One week down, four to go

Well I've completed five whole days here, but on the way home tonight I felt as though I'd done nothing! Sometimes it is so hard to grasp small victories when there is so much more to be done and it can be such a killer in a place like this, and so I went through the discipline of actually listing what I'd done... It turns out quite a lot:

1. A research proposal
2. A Quality audit (including implementing recommendations)
3. Helped two people gather literature and form an outline for their thesis
4. Four hours trying teaching someone how to write an essay
5. Had my 'quality-of-life' paper reviewed twice by my supervisor
6. Proof read another thesis for submission next week
7. Laid down the frame work for a paper on our maternal-child oral health study
8. Spent a good chunk of today entering 50 of 200 data sets

Ohhhh but so much more to do......

Two fuggers fugging

So... Bruce and I were having a romantic ride home, taking in the scenery and I wasn't sure of exactly where I was.... So I pull out my iphone and I'm quite happily watching my little blue dot progress down the street. Then all of a sudden this hand reaches over and tries to grab my phone!!! I was so shocked I couldn't get my words out quick enough so I called them fuggers! And then employed my best mountain biking skills to simultaneously keep hold of the phone with one hand and prise the guy off my phone with the other hand and at the same time keep pedalling! I don't know how I did it! Jeepers, what a fright! Lucky Bruce is a good sturdy type... I feel like we're really bonding...


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Reaching for the skies

Every time I come here I am overwhelmed by the genuine desire if the people I work with to help those less advantaged than themselves. One of my favourite is a wee Cambodian Dr named Sokhan, this is a girl who was so determined to go to high school that she got up at 4am each morning to get her chores done before she walked 2hr to school (each way), she then convinced her parents to give her portion of inheritance early to cover the first year of medical school. She was told that if she did not succeed never to return home!
So anyway... my friend Katherine and I took her out for dinner and cocktails (just 2). The unguarded truth was revealed in the back of the tuktuk on the way home, spralled out to her maximum extension (which meant just reaching the other side of the tuktuk with her toes) and gazing up at the stars she said 'ohhh when I get older and if I had so much money I could get a clinic in my home village, and many people would come and there would be no payment and I would be so happy!'
It was just so touching how this was her dream of dreams, her measure of success, and her source of joy! Truly humbling!

Dear Frank

Dear frank,
I know it's only been a few days but I miss you already. I have something I need to tell you: I've been seeing someone else. I know that this might come as a shock to you but I had no other solution, I just can't go 5 weeks without a ride. I know that you just want me to be happy and so you should know that Bruce and I are getting on just fine... I mean sure some might say that he is cheap and nasty, he's been around the block a few times, what can I say? I think I'm just using him for his wheels. I know you always want me to stay safe, so don't worry I'm using protection (Even though helmets are so annoying in this heat!). Well I hope you can forgive me and take me back with open panniers when I get home... I just thought it would be better if we base our relationship on honesty...
Love me ox