News from Freetown

Hi everyone,
Sorry it has been a while again. For a while there was not much news to tell. Everything going smoothly.
There has not been much going on at work. Surgeries stopped for a while because the operating room was being used by indian doctors from rotary providing free specialist services. I have been busily updating the patient registry and putting it onto the computer. I am up to October 2002, having put in a whole day so far - yikes.
I have become involved in an anti-FGM taskforce, where I represent the West Africa Fistula Foundation. Whilst FGM is not a direct cause of fistula, it has been found that the more severe forms of FGM (type 3 and 4) can cause obstructed labour and hence also fistula. However, personally I am also very passionate about FGM being stopped. About 2 weeks ago, the goverment of Sierra Leone passed a bill on Child Rights and ommitted the circumcision clause, so now it is being taken as state-sanctioned. In one area, the paramount chief actually issued a statement that the government has no problem with it, so carry on and ordered all the anti-FGM activists and NGO's out of the area! On Wednesday, we are going as a delegation (incl. Amnesty International, Unicef among others) to see him in one of the districts to offer him some agricultural projects in exchange for better cooperation with NGO's working in the area on FGM. It is a pilot project, but certainly appealing to his greedy side will be more effective than to his sense of human rights! It has been great getting involved in this dynamic little group and it is exciting to see how active and passionate they are. They have really reinforced my sense of wanting to change things, no matter how small the start is.
I have a had a fairly rough month in terms of Sierra Leone rearing it's ugly head. Living in Tommy's beautiful compound, in my beautiful little flat with my lovely boyfriend, I forget sometimes that I am in the third world. You get so used to the street scenes and the daily hiccups, you forget and you get slack with your own safety. There have been two incidents recently that really jolted me back into reality, that life to some of the people here is disposable, that white people represent money and that I am not as safe as I like to think. This weekend, a friend of mine from Australia was assaulted and mugged in a taxi outside the bar we go to. She is fine now, but has a very bruised face and is a bit shaken. Needless to say, we are all rethinking our habits and ways of getting around, especially at night.
In my defence, I have to say, I am very careful about these things and spend most of my time with Danny, so no need to worry!
Elections are now less than two months away. Did I mention they moved it to my BIRTHDAY?!?!? The 11th of August!!!! So I will be having a private party locked in the compound! Oh well, how many people can say that!?!
Had a lovely day meeting Skye properly a few weeks back. We spent a day at the beach for her birthday. We totally hit it off and I suspect the love was mutual, seeing as she saw me two weeks later and came running up to me and jumped into my arms. How GREAT is that!?
Must be off. I have taken up swimming in the local country club. Who woulda thought I would end up a country club member??!! Yikes.
I will try to update more regularly!
Lil xoxox