Let the games begin!
Tales from a Peregrinator
Wednesday, June 4, 2014
Let the games begin!
The trip of a lifetime. A dream come true. A bucket list item. These are
all things that I would describe this trip to Brazil that years ago
became a goal, something to work and plan for. And then when it is
finally here, I almost can't believe it. No sweat or tears were
produced to make this dream a reality but a certain amount of planning
and dedication (some would say absolute fandom) was involved. It started
off as a trip I was determined to go on and was fully expecting to
brave World Cup on my own (with or without tickets). Luckily the
universe intervened and not only did my father want to join in on the
madness, but it was his name that was serendipitously pulled from the
lottery hat for tickets. Unclear if the lottery actually uses a hat but
that is what I envision. My worst case scenario of only watching games
in the streets with several body-painted fans will not be realized.
Instead I will be watching 5 games in stadiums across Brazil, including
the famous Maracana stadium. <Insert fangirl squeal> because this
is as good as it gets for soccer fans. Ok let's be real--it's fútbol.
⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️ Spain has been my team ever since I first saw a Real Madrid game the
year I studied abroad (many players from the team also play for the national team). There was no looking back from there. I've since
followed La Rioja religiously to EuroCup and WorldCup wins. I'm
excited to see the Spanish national team live in action but let's not
get it twisted I'll be cheering on the USA in the streets of Brazil when
they air the games 👍
Friday, April 18, 2014
Picture yourself on a map
We have this saying here...well a saying that just started on Kabula Hill with Jenn (the project manager) and I. She started it off one day by saying out of the blue..."picture yourself on a map right now". So I did. And you know what? I'm a loooong way from home. Sometimes we can get caught up in our lives and forget where we actually are. For me I'm in Africa working on a nutrition project but every once and awhile I forget that I'm in a foreign country and that I'm driving on the "wrong" side of the road. Life begins to just feel....normal. So when we are driving back from clinic and looking out at the Malawian countryside or in a new place in Malawi we haven't been, Jenn or I will just say "picture yourself on a map right now" and it is a way I center myself. Picture YOURSELF on a map...
Thursday, April 17, 2014
Life on Kabula Hill
I had a seamless introduction to the airport and received my one month
visa without complications (to be renewed at a latter date). It was the
easiest customs/landing ever so I was happy. We landed early so I was
surprised that I only had to wait 10 min before my ride faithfully
arrived. Indi, a pediatrician and ID doc that oversees the children's
malnutrition study, picked me up and oriented me to Blantyre while
manically driving us home. That was my first insight into the madness that is driving in Africa. Those of you who have been to Africa/lived here (you know who you are) already know what I am talking about. For those of you who don't I will paint a picture in an upcoming post--don't you worry.
St Louis Research Project in partnership with the NGO Project Peanut Butter leases land in the Kabula Hill neighborhood in Blantyre. Blantyre is the commercial capital of Malawi and has 1.9 million inhabitants. I had signed up to be a clinic volunteer for two months but luckily I receive a weekly stipend plus room & board so my main expense was my flight out to Malawi. Kabula Hill (a.k.a. The Compound) is a gated area that has multiple houses on the compound (I know what you are thinking...this sounds like a cult!). My family will be happy to know there is 24 hour security and two adorable guard dogs Maximus and Cesar that become ferocious when encountering newbies (a.k.a. me day one in Africa). I didn't know what to expect with housing but for Africa we have a pretty sweet deal. The landlord lives on the property in the main house and the three other houses belong to the project. I live in middle house which incidentally is the house with the patio. The patio converts into happy hour central when everyone descends after a long day of clinic to drink Carlsberg beers and enter data, talk smack and eat chips and chocolate. Prime location for sure but mostly for me because of the view. (Don't worry I have my boxed South African wine). Pics are of my room in middle house and views from the patio.
The sitch on mosquito nets
I have a confession. I like my
mosquito net. No--like really like my mosquito net. Which could seem
strange if you understand I have a touch of claustrophobia. How does a
person who gets slightly anxious with confined spaces relish the thought
of trapping herself into netting for the night? My theory is two
fold--safety for one. Remember when you were swaddled as a child? No? Me
either. But chances are your mother swaddled you and your newborn brain
thought....ahhhh yes. Safety. Comfort. That is kind of what mosquito
netting feels like to a 31 one year old cocooned in a blue net hanging
from the ceiling. A safety that nothing bad can make it into the
net--and by nothing I mean malaria carrying mosquitoes ;). The other
reason I think I secretly love my mosquito net is because it reminds me
of an age old pastime that should never get old--building forts. My
mosquito net is an adult mini version of a fort. Every night I crawl
into my bed and tuck in the net that creates a canopy not unlike any
multitude of forts I made with sheets in my childhood.
A chameleon we found in the yard (down house in background)
Until next time!
Wednesday, April 2, 2014
Initial journey
As we descended on my 14+hour flight and I caught my first glimpse of
Africa, I was overcome with a sense of excitement. The purple rays of sunrise highlighted the beautiful (from the air at least!) city of
Addis Ababa in Ethiopia.
The two day trip to get to Africa gave me some time to reflect on the last month and how crazy it had been. I decided to leave a town I admittedly loved but was not in love with for the great unknown. I set up some international jobs and packed up everything I owned to drop it off at my parent's places in Arizona. The inevitable questions were asked of my friends/family and strangers on the street:
People watching in a foreign airport is one of
my favorite pastimes. Nothing is as much of a melting pot as the
different cultures/people/and languages all converging to travel this
wonderful world. Cheesy, I know but it's true. I
was approached twice for information when I was at the Addis Ababa airport probably
because I looked like I spoke their language--English (right on both
accounts). Maybe I looked like I knew what I was doing? Laugh.
The two day trip to get to Africa gave me some time to reflect on the last month and how crazy it had been. I decided to leave a town I admittedly loved but was not in love with for the great unknown. I set up some international jobs and packed up everything I owned to drop it off at my parent's places in Arizona. The inevitable questions were asked of my friends/family and strangers on the street:
You are going where?
Where is that?
Is Malawi in Hawaii ?
Why are you leaving your great job?
Answers--I'm going to three continents in one year. Malawi is in Southeast Africa and definitely not in the state of Hawaii. The last question is harder to answer. I've always been somewhat of a wanderer. I've wanted to leave the country and do work + travel for longer than the 2-3 weeks allotted to me at work since....I've started working ;) The opportunity presented itself to do some volunteer work in a malnutrition research project and I jumped at the chance (thanks Casey!).
So that is how I ended up in the
continent of Africa (a new one for me because I don’t count my rendezvous in
Gibraltar even though I could see Morocco) getting ready to embark on a
journey I never thought would be mine. I
was never planning on traveling to Africa.
My worldview was pretty much set on work in Europe but when the world
comes knocking, I’ve learned to open the door.
We landed in Blantyre, Malawi—my home for the next two months—and I have
to say…it reminded me of Hawaii! Lush and
green with some heat that was peppered with humidity upon arrival. I
stepped off the plane and my body (and possibly my mouth) said YES. The heat.
I welcomed it after the fog and persistent 60s of San Francisco. I couldn’t help myself and already started
taking pictures once I landed. More soon
I promise!
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