Fast Forward

So here's what I've been up to since my last post:
-Went to South Africa with my SMF and his family where he up and popped the question, to which I gave him a very enthusiastic "yes!"
-My cousin came to visit and we went on an incredible safari. I hope someday I'll get around to posting these pictures.
-Ran a CPR course that reached 117 nurses from 4 different hospitals
-Traveled 6 hours in a tiny fishing boat to reach one of the most remote areas of Malawi to celebrate Christmas.
-Officially opened the ICU. The nurses absolutely rock now!
-My youth center has been trained, vetted, renovated, and stocked. They should open any day now. Pictures to come.
-Several amazing bridal showers with Leace Corps friends and Malawian friends.
-Planned a wedding from Africa, which I'm pretty proud of
-Was accepted into a Doctorate of Nursing program!
-Said a bittersweet farewell to Malawi, and Jake and I left for good for our 6 week vacation on April 12th

So, it's been quite a busy 8 months. Jake and I are taking the long way home. The next several entries will follow us around the globe, told from both our perspectives. Enjoy!!

Delayed in Paradise with a New Camera Phone

My fourteen hour layover in Amsterdam

Village Life, take 2

In all fairness I wasn't really living in a village.  I was living 7 km from asphalt on a Presbyterian Church compound with electricity and a flush toilet; I love that I have to specify it's a "flush" toilet.  I think I did a very good job making the best out of my homeless situation. 

Interesting how all my activities centered

around food.  Those seven pounds are laughing

in my face right now.  

Picking Lemons in the orchard

Main ingredient in Goat Curry

Weekly milk run

Homemade cheese success!

Making Strawberry-Basil Jam

Playing Catch Up

Ouch.  Fourth of July since my last post?  Sorry...  
What you've missed:

- Went back to America to be a groomsman in my friend's wedding. I was the oldest and most female ring bearer of all time. 
- Gained SEVEN pounds in just TWO weeks.  The math on this is truly staggering as I was eating the recommended caloric intake of a male olympic gymnast. 
- Spent one glorious day in Amsterdam
 - Came home to no home
- Temporarily moved back into "the village"
- Moved back to Blantyre

Fantastically Fun Fourth

A bit late, but wanted to share a few photos from my Independence week extravaganza.  A large PC event was organized, which was conveniently located about as far from my house as humanly possible and still be in the same country.  SMF and I decided it would be a great opportunity to make a few guest appearances at several friend's houses along the way.   We spent a few lovely days at the lake, learned to golf, ate great food, got good and carsick, and spent several transports with livestock on my lap or hair.  
 Never a boring moment in Malawi!  

We all did our best to pretend we weren't
freezing to death at the lake

Made spaghetti one night, but no tupperware in sight.
Next best solution was to put it in a grocery bag and
hang by a hook on the door.  Made delicious spaghetti and eggs for breakfast!

Learning how to beat the hell
out of a golf ball

Travel breakfast?  
Shrimp ramen + cheese ramen+ 
hardboiled egg+
peanut butter toast + tea
= stomach ache

Peace Corps Volunteers displaying our Independence 

Do a little dance

GULE WAMKULU (THE GREAT DANCE) of the Chewa People 

The Gule Wamkulu is a ritual dance practiced by the Chewa tribe in Malawi, Zambia, and Mozambique. The dance accompanies initiation ceremonies of young men into adulthood, but it is also performed at weddings, funerals, and then installation of chiefs. On these occassion, the dancers wear costumes and masks made of wood, straw and other materials, expressing a great variety of characters, which represent forms of behaviour as a way to teach moral and social values. 

(Info stolen from http://www.gulewamkulu.net/)

Still working on getting my videos posted.  I'm pretty sure its just not going to happen until I get back to the states.*

*this was an older post that, sure enough, had to be delayed until I returned back to American internet 

ICU training week

Scavenger Hunt Led to Chaos

Learning to place the breathing tube

Sticky Fingers exercise taught the importance of aseptic technique

Learning to tape the breathing tube

My friend Eric pretended to be our unconscious patient while we practiced oral care

Learning the importance of good suctioning using mayonnaise!

Central Line Care

Homemade meat stomas to demonstrate the stoma gone bad!

Our volunteer nurse pretending to be a patient while we practiced airway maintenance