2 months down - 7 more to go...

There are several things that have happened recently...making this last week the hardest week I've had here on the ship. To start all those that came in with me for 2 months have been leaving and so I find myself needed to make new friends. 

That doesn't sound like it would be hard when your living with 400+ people, but don't need to have 50-100 friends, all I want is a few really good friends. People that will be here throughout the field service with me, so I don't have to get to know someone and then say goodbye right away. Is that selfish of me?

The hardest part was that as people where preparing to leave and I realized that I am staying for a longer period of time I started thinking about leaving. Where would I go? Do I go home right away? Do I travel? Should I go home and then come back to travel? Which is the best option? How much are these options going to cost me? Which way is going to be the most cost effective because I don't have everything I want to travel with...

As I was thinking through all my options they started to overwhelm me and I couldn't stop thinking about them. It seemed as if I was going to go insane trying to figure this out. As all this was weighing on me, needless to say I'm pretty sure this last week I ended up overwhelmed and depressed. 

I was sleeping 12-13 hours a night, exhausted all the time, avoiding people, not hungry but eating because I knew I had to, and staying in my room when I wasn't working. Now, in case you don't know my room is dark, pitch black because there are no windows, the hospital is on the same floor meaning no windows there. Climbing 4 flights of stairs to get outside and into the sun sounded like to much effort. 

What ended up happening was a couple people I work with could tell that something was up, and they actually point-blank asked me, 'when was the last time you were outside?' I was honest, they didn't haul me outside, but really encouraged me to get out there.

Finally, Thursday afternoon I knew that I had to make some changes and so after I finally made it out of bed, I climbed the 4 flights of stairs to make it outside...then I even made it all the way to the top deck to sit by the pool. I was only out there for and hour, but it did feel good.

That evening after I ate an early dinner (slept through breakfast and lunch...) I went back outside to watch the sunset and read. With book and camera (in case the sunset was absolutely amazing) I climbed back up all 4 flights of stairs to make it outside.

While I was walking around on the top deck, I randomly started talking with someone who was sitting up there also watch the sunset. While we were talking she asked how I was adjusting to life here, and is it going well? As you heard, it obviously wasn't the most stellar week that I have had and so I was honest. She listened to what I had to say, and then said, it will get better and encouraged me. 

It was great, and then to top it off the sunset itself was pretty nice. I managed to take a couple of pictures. Somehow, I knew it was going to be okay and has been better since Thursday.

Yesterday, I was able to hang out with a newer arrival, (she's been here for a 2 weeks now) and it was fun. We also work on the same ward and next weekend we are on night shifts together...which means we have 4 nights to hang out in the ward and if everyone is sleeping then we get to chat. The best part is she is here for the rest of the field service.