Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2013!!

 Christmas eve spent at the pool.

 Christmas eve mass at the catholic church.

 Christmas eve dinner at the local restaurant.

 Santa visiting the kids at the orphanage.

Travels. Livingstone. Victoria Falls. Chobe National park

On Sunday I travelled 7 hours from Lusaka to south to Livingstone. It was quite enjoyable ride as I sat at the front where more leg room is and next to the window. It was great practice for the 30+ hours that I will be spending on the bus when I am coming back from Dar es Salaam. Livingstone and Jollyboys backpackers is nice, I have had great time so far. It is quite big place and I recommend staying on the dorms preferable on the bigger one so you will make more friends and do the activities together.  Jollyboys is very international, I have met people from USA, Canada, England, Australia, Germany, Austria and Norway. The activities desk is very good, too as there is lots of activities that can be done in here and most of them you will have transport from the jollyboys to the place.

On Monday I went to day trip to Chobe national park, Botswana for safari (game drive).  On the way to Botswana’s border we saw a giraffe but bus couldn’t stop, so no picture of it. The border crossing is fast only takes about 5 minutes on a boat to cross the Chobe River that separates Zambia and Botswana. On the safari, first took the boat out to the Chobe River to see the animals that are on the water or near of it. We saw hippos, crocodiles, monkeys, buffalos, elephants, lots of birds, antelopes. The hippos and elephants decided to give us real show as they were playing in the water. The boat trip was around 3 hours long and after that we had lunch before then went to game drive with jeeps on the Chobe National park. There we saw more buffalos, antelopes, birds, warthogs, lions and elephants and one week old baby elephant. We didn’t see any giraffes L I would like to have seen them too, but at least I saw one on the way there.

Tuesday was a lazy day. I took the bus to the Victoria Falls, were I walked around in the national park and exploring the great views. It was really beautiful, stunning but similar to the Niagara Falls but much bigger. I would like to see them when there is more water. There is more water on the Zimbabwe’s side but I didn’t go there as it would be very expensive because of the visas and entrance fees would cost me almost 150 euros.  I also walked down to the water level (to the boiling pot) and it is more stairs than in Jätemäellä ;) First real exercise done for 2 months and I was dead when I got back up from there.

Wednesday is going to be action packed day as we (me and Edwin) are going to spend the whole day white water rafting. I am really looking forward to it. I have never done it before, hopefully we don’t turn the raft over.  Rafting was awesome, I want to do it again, and it was so much fun. On our first rapid we flipped the raft over, but it was kind of fun feel the power of the water. I also fell off from the raft couple times, but the water was so warm so I didn’t mind. The scariest part was when we were allowed to swim down couple rapids as they were small ones but I got stuck into a couple waves that pulled me under water for maybe 5 seconds. On the smaller rapids the guides allows you to tip the raft over if you want, half of the people on my raft wanted but the other half didn’t so we couldn’t do it then.  I really want to do rafting again, hopefully I get to chance to go to New Zealand and do some white water rafting there. At the end of the rafting we didn’t have to walk up from the bottom of the gorge, we took the cable car to the top and it was nice to not have to walk up but the cable car was bit scary.

Thursday: Devil’s pool and walk over the falls. I walked there with the group but took boat ride back because I didn’t want to end up at the bottom of the Victoria Falls. In my group there were 3 people from Moldova/Ukraine and they didn’t speak much English so they did not understand the instructions that the guide was giving us so we almost fell over the path that goes across the Vic Falls to the Livingston Island. Then we almost lost one of them when we swam to the devil’s pool as she couldn’t swim properly even though she said that she can swim. So having that kind of experience I didn’t want to walk back so I and two Australians decided to take the boat back. The devil’s pool trip supposed to take about 2 hours (walks there, swim and then walk back) but it already took us to walk there 1.5 hours and the whole trip with the boat ride took me 3.5 hours.  That took me so much time, so I didn’t have time to go to do the zip line ride. I will do it tomorrow or Saturday.  On the evening I and Edwin went to eat at the Ocean Basket, it was South African seafood restaurant. The food there was really good and cheesecake for dessert was yummy!!!

Friday: Bit lazy day, walk around the town and then I spent the rest of the afternoon reading a book. The weather have not been great today, it has been cloudy and rainy and bit chilly as well. I had plans today to go to the Royal Livingstone 5* hotel to have some drinks and watch the sunset over the Victoria Falls but I will try that tomorrow as the weather should be better.  On the evening we went to the Falls complex, where is 2 hotels, restaurants, bars etc. There is a buffet that serves crocodile tail, and it tasted like chicken maybe because it was grilled on barbeque spices. The food there was really good and I ate bit too much. On the complex they have animals there too, zebras, giraffes, antelopes, crocodiles, and I saw this time zebras and antelopes, but on the other day I saw giraffes as well, but I don’t have picture of it.

On Saturday I wanted to be an adrenalin junkie, and do the zip line from Zambia to Zimbabwe. It was really nice, the view was great but it didn’t give the adrenalin rush that I wanted. I have seen people to do the gorge swing before, it is 4 seconds of free fall and then the rope catches you and you will swing. I wanted to do this as I can’t do bungee jump because of my knee. The swing really gave me the adrenalin rush that I wanted, it was really scary when I jumped as it felt like I just jumped from the bridge to the river that goes under but in few seconds I realized that the rope will catch me and when I was down the view was excellent.

Paljon ekoja kertoja.

Täällä olen päässyt tekemään, näkemään ja kokemaan monia juttuja ensimmäistä kertaa elämässä. Eilen illalla olin synnytysosastolla katsomassa synnytyksiä ja vastasyntyneitä vauvoja. Eilen illalla ja tänään aamulla pääsin käymään vastasyntyneiden/keskosten teholla, jossa oli paljon erittäin pieniä vauvoja :) Mä voisin olla tollasessa paikassa töissä, joten odotan innolla tuleevaa lasten harjoittelua, jonka varmaan teen jossain päiväkodissa koska paikkoja ei ole muualla :( Onneksi voin hakea vaihtoon tekemään syventävää harjoittelua, joten ehkä sitten pääsen harjoittelemaan paremmalle osastolle.

Tänään kävin myös lasten kirurgisella osastolla ja se on ollut ehkä ainoa osasto täällä jossa on joku järjestys ja siellä on siistiä. Suurimmalla osasalla siellä olevista lapsista on vesipää (hydrokefalus), ja yhden pojan pää oli todella iso. Täällä olisi todella kiinnostavaa tehdä lasten harjoittelu ainakin sen perusteella mitä olen osastoja nähnyt. Täällä ei ehkä opi samoja asioita kuin Suomessa mutta jos haluaa ulkomaille töihin niin täällä pääsee näkemään ja kokemaan sellaista asioita joita ei näe Suomessa taikka muissa kehittyneissä maissa. Tänää olen käynyt ostamassa palloja, jotka vien sinne orpokotiin, koska he tykkäävät pelata etenkin jalkapalloa, mutta niillä ei ole ollut palloa. Huomenna olisi tarkoitus mennä sinne vähän leikkimään ja pelailemaan lasten kanssa.

Aika on mennyt todella nopeasti, enää on reilu 3 viikkoa jäljellä (onneksi ne on lomaa en jaksaisi harjoitteluja enää enempää), ja niistä olen vain 5 päivää täällä Lusakassa. Vaihtoni on melkein lopussa, joten nyt on hyvä aika tehdä seuraava vaihtohakemus keväälle 2014.   

Too much fun.

Last weekend I went to visit an orphanage. I had really great time. First we were teaching the kids how to wash their hands, and when they should was their hands and also why it is important to wash their hands. The kids were really excited to practice how to wash hands correctly. After that me and other girls were talking with the older girls there about female hygiene and teenager stuff. I also learned that in Zambia girls shouldn't dry their underwear outside!! I have done it, and everyone who have come to our hostel have seen my underwear.

Saturday night was a party night. Firstly the third year students had their farewell party, then we went to out to party. 2 of the students who are coming to Finland on March came to party with us. I have not had much contact with them during my stay in here because they have been busy with their school and exams. They have been chosen to the exchange programme because they are the best students of their class.

Monday night we all went to out to eat again, as the Norwegians left on that night. Me and Edwin now have been the longest in here. On monday started my last few days of clinical practice. I am really happy to be finished as my mental health practice has been really boring. Something good have come out of my practice as I have learned how to play checkers, which I played with the patients for few hours.

This week has the rain season really started as it has been raining for almost every night and most of the days, too. The temperature has dropped as well, and the weather has felt cold/chilly. The weather here has been similar that we have in Finland during our summer, temperature has been around +20 degrees. Can't wait to go to Livingstone and Zanzibar as there the temperature is over +30 degrees. I am going to freeze to death when I am back in Finland, I need to have lots of layers so I don't feel cold after being 3 months in the +30 degrees. 

Pictures. Kuvia.

Pictures from the last weekend. First few from the orphanage, then farewell party and night out. 

I am done. I am finished. I am free. I am on holiday.

Today I had my last day of my clinical practice. I am really happy to finish. Past 10 weeks have been really interesting, exciting and boring. I have also learned something, so this have not been all pointless. I have enjoyed my experience in here, it has been great to see hospitals in different countries, especially in developing country as they don't have the same resources as we do but they still manage to do almost same things that we do.

3,5 weeks left in Africa and I still have lots to do and see. Livingstone on Sunday, then international Christmas in Lusaka and on boxing day I am off to Zanzibar!! I really can't wait for my travels. 

I will write about my last weekend later when I have more time.

Well deserved holiday starts soon :)

Harjoittelua kohtaan kiinnostus on ollut koko viikon pakkasen puolella ja pahasti. Maanantain pidin omaa lomaa/ viisuminen uusimispäivä ja oman mielenterveyden hoitaminen auttoi hieman asiaa, mutta ei tarpeeksi joten kiinnostus harjoittelua kohtaan on vieläkin pakkasen puolella. Onneksi olen tehnyt tunteja niin paljon että ensi viikolla on harjoittelua vain 3 päivää ja sit aloitan LOMAN!! 

Täällä on ollut nyt vähän ongelmia netin kanssa, eikä se helpottanut yhtään kun norjalaiset saapui Sansibarilta tiistaina. Saksalaiset on lähtenyt taas reissuu, mutta silti on talo taas täynnä, kun on 2 kenialaista, 4 norjalaista, 2 itävaltalaista ja sit 2 suomalaista, joten porukkaa riittää. Onneksi enää ei tarvitse vettä kerätä vaan sitä tulee melkeen 18 tuntia päivässä. Ainoa huono puoli siinä et on paljon porukkaa on ruoka-aikoina, koska keittiö on niin pieni ja hellasta toimii enää vaan 2 levyä ja jääkaappiin ei mahdu tavarat. 

 Maanantai päivää parhaimmillaan. Tälläiseen voisi tottua.

Omaan mielenterveyttä piti hoitaa vähän hassuttelemalla ;)

Viime viikkonloppu oli kiireinen ja paljon kivoja juttuja tein. Sama meno jatkuin alku viikon. Maanantai päivän vietin uima-altaalla. Ilalla mentiin Edwinin kanssa moikkaamaan Elinaa ja Kaisaliinaa (vaihtarit Suomesta), jotka olivat Lusakassa käymässä Malawista jossa he ovat olleet vaihdossa. Käytiin Mandahiilillä kahvittelemassa ja vaihtamassa kuulumisia. Tiistaina kävin ostamassa taas viikon hedelmät ja vihannekset. Illalla tapasimme Edwinin kanssa Elinan ja Kaisaliinaan taas Mandahilillä. Menimme leffaan katsomaan Skyfall, vaikka me nähtiin se jo lauantaina, mutta kun lippu maksaa vain pari euroo niin mentii kattoo se uudestaan. Onneksi menin koska huomasin et olin  lauantaina torkatanut jossain kohtiin, koska en muistanut nähneeni jotain kohtia ;) Keskiviikkona sit menikin koko päivä harjoittelussa ja ilta yrittäessä koulutehtäviä tehdä, mutta ei oikeen kiinnosta, joten mitään en saanut aikaiseksi. 

Harjoittelu miesten osastolla on ollut mielenkiintoista, aluksi hieman pelottavaa kun siellä ei ollut muita opiskelijoita, mutta torstaina ja perjantaina, siellä oli melko kivaa jutella ja olla potilaiden kanssa. Potilaiden kohtelu on siellä aivan järkyttävää, kaikki ei saa ruokaa koska sitä ei ole tarpeeksi. Potilaita hakataan, löydään ja potkitaan toisen potilaiden tai hoitajien toimesta. Tänäänkin yksi hoitaja käski potilasta löymään toista potilasta, koska hän oli vienyt toisen ruokalautasen. Torstaina mua kosittiin 3 kertaa ja sit ne alkoivat taistelemaan mun huomiosta ja kenen kanssa juttelin. He pyysivät myös mun puhelinumeroa et sitten kun he pääsevät pois suljetulta osatolta niin he voisivat tulla tapaamaan mua. 

 Joulu on saapunut, joulupukki ja poron ja tonttujen kera on saapunut myös Afrikkaan.

Pitihän sitä nyt pukin sylissä käydä istumassa ja kuva ottamassa ;)

Joulu tulee tänä vuonna olemaan erilainen kuin aikaisemmin. Ensinnäkin en ole perheen parissa, toiseksi täällä on keskikesä silloin eli vietän sen shortsit ja t-paita päällä ;) Joulukuusena tulee olemaan palmu ja lumena paperisade.

Täs on ehkä paras kuva jonka oon saanut otettua kun täällä sataa. Eli täällä sataa vettä välillä niin kuin Suomessa sataa lunta ettei metriä edemmäs nää. 

Fun filled weekend

December have started in hot and sunny weather, it is quite weird to see all Christmas decorations and listen Christmas songs while wearing shorts and t-shirt. I don't remember last time when I didn't have advent calendar as I haven't seen the in here except today I found few in Spar but they were really expensive, chocolate advent calendar for 8 euros. I will make my own, so I will eat one piece of chocolate every morning.

This weekend has been fun filled and busy. Friday night we had a night out, Saturday we went to eat out and watch a movie and Sunday I went to the mall and Sunday market. Friday I went out with Karen, Ester (Kenyans), Deborah and Christina (Germans/Austrians), Clement and Mwape (Zambians), Johannes (German) and Edwin. We started at bar called Ridgeway which is opposite to UTH. We played few drinking games and had few beers before going to the News cafe. It was really nice place but we didn't stayed there long as it was still early and people were eating. So we decided to go Las Vegas (night club) it was ok place but I didn't like the music there as most of it was local. It was also bit creepy place as it was fully packed and there were not many white people. We stayed there for couple hours and the we decided to go to clubbing to place called 101. I liked that place, the music was great and had great time. Me, Deborah and Christina stayed there for couple hours but then we were so tired so we decided to go home, other stayed. When we came back around 2am the guards were sleeping so we didn't want to wake them up, so we jumped over the fence, which is NOT allowed, as we are supposed to be back here before 9pm that is when the gate is closed.

Saturday morning I was productive and did my laundry and it took me almost 3 hours as I have done it for 2 weeks. I also did bit for my assignments and other uni related stuff that was long overdue to do. On the afternoon I walked to Mandahill as I needed to buy a new camera as my old broke down last weekend. My last camera was pink and my new one is purple as they didn't have any other colors of the camera that I wanted. For dinner me, Edwin and Mwape went to Steers, Grill and Burger place. The food was really good and cheap. We went to see the new James Bond, Skyfall. I liked it but few times I was nodding off, maybe because the movie started late and I only slept few hours on the night before. I may have to go to watch it again, as it is cheap in here only 2 euros during the week and 3,5 during the weekend. This time we called the guards to open the gate for us as it was not that late only midnight.

Sunday I was planning to sleep long but I woke up at 7.30 such a lie in as normally I am up around 5.30-6. I walked to mandahill again today, as I needed to buy a new memory card for my new camera as the old won't fit it. I also bought few new books and postcards as I have almost read all that I have bought before. Remember to write the postcards and send them!!! Then I walked to Arcades, to the Sunday market, so I could buy rest of the Christmas presents and souvenirs. I also walked back home, so now my knee hurts a bit as i walked 4 hours today.

Sunday I was planning to sleep long but I woke up at 7.30 such a lie in as normally I am up around 5.30-6. I walked to mandahill again today, as I needed to buy a new memory card for my new camera as the old won't fit it. I also bought few new books and postcards as I have almost read all that I have bought before. Remember to write the postcards and send them!!! Then I walked to Arcades, to the Sunday market, so I could buy rest of the Christmas presents and souvenirs. I also walked back home, so now my knee hurts a bit as i walked 4 hours today.

Tired.com

Tää viikko on ollut raskas, väsyttää eikä huvittais yhtään olla enää harjoittelussa, koska siellä on tylsää ja päivät on lähemmäs 12 tuntisia. Vielä pitäis 2 viikkoa jaksaa, sit on ansaittu loma!!! Sit saakin lomailla melkeen 4 viikkoa ennen kuin pitää mennä takas kouluun.

 Tän viikon olen ollut naisten suljetulla osastolla, mielenkiintoinen paikka, mutta ei paljoo tekemistä sairaanhoitajalla. Potilaiden kohtelu täällä on kauheaa, hoitajat ja toiset potilaat lyövät, tönivät ja potkivat potilaita. Potilaiden suihkutuskin tapahtuu niit että laitetaan potilaita alasti riviin, heitetään vettä päälle ja sitten vähän saippuoidaan ja lopuksi huuhdellaan heitämällä vettä päälle. Jos pystyy itse toimimaan niin on siellä myös suihku jonne voi mennä. Suljetulla osastolla ei ole mitään aktiviteetteja, siellä on tv ja radio, jota potilaat voivat katsella ja kuunnella, mutta vain tiettyinä aikoina. 

New students have moved in with us, so now we have 2 Germans, 2 Austrians and 2 Finnish plus above our flat is 2 Kenyan medical students (also Norwegians are still here but not present at the moment). We will have then Austrian and Finnish xmas, here. We are planning to do secret santa and have a meal together. 

This week has been very busy, as I am coming back from work around 17-18hrs and so I don't have much time to do anything. Monday night I was studying as here the doctors are nurses ask lots of questions and because I didn't and other students didn't know answers so we needed to find out, but the other students didn't come to work on Tuesday so I needed to answer all the questions. It was good that I studied, so I was able to answer. Tuesday was market day, so I got lots of veg and fruits. Wednesday, we went to Mandahill mall as I need to buy a new camera because my old one broke down on the weekend. We decided to eat there as well, as we didn't feel like cooking. 

Rain season has started, we had rain for 2 days and the weather has been bit chilly as the temperatures has been dropped to around 25 degrees. Starting from the weekend we have had water all the time as the president of Zambia came to the hospital and found out that there were not water all the time, as he said in the hospital there needs to be water available all the time. We will have water too, because our accommodation is on the hospital grounds. It has been really great to be able to take a normal shower even though the water is quite cold.

Zambian Wedding in Kitwe

On Friday, I didn't go to work as I left in the morning to Kitwe with 2 nurses from UTH. Their friend, a nurse from UTH, was getting married in there, so Rabecca, nurse from renal unit, asked me if I would like to with here to the wedding. 

Kitwe is situated north of Lusaka around 4-5 hours drive. Bus drive there was comfortable, bus (Mazahandu Family) had aircon and the seats were same as in Finland but on the way back we used Euro Africa bus and it was very old there were small and crammed as there were 3 seats in one side and 2 on the other but the bus wasn't any wider that normal one.  It is in Copperbelt area where is lots of mines. The next few pictures are taken on the bus ride from Lusaka to Kitwe. On the pictures you can see the diversity of landscapes that are in Zambia. In Kitwe we stayed at Rabecca's sister's house and it was really nice and modern house. 

The rain season is starting, and on the way to Kitwe we drove middle of thunder storm. It was really cool, rain was so heavy you could barely see, thunder was really loud and lightening looked like fireworks. On Saturday, there were 3 more thunder storms, that were same as the first one. 

Zambian wedding are similar to european weddings. Ceremony in the church included lots of dancing and singing, and crowd making different noises. The wedding ceremony was really long at least 1,5 hours and I lost interest half way through as they spoke Bemba which I don't understand. 

Bride and Groom, Sabrina and Henry 

The next 2 pictures are taken before the wedding reception, but I don't have any pictures from there as my camera decided to break down. So I don't have camera anymore. I am going to have a look if I can find cheap one from here. The wedding reception was similar what I have been used to but it was really short only 4 hours long!! Everything happened at the same time while we ate our food, bride and groom was cutting the cake and speeches were made, and first dance, too. Note: If you attend a Zambian wedding, you are supposed to have 2 dresses, one for the church and another for the reception. Even the grooms men and bridesmaids changed their clothes.

 Me

Rabecca

Chainama, mental hospital

Ensimmäinen viikko mielisairaalssa takana, 3 viikkoa edessä. Paikka on erittäin mielenkiitoinen, mutta ainoana valkoihoisena hoitajana paikka on pelottava, varsinkin suljetut osastot. Onneksi samaan aikaan aloitti myös muita opiskelijoita, joiden tukeen olen voinnut turvautua. 

Ensimmäisen viikon olin filter klinikalla, johon tulee päivystys potilaita sekä potilaista tarkastuksiin. Tällä on yllätänyt että epilepsia ja cp-vammaiset potilaat käyvät psykiatrian vastaanotolla. Täälä on saanut harjoitella lihakseen pistämistä. Muuten on ollut aika tylsää istumista vain, kun potilaita on ollut vain aamupäivisin. Torstaina oli mielenkiintoista nähdä kuinka täällä saatetaan ihminen hoitoon vasten tahtoaan. 7 ihmistä piti kiinni/maassa, jotta rauhoittavaa lääkettä pystyttiin antamaan.

Ensimmäinen viikko oli rankka vaikka töitä tein vain 3 päivää. Chainama hills hospital on noin 20 min bussimatkan päässä, mutta matka sinne kestää melkeen tunnin, koska muita oppilaita viedään muille klinikoille. Eli mun pitäisi olla töissä 7:30 mut oon ehkä siellä noin 8:30 tai sen jälkeen, mutta sit mut tullaan hakee sieltä vasta 16 jälkeen joten, siinä tulee sit niit tunteja. 

Detox

I having detox of alcohol and dvds/tv while being here. I have no problem with alcohol as I don't drink much anyway, but dvds and tv on the other hand might be bit problem. I am surprised that not having any dvds with me and internet it too slow to be able to download, that I haven't been bored of my mind. I have bought a dvd, it was only 1 euro, but they are not very common in here so I won't be able to buy them anyway. I have been reading books, already gone through 3. Yesterday I went to buy more books for me, as I have only 1 book left. If I am too bad withdrawn symptoms then I can watch something ;) 

Few times this week I have hated to be here and wished to be somewhere else. Everything in here started to piss me off but it didn't last too long as most of things that pissed me off I have to get use to them as they daily things like people are late and no running water.

I had great time at the renal unit doing hemodialysis and seeing temporal catheter insertions. During those 2 days I have learned a lot as I was only student there on thursday so the nurses (4) had time to explain and show me how to do everything. The renal unit is one of the most modern places in the hospital. I think I had done something right at there as the nurses wanted me to come to work in the renal unit :) 

 Here I am with one of the chronic patient, she has fistula on her arm.

Me with the dialysis machine  and some students on the background.

I was trying to capture the moon as it has nice outline but it really didn't work.

This on one of the bugs that we have living in the kitchen, so that is the reason why I am keeping my dry food in my room.

My sunday dinner on saturday. First proper meal that I have cooked in here from scratch.

The weekend have been same as other, shopping and laundry. Now I have bought almost all xmas presents and souvenirs, only few bits and pieces left to buy. Next couple of weekend I might be going away. First weekend I might be going to wedding in Kitwe, Copperbelt, as one of the nurses in the renal unit invited me to go to her sister's wedding. The weekend after that I will be going to Lake Kariba, southern Zambia  to have couple days of relaxation.