The First Week!

Monile! Muli uli?

Oh my gosh what a week of mixed emotions! It started off with transport disasters- as per usual!

I like to be on time for flights but the journey began with a road accident, luckily not us, the air ambulance, massive delays on the A4 and big hissy fits from me panicking that I wasn’t going to make the flight! We did eventually make it- obviously- and the next pleasure to be endured was the flight with Ethiopian Airlines. Let’s just say I didn’t think they made planes that economy anymore. It was very old, smelly, with no leg room, no in flight entertainment, no space for overhead luggage and to top it all off a crying baby in the seat in front- who cried alllll the way. I then wasn’t overly reassured when the plane, after taxiing out to the run way then decided that there was a ‘technical problem’ and made it’s way back into the airport docking back where we’d started and then opening the doors. After waiting for around an hour and a half we did finally take off despite the rather overpowering smell of oil and burning rubber. The next leg from Ethiopia to Lilongwe, Malawi, was equally pleasurable as we ended up stopping off in Uganda on the way, as you do, for around 2 hours where we were strictly told ‘No standing!’ and ‘No going to the toilet!’ (I was really desperate and full of aeroplane gas) because apparently they were refuelling and you can’t move when that is happening.

I’m pleased to say though that that is where the transportation issues ended- all my bags arrived! Yipee! And a VSO rep was there to meet us in the airport. She’s called Mphatso (pronounced M-pat-so) and I met up with 6 other volunteers and we took a jeep to the hotel where I am now and where we are staying for the first week of training.

So the hotel is amazing! And not a true picture at all of what it’ll be like in my little house which apparently has nothing in it- joy. So I have been buying things to cook with- yes I am going to cook! And clean with- shock horror!

We have spent the week basically learning about Malawian Culture, our health programme, sorting admin out etc. It has been quite hard core- getting up for 8am starts and concentrating until 6pm! (I haven’t been working or used my alarm clock for 2 months!) And they have been seriously feeding us! I’m carbo loading (getting fat) in case I can’t get food where I’m headed or I get the shits. They have an interesting food called zima which is basically a large ball of maize and very plain but apparently if a Malawian doesn’t get it for dinner they ‘haven’t eaten’.

We’ve also been learning Chitumbuka which is actually a different language from the rest of Malawi who speak Chichewa (so lucky I didn’t bother learning any before I left!) It’s difficult but I plan to be a pro by the end of the year, hum.

The other volunteers (23 of us) all seem really nice and there’s a serious number of doctors! We’re getting posted all over the country – some in little rural hospitals like me and some in large places where they’re lecturing or teaching. There seems to be a good volunteer network and we’ve had reps speak to us about events where we meet up and I’ve already been roped into talking at some conference thing. Joy.

I’ve also managed to have a few beers- yippee! –There was a BBQ at the country directors house and last night we went to ‘the shack’ which is a bar/club with volleyball courts! Still was in bed by 10:30pm though!

Scarily the medical council have said I don’t need to do my orientation, which normally take 4-8 weeks, in another hospital before going to my little one! God knows why! So I’m going straight there on Saturday-argghhh! Luckily there’s another dutch doctor Marianne who’s there already and I think she’ll be able to induce me!

What I’ve seen so far or Malawi (out of the jeep window because we’ve been almost penned into the hotel other than visits to programme office) is it’s beautiful and reminds me of when I was in East Africa before. It is very poor but the people are lovely and smiley and friendly and I hope that they are up in Rumphi where I’m headed!

That’s all for now if you’ve managed to get to the end! I’m hoping the internet will be ok in Rumphi and if not I’ll get a Dongle – only 2G though, and continue the blogging!

Hope everyone’s well. Love and miss you lots