It can only get better...I hope

I meant to write a 'bringing in the new year' blog entry, and here it is already the 13th. It was a long boring weekend over the NY's, mainly because the Monday after the holiday was a local holiday. You wouldnt believe how many days we DONT work. i think since i have been here (8 weeks now), i have only worked 2 full weeks - all the rest have had either a US or local holiday.  No wonder i cannot get anything done.

Last weekend we went to the Kologh Naba Association which is a small-business compound for women (some men). they make crafts and furniture to support themselves. it was lovely. i bought a few items - soap, an apron. considering how poor this country is, people make the most of what they have. you dont see shanty towns like i have in so many other countries.

A lovely little boy entertaining us while we watched the women weave. My toenails are currently painted bright green and he kept trying to take a toenail to play with - quite funny.

 Local architecture, but this is much nicer than the norm - but i think that is the point of the association

 More traditional architecture. they make clay bricks to build with. the houses are not that sturdy though and crumble with time. but they take pains to make interesting designs.

Otto with one of the members of the association. this is an example of some of the furniture they make (each chair costs about $32 and is of very high quality - hand cut and sanded). they also have these great, distinct stools that we will likely purchase some of before we come back home. they cost $15 a piece.  none of us had the heart to haggle because it was for a good cause.

As for the rest of my life - unfortunately the major portion at the moment. it continues to suck in most every respect. i am obsessing about getting my car - it will change our lives and outlook. Otto is being such a trooper, but we are both so incredibly bored.

Work is coming together. i am getting ready to put in a large pharmacy order - after 2 weeks of doing an inventory. it will be great to have a well stocked pharmacy, so i can actually help the people i am responsible for. unfortunately once we place the order, it will still take weeks and weeks to get the meds shipped to us.  The staff in the health unit are great and we are all getting along beautifully - this is huge. no weird tensions, they even laugh at my bad jokes. we are all in this together and everyone is motivated to get the place in order.

my regional medical doctor just came for his second visit (because of my desperate plea for help a few weeks back) and he provides immeasureable moral support. he is also from Oregon, which is a nice connection. while he was here this week, we had dinner with an 80yo guy from, yes, Vancouver Washington, who was game hunting with the husband of the nurse in my clinic. it was a kick, we figured we live about 3 miles apart (when i am in PDX that is).

Office politics are just that and feeling a bit tense these days, now that i am settling in. This is a rapidly growing post and along with that comes high stress and lots of overly stretched workers (me being one of them if i havent mentioned it yet).  it always takes a few weeks for peoples true colors to show. but i am sure i am a pain to certain people who have different priorities and are less type A than me. i will keep pushing though, because of course i think the health and safety of the mission personnel is extremely important.

No new years resolutions for me. it was a rough 2010, so as the title says, it can hopefully only get better.  it has been a rough transition (the 8 weeks in DC didnt help) and not what i expected, but i must say, i am still quite happy to be in W Africa, learning French and meeting new people. This will just blossom once i have a car and can actually visit friends, socialize, learn the city and get Otto over to his buddy's houses.  Actually, once we get our bikes - which will be sooner than the car - our life will change.

more photos... cause i know that is the only reason you read my blog ;)

probably a class room. this particular architecture is unique because it doesnt use any wood, it creates the upper stable arch with the clay bricks. i just love the sunlights. of course this photo doesnt do the room justice.