Perks

The security situation here in the other Congo remains unstable, but I think the greater threats to my well-being are the roads (holey cow!!) and such things as the tumbu fly.

Myaisis - tumbu flies - nest their eggs on moist clothes. So when wearing unironed clothes the fly larvae invade into the skin. The characteristic lesion is a boil-like swelling with a small central opening thru which the larvae breathes and serous fluid is exuded. Prevention - all clothing must be ironed before wearing!

So, lucky for me, we have staff who do our laundry, which includes ironing everything. The house staff also keep my room clean and Ida, our cook, is very good - so lunch is my favorite time of the day! Which comes after a very long morning.... I leave for my 3 minute walk to the office before 7 (after having a yogurt and banana) and I don't return for lunch until 1:30 - the agreed upon time for lunch. I'm not too happy about this and do start to get a little grouchy by that time, but I am pretty busy so there isn't much time to think about food anyway.

Today's chuckle

Gute fahrt - german

Bon voyage - french

Have a nice trip - english

euro prepping

only one afternoon to stroll the streets of bonn and enjoy scrumptuous apple streudel with a velvety vanilla sauce and a kaffee at an outdoor cafe, and then it was 7 long full days of training... during the intake of info i quickly realized that my decision to go to the congo was an easy one compared to the decision i had to make about malaria... so, as i had agreed to sign a one year contract to live and work in malaria territory - and that the #1 reason for repatriation is malaria - i decided that i couldn't not take some kind of drug... but which one? i engaged absolutely everyone i could in malaria conversation and to further complicate things, learned that everyone had a different story and a different opinion... the week ended and i immediately hopped on the 3 hour evening express train to amsterdam so i could have one full day to sightsee before starting another 6 days of training... and then there was another 3 hour train to brussels for yet 2 more weeks of classes... after a week in a city populated by potential supermodels, i felt normal again in brussels and this time the schedule was more relaxed... however my frustration level was thru the roof as i struggled with great effort to improve my french... at least i had my own space and i could enjoy heavenly belgian chocolates and warm waffles on my walks home from school (i thot callebaut was the best, but mary will make you moan http://www.mary.be)

and then there was boredom... in bruxelles... unbelievable!! my instructor threw out her back so i was without lessons for two full days - even more frustrating! but now, c'est fini, finalement!! and i am finally off to congo-brazza very very early monday morning, after a final weekend in amsterdam to satisfy any last desires... au revoir!