marceynorman's TravelStream™ — Recent TravelPod.com entries TravelStream™ news feed for member marceynorman on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/marceynorman en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Sat, 12 Dec 2009 03:44:46 -0500 http://www.travelpod.com Home Stretch! — Jos, Nigeria http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/marceynorman/2/1260672046/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/marceynorman/2/1260672046/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/marceynorman/2/1260672046/tpod.html Sat, 12 Dec 2009 03:44:46 -0500 Marcey in Nigeria!
Jos, Nigeria

Well it's crazy to think that this will be my last full week in Nigeria. My time here has gone by incredibly fast. I have mixed feelings about going home. I'm excited for things like running water and my comfy hoodies but will be sad to say goodbye to everyone here. This will likely be the last blog that I write before I get to London. I have a 24 hour layover there and will be going to a show and spending the night with a friend.

This past week has been quite busy. Another nurse and I have been working on a booklet for expectant parents mostly geared toward the prevention of parent to child transmission of HIV. So that has been interesting and keeping me busy. Also I have been trying to see everyone and finish up some other stuff.

Earlier on in the week Dr. Chris brought his children and his neighbours children over for the evening. It was fun we had a little party ate supper and popcorn watched tv, built a house out of chairs. It was quite entertaining. I just sat back and watched them they were funny. I will show some pictures when I get home. I think that I will be doing some postdated blogging. I don't think I will have time for posting pictures before I get home but I promise when I get home that I will take care of posting some pictures.

Today is saturday so I just did a couple of dressing's this morning and then I'm going to go shopping and get some stuff before I go home. The coming up week will be filled with lots of different stuff I think. What I'm most looking forward to though is the children's christmas carnival next saturday. Faith Alive is going all out so it should be really fun and a nice way to see everyone and have fun and take pictures before I go home. Next sunday I will leave Jos for abuja where I will fly out at 10 in the morning the next day. Crazy I know.

I can't wait to see all of you and catch up on all that has been happening with you in the last three months. If anyone wants to pick me up at the airport and likes staying up late let me know! Cheers. Marcey
]]> Just an ordinary day! — Jos, Nigeria http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/marceynorman/2/1260352036/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/marceynorman/2/1260352036/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/marceynorman/2/1260352036/tpod.html Tue, 08 Dec 2009 10:46:47 -0500 Marcey in Nigeria!
Jos, Nigeria

Well as my time here is soon coming to an end I'm finding it more difficult to come up with things to blog about. I think that in some way that is because things here are starting to seem routine. Therefore it seems weird to blog about things that I do each day. Life in the Emergency Room has been a little lonely lately as it has only been me as the other people that are usually there have been doing other things. This blog is going to be very very short as I'm just about to go and teach some people how to make hemp necklaces. I brought some stuff along and have had a little bit of a factory of my own making necklaces. Now I'm going to go and figure out how to make them without hemp but something nigerian. Should be fun. Chat soon!


]]> Change! — Jos, Nigeria http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/marceynorman/2/1259402428/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/marceynorman/2/1259402428/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/marceynorman/2/1259402428/tpod.html Sat, 28 Nov 2009 04:41:25 -0500 Marcey in Nigeria!
Jos, Nigeria

I know that I promised more pictures but currently my computer is being a little ridiculous so I decided that I would write a story instead of posting pictures. My computer is starting to feel better after a virus scan though so not to worry I will post some pictures soon.

It's crazy that I have been here for over two months now. The time has gone by crazy fast. It's weird because although I'm looking forward to going home and being with everyone I'm definitely going to miss the people here when I leave. Over the past couple of months it has been really great to get to know Faith Alive better.

A friend and I were talking about the news the other day and the message that it portrays about different countries and the perceptions that people get of places based on the media. Especially Nigeria; Today I'm going to try and create some balance by offering the side of the story that you don't often hear.

The longer that I'm here the more I realize just how much the staff of Faith Alive are doing for the people of Nigeria. Often times the more you get to know a place the more you figure out its
weaknesses. Well this is just the opposite, the more that I'm here the more I see the strengths. One of the surgeons that I met when I first got here said "you guys do lots with lots and we do lots with little". How true that is. It is amazing to see the resourcefullness of those around me. They certainly improvise but never comprimise the quality of the care that they offer.

When I first got here Dr. Chris met me and said "welcome to the family". I'm really beginning to understand what that means. The Faith Alive Family is exactly that. It's not just the staff but the patients. It's amazing to see how everyone goes the extra mile to help each other. It's not just the medical staff either it's everyone that is involved. There has been so many times that I have seen Dr's write prescriptions that the person needs that arn't stocked in the pharmacy that someone will give the patient money to go and buy the medication. There are specialists that come on their day off so that they can offer a service to people that would otherwise not be able to access it. It's amazing to see compassion and love at work.

People always wonder why I love going to Africa so much. My favorite part of Africa and at present specifically Nigeria is that things are changing. It's fun to watch people with a passion and love for their neighbours reach out and change the world that they live in. There is an entire generation of smart and passionate people that are working together for change. It's both challenging and encouraging to see that we truly can change the world that we live in.
]]> Four Day weekend!!!! — Jos, Nigeria http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/marceynorman/2/1259293508/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/marceynorman/2/1259293508/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/marceynorman/2/1259293508/tpod.html Thu, 26 Nov 2009 04:48:39 -0500 Marcey in Nigeria!
Jos, Nigeria

I love holidays. They are much more fun when you don't have to work. So, as you noticed by the title of my blog we are just about to start a 4 day weekend. It has been a short but busy week at Faith alive. They just finished with their training for community health workers. I presented yesterday on nursing care at home. I just talked about really basic stuff like hygeine, and prevention when to take someone to the hospital that kind of stuff. I have been doing a fair bit of presentations lately and I must say I'm actually starting to really like it. I guess it makes sense being that I like to talk ;). I was also able to meet a few more MCC people that were taking the training so that was nice as well.

On Sunday I was able to spend the evening with Mark and Brenda and their family. They are currently the Nigeria MCC people. I can't remember their official title but they are cool so it was nice to hang out with them and their children. I'm just going to write a short blog today so that I can add some more pictures because that tends to be a little more time consuming. So all is well I'm hoping to do some Christmas shopping in the next couple of days and a little bit of exploring. As well as some long distance cheering so that the riders will win the grey cup. Maybe on sunday I will wear green! I'm a little sad that I won't be able to meet them at the airport this time when they come back after they win. Or go in the freezing cold weather to see the grey cup and attend the celebration. I know it's a little anticipatory but I hope we win.

Go RIDERS!
]]> Faces of Faith Alive! — Jos, Nigeria http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/marceynorman/2/1258558916/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/marceynorman/2/1258558916/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/marceynorman/2/1258558916/tpod.html Wed, 18 Nov 2009 11:17:56 -0500 Marcey in Nigeria!
Jos, Nigeria

I wanted to post some pictures of the people that I have been working with every day. I need to be more diligent about taking pictures. I know that that is weird for me because usually I take so many pictures but I have been slacking a little bit. So here are a few I hope it works. I will add more as I have time so keep peeking in.
]]> What I have been up to... — Jos, Nigeria http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/marceynorman/2/1258386814/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/marceynorman/2/1258386814/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/marceynorman/2/1258386814/tpod.html Wed, 18 Nov 2009 10:28:32 -0500 Marcey in Nigeria!
Jos, Nigeria

Well last week was a little bit crazy. Let me just share a couple of parts of it with you. On Monday I was so tired and I thought to myself I hope that it is busy so that the day goes by fast. Well let me tell you I was granted my wish. It was the busiest day that I have worked since I have been here. I have tried to write it out a couple of times but I can't seem to strike the balance between confidentiality and a really good story. So this is my humble attempt at both. There was a women staying in the transitional house that had seizures several days after she delivered. She was later diagnosed with post-partum ecclampsia. This was a really good learning point for me because I didn’t even know that such a thing existed so it enabled me to do some research. It was also a really good work out because we carried her about a block from the transitional house to the clinic. After the women seized we transferred her to the teaching hospital here. It was the craziest transfer I have ever gone on in my life. We went in the "bus" basically a van that substitutes as an ambulance and transferred her to the hospital. When we got to the emergency department they then told us that we had to go to labour and delivery emergency. Who knew there was two...Well unlike most of our hospitals at home where that would be down the hallway, we had to get back in and drive there. So, as luck would have it we drove behind this person who must have been lost or maybe just looking for a place to park. Either way he was driving too slow for my liking being that my patient was still really sick. Anyways after the longest transfer of life we headed back to the clinic.

Random side note. I helped one of the nurses to make an emergency tray for the labour and delivery room. It is just full of different emergency meds, IV’s and tourniquets that kind of stuff. I took it with me on the transfer just for good luck so that I would have everything that I needed if I needed it. The tray worked like a wonderful good luck charm because I didn’t need it. But the nurses in the first emergency department were impressed that we had everything we might need.

Once back at the clinic I was greeted by Chioma and many more patients. Chioma was supposed to be at school that day but decided to stop by and see how we were doing at exactly the right time. She was my angel that day. I was so happy to see her.

On Friday morning I talked about the ABC’s of any emergency in the clinical meeting in the morning. After that I went along to Dr. Chris’s children’s school to help with blood pressure screening and BMI calculating for the parents. They were raising money for the library during the sports day. It was fun to watch while we calculated. It reminded me of a mixture between field day and Bertdale picnics. They had lots of different races like potato sack races and the egg on the spoon race. Picture your favourite childhood race. It was fun.

On Saturday I went with a couple of the counsellor’s from Faith Alive to an information day about HIV/AIDS for the plateau association of the deaf. They are connected with hope for the deaf school which is a program of MCC. It was really interesting to see the work that they do. It was a neat little snapshot of MCC partners at work because a couple of the MCC workers from Canada that are in Jos right now did part of the talks. He is a Public health Dr and she is a nurse. They are currently working at a hospital here. So between Randy, Char, Pastor Esther and Simon they gave talks about HIV and prevention. The part that was neat though was watching as it was translated into English sign language and then further into Hausa sign language. Another neat part was that we were given sign language names. So instead of spelling our names we each were given a sign. They also talked about the importance of nutrition and a little bit on Tuberculosis. After the education part of the day Faith Alive did free counselling and HIV testing.

Sunday I went to church and it was crazy long. After I got home I ate lunch and went to a different service with a friend which was also crazy long. In total I spent nine hours in church. I know that this should make me feel really happy but I was sooo tired and grumpy afterwards. Anyways that is my quick little rant after 9 hours of church.

This week life has returned a bit back to normal it has been a little bit less busy. Faith alive has a community health training session coming up. I’m scheduled to talk about nursing at home. This might be a bit of a stretch for me so I have plenty of research to do and questions to ask over the next little bit. I just finished attending a nurses clinical meeting about the prevention of HIV from parent to child. It was really interesting.

I must say that I’m very excited that the weather has taken a turn for the cooler. It is a pleasant change. Talk to you soon.
]]> Boxectomy! — Jos, Nigeria http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/marceynorman/2/1257867664/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/marceynorman/2/1257867664/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/marceynorman/2/1257867664/tpod.html Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:56:28 -0500 Marcey in Nigeria!
Jos, Nigeria

Well my title may seem a little bit confusing so I'm going to start with that. I have been working on this little creation for the past week or so. I'm trying to make something to put the IV medications into. For those of you I work with I'm making a cardboard version of where we keep our IV drugs. For those of you that I don't work with I'm making a cardboard rubbermaid full of tiny little drawers. It has been quite the collaborative little project. When I first started I think everyone thought that I was crazy but now that I'm almost done people are getting the idea. On tuesday as I was cutting the boxes to make the shelves one of the surgeons came in and looked at me quizically...At which point I said that I'm performing a simple boxectomy. He was then like I see....Then I joked that it was part of a clinical control study about boxectomys and the use of anaesthesia. Anyways once I had actually explained what it was that I was doing he stuck around and helped me out for a while. It was awesome to have the help and he actually measured so we got it right the first time. I think I would have just experimented. Once he had to go and we had a pretty good start on my project one of the people from the lab came and helped me with reinforcing the edges with duck tape. It is quite the cardboard duck tape creation. Picture Red/Green but Marcey style. Anyways pharmacy has been helping me by providing the little boxes from the medications that I can use as drawers. Today I started using it to organize the medications. It's not quite done as I'm still short a couple of drawers but I will get there. It's fun and I think it will be quite useful.

As for the rest of the week it was rather uneventful I think. I can't remember. If I remember something exciting I will blog about it later. I watched a few surgeries on saturday which is always fun and then on Sunday I went to church with Chioma. It was really fun. No crazy stories to share this time. Sunday evening I went with Dr. Chris to share at a Medical Students bible study thing. It reminded me of when Laura and I used to do IVCF it was fun. Yesterday was a crazy busy day I learnt tons. I will maybe tell you more about it later....Or else it will be a great story to tell when i get home. Hope all is well happy Rememberance Day!
]]> Happy Halloween! — Jos, Nigeria http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/marceynorman/2/1257083801/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/marceynorman/2/1257083801/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/marceynorman/2/1257083801/tpod.html Sun, 01 Nov 2009 09:45:48 -0500 Marcey in Nigeria!
Jos, Nigeria

Allright, so last time we talked I told you I was going to a wedding. I have had a bit of a busy week since then so I'm going to try and fill you in as much as possible. The wedding was fantastic. It was between a Canadian and a Nigerian. So it was a good combination of the two cultures. It also helped me to "coin" the word Naijanadian. One of the Nigerian traditions is to spray money during the first dance. People come and "spray" bills at the couple as they dance. Apparently they are trying to get away from doing this because the money gets dirty. However, I think that it is a great idea for people to come up with piles of bills and throw them at the couple. As a matter of fact I think I will start the tradition in Canada at my own wedding ;)

At the wedding I met a couple of other Canadians that are currently staying in Jos, who work with SIM. They invited me to have lunch with them and the bride's mother that Sunday. It was really nice to chat with some fellow Canadians and see what they are doing. The couple that are here are from Grand Prairie, AB as well as the girl that got married. It just shows how small the world is. The best part of lunch though was the chocolate cake that the brides mom made. The most delicious cake I have ever tasted in my ENTIRE life! I took a picture. Oh yeah and actual brewed coffee with freshely ground coffee beans. SOOOOO Good. I know I'm a nerd.

So, now for the rest of the week. Monday was just an ordinary day. Tuesday....I must have ate something funny sometime because I had the worst stomach pain ever. So i took the day off curled up in a ball and watched prison break on my computer until the battery died and then wished that the power would come so that I could charge it and have something to do. No luck so I just slept. Wednesday I was back at the clinic just a little whiny and scared of food. When I got home from the clinic I had a visitor that was here for training. I like playing host so that was nice.

Thursday is when my week gets interesting. Sometimes I wonder about my communication skills. Dr Chris said that I should go with my guest and see where she is going and get dropped back at the clinic. Now seems simple enough but seriously I should never process information before ten o'clock in the morning unless I have had plenty of coffee first. So I was confused and went along but thought I was supposed to go for the training. (I know simple instructions) Anyways it turned out to be a really interesting training session. One of the best that I have ever gone to. It is sponsored by USAID and put on by making cents international. I had never heard of "making cents" but they are really quite a unique organization. If you have some time you should google it. The training that they are doing is training trainers. Which I'm quickly learning is by far the best way of disseminating information. It's reminds me of how CPR training works at home. Someone trains people how to teach CPR and they teach people how to do CPR.

The training is meant to train the caregivers of orphans about business. So there are two people from several NGO's that are taking the training, including 2 people from faith alive. The facilitators teach each of the participants how to teach a curriculm that is meant to teach the caregivers how to start a business and manage their money. The course is fantastic and super applicable. It's basic and teaches people who understand the culture and how to communicate with the different people being taught how to teach the people that need to access the information. The best part is that it's really sustainable. It's amazing how much poverty effects every area of someones life. So, if they can empower the caregivers to be able to sustain themselves and the orphans health and education and everything else that might be lacking follows. Also, the other part is that the trainers are given a kit that is reusable that they can use to teach the information after the contract is finished. It's designed so that they could set up anywhere even under a mango tree and teach the course. Anyways I won't bore you with more of the details but I was really impressed with the hands on interactive learning and the curriculm taught.

Yesterday I was blessed by being able to go for supper with Dr Chris and a few of his friends. One of them another Canadian. I think I may have met all of the Canadians in Jos this week ;) It is always nice to meet another Canadian when I'm travelling. Supper was really fun! I like listening to old friends telling stories about each other. It always proves to be quite enlightening. It's amazing to hear the things that God has done in their lives.

Being that today is Sunday I went to church. Always story worthy. Sometimes I really miss the anonymity of just attending church and being able to slip out. Especially when the service is 4 hours long. But just as I was thinking hmmmm maybe I should go for lunch while they were cutting the cake to celebrate the end of the conference I hear Marcey come and get some cake. So I'm like great can't leave now. No problem, go and get fed some cake get my picture taken eating the cake sit down. Then I think OK i'll just leave after the service and right on cue I hear Marcey don't forget to stay around after for the group picture. Ok no worries hang out for the group picture but then I got appointed to be on the calendar comittee. After that I ran away to go have lunch.

Anyways that about sums up my week. It has certainly been an interesting one. I hope that all is well with everyone. Talk to you soon.
Marcey

]]> Road Trip!!! — Jos, Nigeria http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/marceynorman/2/1256313718/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/marceynorman/2/1256313718/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/marceynorman/2/1256313718/tpod.html Fri, 23 Oct 2009 12:08:09 -0400 Marcey in Nigeria!
Jos, Nigeria

I have had a busy and interesting week this week. Let me tell you more about it. On monday I found out that Tim would be heading back home. He got a really great job offer. So, that was a little sad for me because now i have no one to talk to over supper but exciting for him. It also meant that I got to go on a road trip to Abuja to see him off! I love road trips. The drive to Abuja is really pretty and driving in nigeria always proves to be quite exciting. Don't worry I wasn't driving that would be disaterous. I would never get anywhere here. The first intersection I stopped at I would stay at until there was no more traffic.

I took some pictures along the way that i will post later. I got to try out some nigerian fast food at tantilizers. But the most "tantilizing" part ;) was the ice cream. Anyways that is my story about the road trip. The rest of the week I have been hanging out in the emergency room. Tomorrow I'm going to a wedding with some of the staff. I'm super excited about that. Weddings are always a fantastic way to experience a new culture.

This blog is just short I will try to write a longer one later.
Marcey
]]> Popcorn, necklaces and a pretty dress!!!! — Jos, Nigeria http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/marceynorman/2/1255966550/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/marceynorman/2/1255966550/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/marceynorman/2/1255966550/tpod.html Mon, 19 Oct 2009 11:41:27 -0400 Marcey in Nigeria!
Jos, Nigeria

Popcorn, necklaces and a pretty new dress

Well I figured it was time to let you know about what I have been up to. This week has been a busy week. Mostly just nursing stuff nothing too entertaining. I spent the week in the Emergency room with my new buddy Chioma (pronounced Cho-ma the i is silent). We are name pronunciation buddies. She always makes sure that people say my name right and I hers. A lot of people here are named Mercy so people usually think that my name is Mercy. I answer to both I always joke that Mercy is my Nigerian name.

I had a couple of friends over to watch movies on my laptop on Wednesday and they were like what no popcorn!!!! I later looked through the stash of stuff I had in my cupboard left from other people and found some popcorn. So, on Friday night Nkiru and I had a movie night with popcorn. The popcorn was far more of an adventure than the movie. Fortunately before I left home I was at my parents and super craving popcorn and there was no popper or microwave popcorn to be found. So, I decided to make it in a pot. What I didn't account for was how far the popcorn would pop without a lid. Well let’s just say that I made quite a mess of my parents’ kitchen screaming and running away from the popping popcorn until Dad came and gave me a lid. So, when it came time to make popcorn on the stove I was well prepared. I didn’t make the same mistake twice; we used a lid!!! Therefore, we made much less of a mess (the lid wasn’t quite the right size). I will post some pictures!

This weekend I had a visitor. It has been nice to have someone around. It is a friend of Dr. Chris and Mercy’s. She is just passing through on her way to Abuja. We spent last night making hemp necklaces. We were like a necklace making factory! It was also fun to play hostess a little bit. It was a nice change for me instead of always being hosted.

I almost forgot! Today I got to wear my brand new outfit to church!!!! I have wanted a "pretty Sunday dress" ever since the first Sunday that I was here. I feel like such a grub most of the time...Everyone has these beautiful dresses of beautiful fabric and I felt left out. I bought fabric a little bit ago and got 2 skirts and shirts made at the sewing school. I picked them up on Friday so I was very excited to wear my new outfit today. Not to mention the fact that it is different than the same clothes that I have been wearing for the past month. This normally wouldn’t be a problem but I don’ t think that I packed very well. Anyways, I’m not sure if I have told you about the sewing school yet so if I have bare with me if not I will now. Faith alive isn’t just a clinic but they have several other programs to help their patients. One of those programs is the sewing school. People enrolled in the program learn to sew and are taught the skills that they would need to start their own business as a tailor. When they graduate they are given a sewing machine. It’s a really neat and sustainable program. I know as a nurse my favourite part of the clinic should be something medically related but I love the sewing school! I had so much fun wearing my new outfit.

We went with a friend to her church this morning. Church always proves to be quite entertaining. The message this morning was hilarious. I won’t summarize it all but the funniest part was when we talked about how you shouldn’t have bad breath when you go to talk to people about God. Good advice ;)

TTFN (Ta ta for now!)
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