2nd and 3rd week in the jungle – still having a great time

Monday till Wednesday (15-17th of March) was just about work. Because of the dry season here, there is no running water in the Laundry – the well supplying the Laundry has totally dried out, but hopefully the water will come back again during May, when the raining season begins. Because of no running water, the hospital laundry has been washed in the river – not so good, because it’s the same place where people from the Village are showering, washing their own laundry and bringing water to their house holding - but that has been changed now. I have arranged it, so that we now get the water from our (the Hostels) well – we get the water in 5 gallon containers and transport it by car – a temporary solution. In beginning of May the rain will come and the well at the Compound will supply us with water again. Wednesday afternoon, after work, I had my hair done in the African way by one of the hospital kitchen lady’s sister. It was a fun thing to try and nice to spend an afternoon with the locals and to see their homes. The look wasn’t as good as the local ladies hair, but it was so nice to have my hair away from my neck for a couple of days. Thursday I went to Makeni again, had to do some shopping and to try using the internet again. Now I have an internet account at the Hotel Wusum, I can now go on the wireless internet when I’m there, I just have to remember my computer wire – in this heat the computer is working hard to cool down, and it makes the battery time low. Friday we drove on a four hours trip, on a very bad road, to Koido, a Village/city known for its diamond mines. We went there and saw some lovely diamonds and hardworking African men. Koido was one of the villages that were hardly affected by the civil war because of the mines. The village was very dusty and showed signs of the war. But it was positive to see that there is actually a building up of the city going on – new houses popping up. We were supposed to stay overnight, but somehow there were no hotel in the city that had an available room for six, hmm. So we drove the whole long way back home after a nice dinner at one of the Hotels. Saturday, we (eight of us, volunteers) went on a kano trip on the river passing by Masanga Village – very nice to experience the area around us. Nice and relaxing, and a good way to get to know the other volunteers. In the evening we had a lovely birthday party for the medical student Caroline. Party – all night long... 3rd week (22nd – 28th of March) This week has just been about work, work, work. In the morning starting together with my Laundry ladies and then cleaning at the “Big Store” – A lot of stuff is send to Masanga from DK by containers, and we have a big storehouse for it. But at the moment it is not totally clearly for us what’s there and which things that actually can be used. So we have decided to start a clean-up and get a general view. One very small washing machine came up. Sometimes we had a good laugh about things that that we found. For example we found artificial breast limbs suitable for a white woman and things that can’t be used because it’s broken, funny funny. Wednesday late afternoon I would go for a quick run before the big opening of the new library. But what a stupid idea, my legs where tired and my mind was in another world, so 7 minutes from home a root in the road grabbed me and I fell as long as I’m. (NEVER tried to fall like that during running) Stupid clown, I felt very stupid, and the blood was running from my hands and knee... I didn’t think of it as a very bad crash, but my left hand was hurting. When I came home I found out that I had made myself a very lovely deep gash. Luckily I’m surrounded by two doctors, two medical students and another nurse, so I was quickly repaired and had a painkiller. Friday morning we said goodbye to Jasper, who’s going home after four month here. He and the other guys were going on a guys-weekend trip to Freetown. I moved in to his room during Friday afternoon – Anne Mette (whom I now are sharing bathroom with) and I cleaned, and in the evening we had a small housewarming. Saturday after one more day by the Pool at Wusum Hotel in Makeni, we had a nice girl’s night here at the Hostel.