Fourth week in Gaborone!

I started work at the hospital 2 weeks ago, despite the
likelihood that I will not get paid for this time because they have not
completed the impossible amount of paperwork to officially make me an employee. In my spare time, I continue to hop
from office to office getting new stacks of paperwork which I fill out and take
to another office to find out that it is the wrong paperwork. This goes on and
on, with new ridiculous requests added each time I try to turn in a completed
form. It is actually quite hilarious. Often I am just given a first name
scribbled on a small post it note and told to go to such and such building to
find such and such person. No room number, no floor, no department for the
person are given. Sometimes the buildings are quite large with 10 floors! Its
like a combination of a scavenger hunt and survival of the fittest to complete
these tasks. Somehow I finally made some serious headway this week in
collecting all the papers I need for my visa/work permit application. Huge
success to get that turned in! Now I wait 2- 8 weeks to get it processed and
approved then start another series of forms/applications! It is an endless disorganized process that makes no sense – but
such is life in Africa!

Below is a picture of the Ministry of Health Complex – its HUGE!

I am starting to get settled in at the hospital and trying to make
friends with people in every department – which is the only way you can get
anything done for patients! It is hard work but I am pretty much always home by 4 or 5 which is really nice. Other than being
at the hospital during the weekdays – I’ve never had so much free time in my
life! I have slept more, read more and just plain relaxed more than I have
since high school.  It is very strange to
all of a sudden have so much free time…and trust me I am not complaining. Trying to soak
it up because I know when Garrett arrives and we get a car, our weekends will be
filled with activities and exploring! I can’t wait!

Below is a picture of Princess Marina Hospital from above. It is a series of long building connected together by walkways. I mainly work in the outpatient building and see inpatient consults in the wards which are divided up into pediatrics, female, male, surgical, oncology, gyn, new babies, and ortho.