In Which, On Examination, Zoë Would Make Quite A Good Nurse
on Zoe Page (Sierra Leone), 06/Nov/2010 19:48, 34 days ago
Vasile and I are both up by 5.30am so heading out at 8.45am feels like mid-morning. We walk along Hangha Road and I discover there is safety in numbers (and refute V’s claim that it’s all about the grey hair): we are barely hassled, harranged, cat-called as we head to the market. We stop for lots of photos, somehow so much easier when there are two of you.Diamond Trees on KingswayWe circle round by the clocktower and come back to the market where the women have learnt nothing and refuse to listen to us, instead shoving manky carrots and sad old oranges in our faces. But, we get quite a haul for supper, including spring onions, tomatoes, mini bell peppers that we are assured are sweet, plus a huge (HUGE!) pineapple for just 5000 Le. Prices are weird. Some things are much cheaper here than Freetown, others much more expensive. After a stop at Choitram’s we amble home via my bread lady and my new onion lady who is now our onion/eggs/chilli pepper lady. Back home for 10.30am, and with our marketing done, along with our cleaning and laundry earlier, it’s time to introduce Vasile to a Kenema weekend of doing...nothing.The peppers, looking oh so innocent among their vegetable friendsAfter lunch and a nap, with the power off we decide to explore the remnants of Maria’s bequeaths and ferret through the various bags and boxes. Among them we find copious amounts of exam papers and study notes from her courses, and Linsday’s before her, and as any two sensible women would, we immediately look to see if we would pass the Nursing exams. I think it’s safe to saywe would. But how about you? Could you answer the following?State the difference between topical and TropicalChemotherapy is a treatment for schizophrenia: true or false?Fully describe why as human beings we need food.Define the following terms: pharmacology, drugs, tablet, syrupList the first 6 even numbersEssay question:Your sister who lives in America has written suggesting you switch from your nursing degree to an HND in accounting. Write back, explaining at least 3 reasons why you think this is a bad idea.Maybe if they can't find me a job I can enroll at the Polytech and hammer out a 3rd degree in my remaining months. Except, next I read the prospectus for the place and it's scary. There are fees for everything from using the library to getting your initial application form (not submitting it...just picking it up). The best is a pre-emptive fee you pay on admission for damage to the university's property...though later on there is a list of crimes and punishments, and it states that damage must be paid for, and wilful damage results in expulsion, so I doubt the'but I've paid for the privilige of breaking all the windows I want'argument would work.The power is still off, so we decide to cook before it’s too dark. Long story short, those bell peppers are sizzling hot, and Vasile now knows she needs to tell me basic things like take the seeds out of the chilli peppers. The two combined lead to a rather eye watering vegetable stew. Quite literally so when I rub by eye without washing my hands. Simple slip ups like that are terribly complicated when you need clean water (i.e. not from the tap) and the water filter water is still hot from boiling. So, we pour a valuable packet of water over my eye (and down my top) and it calms down. Another useful lesson learned...