Stuck in Tamba

written Saturday, 5 January 2008

 

I went up to Tamba on Christmas Eve, planning to spend just two or three days in town for the Christmas holidays, since there wouldn't be any celebration happening in my village.  (Not that there was anything happening in Tamba either, since most volunteers were elsewhere, but at least I could have internet and good phone reception).  I really didn't want to be out of my village long, since I feel like I haven't spent enough time in my village lately and that is what I came to Africa to do.  But while I was in Tamba I was hoping to meet with the woman at the health department in charge of training midwives, in order to talk to her about training a girl from my village to be a midwife. 

 

I was hoping that since Christmas isn't a big holiday here that she would be able to meet with me right after, on the 26th, and then I could go home to my village.  But when I called the health department they told me she was out of town til the 31st, so I should wait until then.  So I waited in Tamba.

 

On the 31st I called again to set up an appointment, which I was finally able to get, but not until January 3rd.  So I waited some more.

 

Finally on the 3rd I went to my appointment, only to meet there the girl from my village who we were trying to get the midwife training for.  She'd already gotten permission and started the training a month ago, and just never bothered to tell me or anyone else from my village.  (She'd been visiting her parents, who live in Tamba, for a while, so that was how we didn't know).

 

So I felt a little ridiculous and superfluous, having wasted so much time in Tamba for nothing.  But I am trying to tell myself to be happy that this girl was motivated enough to take care of things herself, and also that we are about a month ahead of where I thought things stood.

 

In any case, I was finally able to come back to my village yesterday, and it is good to be back.