On Wednesday, I was picked up in the hospital car for the long drive from Durban to Tugela Ferry. As we sped from town to town running errands for the hospital, the little car became increasingly stuffed with people, suitcases, computer parts and shopping bags. The scenery changed along the way, from dusty towns to open spaces and angular hills. The grande finale was the descent into Tugela Valley. From above, the late day sun illuminated a wide, shimmering plane of browns and reds, surrounded by mountains peppered with green shrubby trees. We wound carefully down the mountain road, crossed the Tugela River, and arrived at our destination. We turned into the hospital complex, a fenced-in area including the Church of Scotland Hospital (COSH), the antiretroviral clinic, administrative offices, and staff housing.
I live with two internal medicine residents in the “park home” – a prefab house with air conditioning and a washing machine (important details). From my back yard, I can see the hills from which we descended. Within 200 yards are other homes with residents, medical students and doctors from various countries, many affiliated with Yale, living and working in Tugela Ferry. We gathered for a potluck dinner the first night, engaging in good gross medicine conversation and consuming an impressive spread given the sparse ingredients in our refrigerators. I knew from the start that I would be well taken care of.
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