Farewell March!!
on Rachael's VSO experience (Malawi), 02/Apr/2011 08:20, 34 days ago
So I've now been in Malawi almost 2 months! Although some days seem to drag on time really does seem to be flying now, which I guess is a sign that I am really settling in to life in Malawi. Some guy yesterday asked me if I was Indian, very funny but I'm really not that tanned yet!!! I was gutted this week as we were supposed to be going to the capital Lilongwe on the 11th April for an AIDS conference but unfortunately they have cancelled it, boo!! We were really excited to be going to the capital as they sell amazing things that we can't get here in Mzuzu, like heat magazine!!! Oh well maybe another time.So Saturday and Sunday I spent shopping and walking, I'm beginning to not get quite so hot all the time so I must be acclimatising (or the weather is getting cooler). Yesterday I even put on a jumper!! I'm dreading winter (June/July) as apparently it gets down to 10 degrees and there is no heating anywhere in Malawi! Not good.Work wise this was the first week I had written a weekly plan for. The purpose of my weekly plan is so everyone knows where I am and on the one for the director and matron I provide them with weekly goals as well so they know what I am meant to achieve each week. I stuck to my plan this week and feel much better when I know exactly where I am and what I'm doing. I'm beginning to get a bit better at being a nurse in Malawi too, I managed to successfully cannulate 7 children on Friday!! I spent some time on Wednesday afternoon writing some policies for the ward and reviewing policies they already have. As with all jobs I have good days and bad days, it's frustrating beyond belief but you can only work with what you have. I'm trying my best to encourage the nurses to work the hours they are supposed to but 'you can take a horse to water but you can't make it drink' and some of them have no wish to change. You just have to focus on the things that you can change and that is very rewarding!Life just slowly strolls on out here in Malawi sadly there is no exciting gossip. It's funny what you miss though, I really miss obvious things like my friends and family but I miss being able to buy books when I want to, I miss the cinema, I miss getting into a car that has no cracks in the windscreen! I miss being able to walk around unnoticed, here everyone wants to talk to you or stares at you and sometimes it's fine but some days you just want to pop to the shop for some juice you don't want it to take an hour! Most of all I miss if someone tells you they'll meet you at a certain time then they are there!! It's not all bad though there are things I don't miss about home and Malawi is a beautiful country and there is no pressure here, if you want to work hard you do if you don't you don't! The people are friendly and always want to talk. I generally feel quite safe here.