my first week

I arrived at my new home on Saturday, August 1, 2009. I started by cleaning each room, then started unpacking and arranging and organizing my stuff. I put up pictures of my family and friends, trying to make it like home. I have settled in well and I started going out to villages on outreach clinics with the hospital staff. I have been perfecting the art of cooking on a charcoal stove...I cook once and eat that food for a day. I have made friends with a few people. My house is the water source for my neighbors and so there are always people outside, coming and going. Last night I woke up to a terrible shaking. at first i thought it was someone trying to get in my house, but then I realized that it was an earthquake! I jumped out of bed and went to stand in the door frame. I had no idea what to expect...I was just hoping that my house did not fall down. Thankfully it stopped after about 10 seconds or so; and I'm glad to say that my house is fine. This caused the dogs to start hawling and I also heard women wailing....I wanted to wail but i was in too much shock! I heard later that it was a shock wave from an earthquake in the Indian ocean that registered around 7 in the rictor scale and that this happens about once a year...so I have a couple more to survive.