2010!

It’s December 15th. The year is coming to an end. Yesterday was my last day with practical studies at a hospital for mentally ill persons. Which means that I have started my Christmas-holdidays:) 5/6 of my education is done!  Can’t believe it..and I don’t think the last semester will go any slower.

But, this blog is about the past year, 2010.

It’s been a very interresting year indeed! I had my first practical period in a hospital, in a ward for patients with pulmonary diseases and general infections. I learned a lot and it was really interresting and exciting! I’m actually going back there three days this week to work. While I was there I started to think of my friends in Chicago, and thought it would be nice to see them again soon. So why not go there for Easter-holidays? I did, and also visited relatives, Auni and her family and Derek and his family! Always good to see all of you! And it was so nice to be back at Jesus People in Chicago:)

Relatives;
Derek with Evelyn on his arm, Regan with Justus,
Katie, me, Chloe, Bruce, Cale and Auni

Friends and Jesus People, new and old

This second year at school ended with some ok weeks, not to hectic. Second year was finished! Wow, one more to go. This was in the start of June. Another highlight in June was my sister Maria and Ole’s wedding:D

All since I read a report on FOCUS Uganda’s mission in 2009, I had decided to go there and be a part of the 2010-mission. After some small problems in Nairobi, and a night at a hotel there, it was so good to be back!!! To sit in Sam and Alice’s livingroom, walk on dusty roads to Watoto Church to attend 12-o’clock service was really wonderful! I enjoyed everything I saw along the road, and was thinking; “home”. The mission was wonderful, and I got new friends from Uganda and the US. I hope you have read the blogs about it and about the medical outreach in the Katanga slum. Can’t describe it with words.

Coming back to Oslo me and Kay moved all our things to my new small room and cleaned the apartment before going home. This was the last summer to not be a  real nurse! So probably the last one to work in the home based care at home:) It was ok, but I like the wards better, or health-work in Africa. But a summer at home also mean time with family and friends. And not least, this summer Janelia and Kristian got married. Eirik and Coralanne also got married, in the US, but they had a celebration at Valderøya too <3

Eirik and Coralanne

 
Dag and Marit, ready for a game, Ticket to Ride

August started with a trip to Frankfurt together with Karl-Erik to be at the U2-concert! WOW! That’s all I can say:D The following weekend I went to Stavanger together with some Hald-friends to attend Prince William and Vibeke’s wedding:) Then it was kick-off at school, this fall we had lectures mostly on mental sufferings. It was also time to start work again at the hospital where I hadn’t worked for the whole summer. Every third weekend, and sometimes some extra.

The first weekend in September I went back home to attend my friends’, Yvonne and Olav’s wedding! It was really fun, so many friends was gathered! Back in Oslo, the after-school club for kids was starting again after the break. Now I was going to be one of the four in the leadership-team. I was very excited, but to be an example, not just for the kids, but now also for the other leaders, was a challenge for me! But I think I’ve growned on it and it’s been exciting to be outside my comfort-zone. But I had a break from this while I was back in Africa again. This time for practical studies in health development and prevention in Malawi together with Marielle, Åse, Liliane and Tiril! We started with one week of holidays, with a safari in Zambia. The weeks in Malawi was very interresting, mostly to see how organized it was, though in an African way, and how good the follow-up on the children was.

Yvonne and Olav

A baby gets a vaccine at MCH

Brandina, one of the children at Ministry of Hope

Coming home from Malawi I had a week before I started my practical studies in mental health, so I went home for a few days:) Two weekends after I was back at the airport. Kay, who I shared flat with the two first years in Oslo, moved to Førde this fall, so I suggested that me and Stine, a good friend of ours, should try to find a weekend when we could visit Kay together. And we actual managed! So early november we went there and had a nice, relaxing weekend. After that, seven quite intensive weeks at the mental hospital awaited me.

At home, celebrating Jakob’s birthday, 5 years!

Me, Stine and Kay, a trip in the forest

To live alone this fall has been quite boring. Especially since I haven’t had any TV until recently. Then it helps to have friends to hang out with!!

Marte, me, Astrid and Aina:)

The next five days I will work three shifts at the ward for patients with pulmonary diseases and general infections and two shifts where I usually work, ward for patients with gastrointestinal infections. Then I will go home, to enjoy time with family and friends, relax, eat good food and simply have a good time!

As you can read, I’ve done a lot of traveling, mostly by plane. I’ve actually been on 36 take-off’s (and landings), been to three new contries (Germany, Malawi and Zambia), and eight in total this year! (counting contries where I’ve been outside the airport) And I have to say, I love it:)

2010 has been a very nice, interresting and challenging year, with a lot of Blessings! 

If I should point out one highlight in 2010, it has to be the medical outreach in Katanga!

 

Want to wish you a Merry Christmas!!!