite a bit higher than Ifakara’s and it was surprisingly cool. Thursday night in Iringa we camped, and for the first time in 2.5 months, I was cold in Tanzania. The next two nights we stayed in a hostel operated by Tanzanians with disabilities. We checked in and ordered food by writing down what we wanted and handing it to deaf and mute Tanzanians, which I thought was very cool. Not only that, but they connected us to a guide who showed us the city and the famous sights in Iringa.
My new friend David and I at the Gangilonga Rock in Iringa
I have officially reached my half way mark here in Tanzania and am excited what the next few months will bring. Thanks for reading, I will try to update more frequently.
