had an interesting day on saturday. my friend leanne is a volunteer with FLAS (family life association of swaziland). they deal with most aspects of sexual reproductive health. one service they offer is free AIDS testing. they have a VCT mobile unit (voluntary counselling and testing). it's basically a camper that has been turned into a lab for AIDS testing. it gets pulled by a big 4x4. 2 nurses and a diver go out into communities and offer free testing and HIV/AIDS education.
my friend megan started a very successful income generating project for 14 rural women. they make bags and are paid much higher than 'fair' wages. her bags are now being sold in 6 countries and the women who make the bags have been able to improve many areas of their lives.
on saturday leanne arranged for the VCT mobile unit to visit the community where megan is working. when we arrived 1 man and 7 women were waiting under a tree to be tested. within minutes more and more people showed up; i think in total 7 men and 30 women came.
the day began with an informative discussion on HIV/AIDS - how to become infected, prevention and other related topics. they discussed witch doctors too which i thought was really interesting. slowly people began getting tested. there wasn't a counsellor present so i'm not sure what kind of advice people received if they tested positive. the men also went first which i thought was interesting. it was an emotional experience for me. i wondered how many people were coping with their results. no one seemed upset after leaving the unit but perhaps it's just the reality of living here - you will probably become infected and without a doubt no someone who is.
Monday, February 25, 2008
Thursday, February 21, 2008
hiv/aids
only have a few minutes. i'd like to keep with my 'reflection' theme.
i've learnt so much about hiv/aids while being here. i feel bad trying to discuss it with 4 minutes of internet time left.
before coming here i never considered how hiv/aids affects the families, communities and societies of those with the disease. i only really thought of those who were ill and how awful it must be. dealing with the ramifications of hiv/aids is equally devasting to those who are impacted by it - regardless of their status.
swaziland has the highest rate of infection in the world - 1/3 adults according to most reports. women are especially affected and put at the highest risk. swaziland is a polygamous country. husbands often have more than one wife and almost always have a few girlfriends on the side. women cannot ask their partners to use protection as they are regarded as minors in society and men usually don't want to wear one. they must care for their sick family members and/or care for children whose parents are too sick and/or have died from the diease. there are over 60,000 orphans here - swaz has a population of 1 million.
the impact on hiv/aids can be felt economically too. with more and more adults too sick to work, less work is bing carried out. employees often have to miss work to care for family members and/or themselves. money that should be be used on food, education and living is spent on hospital bills.
i feel i am just beginning to understand this pandemic. i am embarassed at how little i thought about hiv/aids before coming here.
i've learnt so much about hiv/aids while being here. i feel bad trying to discuss it with 4 minutes of internet time left.
before coming here i never considered how hiv/aids affects the families, communities and societies of those with the disease. i only really thought of those who were ill and how awful it must be. dealing with the ramifications of hiv/aids is equally devasting to those who are impacted by it - regardless of their status.
swaziland has the highest rate of infection in the world - 1/3 adults according to most reports. women are especially affected and put at the highest risk. swaziland is a polygamous country. husbands often have more than one wife and almost always have a few girlfriends on the side. women cannot ask their partners to use protection as they are regarded as minors in society and men usually don't want to wear one. they must care for their sick family members and/or care for children whose parents are too sick and/or have died from the diease. there are over 60,000 orphans here - swaz has a population of 1 million.
the impact on hiv/aids can be felt economically too. with more and more adults too sick to work, less work is bing carried out. employees often have to miss work to care for family members and/or themselves. money that should be be used on food, education and living is spent on hospital bills.
i feel i am just beginning to understand this pandemic. i am embarassed at how little i thought about hiv/aids before coming here.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
ants go marching one by one...
i've been thinking a lot about things i've learned and ways in which i've changed. the first thing that came to mind was BUGS. when i first came here i'd freak out over cockroaches, flying 'things', spiders and ants but i think i've become stronger in the bug department!
at 'home' you can easily leave the dinner dishes in the sink to deal with in the morning. not here. one crumb, one dish, one gunk of toothpaste is a welcome mat for insects. i've woken up to a kitchen covered COVERED in ants. i used to freak out, put on rubber gloves and close my eyes to deal with the issue. now i just go about my business like it's another day. spiders - if they are small i'll just flick them away. flying 'things', no problem. cockroaches - they still make me scream and run for cover.
at 'home' you can easily leave the dinner dishes in the sink to deal with in the morning. not here. one crumb, one dish, one gunk of toothpaste is a welcome mat for insects. i've woken up to a kitchen covered COVERED in ants. i used to freak out, put on rubber gloves and close my eyes to deal with the issue. now i just go about my business like it's another day. spiders - if they are small i'll just flick them away. flying 'things', no problem. cockroaches - they still make me scream and run for cover.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
went hiking with megan on sunday. it's a hike i've done a few times so i didn't bother to bring my camera. when am i going to learn to always bring my camera!!
so there we are hiking - hiking gear on, lots of water, breathing hard, sweating like mad, when we see something move in the distance. it's africa so it could have been anything from a zebra to a leopard to a thief to a big-ass snake. we suddenly see a bundle of wood floating in the air. we then see a woman's head. what a relief. we see a woman, around 40 years old in flip flops walking towards us. she has no water, no 'hiking gear' and doesn't seem hot nor tired. she has a huge bungle of wood on her head. she passes us and contiues down the moutain. the sight was stunning - and i didn't have my camera. megan and i laugh at each other. how mnay years would it take before we could hike a mountain, cross over to the village in the next valley in flip flops with a 20lb+ bundle of wood balanced on our heads? i attempt a twig. it falls after a few seconds.
so there we are hiking - hiking gear on, lots of water, breathing hard, sweating like mad, when we see something move in the distance. it's africa so it could have been anything from a zebra to a leopard to a thief to a big-ass snake. we suddenly see a bundle of wood floating in the air. we then see a woman's head. what a relief. we see a woman, around 40 years old in flip flops walking towards us. she has no water, no 'hiking gear' and doesn't seem hot nor tired. she has a huge bungle of wood on her head. she passes us and contiues down the moutain. the sight was stunning - and i didn't have my camera. megan and i laugh at each other. how mnay years would it take before we could hike a mountain, cross over to the village in the next valley in flip flops with a 20lb+ bundle of wood balanced on our heads? i attempt a twig. it falls after a few seconds.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Leaving in 2 weeks and one day. The panic is on. I’m so bad with good-byes, with endings, with closures. Send me to a new town, new job, new country and give me two days and I’m fine but leaving….it’s always hard for me to do.
In November I decided that I wanted to stay and work here for longer. I discussed it with my director and she was fully supportive, we even found funding for me. However a month or so later I decided that perhaps it wasn’t the right decision. Not sure why my thinking changed – I was involved with women’s rights at the grassroots level in Africa, something I’ve always wanted to do. But I just felt that it wasn’t the right time. In the past 4.5 years I’ve spent 8 months in Canada. While I want to continue working internationally, maybe now isn’t the right time. I told my director I had changed my mind. She was very good about it and supported my decision to go back to school. In fact I am welcome back in a years time and she believes the funding and position will still be available.
But last night while I was in bed I started to panic – am I crazy? Do I really want to go back to school, back to working crappy part time jobs on weekends to help decrease the amount I need in loans? Am I really turning down this opportunity? Yes, yes I am. I’m a bit liminal these days. Neither here nor there. I’m feeling like I did when I left Japan – sad to leave my friends, my life, this new culture but I’m excited too. I need to go home for awhile. So I may not be good at good-byes, good at transition, but I’m fabulous with hellos and getting my life started somewhere else. So *gulp* good bye Swaziland and HHHHEEELLLOOOO Canada. Here I come.
In November I decided that I wanted to stay and work here for longer. I discussed it with my director and she was fully supportive, we even found funding for me. However a month or so later I decided that perhaps it wasn’t the right decision. Not sure why my thinking changed – I was involved with women’s rights at the grassroots level in Africa, something I’ve always wanted to do. But I just felt that it wasn’t the right time. In the past 4.5 years I’ve spent 8 months in Canada. While I want to continue working internationally, maybe now isn’t the right time. I told my director I had changed my mind. She was very good about it and supported my decision to go back to school. In fact I am welcome back in a years time and she believes the funding and position will still be available.
But last night while I was in bed I started to panic – am I crazy? Do I really want to go back to school, back to working crappy part time jobs on weekends to help decrease the amount I need in loans? Am I really turning down this opportunity? Yes, yes I am. I’m a bit liminal these days. Neither here nor there. I’m feeling like I did when I left Japan – sad to leave my friends, my life, this new culture but I’m excited too. I need to go home for awhile. So I may not be good at good-byes, good at transition, but I’m fabulous with hellos and getting my life started somewhere else. So *gulp* good bye Swaziland and HHHHEEELLLOOOO Canada. Here I come.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Had such a wonderful 30th birthday. It’s official. I am now 30 AND FABULOUS (that was the theme). Weekend started with a camping trip to a beautiful park up in the mountains. Lots of walking, wholesome food, campfires and relaxing.
Sunday afternoon I met my friends at a local hangout. I was presented with a homemade cake. Yummy. It was hot and sunny and everyone was in fine form. Early evening got a little messy though (of course….it was my 30 and fabulous party). Marisse and Tim handed me my accessories for the evening: tiara, silver gloves, white and silver boa and a wand. I was a queen that night and acted like a royal pain in the ass I’m sure. It was everyone’s intention on getting me drunk (luckily most joined in too). ‘Special’ palm beaches that taste like juice however aren’t combined with shots of southern comfort (thanks susan), tequila (thanks Carolyn) and the worst ever – the hand grenade. However I was in bed by 11pm and up at 5am to go the gym. Yes, I’m 30 and fabulous.
I’ve made a few goals for myself for this year. Though I’d share the list in case you’re interested:
Vegan and wheat-free diet for one month (my two weeks of meat eating are over)
Half marathon in May (lots of training needed)
Fit properly into my clothes again (pants are a pretty snug…as long as I don’t bend over)
Learn to cook a few good dishes
Take a yoga class
Take a dance class (modern or African)
meditate more
Volunteer with an anti-poverty group
Sunday afternoon I met my friends at a local hangout. I was presented with a homemade cake. Yummy. It was hot and sunny and everyone was in fine form. Early evening got a little messy though (of course….it was my 30 and fabulous party). Marisse and Tim handed me my accessories for the evening: tiara, silver gloves, white and silver boa and a wand. I was a queen that night and acted like a royal pain in the ass I’m sure. It was everyone’s intention on getting me drunk (luckily most joined in too). ‘Special’ palm beaches that taste like juice however aren’t combined with shots of southern comfort (thanks susan), tequila (thanks Carolyn) and the worst ever – the hand grenade. However I was in bed by 11pm and up at 5am to go the gym. Yes, I’m 30 and fabulous.
I’ve made a few goals for myself for this year. Though I’d share the list in case you’re interested:
Vegan and wheat-free diet for one month (my two weeks of meat eating are over)
Half marathon in May (lots of training needed)
Fit properly into my clothes again (pants are a pretty snug…as long as I don’t bend over)
Learn to cook a few good dishes
Take a yoga class
Take a dance class (modern or African)
meditate more
Volunteer with an anti-poverty group
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