Women's Day

It is lonely here today! I heard from Mollie who said the ride back to Douala was pretty treacherous. The trip itself took 8 hours full of bumpy roads and sweatiness. Then she was dropped off for dinner at a place known for their fine clientele of foreign businessmen and prostitutes. Afterwards, she was brought to the Duoala airport 6 hours before boarding time, where she had to sit on the ground in one small room, surrounded by heat, humidity, and a swarm of mosquitos. I guess I have 2 weeks to mentally prepare.

I’ve been consulting on the wards over the last couple of days, but I will officially be taking over again tomorrow morning. Chapel at 6:30, Morning Report at 7, breakfast at 8, rounds until noon, worrying and admissions all afternoon, on call at night. I am going to try to fit in a short daily hike for sanity’s sake. This shouldn’t be any harder than an 80 hour resident’s work week that we’ve all grown accustomed to, but there is something about the level of responsibility and emotional exhaustion that really puts you over the edge.

Late last night a young boy knocked on my back door and I almost jumped out of my skin. He was trying to sell a small glass craft that he had made, but he scared me half to death. I told him we weren’t allowed buy things from our houses, but maybe if he came around lunch tomorrow then I would buy it in honor of Women’s Day. The house is so big and dark and creepy at night, I don’t want random people showing up and freaking me out when they realize there’s a gullible white lady that will buy your stuff.

I wore my new dress in honor of Women’s Day today. I missed church this morning, but I wish I hadn’t. I can hear music from all angles from the surrounding churches and all the women are dressed in their finest fabrics. The children are so cute in their Sunday outfits- the little boys in their mini suits and the girls in their frilly dresses. Yesterday there was a lot of wailing around the hospital, but today the sounds are so much sweeter. Maybe it will stay this way, but probably not.

Happy Women’s Day!