.. and home again
on Freetown Blog (Sierra Leone), 02/May/2010 10:32, 34 days ago
On Thursday, we found out that although salaries and back pay for health workers had been processed by the Ministry of Finance and passed to the Central Bank a week ago, the intervening Independence Day public holiday meant that they had still not reached individual bank accounts. Staff were by this time on their third day of dealing with the post-launch increase in service demand and had been expecting their new salaries and back pay since the beginning of the week. On Thursday afternoon we heard that they were becoming suspicious that the government promise was not going to be kept and rumours of strike action were again beginning to circulate. We agreed a  message to communicate to the Districts and by Friday morning, it was reassuring to hear that the money had started to appear in staff accounts.That was only one of the challenges that came up during my last three days in the office after the launch day - but that didn't mean that my colleagues were too busy to remember my departure. Amid the rushing about on Thursday afternoon, I suddenly realised that HR team had all assembled in my office and took time to present me with a great card, and some Sierra Leonian clothes. In the picture below, I am wearing one of the shirts, but you are not going to see me wearing the trousers any time soon.I'm  really glad that we were so busy  right up until I left, otherwise I think I would have choked up. This has all been such an intense  experience that  is difficult not to feel emotional about it.On the subject of getting emotional, reading back through my blog entries since May, I am only too aware of the all the things I haven't written about. This blog was never supposed to be about my professional work here, but about the rounded experience of living and working here at an extraordinary time. And one of the most extraordinary things has been about being part of a great international team, all working together towards one goal, but also having fun, supporting eachother  through the tough bits, sharing salacious gossip, drinking plenty of beers and dancing under the stars until 3am (the latter only happened on one occasion, and don't worry, there are no pictures).The second picture above was taken at the Water Taxi terminal just before I set off for the airport. My reluctance to get on the boat very nearly resulted in me not making it at all, as they had more than a full load. Fortunately for us, they put on a second boat for just 3 off us, and we sped off into the Freetown sunset, soon overtaking the other boat.And that I think, really is the end of the Freetown Blog. Written in jumble of emotions - of hope and best wishes for Sierra Leone as it faces it's next challenges; of that sad-to-leave/glad-to-be-home emotion that is difficult to describe; and of thanks for the brilliant people I have shared these months with - you know who you are!