Busy being a Local
Thank you so much for your great comments I love reading them, I know there has been some problem with them but I think it is fixed now.
Life is speeding by here. I rarely get to the internet nowadays. Tourist season is at its peak which means there are tourists everywhere and the people that live here are pushier because this is the season where they earn their money for the rest of the year. It’s nice knowing my way around and speaking Swahili but it gets old answering the same questions and having to prove that I really do live here and I will not be climbing the mountian again any time soon. Joelle has recently returned from her month long trip in South Africa and has now moved into our house. I am officially done with the Visions in Action program as of July 3rd but I am continuing to volunteer as before and I am now just renting my room in my house. Joelle returned with a travel bug that is quickly spreading around the house. I am flying on July 25th to Kigali, Rwanda to travel with a new friend Lauren for about two weeks in Rwanda and Uganda. We may go to the area that Jane Goodall still lives and hang out with the Chimps there among other less noteworthy places. Then in the beginning of August Joelle and I and possibly Claire and her friend who is coming to visit are going to start a trip south. Exploring eastern (costal) and southern TZ for a few weeks and then hopefully moving down to Malawi and Zambia depending on time, money and inspiration.
I am glad Joelle is back because is a very hard working woman that keeps me encouraged and motivated in a place that is easy to get overwhelmed with the realities. We have devised a plan to and have begun to enter the data for the 1200 household health survey that I have been working on for the last 2 months that should be completed by the end of this month. The survey will be used to design our plan for improving health and elevating poverty in Shimbwe village. The survey is 6 pages long and inquires about everything from Malaria, Monthly Income, HIV, Nutrition, Alcohol Consumption, Water, Access to Health Care, Use of Mosquito Nets and Barriers to Healthcare. The survey is highlighting the major barriers is lack of quality food and family planning and alcohol consumption is high. The survey is not perfect but it is providing vital information to do effective work to create systemic change on the health conditions of the area. Joelle and I will be creating a year long action plan for the area so that the work is continued by other volunteers when we leave in September.
To update you on Honesty….He was given a date for surgery, then showed up the day before as he was told to be admitted and was told there were no beds available. He then was given another date two weeks later which he showed up to and was again told there were no beds available. Joelle paid for the surgery at the hospital before she left for her trip and was told that would ensure he would get surgery the next time he was scheduled. Well it didn’t….so still no surgery. However I have been connected with a surgeon at Machame Hospital (the village where I work in the Mother/Child clinic) who was able to get the money back from KCMC and so he is now scheduled for surgery next Friday at Machame Hospital. I will be sure to let you know when it happens. The health care system is very frustrating to deal with. Scarce resources with poor management of them appear to be the fundamental problem. I struggle with using my connections which are based primarily on my white skin, English language and perceived money to get through the system to get what I want done. I want as much as possible to work with the system but the reality is…with the current system people like Honesty never get surgery. So as I go through the surveys which highlight urgent problems in the community I will write about them. My oldest brother offered to help with Honesty’s surgery and would like to give that opportunity to anybody who wants to help us with other cases that appear.
Recently a guy that is volunteering with Minjeni women’s group came across an idea to have a fundraising walk for Minjeni from Moshi to Shimbwe. The walk would be symbolic of the several hour walk (estimated to be about 9 miles) that many women walk daily with a large tub on their head to Moshi to sell their vegetables for the equivalent of a few dollars they then turn around and walk back. This is the first part of the walk that Honesty completes to get to hospital each time he is scheduled for surgery. There is public transport that travels the route that takes between 30 and 45 minutes depending on the mud. (Dad, Kim and Matt should remember it clearly) The ride costs about 65 cents but is too expensive for most people living in Shimbwe. If the walk takes place I will be sure to post it here if anyone wants to sponsor me!
Rainy season is finally over so we are now in the dead of winter. It gets to a chilly 55 degrees at night and blistering 80 during the day. I love it, couldn’t ask for better weather! Mount Kilimanjaro is finally returning from its retreat behind the clouds of rainy season with a lot of snow to show off. Yesterday Claire, Joelle and I packed a picnic and walked to a school nearby and just enjoyed the day playing Frisbee and climbing trees.
Sorry about not explaining the Bridesmaids pictures when there were posted…Joelle TZ friend’s brother got married and asked her to be in the wedding and to ask 3 of her white friends. It was a peculiar request but it is what they wanted and sounded like a great time. So Claire her friend Abby, Joelle and I got fitted for dresses and acted as trophies in the wedding. Our job was to ride on the back of motorcycles in the parade that lead everyone that attended the wedding from the church around the town and then finally to the reception. Then at the reception we served drinks to the head tables. The whole experience was bizarre and very lengthy but a memory I will never forget about my time in TZ.
I have recently found another creative outlet here. I have begun to make another type of batik. Batik simply means dying fabric using wax. Baba Kashindae’s batiks are like paintings which I still occasionally do, mostly because I enjoy his friendship. But I have now begun to develop my skills making fabric that can be just to make skirts, purses, dresses etc. A process that takes a lot of creativity but little artistic skill, perfect for me! My first piece that I am creating is specially designed for Mrs. Mary Tang. Also Joelle, Claire and I will most likely be starting instruction in Henna next week.
I have yet to buy my plane ticket home; I would like very much to be home by my Birthday on Sept. 26th. It seems that is the very end of high season here so flights are very expensive. (Nearly 50% more then my ticket here in January) So I don’t know any dates yet of when I will be back in the States I am waiting to see what traveling brings my way and if prices go down.
Oh so not only did I win third place in the nerd party’s trivia quiz, I won best dressed pirate last Saturday. There may have just been me and the bar owner dressed up but I still won a bottle of wine for my effort, and if I may say dressing up as a pirate when you have only one duffle bag of clothes is a pretty difficult task. I will try to post a picture of my pirate self.
