An introduction to Kijabe

I thought I would give a bit of context on the place we've called home for the last two weeks.

The hills below Kijabe descending into the Rift Valley become more arid.  Note that the big "trees" are cacti.

Kijabe is more of a campus than a town, centered around the AIC Kijabe Hospital, AIC-CURE International Children's Hospital of Kenya, Rift Valley Academy, and Moffatt Bible College.  It all started with the Rift Valley Academy, which was started in part by wealthy American patrons.  In fact, the cornerstone was laid by Teddy Roosevelt while he was in Safari in Kenya.  These institutions have created a community around them that is quite distinct from the surrounding area and "Kijabe Town" which is a small railroad stop located down in the Great Rift Valley below where the Kijabe Hospital sits higher up on the steep hills rising to the east of the valley.

On a hike through the countryside close to Kijabe

The main commercial part of the Kijabe community.  On the left is the Supa Duka or super market, middle is butcher shop, and right with the umbrella is Mama Chiku's one of the 3 local restaurants.

The main community of Kijabe is at an altitude of about 2200 meters, which puts it just above the Malaria zone.  Its lush surroundings are quite different from the arid lands at the bottom of the valley, and the climate is actually surprisingly cool.  Up above Kijabe, the highlands rise even higher, to about 2700 meters.  These are known as the Kijabe Hills or Kikuyu Escarpment, named for the local tribe, the Kikuyu.  We've hiked up to the top of them several times so far to prepare for ascending Mt. Kenya.   

At the top of the escarpment - are we in Kenya, or the Sound of Music?

We've had a fair bit of rain since we got here, which is unusual, as we are getting into the middle of the dry season.  Kijabe means "place of the wind," but it has been a little less windy than usual, so I'm told.

Rivulets of rain come down the road in front of the Sitaplex.  Ginger is covering herself with a white lab coat (we didn't bring rain coats because the day started out sunny and beautiful!) as she makes her way up the road

The view from our living room with the hospital among the trees, and the view of the Rift Valley obscured by rain.

We work in the pathology department of a large, >100 year old mission hospital.  The department sees about 3,100 surgical pathology cases per year.  We are the only pathologists at the moment, so we take care of all that come in while we're here.  Volunteer pathologists like us do what we can, but even on a good year, only 60-70% of the time is covered.

Histology.  Tissue processor in the right-hand corner.

Workspace.  Microscopes are covered.  Functional chairs:  optional.   Can of Tab:  MANDATORY.

Pathology is at the end of a busy hallway adjacent to the radiology suite and the clinical lab, and oh yeah, the urinal.  Oh well, at least we have some natural light.

Histotechs working on the day's slides.

One thing has been a clear and welcome difference from Seattle:  a slower and more laid-back pace of life.  While this requires patience for those of us who are accustomed to life in the US, going slowly and deliberately, or pole pole as they say in Swahili, is a way of life that leads to a palpable and infectious feeling of relaxed happiness.  I've been thoroughly enjoying myself  :)

This T shirt pretty much sums it up!