Jambo.....

Jambo (Kiswahili for hello)

So I’m back from Zanzibar, it was a great great trip.. I think it should be the mandatory location for anyone going on R&R… On my own for the whole time I probably would have ended up a bit bored so I’m really grateful that Rupa came with me…

We had a night out in Juba on our way out, with one of the logs who works in another project in South Sudan that has just closed.. He’s super great so it was a nice start to the holiday.. The next day we flew and Rupa and I spent a night in Dar Es Salaam.. The city isn’t suppose to be all that safe and we didn’t get in til night, so reluctant to venture too far from our hotel we found the nearest place to us for something to eat and drink and this was the casino.. It was really funny as we ended up playing blackjack til like 3am in the morning, walking away richer than when we arrived.. Never before have I gambled so it was a fun experience – definitely a jump from Sudan…

After that I went to Stone Town and Rupa on safari and then we met back up in Stone Town and went to a beach on the east coast..

Stone town is great.. There is a big mix of Arabic and Indian in the culture, architecture and people that are there so it makes for some really beautiful things to look at. This coupled with the fact that a beautiful blue ocean runs along the side and REAL restaurants means it would have been very hard to not find the place enjoyable… I booked a really nice place to stay in as well, that served real coffee and a great breakfast on the roof top terrace where you can look out over the city…

On the east coast we stayed in a place called Matemwe… We ate, drank, slept, read.. It was perfect.. We hired some local guys to take us out on their boat one day and went fishing, something else I hadn’t done in years… There’s a private island not far from where we were so after half a hour on a very very bumpy road we got in their boat, went swimming near this island, which I am sure had the clearest, bluest, most transparent water I’ve ever seen…

So, that was Zanzibar.. Had another night in Juba with some of the team their on the way back and now I’m well and truly back at work… We’ve a new Field Co, a new Hospital Manager and a new Log Referent on the way.. Which means with all the heads of departments I’m the only one who has been here for any length of time.. It’s good though. Nice to come back to people with fresh energy and ideas.. The new Field Co seems super experienced so I think she’ll be great, especially as we approach the referendum…

It’ so strange to me that barely anybody we met has any idea about this event.. It seems the media hasn’t really been picking up on it… Which is good for me as you’ll all be less worried with the ‘scare stories’ I’m sure they’d be sharing, but bad at the same time.. This will be a defining moment for this country, one way or the other and I can’t believe, especially after Darfur that no one knows what’s about to take place.. For those that are interested there is an article that George Clooney and another guy published after their recent visit.. I’m sure you can google it.. No freaking out though, Abyeui is not Aweil. The context is completely different as is the location!

I’m happy to be back.. There’s still lots to do but coming back to what I honestly describe as home, was nice… It was nice to see the team, a few people were particularly excited to see us which was cool… And the National Staff too.. 2 of the cleaners came running over to give me a huge hug along with a few other people so it was really great…

The team has really changed, quite a lot since I arrived and there will be a few more changes in the next month and then pretty much stability til I leave, which inshalla will be early Feb…. There are a group of us going at the same time so we’re hoping to do Gorilla trekking in Uganda before some of us head back to Paris for debriefing… It would be blissful…

The hospital is a little less busy which is great.. The peak season for malnutrition is decreasing, well it’s suppose to be, as should be malaria, though this isn’t down as much as we’d hope.. We’re struggling to find the medical staff that we need but we keep soldiering on and do the best that we can.. We start construction in the hospital to extend some of the wards so this is good, I think it’s been planned for a little while so it’s nice to see these things come to fruition…

I feel more and more bonded with the staff as the days go on.. Some of the people here I’ll really miss when I leave, it’s a great way to feel, despite knowing it will one day lead to great sadness and many tears.. Such is the life of MSF I guess…

I miss everyone at home a little this week.. I think it’s probably being snapped back to a different reality and realizing it would be nice to do this with my friends and family as well… But it’s not so far away and I’ll be doing this again, then probably wishing I was back here… Ah we are funny beings – me at least anyway….

For this entry it’s all… So til next time, smile!!!!