another training course comes to an end...

as most of you know I have just spent 3 weeks in Germany, training for my new job with UNV in Rwanda. Throughout all this time I could not help but compare the course with my experience in Ecuador - the two could not have been any more different! What NP did not do enough was done too much here - I know all about the administration now; I have also been told that I cannot, under any circumstances, pack a gas cartridge in my luggage; I have been told who to call and what to say to ship my possessions to my country of destination; I have been informed about old age pensions and insurance policies, pre-departure allowances and health issues - funnily enough, we had an hour long presentation on malaria but when I went to see the nurse she had already half pushed me out the door without even mentioning it...
all in all it's been a strange but good experience - has felt like a waste of time most of the time; but I've enjoyed meeting all the people and hanging out with them (we've had some bloody good parties!) It's just a shame that tomorrow we will have to say our good byes again without knowing when we will see each other again - that's always the difficult part about these otherwise amazing experiences.