I made it to Africa.  Yay!!  My trip went smoothly.  No delays on flights or trouble with customs.  I was very happy to meet up with the majority of the new crew during my layover in Belgium.  There were about 15 of us on the same flight and being in a big group made it a lot easier to get through Guinea customs.   There were many Mercy Ships staff waiting at the airport for us on the other side.  Once almost everyone got their things (at least one unfortunate person didn't get their luggage), we headed to the Mercy Ships Land Rovers and traveled in a convoy to the ship.  The route to the ship took us through the town.  It was night so I couldn't really see what it all looked like.  Once we made it to the ship it was like a beacon in the night.  The light were shining on its bright white sides, and it was surreal to think I had actually made it.  We had to do a little bit of paperwork and get our pictures taken for our badges, but we were able to head to our cabins by about 9pm.  I had been awake for about 24 hours and I was exhausted, so rest was my priority before unpacking.
  Today, Sunday, we had a tour of the ship.  It's very big, so likely that I will get lost a few times.  My cabin is just a short walk from the hospital ward.  It's literally like 15yards down the hall.  I can walk out of my cabin door, turn right, and a few steps later be in the ICU.  There are no patients yet.  The hospital has to be set up and screenings have to begin.  By next week it should be up and running.  The rest of the day I spent unpacking, organizing my room, sitting out on one of the outdoor decks, and napping.  As expected I have some jet-lag.  Hopefully in a few days I'll get adjusted to the new time.  This evening we had the first of several briefings on the people of Guinea.  It was very interesting and informative.  And now I am sitting in the cafe area of the ship with some of the new friends I've made.
  Tomorrow, will be more meetings and orientation material.  Basically the whole week will be orientation.  I will keep you updated as time goes on.  There's not much more to share at this point.
  A few extra bits of info: the ship does sway slightly.  It's very subtle, it's hard to tell if it's really moving or if my equilibrium is a little off.  The IV pumps and vents are different than the ones at MUSC, so that will be a challenge to figure them out.  They serve very good coffee in the cafeteria.  The port where we are docked  is amongst many ships large and small.  If I stand on the highest deck I can see most of the city.  So far I have met people from Germany, Australia, Scotland, The Netherlands, The UK, and New Zealand.
  Here are the only three photos I have taken so far.

Me and all my luggage before I headed to the airport.  I think I over-packed.

On the flight from Belgium, the airline magazine had an article about Mercy Ships and the work we were starting in Guinea

Where I'm sitting at the moment.  These are some of the new people I've met.  We all flew in together and we are all nurses.

Here's the Mercy Ships website if you are interested in getting more information about the organization.
www.mercyships.org

Hey Everyone,
  As many of you know or have heard I am going to Guinea, Africa.  I am set to depart in three and half days.  I will be flying from Detroit, Michigan to Washington DC, then Washington DC to Brussels, Belgium, and then finally from Brussels to Conakry, Guinea.  My journey will take about 24 hours.  Hopefully there will be no delays or lost luggage.  Once I arrive in Guinea I will be picked up by Mercy Ships personnel and taken to the ship.  In case you were wondering the ship won't be sailing while I'm there.  Once Mercy Ships has picked a location to serve, they remain there for about a year tied to the dock.  It takes a lot of time and hard work to get the hospital up and running after they've sailed, so it's most effective to remain stationary.
  No, I do not know anyone working on this ship.  In a few days I will be meeting hundreds of new people, many of who will become friends or at least familiar by the time my service ends on the ship in mid-December.  I'm really excited that the crew is comprised of volunteers from all over the world.  I can't wait to hear about what their lives and their jobs are like in their native country.
  As of now I am organizing, packing, and relaxing.  So far I'm not overwhelmed, things have been falling into place and I'm appreciative of that.  I will continue to update this blog as often as possible.

-Andrea