Well, I have again been very busy moving all over the place, mainly west Africa, but very soon that will all come to an end!
We had yet another polio and measles campaign all over west Africa, so I had to go out and support in Nigeria, Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso! It was crazy, but also totally interesting. The countries are so close together, but miles apart in terms of culture, acceptance (or not) of the vaccine and many, many other things.
Nigeria is still by far the worst country of acceptance of the vaccine, that it is rather embarrassing. Even countries that are “more muslim” accept the vaccinations freely, but Nigeria still seems to have issues with it. I think that really just goes to show you how poor the health system is here, where as the other above mentioned countries have really enforced and educated their people on the benefits of the vaccine!
As mentioned earlier, I am leaving Nigeria in……exactly one week! I can’t believe a year has already passed, but it has (of course, not including the deportation)! It went by really fast at times, and other times, not fast enough! I have learned a lot here, and while there is still a lot of work to do here, I just feel it is time to leave. I actually don’t have anything specifically planned for my next move, but I am really looking forward to taking at least a month to two months off to just relax and see what else is available out “there”. I am also strongly thinking of staying in Canada and getting a “real” job, but we will see, it just depends on what really is out there and interesting to do. I am sometimes afraid that I will get bored at a desk job, but I also think it will be a bit of relief. My body is also telling me I need a break…here is the list of diseases during my time in Nigeria…malaria x2, dysentery (more than I count), typhoid x2 or 3 (third time is still to be decided),…no polio though, so clearly I can say that the 300 doses of polio or so I have taken since I arrived here has helped (although that vaccine as a child is really what did it)! It sounds worse than it is, and it really isn’t all that bad…it is kind of like just having flu/cold off and on throughout the year. My system is now either really weak, or will be able to fight off whatever north American virus there is out there (HINI Influenza A being one of them – aka. Swine Flu)!!! Nigeria has been a tough place to live, but I am sure I will miss the chaosness of it all. Not having electricity, power, hot water, etc, has become so normal to me that I cannot imagine having them all day, every day whenever I just turn the lights, tv, etc on! But, on the other hand, I have become very spoiled….i have a driver that takes me and accompanies me everywhere, my housegirl does not allow me to lift a finger ( I haven’t done laundry, washed a dish, or mopped a floor in over 12 months), and everywhere I go, we are treated like these amazing creatures that will bring fortune to all (which is of course totally not true)!
As previously mentioned, polio in Nigeria has yet to be interrupted, and therefore it is not eradicated…and as much as I am usually an optimist, I don’t think we are anywhere near it ever happening here in Nigeria…there are just too many cultural and religious issues inhibiting from us to do the job, and do it well. Basically, every other country that has polio (i.e., Afghanistan, India, Pakistan) have come very close to interrupting the virus (this means no new spreads of the disease) and have a few years until they can officially say it is eradicated! So donors are a little fed us with us folks in Nigeria and are losing faith in “our” abilities. I personally think my colleagues in WHO have run themselves flat out fighting this battle, and we are beyond being able to continue at this pace. So, if anyone has any suggestions for eradicating this disease, please share.
Did I mention that I met the man who has discovered the “cure” for AIDS?!?! I met the whack job who has written an article that he has been able to “cure” AIDS in over 56% of those individuals he tested it on…he is total quack, but totally believes he has done “it”! It is sad because he is out there promising false hope to so, so many people who want to believe they can be saved. On this same note, if you remember my whole crazy situation with our staff member with AIDS…well, he died on Tuesday. As sad as it was, it was a long time coming. He was so incredibly sick in his last few days that this is a relief for everyone that had been dealing with him. We buried him the same day, so took him back to his village for the burial, and again, yet another adventure…4 hour journey into village life…during rainy season!!! So, the dirt “roads” we used so many months back have now turned into river beds, with craters filled with water at least 3 feet deep, which made for an even more adventurous experience! We finally made it, and as the body was with us, as soon as the villagers saw us arriving, you could hear the wailing begin. It was actually a really chilling experience. Hearing these women instantly brought me to tears and I felt these peoples loss. It became obvious that not only was he a provider for his family, but he was the provider of the village. He built the village house (where all went to share meals, church, school, market, etc.). So, his own small family was actually about 500 people or so. Who would think that on a salary of about $1000 USD per month, that you can safely provide for more than 500 people! Pretty incredible ! It was an incredible experience that I will again never forget, and don’t want to forget…it truly makes our anglo-saxon funerals seem so pitiful/emotionless (for lack of a better word). But, it is over, and I am sure he is in a better place, however his young son is now an orphan, which is the reality in most African countries…grandparents taking care of their grandbabies, and while the UN takes care of its staff who die while employed, this poor child will grow up in his village, with little chance to education or proper healthcare. I just hope the money they receive will be appropriately spent…we have another driver in WHO from a nearby village and he has promised to continue to follow up on him…as they say here “In Sh’Allah” (By god's will).
Well, that is it for now….I will again write with an update on what will be my next adventure. I never say never to Nigeria again, but it is very unlikely…but Africa holds a special place in my heart….
A bientot, Andrea
lundi 15 juin 2009
vendredi 22 mai 2009
Brian is born…
Well, my house girl Mary’s baby has finally been born…and thankfully, they changed the name, and really surprising in honour of my brother Brian…so the little boy’s name is Brian Fabulous (another indigenous name still to be determined) Chika! I thought it sweet of them to name him after my brother…and honestly it is after my brother, as they asked what my brothers names were and then decided they liked Brian best!
The baby boy was born 32 hours after her water broke…and from what I witnessed it must have been sheer hell! He weighed a very healthy 3.2 kgs, and after a few days of being a relatively “white” brown baby, he is getting his full brown pigment in all his extremities! Full head of hair and perfectly healthy, which also really surprises me with all the chaos that she went through having him.
Having seen a few births in my time, this one was by far the worst thing I have seen to date, and was concerned at some point that maybe it would have been best to have just had the baby at home, as the hospital provided very little in the way of support or assistance. The story is not pretty, so I will not give too many details, but what I saw really angered me about the “systems” in Nigeria….I have many times ranted about this country and how it operates, but the healthcare system truly is deplorable. I went with Mary to the hospital to help her, as her mom or sisters could not be there or I didi not want her to be alone for the first baby, and her husband Chika could not be there (this is normal as men aren’t even allowed in the maternity ward). From the minute we entered, we experienced complete chaos and inefficiency and total disregard for human life. Mary was immediately given a “bed” as she was in active labour, but before she could occupy the bed she had to first go down to the lab for test results and blood donations (this took us about 5 hours to do). However, if I go back to our first entering the maternity ward, there were 2 women giving birth on the dirty, nonsterile floor, as they could not afford the roughly 1000 naira ($6 usd) for the “bed”…I keep putting “bed” this way, as really you have to bring your own mat and sterile blanket to put on top of the basic cushion you are given to lie on…on top of the bed you have to bring, you also have to bring your own sterile gloves, mucous extractors, clamps, etc. (yes, everything you essentially need to help birth a healthy baby – the hospital does not provide any items and if you don’t bring them, you are not allowed to use a “bed”!!!). The room where the ladies deliver each has 4 “beds” and all were full with women in full labour (an average day at this hospital is 5 babies an hour – with one nurse on duty and no doctor!!!). Women are not allowed to have anyone help them with the birth, so they are completely alone, and told to labour silently (which, somehow they actually manage to do, all WITHOUT pain medicine!!!!). At the same time, in the room where Mary was given, in the fourth “bed” lay a woman who died in childbirth…they refused to move her because the family could not afford the money to pay for the removal of her body, so there she lay, while other women were right beside her giving birth as if it was no big deal. I felt really bad for Mary at this time as she was now even more scared for what was to come…on top of this, as so many women are giving birth basically at the same time, and there is only one nurse, the ladies cleaning the floors are then delivering the babies with their dirty hands…one poor woman was having to give birth in a bucket as there was nobody with free hands to help her out. As I was not allowed to stay in the room, I did not see the full conclusion to this, but I did hear a healthy, crying baby a few minutes later from her, so I assume babies born in buckets are healthy and normal! Fai and I left as it was late, and as we were not allowed back in the delivery area to stay there was no point in staying and one of Mary’s friend’s came to support from outside. From this point, Mary experience20 more hours of labour before Brian was finally born! After all this is over, you still have to pay for using the hospital (not very much, but still with more than 60% making less than a dollar a day, the $18 dollars is significant), plus you are sent home within 4 hours of giving birth!
Mary was fortunate as she has a job and ways to afford things, but many others don’t have the same opportunities as her. While at first I was getting very frustrated and angry that the nurses would not remove the ladies giving birth on the floor or the dead woman from her bed, but really I realized that it is just impossible to do anything, as they are so overworked as it is, and if they help one lady they have to do the same for everyone else that shows up at the hospital….so it really is the system and the politicians who are to blame for this mess.
Nigeria has the highest rate of infant mortality and mother mortality rate in the world!!! Yes, the world! 25% of all children die before their 5th birthday here…shocking, isn’t?!!?!?! No wonder WHO is here working! But also in this is that more than 75% of women do not give birth in hospitals, but at home, sometimes under the care of a trained midwife, but usually it is just a village lady who claims to be a mid wife. They use very dirty medical utensils (sometimes just wooden spoons, and burning logs to sever the umbilical cord)…so you can only imagine the types of infections the mother and baby get! But, this is really how it works in 60% of the world…not many people are as fortunate as us in the developed world to have good, working hospitals and qualified medical staff to support us, and be offered lots of drugs to assist : )
All in all, a crazy experience, but at least Mary and her baby are healthy. She is now reconsidering ever having another baby, as I think this scared her more than she thought. Tomorrow is the naming ceremony, and as the “Auntie” I have to give him an official second name…not quite sure what to choose as I really don’t know any local names, besides those of my drivers, and not sure I really want to name a baby Cola, Bimbo, Sunday, Monday, etc. SO, will have to come up with something unique at the very least!
I have just come back from mission, where I went to the north (again)…sharia law exists where I went, but not totally enforced, so not need for full body wrapping, just hair and legs. It was a great trip and really wish I had remembered my camera, as I got to visit the famous 4 thousand year old tie dye pits of Kano! I bought quite a bit of stuff, as it is really beautiful materials, so will try to get some photos of it, and then if anyone is interested in more of it, I will be back up there in a couple of weeks again!
Anyways, I hope all is well…and remember, I am home as of the end of June, and look forward to seeing everyone!
Bye for now,
Andrea
The baby boy was born 32 hours after her water broke…and from what I witnessed it must have been sheer hell! He weighed a very healthy 3.2 kgs, and after a few days of being a relatively “white” brown baby, he is getting his full brown pigment in all his extremities! Full head of hair and perfectly healthy, which also really surprises me with all the chaos that she went through having him.
Having seen a few births in my time, this one was by far the worst thing I have seen to date, and was concerned at some point that maybe it would have been best to have just had the baby at home, as the hospital provided very little in the way of support or assistance. The story is not pretty, so I will not give too many details, but what I saw really angered me about the “systems” in Nigeria….I have many times ranted about this country and how it operates, but the healthcare system truly is deplorable. I went with Mary to the hospital to help her, as her mom or sisters could not be there or I didi not want her to be alone for the first baby, and her husband Chika could not be there (this is normal as men aren’t even allowed in the maternity ward). From the minute we entered, we experienced complete chaos and inefficiency and total disregard for human life. Mary was immediately given a “bed” as she was in active labour, but before she could occupy the bed she had to first go down to the lab for test results and blood donations (this took us about 5 hours to do). However, if I go back to our first entering the maternity ward, there were 2 women giving birth on the dirty, nonsterile floor, as they could not afford the roughly 1000 naira ($6 usd) for the “bed”…I keep putting “bed” this way, as really you have to bring your own mat and sterile blanket to put on top of the basic cushion you are given to lie on…on top of the bed you have to bring, you also have to bring your own sterile gloves, mucous extractors, clamps, etc. (yes, everything you essentially need to help birth a healthy baby – the hospital does not provide any items and if you don’t bring them, you are not allowed to use a “bed”!!!). The room where the ladies deliver each has 4 “beds” and all were full with women in full labour (an average day at this hospital is 5 babies an hour – with one nurse on duty and no doctor!!!). Women are not allowed to have anyone help them with the birth, so they are completely alone, and told to labour silently (which, somehow they actually manage to do, all WITHOUT pain medicine!!!!). At the same time, in the room where Mary was given, in the fourth “bed” lay a woman who died in childbirth…they refused to move her because the family could not afford the money to pay for the removal of her body, so there she lay, while other women were right beside her giving birth as if it was no big deal. I felt really bad for Mary at this time as she was now even more scared for what was to come…on top of this, as so many women are giving birth basically at the same time, and there is only one nurse, the ladies cleaning the floors are then delivering the babies with their dirty hands…one poor woman was having to give birth in a bucket as there was nobody with free hands to help her out. As I was not allowed to stay in the room, I did not see the full conclusion to this, but I did hear a healthy, crying baby a few minutes later from her, so I assume babies born in buckets are healthy and normal! Fai and I left as it was late, and as we were not allowed back in the delivery area to stay there was no point in staying and one of Mary’s friend’s came to support from outside. From this point, Mary experience20 more hours of labour before Brian was finally born! After all this is over, you still have to pay for using the hospital (not very much, but still with more than 60% making less than a dollar a day, the $18 dollars is significant), plus you are sent home within 4 hours of giving birth!
Mary was fortunate as she has a job and ways to afford things, but many others don’t have the same opportunities as her. While at first I was getting very frustrated and angry that the nurses would not remove the ladies giving birth on the floor or the dead woman from her bed, but really I realized that it is just impossible to do anything, as they are so overworked as it is, and if they help one lady they have to do the same for everyone else that shows up at the hospital….so it really is the system and the politicians who are to blame for this mess.
Nigeria has the highest rate of infant mortality and mother mortality rate in the world!!! Yes, the world! 25% of all children die before their 5th birthday here…shocking, isn’t?!!?!?! No wonder WHO is here working! But also in this is that more than 75% of women do not give birth in hospitals, but at home, sometimes under the care of a trained midwife, but usually it is just a village lady who claims to be a mid wife. They use very dirty medical utensils (sometimes just wooden spoons, and burning logs to sever the umbilical cord)…so you can only imagine the types of infections the mother and baby get! But, this is really how it works in 60% of the world…not many people are as fortunate as us in the developed world to have good, working hospitals and qualified medical staff to support us, and be offered lots of drugs to assist : )
All in all, a crazy experience, but at least Mary and her baby are healthy. She is now reconsidering ever having another baby, as I think this scared her more than she thought. Tomorrow is the naming ceremony, and as the “Auntie” I have to give him an official second name…not quite sure what to choose as I really don’t know any local names, besides those of my drivers, and not sure I really want to name a baby Cola, Bimbo, Sunday, Monday, etc. SO, will have to come up with something unique at the very least!
I have just come back from mission, where I went to the north (again)…sharia law exists where I went, but not totally enforced, so not need for full body wrapping, just hair and legs. It was a great trip and really wish I had remembered my camera, as I got to visit the famous 4 thousand year old tie dye pits of Kano! I bought quite a bit of stuff, as it is really beautiful materials, so will try to get some photos of it, and then if anyone is interested in more of it, I will be back up there in a couple of weeks again!
Anyways, I hope all is well…and remember, I am home as of the end of June, and look forward to seeing everyone!
Bye for now,
Andrea
mercredi 13 mai 2009
Updates...
Well, I have been lazy over the last few weeks, but good news is that there is nothing really new to report.
The kidnapped Canadian woman was freed a few weeks ago, but still not allowed to the city she was kidnapped, because there are ongoing threats against expats…so the last few meetings in Kaduna have been held without me!
I have only 5 weeks left in Nigeria! I can’t believe how fast my time has gone here, but one year has come and gone very fast! Not that I actually know what I am doing or where I am going next!! I have been asked to come back to Nigeria to work on a different project, as Polio Eradication will just not happen, but not so sure about that. Nigeria is a really tough place to live…but I never say never, especially as this role will involve a lot more travel to other west African countries, which could be fun and tiring. I am also looking at maybe even coming back home…which I know is the preference for some, but I don’t quite know if I am really done with Africa or the UN yet. There is a lot of good work happening over here, some that I want to be a part of and others not so much, so it is all to be decided. But, I am in no real hurry. I am going to come home for the month of July and just see what happens and then decide in August what to do and where to go! But, as I haven’t ruled out Canada…if you know of any one hiring a Change Management/Organizational Development specialist, let me know! But, I do have quite a few opportunities both within WHO and with other UN agencies, just none that had be as interested as the New York role did…but as they say here, you need to do your time in the field first before you can get a cushy “city” job!
H1N1 Influenza A (aka. Swine Flu – although WHO staff are not allowed to call it this, and must use only the H1N1…) has been keeping us pretty busy…having to get ready for a pandemic should
I have been doing some really interesting reading…in particular this one book Michael Fairbank’s “In the River They Swim”—essentially it is a book of essays written by various African leaders, archbishops, UN leaders, etc, regarding development in Africa. But the concepts are really interesting and sort of open your mind to the problems here, and how impossible it is to really help with problems over here. The other book is a little controversial, but very eye opening “Capitalist Nigger” written by a Nigerian, who is now American (he was the leader of the Biafran war here in Nigeria – where they wanted independence from Nigeria – similar to Quebec wanting independence from Canada, but with a whole lot of bloodshed). Anyways, it is essentially about how Africans need to become more capitalist in thinking and not just rely on everybody else for everything they need and want. A little controversial in sections, but overall a good read, and somewhat true!!
My housegirl Mary has yet to have her baby, but it is basically any day now. It has been interesting dealing with her, as just the other night I had her over to talk, and I asked her how prepared she is for the baby (by the way his name will be….Fabulous Mario…I am not kidding!!!) She has no clue what to expect when she is in labour, all she was told is that her back would hurt!!! Now I haven’t had a baby yet, but I imagine a few more things hurt than just your back! No clue that her “water” would “break”, and that she even had “water” inside her! After we talked about that she said “Is that why water came out my mouth and water the other day when I stood up really fast?!”…we were all a little taken back by this. But, this is truly a small look into the “health care” system in Nigeria. She goes for weekly neonatal appointments, but all they do is take her weight and blood pressure…she doesn’t even know where the head is sitting or anything! Both my flatmate (a medical doctor) and Fai were in shock at how little she knew, but that is Nigeria for you…not that it is much different elsewhere, but for a country with so much money, and where people have so many babies, one would think there would be more education! But, looking forward to meeting Fabulous very shortly…as soon as he is born I will get some photos up!
I will be home briefly in June for a friend’s wedding, but for anyone who reads this and has baby/kids stuff (not the bulky stuff, but clothes, unused diapers, etc) that they no longer need, I would be more than happy to bring back to Nigeria with me. There is an orphanage very close to my house that I visit occasionally, bringing formula and other things that they could need (because if I brought money, it would be used by the wrong people for the wrong things). But, I will then be back full time, at least for a month and half or so in July-August. So, hopefully, I will get to catch up with all of you I have not seen in over a year by then…I am really looking forward to being home for a while, where things are probably too efficient and effective…and where there is power, water and electricity more than 6 hours a day! And, please if you are planning to have me over for dinner, no cooked spinach, white overboiled rice, or moi moi…I think I need a little break from the stuff for a while!
The other exciting news is that I will be an aunt…one of my brothers (not going to say which one just in case he hasn’t told some of you) is going to be a dad! Finally, my parents can be grandparents, no more pressure to deliver the grandkid, and good thing, because I think they will be waiting a long time for the second grandkid. So, congrats to them, I know everyone is excited, I look forward to seeing the little person come November some time!
I am off on mission until I come home in 3 weeks, so will be kept busy running around Nigeria...as well as Timbuktu (literally, it is a city in Mali where I have to go!).
See you all very soon,
Andrea
The kidnapped Canadian woman was freed a few weeks ago, but still not allowed to the city she was kidnapped, because there are ongoing threats against expats…so the last few meetings in Kaduna have been held without me!
I have only 5 weeks left in Nigeria! I can’t believe how fast my time has gone here, but one year has come and gone very fast! Not that I actually know what I am doing or where I am going next!! I have been asked to come back to Nigeria to work on a different project, as Polio Eradication will just not happen, but not so sure about that. Nigeria is a really tough place to live…but I never say never, especially as this role will involve a lot more travel to other west African countries, which could be fun and tiring. I am also looking at maybe even coming back home…which I know is the preference for some, but I don’t quite know if I am really done with Africa or the UN yet. There is a lot of good work happening over here, some that I want to be a part of and others not so much, so it is all to be decided. But, I am in no real hurry. I am going to come home for the month of July and just see what happens and then decide in August what to do and where to go! But, as I haven’t ruled out Canada…if you know of any one hiring a Change Management/Organizational Development specialist, let me know! But, I do have quite a few opportunities both within WHO and with other UN agencies, just none that had be as interested as the New York role did…but as they say here, you need to do your time in the field first before you can get a cushy “city” job!
H1N1 Influenza A (aka. Swine Flu – although WHO staff are not allowed to call it this, and must use only the H1N1…) has been keeping us pretty busy…having to get ready for a pandemic should
I have been doing some really interesting reading…in particular this one book Michael Fairbank’s “In the River They Swim”—essentially it is a book of essays written by various African leaders, archbishops, UN leaders, etc, regarding development in Africa. But the concepts are really interesting and sort of open your mind to the problems here, and how impossible it is to really help with problems over here. The other book is a little controversial, but very eye opening “Capitalist Nigger” written by a Nigerian, who is now American (he was the leader of the Biafran war here in Nigeria – where they wanted independence from Nigeria – similar to Quebec wanting independence from Canada, but with a whole lot of bloodshed). Anyways, it is essentially about how Africans need to become more capitalist in thinking and not just rely on everybody else for everything they need and want. A little controversial in sections, but overall a good read, and somewhat true!!
My housegirl Mary has yet to have her baby, but it is basically any day now. It has been interesting dealing with her, as just the other night I had her over to talk, and I asked her how prepared she is for the baby (by the way his name will be….Fabulous Mario…I am not kidding!!!) She has no clue what to expect when she is in labour, all she was told is that her back would hurt!!! Now I haven’t had a baby yet, but I imagine a few more things hurt than just your back! No clue that her “water” would “break”, and that she even had “water” inside her! After we talked about that she said “Is that why water came out my mouth and water the other day when I stood up really fast?!”…we were all a little taken back by this. But, this is truly a small look into the “health care” system in Nigeria. She goes for weekly neonatal appointments, but all they do is take her weight and blood pressure…she doesn’t even know where the head is sitting or anything! Both my flatmate (a medical doctor) and Fai were in shock at how little she knew, but that is Nigeria for you…not that it is much different elsewhere, but for a country with so much money, and where people have so many babies, one would think there would be more education! But, looking forward to meeting Fabulous very shortly…as soon as he is born I will get some photos up!
I will be home briefly in June for a friend’s wedding, but for anyone who reads this and has baby/kids stuff (not the bulky stuff, but clothes, unused diapers, etc) that they no longer need, I would be more than happy to bring back to Nigeria with me. There is an orphanage very close to my house that I visit occasionally, bringing formula and other things that they could need (because if I brought money, it would be used by the wrong people for the wrong things). But, I will then be back full time, at least for a month and half or so in July-August. So, hopefully, I will get to catch up with all of you I have not seen in over a year by then…I am really looking forward to being home for a while, where things are probably too efficient and effective…and where there is power, water and electricity more than 6 hours a day! And, please if you are planning to have me over for dinner, no cooked spinach, white overboiled rice, or moi moi…I think I need a little break from the stuff for a while!
The other exciting news is that I will be an aunt…one of my brothers (not going to say which one just in case he hasn’t told some of you) is going to be a dad! Finally, my parents can be grandparents, no more pressure to deliver the grandkid, and good thing, because I think they will be waiting a long time for the second grandkid. So, congrats to them, I know everyone is excited, I look forward to seeing the little person come November some time!
I am off on mission until I come home in 3 weeks, so will be kept busy running around Nigeria...as well as Timbuktu (literally, it is a city in Mali where I have to go!).
See you all very soon,
Andrea
vendredi 17 avril 2009
Africa's Costa Rica....Sao Tome!!!
The good stuff first…I spent Easter on probably one of the world’s best kept secrets….Sao Tome!!
It is Africa’s smallest island, located in the Gulf of Guinea, which is basically on the west coast of Africa, in between Angola and Cameroun. The people, the food, the drinks, the water, the beaches, the resort….everything was AMAZING!!!! I have been to many beaches, in many countries, on many continents, and this was really one of my best trips…. EVER! Not quite sure exactly why, but really after being in Africa, traveling in very overpopulated countries, it was just nice to be in a small country, with a very small population (120,000) and all the people were just so nice. It is also a country that gets not quite 120 visitors…a year! Pretty incredible, but they are trying to become a tourist resort of sorts, so while I hope it achieves this, I also hope it remains a little piece of undiscovered paradise, with very few visitors. A few crazy things about the island…well not so much the island, but about what it made me think…Now that my plans for moving to New York are seemingly falling apart, I am thinking, why not just stay in Nigeria for another year, buy a house in Sao Tome, and then when I do go, rent it out to the tourists or oil companies that will eventually end up there! It only takes 5 hours to get to flying (literally I left my house in Abuja at 6am, and was sitting on the beach with a pina colada by 11am in Sao Tome!)…not bad…although, it is not the easiest place to get to. The only international flights, besides the monthly flight from Nigeria, is via Lisbon, Portugal or Libreville, Gabon, but the place is just so amazing that I would learn to deal with it! And, I am sure many people would want to come visit…although it’s in Africa, it really feels like you are on an island so far removed from society…no cell phones, televisions or noise. Just the fresh smell of flowers, fruit and ocean in the air!
Enough of all that, as I am sure you are all a little upset with me now! It is now rainy season in west Africa…finally, after 7 months of no rain, the heavens have opened up and we are getting rain like you would not believe. So, while this is good for disease like measles and other airborne diseases, it is horrible for polio…so it just means we will see a huge increase in the number of polio cases. We are doing well in the north, with 40% fewer cases this year up there compared to this time last year, however, in the south, where polio has been a non issue for years, we now have a 60% increase in cases, with some states reporting actual cases, when they have not had any in 20 years…so one step forwards, and many, many back! This is our make or break year, so if it continues its trend, we will be out of funding by mid next year! So, lots of pressure to produce results!
A funny story to end this entry….i came home late Sunday night (From my amazing Sao Tome weekend), and I hear these noises in my kitchen! I turn on the light, and what do I find…………..FROG!!!! And not just small ones, but pretty big ones (bigger than my fist)! 4 of them just sitting there looking back at me, like “What do you want…”, I do a quick search around the house and find at least 6 more! I have no problems with frogs, so I just picked them up and put them outside, thinking that is the end to that….but sure enough, they came back….My (very pregnant) house girl Mary came over the next day and I told her about it, and I think she thought I was crazy, but she started to do some stuff around the house (I am not cruel, I told her to go on maternity leave, but she refuses until the baby actually comes out)…so she is sweeping and sure enough she finds more frogs! We think they are coming up the drain, as I am on the ground floor they are probably just looking for a dry place from the rain, and with all the mosquitos and cockroaches in my place, they can eat for years! I think I have fixed the problem, by taping all the drains, and so far, 24 hours and no frogs!!
That’s it for now….I will give more of an update on the upcoming job prospects in the next entry….but I will be home for a few days in early June, and then again in July, so hopefully I will see many of you then. If not, I will expect to see you at my new home that I hope to buy in Sao Tome!!
It is Africa’s smallest island, located in the Gulf of Guinea, which is basically on the west coast of Africa, in between Angola and Cameroun. The people, the food, the drinks, the water, the beaches, the resort….everything was AMAZING!!!! I have been to many beaches, in many countries, on many continents, and this was really one of my best trips…. EVER! Not quite sure exactly why, but really after being in Africa, traveling in very overpopulated countries, it was just nice to be in a small country, with a very small population (120,000) and all the people were just so nice. It is also a country that gets not quite 120 visitors…a year! Pretty incredible, but they are trying to become a tourist resort of sorts, so while I hope it achieves this, I also hope it remains a little piece of undiscovered paradise, with very few visitors. A few crazy things about the island…well not so much the island, but about what it made me think…Now that my plans for moving to New York are seemingly falling apart, I am thinking, why not just stay in Nigeria for another year, buy a house in Sao Tome, and then when I do go, rent it out to the tourists or oil companies that will eventually end up there! It only takes 5 hours to get to flying (literally I left my house in Abuja at 6am, and was sitting on the beach with a pina colada by 11am in Sao Tome!)…not bad…although, it is not the easiest place to get to. The only international flights, besides the monthly flight from Nigeria, is via Lisbon, Portugal or Libreville, Gabon, but the place is just so amazing that I would learn to deal with it! And, I am sure many people would want to come visit…although it’s in Africa, it really feels like you are on an island so far removed from society…no cell phones, televisions or noise. Just the fresh smell of flowers, fruit and ocean in the air!
Enough of all that, as I am sure you are all a little upset with me now! It is now rainy season in west Africa…finally, after 7 months of no rain, the heavens have opened up and we are getting rain like you would not believe. So, while this is good for disease like measles and other airborne diseases, it is horrible for polio…so it just means we will see a huge increase in the number of polio cases. We are doing well in the north, with 40% fewer cases this year up there compared to this time last year, however, in the south, where polio has been a non issue for years, we now have a 60% increase in cases, with some states reporting actual cases, when they have not had any in 20 years…so one step forwards, and many, many back! This is our make or break year, so if it continues its trend, we will be out of funding by mid next year! So, lots of pressure to produce results!
A funny story to end this entry….i came home late Sunday night (From my amazing Sao Tome weekend), and I hear these noises in my kitchen! I turn on the light, and what do I find…………..FROG!!!! And not just small ones, but pretty big ones (bigger than my fist)! 4 of them just sitting there looking back at me, like “What do you want…”, I do a quick search around the house and find at least 6 more! I have no problems with frogs, so I just picked them up and put them outside, thinking that is the end to that….but sure enough, they came back….My (very pregnant) house girl Mary came over the next day and I told her about it, and I think she thought I was crazy, but she started to do some stuff around the house (I am not cruel, I told her to go on maternity leave, but she refuses until the baby actually comes out)…so she is sweeping and sure enough she finds more frogs! We think they are coming up the drain, as I am on the ground floor they are probably just looking for a dry place from the rain, and with all the mosquitos and cockroaches in my place, they can eat for years! I think I have fixed the problem, by taping all the drains, and so far, 24 hours and no frogs!!
That’s it for now….I will give more of an update on the upcoming job prospects in the next entry….but I will be home for a few days in early June, and then again in July, so hopefully I will see many of you then. If not, I will expect to see you at my new home that I hope to buy in Sao Tome!!
mardi 7 avril 2009
Salam Allah'eku
I am back from my most recent mission…all the way to the far north of Nigeria and southern part of Niger (country). West Africa has this month planned an integrated polio campaign in most west African countries (particularly Niger, Nigeria, Cameroun, Burkina Faso, Mali, Ghana, Benin), as polio is spreading beyond belief at this point. So, I was sent up north, to the very muslim, sharia law part of the country, as well as into Niger, to help supervise the process! As a female I am sent to the north, because only women are allowed into the homes of local villagers, so even though I speak maybe 7 or 8 words (including the above meaning, “hello, kind greetings and regards” of Hausa (local language), I still had to go and try!
It is beyond hot up here…daily temperatures are as high as 49 degrees…did I mention I am walking around the Sahara desert from 6am-3pm daily trying to convince families to immunize their children? Also, meeting with heads of households, religious leaders and village leaders to explain the importance of vaccinations. I have prayed more in these last few weeks than I have ever in my entire life. As I am not a muslim, it was interesting, as I have never picked up the Koran, nor do I really know what it says, but I mentioned Allah and Mohammed as often as I could in order to get them to approve! Iit is shocking just how many families still refuse vaccinations, of the 34,000 or so children we were supposed to immunize, we probably did about 14,000 or so, for various reasons like the husband wasn’t home, so women not allowed to do anything without husband’s permission, to Allah saying vaccinations are not allowed, to the vaccination being unsafe (sterilization, HIV/AIDS), and many, many other reasons. I myself took the vaccine at least 9 or 10 times to prove that it is in fact safe, so I think I am safe for a while now! Great experience, with lots of really sad, but also encouraging incidences. In one settlement (a settlement is where a group of women live together in one compound all married to the same man – in the muslim religion, men can have up to 4 wives, but up here, they have many more), all the 11 children under 5 had died the previous month due to the meningitis outbreak, heartbreaking as it is one of the vaccines we give children on our rounds, so really had they accepted in previous rounds, the children would still be alive. But, this is normal here – they have many children, knowing that they will lose at least 50% of their kids before the age of 5! I also went to a wedding, and besides the bride, I was the only female. The traditional ceremony is only for the men of the village to attend. In this case, it was the Local government area chairman’s daughter who was being married off (I think she was about 15 or 16, and the husband at least 40, and his third wife)!! And she was crying, not tears of happiness as far as I could see, so can’t say it was an enjoyable wedding. I also along the way of my 7 days in the field started an animal farm! The village heads were gifting me with live animals, to thank me for coming all this way – so I collected 3 chickens and a newborn lamb! As I was living in a hotel, and my compound in Abuja isn’t quite animal friendly, I just gifted it to the local villagers! I was also offered a newborn baby boy – he had been born 3 or so days earlier and the woman gave him to me to hold or so I thought, and then she just walked away! So, I vaccinated him and then tried to give him back, and the translator said she wanted me to “take him back to my country and give him a better life”…crazy, but really, she would have rather have done this then keep him knowing that he would probably die within a few years! Crazy shit! But, we did convince some families that refused, and for me that is a big win, even if we didn’t reach our target.
It was actually nice to come back to Abuja. I was exhausted from being woken up daily at 4.40am by the call to the mosque right outside my hotel window, and then having to drag my very tired body out of bed to wrap myself from head to toe in my burka and head and body scarves! Did I mention I was outside walking around the Sahara desert for 8-10 hours a day dressed like this?! And, then I would come back to my hotel late at night, for the nightly dinner of rice, semovita and cow tongue or cow tail! Delicious!!!
The good news this week is that after almost 7 months of no rain in Nigeria, we had our first rain storm…and I do I mean rain – it was a downpour for about 5 hours. Rainy season will soon be starting, as we will no longer be faced with the daily high 30’s, low 40s weather! It will still be warm, but at least the rain helps cool it down a bit! It also means fruits and vegetables will again be available…no more potatoes, carrots, and yams only!!
I am off to Sao Tome (the second smallest country in Africa), which is a former Portuguese island in the Atlantic Ocean for the Easter holiday! A friend and I from the office have a need to get out of Abuja for the long weekend and just sit on the beach for a few days, so we are off on Thursday for 4 days of mojitos and fresh seafood, swimming and sitting on the white, sandy beaches!! I can’t wait! Once I get back, I will have exactly 2 months left in Abuja! Crazy how fast time flies! As is typical of the UN, plans are always changing here, so while I had a new role planned for July, it looks like it might be changing slightly, but won’t say too much until everything is all settled, but looking like New York may not be happening : (, but who knows really?!?!
So, enough for now. I have quite a bit of work to catch up on before I leave for the weekend, but once back I will start on organizing where I will be off to next! I will be home the first weekend of June, although heading to Winnipeg for my very good friend Heather’s wedding!! Can’t wait for the Roma reunion! But, I will spend at least a night or two in TO…I must meet Ella, and all the other babies my friends will have or have had while I have been away! For those I don’t see in June, I will be back in early July for my brother and Maggie’s wedding, and will stick around for a couple of weeks then!
See you all soon,
Andrea
It is beyond hot up here…daily temperatures are as high as 49 degrees…did I mention I am walking around the Sahara desert from 6am-3pm daily trying to convince families to immunize their children? Also, meeting with heads of households, religious leaders and village leaders to explain the importance of vaccinations. I have prayed more in these last few weeks than I have ever in my entire life. As I am not a muslim, it was interesting, as I have never picked up the Koran, nor do I really know what it says, but I mentioned Allah and Mohammed as often as I could in order to get them to approve! Iit is shocking just how many families still refuse vaccinations, of the 34,000 or so children we were supposed to immunize, we probably did about 14,000 or so, for various reasons like the husband wasn’t home, so women not allowed to do anything without husband’s permission, to Allah saying vaccinations are not allowed, to the vaccination being unsafe (sterilization, HIV/AIDS), and many, many other reasons. I myself took the vaccine at least 9 or 10 times to prove that it is in fact safe, so I think I am safe for a while now! Great experience, with lots of really sad, but also encouraging incidences. In one settlement (a settlement is where a group of women live together in one compound all married to the same man – in the muslim religion, men can have up to 4 wives, but up here, they have many more), all the 11 children under 5 had died the previous month due to the meningitis outbreak, heartbreaking as it is one of the vaccines we give children on our rounds, so really had they accepted in previous rounds, the children would still be alive. But, this is normal here – they have many children, knowing that they will lose at least 50% of their kids before the age of 5! I also went to a wedding, and besides the bride, I was the only female. The traditional ceremony is only for the men of the village to attend. In this case, it was the Local government area chairman’s daughter who was being married off (I think she was about 15 or 16, and the husband at least 40, and his third wife)!! And she was crying, not tears of happiness as far as I could see, so can’t say it was an enjoyable wedding. I also along the way of my 7 days in the field started an animal farm! The village heads were gifting me with live animals, to thank me for coming all this way – so I collected 3 chickens and a newborn lamb! As I was living in a hotel, and my compound in Abuja isn’t quite animal friendly, I just gifted it to the local villagers! I was also offered a newborn baby boy – he had been born 3 or so days earlier and the woman gave him to me to hold or so I thought, and then she just walked away! So, I vaccinated him and then tried to give him back, and the translator said she wanted me to “take him back to my country and give him a better life”…crazy, but really, she would have rather have done this then keep him knowing that he would probably die within a few years! Crazy shit! But, we did convince some families that refused, and for me that is a big win, even if we didn’t reach our target.
It was actually nice to come back to Abuja. I was exhausted from being woken up daily at 4.40am by the call to the mosque right outside my hotel window, and then having to drag my very tired body out of bed to wrap myself from head to toe in my burka and head and body scarves! Did I mention I was outside walking around the Sahara desert for 8-10 hours a day dressed like this?! And, then I would come back to my hotel late at night, for the nightly dinner of rice, semovita and cow tongue or cow tail! Delicious!!!
The good news this week is that after almost 7 months of no rain in Nigeria, we had our first rain storm…and I do I mean rain – it was a downpour for about 5 hours. Rainy season will soon be starting, as we will no longer be faced with the daily high 30’s, low 40s weather! It will still be warm, but at least the rain helps cool it down a bit! It also means fruits and vegetables will again be available…no more potatoes, carrots, and yams only!!
I am off to Sao Tome (the second smallest country in Africa), which is a former Portuguese island in the Atlantic Ocean for the Easter holiday! A friend and I from the office have a need to get out of Abuja for the long weekend and just sit on the beach for a few days, so we are off on Thursday for 4 days of mojitos and fresh seafood, swimming and sitting on the white, sandy beaches!! I can’t wait! Once I get back, I will have exactly 2 months left in Abuja! Crazy how fast time flies! As is typical of the UN, plans are always changing here, so while I had a new role planned for July, it looks like it might be changing slightly, but won’t say too much until everything is all settled, but looking like New York may not be happening : (, but who knows really?!?!
So, enough for now. I have quite a bit of work to catch up on before I leave for the weekend, but once back I will start on organizing where I will be off to next! I will be home the first weekend of June, although heading to Winnipeg for my very good friend Heather’s wedding!! Can’t wait for the Roma reunion! But, I will spend at least a night or two in TO…I must meet Ella, and all the other babies my friends will have or have had while I have been away! For those I don’t see in June, I will be back in early July for my brother and Maggie’s wedding, and will stick around for a couple of weeks then!
See you all soon,
Andrea
mardi 24 mars 2009
A new Andrew in the world!!!
Well, just a short one, as it has been an interesting few days.
My housegirl Mary was over, as she usually is when I get home, and I notice that she has put on a bit of weight, and mainly in the belly area...so I ask, Mary are you pregnant? And, she gives me a look of, well, I don't really know? So, I ask how she has been feeling and all that stuff and all signs point to pregnant! So, I arrange to take her to the doctor and have her checked out.
Not only is she pregnant, but she is due in about 6 weeks!!!! She really had no clue, but was quite excited by it, once the idea sunk in. She was told she will be having a boy! (In all honesty, you could barely make out the scan, as the machine was from 1978, so we will see for sure in a few weeks)...I can't imagine A: Being told I am pregnant; B: Being told I am due in 6 weeks; and C: Being told the sex, all at once! I can imagine it was overwhelming...i wish I had a camera with me, as her expression was just freaked/happy/stunned! But, I think it is setting in now!
I asked her why she did not say anything earlier about maybe thinking she may be and she said she thought I would be ashamed and ask her to stop working for me...no way, I said. She then said she wanted a girl, as most women here do, as she wanted to name it Andrea (how sweet, eh!), but instead she will name him Andrew! She is due anytime between late April and mid May...hard to tell, seeing as she really does not know when she got pregnant or really even how she got pregnant! And so far, her belly is quite small, but the scan showed a healthy baby, so really that is all that matters!
Now a few things crossed my mind at this point...she only met my driver a few months ago, so if I do the math, she was already pregnant...hmmmm, interesting! But, she swears it is his, and so does he, so as long as they are happy, then why should I care. The poor girl barely knows how she got pregnant, let alone really worry about whose baby it actually is. It has been an interesting couple of days talking with her, as I have come to realize that she has absolutely no clue about "the birds and the bees" and while she admits to having sex, she does not really see how the two play a role in making her pregnant! But, she is happy, and is now preparing for the baby. There is no such thing as maternity leave here, but I have told her that she cannot work, and that I will continue to pay her while she is off. She will arrange to have one of her 8 sisters come to help out instead...at this point I don't know if she is still in shock, or just really concerned that my house stay clean?!
Crazy, eh? Can't imagine getting to 7 months pregnant and only just finding out!
My housegirl Mary was over, as she usually is when I get home, and I notice that she has put on a bit of weight, and mainly in the belly area...so I ask, Mary are you pregnant? And, she gives me a look of, well, I don't really know? So, I ask how she has been feeling and all that stuff and all signs point to pregnant! So, I arrange to take her to the doctor and have her checked out.
Not only is she pregnant, but she is due in about 6 weeks!!!! She really had no clue, but was quite excited by it, once the idea sunk in. She was told she will be having a boy! (In all honesty, you could barely make out the scan, as the machine was from 1978, so we will see for sure in a few weeks)...I can't imagine A: Being told I am pregnant; B: Being told I am due in 6 weeks; and C: Being told the sex, all at once! I can imagine it was overwhelming...i wish I had a camera with me, as her expression was just freaked/happy/stunned! But, I think it is setting in now!
I asked her why she did not say anything earlier about maybe thinking she may be and she said she thought I would be ashamed and ask her to stop working for me...no way, I said. She then said she wanted a girl, as most women here do, as she wanted to name it Andrea (how sweet, eh!), but instead she will name him Andrew! She is due anytime between late April and mid May...hard to tell, seeing as she really does not know when she got pregnant or really even how she got pregnant! And so far, her belly is quite small, but the scan showed a healthy baby, so really that is all that matters!
Now a few things crossed my mind at this point...she only met my driver a few months ago, so if I do the math, she was already pregnant...hmmmm, interesting! But, she swears it is his, and so does he, so as long as they are happy, then why should I care. The poor girl barely knows how she got pregnant, let alone really worry about whose baby it actually is. It has been an interesting couple of days talking with her, as I have come to realize that she has absolutely no clue about "the birds and the bees" and while she admits to having sex, she does not really see how the two play a role in making her pregnant! But, she is happy, and is now preparing for the baby. There is no such thing as maternity leave here, but I have told her that she cannot work, and that I will continue to pay her while she is off. She will arrange to have one of her 8 sisters come to help out instead...at this point I don't know if she is still in shock, or just really concerned that my house stay clean?!
Crazy, eh? Can't imagine getting to 7 months pregnant and only just finding out!
jeudi 19 mars 2009
Relaxed after a nice long holiday....
Well, it has been a few weeks since I last wrote, so lots to report!
I have been away on holidays for 3 glorious weeks in east Africa, specifically Kenya and Tanzania! It was absolutely fantastic. I spent time with my parents, aunt and uncle and Fai, and we all had a really great time. Mornings started with safari drives in whatever park we were located, followed by a great breakfast, and then cocktail hour daily at noon, followed by time at the pool just relaxing, getting ready for the late afternoon safari drive again! No two days were the same…always seeing different animals doing different things everyday, in the various parks we visited.
This was the first trip to Africa for my family that came to visit, and so it was great to be able to experience it with them. After being here a few times in the past, and now living here the last year, you forget that some things are just so different from home…I almost forget how good roads are supposed to be for driving on, and that it isn’t normal to have hundreds of people selling things you never thought a person could need at every street light, in the lane ways of highway traffic, and just about anywhere else a person could end up, or that women use their heads and not their hands for carrying things like water, wood, food, etc for miles on end! I think the family was “impressed” with the Kenyan roads…if you call them that. Most were basically dried up river beds, 30 kms of driving took over an hour on the good roads! I think my father especially truly enjoyed the driving, not quite getting that some of these “bad” roads would actually be considered good roads in other areas of Africa (namely west Africa)! We traveled all over Kenya, from Samburu national park (named after the masai people who live there), Mount Kenya area, where I finally felt cold weather (10 degrees or so at night) again, to Masai Mara park where it was pretty hot everyday, but nothing like the 42 degree weather in Nigeria that I had left behind, to Lake Nakuru, famous for its millions of flamingos and white rhinos! We then headed for Tanzania where we visited the Serengetti and got to witness the beginning of the wildebeest and zebra migration…thousands upon thousands of these animals migrating back to water sources, for new food and water, to raise the newborns! I can only imagine what the true migration would be like! Masai Mara We then headed to Ngorongoro Crater, which is a huge crater at the base of a mountain, where the “Big 5” live (lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants and buffalo) freely, as there are good sources of water and food year round for them!
Now, I am not one who is known for taking extravagant holidays, where everything is catered and planned for, but this was well worth the money spent! The lodges we stayed at where incredible. It seemed the more difficult the roads were to get there, the more amazing the lodges were! Some of them were right in the parks, so wild animals running all over the place. The rooms had incredible views into the craters, and into the river beds (albeit most were dry at this time of year). The food was also pretty good wherever we went. While similar to resorts in Cuba, Jamaica, etc, where everything is buffet, it was all very high quality with a good mix of everything you want, including local foods that I have become accustomed to (ugali, boiled spinach, etc). The trip definitely exceeded my expectations in terms of the places we stayed, and the food we ate, so definitely made for an amazing trip. We even crossed the equator, and did in fact witness that water does in fact turn opposite ways…even have it on video! Pretty amazing to see…having lived on both sides, I never really thought about it, until I say the Simpsons episode where Bart asked if it was true, and then I forgot all about it…but it is in fact true!
Now, onto the animals! We literally saw everything you can imagine seeing in Africa, except for most large primates as they are mostly only in the forest, mountain areas. On the first day alone we say 4 of the big 5…everything but the elusive leopard, and from there it just got better and better!. Seeing these animals up close and completely unaware of your existence is pretty awesome experience. They just sit there looking back at you, as thought you are the strangest thing they have ever seen! The funniest/cutest are the baby elephants who confuse the safari trucks you are driving around in for their mothers! But if you were to get in the way of the baby and its mother, she would literally just flip the truck with her trunk, as we saw them do to big trees all over the place! The lions walk right up to the cars, sort of sniffing them out wondering if there is any food they could eat. But also, you see a lot of lion fornication! We learned that lions have sex over 20,000 times in their lives (with multiple partners), and the lioness is always the initiator, otherwise if she didn’t, there would be no cubs, as the lions are too lazy to do anything (and the whole thing last all of about 6 seconds!) .The rhinos slowly slaunter by the vehicles, just looking to eat the good grass or whatever it is they are looking for underneath! The hyenas are pretty dumb in that they just run in front of the vehicle, trying to “escape” this big creature following them! The giraffes are everywhere, and you would thing that at 12 feet tall that you would always be able to spot them, but they blend in so well that it is almost impossible to spot the 20 or so of them eating in the trees. The buffalos are everywhere, just chewing on cud…cant saw they impressed me all the much, as they are just like cows really, but everytime I saw one, I just thought of buffalo mozzarella! Still don’t really know the difference between the antlered deer like animals (gazelles, antelope, taupes, etc.), but still neat to see them! All in all, a great trip. And, highly recommend to anyone thinking of it, to just do it!
Apart from that, it is now back to work. It is hard to believe that I have only 3 months left to go on this current assignment! I have a few things in the works for where I am heading next, but will let you know once it is all confirmed, but it will definitely be a place more accessible to most of you out there! Polio and now meningitis is completely out of control in west Africa. While we make strides in some locations, others are exploding. The weather does not help, as right now, most days in Nigeria reach at least 43 degrees! And in the north, where I am shortly heading, it is on average 51 degrees (all in celcius)!!! So, you the heat plays a role in how these diseases are spread, but also just poor sanitary conditions.
The other thing that has caused a bit of a mess this week, is the dear Pope has paid a visit to Africa, specifically Cameroon, and after just getting off the plane, his first speech was to declare that condom distribution should be stopped, as they “increase” the incidence of HIV/AIDS!!! What the f*&k is all I have to say. WHO and UNAIDS have a clear deal with the Vatican charity, the Pontifical, that the Pope would only promote abstinence and not even discuss condoms in his speeches, especially in African countries (where Catholocism in some African countries is the primary religion – Cameroon being one of them!). South Africa in the early 2000’s refused the Pope at that time entry due to their stance on condoms. We were all in a bit of shock that he would say that, especially at such a crucial time, where there is a lot of positive work being done on combating HIV/AIDS…now we have been pushed back at least 20 years, at least in west Africa, where the message has spread. People listen to his messages and take them to heart – in Yaounde and other areas condoms were being blown up and hung on trees, or packages being destroyed, so that they would be ineffective for those who chose to use them. One thing to note, especially in west Africa is that sex is typically not a pleasurable activity – it is transactional, an exchange of services for money, often even happening between husband and wife. I am not saying this is always the case, the for a significant number of women and men (especially those in very rural, poor areas), this is how it works. Young girls are out prostituting themselves to pay for their education or to pay for families they have to support. So, the Pope’s visit has not been well received by us UN people and the other NGO agencies doing HIV/AIDS education/sensitization…hopefully, he soon returns to the Vatican and is never again invited back. There is my rant of the week….feel free to protest or disagree, just my opinion!
Well, enough for now. Lots of work to do! I am off on mission the next couple of weeks, so may not be able to post for a bit, but I will try. I plan to be away again for Easter somewhere, likely in Africa, just not sure where yet!
Hope you are all well, and looking forward to Northern Hemisphere weather!
a bientot, ange
I have been away on holidays for 3 glorious weeks in east Africa, specifically Kenya and Tanzania! It was absolutely fantastic. I spent time with my parents, aunt and uncle and Fai, and we all had a really great time. Mornings started with safari drives in whatever park we were located, followed by a great breakfast, and then cocktail hour daily at noon, followed by time at the pool just relaxing, getting ready for the late afternoon safari drive again! No two days were the same…always seeing different animals doing different things everyday, in the various parks we visited.
This was the first trip to Africa for my family that came to visit, and so it was great to be able to experience it with them. After being here a few times in the past, and now living here the last year, you forget that some things are just so different from home…I almost forget how good roads are supposed to be for driving on, and that it isn’t normal to have hundreds of people selling things you never thought a person could need at every street light, in the lane ways of highway traffic, and just about anywhere else a person could end up, or that women use their heads and not their hands for carrying things like water, wood, food, etc for miles on end! I think the family was “impressed” with the Kenyan roads…if you call them that. Most were basically dried up river beds, 30 kms of driving took over an hour on the good roads! I think my father especially truly enjoyed the driving, not quite getting that some of these “bad” roads would actually be considered good roads in other areas of Africa (namely west Africa)! We traveled all over Kenya, from Samburu national park (named after the masai people who live there), Mount Kenya area, where I finally felt cold weather (10 degrees or so at night) again, to Masai Mara park where it was pretty hot everyday, but nothing like the 42 degree weather in Nigeria that I had left behind, to Lake Nakuru, famous for its millions of flamingos and white rhinos! We then headed for Tanzania where we visited the Serengetti and got to witness the beginning of the wildebeest and zebra migration…thousands upon thousands of these animals migrating back to water sources, for new food and water, to raise the newborns! I can only imagine what the true migration would be like! Masai Mara We then headed to Ngorongoro Crater, which is a huge crater at the base of a mountain, where the “Big 5” live (lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants and buffalo) freely, as there are good sources of water and food year round for them!
Now, I am not one who is known for taking extravagant holidays, where everything is catered and planned for, but this was well worth the money spent! The lodges we stayed at where incredible. It seemed the more difficult the roads were to get there, the more amazing the lodges were! Some of them were right in the parks, so wild animals running all over the place. The rooms had incredible views into the craters, and into the river beds (albeit most were dry at this time of year). The food was also pretty good wherever we went. While similar to resorts in Cuba, Jamaica, etc, where everything is buffet, it was all very high quality with a good mix of everything you want, including local foods that I have become accustomed to (ugali, boiled spinach, etc). The trip definitely exceeded my expectations in terms of the places we stayed, and the food we ate, so definitely made for an amazing trip. We even crossed the equator, and did in fact witness that water does in fact turn opposite ways…even have it on video! Pretty amazing to see…having lived on both sides, I never really thought about it, until I say the Simpsons episode where Bart asked if it was true, and then I forgot all about it…but it is in fact true!
Now, onto the animals! We literally saw everything you can imagine seeing in Africa, except for most large primates as they are mostly only in the forest, mountain areas. On the first day alone we say 4 of the big 5…everything but the elusive leopard, and from there it just got better and better!. Seeing these animals up close and completely unaware of your existence is pretty awesome experience. They just sit there looking back at you, as thought you are the strangest thing they have ever seen! The funniest/cutest are the baby elephants who confuse the safari trucks you are driving around in for their mothers! But if you were to get in the way of the baby and its mother, she would literally just flip the truck with her trunk, as we saw them do to big trees all over the place! The lions walk right up to the cars, sort of sniffing them out wondering if there is any food they could eat. But also, you see a lot of lion fornication! We learned that lions have sex over 20,000 times in their lives (with multiple partners), and the lioness is always the initiator, otherwise if she didn’t, there would be no cubs, as the lions are too lazy to do anything (and the whole thing last all of about 6 seconds!) .The rhinos slowly slaunter by the vehicles, just looking to eat the good grass or whatever it is they are looking for underneath! The hyenas are pretty dumb in that they just run in front of the vehicle, trying to “escape” this big creature following them! The giraffes are everywhere, and you would thing that at 12 feet tall that you would always be able to spot them, but they blend in so well that it is almost impossible to spot the 20 or so of them eating in the trees. The buffalos are everywhere, just chewing on cud…cant saw they impressed me all the much, as they are just like cows really, but everytime I saw one, I just thought of buffalo mozzarella! Still don’t really know the difference between the antlered deer like animals (gazelles, antelope, taupes, etc.), but still neat to see them! All in all, a great trip. And, highly recommend to anyone thinking of it, to just do it!
Apart from that, it is now back to work. It is hard to believe that I have only 3 months left to go on this current assignment! I have a few things in the works for where I am heading next, but will let you know once it is all confirmed, but it will definitely be a place more accessible to most of you out there! Polio and now meningitis is completely out of control in west Africa. While we make strides in some locations, others are exploding. The weather does not help, as right now, most days in Nigeria reach at least 43 degrees! And in the north, where I am shortly heading, it is on average 51 degrees (all in celcius)!!! So, you the heat plays a role in how these diseases are spread, but also just poor sanitary conditions.
The other thing that has caused a bit of a mess this week, is the dear Pope has paid a visit to Africa, specifically Cameroon, and after just getting off the plane, his first speech was to declare that condom distribution should be stopped, as they “increase” the incidence of HIV/AIDS!!! What the f*&k is all I have to say. WHO and UNAIDS have a clear deal with the Vatican charity, the Pontifical, that the Pope would only promote abstinence and not even discuss condoms in his speeches, especially in African countries (where Catholocism in some African countries is the primary religion – Cameroon being one of them!). South Africa in the early 2000’s refused the Pope at that time entry due to their stance on condoms. We were all in a bit of shock that he would say that, especially at such a crucial time, where there is a lot of positive work being done on combating HIV/AIDS…now we have been pushed back at least 20 years, at least in west Africa, where the message has spread. People listen to his messages and take them to heart – in Yaounde and other areas condoms were being blown up and hung on trees, or packages being destroyed, so that they would be ineffective for those who chose to use them. One thing to note, especially in west Africa is that sex is typically not a pleasurable activity – it is transactional, an exchange of services for money, often even happening between husband and wife. I am not saying this is always the case, the for a significant number of women and men (especially those in very rural, poor areas), this is how it works. Young girls are out prostituting themselves to pay for their education or to pay for families they have to support. So, the Pope’s visit has not been well received by us UN people and the other NGO agencies doing HIV/AIDS education/sensitization…hopefully, he soon returns to the Vatican and is never again invited back. There is my rant of the week….feel free to protest or disagree, just my opinion!
Well, enough for now. Lots of work to do! I am off on mission the next couple of weeks, so may not be able to post for a bit, but I will try. I plan to be away again for Easter somewhere, likely in Africa, just not sure where yet!
Hope you are all well, and looking forward to Northern Hemisphere weather!
a bientot, ange
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