Better late than never...

Greetings one and all,

    So sorry that I didn't write this sooner.  I have had technical difficulties from the beginning.  Public computer user names not working, facebook blocking me, blog not accepting my login name, and super slow internet access.  Finally have jumped over all of those hurtles.
    So much to write about, if I forget something just ask.
    So I arrived at the Conakry airport.  The heat was quite a shock from the air conditioning of the plane, though I don't think it felt as hot as India.  While lining up for immigrations, I spotted a Mercy Ship shirt.  I squeeled with glee, and softly shouted "Yay Mercy Ships."  The girl turned around and we rushed to meet each other, so glad to find a 'familiar face' in this crowd of people.  My first friend.  Shortly after we found two other Mercy ship veterans who were on return trips.
    Outside, we met out Mercy Ship driver (who also happened to be the coordinator of the dental team.)
Our drive to the ship was a dark one, as there are not many street lights.  From what I could see in the dark, the third-worldness reminded me quite a bits of my trips to India and Dominican Republic.
    Pulled up to the ship, and my new friend and I were too giddy for words, both in awe that we were actually here.  Most experiences in the first couple of days were similar.  "I am actually on the Africa Mercy!?"  Inside, welcome paperwork had to be completed.  We stuck out like sore thumbs: the two of us as dissheveled as could be, jaws down to our knees, wonder and excitement streaming beaming from our eyes.   Newbies.
    Next day was a tour of the ship.  Once more "I can't believe I am on the Africa Mercy!"  Through the cafeteria, the mid-ship lounge with Starbucks (staffed at select times by Mercy Ship crew), past the computer stations and the International Lounge (large meeting room).  Past the academy and the library, laundry room, hair salon, bank, 'post office' ship shop, up to the deck and the pool.  So much to see.  It was like a large BC ferry.  So fun to walk up and down the halls and get dis-oriented.  I shall be sad when I no longer get lost.  A few of us (newbies and veterans,) took a landrover for a drive to a local eatery to have "Shwarmas." (Not spelled correctly.)  They consist of a pita wrapped around chicken, coleslaw, french fries and sauce.  The Guineans are ingenious!  Got my first taste of locals gathering around the fenced-in patio, staring and begging as we ate.  Our guide reminded us that you can't respond - if you give out anything, a swarm of other beggars will envelope you.  (Something we also found true in Munoz, Dom. Rep.)  ...But you  can discretely leave your leftovers at the fence and someone will take it.
   Started work on Monday.  Many experiences to tell, most of which will be featured on Troublesometeeth.blogspot.ca .
 
  The clinic consists of a big room, on the bottom floor of some compound.  9 dental chairs (which are glorified folding ironing boards), a lunchroom, a storage closet, an instrument room, a sterilizing room and a reception room.  The whole setup is portable - they brought it all into the building from the ship when they first arrived on this mission.  Long rectangle tables act as a counter for supplies, each 'unit' has one dental chair, an operator delivery tray on a tripod, and the coolest portable suction machine I have seen.  It looks like a vacuum and has two long hoses that extend the HVE tips to two separate ops.  The sludge travels through the hoses, separated in the machine, and the remaining liquid goes out another hose to who knows where?  I haven't figured out all of the details yet.  There are no portable free-standing dental lights, but instead each dentist and assistant has a pair of safety glasses with light attachment.  No need to remember to adjust the overhead light!

   One thing that I have gotten used to is the concept of "six-hand dentistry."  We work in a team of three: dentist, dental assistant and day worker (D.W.) (local resident who has been hired by mercy ships to work as part of the dental team to translate between patient and dentist.)  The D.W.'s have been trained on the job to help assist as well as translate.  Essentially, the table ('counter') is located on the other side of the dentist from where I stand, so the D.W. assists me by retrieving items from the table while I continue to assist the dentist.  We never know what teeth we will be extracting of filling, prior to the patient sitting down, so we have to run back and forth to the supply room quite a bit.  This is another reason that 6 handed dentistry works so well.

    Think I must stop now.  More to write, but it is getting late.

I'm a real live blogger!

So I didn't sleep last night, and then I took my malaria pill on an empty stomach.  Normally I do not heed these warnings found on prescription bottles.  Be warned, they are there for a reason.  Whatever is in those potent blue capsules will give your gut a real shock if you have not just eaten.  Recovered.  Whewww!
Time zones fly by.  It is actually 5:30? here in Montreal but my laptop reports that it is only 2:30 back in Victoria.  I must have got the right idea to skip last night's sleep, because after an hour nap on the plane, I feel rested, but tired enough that my sleeping patterns are already convinced that it is night.  I this trans-Atlantic plane sleep should be a breeze.  I have never travelled with a laptop before.  This is the good life!  Camped out on a comfy seat with a horrendously-overpriced salad (my stomach can handle it) and trusty lifeline to the world (no matter how slow it is).  Well, maybe I will post an update once I get to Brussels.
Until then.....

No adventure would be complete...

I can only ever remember packing for trips at the last minute.  Procrastination.  My boss has been asking me for weeks whether I had begun to pack.  I jokingly scoffed.  Of course not.  Why would I spread the packing stress out over multiple weeks, when I could cram it all into one day?  Add 4 cups of coffee, and you have the most entertaining real life version of Tetris - frantically fitting the odd-shaped pieces one by one efficiently into their places in the backpack before the next item descends.  It is the perfect recipe for creating a bit of pre-departure adrenaline.  This tradition helps set the tone for my travels.   It is 4:17 am, haven't slept yet, and my dad will be coming to 'wake' me in less than 15 minutes.  I love my sleep, but I think that I would rather not sleep until I get on the plane, rather than have a couple hours of sleep and feel like a wreck when I wake up.  Not sure what caused me to stay up for 21 hours (and counting).  It must be procrastination.  Still have a bit more to pack...

Here is a link to my supplementary blog "Troublesome teeth."  This will share dental stories that may not be suitable for the weak of stomach.  More to come.

troublesometeeth.blogspot.ca

Time is tick'n away

16 sleeps left.  6 work days left.  The weather is cooling down here in Victoria.  The late fall tradition of scraping the ice off the car windshield has begun.  I will soak in this crisp climate gladly, as soon I will be melting in Africa.  My contact info while on board the ship will be:


Alice Powell

Mercy Ships IOC

M/V Africa Mercy – Hospital Dept.

PO Box 2020, Lindale, TX

75771-2020, USA

23 sleeps to go...

Had rabies #3 today.  All vaccines done!  Shopped for non-scented soap (so I do not attract mosquitoes).

Will this blog stay afloat?

I feel soooo technologically challenged!  I just spent the better part of an hour trying to remember my blogger address, change the password, then I tried to log on, and it told me my password was wrong, so I had to try again and it was still wrong.  But I just reset it a moment ago!  Well, had to reset it again.  But then my account still told me that I had the wrong username or password.  Somehow I managed to log in and find my blog.  I don't understand why I don't understand technology!  I hope this blog lives to receive more entries...I may not be able to log back in...