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on Shona in Sierra Leone (Sierra Leone), 30/Sep/2010 15:38, 34 days ago
Blog 1– One week in FreetownIts Saturday afternoon; I’m sitting on my balcony looking at a gorgeous view over the ocean towards Lungi. I’ve been in Freetown almost a week. In-country training is done.We arrived very late on Sunday night (the plane was delayed as we stopped on route in Malaga to refuel (probably due to everyone’s luggage limit of a massive 40kg – which I for one was very glad to have). We were met at the airport by some VSO staff and taken by water taxi to Freetown.I am living a really nice VSO house near a big roundabout called Congo Cross. I have a big double room with an en suite! My shower doesn’t work alas but I do have a working toilet and sink. There is another shared bathroom with a working shower (cold water – but that’s not a problem!) We also have remarkably good electricity. A hydroelectric dam has just been opened which provides power to most of Freetown. The lights are a bit dim sometimes and occasionally we have a power cut lasting a few hours but in general much better than I was expecting.We have had in-country training this week at the VSO office (in Aberdeen). Lots of info about how the VSO programme works in Sierra Leone, about the social, political, and economic context of development here and a bit about how to survive in Freetown. We also got to learn a bit of Krio. One of the new volunteers was born in Freetown and speaks Krio so it was fun practicing with her.VSO have just been back in SL since 2005 (the war ENDED in 2002) and the health programme started in 2008. There has just been a big influx of health volunteers including me, another paediatrician, a GP, an ER doctor (who will work as a clinical tutor in a medical school) and a paediatric nurse.We’ve had a tour around Freetown today, driving by Lumley Beach, around the hills and up to the British High Commission and US Embassy. That is to say, we drove past them. The views are incredible. We had lunch down town (I was adventurous enough to have “plasas”; a cassava leaf stew with a variety of fish, chicken and unidentified meat, served with rice. A bit hot, but pretty nice anyway. We had a wander around town, including “Big Market” the touristy market selling baskets, jewellery and lovely clothes.Now back on the balcony relaxing before the VSO party this evening!