My trip to Arusha Tanzania
Matt Hauser (Medicine)

It was a relief when I discovered Work the World could arrange the whole placement for me. They took all the hassle out of it, offering accommodation, food, help with visas, contacts at local hospitals, airport transfers and local support - it was perfect. I knew we had made the right decision when we arrived in Arusha to find Freddie waiting to pick us up, despite the fact our flight had been unexpectedly rescheduled for 2 hours earlier on the day of our arrival. Once you've been in Africa for a while you get used to these last minute changes but when you do not know what to expect then you could be in for a whole different experience.

On our arrival we found that the WTW house was amazing. A rambling mansion on a hill looking out onto Mt Meru was to be our accommodation for the next few weeks. The friendly staff were welcoming and we immediately tasted some of Tanzania's finest cuisine freshly prepared by Witness, the WTW chef.  Breakfast and dinner were provided throughout the week, with ample left overs for lunch and food was available for us to cook on the weekends. Not only were the staff lovely; the other students we met from all over the world were fantastic new friends. We've actually been visited by one of our WTW friends already.

Beginning on a placement at a hospital in a foreign country can be difficult to say the least. With help from WTW it became very easy. We were taken to the hospital on public transport and introduced to the doctors on the first day. At hospital there were many opportunities to get involved with patient care. I did paeds, gen med and some anaesthetics. The placement at Mt Meru is very flexible so you can experience all sorts of specialties just by introducing yourself to doctors and asking if you can see what they do. I got to do 3 spinal anaesthetics and 4 lumbar punctures in the space of a few days. The medical staff are very keen to teach and value student input.

During my elective I was lucky enough to do a week of Masaai medicine. This was the best week of the medical placement. The clinic is manned by one doctor, so he really appreciates the help from students. It was fantastic to have one-on-one interaction with a doctor who was willing to translate and asked what your thoughts were on differentials and management. The service provided in this rural location is superb given the lack of resources. The bus ride there is an all day affair; try 8 hours or so, even though it is only 200km. It gives you a great insight into what life is like in the more remote parts of the country.

Apart from the great experience at clinic we also attended a Maasai sacrifice where you can eat raw kidney, drink goat's blood, cook with the Maasai warriors and learn some of their skills such as fire making and jumping. The local medicine was a far cry from what we are used to, but it does open your eyes to how other people approach health care. The medicine man uses a combination of sacred rocks and spit to diagnose your illness and offers everything from treatments for the common cold to Maasai Viagra!

Around Arusha there is plenty to do. The night life is interesting to say the least. Via Via is a great place to have a few beers on a Thursday night with many travellers, aid workers and some local characters. A local break dancing troupe was touring during our stay and we were lucky enough to see them perform at a few of the clubs around town. If you are not one for the night life there is still plenty to do. A trip with Witness to the local market was a good experience and demonstrated how you get the best prices. I managed to organise a brewery tour through a security guard I met at the back gate of the Kilmanjaro brewery. I even shared some beers and stories with some of the workers a few weeks later. Orphanages love having travellers visit and spend time with the children there. A weekend trip away to the tropical Zanzibar is a must during your stay. Moshi offers great views of Mt Kilimanjaro and coffee plantation tours where guides share a wealth of knowledge.

Mt Meru is a short trip away and is an amazing climb for the more intrepid traveller. You reach the summit as the sun rises and get amazing views over Kilimajaro with the clouds forming a heavenly backdrop. Our safari was definitely a highlight and with Baptista's local knowledge and bargaining skills a very competitive price can be negotiated. We saw the big five (buffalo, lion, elephant, rhinoceros & leopard) plus 3 of the small five and many cheetahs, giraffes and gazelles just to name a few. I think our tally of different animals ran into the hundreds by the time we finished.

I would thoroughly recommend an elective with WTW. They provide a safe and convenient way to study abroad, while also giving you a link to the local people. It also offers a great jumping off point for travel.