- Linda and I ran a 61 bed hospital all by ourselves the other day. Well mostly Linda ran it. I just changed IV’s, which if course all needed changed at the exact same time. Welcome to a crash refresher course in IV therapy..
- It’s entirely possible to filter 26 liters of yellow water with one little msr filter.. It just takes 3 hours (huge thanks to Dr Austin! I’m very grateful for the clear water that comes out of that filter)
- At 6am I am awakened in Ferké to find Linda is up sweeping out driver ants from the house.
- 10am Linda leaves the nurses station to make war against the driver ants.
- Daily I explain to someone that our beloved mama or grandmama, Linda, wears me out. Everyone’s response? Yes the papers say she’s retired, she disagrees. (Seriously though, she’s older than my grandma & she makes me look lazy)
- To add to the list of weird things I have eaten: fried chicken intestines and fried cow skin (yes I said skin). Fried intestines are good, the jury is still out on cow skin
- I have a cold… Again.. In case you’re counting that’s the second one in 2 months
- I’m adding to my scar count on a daily basis, I swear Africa makes me clumsy
- Turns out riding a moto in short sleeves is no longer an option.. Not because it’s cold.. Nooo because it’s so hot that 30 minutes on a moto gives me a nice sunburn. (Yes mom I’m using sunscreen!)
- I got ma hair did.. Seriously.. Braids.. 3 packets of mesh.. 4 hours sitting on the floor… 5000 francs… That’s $10… Yea go ahead and hate me…
- That moment when your host mom makes salad and right before you start eating it you send up a silent prayer of “Lord, please don’t let me get amoebas” and then you eat a ton because it’s so good! (Still not sure if I’m safe from the meeby jeebies but hey such is life)
- The wonderful cool weather has left. It is now hot. I’m talkin the kind of hot where even if you sleep with a fan you sweat the entire night. The kind of hot where, warm water comes out of the shower instead of cold (who needs a hot water heater?!). And it’s only gonna get hotter.
- You can feed 6 people for 4 days for about $3 each person.
- I saw a man kiss his wife before she got on a bus headed to Mali. I almost fell over from shock (men and women do not hug/kiss/show affection here. They shake hands, even husbands and wives.)
- Making friends with people on busses is awesome. Especially when they argue with the driver to get you dropped off right in front of the hospital instead having to get a taxi from the bus station. It didn’t work but I appreciated the thought.
- I learned how to make tea here. It normally takes an hour or so to make.. Unless it’s me, than it’s like 2 hours. It was worth it. Lots of good conversation.
Wedding in Sucaf 2 with Mme Sekongo, Cecil, Fanta, and the rest of the family
- Hannah and I go to a youth group in Ferké every Tuesday night.. You know how when people dance there’s always that one guy who’s just that much better than everyone else? Well we found him.. When he dances it’s almost impossible to watch anyone else dance.
- I should probably mention the youth group is in French with Senoufou translation. Or sometimes just in Senoufou. When that happens, the pastor’s son sits next to Hannah and I and translates so he can practice his English (yes, English, he translates to English for us. We’re very spoiled)
- I spent 24 hours in a house that is bigger than my house in the US. No it was not owned by a white person. It was owned by an Ivoirian. It had 3 & ½ bathrooms, all with flushing toilets and hot water heaters for the showers. I wasn’t sure what to do with myself… Still not sure what to think of it..
- You know you’re in the middle of nowhere when the Ivoirians say “We’re in the bush”
- If your moto breaks down on the side of the road, just pray. God will send two very nice army men to fix your moto for you and then follow you back to your house to make sure you get there safely.
- On Thursday Madame Sekongo (secretary of the hospital) asked me if I wanted to go to a wedding.. On Saturday.. Did I know the person? Nope! Was it all in Senoufou? Yep! Did I talk to my little sister (Mme Sekongo’s daughter) the entire time? You bet I did!
Random rappelling adventure
- Found out one of my coworkers is getting married this month.. Guess who gets to be in the wedding?! That’s right! This girl. I’m soo excited!
- Hannah and I took the moto to the market the other day. I drove, she was on the back. As we’re heading out of the hospital, we hear loud clapping and someone shouting “Bravo!” We look to see Michelle, the president of all the youth in the Ferké district (this guy is a big deal). He was so proud of us. I said to Hannah, “We can go home now, we’ve officially impressed the guys”
Awed to heaven, rooted in Cote d'Ivoire 