good luck, africa.

here it is! it looks like very little, but considering how much information will come from these few benchtops, it is remarkable! the peanut samples are weighed and ground right there, and immediately tested instead of shipped to South Africa avoiding possible contamination and strange storage conditions that might give false positives. I am very optimistic about the possibilities - it is a very exciting little room.

the medical university where the lab is located. there are no other functioning laboratories, teaching or otherwise, in the entire school.

sugar cane market next to the university

Africa's having a rough time with the internet today, and I still have a lot of photos to show... I leave Sunday at 10 am and won't be back in America until Tuesday afternoon. If you can wait that long, I'll post some more hopefully on Wednesday. The laboratory is beautiful and I definitely want you all to see it!

in the meantime, here is the overarching message i've gotten from africa:

watch what you buy at the grocery store. everything has a story. and nothing is as cheap as it seems.

that, and i'm really even luckier than i thought i was before.

joys and prides

my technicians - that's Rafique, Yanina, Charle, Assame, and Ibraimo.

sorry the photos have been sparse lately - mozambique's first agricultural analytical lab is up and running as of tuesday!

here's what happens when you roll down the window.

ooooooh noooooooooo!

the usual dinner 'round here: xima (that polenta stuff) dipped in an oily stew of peanut oil and little fish bits. in the lean times you eat just xima and peanut oil; in the good times you throw in some carrots or onion.

chapel de sao paolo

inside the chapel of our lady of the bulwarks

someone's still in there.

please forgive the awful photograph... but chickens on heads! amazing!

i think they've suddenly realized this situation is not in their best interest.