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!!
vendredi 17 avril 2009
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
vendredi 6 février 2009
Malaria and Bill Gates...
Well, yet another "fun filled" week in Nigeria.
Because of all the stress 2 weeks ago, my body decided the best thing to happen would be to have a very nasty case of malaria. It was not fun, but I will again say that the hallucinations are pretty hilarious after the fact, as at the time they just seem so real and legitimate! It was 5 days of hell, but I am finally on the mend and would even say, 100% better! So, it is time to go out to celebrate by drinking beer and eating pizza!
The other news is that Bill Gates was here again doing a visit to see how we are using "his" money to support Polio Eradication. This man is truly one of the most down to earth, yet uber intelligent people I have ever met. He really knows his stuff, and is a fully informed donor and human being. He has a way of working with the families, albeit illiterate and uneducated, and still have an impact...no one in these villages know who he is, as he is really just "another" white guy from somewhere here to give vaccinations, but he really works with the families and asks them questions, and understands their needs. So, pretty incredible to see. But, as predicted, his visit was a circus. Every town he visited, there was this enormous celebratory welcoming, where he was given umpteen gifts (of things I am sure he can't really use) and was just so gracious in receiving them. Even put on one of the outfits he was given and wore it throughout the day! So, really good to see...but the media was insane, they were everywhere and tripping all over eachother trying to get his photo, and as he is somewhat media shy, it was interesting to see him managing it! but, it went well, and just glad to be back in Abuja again!
Other than that, not much new or exciting here. Only 2 more weeks until my holiday! Definitely looking forward to seeing everyone and just getting to relax for a couple of weeks!
Just a quick one this week, as I hope to have a more exciting week next week, but you just never know here!
take care, love ange
ps..update on the family, the mother died last week, and our staff member, he is on the mend...gained at least 30 pounds in the last 2 weeks and taking his medication!! (It is the little wins you have to celebrate here)
Because of all the stress 2 weeks ago, my body decided the best thing to happen would be to have a very nasty case of malaria. It was not fun, but I will again say that the hallucinations are pretty hilarious after the fact, as at the time they just seem so real and legitimate! It was 5 days of hell, but I am finally on the mend and would even say, 100% better! So, it is time to go out to celebrate by drinking beer and eating pizza!
The other news is that Bill Gates was here again doing a visit to see how we are using "his" money to support Polio Eradication. This man is truly one of the most down to earth, yet uber intelligent people I have ever met. He really knows his stuff, and is a fully informed donor and human being. He has a way of working with the families, albeit illiterate and uneducated, and still have an impact...no one in these villages know who he is, as he is really just "another" white guy from somewhere here to give vaccinations, but he really works with the families and asks them questions, and understands their needs. So, pretty incredible to see. But, as predicted, his visit was a circus. Every town he visited, there was this enormous celebratory welcoming, where he was given umpteen gifts (of things I am sure he can't really use) and was just so gracious in receiving them. Even put on one of the outfits he was given and wore it throughout the day! So, really good to see...but the media was insane, they were everywhere and tripping all over eachother trying to get his photo, and as he is somewhat media shy, it was interesting to see him managing it! but, it went well, and just glad to be back in Abuja again!
Other than that, not much new or exciting here. Only 2 more weeks until my holiday! Definitely looking forward to seeing everyone and just getting to relax for a couple of weeks!
Just a quick one this week, as I hope to have a more exciting week next week, but you just never know here!
take care, love ange
ps..update on the family, the mother died last week, and our staff member, he is on the mend...gained at least 30 pounds in the last 2 weeks and taking his medication!! (It is the little wins you have to celebrate here)
vendredi 30 janvier 2009
Eye opening week...
So, I said last week was a little dull, and like all things, I think I jinxed myself. This has been by far the hardest and most horrifying few days I have spent in Nigeria.
I have really seen how religion, culture, stigma, lying, poverty, lack of education, illiteracy, etc has truly impacted the African continent, and especially this country and the devastation it causes. The story is this…we have a staff member dying of Aids, he is, I am sure, one of many, but he is truly in his final days. Too proud to admit he has been sick, he has been hiding it for years, and has never sought out treatment. He has had two different wives die, calling them “witches” for casting a spell on him. His third wife will die any day, and their 4 week old daughter Favour died in my arms on the way to the hospital yesterday, watching a human being, even a 4 week old, take a last breath is nothing I can ever describe or want to ever experience again. An adult is one thing, but a brand new baby is a whole other thing. And for some reason, their 3 year old boy Godsend was spared, or has not yet had any effects of HIV, but hopefully, with a name like Godsend, he will be spared.
But, the most interesting experience in all of this, if I can see it from a different angle, is the whole cultural process. This man had gone back to his village, and by village, I mean 5 hour drive through bushland, where there is no network (for mobiles), no gas stations, no restaurants, no hotels, nothing. The roads, if you can call them that, are whatever is left from what rainy season did not destroy. Good thing we travel in huge 4x4 Rovers that are made for this terrain. But even then it was a bit treacherous and a few times we had to get out of the car and have the driver go through as there was fear the truck would roll over…not sure why my life is more important than his, but that is for another day’s discussion. After 4 hours on very dusty “roads” we finally made it to the village, just in time for the monthly market. For those that have not been to Africa, the markets is where life happens, so you can only imagine how things are when there is only one market a month where families have to buy everything they need for the 30 or so days ahead….chaos…one would never think there could be so many people in the middle of nowhere, but there were thousands of people. I finally got my first glimpse of the notoriously secluded Furlani people, as they were selling cattle at the market, and they are a sight. Had I been able to plan better, I would have brought a camera, but it also did not seem appropriate, as the purpose of the trip was to force our staff member back to hospital and off the traditional medicines he was on…more on this later. I was clearly the first white person to ever visit these areas, and while we were there to try to convince, coax, beg, plead with this staff member to come back to Abuja and go to a private hospital where he and his family would get the proper care, it was not that easy. We first had to meet with the family members, and explain the situation and urgency. Once they say us, we were sent on the village elder, who again sat and listened to us, and who then sent for the state leader…absolutely chaotic process, only for them to say they want to continue with the local “medicines”. At this point, our staff member is lying on the dirt ground, ingesting dirty sand and other things, as he could no longer walk, the wife, was in even worse shape, but exposed in the sunlight, because she did not deserve the precious shade that the men needed. Luckily, the sons and younger boys were sitting in on these meetings and they have had a bit more exposure to some sort of education, and managed to convince their elders that their “brother” needed medical attention only a hospital could provide. After much thanking and paying our respects and showing gratitude, we were on our way back to Abuja….only to be stopped a few minutes later….as the white woman I was given 3 live chickens to thank me for coming all this way and for helping out with their family and seeing that they come back alive and well. The last thing we needed was three live chickens in the truck, with 2 very sick adults and 2 small babies, one very sick. So, we decided it best that we just slaughter the chickens on the spot and have a village cookout, as this is really what was expected of us…I again had the honour of slicing the chickens neck….i should also point out that in this area there have been reports of Avian Influenza, so not only am I now having to be worried about exposure to active tuberculosis, but here I am hands covered in chicken blood, which could be contaminated!! In all honesty, TB is not really an issue, as I am healthy so the risk is incredibly low, so nothing to really worry about. After a very long journey back to Abuja, because the roads are so bad, and our staff member and his wife were in so much pain, we had to drive back very slooooowly, so instead of 5 hours, it was over 9!! We got to the hospital in the middle of the night, none of us having slept in more than 24 hours, and 3 very sick people in the truck.
Now, Nigerian hospitals are a sight to never be seen. Hospitals are just a place where you are lucky if you get an actual bed, where basically it is up to your family to do everything…food, medicine, bathing is provided by the family…so what, if anything, makes it different from staying at home? Good question, and one I am still trying to figure out myself, as they just get more and more sick in the hospital being around all other sick people…. It seems that hospitals are where you go to die and not get better, as was described by one patient in there. Very scary sight, with very little support or staff to help the patients.
While this week was horrible and miserable, it has only renewed my interest in working in developing countries, where problems like this are not unique, where it is the little things you can do that could improve one person’s life. So, for anyone interested in working abroad, there is lots to do in Africa, and while there are problems and it is not easy, it is a really great experience, where you learn a lot about everything!
Hope you are all well…I will not write again for a few weeks, as I am off on mission after mission these next few weeks. Bill Gates arrives on the weekend, and it has really turned into a bit of a circus, and feel bad that the media sensitive/shy guy, will literally be harassed by hundreds of journalists! But after that it is holiday time for me…3 weeks in Kenya and Tanzania!!!
love, ange
I have really seen how religion, culture, stigma, lying, poverty, lack of education, illiteracy, etc has truly impacted the African continent, and especially this country and the devastation it causes. The story is this…we have a staff member dying of Aids, he is, I am sure, one of many, but he is truly in his final days. Too proud to admit he has been sick, he has been hiding it for years, and has never sought out treatment. He has had two different wives die, calling them “witches” for casting a spell on him. His third wife will die any day, and their 4 week old daughter Favour died in my arms on the way to the hospital yesterday, watching a human being, even a 4 week old, take a last breath is nothing I can ever describe or want to ever experience again. An adult is one thing, but a brand new baby is a whole other thing. And for some reason, their 3 year old boy Godsend was spared, or has not yet had any effects of HIV, but hopefully, with a name like Godsend, he will be spared.
But, the most interesting experience in all of this, if I can see it from a different angle, is the whole cultural process. This man had gone back to his village, and by village, I mean 5 hour drive through bushland, where there is no network (for mobiles), no gas stations, no restaurants, no hotels, nothing. The roads, if you can call them that, are whatever is left from what rainy season did not destroy. Good thing we travel in huge 4x4 Rovers that are made for this terrain. But even then it was a bit treacherous and a few times we had to get out of the car and have the driver go through as there was fear the truck would roll over…not sure why my life is more important than his, but that is for another day’s discussion. After 4 hours on very dusty “roads” we finally made it to the village, just in time for the monthly market. For those that have not been to Africa, the markets is where life happens, so you can only imagine how things are when there is only one market a month where families have to buy everything they need for the 30 or so days ahead….chaos…one would never think there could be so many people in the middle of nowhere, but there were thousands of people. I finally got my first glimpse of the notoriously secluded Furlani people, as they were selling cattle at the market, and they are a sight. Had I been able to plan better, I would have brought a camera, but it also did not seem appropriate, as the purpose of the trip was to force our staff member back to hospital and off the traditional medicines he was on…more on this later. I was clearly the first white person to ever visit these areas, and while we were there to try to convince, coax, beg, plead with this staff member to come back to Abuja and go to a private hospital where he and his family would get the proper care, it was not that easy. We first had to meet with the family members, and explain the situation and urgency. Once they say us, we were sent on the village elder, who again sat and listened to us, and who then sent for the state leader…absolutely chaotic process, only for them to say they want to continue with the local “medicines”. At this point, our staff member is lying on the dirt ground, ingesting dirty sand and other things, as he could no longer walk, the wife, was in even worse shape, but exposed in the sunlight, because she did not deserve the precious shade that the men needed. Luckily, the sons and younger boys were sitting in on these meetings and they have had a bit more exposure to some sort of education, and managed to convince their elders that their “brother” needed medical attention only a hospital could provide. After much thanking and paying our respects and showing gratitude, we were on our way back to Abuja….only to be stopped a few minutes later….as the white woman I was given 3 live chickens to thank me for coming all this way and for helping out with their family and seeing that they come back alive and well. The last thing we needed was three live chickens in the truck, with 2 very sick adults and 2 small babies, one very sick. So, we decided it best that we just slaughter the chickens on the spot and have a village cookout, as this is really what was expected of us…I again had the honour of slicing the chickens neck….i should also point out that in this area there have been reports of Avian Influenza, so not only am I now having to be worried about exposure to active tuberculosis, but here I am hands covered in chicken blood, which could be contaminated!! In all honesty, TB is not really an issue, as I am healthy so the risk is incredibly low, so nothing to really worry about. After a very long journey back to Abuja, because the roads are so bad, and our staff member and his wife were in so much pain, we had to drive back very slooooowly, so instead of 5 hours, it was over 9!! We got to the hospital in the middle of the night, none of us having slept in more than 24 hours, and 3 very sick people in the truck.
Now, Nigerian hospitals are a sight to never be seen. Hospitals are just a place where you are lucky if you get an actual bed, where basically it is up to your family to do everything…food, medicine, bathing is provided by the family…so what, if anything, makes it different from staying at home? Good question, and one I am still trying to figure out myself, as they just get more and more sick in the hospital being around all other sick people…. It seems that hospitals are where you go to die and not get better, as was described by one patient in there. Very scary sight, with very little support or staff to help the patients.
While this week was horrible and miserable, it has only renewed my interest in working in developing countries, where problems like this are not unique, where it is the little things you can do that could improve one person’s life. So, for anyone interested in working abroad, there is lots to do in Africa, and while there are problems and it is not easy, it is a really great experience, where you learn a lot about everything!
Hope you are all well…I will not write again for a few weeks, as I am off on mission after mission these next few weeks. Bill Gates arrives on the weekend, and it has really turned into a bit of a circus, and feel bad that the media sensitive/shy guy, will literally be harassed by hundreds of journalists! But after that it is holiday time for me…3 weeks in Kenya and Tanzania!!!
love, ange
mercredi 21 janvier 2009
No news is good news!!!
Good day to all,
So, it has been a little while since I wrote, not because I have been on any more exciting adventures, but because for once, there is not a whole lot going on, besides a lot of meetings here in Abuja and in Lagos! It is actually nice to be a bit bored, but also a little bit boring.
February should pick up though as I will be back on mission a lot. Bill Gates and his foundation are coming for a visit. Not sure why I have to go on mission with him, but I think it is an image thing…who knows? There will be about 20 of us from WHO traveling in convoys going to the North to do some immunizations….i will also use the opportunity to ask him why the hell he created this Vista system, as it is useless. All jokes aside, Bill Gates is actually totally informed and knows exactly what is going on. He actually knows exactly how and where his money is being spent, and will make decisions to change things when he sees things aren’t working, so as much as many of my colleagues are complaining, he is at least efficient and makes things happen!
I now have my new flatmate, a very nice Italian girl from Naples. So far, so good…she hasn’t traveled much, so if finding Nigeria a bit chaotic and boring. I told unlike many of the other countries she could have been posted to, she should consider herself lucky! There are at least Italian restaurants here!
An update on my house girl Mary….she is now engaged to Ishaku (my driver)!!! I still find the whole situation bizarre, but whatever works. They are planning to be married in May, and I will get to be a guest of honour…although I don’t know if this is actually a good thing, or if it means I have to pay for the whole wedding…I will need to figure this out, as I am not sure I want to be paying for a wedding that is not my own!!
Only one more month until the big Thompson safari extravaganza!!! Really looking forward to 3 weeks of work, finally!! …we will just pray that the March rains hold off in east Africa, but good thing is that the rains usually arrive in late March, and we are going in early March so I think it will be fine!
I have posted some photos from my Roma Christmas trip, but only the good ones!
I hope you are all well, and enjoying the cold in your in North America…it has been pretty cold and snowy from I have heard…here it is always over 35 degrees (100+) everyday and still very dusty from the Hamattan sands! I can’t imagine it getting any hotter, but this is the “cool” season….we will soon be into the 40’s everyday!!! Can’t wait to be in full burka then!
Anyways, I hope you are all well! I am starting to plan for where I will end up next after my time is up in June…so confirmation on anything just yet, but I think it will be somewhere good…where you would actually want to come to visit!
Baci, Andrea
So, it has been a little while since I wrote, not because I have been on any more exciting adventures, but because for once, there is not a whole lot going on, besides a lot of meetings here in Abuja and in Lagos! It is actually nice to be a bit bored, but also a little bit boring.
February should pick up though as I will be back on mission a lot. Bill Gates and his foundation are coming for a visit. Not sure why I have to go on mission with him, but I think it is an image thing…who knows? There will be about 20 of us from WHO traveling in convoys going to the North to do some immunizations….i will also use the opportunity to ask him why the hell he created this Vista system, as it is useless. All jokes aside, Bill Gates is actually totally informed and knows exactly what is going on. He actually knows exactly how and where his money is being spent, and will make decisions to change things when he sees things aren’t working, so as much as many of my colleagues are complaining, he is at least efficient and makes things happen!
I now have my new flatmate, a very nice Italian girl from Naples. So far, so good…she hasn’t traveled much, so if finding Nigeria a bit chaotic and boring. I told unlike many of the other countries she could have been posted to, she should consider herself lucky! There are at least Italian restaurants here!
An update on my house girl Mary….she is now engaged to Ishaku (my driver)!!! I still find the whole situation bizarre, but whatever works. They are planning to be married in May, and I will get to be a guest of honour…although I don’t know if this is actually a good thing, or if it means I have to pay for the whole wedding…I will need to figure this out, as I am not sure I want to be paying for a wedding that is not my own!!
Only one more month until the big Thompson safari extravaganza!!! Really looking forward to 3 weeks of work, finally!! …we will just pray that the March rains hold off in east Africa, but good thing is that the rains usually arrive in late March, and we are going in early March so I think it will be fine!
I have posted some photos from my Roma Christmas trip, but only the good ones!
I hope you are all well, and enjoying the cold in your in North America…it has been pretty cold and snowy from I have heard…here it is always over 35 degrees (100+) everyday and still very dusty from the Hamattan sands! I can’t imagine it getting any hotter, but this is the “cool” season….we will soon be into the 40’s everyday!!! Can’t wait to be in full burka then!
Anyways, I hope you are all well! I am starting to plan for where I will end up next after my time is up in June…so confirmation on anything just yet, but I think it will be somewhere good…where you would actually want to come to visit!
Baci, Andrea
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