JJC no more...

I spent extra time rounding this morning.  Again, moreso just making social visits with everyone-you guys know the one patient that I'm concerned about.  It was my last time rounding with this particular shift of nurses-none of them will be working tomorrow morning so we had to do our farewells.  We all spent more time with our patients trying to draw out our time together.  None of us wanted to say goodbyes.  These nurses here have really taken me in and been so receptive-they all have been very helpful and gracious.  They work very hard and have made my time here extrememly memorable.  They will truly be missed.  They even gave me some traditional African shirts!!  They are so nice!  It was such a nice surprise!  Now I really have some 'home threads!'

Overlooking Waterside market.

After I left the hospital I made my way intown for the last time to pickup some things and walk around.  It's cool going around now and having people know who I am.  I'm no longer JJC ("Johnny Just Come")-that's what the vendors and people call a foreigner who just arrived and doesn't know anything!  You don't want to be labelled 'JJC' when you're at the market!!  I've gotten so many comments that my Liberienglish is markedly improved-I'm a lil' Liberian boy nah! Ehh-heh!!! LOL.  As I made my way through all the hustle and bustle amidst all the yelling and bartering, all the swerving and honking, all the bumping and shuffling, I felt this paradoxical peace...I am mastering the ability to find that peace even when everything around me is so whimsical.  One of the many things that I have gleaned from this experience...more on that later.

Once I made my way back to Sinkor (where the hospital is located) I went to get another haircut and then you know I had to throw on my new shirt!  Monie invited me to his home for my last dinner-Liberian collard greens and pineapple juice!  I met a couple this evening who had just moved to Liberia 2 days ago-an Ob-Gyn physician and his wife.  They were asking me about my experience and we shared our thoughts on medicine in the states and here in Liberia.  I tried to impart some good advice for him as he has never done any international healthcare work-I didn't want him to have any unrealisitic expectations.  He was asking me how many arthroscopic surgeries I'd done here and about my advanced radiological imaging....JJC fo'real!!  He has a lot to learn.  They seemed to be rather receptive-I hope that he has an enlightening experience and is able to serve the people here well.  I'm sure Liberia will be grateful for his service.

 

2 of my gracious hosts-Lydia and Joyce



I didn't stay long at the house because I had so many people to see and say goodbye to-you know how it is.  The driver took me over to see 2 more friends I had met during my time here to say a quick farewell and then I went to Rosie's birthday party-the woman who owns the restaurant with the good brunch-you all should know her by now!  It turned out to be quite the celebration.  It was at this newly opened Japanese restaurant (yeah, go figure...).  The ambiance was really nice too!  Everyone knows Rosie so it turned out that any and everyone that I wanted to say goodbye to was at that party!  Told you L.I.B. is too small.  It was a beautiful time.  A bitter sweet time actually.  I was walking around with my African attire and majority of the people knew who I was and began thanking me for my service to Liberia.  It was a good feeling; like a culmination of all the hospitality and graciousness that everyone has shown since I've been here.  True African spirit.

Because I knew so many people there and had a good time talking to each one of them-it also made it hard when the time came to say my final farewell.  One of the people who I worked with started crying as I left-that wasn't an easy one to deal with...



It is more than obvious that the people and I have grown together throughout this experience.  We've learned together. We've died together.  We've lived together.  We've been enriched together.  I won't get too emotional now...

I'm gonna go pack and wind down now so I can get up early and make my final walk to the hospital...I have a few more special people to say goodbye to...one has my namesake at her side...

One more to go...



JJC no more...

"Peace.  It does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble, or hard work.  It means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart."

-Unknown