Test Day Jitters

Fatima was less nervous the second time. She wasn’t thrilled that she had to do an oral exam after every four lessons on the home health course. But that was a requirement to complete the course and get the book Where There is No Doctor, in her own language—not Russian! She really wanted that book, just like everyone on the course.

So, for the first exam, she studied her notes, right up to the last minute. She was pleased to find that the health trainers, from CDI in Jalal-abad, were not strict, that the test was really more of a conversation about the material than a contest to see if participants performed well.

So Fatima was relaxed for her second test. She peacefully discussed such matters as the need for dental floss and how tolerance develops with alcohol use. While Fatima already knew some of the subject matter, other areas became more clear to her, like the reasons for finishing a whole course of antibiotics, to prevent super-bugs. And the relational lessons, like dealing with gossip and helping friends with depression, were easy to talk about with the trainers.

Now Fatima is looking forward to the closing celebration in late April when she’ll have her precious book in hand!