Here we are now!

Wednesday 4.3.2009

We arrived here on Monday. The first time when we really realized that we are in Africa was when we felt the very warm breeze of wind when we stepped out the plane. There was our hostels housekeeper receiving us with the name tags at the airport. It was good to have somebody there because we were quite sure that there wouldn´t be anyone picking us up.

Then we got to the student hostel and it was quite a shock to us to find out that the hostel was in pretty bad shape and we didn’t get own rooms. So we’ll be living next three moths very closely. We are sharing the flat with the other exchange student from Sweden and Canada. Flat is in that kind of shape that we haven’t been used to for example there is no locks in toilet, only cold water is running in the showers, there are big spiders and cockroaches in the kitchen, there are no glasses in the windows in the kitchen and bath room and everything looks like it’s need some fixing. After first day we started to get use to live in the hostel and we thought that it is like living in a summer cottage, we got everything necessary but nothing extra.

On the second day we planned our schedule for practical placements. Local student took us to have a look around the school and hospital. We went through almost all wards in the hospital and it was very different from the Finnish hospitals. Everything looked very old and shappy and the wards smell like pee.

People here have been very warm and welcomed us to Zambia very friendly. Zambians are very easy-going and relax people; way of life here is totally different than Finnish busy lifestyle. Nurses don’t seem to be in hurry at all and also all other workers take their time to do their jobs.

Today we started our practical placement in female medical ward. At the beginning of the day was a morning report aside of the patient’s beds just like doctor’s round then we prayed and started dump dusting and straights sheets. They gave us one pair of gloves and we used them almost all morning. Nurses didn`t do basic nursing. Patients’ relatives help them whit washing etc. 10 to 10.30 we took a tea break. After that was a doctor’s round. Doctors were Germany and Arabian. They were very nice and they told us patients conditions and illnesses. 12.30 to 14.00 we had a lunch break. Rest of the day we measured temperatures, pulse, respiration and blood pressure.

We have tasted different foods here. Shops are quite far, so we bought food in Tuesday-market. Local people eat a lot of nsima, which is porridge type white side dish made of maize. It`s very mild tasting and it should be eating by fingers. Today Paula was eating fried caterpillars and it didn`t taste bad but not good either. Food here is different and mild tasting.

These first days have been interesting and it’s going to take some time to get use to this new culture, but have had great time so far. Next week we tell you more about our adventures in Zambia!