Banana

Title © Gerrit

Another week has passed:

Tuesday, 19 February: When I just thought the predicted stomach trouble wouldn’t catch me, it did this morning. It soon eased though, and I had another day preparing our study. I also finished my integration checklist – if only real integration was so easy… When speaking to my colleagues I realized my French is already improving a little, which I’m quite happy about. My colleague Dearie had a flu today and ran a rapid diagnostic test for malaria, just to be sure. Quite simple, but still exciting for me to see for the first time. Julian took me to top up my phone for the first time, which was in what looked like a residential house, just behind our baguette mama for lunchtime. Altogether I had an enjoyable time with my colleagues today. Also, I got to pick up my pants from the tailor! It’s insanely cheap, with the pants plus some left-over fabric for another clothing item summing up to ca. 15€. In the evening, a new student from Germany arrived. Sarah is a biology bachelor’s student – and I’m not the campus baby anymore, yay! We cooked something together to get her started.

​​Wednesday, 20 February: My working day was quite relaxed, if I put it this way. Waiting for others’ (or rather their feedback and follow-up) was never my strength plus my lab training couldn’t take place. So, I’m considering asking for co-working on another study. This might be useful, as one doctor is on maternity-leave, one is leaving for Germany… and I learned I might be allowed to interact with patients even though I’m far from being licensed yet, if I’m trained for the specific study. What I found quite funny is that I was the one to show Sarah around CERMEL and Albert Schweitzer Hospital grounds, while I still haven’t explored everything myself yet. Working days that end the earliest at 6:30pm, when the sun sets at that time, don’t leave much time to go exploring during the week. Another treat today was, that “Cermelito”, a little restaurant with a beautiful terrasse, reopened. Apparently, they didn’t have a cook for a while. It was quite tasty! Together with this evening’s burgers from Matériau I’m quite full and tired to the bone again.

Thursday, 21 February: Lab training couldn’t take place again… People are crazy busy here and I didn’t quite get yet what time is best to find whom. Just one item of the long list of things I will figure out.

Friday, 22 February: Okay so today I finally started reading slides. It’s quite good there’s some sort of instruction because I tend to be one of those who rather see pink blotches than structures. I can learn anything and everything though. After work, the whole clinical operations team was invited to our place because Julian had his farewell. We had feuille de manioc, but also Austrian Apfelstrudel and just an enjoyable evening. Also, I tasted palm wine, which was… interesting.

Saturday, 23 February: This weekend I was compelled to take it slow, as some of my housemates where sick (half of them was me). That meant I was the designated shopper, did some household… Also, I finally found a time slot to catch up with my parents in Germany. In the evening we went up the water tower again before heading to a movie night at a researcher’s.​​ ​​

Sunday, 24 February: Another last time for Julian, before we sent him off, was brunch on Suzan’s porch by the river. Later that day Gerrit showed Saskia and me how to count Loa loa, minute larval filariae, by microscopy. I might soon help in some other studies too, so I get to be busier.

Monday, 25 February: Meetings, getting training, issues at the administration on the other side of the premises and so forth kept me busy until quite late today, so my friend Dearie saved me from starving with a slice of pizza and Johannes, Sarah and Gerrit where so nice to bring me some aloco (fried plane/banana), hence this article’s title. I quite enjoy this side as You might have guessed.

You see, I’m a bit settled by now. I don’t feel like it’s almost been three weeks though. I don’t have enough work yet to put me into a routine, and really getting to know the surroundings might take even longer as it’s always dark already after work as I said. Most of the other “foreigners” who were here when I came already left or are about to leave, so it’s soon going to become more adventurous. We others are a good community though. My contact from locals is extremely variable, from very heartfelt to “Gosh, I don’t grasp You at all (yet!)”.

Please leave me a message about what You want to hear about!

See You, take care,

Doro

019 days in Gabon

#Gabun #Lambaréné #research