For the Love of Contract Break

For four full weeks I:

Did not have any bug bites or insane itching.

Had no life changing decisions to make. 

Held no responsibilities for any life other than my own.
Did not fear snakes.
Heard silence.

Could expose my knees.
Wore nice things.
Felt like a woman.

Drove 80mph (120+kpm).

Went out at night. 

Went out. 

Could eat anything I wanted whenever I wanted it. 

Had access to Nomad Ventures and Home Depot.

Did not have to put on deodorant before going to bed.

Used my ATM card with no international fees.

Went to bed after 10pm.

Laid in sunshine that did not feel like it was out to kill me.

Spoke only English.

Had no curfew. 

Had friends.

Went on dates.

Spent time with my family, in person.
Got frequent hugs.

Ran errands on a whim.

Streamed The Daily Show.

Did nothing when I could do anything. 

(List is not exhaustive and is in order of how frequently these things come to mind.)

If a Child Falls in a Forest

His little abdomen shakes as it struggles to fill itself and trembles as it releases, his head is resting in my hands as I pray life over him – it’s all I know to do.  Moments ago this kid was not breathing, just before that he was climbing a tree for fruit. 


No one saw him fall - they only heard him hit the ground. 


A man in a shiny brown button down shirt pumped his little legs into his diaphragm, forcing air in and out until his lungs quivered again and began to take shallow breaths. He was still very much unconscious as we called for Ellen, our nurse and health project manager and Dona, a Congolese nurse. People began to move the child’s little body quite harshly, which made me afraid for any spinal injuries, but, then again, I was about to put him in the arms of our HR assistant, Georgine, and drive them over Ango’s rough roads in the Land Cruiser to the hospital. For a bit, the boy tried to cry and began to put his hands to his head, which was encouraging. 
Once he seemed his body was able to keep him alive we called to the crowd to find his parents and meet us at the hospital. We arrived and the doctor (one of 3 within nearly 100 miles) was able to see him right away. His aunt arrived and told us that little Floribert was 10 years old, though I had guessed from his size that he was no more than 8. He opened his eyes and began to look around remaining remarkably calm. 
Aside from pain in his abdomen, he seemed to be recovering quickly and well. With nothing more we could offer, we left praying he has no internal bleeding and that the intense swelling over his eye and the side of his head is mostly cosmetic. 
You never know what a day will bring. One minute you are begrudgingly reviewing financial documents, the next you are an ambulance driver. 

Several days later I asked after him. He seems to be fine, just sore. His parents are upset that Medair is not paying for his medical costs because they do not have money. 
These things weigh on my heart and on my mind. 
If we did not help, he would have died. Of course I was not going to let someone walk him to the hospital when we had a car there and available, but in reality, we were not obligated to take him. I know that people do not have money here, but we cannot help everyone in every way needed. We can do what we can and at that, do the best we can possibly do. Anymore is impossible and that’s where God comes in when He deems it, I guess.

Natural Health

Lizzie: I don't take vitamins. I do eat a lot of pineapple, though.
Me: My lips itch. Is it just me? Are anyone else's lips itching real bad?
Lizzie: Now that you mention it, my eyebrow is itchy.


Lizzie (coworker and friend) and I discuss health habits and issues in the field. 

Dental Hygenius

So, ever since I had a high school soccer coach who barely spoke English, my dad has been calling me Coni.

I have many random video clips of my life in the DRC and I was thinking of making a short film of them.

This morning while brushing my teeth, I had a stroke of genius: it shall be called "Coni 2012".

Un Relief

"Maintenant, les gens peuvent manger dans la base!",
                                      my logistics assistant declared as he held up 12 rolls of toilet paper miraculously found in the market when we were dangerously close to finishing our stock in the nearly full base...

Yodel-eh-hee-who

I do not like goats. I have never gotten gooie over baby animals.

But there are two one day old baby goats outside my office window right now and I want them. Love.

OK, so it looks like one very long baby goat hiding behind a rock... but this was as close as I could get before the new mama started threatening me and the last thing I need is to start my day off getting headbutted in the chins.

Un Bon Anniversaire

How is it even possible that a year ago today my Medair contract started?
This time last year I was signing my life away in a Swiss office.

My greatest fears were the LRA, the elections and a lack of internet.
One year on, my biggest fears are snakes, red ant attacks and an unhealthy addiction to facebook.
I thought I would learn to navigate attacks and survive in the jungle.
One year on, I have learned to manage people better... and I have a lot more to learn.
My Rainbows were left at home in favor of Chacos and minimalism.
One year on it is clear that life out here is  better with some indulgences and I am OK with that.

Among all the inconsistencies there has been one expectation that has stood tall and strong despite everything reality has bombarded it with:

This was the right decision, I am exactly where I should be doing exactly what I should be.

What an incredible privilege to live and love such a life.