Hi, I am a girl who spends her weekends indoors.
This weekend however, turned out a little different.
I
volunteered for a Rotary/Rotaract local project. It was a medical camp!
My sister, who happens to be a member of Rotaract, called me up on
Thursday while i was huffing and puffing like a steam train on Thursday
Night while i made my way to my room at 7.00pm thereabouts. She wanted
some Public Health advice on... JIGGERS!
I was so
worried and frantic about the whole thing. I wasn't even sure i'd go.
Till Friday evening when i decided, "what the hell?! I WILL go and see
how it turns out."
Saturday morning was spent in
nervousness. I even forgot to have breakfast! We got to the camp before
or at 10.00am, not sure which is which. The weather was so windy and
sunny much later in the day... Anyway, i saw my sister looking all at
home and i was like, "oh wow, i wish i wasn't this nervous." A guy
walked up to me and asked me to lead the rest of the group into the
pharmacy. i did as asked, only to get there and see these Indian ladies
and gentlemen. One other thing i noticed was that they were all short...
well, except for one.
That morning, i worked at
arranging the bottles of medicine for the medical students. It was
tiring but fun. You could make your own legit skyscraper if you wanted.
Mine only had 3 floors. All of mine actually. We wee unpacking and
arranging the medicines on the tables of a high school laboratory.
When
that was done, there was nothing much to do. Till i was asked to help
pre-package pills in brown prescription envelopes. I worked till one
cuddly looking guy came over and he mentioned 'jiggers' and i was all
excited and ran out in search of them. Didn't find any, sadly.
We
went to lunch much later on, driven by an air conditioned van because
it was so dusty and windy and the driver did not want the van getting
dusty. The host was very nice. He went around helping us wash our hands
before the meal. Yes, he used a jug and poured the water above our
hands. I was so happy! He was practicing what the club had preached once
or twice... aye?
Lunch consisted chapati, beef,
chicken, rice and a soda to quench thirst. I ate my chicken with a
spoon. After that, i went back with the rest of the volunteers to do
something.
When i got back, one of my campus mates
asked me to join her at the window so that i could learn how to help
distribute medicine. We worked together, and she taught me how to
substitute some drugs for others when they were unavailable, or when the
person had a health condition that did not allow them to take the
prescribed drug. Or the substitute.
After a hard day's
work, we closed the windows and left for a parade. We were with the
members of the Rotary Club- Utumishi -from Nairobi. The President taught
us how to pray while holding hands in the 'hard-soft-hard' manner. I
found it really funny, the hard being the guys' rough and calloused
hands, while the soft hands were women's.
We eventually got into the bus and left.
By
the way, the camp was being sponsored by Moi Teaching and Referral
Hospital, St. Luke's Orthopaedic Hospital and Nairobi Utumishi Rotary
Club.
*&*&*&*&
Sunday
started off pretty weirdly, i must say. While i was fetching water from
the bathroom on the first floor, i saw this guy leave a girl's room at
half past six. Eh.
Then i ended up showering in a bathroom that someone had a long call in. That, my friend, was just GROSS!
Anyway,
i had a lovely time. I waited a bit longer for the bus. My sister
couldn't make it, but i did, and i helped set up the pharmacy for the
last day of camp.
We got to Illula at around 10.00am
thereabouts, and we already had our work cut out for us. The group i
came with was somewhat new, and they had to divide themselves amongst
the different stations. Eventually, i ended up with a lot of muslim
guys... (I think they were trying to protect me, eheheheh!) and the
patients started queuing up. While i was working beside the guys, I met
this pharmacist whose name i forgot to ask. he had dimples, and he was
so sweet and soft-spoken. i felt like he was sent there to make me
smile.
He pointed out some mistakes i made while
labeling the envelops, and i just laughed awkwardly. I know, i know, I
am a sociophobe.
Anyway, i decided to start packaging
while dispensing to help the 'pharmacists' and the pharmacist. It became
like a sort of dance. One second you're near the window, the next you
are dancing across the floor to pick up a drug... or two... or three.
The turn out was pretty big. The word had gotten out about free medicine.
I
also apologized to this other guy i met yesterday. He knew me and i
made him introduce himself and he was like, "we went to school
together," and i was like, "i really can't remember you..." Yeah, i have
an awful memory.
I told him that i was kind of shy,
but i knew he looked familiar when i saw him. He was like, "why didn't
you tell me?" and i was like, "I am not really good at being social."
Anyway,
things went well. I helped count the prescriptions... the cute
pharmacist helped me, and i am eternally grateful for that. Anyway, we
closed up shop because the medicines were over, plus the Utumishi Club
had to be back home before tomorrow. We helped pack and the Scouts
helped to clean up.
Once again, i ended up being used
almost like a leader by the Rotaract members to make my campus mates go
in for some refreshments. I conveyed the message. It was just around
2.00pm by then.
After refreshments, i had a slight
delay and ended up in the seats towards the back.. all alone. Luckily
for me, my music was there.
I already miss working at
the camp. :-( The guys from the Rotary Club and the Rotaract Club were
very thankful to me for the help i gave while at the camp. I bowed but
they didn't find it funny. I felt weird. Almost everyone does. Actually,
it was a curtsy.
Their sense of humor is not mine. Hmmph!
To tell you the truth, i feel like growing up sometimes makes people not see the childlike part of everything.
I never wanna grow up! :'(
I have to go. Bye!
