Notes from the Field 2007

By Erin Galegher
Maternal and Child Epidemiology
Writing from Rwanda

"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime."
--Mark Twain, The Innocents Abroad (1869)

So, I know I do not post very often while in Rwanda. I have learned that I thouroughly enjoy fast internet connections; it is one of the luxuries of the developed world. At work, I often am without an internet connection and the guesthouse I am staying at has a slow connection that I am sometimes unpatient.

For those who are interested the website for the organization I am working at is: http://www.fact.org.rw/ and this would be much easier for you to look at then for me to explain what they do. I have learned that the everyday workings of, at least a Rwandan NGO, can be quite tedious. The internet can cause a two hour task to take two days and there are so many viruses on the computers her I don't understand how some of them function. Yet, for a country that has been through so much the people I work with are so interesting. I have learned so much about what happened in '94 and the political issues behind it that it has made my trip worthwhile. Many of my co-workers have had parents killed and/or tortured and the situation with refugees in Rwanda is very interesting. There is a book by Gerard Prunier that is very interesting for those wanting to know a thourough background on the subject. I have heard so many stories of torture that are happening now that baffle me. I am willing to share all of my stories with anyone who wants to hear, but don't feel posting them is necessary, since Rwanda really isn't a country full of present day torture like many may take it.

There is a recurrent theme in our office that has plagued many of my conversations with my coworkers. This theme is one of ghosts. Apparently, almost all the people in Rwanda believe in these ghosts. FACT has a hotline that people can call in to seek assistance and often the counsellor will not answer the phone. When I asked why she told me that it is, because everyone thinks that they are calling Satan, since the line is free. I don't totally understand this, but it is a constant area of joking between us all. We have a counsellor in Kibuye, Western Province who stated at the staff meeting that there is a ghost in her home that takes her away at night and needs to move. I saw her today and she told me that the ghost has gone, so she can stay in her home. Also, I am taking a bus from Kigali, Rwanda to Kampala, Uganda on July 6th and my coworkers tell me not to take the popular Jaguar bus lines. They say that there has been many accidents in which people have died and this is because the owner has a pact with the ghosts. Digging deeper this also means that every year around Christmas Jaguar has a crass and that is the price they have to pay to have this pact with the ghosts. Yet, all the returnees from Uganda tell me that Jaguar is fine. I guess I will decide the day before I go.

There are two Americans that are at my guesthouse who I often hang out with. Last week, we went to La Fiesta, a really good Mexican resturant in town. If I lived here I think this would be a fequented resturant by us. On the 24th of June we went out together to celebrate my two year wedding anniversary at an Italian resturant in town and had some pretty good wine. I suppose I should admit that the rest of the time we eat avacado and tomato salad with some vinegar and salt poured over the top. I think I am still looking forward to the great Ugandan Indian food the most though.

A couple weekends ago we went to Gisenyi, which is a border town to the DRC, on Lake Kivu. It was a really great town and would be even better if we had the money to climb the mountain in Goma, DRC. If anyone has ever wanted to see the gorillas this is a great time to do it. Rwanda is the best, safest, and most expensive country to see them. Truthfully, Rwanda really is safe to visit and has three diverse national parks to visit.

Like many sub-Saharan African countries Rwanda has a great deal of poverty. I say this all the time in Tanzania and it hasn't changed to drastically here. When I walk to my guesthouse in the evening I regularly run into high street children. I do not see many beggars and zero street venders in Kigali, because the government really has cleaned that up. I know a decent amount about the politics here, but am not versed enough in them to discuss them on such a public website. The other night we had a small boy follow us for over 1/2 a km to our guesthouse saying: "Please, I am hungry." This happens a lot, but is often a child wanting money. So this night we went inside and brought him out food and gave no money, he was so persistant. It is a difficult situation to be in.

My four weeks in Rwanda have reminded me on how humbling this part of the world can be. Traveling has always been the one place that shows me what I am capable of and creates a state of clear-mindedness for me to think. I am not always happy, nor am I always sad, but I am always thinking. Rwanda is an experience that will add to the story of my life and hopefully, clear the idea that it is such a scary part of the world.

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Have you seen the Disney movie "The Lion King"? Assuming you have, here's a little swahili lesson.

Simba = Lion
Rafiki = Friend
Pumba = Warthog
Hakuna Matata = No worries

The pumba (warthog) rivals the pundamilia (zebra) for my favorite animal on safari. It has the ultra-hip orange tinted mohawk that stands on end when it trots through the plains, plus the tusks that look like a really cool nose ring. Did you know that their tail goes straight up (like in the movie) in order for other pumba to follow the leader when trotting through tall grass? And the sounds Pumba (the Disney character) makes in the movie are the same as in real life. It all makes sense!

My mom, sister and I just returned from a 2 day safari to the Ngorongoro Crater and saw these wonderful animals, among many others. On our way to the crater we drove through Karatu, the town I will be living and working in for 9 weeks starting this Wednesday. It's a beautiful city in the mountains at about 4,900 feet. There are rolling green hills, farm fields, lots of red dirt from the aftermath of volcanic eruptions and only one paved road through town. Despite being in Africa it will ironically be cold in Karatu since it is winter here - highs around 70, lows can get down into the 40's. I am really excited to get started, improve my swahili and learn about the customs of the various tribes in the region. For example, one of the main tribes living in my area are the Maasai. They are nomadic and one of the only tribes in Tanzania that still practices their cultural traditions. Their nomadic lifestyle and gender role responsibilities make it challenging for children to attend school. They also practice polygamy and in fact if a husband's friend comes to visit it is custom for the host to provide the visitor with one of his wives for the night. Interesting cultural practices when trying to address HIV/AIDS. I will keep you updated as I move to my new home!

Posted by Katie Gruner at 01:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBacks (0)

Writing from Geneva, Switzerland

I’m a PHAP student from Ghana and a physician by training. I'm undertaking a 10 week field experience with the Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi) based in Geneva Switzerland. You may look up http://dndi.org for more information.

I departed Ghana on June 10 2007 and arrived in Geneva on the morning of June 11 2007. My preceptor was away in London and would be back later that evening so I had to make my way to the DNDi offices myself by bus with my entire luggage from the airport. It was not cold, but it was showering, but fortunately I was armed with my travel umbrella so that worked fine. I got into the bus thinking I would pay to the driver (as is the case in some cities like London) but apparently I had to pay at the machine before entering. My bags were already in the bus, and it was just about to depart so I could not get out so I stayed on hoping the “merciless fining” Geneva ticket inspectors would not get me. I was fortunate and got away with it… but I will certainly pay the machine some day!

I got to the office in one piece and was assigned immediately to a desk to begin work. The folks at DNDi are very warm and pleasant and very culturally diversified; with Americans, British, French, Swiss and many other nationalities representing. So I got to work (napping in between because I was exhausted from the night before). Incidentally Summer school began yesterday so I spent some of the time organizing myself for that as well. I ended up in the office all alone because everybody went home and my preceptor’s flight from London got delayed. She eventually turned up at 7:30pm; by then I was contemplating “crashing” on the office floors with my luggage!

So we made our way to the Tram station and I made the mistake again; got in without paying. Well not that I forgot, but my preceptor got in without paying, and again I thought maybe the tram service was paid for inside, because some cities like Melbourne, Australia have the ticketing machines right in the Tram. But alas! I was wrong, and this time the ticket inspectors did come. My preceptor had a pass of some sort, but I got fined 80 CHF! (about $65), cool for day one in Geneva right? But she insisted on paying on my behalf, saying she should have notified me, and I sure allowed her to!

Well my preceptor had news for me. Her overly busy schedule had prevented her from confirming accommodation for me and because of her flight delay, an appointment with a potential landlady had been missed so last night I “crashed” on her living room floor. Not a bad day and night at all for starters. I’m up now, and ready for day 2.

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By Erin Galegher
Maternal and Child Epidemiology
Writing from Kigali, Rwanda

"Certainly, travel is more than a seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living."
-Miriam Beard

I arrived in Kigali, Rwanda in the morning of June 1st. The reason for my time here is to intern with an organization called FACT-Rwanda, which deals with torture victims and human rights issues. During the past week, it has been difficult for me not to compare Kigali with the city of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania where I lived for five months in 2003. Kigali is a pretty clean city I have noticed and is saturated with NGO's. They outlawed plastic bags so the usual blue hued ditches do not exist here. Also, there really isn't stray animals and monkeys aren't trying to steal my lunch.

Kigali is a most beautiful city. There is so many green hills and there is a nice breeze that keeps the city cool. I feel very safe in the city and it is really difficult to imagine the horrors that took place here in 1994. There is a lot of development here including new roads and a nice shopping center.

On Saturday the 10th, I went with two other Americans to Nyamata. This is one area where horrific massacres took place. Many people took refuge in churches during the 1994 genocide, only to find themselves under attack. This particular memorial is in a church were I was told 10,000 people were killed in two days. There are shelves upon shelves of skulls and bones stacked up. These displays are not separated from the visitor by any barrier and are very disturbing. The skulls show the signs of who was killed by a bullet, clubs, or macheties. It was a very somber afternoon.

My time at FACT has been a learning experience too. We have had a young girl come in for assistance who had her arm broken by her teacher and a young man who was tortured in Uganda and held prisoner for two years without legal assistance. Every day is something new and I am glad I chose to come here for part of my summer. I know that I will not leave this country with the same ideas in which I entered.

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By Katie Gruner
Writing from Tanzania (View map)

I first came to Tanzania in the spring of 2003 to study at the University of Dar es Salaam for one semester. Memories from my first trip came alive again as I stepped off the plane in Dar a couple days ago. I took a deep breath... ah, the smell of Tanzania. That diesel, trash-burning, dusty, fire-cooking, sweaty smell. Call me crazy but I've missed it!

Many people ask me... so, have things changed? My response is a hesitant "sort of". There are still the same potholes, terrible roads, dalladallas (minibuses that serve as public transportation) and tourist souvenirs. You still need to know Swahili and you can still find all the rice, beans and fried chicken your heart desires! For the most part, daily life seems similar and familiar to me. There are two major things that have changed. First, there is a mall. Yes, an air conditioned mall with a western movie theater, over-priced clothing stores, electronics store, cafes, dry cleaners and a ShopRite (containing overstock items, similar to a Kmart). There are more ATMs in the mall than I saw during my 5 months here in 2003. Second, billboards and NGOs are talking more about HIV/AIDS. There are advertisements on bottled water and you can even purchase condom purses, pocket mirrors, bowties, necklaces and picture frames. Whether the abundance of these advertisements reflects daily conversations among friends, safer sexual behaviors, or even culturally competent messages is yet to be discovered; however, this is a good start considering I never saw HIV/AIDS mentioned or seen during my first visit.

For my first two weeks here I am visiting old friends and "family" in Dar and traveling before starting my summer internship in Karatu (in northern Tanzania near the Ngorongoro Crater). I will be working with Minnesota International Health Volunteers on maternal and child health projects. I will keep you posted on new happenings and discoveries here in East Africa!

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