Transportation

Getting around over here is a little different than I'm used to. My main form of transportation is my own two feet... which I don't mind at all during the day except when it's raining and the dirt roads become full of mud puddles. Or when it's really hot and the flies constantly buzz around my head. But at night it is a different story. Ghana has these poisonous snakes called copper vipers that bite you and screw up your blood clotting mechanism. We have to admit every patient with a snake bite and although we do have anti-venom, I've seen people die from it. I'm not too fond of snakes to begin with, but seeing every day what they can do to you makes it even worse. There are no street lights in the hospital compound so walking home in the dark is quite an experience. I don't even care about the bats that are flying above me because my flashlight and eyes are fixed on the road ahead of me. I've discovered a better alternative though – my roommate, Angela, has a bike and while she's out of town she said I could use it. It's a great alternative to walking – faster, no flies flying around your head, and no snakes at your feet. But having not ridden a bike in probably 10 years added to the fact that I'm always wearing a skirt and have to make sure it doesn't fly up or get stuck in the wheel, it's quite the adventure! And at night it's even funnier because I have to hold my flashlight in one hand so I can see where I'm going! One night I almost collided with another biker (who was riding in complete darkness!) and had to swerve and almost ran into the ditch... yes, adventures like this only happen to me! This week I've added the truck to my transportation. There's this old truck here that they let the volunteers use – stick shift, no interior lighting, windshield wipers don't work – the kind of vehicle I would never think about driving if I wasn't in Africa. Well, this week I drove it and was happy to know that I still remember how to drive a standard. And Ricky & Dad, you should be so proud of me – this is way worse than Dad's old work truck! But when it's dark and raining, it's the best option! :)