Just a few things

I think I mentioned that my camera had fallen in the Indian Ocean but then worked for a while..well it now seems to be on life support.  No pictures til I can get it fixed.  I am somewhat in awe of myself, I have to say, I am washing my clothes in a plastic bucket and IRONING them when they have dried on my clothing  rack outside!  I even bought a big new iron!  Yes this is really me.  I put music in my ears via my ipod and I'm off.... Oh, I have to explain about this toilet paper situation.  They sell toilet paper here in the supermarket.  The issue is that they don't put it in the public toilets.  The toilets are either holes in the ground with a place to squat and then a tub of water and a pitcher to rinse yourself off or a western toilet with a bucket of water and a pitcher to rinse off.  Sometimes as in my own bathroom, there is a hose in the wall to use to rinse off.  I have taken to carrying toilet paper folded up in my bras.
 So, Ancy arrived, I was very excited.  The poor woman had been away for many weeks, had much to do and I felt more lonely than when there was no one here.  I had a good cry, felt awful for a few hours, laughed at myself, I must have been holding my breathe waiting for her to come.  Anyway, we are going to Ella tomorrow for the weekend.  Ella is supposed to be a beautiful little hill town people visit to hike and relax in.  Ancy is from southern India which she says is very different then northern India.  She is 36, lovely and a highly trained psychiatric social worker.  My experiences here are mimicking hers according to her.  I can see where the country mental health system  wants to go but there are no resources to get there.  Health care is free for all but there just is no money.  Wednesday I had a very nauseating (motion sickness) ride to Meedumpitiya Rehabilitation Center.  The Psychiatrist really wants us to work on getting the place truly functioning as a half way sort of house for chronic psychiatric patients.  The problem is that patients and their families don't want to be there, families are willing to take them home, patients are not required to do anything to stay there and mostly they have no resources, not a stick of wood to build a bookcase or a shelf..nada. They grow vegetables but half the time don't have enough water to keep the garden going. Right now there are presidential elections happening, lot's of campaigning, lots of promises so who knows.  Have I mentioned that I do not have a translator for work which is making communication fairly difficult.  What complicates matters more is that even those who speak some english can't understand my American accent.  I know it's just the beginning, and besides I need the time to investigate this entire new destination country.  As they say here, I shall go and come.  (never goodbye)