Another year over, and another one begins!!

Well, another year over! I can’t believe I have already done over 6 months in Africa, which is also good as it also means I only have a few more months left in Nigeria. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not that I don’t like Nigeria, I just don’t enjoy the daily living circumstances….while it is relatively safe and everything, I can’t do anything or go anywhere without security (I know sort of a contradiction, but hard to explain), anything I want or ask for is a negotiation, but there are also the things I love about it here…the people, the diversity and the culture! But, I think it will be time to move on…and not wanting to jinx it, I think I will definitely be in a more hospitable and visitor friendly location in the next 3-6 months (I will keep you posted)!!

The last few weeks of the year have been a little nuts, with a lot of traveling within Africa and to Europe, and so I am very tired, and sick of planes! The worldwide economic crisis is hitting the UN, and especially WHO very hard. Donors will not be able to give as much because they need to bail out their own country, and therefore they have started to cut back. Things are not looking good for our polio program as donors are getting frustrated that we aren’t producing results (i.e., eradicating polio) and in fact polio is now worse than ever. So, we basically have one year to prove ourselves and if no results by mid 2009, most of the major funding will be pulled and will be used elsewhere to support projects that are achieving, like HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, Guinea Worm, Avian Flu, etc….so we have a big challenge ahead, and I am no pessimist, but after pumping in more than $4 billion dollars in the last 5 years, not sure if we will make the kind of headway that is required. Not sure it is possible to truly convince the Muslim population that vaccinations are good and beneficial to their communities, and not harmful, so it will be tough. But, the countries who continue to have outbreaks, Nigeria (with 98% of the world’s cases), Afghanistan, Pakistan and India, are really putting their resources together and seem to be agreeing that it is this year or never! So, it has been a really amazing learning experience, one which will help in any career I get into, I hope! But, I have got to travel quite a bit and see quite a lot…some good, some really painful. The last few weeks of December had me in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), Harare (Zimbabwe), Kinshasa and Djoule DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo – yes where the civil war continues – however I was nowhere near the fighting), Brazzaville (other Congo), and Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), and Rome (Italy)!!! Lots of year end meetings, trying to strategize and gather our thoughts – not sure why they plan meetings at the end of the year, as it is a well known fact in UN world that December basically clears out in UN offices, as everyone takes leave to celebrate Eid, Christmas, Quanza, Hannukah, etc and those that remain are so bitter or getting ready to go on leave that no one is capable of thinking straight (myself included)!

Harare, as has been heard in the news, is in really bad shape. While in most cases it is just another African city, when you really go around the city and into the suburbs, you really can see the deterioration of the country. President Mugabe is essentially sacrificing his people so that he can stay in power, when really he should be taken to the Hague (Human Rights) and charged with genocide-type killings of his people. Cholera is beyond epidemic proportions, HIV/Aids rates are soaring, anti-Mugabe protestors are being beaten, raped, burned and killed. While issues are being raised around the world about him, Mugabe refuses to allow help to come in, as there “is nothing wrong in Zimbabwe”. I can only imagine how beautiful the country once was, and now it is a shell of its former self and the people are completed defeated. From what I have seen and experienced in my travels in Africa so far, it is an amazing continent, with a lot of potential. The problem in that it lacks in proper education, employment opportunities, and leadership. Corruption is its biggest problems, as the largest and most powerful countries here, like Libya, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Kenya are essentially run by dictatorial, autocratic leaders, where it will take a major and bloody coup to see any change. Most of the world superpowers (US, China and Russia namely) essentially use Africa as its dumping ground…coming here only to get what it can take from it and then leave all the garbage behind. For example, the Chinese have the contracts to fix and build roads all over Africa, wherever you go, you see them dynamiting their way through, but the question is really why? The majority of Africans live in very rural communities and don’t have a need for cars, however “we” need to get to their resources, so “we” need to build the roads, destroying their farmland, forests, animals, etc. The money being paid to do such things does not benefit the people, but rather the leaders who put the money into their pockets and buy new Porshe’s, BMWs, etc! Overall, while I have seen a lot of things I never expected to see or hoped to see, it has been a really good experience, with lots of heartbreak. The continent is incredibly diverse. Going from west, to east, to central Africa, you can truly see just how different the cultures are, so it has also been wonderful.

So, enough of the bad news and doom and gloom of Africa. I am really looking forward to my safari holiday with my parents and my aunt and uncle at the end of February. We will be going to Kenya and Tanzania on a 2 week safari staying in really nice lodges and camps. I am sure we will relax at night with good food and more importantly, good drinks, as we always have a good time together, and doing it in Africa will be no different! Unlike Christmas where I had plans to travel, but work interfered forcing me to cancel my Christmas plans, I WILL NOT be cancelling this trip. I have been given the guarantee of both my local boss and my high up boss (he is somewhere in Geneva) that I will be able to go! Christmas was awesome! After quite some heavy negotiation I was able to get a few days off for Christmas, and so I ended up in Rome, Italy!!! I have some very good friends there that I never get to see, so off I went for about 3 days! It was worth it, as we had a blast and celebrated Christmas together…just the way I like it, good food, good drink and good friends! No running around buying gifts, wondering if the person really wanted or needed the item, wrapping them, and then cleaning up afterwards! It was also nice to be back in a city that I know so well, and could just walk around all day and night without any hassle from anyone! I had considered going home to Canada, but for the short amount of time I had, and being a little sick of flying, I opted for the 5 hour flight instead of the 20 hour flight! I got to immerse myself in wine, pizza, more wine, suppli, pasta and a bit more wine, while dancing it all off! Just how Christmas should be. I then flew back to Ethiopia as we were supposed to go to meetings in Geneva, but (luckily) they were canceled, so my consellation was having to go back to Harare, where I spent my New Years…partying with all the expats left in the city at the Irish Embassy…good people, a swimming pool, vast amounts of alcohol and hot weather always equals a good time (sorry, not going to publish these photos)!! It is now the evening of 02 January (I wrote this sitting in the business lounge in Addis Ababa again…heading) and I am back in Abuja, and I am still feeling the effects, but the photos on my camera are a good reminder of why one should not drink hard liquor…especially Rye/Whiskey (those who know me, know that Rye+Andrea=TROUBLE)l! So, I will end it here…2008 was an interesting and eventful year, and hopefully 2009 will bring more excitement and miracles to the Polio program!

I hope that everyone had a great festive season, depending on whatever it is you celebrate, and hope that 2009 will be the best year for you! Feel free to plan some trips to Africa…I still have A LOT of leave time left, so need to start planning some new adventures! My other news is I have a flatmate, after years of living alone. A new Italian girl has joined WHO here, so figured why not, I have the space and housing is so hard to find, and I can continue to practice my Italian! So, it will be fun…as she is a lot of fun!

Anyways, I hope this finds you all well and not suffering from holiday withdrawal already!

Love ange