As I write this it is Sunday evening and Grace and I are living it up in Kolandoto chilling and eating biscuits (ginger snaps if you’re interested) - after a heavy weekend spent planning the teaching for the 3 day palliative care refresher training course we are running next week.
Today is the first Sunday since arriving in Tanzania that I have not been to church. I’m feeling quite rebellious! Last week we were picked up at 6.15am to go to the service at Shinyanga Cathedral which was interesting. At each service Grace and I are required to stand in front of the whole congregation and introduce ourselves and our purpose in life. Difficult enough in English let alone Swahili! So after the laugher stops we sit back down. I am getting to know the routine. Don’t mind the dancing and singing but the hours worth of Swahili preaching I could probably give a miss. We are required to donate to the collection every time also. I’m hopeful I’m storing up some brownie points with the big man…….
Other exciting news – I had a bat in my bedroom the other night. There are some instances where I concede a man can be quite useful and bat removal from bedrooms is one such instance! I have also discovered a place in shinyanga where I can buy pringles!! What an utter delight – having gone without my beloved savory snacks for almost a month now (a major feat for those that know me!) I almost cried out in joy when I spotted the distinctive green tube winking at me from a top shelf!! Needless to say they were extortionate (4000 Shilling =£2) so they are being rationed! Grace and I have been musing what other things we may have inadvertently given up for lent just by virtue of being here and not being able to get our hands on them! The usual culprits – chocolate and wine feature but some less so well know; like showers and sitting on proper toilets have also been sacrificed!!
Work continues to astound and amaze. When we arrived we were bursting with ideas to implement. The last 3 weeks of working with the teams and observing current practice has left us slightly shell shocked as the realisation has dawned that we need to go right back to basics. We have tailored and adapted the 3 day palliative care refresher training course this week so that we can not only impart basic knowledge and skills to the team but also help them to identify the current gaps in their service and empower them to develop and improve. I have been in flipchart heaven– being as creative as I can with a black, blue, green and dried up old red marker pen! It’s going to be another busy week but having done the preparation Grace and I are looking forward to getting stuck into the teaching. We have even bought some funky African material and we are having traditional outfits made so we look the part! I can’t wait!
Big love to all as always
C x
Hiya Darl,sounds like you're still attracting all the wrong kind of creatures...was it Max's "Eric the fruit bat"??. We'll stock up on the Cadbury's and Pringles for when you get back. Cant wait to see the groovy outfits you're having made.Keep up the fantastic work!!.LOL,Bub.XX
ReplyDeleteHello Nectar,
ReplyDeleteSounds as tho' things are going well, best of luck for your big week.
Can't wait to see funky African material attire, they have such fantastic colours.
Ginger snaps.... pringles..... 'fresh'chickens.. sounds like size will be an issue at this rate! I know you have to POP pringles & CALL MARY to prepare chicken but how do you dispatch ginger snaps prior to eating!!!!
Hey... you allready have enough brownie points with the big man... leave a few for the rest of us! Love to Grace, Love to you from all of us XXXXX
Hi Cass,
ReplyDeleteI think if you even manage to get the basic stuff in, that would be a big achievement considering the time you have.
You are doing a great job.Well done and look after yourselves.
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