another day, another dollar

A great, grand hello from Quissico!

Its Friday, plans for the weekend anyone? Another week slips by here in Mozambique, its already the end of September… woah buddy.

Overall the week was good, I was at the hospital a good amount, doing excel spreadsheets to try and help get the process of “buscas” organized. Buscas are meant to be used to locate people who are in the hospital system as eligible or receiving ARV medication, but are no longer adhering to them. These people have not come to the hospital or health center for their ARV/counseling etc.. the saddest part of these is realizing, seeing, and knowing just how many people are not adhearing to their medication. . . .especially the forms that I have been filling out and entering into the excel spreadsheets. . . they are all children under 5 years of age. They have no control over their “adherence” because it relies solely on the parents to get their children to the hospital. People don't come to the hospital for many reasons; difficulty with transport, no money, busy at home/at work etc.. when they don't come, and don't get their medications, their body builds up a resistance to these medications, which leads to more problems (other types of ARV drugs are not available etc).

The work can be very depressing, and I don't necessarily love the sitting in an office, plugging and chugging numbers thing – but it helps my org get more streamlined, and they are already suffering for manpower anyway… so whatever, every little bit helps.

The plus side to being in an office, is power to charge my computer, internet access to post blogs and to look at graduate school programs and a quiet place to study for the GRE when I’ve completed my work. Not a bad set up if you ask me.

So I was here all day Monday, Tuesday we had our REDES meeting where I taught the girls how to properly use condoms, putting them on a wooden phallus and everything. We talked about the importance of using them, where they can be procured (at the hospital, at my house etc) and how to use them. The basic steps of; looking at the expiration date, checking the package for holes, opening it carefully (not with teeth, scissors or fingernails) how to properly put one on a penis, how to remove it after sex, and where to dispose of it.

(my REDES group)

Of course there were lots of giggles, but every girl had their turn to practice, vocalizing the steps as they went. Afterwards we talked about what to do if someone doesn't want to use a condom, ways to say no to sex, and the importance of abstinence (all of the girls in my group haven’t had sex yet). We focused a bit on body language, and types of communication to get the point across “NO I do not want to have sex”. Etc…

This is the kind of work I love. Real, hands on, sexual education and behavior change. Hopefully this group continues to thrive, and we can have more great sessions like this.

Wednesday was a holiday here, so there was no work. I spent the morning studying for the GRE, and doing some research for grad school programs. . . my list keeps evolving, the more I read and do research, the more focused I get on the specificities of the programs. I will post a list of the ones I end up applying to.

I spent the day cooking with my neighbors, we made a fish curry, and a chicken curry, xima and rice, and salad. I had made some delicious desserts (orange spice cake, banana bread and ginger brownies) and my friend Julia from Inharrime came down to spend the day together. It was a perfect day by my standards of Mozambique. I spent time with my family, played with the kids, had a fellow PCV over, ate good food, and just enjoyed life.

(gutting fish for the curry)

Years in the future, when I look back at my time here in Moz, it wont be the work I remember, it’ll be these relationships, the afternoons spent on the porch, a baby on my lap, conversation with my friends and family and a smile on my face.

Yesterday we had another REDES meeting, this time we talked about the HIV test, why it is important, what it means, where to get one etc… I have 6 girls in my group right now, none have ever been tested, none are sexually active, but they all want to go get tested! I am SO proud of them. Hopefully I can get something set up this coming week so we can all go together. We stressed that it was completely voluntary, and that it would be private – and the girls all agreed that its important to go. So so fantastic.

Today I’m back at the hospital, doing data entry, and some life admin stuff. Sending emails, and such- just trying to get a grip on the future. Its odd, last year at this time I didn't have a care in the world (apart from learning Portuguese) now, I need to start thinking about real life, being a grownup again, and not just playing around in Africa. . . though my hope is to get into a good program, that allows me to find a job that pays me to do just that haha.

(lua and i on a typical night)

Bom fim de semana todos!

xo