So I successfully completed my first week of clinicals in South Africa!! I spent this week at Gatesville Hospital which is a private muslim hospital. I was on the pediatric floor of course and each day I was on the same ward with the same 6 patients. Their ages ranged from 4 to 10 years old and for the most part they all spoke english. On the first day the sisters (nurses) were very welcoming to me and as soon as I asked what I could do to help they had me administering medication, charting, and managing IV pumps. It was really neat just to dive in and help out. The most confusing part about clinicals in South Africa is that none of the meds are the same. I have to ask and write down what every single medication is so I know what I'm giving the patients. I'm already starting to recognize the names from day to day so I think I'll catch on pretty quick!
I haven't had a chance to work with really young kids yet but I have to say I absolutely love working with the 4 to 10 year olds. There was an adorable 4 year old who barely spoke any English but did speak Xhosa (that language with impossible clicks) however we got past the language barrier and I took care of him and played with him with his stuffed bears that he had and just loved it! Then there was a boy next to him who was 10 and sort of translating for me as to what the little boy was saying. He was soo sweet and well behaved! I'm pretty sure that South African children are much more well-behaved that those in the US!
On Wednesday night we had a post-conference where we talk about our clinical week at our clinical professor's apartment where she made us homemade lasagna and pasta which was sooo nice of her!
On Thursday we had our first class at University of Cape Town, and me and a couple of the girls decided to try and take the "Jammie Shuttle" or public transportation for the university up to campus. Sounds easy right? Wrong. First of all it was down pouring out and the bus stop was around a 25 minute walk away. I had my rain jacket and umbrella but it literally did nothing. By the time we got to the bus stop all of our jeans were soaked. We caught the jammie just in time thankfully, and Jenn started chatting with the guy next to her who helped give her directions to where our classroom is. When we got off the bus and started walking up to where he had told her we realized that we were going totally in the wrong direction and this guy had tried to get us completely and utterly lost. Shows ya can't trust everyone you meet! However we figured it out and still made it to class on time! We had 8 hours of pediatric lecture and had to sit in our soaking jeans the entire time. Not a fun situation. As soon as we got out of class though the sun was shining and it turned into a much better day!
On Friday we only had 2 hours of lecture so our professor offered to come to our house to teach us rather than have all 15 of us make the 50 minute walk to campus or to take the shuttle. It was so laid back that we were all in sweatpants and pajamas sitting in the lounge, I loved it! Friday afternoon, I met up with some UCT students who Chioma had met last week and got to make some new friends! They were all really cool and we ended up going out with them Friday night and we are going to a 'braai' or BBQ later today at one of their houses! Now it's the weekend and I have some studying to do because we have an exam every week and I really don't want to get behind!
So sorry you had that experience with the guy on the bus but at least it was not any worse of a situation to learn that lesson...you can't trust people, at least not when you are in a foreign country, where you don't speak the language, and you are all attractive American girls, they might think you have $, etc. Remember the 'taken' movie is all I am going to say. lyb Kate, stay smart, stay safe.
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