I promised myself that I would brave the Kumasi city streets yesterday. My laptop charger would not fit into one of the 20 adaptors I brought, so I decided it would be a perfect reason to head into town. I approached the front desk of the hotel to ask for directions. There is a very helpful young man who has been at the desk the past two days. He rummaged around, looking for adaptors that the hotel may have had for me to use. Unfortunately, these did not work either, and we decided a new charger would probably be the best. He offered to send someone out to find it for me! I have to admit I'm still taken aback by how helpful everyone is here. I cringe a bit when anyone here calls me 'madame'. Good God- I am CERTAINLY not a 'madame'! However, I try ignore that uncomfortable twinge and be as appreciative as they are generous. The young man gave me directions into town. I had no idea where to go but I figured I'd at least give it a shot! Thankfully, as I walked along the busy, hot streets another friendly young man stopped me to talk. His name is Ratty, and he is a student and artist in Kumasi. He asked if I would look at his paintings, but I explained tried to explain my situation with the charger and my anxiety about finding a way to use my computer. All of my lectures for the nursing students are on here, and I was going to be lost without having it. Well, Ratty took me under his wing and escorted me into town to a local shop where his friend sells electronics and accessories. It was another busy, dusty street with shops taking up every inch of space. I don't know how anyone finds anything because there is just so much STUFF. His friend was very helpful, and ended up finding me an adaptor that would work. I was so thankful that I didn't have to purchase another expensive charger! They pulled a chair into the maybe 5ftx5ft covered store and let me wait until they made sure the charger fit, charged my laptop, and that the electricity was converting correctly. I was very appreciative as a fried computer would have been about as useful one with no charger. My new friend Ratty walked me back. I said goodbye and thanked him, and promised to come back so he could give me a drum lesson!
I went back to the hotel and enjoyed some delicious chicken kabobs! I wondered if any of them were family to the chickens that frequent the grassy area behind my cottage? At least I know its local and free-range.
After lunch I decided to go for walk and try to take some photos of the town. While snapping a picture I heard some giggling behind me. Four little girls made their way from behind a tree and introduced themselves. They asked if I would play with them, and although I wasn't sure if I really knew how to 'play' anymore, I couldn't say no! The girls ended up being much more interested in my camera. They took pictures of each other and myself for a bit, all giggling as they showed each other the shots they had just taken. But after about 30 minutes the heat began getting to me, and I headed back to the hotel. I looked at the photos when I got back and felt silly for almost crying! How happy I looked! I had forgotten what that eyes closed, noise squished laugh of mine looked like! I was so pleased that I had already found a bit of joy so early in the trip.
Today I ventured to the hospital. Directions were easier to follow this morning, and I think I'm beginning to get an idea of the city's layout. The walk was only about 10 minutes, however the street was much more impoverished than any other I had been down. You must first walk through a large gate where the Army barracks are. A handsome armed guard stood at the gate with a strikingly large machine gun. Well, I'm not positive it was a machine gun. I've only seen about 2 guns in real life. But from war movies and what not I put together that this was some sort of machine gun-ish contraption. I walked through the gate and along buildings with soldiers in their camouflage walking around. How do they stand this heat with all those clothes? The back of my hand is almost permanently attached to my forehead in a sweeping motion, wiping the sweat off of my brow before it stings my eyes. But they stand so composed in their full set of clothes. The hospital is surrounded by a large gate with guards as well. People sit around the gate selling water, fruit. Some are just sitting, leaned up against the hot iron fence. What a walk! It only made me nervous about what I would find inside the 'Accident and Emergency' Department at the Komfo Anoyke Teaching Hospital or KATH.
I am thankful that my contact person urged me to visit the hospital today, before starting tomorrow. I walked inside and immediately forgot all complaints that I once had about my own emergency room. The foyer around the main nurses station had about 20-25 stretchers all over the place in no apparent organized form. I greeted the nurses at the main desk and they showed me where I could find the Charge nurse to introduce myself. He was in the 'triage' room and although nervous to enter and interrupt, the other nurses encouraged me to go ahead in. Inside he was attending to two different patients. There was an older women, very cachectic, lying in one stretcher, and a crying infant in another. There may have been nothing wrong with either of them but I think the newness of all of it threw me off. I wish I could describe how I felt standing there in what we ER nurses call 'controlled chaos'. I wasn't afraid. It was almost more of desperation to give all that I could in these three weeks. Was my lecture strong enough? Was I going to be able to actually contribute to this project? I've only 2 years of experience as an RN under my belt. What if that wasn't enough? I kept the greeting quick, and made my way back to my hotel where I began furiously working on my powerpoint. I've sense spent the day writing and re-writing my lecture, attempting to make it simple but full of as much information as I can squeeze in. Thankfully this first week I will only be in the hospital setting. I can't imagine what I will be able to supervise tomorrow. I'm sure it will take a few days to get adjusted. But I'm glad I'll have the rest of the week to work on my lecture. I can't even begin to think what the next day will hold for me.
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