Untitled
on Lynn Sellwood (The Gambia), 29/Mar/2010 13:46, 34 days ago
Now at week two and I am wondering about how to protect myself against malaria. I have two choices; a drug which has the potential side effect of psychosis at worst, bad dreams and sensitive skin at best; or a drug which is only licenced for a month's use. There are no studies of its usage over a longer term and it costs£3 a pill. I am going to a part of West Africa where the worst sort of malaria is possible....the cerebral kind! So, I am going to make an appointment with the Hospital for Tropical Diseases to discuss the options and will update you on the decision.I am completing an e-learning course for VSO volunteers and find myself really enjoying it. This type of learning really does have benefits. The way it is set up allows for group discussions as well as individual contemplation. The tutor is based in Canada and some of the group are from Italy and Germany so I am really part of a global community. It is all very exciting and I find I am getting my groove back and finding out about the world in a very challenging and meaningful way. I've started reading The Guardian every day which I have not had time to do in years.Now I am at home, I have had to say goodbye to my cleaning lady. Those that know me will understand that this is a momentous day. I am the angriest woman trapped in a world where everything has to be clean and in its place and yet resenting every minute I spend doing it. And....I will have to rediscover the iron! Please don't get the impression that I am lazy, quite the opposite, I will now spend hours thinking about cleaning the house instead of getting on with it!My favourite activity so far has to be helping Matthew with his election campaign in Stoke Newington. I spent two hours delivering leaflets on Saturday. He was kind and gave me two "walks" which covered the leafier parts and I passedtwowholefood shops just a few hundred yards form the place where a young man was killed a couple of days before. The grim reality of London life I suppose, but it's not right is it? I think he might promote me to the less salubrious parts once I can convince him that I can do stairs!Lois, my daughter, completed a 10k run for charity in memory of her godfather and my close friend, Randall, who died just over a year ago. His death was so shocking to me and in truth that event spurred me on to volunteer and do something challenging before it was too late. I am proud that she felt the need to do something hard (running is not a natural activity for me or Lois) to show her commitment to something.So, all in all, an amazing week....