Nkhoma Saturday market
Dancing at the birthdayparty
Gomez with her Gift
Bertha preparing a chickenfoot for the braai
Things are now starting to settle here, holiday is coming to an end, and the real life here must start soon. I had a meeting at the hospital last week, with the Matron at the ward where I'm going to work, gynecology ward, and she was a really nice lady and had a lot of good plans for me and my stay.
And she also told me I had to go to Nurses and Midwives Council to register, something I had hoped I didn’t have to, since I did it last year, but this is actually something every nurse in the country has to do every year. So I mentally prepared for a long day of waiting and planning and organizing, and I showed up at the office, but then they say that registrations are only on Wednesdays, so I had to come back. I asked very nicely to please have it done today, and as the system here is not always so easy to come around, I was surprised when she told me OK, but come back after lunch.
So I came back after lunch, at 2.30pm, and the lady I’m supposed to meet is not there. Where is she, after two and a half hour lunch break? Out to get a snack!!! So I waited, for 30 minutes, and she returned from her snack break. I got my papers, and I have to write a log to document my achievements and goals, and return to them after a while. So I got my things and went off to pay my fee (20,000MK, approx 700NOK, 120USD). But the guy at the account office was not there, and nobody knew where he was. So I waited... And waited... He finally came back, I payed and was happy it all was over. I was actually surprised that I could do it all in one day!
So next week I'm planning to start work, and tomorrow I will go to the hospital for an orientation. Just to get to know the hospital and routines, and meet my coworkers.
Last weekend I was in Nkhoma, to spend some more time with Isabelle and the other people there. I came there in the afternoon, and it was Gomez's birthday, so she had a party. And as all Malawians it was a late party, supposed to start at seven, started at eight or even later. It was a braai, good food, sausages, chicken, buns, salad and non-alcoholic drinks. We danced, chatted and had a lot of fun! It was a different birthday party than what I’m used to. Finally there was cake and birthday song for Gomez.
Saturday I want to the market with all the azungus (white people) and we did some shopping and after a while I had lunch at Mr Banda's restaurant with Isabelle, James, Sarah and Louis. Louis is a five year old kid that really know how to eat nsima (the traditional local dish, maize mash). The five of us ordered the same amount of food, he was the only one finishing! Imagine! It is really heavy food, gets you full very quick if you are not used to it. But this small boy has a good appetite!
In the evening I just spent time with Gunhild and Ingrid, as Isabelle had dinner at the Vietches house. Sunday morning Isabelle, Jessi, Ute and me went for a walk to Linthipe river. Its a nice walk through a lot of different villages, and the nature is beautiful (even though its quite dry and brown now). After this I took a minibus in to Lilongwe again.
The pool we have here is now filled with nice clean water, it was ready this last weekend, but I have still not tried it. The weather is not too nice, a bit chilly some times, and the sun has not been out today, so it still has to wait. But I’m sure it will be a good thing to have the coming months!
The weekend I will spend by the lake, in Cape McClear, with Gunhild and Ingrid from Nkhoma. Hopefully we will leave on Thursday.
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