Learning Experience

Yesterday, Sister Peace and I interviewed a lady to be my “housekeeper” while I’m living in Sierra Leone. Sister Peace knew her. Her name is Patricia Kamara. She lives on Stocco Road close to the compound, and she’s actually helped the Sisters and other people who have stayed in the house I’m living in before. They call her “Auntie P”. She will be cooking for me on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and making sure to cook extra food that I can heat up in my new microwave on her days off. I feel a little awkward. I’ve never had a housekeeper or a cook all to myself before. But I’m grateful. I hope we get along.

My time in the hospital has continued to be pleasant. Everyone I meet welcomes me and says they are so happy that I am in Sierra Leone. Nobody, not one person, has acted as if I’m a hinderance or a bother to have around. On the contrary, everyone praises me and says I’m a fast learner. I still feel like a small child learning their first steps sometimes. But many times, people will ask me general nursing questions and they are impressed with my knowledge. It helps me remember that I am a fully trained nurse and not a new nurse fresh out of school. Though I do feel that I’m more of a mascot to the nursing team and not a fully-fledged member yet. People still laugh at my shaky Krio and need to help me understand the simplest task. But they applaud my efforts.

The other day I helped with a bed bath. It wasn’t in bed though. It was in a shower…on the floor…the stone cold, very slippery shower floor. I did not come to criticize how things are done in an African hospital. Maybe they had a very good reason for not having the bath in a bed. But as I was crouching in the dank, dark shower, supporting the patient’s back while another nurse scrubbed soap into the patient’s eyes, I couldn’t help but think, “There’s got to be a better way!” It was exactly like in those infomercials! At that moment I was in the black and white section of an ad. Maybe I can come up with the colorized part of the ad. I hope there is a better way and placing the patient on the shower floor is not the only way. Either way it was a good learning experience and something to think about.

The hospital has also been very generous. They have provided me with a water barrel for storage in case the water in my house gets turned off. They’ve also given me a fan that I can charge during the day and keep on at night to help me stay cool while I sleep. I think it also gives Auntie P some relief while she cooks in my kitchen, which is nice. It does take longer for tasks to get done in Africa. Figuring out my phone and WiFi has been a challenge. But everything works out in the end. So, I’m not worried or discouraged about delays or bumps in the road happening. Especially when the people in Sierra Leone are so willing and happy to help. I hope I can be of help to them in the future.