We were scheduled to have a fresh food drop last week, but due to new year’s day being a public holiday no fresh food was delivered. This has meant there has been a distinct lack of fresh veggies around for almost a week, as well as a complete absence of fresh milk – resulting in breakfasts consisting of black tea and toast made from the crappy bread available from the mini-mart.
It’s not as bad as it sounds obviously – we have access to and may order as much frozen veg as we like. But the milk situation is less than ideal – particularly for those of us who are accustomed to having our morning coffee and cereal. I have even started contemplating a switch to soy milk – a choice which my friend Ms Price back in Oz would surely applaud.
Luckily, the situation has now been rectified – the email proclaiming the food drop to take place at 5.30pm yesterday was sent out and so the husband and I attended the warehouse yesterday evening, together with the hoards of other desperate residents ready to forage for any fresh produce available. It was my most competitive food drop to date – the past two times we have had the luxury of many residents being away for the holidays. Now, with staff starting to return, coupled with the delay in providing fresh food, it was a case of snatchy hands and hips and elbows bumping others out of the way! Not exactly a relaxing way to do your food shopping!
It has been interesting start to the new year, where on new year’s eve I was contemplating whether or not I wanted to accept a job that had been offered to me here. As these things often happen, it came about at a party, when I introduced myself to a lady I hadn’t met before. It ended with me partaking in an interview last week and subsequently asked whether I was still interested in the position. I had a few reservations – the job is 6 days per week working 7.00am-5.00pm and is offsite, so no opportunity for lunch with the husband as has been the routine – plus much less opportunity to hit the gym as much as I have been so far. My Spanish lessons and blog would also suffer! Further, it is a role which I have not had experience in before – nothing to do with legal practise but definitely a new skill set to be had.
However, when it came to the crunch, the decision became about whether I in fact wanted to go back to work at all. A job would keep me occupied and ensure that my rest time was more valuable (the financial benefits from accepting the position also make it difficult to refuse). Interestingly, however this was the first time where my choice would not be based on necessity – I am not obligated to work while I am here, which for me was a unique position to be in. Plus, I have become quite lazy – it has been very nice to get up early in the mornings and spend an hour and a half at the gym because I want to – and then spend the rest of the day working on my Spanish. The choice of whether to accept was entirely mine (and, I suppose, the husband’s!). Further complicating the decision was an advertisement for a position at a law firm in town – and upon enquiry it seemed quite clear that I could have had an opportunity of working there had I pursued it. This was a no-brainer in the end however, although the position was high-flying, requiring overseas travel, I would not have been able to leave the island every ten weeks whenever the husband takes his leave. Also, upon shaking myself, I recalled again one of the key reasons for coming here – to have a much-needed break from legal practise. Why would I go back to something I really did not enjoy before it was absolutely necessity!
So, in the end the decision has been made to give the position a crack. There are still some formalities to occur- further medical/drug and alcohol testing to take place this week – but it will definitely be a good thing to learn some new skills and tire myself out a bit with something other than work-outs!
Harmetan continues to plague the island and for the past few days visibility has been very poor. It is certainly not possible to see across the water to “Malabo city.” However, it did not impact the ability of the husband and the boys when playing golf on Sunday – first time on the course, and my first time hitting a golf ball (I did in fact make contact, so surely that is an achievement!). Golf also gave rise to another casualty by way of an unidentified bug/substance which somehow managed to burn the back of my leg when I sat on the bench at the fifth or sixth tee. A visit to the clinic has confirmed that it is not life-threatening although it does continue to burn! In any event it certainly trumped the ant bite I received on NYE which subsequently transformed into a pimple and is still yet to fully heal. I am confident that these will not be the last bug bites I receive while I am here!
*As I was trying (unsuccessfully) to upload photos into this post, I logged onto Facebook and received the news that the mother of one of my good friends has today passed away. Although I cannot physically be there for my friend, I just want to convey that when it comes down to it, notwithstanding that I am confined to an island, we are only just a phone call or Skype time away. To my friend, you are the strongest person I know – you truly are like no one. May your dear Ma Jackson rest in peace xxx.
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