Journey and 1st few days
We left Glasgow at 9.30pm on Sunday, we flew to Dubai airport, there was a bit of turbulence and at one point I was woken up by a air-hostess shouting for help, it was a bit disconcerting but it turned out a man had collapsed/fainted and there happened to be a doctor sitting near me who jumped up to help.All was well. We only had three hours at Dubai airport which passed quite quickly, we had food at McDonalds and I must say it was the best McDonalds I have ever had. Will definitely be eating there on the journey home. We then flew to Dar es Salaam in Tanzania, I slept for most of the flight. We were delayed landing, as we had to circle the airport as there was VIP movement and the airport was closed. The VIP turned out to be President Obama, we passed his plane on the runway when we eventually arrived. Immigration at Dar was a bit of an event. After filling out a form you give it to a man who also takes your passport and $30. He then disappeared behind a counter, with everything. we then waited. And waited. Then another man near the passport control booths started shouting out names, unfortunately ours were not called so we waited some more. Eventually Lynseys name was called by a different man with another bundle of passports. My passport was then pressed against the glass at the counter, it was lucky I noticed my pic,I then got my picture taken and finger prints scanned. I could then walk straight through the passport control booths without getting stopped. Lynsey got stopped and got her pic taken etc at one of the booths, this all took over two hours even though there couldn't of been more than 30/40 people waiting. There wasn't an apparent system in place. We had over 10 hours to kill at the airport, which consisted of one room with check-in desks along one wall and a few rows of chairs in one corner, we managed to get a few chairs where we read/slept. We were joined by a few families which reminded me of the wild Thornberries (great show), fully kitted out in khaki and beige, hats and all. We finally checked-in and went up to the departure lounge where we had a delicious sausage roll (at about 4am). We then flew to Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) via Zanzibar, where we didn't need to get off the plane. Ethiopia is in the opposite direction from Malawi and we flew over it on the way to Dar but oh well. We had a few hours there, it was a nice enough airport, despite some people smoking in the corner right next to a no-smoking sign. We then boarded our final flight to Blantyre, via Lilongwe,but again we remained on the plane. We arrived at Blantyre, Malawi at 3pm on Tuesday, knackered and full of different emotions. We were met by a driver from the hospital and went via a super market for some supplies.
Our house is nice, we have our own bedrooms with comfy beds. A shower, a bathroom, a wee kitchen and a living area that has a dinning table and two wooden couches. We have our own garden which is nice. We have an amazing view of Mount Mulanje, the local attraction. Arriving was a bit of an anti-climax, and I felt like I had made a mistake in coming. I am feeling a lot better now and so glad I came. I think I was just worn out from the Journey.
On Wednesday we slept in (til about 9) and then Ruth (the medical director) came to show us around. The hospital is made up of various different buildings. Wednesday night we went to a party which was thrown for an English doctor who worked here since September. We met the six med students who are currently here. We tried nsima (a local food made from maize and water) and other lovely dishes. We danced and enjoyed fanta out of glass bottles, the best way to drink it. Partying Malawian style was definitely a great way to start this adventure.
Started placement on Thursday at 7am, I am currently on the female ward, though I will rotate wards every week so I can experience everything. It was a very quiet shift, patients here have gaudians (family or friends) who look after the patients personal care and feed them, the jobs nurses do in Scotland. Fridays shift was a bit busier with five patients being admitted. I got to do two I.M injections. Language is a bit of an issue, all the staff speak English but many of the patients don't so you have to rely on staff to translate. Everything here is a lot more basic, where we have cardboard and plastic which we chuck, they have metal which gets washed and reused. A patient came in having a severe asthma attack,there was no inhalers or nebulizers so we had to treat her with I.V medication which is less effective.
Thursday night, we went to a local golf club for dinner, it is a tradition every Thursday with the local ex-pats. Ruth, her daughter, Ruth's partner and the med students all went. The food was good. There was a bed and living area in the bathroom which I found a bit odd. TIA. On Fridays everyone (same crowd as Thursdays) goes for pizza, it was delish. I feel like an outsider and it felt a bit colonial at times. Hopefully I start to fit on soon, the dynamics are changing within the group as two med students left on Saturday and one more is leaving next week so there will only be three left, and us.
Yesterday we walked through fields of tea (which stretch on for miles), to go to the local town, Chitakali, it took us two hours but I think there is a short cut, and it was a lovely walk. We had pizza for lunch, and then arranged to partially climb the mountain next Weekend. This was followed by a nice wee meander around the market. I bought a local wrap-around skirt, which i may get made into shorts, haggling for the 1st time, I managed to get 200kwacha (around 50p) knocked off but have a feeling I was still ripped off. After buying some more supplies we headed home on bike taxis (bicycles with cushions, handles and foot rests on the back) it was a very enjoyable experience, especially going down hill). We watched the 2nd half of a local football game, to the amusement of the locals. We then made some bread and cooked dinner for the first time.
Today we just pottered around the house, I swept the floor and then we both did a clothes wash by hand. The rest of the day was spent reading in the garden soaking up the sun.
Everyone here is so friendly and I am slowing picking up Chichewa, managing the most basic greetings. I doubt I will ever be fluent, especially in six weeks but its nice to try. I have yet to see any monkeys, although I did hear one on the roof the other night. I have seen many dogs, two cats, lots of chickens and chicks and heaps of spiders, we were naming the ones in our house (Fred, Henrietta and George II) but there are just too many, hopefully they eat any mosquitoes which find their way inside. I have been slathering on insect repellent, especially at night and burn citronella oil, in almond oil at night. I have started wearing this as perfume to keep things away, It also has a very nice smell.
That is enough for now, hopefully I can get on quite frequently, there are computers at the hospital, but internet isn't always working. I will hopefully be able to post a few pictures but I forgot my cable so unless I can buy one here there won't be any until I am home. Working at the hospital Mon-Thurs this week, I wonder what the shifts will bring.
Our house is nice, we have our own bedrooms with comfy beds. A shower, a bathroom, a wee kitchen and a living area that has a dinning table and two wooden couches. We have our own garden which is nice. We have an amazing view of Mount Mulanje, the local attraction. Arriving was a bit of an anti-climax, and I felt like I had made a mistake in coming. I am feeling a lot better now and so glad I came. I think I was just worn out from the Journey.
On Wednesday we slept in (til about 9) and then Ruth (the medical director) came to show us around. The hospital is made up of various different buildings. Wednesday night we went to a party which was thrown for an English doctor who worked here since September. We met the six med students who are currently here. We tried nsima (a local food made from maize and water) and other lovely dishes. We danced and enjoyed fanta out of glass bottles, the best way to drink it. Partying Malawian style was definitely a great way to start this adventure.
Started placement on Thursday at 7am, I am currently on the female ward, though I will rotate wards every week so I can experience everything. It was a very quiet shift, patients here have gaudians (family or friends) who look after the patients personal care and feed them, the jobs nurses do in Scotland. Fridays shift was a bit busier with five patients being admitted. I got to do two I.M injections. Language is a bit of an issue, all the staff speak English but many of the patients don't so you have to rely on staff to translate. Everything here is a lot more basic, where we have cardboard and plastic which we chuck, they have metal which gets washed and reused. A patient came in having a severe asthma attack,there was no inhalers or nebulizers so we had to treat her with I.V medication which is less effective.
Thursday night, we went to a local golf club for dinner, it is a tradition every Thursday with the local ex-pats. Ruth, her daughter, Ruth's partner and the med students all went. The food was good. There was a bed and living area in the bathroom which I found a bit odd. TIA. On Fridays everyone (same crowd as Thursdays) goes for pizza, it was delish. I feel like an outsider and it felt a bit colonial at times. Hopefully I start to fit on soon, the dynamics are changing within the group as two med students left on Saturday and one more is leaving next week so there will only be three left, and us.
Yesterday we walked through fields of tea (which stretch on for miles), to go to the local town, Chitakali, it took us two hours but I think there is a short cut, and it was a lovely walk. We had pizza for lunch, and then arranged to partially climb the mountain next Weekend. This was followed by a nice wee meander around the market. I bought a local wrap-around skirt, which i may get made into shorts, haggling for the 1st time, I managed to get 200kwacha (around 50p) knocked off but have a feeling I was still ripped off. After buying some more supplies we headed home on bike taxis (bicycles with cushions, handles and foot rests on the back) it was a very enjoyable experience, especially going down hill). We watched the 2nd half of a local football game, to the amusement of the locals. We then made some bread and cooked dinner for the first time.
Today we just pottered around the house, I swept the floor and then we both did a clothes wash by hand. The rest of the day was spent reading in the garden soaking up the sun.
Everyone here is so friendly and I am slowing picking up Chichewa, managing the most basic greetings. I doubt I will ever be fluent, especially in six weeks but its nice to try. I have yet to see any monkeys, although I did hear one on the roof the other night. I have seen many dogs, two cats, lots of chickens and chicks and heaps of spiders, we were naming the ones in our house (Fred, Henrietta and George II) but there are just too many, hopefully they eat any mosquitoes which find their way inside. I have been slathering on insect repellent, especially at night and burn citronella oil, in almond oil at night. I have started wearing this as perfume to keep things away, It also has a very nice smell.
That is enough for now, hopefully I can get on quite frequently, there are computers at the hospital, but internet isn't always working. I will hopefully be able to post a few pictures but I forgot my cable so unless I can buy one here there won't be any until I am home. Working at the hospital Mon-Thurs this week, I wonder what the shifts will bring.
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