Saturday, August 19, 2006
more fun stomach problems...
So, I am heading to Lilongwe today to do some more recovering from having more gastritis. I feel awful and got some antiobiotics yesterday, so hopefully I will be feeling better soon. I will get to be full of rest and around running water, electricity, and toilet paper! The transit house here in Blantyre is closing today because of electrical problems, so its good that I am leaving today. I hope everything is going well in the U.S. I miss all of you lots!
Thursday, August 17, 2006
In Blantyre for "resupply"
hey everyone,
I am in Blantyre until Saturday meeting up with other new PCVs that have been at site for the last 3 weeks. So, my new site in Zomba is really good compared to the last one even though I don't have running water or electricity...let's just say for the first few days I was eating papaya and peanut butter and honey sandwiches...I'm getting better at getting my charcoal burner to work, but it still takes a lot of prepping to get it ready. I am still eating the staple meal of peanut butter and honey sandwiches so that I don't have to cook in the heat! It has started to warm up a bit and will continue to do so until it peaks in October...can't wait...So, my house has 3 bedrooms and a sitting room with a separate structure for the baffa and kitchen, then my chimbudzi (pit latrine) is behind that in its separate building. I am in the process of having a grass "security" fence built. I have a night watchman for security purposes. I have gotten to learn how to do antenatal exams of palpatations and listening to the heart beat. It was so cool! I can't wait to actually be doing this for my job, I would love to be a midwife! I rode my bike to a outreach clinic yesterday...it was 25km round trip...my butt really hurts from my bike seat...I got to help weigh under 5 children and record it. I know, not too exciting, but it was good to do for me! Not too much else going on, my site is 15 km off the tarmec (paved road) and it takes 1 1/2 hrs by bike taxi to reach my house! I am definately living in the bush! I will try to post pictures when I get a card reader. Let me know how you are doing!
I am in Blantyre until Saturday meeting up with other new PCVs that have been at site for the last 3 weeks. So, my new site in Zomba is really good compared to the last one even though I don't have running water or electricity...let's just say for the first few days I was eating papaya and peanut butter and honey sandwiches...I'm getting better at getting my charcoal burner to work, but it still takes a lot of prepping to get it ready. I am still eating the staple meal of peanut butter and honey sandwiches so that I don't have to cook in the heat! It has started to warm up a bit and will continue to do so until it peaks in October...can't wait...So, my house has 3 bedrooms and a sitting room with a separate structure for the baffa and kitchen, then my chimbudzi (pit latrine) is behind that in its separate building. I am in the process of having a grass "security" fence built. I have a night watchman for security purposes. I have gotten to learn how to do antenatal exams of palpatations and listening to the heart beat. It was so cool! I can't wait to actually be doing this for my job, I would love to be a midwife! I rode my bike to a outreach clinic yesterday...it was 25km round trip...my butt really hurts from my bike seat...I got to help weigh under 5 children and record it. I know, not too exciting, but it was good to do for me! Not too much else going on, my site is 15 km off the tarmec (paved road) and it takes 1 1/2 hrs by bike taxi to reach my house! I am definately living in the bush! I will try to post pictures when I get a card reader. Let me know how you are doing!
Saturday, August 05, 2006
Back from my site... :-(
hey everyone,
So I am in Lilongwe now until Peace Corps finds me a new site. My house was not so good to say the least. It was infested with tons of mosquitoes and mice, besides being utterly disgustingly dirty. The woman who lived there before me literally moved out the day before and didn't have time to clean it. I arrived on Monday to find no furniture, so I had to argue with my MA (the head of the clinic) about it. They signed an agreement with PC that they would provide the house, a bedframe, a table, and chairs. He said that they didn't have enough funding to get me the furniture. That was just the beginning. I needed screens on my windows and he said they couldn't pay for that either. So, I had to call my boss, Edith to tell her about it. She came on Wednesday to see how bad the house was. She said that she would talk to the health center and discuss who should pay for repairs and if they couldn't come to an agreement, I would be moving. I figure that I should be living at the same standards as the rest of the health center staff and they don't have any of the problems that I have. I spent all of Tuesday scrubbing my toilet and bathing rooms, but unfortunately they still look really dirty because they are stained with dirt from the previous renter. Absolutely disgusting! I freaked out on Thursday from all the problems and told Edith that I can't live here anymore. She said that we would discuss a new site location for me on Monday. I will let you know how that goes. I ended up staying the nights at my wonderful neighbor's house because I can't sleep with mice running around. She was so amazing, she made me dinners and breakfasts. Malawians are so hospitable its ridiculous. You would never find that in the states. So, I am now in Lilongwe after a long and hot 5 hour minibus ride from Liwonde. I hope that everything turns out for the best, I know it will! I will keep you posted...until then, send me stuff to the Lilongwe address! I miss everyone lots and can't wait to hear how you are all doing!
So I am in Lilongwe now until Peace Corps finds me a new site. My house was not so good to say the least. It was infested with tons of mosquitoes and mice, besides being utterly disgustingly dirty. The woman who lived there before me literally moved out the day before and didn't have time to clean it. I arrived on Monday to find no furniture, so I had to argue with my MA (the head of the clinic) about it. They signed an agreement with PC that they would provide the house, a bedframe, a table, and chairs. He said that they didn't have enough funding to get me the furniture. That was just the beginning. I needed screens on my windows and he said they couldn't pay for that either. So, I had to call my boss, Edith to tell her about it. She came on Wednesday to see how bad the house was. She said that she would talk to the health center and discuss who should pay for repairs and if they couldn't come to an agreement, I would be moving. I figure that I should be living at the same standards as the rest of the health center staff and they don't have any of the problems that I have. I spent all of Tuesday scrubbing my toilet and bathing rooms, but unfortunately they still look really dirty because they are stained with dirt from the previous renter. Absolutely disgusting! I freaked out on Thursday from all the problems and told Edith that I can't live here anymore. She said that we would discuss a new site location for me on Monday. I will let you know how that goes. I ended up staying the nights at my wonderful neighbor's house because I can't sleep with mice running around. She was so amazing, she made me dinners and breakfasts. Malawians are so hospitable its ridiculous. You would never find that in the states. So, I am now in Lilongwe after a long and hot 5 hour minibus ride from Liwonde. I hope that everything turns out for the best, I know it will! I will keep you posted...until then, send me stuff to the Lilongwe address! I miss everyone lots and can't wait to hear how you are all doing!
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