What starts as surreal soon becomes reality. Still, looking out of the plane and seeing the seemingly endless deserts roll underneath, our altitude begins to lower. This means we are nearing our destination, the 4:3 low-res tablet in front of us (think the first Jurassic Park) telling us the exact miles (or kilometers) we’ve gone and to go. As we get closer and closer reality sinks in like the dives of the airplane, my stomach churning with each dip. We land at a small airport in Nouakchott, with slight confusion as to stay on the plane or get off (this was a scheduled stop to let off some passengers and refuel, it almost felt like a bus stop) we realized that we should stay on the plane. Another hour later and we’re off again, this time our final destination awaits.
We land as the sun is nearing the horizon: Conakry. Our first steps off the plane are ones of awe, as we recognize this is our first time stepping foot in Guinea, and my first time in Africa. Each step onward becomes only further realization of this fact. After a little bit of waiting we give our passports to someone near the security checkout. He takes them and walks away without saying anything. Kate and I look at each other and both hope he works for the airport. I guess we just have to hope we get them back before we leave for the ship! We were recognized as MercyShips volunteers and were sorted with another 13 or so fellow volunteers. After everyone picked up their luggage (no issues, thank goodness) we waited patiently for our passport (our guide informed us that they would soon be back in our grasps). A young Guinean man passed out our passports, laughing a little more each time as he tried to pronounce our names. I think he felt sweeping relief as he finished with my name, calling off “Steven?” and not attempting the “Blatnik” part of it. Our group was split into two large vans and we set off to our destination: The Africa Mercy. Kate and I think we had spotted it as our plane was landing, a big white ship docked and surrounded by a rock-wall in the ocean, closing in the dock. Flying over we went from city, to slums, to airport. As we embarked the sun was officially set. There were so many things to see and pay attention to. The drive in the city was sensory overload. Every street seemed to have a mysterious smoke rising from it, whether it be from a fire set in a can or the grates steaming out a thick vapor. It rose to a certain height and then became a part of the atmosphere overhead. Soccer was being played in grass-less fields, women balanced impossibly large items on their heads, and stray dogs walked alongside the cars. The most evidently followed rule of the road is that the bigger you are, the more right you have. We watched behind as countless smaller cars and bikes came within inches of hitting us before stopping or turning quickly. Every person making every opportunity of everyone else slowing or hesitating. Motorbikes rushed in between two lane traffic, swerving in and out like in the movies.
In no time at all we started going through large guarded gates, up ahead I spotted what looked like a big white building with blue lettering on the side: MercyShips. It became clear that it was no building but the ship itself. We got out of the vans and looked around excitedly at each other as we gathered our belongings. First rule of the ship is to wash your hands before getting on. A 3 sink washing station was located to the left of the gangplank, which we soon began to climb. We were greeted and sent to a room to finish filling out paperwork, then from there to get our crew badges set up.
With these badges you are identified as a MercyShips crew, sign in and out of the boat, and used like a debit card with funds you add onto the bank onboard. After that we were shown to our cabins. Kate and I decided to explore the ship on our own a little bit and familiarize ourselves with the layout, which is quite the challenge and definitely took a few times getting lost to get more familiar with it. Soon we were feeling the effects of a full day of travel setting in, so we went to our cabins.
My cabin is a 4-man cabin with two bunk beds and a small closet for each member. I quickly met two of my bunkmates, Peter, from Switzerland and John, an older gentleman from Australia. My other roommate Julien I met later on, as he has a later schedule.
Peter wasted no time to offer me a big bar of true Swiss chocolate (which Kate and I enjoyed the night after, delicious!). The next morning was orientation. They briefed us on safety, security, protocols, and a variety of other topics. Kate went off to get with the nurses and I went off with the Food Service Manager and another volunteer to check out the kitchen and dining room and learn the ins and outs. I checked my work schedule and realized that I do not start until Wednesday! For reference this was still Monday morning. We walked through the kitchen and the change was immediate to loud music, people singing along and getting ready for lunch, which was starting in about half an hour. I was nervous to get thrown into the mix of it all on Wednesday, but I’m here now so here goes nothing!
I found Kate later on and we went to have dinner, meeting up with two other people that were serving who were both also from Kate’s hometown Harrisonburg! We enjoyed our dinner with them and then went up to the bow (front) of the ship to enjoy the sunset before our tour later on. Most days there is a thick haze over the horizon, which we later discovered is called harmattan. Harmattan is a continuous dusty wind that blows from the Sahara and blocks out the sun the lower it gets. We caught most of the sunset but it vanished into the harmattan soon before its final setting on the horizon.
We toured shortly after and learned more about the ship. The Africa Mercy was originally a rail ferry called the “Dronning Ingrid” (meaning Queen Ingrid) which housed trains which would dock and unload the train onto tracks on land. It also served as the Queen of Denmark’s personal transport ship. The ship was converted to be the Africa Mercy in 2007 and a fully functional state of the art hospital.
It also contains a small Starbucks and Ship Shop where you can get all kinds of goodies and coffee!
After the tour Kate and I enjoyed some time to ourselves in the Midships lounge and played a couple games of Bananagrams. The last game was neck and neck with each person only having one tile left. I managed to find my mark and called out the winning “Bananas!” Which is significantly less annoying than the 30 times I yelled “peel” prior to that (if you know the game you know what I mean). Naturally Kate and I decided to use all of my words to make a story. Although “story” might be too strong a word here, but we made them work!
I went to sleep after that and awaited my next day, Tuesday, trying to find something to do while I wait for Kate to get off and before I start my first day tomorrow. So here I am writing about our arrival! I wanted to paint a mental image for everyone to follow along with our journey. Kate’s first day was today (Monday), hopefully she will write something soon that I can post on here!
It has been a few days since I last wrote here, mainly because I have started working and those days fill up very quickly! The night before my first shift was very restless. Not only did my body toss and turn, but my mind did as well. I was very nervous going into the galley (kitchen). During my orientation I had gone up to the galley and it had seemed so hectic and chaotic. Add on top of that having 3 bunk mates and an unfamiliar bed/environment. I awoke tired and put on my work clothes. Kate and I met briefly for a small breakfast and then I had a meeting of all the kitchen/facilities teams. What nobody seemed to know is if I was going to be on the hot side or the cold side (cold side does all the vegetables and whatnot, hot side cooks all the food). I got passed around a couple times from person to person until they decided I would start on the cold side.
It didn’t take long before I had a knife in my hand and a cutting board in front of me and finally I felt comfortable again. Sometimes all it takes is one familiar thing in a foreign place to feel at home. Soon I was chatting and laughing along with everybody. They are so friendly and carefree, always joking and laughing.
Now about the galley. The kitchen is big. Not just in size but in people (about 14 or so working at a time). The amount of food we prepare and serve requires a large crew, but a large crew also in turn makes for quick and efficient work. Everyone helps out where they are needed. My fellow workers often compliment each other and have very carefree spirits, but all good workers. And fast workers. The dishwashers here put my skills back home to shame. Before every break people will typically say “Good Job, Steven!” a few times if not more. But you have to picture it with a French Guinean Accent and it sounds even more rewarding.
Dinner we might serve as many as 800 people. That’s crew, day crew (MercyShips hires employees from each country they are currently docked in), and patients. Whatever is left over from dinner will usually get incorporated into lunch the next day. One thing that surprised me for some reason was the amount of care and picking through anything that looks even slightly brown or bad (in the vegetables, for example) to ensure that our product is high quality. On top of that we wash all of our produce in chlorine and rinse it in water to make sure nobody gets sick on the ship. That would be the last thing you would want on a hospital ship, after all.
Tomorrow we venture to Roume, a nearby Island, with the galley crew! I can see it from where I am currently sitting, on the bow on top of the ship (one of my favorite spots to go where I can see the ocean, ships unloading, the city, and distant islands all in one place). So far the experience on board has been overwhelmingly friendly, with people literally going out of their way to introduce themselves and show you around. All the while they maintain a great and joyful work ethic. Its really amazing that when this is not a day job, but volunteer-based, it seems like people are happier to work for free than those who get paid. Maybe its just the people and a good community, but its hard to say. There does not seem quite as much pressure, though. Everyone on the ship will smile as you pass by.
For this next section please play this song as you read it so you can share the experience!
I have left the ship twice so far, the upcoming island trip to be my third. The first time was with Kate and my bunkmate, Peter. We ventured to a nearby market which was walking distance to from the port. Nobody knew the language, which is French, by the way. The streets are seemingly in a constant state of busyness, with people trying to sell you something as you pass by. Similar to big cities in America, but it is just different here. There are no traffic signals that I can tell and no laws other than watching for the bigger vehicle. Crossing the street is always an adventure. The sidewalks are usually so full of people and small shacks/vendors that often you walk on the streets, with motorcycles racing past you. Plus there is always a fear of pickpockets and just being in a foreign land. We were told not to take too many pictures in town because people don't like it, which is why there is a sudden lack of them in this section.
Once we reached one of the smaller markets the whole dynamic change. It got noticeably dirtier and smelled worse as well. The first thing my eyes noticed, my nose to follow soon, was someone selling cooked fish. The fish was whole, blackened on the edges from being cooked, and crawling with flies. It was apparent that it had been sitting there all day, a small pile of fish bones sat beneath and produced a visible stench. Below that ordinary trash (papers, plastic, rotten food, etc.) mixed with dirty water paved the ground like a sidewalk. Peter was attempting to locate a pair of “Trainers” (aka “sneakers”) to buy. Peter is a fun Swiss guy with a British accent. He reminds me of the actor Edgar Wright, if that gives you an idea of his personality. Maybe its just his accent, but everything he says is funny. We spotted what appeared to be a sports shop of some kind, upon asking someone nearby if they sold them (the shop looked like it was closed, but people were outside) they motioned for us to follow him to where he knew trainers to be.. whether that were true or not, Peter respectfully declined (you always have to be cautious) and we gave up on the search for now. We were followed by someone who recognized us as being from MercyShips and followed us around for a few blocks until he decided to turn back around. Apparently it is really common for someone to follow you for a long time just to see if they could get any money or whatever other reason.
That was our first trip out. My second one was drastically different. I went out after my first shift of working with three other MercyShip workmates who invited me along. We went to a seaside restaurant after sunset. Two of them spoke French and were a lot more adventurous than me. It makes a massive difference going with people who know the area and the language, its really the best way to explore. From the trash filled day streets of the business district (where the port is) to the nightlife of the restaurant, a DJ named Tekno (the music playing if you clicked play earlier) pumping music, string lights flashing as they lined the trees, the ocean splashing the wall below us. I found I was able to relax and it felt like any other place in America, albeit with three people whose first language was not English and I, who only speaks English.
Nonetheless we laughed together and mostly understood one another, teaching each other words here and there. “How you say..” became a common expression. We got a taxi back to the dock and went to our cabins for the night.
Today I have off and some time to read and write. More importantly, however, is the fact that today is Waffle Day in the café. It reminds me of “Pretzel Day” in The Office. You can spread Nutella, peanut butter, sprinkles, chocolate flakes, powdered sugar, or, of course, maple syrup on them. If I were to buy a waffle and a latte it would be less than $2.00. It is now 17:00 (oh yes), Kate will be out soon and we’ll eat dinner together. Until next time!
P.S. Sorry this post was so long, I had been writing sections of it over the last few days and it just kept getting longer and longer!