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Gap Medics - Tanzania

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Reply 40
Original post by EMassey
I second this! I still talk to some of the people I met out there.

You mostly make friends with the people who come the same week as you.


wait I was out there the same time as you!

and yeah you speak to some of the people who come at different times if you're in the same placements as them or rooms, but all the friends i made (and kept) came the same time :smile:
Reply 41
Original post by amy37
no i went alone but you make so many friends really quickly out there! :smile: especially sitting with someone on the coach for 10 hours, i ended up falling asleep on the person next to me :') haha



Original post by EMassey
I second this! I still talk to some of the people I met out there.

You mostly make friends with the people who come the same week as you.


sounds so awesome I cant wait!!!.... although paying £125 for a vaccine today annoyed me...

Thank god, I thought I was going to be alone for 10 hours on that coach , that woulda been boring
Reply 42
Original post by Polioz
sounds so awesome I cant wait!!!.... although paying £125 for a vaccine today annoyed me...

Thank god, I thought I was going to be alone for 10 hours on that coach , that woulda been boring


yeah the vaccinations were so expensive! are you staying in the hotel on saturday night? i didn't but heard it was a nice way to meet people too

i'm so jealous of you, you get to eat akiba's amazing cooking soon! ahh honestly it's the best food i've ever eaten...
Reply 43
Original post by amy37
yeah the vaccinations were so expensive! are you staying in the hotel on saturday night? i didn't but heard it was a nice way to meet people too

i'm so jealous of you, you get to eat akiba's amazing cooking soon! ahh honestly it's the best food i've ever eaten...


I am actually not sure, I think i am arriving 5am ish so il just wait around 2 hours. I definitely will be in one on the way back as my flight is at 4am ...

What time did the coach arrive and how many fellow gap students did you have on there ?

mmm I heard the food they have there is great, will be a nice change from my bland 1500 calories a day leaning out diet which is killing me.
Original post by Polioz
I am actually not sure, I think i am arriving 5am ish so il just wait around 2 hours. I definitely will be in one on the way back as my flight is at 4am ...

What time did the coach arrive and how many fellow gap students did you have on there ?

mmm I heard the food they have there is great, will be a nice change from my bland 1500 calories a day leaning out diet which is killing me.


The coach isn't just Gap Medics students- it's a daily service to Iringa from Dar but it's however many students come out that weekend. I think about 25+ students were on the bus when I went. You get met at the airport by Jerry and Mdoe and then they look after you and either take you back to the hotel or take you to the bus station. Then you get the bus at like 9/10ish I think.
I went to Tanzania in July it was the best time to go as its there winter months and bearable weather. Winter is there summer and about 40 degrees. I went to Moshi, in the Arusha region, and the project I was involved with has help the people there so much. Also while there pick up trucks are the cheapest why of travel and the best of fun.


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Reply 46
Original post by kelliehark94
I went to Tanzania in July it was the best time to go as its there winter months and bearable weather. Winter is there summer and about 40 degrees. I went to Moshi, in the Arusha region, and the project I was involved with has help the people there so much. Also while there pick up trucks are the cheapest why of travel and the best of fun.


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Original post by EMassey
The coach isn't just Gap Medics students- it's a daily service to Iringa from Dar but it's however many students come out that weekend. I think about 25+ students were on the bus when I went. You get met at the airport by Jerry and Mdoe and then they look after you and either take you back to the hotel or take you to the bus station. Then you get the bus at like 9/10ish I think.



Original post by amy37
yeah the vaccinations were so expensive! are you staying in the hotel on saturday night? i didn't but heard it was a nice way to meet people too

i'm so jealous of you, you get to eat akiba's amazing cooking soon! ahh honestly it's the best food i've ever eaten...


Hey guys I have a question. How much clothes did you bring? I am not sure how much work clothes I am going to have to buy because I dont know how often if at all washing is done there in the house and what not. I am staying for 2 weeks so that will be 10 days of work clothes... I am thinking 2-3 trousers and 5 shirts?
Original post by Polioz
Hey guys I have a question. How much clothes did you bring? I am not sure how much work clothes I am going to have to buy because I dont know how often if at all washing is done there in the house and what not. I am staying for 2 weeks so that will be 10 days of work clothes... I am thinking 2-3 trousers and 5 shirts?


I took loads of clothes and still ended up doing washing :P You'll obviously want to take non work clothes too which can be less conservative like long shorts etc. You can do your washing any day you like. They provide the detergent stuff and you hand wash everything yourself.
Reply 48
Original post by EMassey
I took loads of clothes and still ended up doing washing :P You'll obviously want to take non work clothes too which can be less conservative like long shorts etc. You can do your washing any day you like. They provide the detergent stuff and you hand wash everything yourself.


oh thats awesome we can wash when ever thats good. Yeah I dont want to underpack or overpack like I usually do. How cold does it get there in the evening and at night? would I be okay with jeans or chinos? or stay to strictly shorts.
Reply 49
Original post by Polioz
oh thats awesome we can wash when ever thats good. Yeah I dont want to underpack or overpack like I usually do. How cold does it get there in the evening and at night? would I be okay with jeans or chinos? or stay to strictly shorts.


when i was out there it was hot during the day but freezing at night everyone was wearing hoodies and wrapped up in blankets! i don't know what the weather is like now but i would bring warmer clothes for the evening
Reply 50
In case anyone is interested, I just came back from my 2 weeks at gap medics and it was freaking amazing. I loved every second of it. The hospital was so different to what I was use to and it made me appreciate what I have here. I learnt craploads from my doctor mentors which were all extremely helpful and entertaining. The laws are less strict there so prepare to assist physically in patient care, you are under super vision so just do your best. All the people there were pretty much awesome and I feel like I made great friends.

Definitely reccomend.
Yous are all making this sound so good! I'm jot going to Tanzania tho, ive booked a 2 week placement in Thailand but I wish I booked it for 3 weeks now! Polizo, I was just wondering if you found 2 weeks was long enough or would you recommend longer? :smile: thanks!
Reply 52
Original post by danaa
Yous are all making this sound so good! I'm jot going to Tanzania tho, ive booked a 2 week placement in Thailand but I wish I booked it for 3 weeks now! Polizo, I was just wondering if you found 2 weeks was long enough or would you recommend longer? :smile: thanks!


It will be somewhat different in thailand , and from what I heard I thought the thailand programme was shutting down? maybe I misheard, ignore me :tongue:.

Hospital placement wise I found 2 weeks to be enough although I would of liked to stay another week so I could try out obs and gyny. My main reason for wanting to stay a week or 2 longer is because the friends I made were awesome.
(edited 11 years ago)
Original post by Polioz
It will be somewhat different in thailand , and from what I heard I thought the thailand programme was shutting down? maybe I misheard, ignore me :tongue:.

Hospital placement wise I found 2 weeks to be enough although I would of liked to stay another week so I could try out obs and gyny. My main reason for wanting to stay a week or 2 longer is because the friends I made were awesome.


Oh well I booked my placement last week or so, I was told they were in a different house than before, I never got told about it shutting down though:redface:!

Was it pre-med you done yeah? do you mind if I ask what departments you were in?:smile: and aw thats good then! :biggrin: thats why I quite wish I booked my trip for 3 weeks, dont think il be able to change it now tho! :tongue: I'm sure 2 weeks will do!:tongue:
Reply 54
Original post by danaa
Oh well I booked my placement last week or so, I was told they were in a different house than before, I never got told about it shutting down though:redface:!

Was it pre-med you done yeah? do you mind if I ask what departments you were in?:smile: and aw thats good then! :biggrin: thats why I quite wish I booked my trip for 3 weeks, dont think il be able to change it now tho! :tongue: I'm sure 2 weeks will do!:tongue:


yep I did pre-med, I was in internal medicine for 1 week (TB, HIV, pnemonia ,cellulitis etc) and surgery week 2 which consisted of 2 surgery days and followup ward rounds the 3 other days.

I also went to the health clinic once and did 2 night shifts :smile:

I am sure you can change it still, also ask how many people are going to be in the house when you are there. Some peoeple prefer more, some less. Its the australians and new zealanders summer holiday but I think a lot of them would be coming back now.
Original post by Polioz
yep I did pre-med, I was in internal medicine for 1 week (TB, HIV, pnemonia ,cellulitis etc) and surgery week 2 which consisted of 2 surgery days and followup ward rounds the 3 other days.

I also went to the health clinic once and did 2 night shifts :smile:

I am sure you can change it still, also ask how many people are going to be in the house when you are there. Some peoeple prefer more, some less. Its the australians and new zealanders summer holiday but I think a lot of them would be coming back now.


That sounds good!! Did you specify you wanted to do them or are they just the departments you were assigned?

And I might give them a call to see if I can add an extra week, hopefully I can, its so expensive tho, hope I'll manage to fundraise enough!

Also, I was wondering how much clothes you ended up taking? I dont want to end up taking waay too much :tongue:
Reply 56
Original post by danaa
That sounds good!! Did you specify you wanted to do them or are they just the departments you were assigned?

And I might give them a call to see if I can add an extra week, hopefully I can, its so expensive tho, hope I'll manage to fundraise enough!

Also, I was wondering how much clothes you ended up taking? I dont want to end up taking waay too much :tongue:


they were the departments i was assigned. But some people even changed during their week if there was space.


I brought 3 pairs of shorts, like 8 t shirts, pair of jeans and chinos, 3 pairs of shoes. 2 hoodies incase and a coat. I didnt bring too much, neither did anyone else. We ended up wearing same bottoms a day or 2 in a row lol. Hand washing was a hassle.
Original post by Polioz
they were the departments i was assigned. But some people even changed during their week if there was space.


I brought 3 pairs of shorts, like 8 t shirts, pair of jeans and chinos, 3 pairs of shoes. 2 hoodies incase and a coat. I didnt bring too much, neither did anyone else. We ended up wearing same bottoms a day or 2 in a row lol. Hand washing was a hassle.


Oh right, thanks for letting me know, gives me an idea on how much to take :tongue:
Reply 58
Hi
I'm going to Tanzania later this year and I need insurance. Gap medics are offering g me this but for a small fortune as you can imagine! I was just wondering what I need on my policy really and how much you paid etc. thanks :smile:
Reply 59
Original post by Hlrk
Hi
I'm going to Tanzania later this year and I need insurance. Gap medics are offering g me this but for a small fortune as you can imagine! I was just wondering what I need on my policy really and how much you paid etc. thanks :smile:


everyone I think went with the endsleigh peoples I think, I would recommend going with them because then you are 100% covered.

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