Settled in Mkar

I made it to Mkar, Nigeria with only a few minor hiccups...
First, the flight left Calgary 2 hours late, first because a toilet wasn't flushing, then we had started take-off only to slam on the breaks because they were 100 degrees too hot. So we had to sit on the runway for another 30 minutes waiting for them to cool off. Six of us on the flight were heading to amsterdam, so they had those little golf carts waiting for us when we deplaned. I've never ridden one of those before... they can go pretty fast when necessary! We had to literally run down the gangplank (is that what you call it, or is that just for ships?) and were the last to board. We were off the ground within 10 minutes...
Then in Amsterdam, one of the team members from florida didn't show up. it was a concern as KLM only flys to abuja three times a week. it turns out that someone on his flight from detroit had a heart attack and they had to land in newfoundland. KLM flew him to london where he caught a british air flight and only arrived 10 hours after us.
Once we took off from amsterdam, the pilot announces there was a major plane crash in abuja, where we were headed, and that there are many casualities. that doesn't instill alot of confidence... but all the crashes in the past year have been in-country flights, not international ones.
apparently 100 people died, one of them being the islamic leader of nigeria. not so good... but it wasn't our flight, so it's all good.
we arrived on monday and were doing rounds within a couple of hours. saw everthing from multiple HIV patients, to tetanus, malaria, strokes...
today, jenny and leanne spent the day with dr. reedyk in the clinic and i spent the day figuring out what the nursing students need from us that will be helpful. in my opinion they need major help with assessments and having policy and procedures. my box with stethescopes is still in amsterdam so i can't start with that yet... i went over VERY BASIC neuro assessments with some second year students today.
they learn by rote memorization so they can spout off alot of stuff but when you ask them a question that makes them think critically, they look totally stumped.
they also say they are "so busy" but i have never seen one of them run and their bum imprints are on the chairs. today i saw three nursing students give one patient one pill. i don't quite understand this method of patient care, but i am trying not to judge...
i also found out that stethescopes are only about $10 here (cheap ones mind you) but they all claim they cannot afford them even though they are supposedly required. so i asked them today how many of them have cell phones and they said the vast majority have them. i asked how much cell phones are - they are $50 to start. so i told some of them i will not accept the excuse that they don't have money to buy a stethescope. i am not sure they will like me very much by the time i leave...
i will probably be doing more teaching on the wards tomorrow...

hope you are all doing well!! alida

Hope

As the number of sleeps counts down to the day I leave for Nigeria, the "theme" of hope continues to run through my head.

I bought this necklace several months ago , and have been wearing it daily as a reminder about what I literally cling to everyday.



Here in Canada, I hope I can get everything I need to get done before I leave, I hope my patients at work are still alive when I return the next day:-) (and that I have taken good care of them)
I hope I am living my life the way that God intended for me.

In Nigeria, I hope that I can be an encouragement, a source of knowledge (that will be a stretch!), a good student, and a patient observer.
I pray that I will see hope in Nigeria.

Thank you to all who have been so supportive in my journeys! They are a step towards a more
permanent position living and working as a nurse in Africa.