2nd and 3rd of November farewell and arrival
Day 11 and 12 farewell and arrival
The meeting with Christopher, the administrator of the Holy Family Hospital in Techiman, was delayed from yesterday afternoon to 7 pm. Chris let us know that he would like to invite us for dinner at the Encoming Hotel. As we arrived at the hotel three minutes before 7, we told the waiter that we are having a meeting with Chris, the Administrator of… more we did not need to tell. He understood at once, turned around and asked us to follow. Outside of the hotel it was quite dark (As the sun sets at about 6). Many people in suits were sitting on a long table. My eys began to search for Chris in order to ask where to sit. The waiter started to fetch more chairs as the man on the head stood up. With his open and welcoming smile Chris pointed at the terasse where we should wait until he would have finished his current meeting. Apologizing for his delay he came to our table and invited us to make an order until he would be able to join us. As the waiter came we ordered some softdrinks. He brought us those, disappeared immediately and left us wondering if we should call for getting a menue or just keep waiting. Finaly as Chris arrived we understood that we actually should have ordered our food directly with the drinks – we still have a lot to learn about the customs here. The rest of the evening was a quite relaxed chatting.
This morning was the morning of saying good bye. After we had the official final meeting with Christopher to sign the Memorandum of Understanding and clarify all remaining aspects of our cooperation, we handed over our present for the administration. Before we took the official photos Christopher also gave each of us a present from the hospital. It was a tailor-made shirt for Timo and me as well as a dress for Annika. In the final feedback session with the biomedical (maintenance) department everybody was also very optimistic about our cooperation.
After ten days in Techiman we left the Holy Family Hospital not without a bit of melancholy. Thanks to the people we are cooperating with we had a good and productive stay there. On the journey to Agroyesum we began to realise that our next stay in the St. Martins Hopital will be different (maybe not better or worse, but different). As Agroyesum is located in the middle of the rain forest. The scenery is wonderful and the climate feels like in a tropical green house. The people here also welcomed us very warmly. Now I am looking forward to see the situation in this hospital and to work with the people here at the St. Martins Hospital in Agroyesum.
