Tuesday, March 23, 2010

In an effort to fall asleep

Here I sit, under the cover of my mosquito net and wonder why I can’t fall asleep. Is it the fact that I worry the bed bugs will get me? Nope. Every since my new mattress arrived from VSO, I boiled my clothes and I fumigated my room I have been bite free. Maybe I should read? Well, did that. Just finished the January 18th edition of Maclean’s that came in the mail last week. (At least the short articles. I can never find the energy for the long ones. Can anyone?). Maybe I’m worried about getting malaria. Nope. Not that either. I take my doxy and sleep under a net and … well there’s no use drinking gin any more since I learned that quinine isn’t in the gin – it’s in the tonic. Maybe it’s the fact that I’m composing blog entries in my head. Nope…well…okay…in part, yes. That’s probably why I’m laying awake. But more likely is the fact that I’m getting on a plane in two days and heading home for a visit.  (The word “home” for me now has two meanings as I referred to Kibungo as my “home” in an email today as in “Thanks for the DVDs in the mail. I think I’ll save them for when I come home”)

 

Work has been slow this week. (Partially because it’s only Tuesday) I stayed home Monday because I was not feeling all that well. Suzanne was kind enough to take me to the clinic so I could get a malaria test – just to be on the safe side. (Remember – not drinking gin and tonics). Not only did the friendly folks find that I was negative for malaria but they also brought me back for a little chat and welcome to Kibungo. (I feel VERY happy that I’m welcomed to the clinic 7 months in. I did tell them I was hoping to never see them again!). Suzaane has a terrible time as she was helpful the entire time until the lab tech brought out the needle. I thought she would faint!

 

Today I went back to the clinic on my way to the post office (for said package with said DVDs!) and back to the clinic only to get caught in a rain storm an unable to leave. Finally, as the rain let up, I put my back under my coat to keep it dry, grabbed my umbrella and made my way to the town centre to both inquire about garden shears and catch a bus to the district. I stopped in to the district before going home for lunch and during my walk I was getting more than the usual stares. I realized why. Here I had my bag under my coat at my stomach so I looked like a pregnant muzungu in her eighth month. Definitely not a common sight in Kibungo. I wonder what they though when they saw me three hours later, after the rain had stopped and I was wearing my bag outside of my coat – and 25 pounds lighter!

 

This may be my last post before I jump on the planed headed west. (Or North as I think I head to Europe and then , up, up, over the pole….) And so, as I sit in my mosquito net – come – fort, I hope that now that this entry is up, I can fall asleep a little bit faster. And if worse comes comes to worst, I will try reading the long articles in Maclean’s afterall. 


And because I've been lacking in the last few weeks in the photo department here are a few:


Christine introducing maple syrup to "Auditor"
Maple Syrup in a Nido Tin: Canada meets Rwanda

The friendly staff at the Kibungo Health centre!

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