Today is the Day!!!

We have been told that our shipment is going to be delivered today!!  We are so excited.  Of course we are also a bit apprehensive because we sent so much stuff here......and that is how our house is going to be......stuffed, I'm afraid.  I'm just waiting to see when they will arrive and Bryan has a meeting so cannot help with the accepting of the goods.  One of the other ladies, Kris, has offered to come and help keep track of things.  The roads here in Kimbumba are not strong enough to have a large truck traverse them so they will have to open the container.....off load the goods onto either a smaller truck or forklift and then bring it to the back of our home and drop it off.......all 191 pieces.......What were we thinking?  I'll let you know how this goes......

I want to send you some pictures of the garden as I have had people asking for a photo update.  I love the fact that I have been compelled to give away a lot of Spinach because it is growing amazingly well.  I also appreciate the fact that the gardener has put corn stalks in among the spinach plants to allow them to climb because since he harvests the outer leaves then the plants have become really tall and appear like they will fasten on to the corn stalks.  I don't think they will but we will see.

We found that the bell peppers are really Jalapeno peppers and I think I mentioned that the parsley has morphed into carrots.  Not many but at least they have grown.  This is my first garden ever so I am really excited about what it has produced and will be bringing more seeds back when we come home around the holidays.




One last photo of the garden....the lettuce....not much but some and I'm not sure what the other green is next to it but will find out from someone here who has had a garden before.


In order to prepare for the months of rain when the roads are impassable from Luanda and vegetables become very scarce and the ones we find are moldy, we bought a chest freezer to put some of the harvest in.  This also allows us to freeze flour and other grains that will become buggy over time.




We have to put the freezer on our back porch but it is covered with a plastic layer and I think will remain in working order......I'll just need to protect during the rains.







We are very happy that several new couples are moving in.  One is from Spain and the other two are Americans, I believe.  It is always enjoyable to expand the expatriate community.  It is also really nice the way the families reach out to help each other here.....makes for such a great feeling of unity.

Ms Kitty will be thrilled when her condo arrives today.  She spends a lot of time looking out the windows at the birds and lizards that are in the yard.  I think she will be pleased to not have to stretch herself to keep occupied.

Once again it has been too many days since I wrote and I'm sorry......I am becoming healthy once again and ready to go.....

Over the past few weeks we have had several of the company leaders come to visit the gas plant being built here in Soyo.  They have come from the capital city, Luanda, as well as the United States.  Several of the visitors brought their wives and so we had time with them either at a meal or going with them as they visited some of the community projects that in process here.  Even tho I was still feeling quite ill, I came to join these outings with the ladies.  It was a interesting and something we do not see every day.

First we went to a school that is being refurbished by Angola LNG.  This is a school of 700 students currently and since they have split day sessions will be able to accommodate 1400 when it is completed.   We were met by some of the current students that sang a welcome song for us as we arrived and also a good by song when we left.  It was really quite enjoyable.

Unfortunately these students will have graduated before the project is completed and will not be able to take full advantage of the new facilities  They are able to use one newly created computer laboratory.

Computer Lab already being used

Inside the computer lab are examples of what the children have already learned to create.  The people showing us these facilities expressed great surprise at how quickly the children learn the new technology.

work product...pictures from computer class

Since this site is under construction we were all given Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to wear.  This included a hard hat, safety glasses which came in clear or shaded, steel toed boots and a reflective vest.  We all looked absolutely amazing in our gear........see if you can check out the one person who has never worn a hard hat before......

Following this visit we went out of town to the Mpinda mission.  There is a church there that was rebuilt in the early 1900s and is still used today.

The hand carved pulpit

Angola is primarily a Catholic country.  The church at the mission also oversees a birth clinic and a school....it is one of the schools where we assist with crafts.

Following this visit we went to our housing area to show the visitors one of the residences.  At this place we were able to change out of our PPE and prepare for a lunch at the Nimpanzu Hotel.  All of the ladies had gone into the house and I was the last getting out of the bus.  Just to give you history, when I came to Cabinda, Angola in 2008 on the last day there I had a fall and had to meet with the Ministry of Health representative with a huge black eye.  So why was I surprised that on this day with guests from management visiting, I stepped out of the bus and missed the step to the curb because I wasn't looking for it and fell again.  Now the bus was between me and the visitors but right in front of the security detail who had traveled with us to the community.  The head of security came and helped me up and kept saying....."Mama, are you hurt?"  I replied, "I am ok.....just embarrassed".  He smiled and took my hand to help me to the house......not a way to keep attention off me.......and then he noticed my finger was bleeding.....so he told the other ladies I had fallen.  Now what I didn't tell them is that my knee and hip had hit the curb and were really sore.  And what distressed me the most is that I had torn the new pants I had tailor made in Thailand......

We enjoyed the lunch at the hotel and then just before the visitors left were able to go into the new air traffic tower for the airport.  This was the day for the opening ceremony and ribbon cutting...

 We are excited that we now have luggage carts and a short manual  luggage conveyor belt.

Up in the tower we were able to see the computer system they are using and from this height and placement of the tower the operators are now able to visualize both ends of the runway....a great improvement.

We all enjoyed the time with these visitors.  They were interested in life here and had requested to come.  I do believe that they have a greater understanding of the unique challenges as well as benefits for those of us who are resident here.

Getting help when you need it......

I know it has been a long time since I wrote but I have been quite ill......bronchitis.....and this is where the isolation of Soyo and the limited resources are very apparent......

When I first got sick I thought it was just a cold.....this is the cool season here and the wind blows a lot.  I actually have to turn off the air conditioner in the house because it is too cold and if we sit out at night, we need a sweater.....I thought this would pass with fluids and rest.......wrong.....

Finally I started a course of antibiotics that I had here......not specific for upper respiratory but I thought would be good enough.......wrong again......finally after a week at home and getting worse and worse, I faced the fact I needed help.  You see, the new CEO of Chevron as well as the new managing director for Angola and the current director for southern Africa were all here for meetings.  They were supposed to leave but the Angolan military were having exercises and had closed the airport.  Therefore, there was a light lunch quickly planned to meet and greet these people.  Bryan asked me to go......and I thought I was well enough.....So we met these people and it was during their speeches that I started coughing and couldn't stop.  It was awful.....and right after that, I was taken to the Kwanda Base Clinic.

The doctor there is Brazilian, I think, and a very nice man.  He was quite concerned at my condition, took an X ray to make sure I didn't have pneumonia and then took blood. Now in the X ray room I was asked to sit and wait while the technician that was also the receptionist put the lead apron on himself, turned on the machine and went to fill the film canister.....this reminded me of Hoa Khanh Children's Hospital, Vietnam and the X ray room there because he turned off all the lights and I could hear him getting the film and putting it in the film holder.....in the dark......only here....no cockroaches running around.  He then told me to take off my shirt and stand in front of the film holder......no gown.....and thankfully I had a tank top on with no metal clasps and could wear that instead of a gown......incredible......He took the film.

The doctor read the film and said, no pneumonia.....just diffuse bronchitis...and that the antibiotics they had on hand were not really strong enough and the new supply would not be here for four weeks so he wanted to give me an IV of antibiotic first and then I could continue with the oral medications.  He sat with me while the technician took blood.....and another man was to give me the antibiotic IV push.  While disconnecting the syringe with the blood, he moved the needle and so the next man was giving the medication into my tissue......and it burned.  I told them it was infiltrated but when they drew back, blood came into the syringe.....so they continued.  After about half of the medication had been given, the swelling was so apparent that they took the needle out... which by then was bent......and changed to a new needle to finish the IV in the other arm.  It was not pretty.......but worked.....and I began to feel better......but still coughing and coughing and I asked if he had an inhaler for asthma which would open my lungs.......he didn't.

Yesterday, as the coughing continued with it's accompanying shortness of breath, I was given permission to go to the Bechtel base clinic and met with a doctor from India.  He also listened to my lungs.....and gave me a nebulizer treatment and upgraded the antibiotics and sent me home.  I am now....today....feeling so much better......with the mixture of medications and feel I will be ready to go by next week.

So what did I learn.......I'm not a doctor......I do need help by doctors and when things are tough...there are ways to meet our needs here.  I so appreciate those that made it possible for me to go to the clinics and be able to get the medications I needed.  The other option was to send me to Luanda, the capital, and I don't think I could have flown in the plane comfortably.......at all.....I'm just thankful that it all worked out well here....... And the plus out of this????  Weight loss.......a good thing.......

Puff Adders again.......

Wanted to share the most recent email announcement regarding the snakes here.  Please pay special attention to the instructions........

"In the last few days I have captured two Puff adders (Bitis arietans). One large specimen from the pipeline camp and one from the beach valve station at Sereia beach. I have also had numerous reports  of Puff adders that have been run over on the roads. During the breeding season male puff adders become very active searching for a suitable mate thus increasing the chances of an encounter. Please be extra vigilant in your day to day activities.

Puff Adders are not fast moving snakes and rely on their camouflage to escape detection from both predators and prey. As a result they will not always move away if approached which makes them particularly dangerous.

Puff Adder venom is primarily cytotoxic, causing pain, swelling and superficial to deep tissue damage at the site of the bite. The swelling is very painful and can progress from an extremity

right up onto the trunk of the body."  

Snakebite prevention:

DO NOT TOUCH A SEEMINGLY DEAD SNAKE, SOME SPECIES FEIGN DEATH.  really?
   AVOID WALKING THROUGH LONG GRASS AND STICK TO PATHWAYS.
WEAR CLOSED SHOES WHEN WALKING AT NIGHT AND USE A FLASH LIGHT IN AREAS THAT ARE NOT WELL LIT.
DO NOT PLACE YOUR HANDS OR FEET INTO PLACES YOU CAN’T SEE. IN PARTICULAR OBJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN LYING ON THE GROUND. THIS POINT IS ESPECIALLY RELEVANT TO OUT ON THE SITE AND IN THE WAREHOUSES.  yup
IF YOU MEET A SNAKE AT CLOSE QUARTERS STAY CALM AND BACK AWAY SLOWLY.  SNAKES DO NOT CHASE PEOPLE.   whew!
BE ALERT AND OBSERVANT. GENERAL SITUATIONAL AWARENESS WILL GO A LONG WAY IN REDUCING YOU RISK OF SNAKEBITE.
REPORT ALL SNAKE SIGHTING TO WILDLIFE ADVISOR (Cobra 1) (Gotta love their call sign)

 

Don't think I need to add any lessons learned today......  I am taking all the prevention tips as my learning........

Superstitions

Yesterday two students came to the English language class.  Both of these men speak English much better than the majority of the studenst.  They had asked that I start with verb grammar.  So after the grammar portion was done, we were having conversation.  Somehow we got onto the topic of cats.  The drivers told me that there are not many cats here in Soyo because people are afraid of them  They said the belief is that the yowling that you hear at night with cats is like a person and that cats can fly when they are making that sound.....so they are afraid.

Then we began to talk about other superstitions.....and one of the drivers said that some people talk about seeing someone who has just died....in the market.....  I asked what he thought of that and he said, "they are lying".  Now I should be smart enough to know that I should just let it go.....but I didn't.....and began to tell him about some of the things people see at end of life.  Working in hospice and palliative care for over 6 years, there are many stories and I thought he would be interested......  So I told him about one patient I had that would stare off at the wall...and I asked her, "what do you see?"  She said, "You see a wall but I see a garden...and all my friends who have died are there and they are calling me but I don't want to go yet".  To me that was such a great story.....he just looked totally distressed.  And, of course, there is no way to take the story back......and no matter what I said after the it....he was just very distraught.  The other driver made no real comment or facial expression so I don't know what he thought.

So what did I learn?  Since I don't know the culture.....let the students tell the stories.....not me....

 One of the foreign women, Eileen and I went to the market again today because she was sure she had seen fabric....solid colors for the quilts I want to make.  Alas, this were not 100% cotton but a blend of polyester and cotton.....but we went each place that could possibly have new stock.  Nothing that would work......

While we were out we found really nice vegetables so we bought some for ourselves and for two of the ladies that are not feeling well.  It is nice to be able to help each other.  We got tomatoes, green peppers, egg plant and garlic......

The garden is growing and had our third harvest of Spinach today.....it is great!!!

What a flower and see the Wing Bean to the left

Okra

hot peppers

Bryan also was able to get supplies from a group that provides for the off shore platforms.  So he brought home eggs that have been refrigerated......wonderful.  I'm sharing those with one family today.  Everyone else had just purchased some in the market.

The weather is so cool and nice.  The garden grows and I think the unknown vegetable in the garden may be a cucumber......one the the women says the leaf looks right.  We will see.

Last night Marissa, the young lady who watched Ms. Kitty while we were in Thailand, came over with Isabel.  We meet weekly for prayer together. It was amazing to watch how Ms Kitty ran over to her and stayed with her for a long time.  Clearly Marissa and Ms. Kitty have missed each other.  It was sweet.







Other good news......  Finally after 7 months we have voice mail on our phone at home.  When anyone calls from the USA the phone reads '842711' and we don't know who called.  Now we have a way to call people back!!!  This is a real blessing for us.  And they fixed the phone to ring 7 times rather than the 2 1/2 rings we had before.  I can get to the phone in time to take most calls when I'm home.

Also, Bryan received word that our shipment has been cleared and will be delivered soon.....we are really looking forward to that.  I have fabric in the shipment that will work for the quilts.....all is connected......One of the other families had their shipment on a ship that caught fire while in port.  Now their shipment was not in the fire but was damaged by the water that was used to put out the fire.  She has a wonderful attitude and is just waiting to see what condition her things will be in when they arrive.....someday.....

Today's learning?  To enjoy the pleasure of sharing.....of plenty.....of preparing for when things are not as available. The special friendships here with people we would not pass paths with if we weren't here.  To not give up when things take so long to come to be.....in the grander scheme of things, it is only a few months.....

How does your garden grow?

Currently there is so much available here in Soyo that it is almost unbelievable that there are months of nothing......  We have had 2 weeks of Bok Choi, Cabbage is back, Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Sweet Peppers, Potatoes, Onions, Garlic.....only the carrots are mildewed and I'm not sure why.  Also, at this time our garden is growing so well......we have had two times to harvest the spinach....and it is so delicious.......and fresh......without pesticides.....and the 'parsley' turns out to be carrots......but I don't know when you know it is time to harvest those.....any help?  The lettuce the gardener planted is growing as are the watermelons and pumpkins, squash, something that looks like eggplant, I think....The Winged beans are slow to produce....I see 4 new ones....can't quite make a meal out of that and the green beans are still producing but some of the vines are really yellow.....don't know why.....it is all so exciting and changes every day.....It is quite amazing and the gardener is as excited as we are.  He doesn't know all the veggies and so is awaiting the harvest to see what they are.

The orchids are living......not exciting with any appearance of flowers yet....and one looks like I over watered it and it is yellow.....I am hoping it will not die......Cindy, one of the ladies, is returning on Friday and will bring orchid food.....so hopefully this will allow them to grow and the yellow one to revive......  It's funny, when we lived in Thailand, if any of our numerous orchids died, we just threw it away and found another.....they were cheap and plentiful.....Here in Soyo, we are the only ones who have orchids and I want them to grow so we can share them with the neighbors......A different attitude in me.

Bryan has found a place that will allow him to buy imported meats and vegetables.  This is very exciting since the meat that he brought from Cabinda last year is running out.  We are so thankful for the freezers.....and we chuckle that we eat meat that has been frozen for a year.....something we wouldn't do elsewhere.....life on the raft mentality.....anyway, he was able to find lettuce twice...now this is grown locally but we are not able to buy it from the grower.....don't know why......and eggs.....so far only one has been spoiled....not like the days of 15 our of 20 spoiled and stinky.....so as I say, we are in a land of plenty this month......

I find it interesting that even tho we are not going to the schools now, I am still quite busy.  Everything takes a little longer here to do.....but still my days are full and I find I am really content.  

As I was going to the stores today.....milk at one, crackers at another and fruit, if you can find it, somewhere else......anyway, a car stopped suddenly in the middle of the road to talk to a driver in another car and my driver, Adolfo, said......"Africa, no good".....I replied..."Not Africa.....just not a good driver".....he smiled.  Then I said, "I'm glad I am in Soyo".  "I prayed to God to come to Angola and He sent me to Soyo".  He continued to smile and shake his head.  This driver is a resident of Soyo. Sadly, many people when they leave have a speech that says something about how difficult it is here and how much they hated it......and most people laugh......I am really hoping that no one will say that about me when I leave.....that I just put in time and waited to escape......that would be sad...and frankly, not true......

So what am I learning now here?  Well, I am watching myself change in many attitudes....accepting things on such a different level and being so much more thankful for what we have.  I am finding that even tho I have not realized the dream for working in the medical field here and especially in palliative care, I am not fretting about it and am waiting with a peaceful state of mind.....and continuing keep busy with other enjoyable and worthwhile tasks like.... teaching English, quilting, blogging, and making a home that is a place of peace for Bryan after his long and stress filled days.....

Now if I could just find the fabric I need........and learn to enjoy doing the ironing.......and if our shipment that was sent 7 months ago would be released..........sigh.......

Working on quilts for my kids is such a pleasant pastime......today I went with the driver to Tari Tari, the open market, to look for fabric for the dark part of the quilts I'm working on.  You see, in order for the pattern to show itself in the quilt, I need a mixture of solids and prints and range of colors.  When I was first looking for fabric I did find a fabulous rich chocolate brown piece but it was only stamped on one side and I was afraid it would fade....then today realized that the back of the fabric would have been wonderful for the solid color that I need so I returned to the shop but the fabric was sold.  This shop is right next to the airport for Soyo and so easy to go to but the brown was gone.  Therefore Mafuene and I went to the open market and searched for the next 90 minutes but couldn't find any fabric that was appropriate for the solid color I need.  Now I will have to try to think what I can use instead or be delayed in the making of these quilts.  It really is good to have the need to be creative here.  I enjoy the challenge each day.

hardware store

On the way home I decided to take some pictures of the road between our home and downtown just to show what we see every day here. I had to take them through the window because many of the people here are from Congo and do not want their pictures taken.  I hope you can see well enough....

Pharmacy 

 There are little kiosks along the road that sell eggs, canned goods, some fresh food like potatoes or fruit.  The prices are the same whether you are in the big open market or stop along the side of the road.  I have found that some of the smaller open markets near our housing development have fresher food that has been brought from the Congo by boat.  The grocery stores are significantly more expensive.  I think you are paying for the fact food is indoors.

furniture shopping

It is amazing to me that even when it rains, these oversize chairs are usually left out.  Sometimes they are covered with plastic but not always.  Note the bright colors of Naugahyde as well as the cloth prints.  They also have wooden beds and dressers available too.

Now that we are not going to the schools for a couple of months, I do need to find things that will keep me busy and content here.  I am spending more time working on the English for the drivers and that is good....and I will continue to work to find the fabric I need to be able to make the quilts for my kids to give at Christmas......JoAnn's Fabric....where are you when I need you????

There is a significant number of new buildings since we arrived