Back in Sierra Leone!
on Shona in Sierra Leone (Sierra Leone), 23/Apr/2011 09:41, 34 days ago
I’ve had a holiday since my last blog – I went home for two weeks and had a brilliant time seeing Andy, visiting friends and family, new babies and bumps.Here is a list ofthe bizarre things I found myself doing at home(bizarre either because it would be strange if I had been in Sierra Leone, or bizarre because people at home would have thought it bizarre!)1) Whenever a landrover or 4 wheel drive went past I looked in the window to see if I knew anyone in the car.2) Every time I brushed my teeth I looked for a bag of water to use instead of turning on the tap.3) When I went into Tescos I was bamboozled by the choice of food and spent AGES looking at everything!4) I ate (a lot). In fact, I have been told by several nurses that“you body fine” or “you get body Shona”. Translate to “you look fat”. Of course this is a compliment in Sierra Leone.5) I was very excited at being in cars under 20 years old with good suspension.6) I had my hair cut, and I blow-dried and straightened it several times!7) I used a credit card (but only once because I was a bit freaked out by the machines!)8) I went to the Children’s Hospital in Oxford (to see friends and to pick up a drug prescription chart to take back here) and was amazed at the calmness, cleanliness, the non-chaotic-ness, the monitors (and the fact that, having not worked there for a year, I knew three of the children on the ward!)9) I had several baths, and nice long hot showers.10) I got annoyed when I saw fat children.11) I found the internet fast enough to look at things on You Tube.12) I reflected on how lucky we are at home to have both basic and material things.Things I found I had missed about Sierra Leone– but only really realised I had missed them when I got back!1) The staff at the hospital, particularly the nurses and the lab staff, many of whom said“you don loss” (we lost you, as in, we missed you) as well as “you get body”.2) Speaking Krio– with patients, parents, nurses and people down the alley.3) Blue, white and green flags everywhere to celebrate Sierra Leone’s 50th Anniversary of Independence.4) The sea.5) The crazy public transport system– strange as it is, it now makes sense to me and I find taxis a weirdly efficient way of getting around.6) How friendly everyone is.7) The people in the alley by our house (especially the lovely old lady).8) The people I speak to on the way to the UN pool.9) VSOs and Welbodi’s10) Barracuda.11) Mamba Point (I’ve been twice since I’ve been back – hehe!)