So I wasn't able to get to the internet prior to this so I have so much to say and I have to be back to CCS for lunch in 30 minutes. Where to start... I won't be in order..
Yesterday we had a tour a the Rau village and met the Village chief. It was awesome. I'll create a seperate post about the chief and what he does. The woman who gave us the tour was Mama Change (all a's are pronounced ah and all e's are pronounced e' as in fell) she looks like my grandmother. The village looks so cozy - dirt roads but no liter very clean and mud brick houses. It was very dusty there and I'll need to buy a scarf b/c its dusty every where. Everyone thinks I'm Tanzanian - Mama Grace (one of the head people at CCS) says I would have had a hard time if not for my dreadlocks b/c people would have thought for SURE I could speak. During the village tour one of the girls called me over b/c they wanted me to translate for them to one of the white volunteers! sizungumzi kiswahili this phrase serves me well now but when my accent gets better it will not ! lol
We have Kiswahili lessons today after lunch so that's great. Everyone is so friendly but even more so to me. Mama Judith said to me yesterday looking at me intensely and holding my hands (Karibu Andrea, this is YOURS) and Mac Daddy(his nickname for Macyani I think) was like be sure to come visit my house. 3 weeks is so short! There are so many people to see!
Anyway the village streets are Alabama dirt red and bumpy and dusty but lined with flowering bushes about 6 feet tall so it looks very beautiful. A street may seem empty one second and then the next a woman will appear with a bucket on her head or children will run around the corner and you didn't know b/c of the lined streets. We went and visited the sick and disabled, and older people (so of course it is a compliment to be thought of as older in Africa, when I told Mama Change that she looked like my grandmother she said "! Asante sana Andrea" so sweet. I was bragging about my gray hair to Edward (Mama Grace's son ) one night, and it was a perfectly reasonable thing to do from his perspective while on my other side was an American woman who dyes her hair and wonders why I don't - that's so funny.
side note: I think I'm developing a gray patch on the front right side (Score!)
This is so randomly organized so I apologize I may organize later. Anyway AIDS, I'm volunteering with Jipe Moyo and met 2 members yesterday for an orientation and the rest today. The women in Jipe Moyo all are HIV positive or have AIDS. AIDS is in 20% of the world in Tanzania its 6% of that 20 %. (I'm not sure about that number I'll need to clariy) There are 36 M people in Tanzania and 4 M have AIDS or are HIV positive. Uganda was the first place to have AIDS and now in Africa they have the lowest percentage of AIDS in Africa b/c of the education where as S. Africa has 45% of AIDS in Africa. This is why Jipe Moyo exists.
It spread fast in Africa not just b/c the lack of education and stigma but also b/c of the men having multiple wives, mistresses and traveling around Africa. There are a few ways people specifically women find out about AIDS. Going in to get tested (which is what Jipe Moyo advocates) but also when a woman gets pregnant, when her husband gets sick and/or dies.
If a woman is pregnant she should not breast feed so that she will not give the baby the disease but 50% still do b/c what reason can they give that they are not breast feeding ? and milk may not be affordable to purchase. This is why Jipe Moyo exists.
There are pills they can take which are free, offered by the government but people don't want to be dependent on them. I met Sia from Jipe Moyo yesterday, her husband died 4 years ago. He died fast b/c he didn't take the medicine saying that he was dead either way. That is shocking I could die tomorrow in a car accident what sense does that make? This is why Jipe Moyo exists.
Today I met the rest of the women and talk them English for 90 minutes and then had a business meeting. We will have a fundraiser/festival on Tuesday and I can't wait. It was so fun teaching them English they really want to learn which makes the job really easy. Fortunately too I've had some experience and the previous volunteers were awesome creating and updating a document that contains where they are in their lessons.
There is so much more to tell these people that I have met have such big hearts, but lunch and Swahili lessons call, till next time.
Yesterday we had a tour a the Rau village and met the Village chief. It was awesome. I'll create a seperate post about the chief and what he does. The woman who gave us the tour was Mama Change (all a's are pronounced ah and all e's are pronounced e' as in fell) she looks like my grandmother. The village looks so cozy - dirt roads but no liter very clean and mud brick houses. It was very dusty there and I'll need to buy a scarf b/c its dusty every where. Everyone thinks I'm Tanzanian - Mama Grace (one of the head people at CCS) says I would have had a hard time if not for my dreadlocks b/c people would have thought for SURE I could speak. During the village tour one of the girls called me over b/c they wanted me to translate for them to one of the white volunteers! sizungumzi kiswahili this phrase serves me well now but when my accent gets better it will not ! lol
We have Kiswahili lessons today after lunch so that's great. Everyone is so friendly but even more so to me. Mama Judith said to me yesterday looking at me intensely and holding my hands (Karibu Andrea, this is YOURS) and Mac Daddy(his nickname for Macyani I think) was like be sure to come visit my house. 3 weeks is so short! There are so many people to see!
Anyway the village streets are Alabama dirt red and bumpy and dusty but lined with flowering bushes about 6 feet tall so it looks very beautiful. A street may seem empty one second and then the next a woman will appear with a bucket on her head or children will run around the corner and you didn't know b/c of the lined streets. We went and visited the sick and disabled, and older people (so of course it is a compliment to be thought of as older in Africa, when I told Mama Change that she looked like my grandmother she said "! Asante sana Andrea" so sweet. I was bragging about my gray hair to Edward (Mama Grace's son ) one night, and it was a perfectly reasonable thing to do from his perspective while on my other side was an American woman who dyes her hair and wonders why I don't - that's so funny.
side note: I think I'm developing a gray patch on the front right side (Score!)
This is so randomly organized so I apologize I may organize later. Anyway AIDS, I'm volunteering with Jipe Moyo and met 2 members yesterday for an orientation and the rest today. The women in Jipe Moyo all are HIV positive or have AIDS. AIDS is in 20% of the world in Tanzania its 6% of that 20 %. (I'm not sure about that number I'll need to clariy) There are 36 M people in Tanzania and 4 M have AIDS or are HIV positive. Uganda was the first place to have AIDS and now in Africa they have the lowest percentage of AIDS in Africa b/c of the education where as S. Africa has 45% of AIDS in Africa. This is why Jipe Moyo exists.
It spread fast in Africa not just b/c the lack of education and stigma but also b/c of the men having multiple wives, mistresses and traveling around Africa. There are a few ways people specifically women find out about AIDS. Going in to get tested (which is what Jipe Moyo advocates) but also when a woman gets pregnant, when her husband gets sick and/or dies.
If a woman is pregnant she should not breast feed so that she will not give the baby the disease but 50% still do b/c what reason can they give that they are not breast feeding ? and milk may not be affordable to purchase. This is why Jipe Moyo exists.
There are pills they can take which are free, offered by the government but people don't want to be dependent on them. I met Sia from Jipe Moyo yesterday, her husband died 4 years ago. He died fast b/c he didn't take the medicine saying that he was dead either way. That is shocking I could die tomorrow in a car accident what sense does that make? This is why Jipe Moyo exists.
Today I met the rest of the women and talk them English for 90 minutes and then had a business meeting. We will have a fundraiser/festival on Tuesday and I can't wait. It was so fun teaching them English they really want to learn which makes the job really easy. Fortunately too I've had some experience and the previous volunteers were awesome creating and updating a document that contains where they are in their lessons.
There is so much more to tell these people that I have met have such big hearts, but lunch and Swahili lessons call, till next time.
6 comments:
It sounds like you are having a blast. So far it seems like the best trip you have taken so far. Can you tell the difference between the wealthy and poor there? Does it seem like people are misinformed about the importance of protection from AIDS/HIV or do they think it can't happen to them?
I have a map of Tanzania. So you are staying over by Mt. Kilimanjaro? What is the towns name?
I am on the phone with your mother and she can not set up the account because she can't scramble the world verification. It is hilarious. She has been reading everything but can't respond, I can't stop laughing because she is blaming everything on the computer. Heee Heee!
She is so cute!
Yeah it is so much fun. Yes the wealthy live in 'Shanty Town' gated, huge houses (all Tanzanians but govt. workers usually) The town's name is Moshi. I've attached a pic of Kilimanjaro.
The people I volunteer with are not misinformed about HIV/AIDS because the group I work with have it and are stressing informing others.
LOL about mom :D
Hi Ande, I just got back last night from Eatonton, Georgia 4-H camp participating in a 4-day regional volunteer forum. There wwere people from 13 southern states. Louisiana was the host for this years forum and we did the New Orleans thing - tasting their scrumptious foods, participating in Mardi Gras etc. But like you I was so sososo busy going to sessions/classes to learn new ideas to help our 4-H kids experience a more wholesome,diverse life. You know how I am so fascinated with learning. We has sessions from 8:00 am until 10:30 at night. I got up at 6:00 each morning to get dressed, breakfast and be ready to run to get into the classes I wanted for the day. The camp was similar to the place we went for your 30th birthday, but more hills and spread out wider. So our daily walk was tremendous. I was so exhausted each night that I could not even go dancing after the sessions. Now you know not much can keep me from wanting to dance, except perhaps old age- hahahaha. Anyway, I had a magnificent experience learning, networking and sharing ideas. I come back ready to do all of these activities with my resistant group.
Oh, but I love hearing about all of your adventures. You, considered mzungu - hahaha - that MUST feel strange. But you said you are treated differently - HOW?
Girl you are in your element living dangerously. The Baboon could probably sense your daredevil nature -hahaha - Glad you're OK.
Does the safari there smell as fresh and look as clean as the one in S.Africa? I can still remember the wonderful fresh air we breathed in the safari in SA.
I too am glad that Uncle Bill passed our ancestry into to us B4 you took this trip. Doesn't it feel good to be able to talk about your heritage in a bit more detail from a real knowledge base?
Are the Maasai people those very tall (women) that wear the multiple beads around their extremely long necks. I always thought they were such gorgeous people and I thought they all were thin. Are they pretty thin people or mixed?
The group picture including you - is that your volunteer team or some native Tanzanians? I guessed you V. group b/c there are so many mzungu. What is the building behind the group in the picture. it reminds me of Rural America.
Beautiful children in the picture. You said it is more beautiful for women to be light skinned. Then the European influence has left a strong imprint there. Is the picture of the woman alone, the one who resembles your grandma?
I anxiously await more info about the chief with a picture if possible.
Have you ventured/walked/trekked up Mt Kilimanjaro yet. Not alone I hope!
The campaign is going strong with presidentiall and vice debates. Obama still leads in the polls and today they said if the election were held today, Obama wiould probably receive 250 electoral votes to McCain's 189 (270 are needed to win the election). However, the nasty, slush campaigning is enhancing the closeer we get to Nov 4th. Repubs are sending Sara Pallin around the country(because she is the better speaker) accusing Obama of hobnobbing with terrorists. it is ridiculous considering all of the serious issues mainly our livelihood at stake here.
More later, Love Mom
I can read your bog, Jenni, hahaha!
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