Still in mourning

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The country is very subdued here right now, due to the President's death & funeral which takes place this week. Our latest expedition to the local bars in Katete on Saturday was strangely subdued, there were not too many people & even Drums was closed (although this was because it got closed down by the police)! Still, it didn't stop a crazy/alcoholic woman from trailing us and shouting repeatedly about hottentots. That's not a word I've heard much used in conversation before. I'm not even entirely sure what it means?
I know that I should be trying to soak up the atmosphere here, this is the first time ever that a leader has died in office, so it is a fairly historic time. But having no access to tv, radio or decent newspapers does make you seem fairly isolated, especially in the world I'm used to of heavily saturated news & images on tv. In some ways, it reminds me of what the UK was like after Princess Diana's death: women weeping in the streets, a general feeling of melancholy everywhere.
But life here is just the same; people continue to die or get better. There has been an inundation of new med students. Three more arrived over the weekend (one of them with his new wife-they are only 22 & married two weeks ago, seeming scarily young) & another one is expected tomorrow. I seriously hope that will be it for a while- there is literally no more room for anyone! Plus, maybe I'm an old grinch but I prefer it when there are about ten people round the dinner table- at the moment there are at least 20 & that feels like too many. Over the next two-three weeks, we will lose six people who are coming to the end of their time here. With one exception (the member of staff who I cannot stand- although thankfully he is the first to go next Monday) they are the people I feel closest too & I will certainly miss them.
Although, that said, there will be more and more places to visit- I'm thinking that 2009 would be a great year to travel to Canada in the winter, maybe Switzerland for a few days, and I am now thinking that I might make it to Ireland in the summer for a trip to the west coast & a visit to one of the friends I have made here (once she makes it back from South America- or possibly I might meet her there & travel on from there) as well to see some Catholic grottos & two glow in the dark statues of the Virgin Mary. Of course, then there is the trip I want to make from Spain to the Red Sea via driving through Morocco, Libya & Algiers. Looks like I can forget about getting a job- the next few years will have to be bor travelling! Anyone up for joining me?!

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