Here I am back to update you all on my latest days in Kalongo.

Thursday and Friday have been dedicated to complete my settling down process. Francesco showed me the remaining wards of the hospital which I did not visited yet. I am getting familiar with the different faces and names here, people now recognized me as per “Ale”, since to make things easier, that’s the way I am introducing myself to them. I also learn some initial two words, to greet : Afoio  - which means “hi”, and afoio amate’ that is “thank you”…not sure about the spelling J

I also had a first meeting with the Chief Accountant, Accountant Assistant, Internal Auditor, etc, in order to establish some clear guidelines in regards to my work here which is related with the financing activities of the hospital (I am not going to bother anyone on this regard on the blog!).

Thursday night Francesco and I have been invited to a sitting at the house of one of the midwifes working on the hospital, organized as a farewell for two doctors that spent six months in Kalongo for their specialization. In this occasion I discover than whenever you go to someone’s home the host will share their albums of pictures and the guests are supposed to look at them, it is like sharing stories of life without talking. After everyone that was invited arrived, each of the person made a brief speech thanking the doctors for their great work here and then…the food arrived.

I cannot remember the exact names of the different plates that we ate but there was cow meat, cooked vegetables (cauliflowers, sweet potatoes, another type of potato that could resemble French fries, spinach with a peanut sauce,etc), everything was so delicious. The culture here does not allow the guest to refuse to eat at someone else’s home, but, let me tell you, there was no question I would have ever refused that food!

In the picture one of the leaving doctor with her little girls, which was born here in Kalongo.

Today the entire day has been spent at St. Teresa female boarding school, in occasion of the celebrations for the end of the academic year that here runs from February until November. Parents in colorful dresses to cheer their little girls, a lot of songs, and dances.

It was well known already that Africans have the music in their blood, but when you actually have the opportunity of seeing them dancing and singing you really feel what that means. The beat of the instruments made me move as well (for those that know me well…I have quite the music in me too!). Unfortunately here internet is not really fast, so video uploading will be a pain but I will share some of their dances once back!

Ah, by the way, for those that complains all the time that seasons are not the same anymore, weather has changed, that holds even at equator latitude apparently. November is supposed to be a dry season, but so far the sun has been teasing us during the first hours of the day, then…A LOT of rain, for longgggg!! Look at the students trying to collect raining water to drink, that is another enlight of the culture here!

Tomorrow Francesco will guide me through the local market, I will update you on that experience next!

Afoio!