Outbreak

Greetings from Daru, where three outbreaks are raging (if you don’t count poverty): typhoid, dry cough, and the flu. I caught the flu immediately (not sure what that says about my immune system) and spent yesterday throwing up while out shopping in the 40 degree heat. Definitely not my most pleasant trip to Daru. But I spent the rest of the day sleeping and I’m feeling better now.

I enjoyed my flights from Canberra to Daru. I was carrying Nick’s grey pelican briefcase with my recording equipment in it and I got a lot of curious looks. One woman took my picture then came up to me to say that she sent it to her son saying “this is what you could be doing if you finished your science degree!” I liked being perceived as a scientist! Even if it took a briefcase to prove it. 

I met some nice people while in Daru: a university professor in food science who’s here doing inspections and a man from Balimo who was visiting to settle a land dispute were both staying at Tobest as well. Many Limolians came to visit, unfortunately while I was sick. A man named Dimsen who is young Martha’s father and Elsie Kurupel’s husband obtained a brand new 40 horsepower engine from a recently deceased official of some sort. He came to ask for my help to get it to Limol as a gift for the community. I also spent an afternoon chatting with a young Kidarga who is very interested in Pahoturi River historical linguistics. He’s coming to the village and I will teach him how to compare the dialects. 

One of the kind drivers at Tobest drove me around town, helped me inquire for medicine at the hospital (they didn’t have any) and for mosquito nets at the South Fly health office (they didn’t have any either). But I now know a little more about the hospital and I met Alice who is a good woman to know.

Now I’m waiting for the MAF flight and I think I hear it coming in now!

Kate