Counting down the days again

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I cannot believe that I only have 14 days left here-this time in two weeks I will be on a bus to Lusaka, probably devastated at the thought of leaving. It sounds like a cliche, but my time here has gone so fast, it feels like no time at all. And I suppose that, really, in the scheme of a lifetime, 6 months is hardly any time at all. I certainly would like to do more here, but I also feel that it is important to come home again & earn some money, even if it is only to be able to go travelling again! I have managed to resist the persuasion of one of my friends here that I should stay here until February, which is when she goes home to Ireland. I will miss the late night gossips with her over a bottle of wine though.
I said goodbye to the last of my friends here on Sunday, a couple of Irish doctors who are going on to Australia. I will miss them, they made me laugh a lot, but I hope that we will meet up again within the next year or two, either in Ireland or in London.
On a more prosaic note, the acting president did not visit the hospital in the end, after giving a good deal of trouble in preparation for his arrival. I was disapointed not to meet him, especially as now the campaign trail to elect a new president has begun in earnest. I think that it is unlikely that anyone else will be elected, but you never know. The political situation seems fairly calm though, which is a relief- I wouldn't really want to get caught up in any unrest, although I doubt very much that it would spread this far into the country if it did happen. I am now working back in my old job, as the secretary I was covering for has come back from leave. Things are certainly quieter this side, but currently I am trying to persuade the mess staff to carry out proper stock control- not an easy task as they are determined that they don't have time & that I should do it! Trying to make them see that I won't be around to help them after next week & they need to help themselves is not easy either! I also want to make a few more improvements to the visitors accomodation before I go, but getting the money for it is like getting blood out of a stone! I know that money for the hospital should come first, but I think that perhaps more volunteers would be happier to stay and come back, as well as fundraising for the hospital in their own countries, if they were better accomodated. Especially medical students, who are frequently given the worst accomodation. But that is my little rant, which has largely fallen on deaf ears with the hospital administration here. I have more or less given up trying, as it only makes me frustrated. At least my grumpiness from last week has gone, now I just feel sad about how short my time is now...!

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