Hospital appreciation day
Blijf op de hoogte en volg Clara
21 December 2014 | Tanzania, Shirati
It’s Saturday, so I was a little confused as to why my alarm clock went of at 5:45am. Today is hospital appreciation day, where we kill a bull, cook, clean and strengthen the team bonds by sifting through rice together.
I attended the intended slaughter with great enthusiasm and naivety. How can a bull be any different from killing a chicken, other then the size? Well, it turns out, killing a bull with a quick surgical slice through the neck doesn’t go as quick as anticipated. And hearing the low gasps and seeing those big eyes stare into nothingness makes you appreciate the stake on the plate even more. While the boys were skinning the bull, I was plucking the feathers of a good dozen hens and roosters. Everything is a lot of work, and not only because of the sheer number of people we need to feed today. Rice here is not the pure kind from the packaging, it’s straight from the land, lint and stones included. Sifting rice is a strangely calming experience, and after the traumatic slaughtering, a moment of peace and quiet was very welcome.
Three hours, 800 cloves of hand peeled garlic and litres of tomato pulp later it was time to put everything on the open fire and cook away. I tried washing the garlic smell of my hands and failed miserably, but still made an effort to look presentable and put on a dress for the big ceremony. Sadly the only available seats were behind the big papaya tree in the courtyard, so I didn’t see anything. Paediatric Wards was awarded the best ward of the hospital (how they got to that conclusion, I have no idea), and all the staff got free goodies from Tigo, the mobile banking company.
All graduates from the nursing school and recently retired staff were given two goats each. Those poor animals had to be dragged across the stage, for they were far more interested in the green grass along sides. But after all the formalities were done, dinner was served and boy was it lovely!
I attended the intended slaughter with great enthusiasm and naivety. How can a bull be any different from killing a chicken, other then the size? Well, it turns out, killing a bull with a quick surgical slice through the neck doesn’t go as quick as anticipated. And hearing the low gasps and seeing those big eyes stare into nothingness makes you appreciate the stake on the plate even more. While the boys were skinning the bull, I was plucking the feathers of a good dozen hens and roosters. Everything is a lot of work, and not only because of the sheer number of people we need to feed today. Rice here is not the pure kind from the packaging, it’s straight from the land, lint and stones included. Sifting rice is a strangely calming experience, and after the traumatic slaughtering, a moment of peace and quiet was very welcome.
Three hours, 800 cloves of hand peeled garlic and litres of tomato pulp later it was time to put everything on the open fire and cook away. I tried washing the garlic smell of my hands and failed miserably, but still made an effort to look presentable and put on a dress for the big ceremony. Sadly the only available seats were behind the big papaya tree in the courtyard, so I didn’t see anything. Paediatric Wards was awarded the best ward of the hospital (how they got to that conclusion, I have no idea), and all the staff got free goodies from Tigo, the mobile banking company.
All graduates from the nursing school and recently retired staff were given two goats each. Those poor animals had to be dragged across the stage, for they were far more interested in the green grass along sides. But after all the formalities were done, dinner was served and boy was it lovely!
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Je kunt nu ook Smileys gebruiken. Via de toolbar, toetsenbord of door eerst : te typen en dan een woord bijvoorbeeld :smiley
