I suppose I should start yet another blog entry by apologizing for not writing more often, but the last few weeks have been crazy. Last week we had our midtests in technical training, as well as oral and written language, so at night I’ve been doing a lot of studying when I’m not socializing with my family and neighbors. (I’ve since gotten my tests back and I did pretty well! Hooray! But it’s somewhat frustrating. I’m used to feeling great after I do well on a test, but here I don’t get a huge boost off my good grades because I still can’t fully carry on a conversation…oh well. It takes time, I’m fully aware). Anyway, I thought I’d share a few quick notes on fun/interesting things I’ve done or learned the past few weeks.
First of all, I attended a wedding! Well, actually I attended both the bride and groom’s pre-wedding parties the night before (which are basically just sweet dance parties, old-school block party style) and the reception after the wedding…haha, just like me to skip the wedding and go to the parties, but truly I was in school for the wedding ceremony itself. I have figured out how to dance Tanzanian style pretty well, even though I am wowowo-less, so I blended in pretty well despite the fact that I glowed in the moonlight. J However, when Shakira came on I had to bust out some of my own moves, so I had lots of Tanzanian mamas asking me to teach them how to dance (I can shimmy in a way they don’t know how….haha). The reception was very formal. There were a lot of speeches made and gifts formally presented by both sides. The bride and groom barely touch or smile, so that’s definitely different to me. There were some cute points. When they fed each other the cake the bride put the cake in her mouth and the groom bit it out of her mouth Lady and the Tramp style.
I also just wanted to briefly mention that despite the fact that my focus as a health educator here in Tanzania (thank you PEPFAR) is on HIV/AIDS, malaria is the number one killer in Africa. Malaria preys on pregnant women and children. In reality, a child dies of malaria every 30 seconds.
I also was quite surprised when I learned that in Tanzania and many other third world countries pregnant women who are HIV positive are encouraged to breastfeed their children for the first six months of their lives (breast milk is one of the four methods of transmission, along with blood, semen, and vaginal fluids). I was shocked when I first heard that and I honestly assumed that I misunderstood, but I later found out that it is indeed the case. In reality, all babies born to HIV positive mothers test positive for the first 18 months of their lives (because of the antibodies passed on while they’re in the womb) and so while researchers know that HIV can be passed on through a mother’s milk they are not sure exactly how high the risk is (it is believed that most babies transmit HIV through pregnancy, not through milk). And there is another important factor to consider. Unlike in the developed world where clean water and good formula is available, the alternative to breastfeeding in Tanzania is accompanied by great risks of water borne disease and malnutrition. Therefore, mothers are instructed to breastfeed until the babies are six months old, because this is when they begin cutting teeth and so are more likely to come into contact with blood. Their immune systems are also a bit higher and so they can handle other foods and drinks easier. Also babies stomaches tend to get irritated from real food, so these sores can be a door for HIV to enter if breastmilk is mixed with real food.
On a lighter note, this past weekend we went on a little, one-night getaway to Mikumi National Park. We went on a game drive and saw giraffes, zebras, elephants, hippos, and baboons. I was very disappointed that I didn’t get to see a lion, but I don’t want to complain about that too much, because knowing my luck one will show up at my site in a few months! We also enjoyed some delicious food and drink (we all drank Safari beer after the Safari….and PS 2.5 beers here equal a six-pack at home, and cost about a dollar each). We also had a rocking dance party where I got to bust out some killer Tanzanian dance moves I’ve learned as well as some American favorites (like the shopping cart and sprinkler) that my Tanzanian sisters just don’t appreciate! It was a great break after a very stressful week.
I want to finish this blog post with a quick note about something I love about Tanzanian culture. In Tanzania, if you don’t know someone’s name you can call them by a group they belong to. Sometimes it’s a bit annoying (especially if you’re white and you hear “Mzungu” 16 times a day), but usually I love it. Not only am I called “dada” (sister) by my technical siblings, but also by my neighbors and other beautiful, smiling children that greet me on the street. I also have endless mamas and bibis (grandmas), but most importantly I have babus (grandpas) again! I was very blessed to have had two granddad’s in the US who were wonderful dads to my parents and equally wonderful to me and Andy as grandpas. They were two people who always made me feel loved, affirmed, and special. My grandpas could always make me laugh or smile. Grandpa Meigel always had a funny story to tell and I think that part of him lives on in my dad and maybe me too. And I still think of Granddad McCann every time a stubbly face rubs against my cheek during a hug. It is wonderful to be reminded of them in those little ways, but every time I visit with a babu here I am reminded of the wisdom that comes from the years and life experiences that only grandpa’s have. And so every chance I get I ask babu (my neighbor) about his day, the news, his favorite soccer team, politics, and anything else I can think of. I have always known that the ancestors and family are important in African culture, but I think I am really beginning to appreciate the beauty and depth of my own family and my interactions with them both in the past and the present. I hope both my grandpas knew how much I adored them and how much they would affect my life even after they are no longer physically with me.
I guess I should probably stop for now. I’m sorry for being “lost.” My computer is experiencing technical difficulties (it won’t turn on) so I can’t write as much or often as I’d like, but I’ll try and write again soon. Peace and love!
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Sunday, July 6, 2008
A Day in the Life...
Hey everyone! I’m sorry I haven’t written in a while. I have been very busy! I’ll try and give you a an idea of what a typical day is like for me as a PCT (Peace Corps Trainee).
Every morning (except Sunday) my mama knocks on my door around seven o’clock to wake me up. “Abee!” I call, to let her know I’m conscious (I’m still not a morning person in Africa…) After I get my wits about me and my bath stuff together I get out of my nice warm bed (yes, it is quite cold in the morning and at night…thank you Hillary for the fleece, I wear it every day!) and go out to bathe. First, I have to greet my mama and anyone else who happens to be in our courtyard. Not greeting someone, especially an elder, is incredibly disrespectful in Tanzania. So I put on a happy morning face and say, “Shikamoo, mama!” which is how everyone greets an elder (EVERY DAY…sometimes more than once a day). It’s a little annoying to have to “shikamoo” every single elder I see throughout the day (and yes, I shikamoo everyone that appears older than me), but it really is a beautiful tradition. I am a lot more aware of how disrespectful I am and our culture in general is. Kids in the US are always served by their parents, here the children serve their parents. Thanks for taking such good care of me mom and dad! Hopefully I’ll come home and be more respectful and grateful than I have been in the past….
Soooo anyway….after I shikamoo my mama and ask her how she slept and how she woke up and how her morning is going, I shuffle sleepily in my crocs (Yay! So glad I brought them…) and a khanga (a beautiful piece of Tanzanian cloth with a proverb written on it) into the bathroom. My house is very nice and we have electricity and running water (usually)! I start by using the squatty potty and then I take a warm bucket bath (my family spoils me rotten)!
After I bathe I get dressed (I wear a skirt or dress almost every day) and then I go out and have breakfast with my seven-year-old sister, Shemsa (if she’s awake). I have some combination of a chapati, a hard boiled egg, bread, a doughnut (like a fried ball of dough, not Crispy Cream), and milk tea (chai) or hot milk—which are both yummy and sweet and nice on the chilly mornings. After breakfast I quickly brush my teeth and head out to school.
I probably only live 5 minutes from the school, but it takes me about twice that time because I have to greet everyone I run into on the way!
Once I get to school I greet my teacher, Vivian, aka “Big Boy.” Yes, he is one of the few larger Tanzanians I’ve met. He’s also incredibly funny and a great teacher. I am very lucky! Big Boy utilizes a lot of different teaching strategies which helps me a lot. Luckily Swahili is fairly straightforward language, grammar wise (more on that later) so he makes us a lot of charts (love that!) and we do practice sentences, sing songs, interview community members, go on experiential walks, and visit community officials, religious leaders, and business people. It is really fun!
My class (which is made up of the most random five individuals...think inter-generational and inter-faith and iner-ethnic Breakfast Club) has a lot of fun and our language is coming along well. We study for about 2 hours, then break for chai. Then we study for a few more hours before lunch and “recess.” Big Boy keeps the day moving so we don’t get too overwhelmed.
After class I walk home and I'm met along the path by my sister Shemsa, my cousin Abdule
i (3, my boyfriend!) and a ton of adorable neighbors. Usually we hang around at the neighbors' for a while. They ask me about my day and what I learned and usually they try and teach me a few things too. After a while I play with the kids or go in and “help” make dinner. Soon I’ll have to start doing more, but for now I just do little things.
Then I take another bath, eat dinner (some combo of rice, pilau, coconut rice-YUM, beans, kuku, beef, spinach, and cabbage) and then head to my room. At this time, it's about 10:30 and i'm literally exhausted (trying to think in another language all day is straight up tiring)....Before I go to bed I try and write in my journal and study my many flashcards.
So that’s what 5 of my 7 days a week are like. One day I go to MATI with all the PCTs (there are 50ish of us). On those days we do generic trainings, but we have a lot of fun getting all together. On Sundays we “pumzika” or rest, although I usually do laundry, sweep and mop my room, rearrange, study, shop with my family, and help cook, so it’s still pretty busy.
Alright….this is probably long enough for today. Hope all is well back home.
I miss you lots…and I would loooove to get some snail mail, so here’s my temporary address:
Jessica Meigel
Peace Corps Tanzania
PO Box 9123
Dar es Salaam Tanzania
East Africa
PS....I thought of y'all on friday. We had a little 4th of July celebration after class....actually it was a traditional field day, complete with an American flag and the singing of the national anthem. I played ultimate frisbee, volleyball, and yes....SOCCER!!! it made my life. i'm in a little pain now (especially in the choo position!) but it was worth it to burn off some calories and hear the hoot of the spectators when i pulled some sweet moves around a Tanzanian MAN! haha....
Every morning (except Sunday) my mama knocks on my door around seven o’clock to wake me up. “Abee!” I call, to let her know I’m conscious (I’m still not a morning person in Africa…) After I get my wits about me and my bath stuff together I get out of my nice warm bed (yes, it is quite cold in the morning and at night…thank you Hillary for the fleece, I wear it every day!) and go out to bathe. First, I have to greet my mama and anyone else who happens to be in our courtyard. Not greeting someone, especially an elder, is incredibly disrespectful in Tanzania. So I put on a happy morning face and say, “Shikamoo, mama!” which is how everyone greets an elder (EVERY DAY…sometimes more than once a day). It’s a little annoying to have to “shikamoo” every single elder I see throughout the day (and yes, I shikamoo everyone that appears older than me), but it really is a beautiful tradition. I am a lot more aware of how disrespectful I am and our culture in general is. Kids in the US are always served by their parents, here the children serve their parents. Thanks for taking such good care of me mom and dad! Hopefully I’ll come home and be more respectful and grateful than I have been in the past….
Soooo anyway….after I shikamoo my mama and ask her how she slept and how she woke up and how her morning is going, I shuffle sleepily in my crocs (Yay! So glad I brought them…) and a khanga (a beautiful piece of Tanzanian cloth with a proverb written on it) into the bathroom. My house is very nice and we have electricity and running water (usually)! I start by using the squatty potty and then I take a warm bucket bath (my family spoils me rotten)!
After I bathe I get dressed (I wear a skirt or dress almost every day) and then I go out and have breakfast with my seven-year-old sister, Shemsa (if she’s awake). I have some combination of a chapati, a hard boiled egg, bread, a doughnut (like a fried ball of dough, not Crispy Cream), and milk tea (chai) or hot milk—which are both yummy and sweet and nice on the chilly mornings. After breakfast I quickly brush my teeth and head out to school.
I probably only live 5 minutes from the school, but it takes me about twice that time because I have to greet everyone I run into on the way!
Once I get to school I greet my teacher, Vivian, aka “Big Boy.” Yes, he is one of the few larger Tanzanians I’ve met. He’s also incredibly funny and a great teacher. I am very lucky! Big Boy utilizes a lot of different teaching strategies which helps me a lot. Luckily Swahili is fairly straightforward language, grammar wise (more on that later) so he makes us a lot of charts (love that!) and we do practice sentences, sing songs, interview community members, go on experiential walks, and visit community officials, religious leaders, and business people. It is really fun!
My class (which is made up of the most random five individuals...think inter-generational and inter-faith and iner-ethnic Breakfast Club) has a lot of fun and our language is coming along well. We study for about 2 hours, then break for chai. Then we study for a few more hours before lunch and “recess.” Big Boy keeps the day moving so we don’t get too overwhelmed.
After class I walk home and I'm met along the path by my sister Shemsa, my cousin Abdule
i (3, my boyfriend!) and a ton of adorable neighbors. Usually we hang around at the neighbors' for a while. They ask me about my day and what I learned and usually they try and teach me a few things too. After a while I play with the kids or go in and “help” make dinner. Soon I’ll have to start doing more, but for now I just do little things.
Then I take another bath, eat dinner (some combo of rice, pilau, coconut rice-YUM, beans, kuku, beef, spinach, and cabbage) and then head to my room. At this time, it's about 10:30 and i'm literally exhausted (trying to think in another language all day is straight up tiring)....Before I go to bed I try and write in my journal and study my many flashcards.
So that’s what 5 of my 7 days a week are like. One day I go to MATI with all the PCTs (there are 50ish of us). On those days we do generic trainings, but we have a lot of fun getting all together. On Sundays we “pumzika” or rest, although I usually do laundry, sweep and mop my room, rearrange, study, shop with my family, and help cook, so it’s still pretty busy.
Alright….this is probably long enough for today. Hope all is well back home.
I miss you lots…and I would loooove to get some snail mail, so here’s my temporary address:
Jessica Meigel
Peace Corps Tanzania
PO Box 9123
Dar es Salaam Tanzania
East Africa
PS....I thought of y'all on friday. We had a little 4th of July celebration after class....actually it was a traditional field day, complete with an American flag and the singing of the national anthem. I played ultimate frisbee, volleyball, and yes....SOCCER!!! it made my life. i'm in a little pain now (especially in the choo position!) but it was worth it to burn off some calories and hear the hoot of the spectators when i pulled some sweet moves around a Tanzanian MAN! haha....
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