The past week has been a very fun one, and one that has given me even more good memories of this country. In the health clinic, I've spent a lot of time in the wound care ward. I've seen patients with a variety of wounds caused by anything from cooking accidents to falling while using the toilet. Yesterday, I even helped one of the nurses give stitches to two patients, one who was assaulted by her brother (the police brought her in) and one who presented a large laceration on his right shin. Helping the nurse with these stitches reminded me of my own injury prone childhood, where I received stitches quite often.
I also have started to cover the outpatient ward for the nurses, who value midday naps due to the rigor of a midsummer Ramadan. If there is a unique case that I have not seen before, then I ask the nurse what steps to take. However, most of the patients nowadays are small children who present vomiting and fever. We test these kids for malaria and then prescribe medication according to the test results. Luckily, we have not seen too many cases of malaria.
This past Sunday, our group travelled to the Senegambia Beach Hotel to enjoy a nice day at the beach together. I enjoyed a sunburn-free beach excursion, and also enjoyed bodysurfing the large waves. I got out of the water after two Dutch fellows pointed to a large, dark, fast-moving shape in the water no more than five feet from where I was swimming. I do not know if it was a shark, a ray, or a barracuda, but I was not willing to find out. I sprinted out of the ocean.
After the sun set, we went to a pizza restaurant up the road. Having not consumed anything all day except a Guinness and a Fanta, I ordered a family-size pizza for myself. To my surprise (and probably the disgust of everyone else), I finished the entire pizza, along with half of Brenda's fries, a slice of Sam's pizza, and three beers. Luckily, I've been running and lifting every day to offset the potential harm of that day of the "Michael Phelps Diet."
Tomorrow marks our last day of work at the health center, and we are planning an 11:00am farewell party for all of our friends there. It will certainly be a bittersweet moment, as all goodbyes are. But a major positive of this party will be that it signals the beginning of travel week.
For travel week, we are planning to go to the town of Juffreh, where Kunta Kinte was from. This town has a rich, yet infamous, history in the slave trade. It will certainly be a worthwhile excursion to be an eyewitness to a large and important era in American history. We are also planning (if funds allow) a trip to the President's hometown of Kanilai, which boasts one of the most modern infrastructures of any Gambian city, as well as an impressive zoo. In addition, we would like to take a river cruise to see the untamed, untouched, and unbelievable portions of the River Gambia. Throughout travel week, I still plan on running and lifting every day, and buying gifts for family, friends, and myself.
Last, but not least, today is July 31st, which is of course the last obligatory day of "no-shave July." However, I'm strongly considering bringing the beard home with me to the states. If you feel strongly one way or the other, speak now or forever hold your peace.
I'll leave you all with a picture of a wooden lion I had made by a craftsman across the street. The price: $4.
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