Notes from Zambia
January 14, 2009
It's so Hard to Say Goodbye
Jan 8-Jan 13
The last week has just flown by with final staff interviews, a trip to Livingstone and Botswana, and our goodbyes. We spent much of our last days doing things that we enjoy: going to Coffee Talk Café, spending time with friends, and traveling. It has been a wonderful 5.5 weeks and I am sad to leave. Its so hard to say goodbye when you have had such an amazing experience. Its hard to put into words. When I arrive home, people will be asking, “How was it?!� and “Tell me about your experience!� But I struggle with the answer. Its too hard to explain the impact that this country has on me! I am happy that Stephanie was here so I have a witness of its greatness. Plus, she makes a great traveling partner. Always up for an adventure! And an adventure we had!!!
We booked a camping trip from JollyBoys (in Livingstone) to Botswana. We left Lusaka at 1930hrs and had an 8 hour bus ride. With the hot weather, packed bus, and gazillion potholes in the road, we barely slept and arrived at 3am on Friday morning. Our bus to Botswana was coming at 6:45am for us. But despite the lack of sleep, we were up on time and ready to experience the wild of Botswana. Our trip included a ferry ride over the Chobezi River into Botswana, a riverboat ride, two safaris, and camping in the Chobe National Park.
Picture! Heading to Botswana via minibus!
We saw many “rocks� (or hippos!), a leopard (yes!), herds of giraffes and buffalo, and hundreds of colorful birds. The hippos were bathing/soaking in the water while the giraffes were eating. During one of our morning game drives, we saw hundreds of buffalo come out of the bush. Each one ran into this swamp like water hole to drink and bathe. Baboons and birds were near. During the night I heard a lion’s roar and during the drive the next day, we tracked a lion’s prints and found it had been chasing a buffalo! Although we did not see the aftermath of this chase, I was happy to know an event like this happened so close to our campsite. We were experiencing National Geographic and Animal Discovery. On our boat ride, we crossed into Namibian waters. Therefore, on this African trip, Steph and I have ventured into Kenya, Zambia, Zimbabwe (on the border bridge where I did bunji and the water at Lake Kariba), Botswana, and Nimibia. Zambia is still my favorite place. We returned to Jollyboys on Saturday morning and the rest of our trip consisted of relaxing by the pool, playing table tennis, and heading to a local club.
Wild life
Giraffe getting a drink of water (and showing off or saying hello!)
Botswana landscape
hippos
giraffes in late afternoon
Buffalo herd
I have talked about Amanda’s project in Wisconsin. On Monday (Jan 12) I went to Revarand Zimba’s Transit Home where students were having there first day of class. I introduced the project to the kids (age ranged from 2-10), handed out paper, pencils and crayons and they went to town! Unfortunately many did not write, so letters were not written, but boy could they draw and color! I am sure that Amanda’s class in Green Lake will enjoy them very much! When they were finished we handed out the letters and pictures to the students. Translation was done and smiles filled the room.
Students working on their pictures
Students enjoying the pictures and letters from Ms. Guay's class!
The class, Rev Zimba, and I waving to Amanda and the students at Green Lake
Also, I received word from Amanda that her class raised $150 to go towards mosquito nets for children in Africa! Again, if you want to learn more about this project, head to Amanda’s website at:
http://www.glsd.k12.wi.us/faculty/aguay/mosquitonets.cfm
Our last days were tough. The trip seemed to be coming to an end quicker than expected or desired. On our last two nights, we had Ethiopian food and then a dinner at the Farm. It was so hard to say goodbye to everyone.
Steph with our Ethiopian dishes
Steph and I walking to the bus stop for the last time…
Us at the airport…
Some final notes:
I have bed bug bites all over my face, neck, and arms. It is not pretty. It basically looks like I have the chicken pox.
Thank you to everyone for all your encouraging comments, messages, and emails. I am so grateful to have supportive family and friends.
Zambia, the real Africa, I will be back!
January 13, 2009
The End.
Our time in Lusaka has come to an end. Our last few days were spent running around, wrapping up our project, visiting our old favorite places, and getting in as much time with our friends as possible.
Before skipping to Botswana for the weekend, I got a chance to visit a place that is near and dear to my heart...Planned Parenthood! During the first week here we passed PPAssociation of Zambia and I was so excited to have discovered a familiar face (or org). So during an afternoon when we had some downtime, Debby and I found our way back there and talked with the clinic staff. They referred me to their head office to talk to the head administrators. So Thurs morning after another impromptu shopping trip to Manda Hill, I went to meet with the folks there. I was happy to hear about all the great programs they have throughout the various regions of Zambia.
After my meeting I made my way to the clinic to meet up with Debby and our scheduled Tiny Tim and Friends staff interviews. I'm very happy with the interviews we had with each of the staff members. (Not to mention that Debby and I will be able to do the transcribing of these interviews and not have to pay outside people!!) Clinic on Thurs turned out to be a great experience for me as I got to sit in on the sessions between clients and the Clinical Officer and clients and the PsychoSocial Counselor. It was great to see them in action!
Once clinic was done, Debby and I hopped a bus back to Livingstone--the same 7hour bumpy ride we did a few weeks ago. This time, I think it was even worse since it was over night. We left at 1930hrs or 7:30pm and arrived in Livingstone just before 3am after fighting the bumps in the road and heat in the bus. We had arranged with the hostel that we would be arriving very late.
In the morning after about 1 1/2hrs sleep we packed up again and caught a ride on a minibus with several other hostel goers to a safari camping trip to Botswana. The botswana border is only an hour away from Livingstone. We were ferried across the Zambezi River to the other side where we went through the immigration process--another stamp!
Our day began with tea and snacks on a river boat ride. We were in Chobe, Botswana on the Chobezi river (the Chobe and Zambezi connection). It was basically a river safari! We saw the animals from the river perspective. So amazing!! So many birds, animals, and lizards.
After the boat ride we were picked up by a safari guide in a truck and taken on a wild ride! On our way to the camp site for lunch and siesta, we saw tons of Impala, Monkeys, Kudu, and the Zambian national bird, the fish eagle. My favorite site was the pond of hippos waking up--they make this deep laughing sound to wake their friends in the evening from their nap.
In the morning we woke for another safari and where we saw a running herd of water buffalo! When we got back to Livingstone, we met our friend from Lusaka where we proceeded to lay around the pool.
Back in Lusaka on Monday we took care of loose ends and attempted to gather the remainder of our typed interviews, however that proved more difficult that anticipated. A power surge had blown the computers the week before and the typists were unable to complete the work. We made arrangements to get the rest of our work, but this unforeseen challenge was definitely unwelcome on our last night. But we had a great dinner and dance party with our farm friends one last time. It was sad but a great way to end our trip. And Ntula's dance moves at our definitely go down in the top 10 list of this trip:)
Now its 30hrs of flights and airport living. YAY, such a great trip, and so glad I had a friend to share in it!
Lake Kariba and then some...
Jan 2-Jan 4, 2009
On Friday Steph and I headed to Siavonga, a town southeast of Lusaka. This town is situated on a steep hillside (mountainside?) and semi-surrounds Lake Kariba. We rode for 3.5 hours on a minibus that decided to fly down the curvy roads. It was quite the adventure, looking out at the rolling green mountains and hanging on for dear life.
We stayed at Lake Kariba Inn, which had villas and rooms staggered alongside the mountainside overlooking the lake. It had the most spectacular view.
The view from the road
We ate fish for dinner (I had Bream Mornay- yummy!). The next day our buddies, Andrew, Benson, and Charles came to join us. We took a boat ride out on the lake, where we actually crossed into Zimbabwe! We were in Zimbabwean waters! Andrew also spotted hippos bathing near shore. We were able to get pretty close before Andrew became frightened that the hippo would flip us (as he has seen in the movies). It was prettyyyy funny. Upon return we laid by the pool, snaked on biscuits, ate the most delicious buffet (including buttered chicken, lamb, beef, pizza, veggies, nshima, rice, salads, and desserts), and went to one of the local clubs (named No 1).
A little R&R
Steph and I having the time of our lives...
View from our room
The whole 5 weeks….
I have realized that I have only put up pictures from my outings or mini-vacations. I am missing one in particular: Lusaka. We walk the city everyday. We walk 30 minutes to the bus stop, head to town centre via the Great East Road, drop off at Millenium Bus Station or Klima Tower, and walk down Cha Cha Cha Road or Cario Road. Therefore, I want to share with you our daily routine sites.
Lusaka, off of Cairo Road
View of Downtown Lusaka
Off of Cha Cha Cha Road
The Project update: Transcriptionists are almost finished which is very exciting. We still have many more interviews to type up, but they are in English and not Njanja so this can wait until the States. We have completed all interviews (yay!) and are ready to do data analysis…. But not until we head down to Livingstone again! Steph and I loved it so much that we planned another trip down there. This time we are heading to another country, Botswana, which is only an hour drive. During our camping trip to Chobe National Park we will get to go on two safaris and on a river ride.
Amanda’s Green Lake School Class Project
As mentioned in the first blog my good friend Amanda teaches at Green Lake School in Wisconsin. Her students (3rd and 4th graders) wrote letters and colored pictures for children in Africa. They have also been raising money for mosquito nets to help stop the spread of malaria in Africa. The academic school year in Zambia is from mid-January to mid-December and therefore, I have not yet had the opportunity to go to a school due to the summer vacation. However, I have scheduled a meeting on Monday, Jan 12, with a group of students from a transit home. Since it is their first day of the school year, I am sure they won’t mind taking a break from their studies to say hello to new friends in Wisconsin!!
January 5, 2009
Last week
This past weekend, Debby and I had another exciting adventure in Zambia. After our plans to travel out of the country for a safari, we made new plans to go to Lake Kariba in Siavonga, located in the southern part of Zambia. So in the pouring rain we made our way through City Market bus stop--one of the most crowded and energetic bus stations in Lusaka. One thing that I won't ever get used to is the mud and stink that comes with the rain. Next to the bus station is the actual city market where crafts, food, clothing, beer, wheelbarrows and anything else you would imagine is sold. This crowded market a few years ago was flooded in one of the torrential down pours and was shut due to the outbreak of cholera in the area..
This is where we found ourselves Fri afternoon.
The mini bus we took alll the way to Siavonga, with 20 people packed in and a live chicken. (On the way home, in a similar bus, I sat over a crate of Breem fish, I smelled lovely!)
Since the bus ride only takes about 2 1/2 - 3hrs, we take minibuses, no tour buses. The bad thing about these are the fact taht they pack 23 people into a conversion size van, and then often make random stops along the way to pick up a man with a chicken, for instance. However this is also one of the best ways to learn new words in the local language and get a full history of the regions we travel through from a native perspective.
Siavonga and Lake Kariba view from our little chalet. Beautiful morning!
We were very glad to finally be release from the sardine can in Siavonga to be put up in an amazing lodge. We had a nice relaxing dinner of fresh fish from the lake and our regular Castle beers by the pool. The next morning we awoke to a beautiful lake sunrise and breakfast buffet! After breakfast and slathering on the sun lotion, we hung out by the pool until our friends arrived from Lusaka. Since their plans had fallen through as well, we convinced them to join us poolside Sat. When they did arrive, we booked a pontoon boat ride around lake Kariba.
After loading up on beer and snacks we had our own private tour of the lake including the Zambezi dam wall, a ride through the weeds into the Zimbabwe border, and the best part....We spotted Hippos! in the wild. We watched for about 20mins while they waded in the water, and even got photos of one opening his huge mouth. National Geographic in person!
Real Live Hippos!
We had a great time in the sunshine and enjoyed our last weekend with our friend Andrew before he returned to Maryland. Unfortunately, while in Siavonga my camera was stolen--but on the bright side, I had downloaded all of my pictures so none were lost.
Our happy little group, sad to leave sunny Siavonga.
Charles, Debby, Stephanie, Andrew, Benson.
This week Debby and I interview the TTF staff, and wrap up with our transcriptionists and will soon be done. Then back to the grind at school analyzing and writing up our results. I'm sad we only have a week left, but have a plan in the works (visited Planned Parenthood Zambia today!!!)
Hope all is well back home. Mwachomo bwanji
Livin' the Life...
Dec 28, 2008-Jan 1, 2009
I am sitting under a mosquito net, roasting in the heat. With all the rain the air is muggy. Walking in zero shade is miserable. My clothes don’t dry because the house is too damp and the outside clothesline is just asking for trouble during the rainy season. I am afraid to open my window because some creature is crawling on our roof. The guard says it’s a cat. Steph claims they are roof rats. I can handle many things, but not rats. It takes forever to boil pot after pot (we have small pots) of water to avoid cholera. In some places, we trek through puddles of water on dirt roads, which are made up of trash and sewage. The smell of garbage and filth fills our noses.
Despite the heat, the roof rats, and the stinky mud puddles, I am still 100% in love with Zambia. Recently, I have been traveling to places where I visited before: House of Moses, Kalimba Reptile Park, and my old neighborhood, Avondale. Probably the best thing is hearing people say, “Ah, hello! You are back! Welcome!� The snake man from Kalimba remembered me and handed me another python. (and yes, once again, I held a python!) The nurses at House of Moses remembered me and embraced me saying, “Thank you for not forgetting us.� My favorite taxi driver recognized me from afar and extended his hand.
Charles and Benson at Mother Teresa's Hospice
Me and the cutest little girl spinning and having fun
Me with Python!
Project Update
We have been interviewing many people. Mostly women and guardians. I have interviewed a few children (they must be over 8 years). We have not had any more problems with the recorders, except our batteries hardly last. We have found transcriptionists, and the Nanja and English paper copies are almost complete. We only have staff left to interview that will be completed within the final week. I am happy to say that our project seems to be a success (and therefore we can expect to graduate in May!).
Aside from our busy work recording, teaching, and visiting hospices and orphanages, we have been playing too. We have managed to make it to the crocodile farm, Adventure City (a water park), and some Lusaka clubs. We have been spending time with (or as they say here: “linkin’ up with� new friends. As Steph mentioned, when not working, we spend much of our time with Andrew, Benson, and Charles (ABC). Andrew is a volunteer from Maryland, Benson lives at the farm, and Charles visits the farm from the Copperbelt (Western Zambia). We call them the Three Musketeers or ABC for short. But since our linkin’ up we have changed the acronym to include us: ABCD and S. On New Year’s Eve we were with our new friends and new family. We celebrated 2009 with hugs, beers, and smiles. Steph and I even tried the infamous Zambian beer, Shake Shake (ground, fermented maize which has an thick milky grainy texture). It was not good at all! New Years Day we stayed at the farm eating pork roast, salads, sweet onions, and deviled eggs (made by us!).
Steph at our favorite cafe "CoffeeTalk Cafe" (Here we eat our favorite chocolate donuts!)
Steph as the Vanna White of Shake Shake
Trying Shake Shake before heading out
In Zenon, a club in Northmeade, celebrating New Years!!
January 2, 2009
Master's Project or Zambian Vacation.
So many things to do, so little time...But we're trying hard to pack as much fun stuff in as we can. Its hard to remember that I'm really here for aschool project, and not just my own vacation.
Since Livingstone, we have continued to fill each day with activities. Our interviews have gone really well, our transcription/translators are hard at work, and we've started interviewing fellow TTF volunteers and staff.
Debby teaching the translators about the audio equipment.
When we're not interviewing we've been making visits to the women's group, orhanages and hospices in the area, as well as traveling around to new places in Lusaka. Over the weekend, we went to a reptile farm where they have snakes, turtles, and the biggest crocodiles I've ever seen! Its amazing how big they can get! That night for dinner we went the the farm (dr. tim's farm) and Debby and I created a delicious meal of crocodile chili. So delicious-- there was none left, even the little boys ate it!
Big guy!
This week we've spent most of our time with our new friends Andrew, Benson, and Charles-or ABC as we call them. Andrew is avolunteer also with TTF and Benson and Charles are two of the boys who live at the farm and have been Andrew's unofficial tour guides. This week we made a trip to House of Moses and Mother Theresa orphanges. After a tour of each, we held and played with the babies. There was a stark difference between the two places. House of Moses is well funded and smaller scale--the babies are well attended to and able to be held more often. Mother Theresa is much larger. The baby room alone houses 35-40 infants plus about 12 new(ly) born babies. It is truely a heart breaking scenario :( However, it was great to spend time with these babies and even help during the feeding time!
The young ones at Mother Theresa..I'm holding the tiniest little peanut, only 3 weeks old!
We've also traveled to a 'cultural village' a small neighborhood in lusaka proper where the the crafts are sold. I picked out a pair of nice ebony earings for myself! During one afternoon, Benson and Charles took us all to a water park! We had a great afternoon of running up and down the stairs for the slides, splashing in the many pools and hanging out under the banana trees.
For the new year eve, Debby and I gathered all our friends and went to North Mead, an area of clubs and bars. We spent the night dancing to a mix of Zambian and Western music until 4am! And we were still ready for more!
Debby and I at Zenon, before the dancing began.
This weekend we are planning to head to Lake Kariba, but there will be NO swimming in that lake--as there are crocodiles! But we hear they have a pool, so we'll get our water time. Will be sure to update the blog upon return. Hope all is well across the world!
Free Falling in Livingstone
December 19-21, 2008
Second time around is always a charm, eh?! It was for me in Livingstone. Stephanie and I headed down south for about seven hours on a bus to the great land where the smoke that thunders (local name is mosi-oa-tunya) resides. Yes, one of the Seven Wonders of the World- Victoria Falls. The Falls is one of the most magnificent views I have ever witnessed. While you look at this monstrous waterfall, you 1) Get soaked by the spray, 2) Are left breathless, and 3) Are memorized at the amount of water pours into the Zambezi gorge.
Picture of falls
Note: The rainbow never ends- its a complete circle at the Falls!
We decided to live on the wild side and go white water rafting! We had Vinni, our guide, and four others with us. The Zambezi River has rapids that are level 5. The first one was called the Boiling Point, while others were called things like the Toilet Bowl and The Gnashing Jaws of Death. Basically, we had to paddle hard, get down, and hang on for dear life to survive the rapids. Steph was in front of me and so many times, we both flew up into the air or slipped down into the raft, but we kept on paddling. And guess what?! We never once tipped over. We were soaked and sunburned. The worst part was climbing up the gorge. Basically, an 80 degree wall of dirt, rocks, and a ladder made out of large sticks. Steph only had on flip flops, there was a rock fall which Steph’s ankle did not avoid (it is not broken!), and I learned how out of shape I really am.
Steph getting ready
Steph and I on the bus to our starting point- The Boiling Point
The view from the top of the ridge
The last time I was at the Falls, I wanted to bunji jump, but we ran out of time. I swore to myself that the next time I came around Zambia, I would jump off the 111meter high bridge, with only a rubberband saving me from the river below. This bridge connects Zambia and Zimbabwe, and the bunji jumping spot is in between the two countries. I was nervous at first, I think because I had just experienced the river during rafting. I stood at the very top of the bridge, where I got strapped to a safety harness around my torso and to a bunji cord tied to my feet. Two large towels were wrapped around my ankles to provide a cushion/barrier between my skin and the strap. The platform was cage-like and therefore I could see the raging river below. But no fear, I stepped to the edge. The men behind me were counting “5, 4, 3…� But I stopped them and said I didn’t need that (too much pressure!). So I looked back at the bridge, where a crowd had gathered. I asked them to start chanting, “Debby!, Debby!, Debby!� and when they did, I jumped! I flew like a bird, with my arms spread like wings. The free fall lasted four seconds and then the cord grabbed my ankles and I was bouncing up and down, up and down. And then it was over! It went by that quickly! I hung there waiting for my rescue man to bring me back up. My feet lost all circulation. And I was slipping (or so it felt that way!). The rush was over, but my adrenaline continued to pump.
Steph hugging me before I jump
Getting the harnesses on
Prepare for take off!
My free fall!
The Aftermath... two thumbs up!
Sorry for the late blogs. With the internet being iffy and with loving Zambia, it is hard to write on a regular basis! Happy New Year everyone!
December 29, 2008
Action packed adventures
Due to busy schedules, late nights, and lack of power this blog is long over due.
Two weekends ago (during one of the many power outtage in Lusaka) Debby and I traveled to Livingstone in the southern province of Zambia. After a long and bumpy bus ride, we arrived in the Livingstone. I was glad I had listened to my instincts and taken a motion sickness pill prior to boarding the bus-there were pot holes big enough on the dirt road to swallow a Honda Civic. Since we would only be there for 1 full day, we packed all the adventure we could fit into our Saturday.
We started out the early morning with a white water rafting trip down the Zambezi river. For those of you who are familiar with rafting, this was a level 5! Our 1man, 5 woman raft was the only one to make it through all of the first 10 rapids without flipping, or sending a (wo)man overboard-WooHoo. During the calm times, our rafting guide let us get out and swim in the river along side the boat--while they said they were joking about the crocodiles in the river, I was still on the lookout, and positive I saw a pair of eyeballs sitting just at water level. The rafting trip was exciting, extremely fun, and very tiring. But the worst part about it--was the climb out of the gorge after the trip. The only way out for those of us who did a 1/2 day trip was to scale the rocks and make shift ladder up the side of the steep embankment. And of course, I hadn't worn proper foot attire, so I did the mega climb barefoot. I kept challening the energy and strength of the african boys who were running up past me on the twigs bolted together as a ladder, carrying big metal frames barefoot as well. However, it was great fun, and I'm so glad we did it.
Our rafting gear. I'm assuming this is labeled as such just in case we get lost in the river, they'll knowwhere to return us.
After our rafting trip we caught a taxi to Victoria Falls and the intercountry bridge. But along the way we spotted a wild elephant along the roadside having a snack.
Before heading to see the falls upclose and personal, we had to make one detour...the jump of doom! Debby's scary bungee jump. The bridge spans the Zambezi river at 111 meters high between Zambia and Zimbabwe-so we did technically cross into another african country! No passport stamp though. After Debby's bungee jump, we went to see one of the seven wonders of the world! And a truely spectacular site it was. Just amazing!
On the master's project homefront, we had a good week last week of a full focus group. The interviews and focus groups have been conducted in Nynaja-the local language, so I've taken a back seat and let Alisad our interpreter take the lead. The great thing about Alisad, is that not only does he speak the three most popular languages in Zambia, but he's conducted focus groups before so he knows what he's doing. He has made all the difference in the world for our project as he knows the culture of the people so well and can really make them feel comfortable. And! today we met with our transcriptionists and will soon have interviews to review! The hardest part about the trascribing is that finding good typists is hard to come by. But we met with them and Ifeel confident it will all work out just fine.
December 26, 2008
A Very Merry African Christmas
Wishing everyone happy holidays. We hear back home the season has been a white winter wonderland, however here its been a damp, lush-green holiday season. Yesterday we were invited by Jason Paltzer, Debby's former field experience preceptor, to join him and his family at their Christmas day church service. In the afternoon we were invited to the farm of the Dr. whom we work with here. His 10acre farm houses many unofficial foster children and friends so we were glad to be welcomed into this extended family holiday bbq. There was no turkey or ham, but some delicious Zambeef steaks along with stuffing, pasta salad, and gormet tomato salad provided by us! We danced, sang, and had a jolly ole time.
A tasty Christmas cake! yum yum yum!
We found Santa's LIttle Helpers preparing for the big night
Musicians spreading the holiday spirit at Manda Hill
This is for my worrisome mother, so she can see that I had a real christmas while here--it really does exist in Africa! While it wasn't traditional by our usual standards, it was just as pleasant and fun to experience other holiday traditions with new family and friends. We look forward to the next week and another upcoming holiday--Zambian New Years! For those of you back home, we're 8hours ahead so we'll ring in the New Year at 2pm Minnesota time. We'll give you a heads up about how things are in 2009.
Hello family and friends! As you can tell, we had a wonderful Christmas here. I did miss a few of the traditions from back home such as the brunch strata, the family around the fire, the jigsaw puzzle, and the familiar Christmas music playing in the background. But it is always good to experience something new. And the liver stuffing, friends around the balcony overlooking the pool, and the crazy dancing (Dr. Tim and his nshima dance!) were definitely new! I hope you all had (and continue to have) a great holiday back in the Midwest, the East Coast, the Southwest, or wherever else you may be! xoxo
A Very Merry African Christmas
Wishing everyone happy holidays. We hear back home the season has been a white winter wonderland, however here its been a damp, lush-green holiday season. Yesterday we were invited by Jason Paltzer, Debby's former field experience preceptor, to join him and his family at their Christmas day church service. In the afternoon we were invited to the farm of the Dr. whom we work with here. His 10acre farm houses many unofficial foster children and friends so we were glad to be welcomed into this extended family holiday bbq. There was no turkey or ham, but some delicious Zambeef steaks along with stuffing, pasta salad, and gormet tomato salad provided by us! We danced, sang, and had a jolly ole time.
A tasty Christmas cake! yum yum yum!
We found Santa's LIttle Helpers preparing for the big night
Musicians spreading the holiday spirit at Manda Hill
This is for my worrisome mother, so she can see that I had a real christmas while here--it really does exist in Africa! While it wasn't traditional by our usual standards, it was just as pleasant and fun to experience other holiday traditions with new family and friends. We look forward to the next week and another upcoming holiday--Zambian New Years! For those of you back home, we're 8hours ahead so we'll ring in the New Year at 2pm Minnesota time. We'll give you a heads up about how things are in 2009.
Hello family and friends! As you can tell, we had a wonderful Christmas here. I did miss a few of the traditions from back home such as the brunch strata, the family around the fire, the jigsaw puzzle, and the familiar Christmas music playing in the background. But it is always good to experience something new. And the liver stuffing, friends around the balcony overlooking the pool, and the crazy dancing (Dr. Tim and his nshima dance!) were definitely new! I hope you all had (and continue to have) a great holiday back in the Midwest, the East Coast, the Southwest, or wherever else you may be! xoxo
December 23, 2008
Mwaukabwanji (How are you?!)
Dec 11-Dec 16
IN TRANSIT MODE..
Everything in Nairobi was wonderful. We had such a great time there (see blog before). And then Kenyan Airways spoiled it during our departure to Lusaka. Usually, I love flying on international airlines. You receive at least one meal per flight, drinks (including alcoholic), free movies, and friendly staff. But we barely made it on the flight. We had our tickets. We had our passports. We just had too many bags, which some of you might think this is normal for me, but this had not been an issue during our other flights from MSP to Amsterdam to Nairobi. For some reason, we were charged $6/extra kilo. We were fuming. And then, when we were filling out our departure forms for customs, this woman comes and tells me I cannot proceed because I had two carry-ons (again, my same exact carry-ons since MSP). She didn’t understand that my backpack was considered my personal bag. We argued for about 30mins, but instead of missing our flight (or being thrown into jail!), we sucked it up, paid the extra and off we were to a waiting room, where everyone else had two carry-ons, and a plane where half the seats were empty. Go figure. Needless to say, I was not a happy flyer.
On a lighter note, this was the view from the plane while going over the border of Kenya and Tanzania (and it must be noted- Lizz Hutchinson and Sarah Sevcik climbed to the top of this while in Tanzania over the summer!)
ARRIVAL IN FAMILIAR TERRITORY…
It felt so great to be back in Lusaka, especially with what happened in Nairobi airport. Phridae, Tiny Tim and Friends (TTF) project manager, and Moses, a friend of TTF, greeted us at the airport. Everything was so familiar except the foliage. During the rainy season (and Zambian summer), everything is so green! The landscape is much more appealing than when I was here last. There are other differences too between my stay four months ago and now. We are staying at the Lusaka Health Institute, School of Nursing. It is a small campus with one building for the admin and classrooms, and a few apartments for third year nursing students. We have two bedrooms, a sitting room, a kitchen, and a bathroom with hot water. There is no shower, only a tub and no laundry facility. And occasionally there are a few roaches in the kitchen and some little lizards in the sitting room.
Front entrance of Lusaka Health Institute
Steph as a critter killer!
Its extremely hot and humid here, which can be difficult when walking long distances. But as Stephanie says- this is what the rest of the world does. To get into town, we have to walk about 25mins to the bus stop, with a leg of it along the Great East Road. This road is heavily trafficked and the exhaust fumes from trucks and buses are horrendous.
Us trying to protect ourselves- public health would be proud!
On Sunday night we joined Dr. Tim, Tiny Tim, and the rest of the family at the farm. Every Sunday they make homemade pizzas, and they are delicious! We also discussed our project in more detail so it could get underway.
Steph and I with Tiny TIm at the Farm
Projects are going extremely well for only being in Lusaka for 6 days. We have visited a Women’s Group at Rev. Zimba’s Transit Home in an area called John Laing. Here, HIV+ women from Tiny Tim and Friends, come together and make beaded bracelets, knit handbags with plastic bags, and paint notecards.
In action...
Yesterday I was able to interview one child and one guardian for my project. On Tuesday and Thursday, patients come in to TTF for check-ups, medication re-fill, and follow-ups. I was thrilled with the way the interviews were going until during one, the audio machine just stopped. The batteries had failed me. Ah, the first mishap of my project. But I problem-solved and all will be okay. Keep your fingers crossed.
On Dec 16, we visited Our Lady’s Hospice in Kalingalinga. I was expecting a place like Mother Teresa’s Hospice, but that was not the case. Instead, Our Lady’s Hospice has a well-kept landscape, complete with grass, flowers, and tress, an out-patient clinic, five buildings for where all 30 in-patient persons stay, and a laundry facility. They are well staffed with 6 nurses, 25 caregivers (equivalent to a nursing assistant), and one doctor. Many patients are chronically ill with cancer and HIV/AIDS who need rehabilitation or intravenous treatment. We visited with three patients- talked about family, hardships, courage, and things of that they enjoy doing.
The grounds
Makeshift wheelchair at Our Lady’s Hospice
And last but not least, In both Kenya and Zambia, everyone asks about Obama. They love him. This is a pin from Election Day...
Stay tuned for more!
December 22, 2008
Nairobi, Kenya
Dec 7-Dec 11 2008
Stephanie and I arrived in Nairobi after a gazillion hours of travel. However, the flying was more broken up than the last time I came to Africa, which I appreciated. We got into the country on a transit visa, which saved us $30. Yay for our negotiation skills! The time in Nairobi was our extended layover, which I must say was much more eventful than other layovers I have experienced.
Nairobi is not at all like Lusaka; it is very modernized, with taller buildings, parks, large shopping centers, etc. We stayed in a fancy hotel, equipped with a garden, a small gym, and a continental breakfast of omelets, fruits, croissants, cheese, and sandwich meat. Needless to say, I felt as if we were in States. UNTIL….
We came across the animals!
Our first stop was the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Elephant Orphanage. In Kenya, many baby elephants are found abandoned due to poaching of the mothers. This orphanage rescues the elephants, cares for them, and then reintroduces them to the wild. The orphanage is located in a National Park and so their reintroduction to the wild is not difficult at all. We saw two groups of elephants in the nursery- one was the younger batch, while the other was older. They treat the elephants just like a human infant is cared for. Workers watch for developmental milestones and give them the proper love and care they need.
They love to play in the mud!
Baby elephant getting fed
Next we headed to the Giraffe Center, where we were able to feed giraffes. The highlight: We were kissed by a Giraffe! The giraffes were eager to eat food both from our hands and our lips! His tongue was like sandpaper, so it wasn’t a slimy kiss, but nonetheless, it was very awkward.
MWAAAAAAAH!
And finally, we went on a Nature Walk. We had been under the impression that it was going to be a safari-like hike, but instead we saw animals behind fences. Since Stephanie can’t leave Africa without being on a real safari, we will have to travel to a Park in Zambia. I will not complain! On the nature walk, we saw were albino zebras, a white rhino, a leopard, and a cheetah, which were all new on my list of things to see in Africa. In fact, we were able to pet the cheetah! The animal-keeper lured the cheetah over to us, where we were inside the cheetah’s roaming territory. Slightly frightening at first, but he/she was just like a big lazy house cat, with rougher fur. And he/she runs way faster and eats antelope for dinner.
In addition, we visited Kazuri, which is a bead factory. This factory was started to give women a source of income. Beads are made here- starting from the clay and finishing with millions of beautiful painted and sometimes glossed beads. These beads are exported all over the world, and Kazuri does such a great job, they receive specific orders from their clients.
The clay beads drying before the paint job
Look at all the beautiful designs and colors!
The next day we decided to learn about Kenya’s history. We went to the National Museum, where we saw paintings, artifacts, stuffed animals (by taxonomy), bones from millions of years ago (including famous Lucy’s skeleton), and traditional clothing (including headdresses and crotch covers). We went to the Bomas of Kenya, where we watched traditional dances from all over Kenya. At Bomas of Kenya, they have 37 dances and 11 ethnic groups including Kikuyu, Luhya, Kalenjin, Taita, Maasai, Luo, Kuria, Kisii, Kamba, Mijikenda and Embu. The colors of the clothing, the sound of the music, the movements of the dancers, and the enthusiasm were spectacular. This was the first time Steph and I busted out the video camera! It allowed us to practice our AV skills and we can now share with everyone Kenya’s songs and dances.
XOXO from Africa
December 16, 2008
December 7, 2008
Deb and Steph's African Adventure Begins!
Its that time of year again! Steph and I are heading to Africa!
In about 3 hours we will be on Kenyan Airways, heading to Nairobi, Kenya and then Lusaka, Zambia. We are sad to be missing the holiday season, and the Midwestern wintery weather, and of course all family and friends will be greatly missed, but what can we say, it’s AFRICA! With it being Zambia’s rainy season, we will be sweating in the 90 degree weather and wading through washed-out roads.
PROJECT!
Stephanie and I are heading to Zambia to collect data for our MPH Master’s Projects. We will be there for approximately 5.5 weeks while we complete a program evaluation of Tiny Tim and Friends. I am focusing on the care and treatment of HIV+ orphans and other vulnerable children aspect of the program, while Steph is focusing on the prevention on mother-to–child transmission of HIV. We will be conducting focus groups and interviews with the help of an interpreter.
SHOUT OUTS!
1. My dad for donating supplies such as hospital gowns, cloth diapers, and butt paste. These items will be given to the House of Moses and Mother Teresa’s Hospice, which are two places that I spent time at over this past summer. Many of the infants have severe diaper rash, so hopefully the soft cloths and the butt cream can help out their little bottoms!
2. Claire and Sam for donating their out-grown baby clothes. Its great that little children can help out others who live on the other side of the world. These two are an example for all.
3. Amanda Guay and her 3rd and 4th grade class at Green Lake School in Wisconsin. Amanda is a long-time friend of mine who decided to spread awareness about children who live in resource-poor areas. She conducted a November project where she taught the children about the children’s lives in Africa and the children wrote letters and colored pictures for students in Lusaka. I will be distributing the letters and pictures to schools around the city. It is so great that friendships across the globe can be created. Amanda's project also led to a Mosquito Net fundraiser by the children and their families. I encourage you all to check out Amanda’s classroom webpage to see more info and pictures: http://www.glsd.k12.wi.us/faculty/aguay/november.cfm
Thank you Amanda for being a dedicated and inspiring teacher and thank you to all the students for sharing your creative and compassionate hearts.
4. Stephanie’s mom for donating medical supplies such as vials and specimen containers. These are items that are necessary for proper testing and screening. Thanks Ms. Hengst!!!
And... away we go!
xoxo,
Debby
December 4, 2008
Testing 1, 2...
Thursday. Dec 4, 2008
This is my test run for blogging while in Zambia.
Debby and I leave in 3 days, and I haven't even begun to think about packing or anything else for this trip. Packing will most likely commence on Sat night at the earliest as I still have 5 assignments due for the end of this semester. However, once I get on the plane I'm sure the excitement will set in.
While in Zambia, Deb and I will be blogging rather than emailing. Check here for updates and pictures from our trip, project, and other wild adventures.
So long for now, its Africa or Bust for this pair.
|
|
|
|
|
Last modified on