Friday, August 01, 2008

occupational hazards

Hilary: I've been spending a few hours each week praying for the hospital patients with one of the chaplains, so I've had the opportunity to experience some of the joys and sadnesses that the medical staff here encounter on a regular basis. I think teaching and doctoring are not all that incredibly different; the specific job descriptions may vary, but doctors and educators are both essentially interested in helping people and making the world a better place, at least from my perspective. There are, however, a couple of specific differences about working in Zambia that stand out to me:
1. Matt's job is a lot less dusty than mine. By the time I walk the half mile to school on the dusty road being passed by multiple vehicles traveling far too quickly in my opinion, spend the day surrounded by lovable but dusty kids, then walk the dusty half mile back, I'm usually covered with a fine orange coating. Matt, on the other hand, comes back from the hospital looking just as clean and shiny as he did in the morning. It's a bit irritating :-).

2. Matt's patients don't spend most of their days rubbing their hands in his hair and attempting to braid it into little plaits. My hair naturally tends to be a bit on the voluminous side, but it seems to have reached new heights and widths with the help of my amateur classroom beauticians. (note from Matt: perhaps Hilary should shave her head like I did?)

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