GABON ALSO CARES

For the past week the world has focused on Poland. Western world, you might want to correct me but you would be very wrong to think that. I was rather surprised at how many people cared about what had happened in Smolensk.

During the days following the crash, I received messages and phone calls of support from all my friends and acquaintances, both Gabonese and European, including the security men guarding my building. But that is just the personal level.

The crash has certainly not passed unnoticed by the media and authorities. The day after the accident, l'Union, the country's most important newspaper, printed not only an article relating what had happened, but also a condolence letter from the Gabonese president, Ali Bongo Ondimba (I couldn't help but notice the spelling mistakes... but I suppose good intentions matter). Moreover, the Delegation of the European Commission in Gabon has lowered its flag to half-mast, adding a Polish one next to it. There is also a book of condolence available at the Delegation, which everyone is free to sign. Due to all my illnesses I have not yet seen the book but there was rumour of Ali Bongo himself planning to come and sign it. And even though in the end he did not, there is now rumour of somebody planning to provide him with the book in the intimacy of the Presidential Palace. I also found out that in one of Libreville's churches a mass was celebrated for the crash victims (for several reasons I did not attend).

And all this in a small African country, where maybe ten Polish people permanently reside. I must say I am rather impressed.

Apart from the above, not much to report. Maybe just that my sinusitis has proved to be sinusitis + typhoid fever (yes, again), and this time my Widal & Felix results are 1/160, as opposed to 1/60 the first time I had it. This amounts to two antibiotics and an overwhelming fatigue. Mental note: never wait with the blood tests. Even if they are expensive.