Aw di Bodi?

This is 'how are you?' in Krio, the local language which is used as the informal language everywhere including at work but all meetings are conducted in English. Well having just arrived in a hot foreign land, I am still rather obsessed with my health and well being and personal safety. This includes copious applications of Deet at dusk, obsessive tucking in of the mosquito net at night, watching the progress of the prickly heat up my arms, and generally being scared (totally irrationally) of having my bag stolen. I am coping with the heat better now I am at work as there is air con. I am also obsessed with what I eat and what effect it might have!!! I had the local ground nut stew and rice yesterday in the Ministry canteen which was actually lovely and cost 5000 leones (about 80p) and I might risk it again tomorrow.

I've started work and at the end of the2nd day so more about that and the food later this week....

Almost the weekend and future challenges ahead

So VSO training is over, I have a bank account with 200,000 leones in it (about £33!!!) and am now fully trained VSO volunteer ready to be let loose on the world (the world had better be ready!!). I'm looking forward to the weekend and starting work on Monday. Although I do have some anxieties at times and still struggling with the heat and slightly dodgy stomach, so far I haven't checked how much a flight costs back to Manchester (probably because I did this before I left... £600!)

Here are some first week photos, of training, a beach plus my room and our balcony! Despite pedantic spraying and rolling on deet and sleeping in a net, I've been bitten twice so far but I'm hoping the loopy larium will stop me getting Malaria. Tomorrow we have the tour of the town and on Sunday my housemates have invited me to go on a trip to a nearby beach for swimming and relaxation.... fab! I have to write about the food, but thats for the next blog! And then to the Ministry on Monday....

A BIT ABOUT THE CHALLENGES AHEAD......I've just been reading Tim's blog (timinfreetown.blogspot.com) He's the guy I contacted earlier this year about working in the Ministry of Health and Sanitation. Tim's a HR specialist from NHS Wales and was here for 2 months last year and just arrived back for a few more weeks to support the free health care initiative (for kids under 5, pregnant and lactating women) due to be launched on 27th April. Tim's blog gives a fuller explanation of how this is going. The whole Ministry is focused on this initiative. As well as VSO, there many NGOs and funders/donors involved (Office of Tony Blair, DFID, Goal, Concern etc) due to the fact that SL has one of the highest maternal death rates in the world. Staffing is a big issue to success or failure as staff have historically supplimented their income from informal charges. Last week hospital staff went on strike, including the Childrens hospital which currently padlocked. This means that children and adults die during the strike and its still going on. There was a big meeting with the President yesterday to attempt to make a deal but the strike isnt over yet. I've tried to find something on the BBC website about this but there's nothing! I hope to find out more next week.

Early Days

I'm sitting in the VSO office having figured out how to connect my laptop for the first time.I am with 3 other volunteers, all from the Philippines and we are almost through the ICT (In country training) which lasts a week and finishes tomorrow with us opening our bank accounts! I am living in a VSO apartment Frazer Davies Drive, which by local standards is good. There's running water at the moment but we have spare cartons just in case. The water is contaminated. It will give you typhoid and/or dysentry but great for washing and flushing the loo! I try not to breathe whilst washing my hair and face, probably an over reaction but I'm acclimatising!! There is also intermitent electricity maybe 40% of the time? Its hard to tell when you are not there during the day. The word 'Drive' however does not really describe the extremely hilly bumpy dirt track which is my street, only just passeable with a 4x4. I have a 2 minute walk through folks back yards and rocks etc to get to the nearest road, aptly called Main Motor Road where you can get taxis and poda-podas for 15p upwards and there is a bar Balmaya, serving cold beer - yes! Met lots of people so far, VSOs and people working for other NGOs and so its nice not to be alone and starting to make some friends. I'm living with Henning and Fiona who have made me very welcome.

So first impressions of SL? Well, there are so many constrasts. Reasonable houses next to squalid huts, open drains, smells, the HEAT (you constantly sweat). The people are incredibly friendly on the street and always have a smile for you despite the absolute poverty I witness all around me. Freetown is a choatic busy place, lots of street vendors, vehicles (most not road worthy) pipping their horns and the red dust. Lots of things to understand and take in. The beach by town is lovely to walk along, however you cant swim in the sea just here (due to sewage pollution). So many young people, People dressing really smartly.... how do you do that in this heat! Being white here means you are rich and educated apparently and even on the VSO allowance ( a massive £50 per week), its alot in comparison to the average wage.

More soon plus photos...
I'm taking it day by day and doing ok so far

Fantastic Fundraising £1060 and good fun too!

Just a few snaps from last Friday's African night in the Old Kings Head. You generously gave £1060 for auctioned items and donations! Thanks also to people who have auctioned themselves! This included a vegetarian meal for 4 cooked in your own house, painting and electrical work, cocktail, guitar and silk painting lessons! Thanks also to Ben, our Ghanian chef (the food was fab, we want the peanut soup recipe), Craig the auctioneer and Marcus, Kate and team for ensuring that we all had a fab evening. I also loved some of your African clothes! Thanks!

Scuzzy...off on his travels too!

I've just taken Scuzzy to the vet for a tooth extraction and general check up, before he goes to Oxfordshire on his long holiday. In animals of 7 plus years they advice pre anaesthetic bloods at a mere costs of £59 to check for problems, such as diabetes etc. I was also offered a bland meal for Scuzzy post anaesthetic at £3, and something else at £34, cant even remember what it was! Despite my meanness (generally due to having no paid job now!) and refusal of all extras offered, Scuzzy is still getting far better treatment than many humans in the world, apart from the fact that he has to live with me of course! But not for much longer.... next week I take him down to Chipping Norton where he will start an idyllic life living in a farm cottage with Pauline and Lawrence. There are fields full of mice and maybe some frogs by the river. No other cats or dogs in sight and therefore will never want to come back to me!

Saying lots of Goodbyes

So this week has been full of goodbyes, a great excuse to meet up and eat nice food!!! So on Wednesday it was lunch in Sandbach with friends and colleagues from Eastern Cheshire PCT (RIP), Thursday evening was dinner in Liverpool with old mates from Sefton Health Authority (also RIP) and Friday morning I set off to London to see uni friends and this has involved more lunching and chatting!!! It all feels rather surreal! I keep being asked questions about Sierra Leone that I cant answer, like who has all the money from the diamonds (?) and questions about myself which seem more difficult like why am I going (I'm sure I had a great answer to that one on the VSO training!)? Its not just an extreme form of dieting .... honest!

Going to be a God Mother for the 3rd time!

I thought that this image was rather good for the party on 12th. In the meantime I am trying to get my head around the fact that I have 2 weeks to go! Today I have emailed almost everyone I know in the entire world to publicise the trip and to see if folks dig deep.

Also I am thinking about Charlotte's christening on Sunday and how different her life will be from the children I'll meet very soon.

Dont forget the AFRICAN EVENING on 12th March!

My fundraising do/leaving do on 12th March at the Old Kings Head is
getting close!
Old Kings Head, Byrons Lane, Gurnett, Macclesfield SK11 0HD 

Please let me know whether you are coming from 7pm onwards.
Rick, the Old Kings head prize winning chef is serving up great 2 course
menu for only £13 til 9pm.
There is a Charity Auction afterwards and offers of items and services
for the auction appreciated - be creative!
You can contact me on 07968 956950 or carolergreen@hotmail.com
Optional African dress!
If you cant come, then please visit my just giving page (see link)
and leave a donation!
Many thanks
Carole
 

18 Days and Counting

I'm trying to get to grips with setting up this new blog and here's my first posting. At the moment I'm feeling excitment and trepidation in equal measures. I'm having lots of strange dreams and not sure whether its the impending massive change to my life or the Larium kicking in!
On the practical side, flight booked (19th March), drugs and jabs sorted, medical clearance given, passport sent off for Visa, all VSO traiing completed, just the small matter of packing and sorting out the huge pile of junk in my front room before I go.....here's my latest photo sent to the Ministry of Health taken last week and here's the link to my just giving website... please give generously!!

http://www.justgiving.com/Carole-Green