Sunday is the new Monday

One thing that will probably take a little bit to get used to - if I end up being posted to the northern part of Sudan - is the fact that the weekend consists of Friday and Saturday. But since I don't know where I'll be posted yet, even though I have a few wishes, I've decided not to worry about it yet. As for why I don't know where I'll be posted yet - why, that is partly because one need to pass the driving test and the English Language Proficiency test first. The former I'll take this coming Wednesday. The latter I had today...

Yes, I do realize that such tests has to be geared towards the lowest possible denominator. Yes, I do realize that Norwegians and other Scandinavians have a better education in English than most since our native languages are spoken by a mere handful of people around the world. And yet I can't shake the feeling that a 8th grader from Norway would been able to pass the test with flying colours.

The test itself was in four parts:

• Insert the missing word in sentences, mostly different tenses of verbs
• Demonstrate that you understand a written test, by means of a number of questions
• Demonstrate that you can give directions from point A to point B as given on a simple map
• Write a short essay about your home nation - highlighting geographical, political and cultural issues - of fifteen lines or more.

The maximum time one can spend on the test is one hour - I finished early (as I always did on tests while I was in school) and filled the sheet on the last question. Results are posted tomorrow, and I need 70% or more to pass.

Also today we got issued the last of our gear; field bed, mosquito dome, sat phone, field rations, mosquito oil and fly paper. I'll do a "functional check" of the sat phone later today, after we have pizza here on the Norwegian House.