another beautiful something

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/02/10/sergei-polunin-hozier_n_6655920.html?ir=Women&ncid=fcbklnkushpmg00000046

enjoy

what it really means to be a victim

Salutations!

Welp, its mid/late February already . . . and things have really started to look up for me. Within reason of course, haha it is still Mozambique.

I hit the ground running with the Nucleo Provincial do Combate ao HIV/Sida (the provincial organization in charge of all HIV programs in Zambezia), and within a two-week time span, have created a job description and work schedule, and been given productive things to do. At the moment we are digitizing the yearly plans budget proposals for all organizations in the province, regarding their programs that deal with HIV. From there, we will create a yearly plan and budget for the entire province. Good times.

With ICAP I have been working with other volunteers to create a template for a monthly report about our activities, both in the health centers with ICAP and in the communities with organizations/our own personal activities. Hopefully by the end of this week we will have a working draft that I can then translate into Portuguese and submit to the Maputo office for review and feedback. From there, we will see where things go . . .step by step is the best way to approach this.

Last week I had a great meeting with the head doctors at the Provincial Department of Health (DPS) and am trying to get a follow up one this week. Keep your fingers crossed that I can get that to happen!

Last week I went to one of the temporary camps where victims of the flooding in Zambezia province were relocated. I am going to attach some photos below, but honestly I don't know if they will do the experience justice. It was a very humbling and intense experience.

There are hundreds of tents set up throughout a large space on the outskirts of Mocuba and within each tent is a family (this can range from 3 people to 8 in some cases). In the camp that I visited, it is estimated that there are about 5,000 people. While there are pit latrines dug throughout the camp, I’m not sure if it is truly enough, and additionally noticed that there is no real place to take a bath in private. The ‘market’ in the center of the tent city, was selling dried fish, and some citrus fruit. . .not a big selection of goods. . but then again, no one in the camp has any money to buy anything.

There are two larger tents that are serving as a field hospital. In one tent, a makeshift maternity ward, the other is a basic triage tent, and then there is the mobile clinic that offers basic testing and consults. I asked how many women have given birth since the relocation has happened and it was reported that only one has. Also, the staff working there only has 12 reported pregnant women. Out of 5,000 people?? That's a tough statistic to believe.

Apparently there have been mosquito net distributions in the camps, but in my brief walk around I was not able to see any hung up inside tents, or outside drying in the sun. This has me worried about how many people are potentially being exposed to malaria, including children and pregnant women. And then if they do become infected, the lack of access to medication and proper health care in the temporary tents.

(one of the hospital tents) 

There was also one larger tent dedicated to the police force. I asked what the situation was like regarding personal safety, specifically for women and young girls. Knowing that during crisis situations females are more likely to suffer from abuse, sexual assaults and other issues. The doctors explained to me that the camp was set up in the same geographical manner as the neighborhoods would be. Making neighbors the same, etc. That's all well and good. . .but didn't really answer my question.

(people waiting to be registered, and for food distribution)

It was a very real smack in the face of just how intense this situation is. I also noted how un-involved the doctors and I-NGO workers were with the actual victims. We took a walk through the tents, and only my fellow volunteer and I greeted people, chatted with children and actually seemed concerned about the well being of the masses. The doctors who were showing us around never once looked at the victims, or really seemed to notice what they were surrounded by.

It was an even more interesting experience to then, later that afternoon, return to my apartment in the city (which by American standards is a shithole/crackden) where I have three rooms to myself, a bathroom with clean running water, a mosquito net, fan, computer etc. . . I felt like an asshole. For lack of better words. And last night, when it started pouring rain at 7pm, and hasn't stopped yet (its after noon now) all I could think about were those tents and how quickly I’m sure they flood. . Latrines overflowing. . . the walkways of dirt and mud turning into mini-rivers and breeding grounds for more mosquitos.

Depressing. Reality. Life.

The good with the bad. It is what it is. People are getting the help that they can, but it is just very interesting to see the response to a national tragedy, handled.

At the end of our day, we went to see what progress has been made to the bridge in Mocuba – this is part of the EN1 (national road) and without this bridge, all overland traffic to the northern provinces has basically been cut off. We were told another 15 days or so would be needed to complete the reparations. I’m guessing it will be more than that. . considering they have one backhoe/machine working on each side.

(the work on the bridge)

Okdokes. That's all for now. More updates to come.

just a hot sweaty mess

Hey there, hi there, ho there.

Its another hot day here in Quelimane, fortunately most of the offices I’ve been working in have AC, and my new fan helps to keep me cool once I am home. Unfortunately I can’t speak too much for the disgusting sweaty mess I become in the interludes through these locations haha. Beads of sweat trickle down my spine, a sweat-stache is often quite common, as is my hair being pulled into a very high bun off my neck. The chill of the AC, cranked so low in the office today is at times uncomfortably cold. . the air blowing down the back of my neck, giving me goosebumps … but then I think about how much I would rather have goosebumps, than shin-sweat…. And that cold air becomes more of a refreshing breeze haha.

I don't know if the heat has been causing a lot of energy outages in and around the city, but for the past few days my apartment building has been without it during the day time. The other night, all apartments had it except mine. So I had to call the energy company and have someone come and check it all out. Of course that took a few hours for them to even show up. . . and when they did they poked one thing, threw a switch, and walked away… ahh the customer service in moz. Top notch I tell ya.

Also, this past weekend I discovered a dead rat in my kitchen. Well, not the rat so much, but the maggots that were consuming its decaying corpse. I screamed, promptly shut the cabinet door, and called my empregado (maid) to come early the next morning and help me clean it. I can deal with a lot of things; blood, guts, sick people etc. . . but I draw the line at decay and maggots. Sorry not sorry. People have their limits of disgusting tolerance – and that's mine haha. Long story short, my empregado came the next morning, cleaned it all up, sterilized the area, and we went about our day haha. Thank goodness for that man.

This past weekend was the big festival for Carnival/Mardi Gras. Having been in moz for so long, I have only ever heard good things about this big party- from both PCV’s and Mozambicans. Quelimane is supposed to be considered ‘pequeno brazil’ and that nowhere else in Mozambique do people celebrate it like they do here. So, my expectations were pretty high. LE WOMP. . . the governor of the town decided to switch the location this year of the festival to a far corner of the town, that was much smaller than where it usually happens, parades and everything that was carnival related didn't start until 23/24:00 hours so mostly it was just shitfaced drunk people rolling around making a huge mess. Not really the party of the year. Haha. I had a good time, and had some visiting volunteers stay with me, so we all made the best of it – but it did not live up to the hype. In the following days, my local Mozambican friends also agreed that this was not the carnival festivities that they know and love. Womp womp womp. Oh well.

the nights of carnival, spent at the barracas, and eating meat on a stick

the volunteers who came to visit

the view of the river from the top of hotel chuabo 

One of my visitors decided to stay a few extra days here in the city, so I jumped at the chance to show off the town and the fun spots that I’ve come to know. We did a good bit of exploring, some sight-seeing and basically did a gastronomical walking tour of the good food spots I’ve discovered here. Good times were had by all, though my stomach is still so full- and I’m looking forward to getting back to my normal eating habits haha.

exploring quelimane from above! 

some delicious steak and fries the other evening

the staircase in hotel chuabo that is really quite beautiful

Work continues on – I’ve made some good headway with the Nucleo (the people who oversee all HIV programs in the province), and have a meeting with my ICAP team today to discuss my/other volunteers job descriptions, and this afternoon I’m hoping to meet with my CDC contact. I’ll also hopefully be involved with site development/site identification for peace corps in the coming months. I’m trying to make plans for each month, to sort of give myself benchmarks to get through these last few months. Small trips here, a conference there, etc. So we will see where it all goes.

As always, I will keep you posted.

-t

something beautiful

http://fascinately.com/feel-good/2015/01/talented-duet-brings-two-love-songs-together-into-one-beautiful-mashup/

my musical find of the day.

enjoy.

picking up the pieces

Good morning all-

I’d like to start this post with a sincere ‘thank you’. After that last post, I had so many people reach out to me with words of support and love. It was overwhelming in a good way. To know that that many people truly care – some who I haven’t been in communication with for months, fellow PCV’s, returned volunteers, family etc. . . I will never have the words to thank you all properly. You all helped me get through what was, by far, the toughest few days I’ve had in my Peace Corps experience.

I had a long chat with my Peace Corps supervisor last week, and unfortunately there will be no changes regarding my work assignments, or site placement. While during the talk I felt that I was being supported, and given good examples and potentials for work, afterwards I sat for a while and thought upon it all. I am not leaving ICAP, or the DPS and my role with PCVL will continue to be one of administration support from my computer, all here in Quelimane. It became apparent that these suggestions for work were nothing of what I was to be doing in this third year… It was in that moment that I reached the greatest level of despair for my future here in Mozambique.  So, after allowing myself a few days of serious depression, self-pity, and hiding in my house, I’ve decided to try and turn things around. Or at the very least, try to.

I have decided to give this post one more try. For the month of February I will be taking one day at a time, trying to give everything I can into work and my assignments here, while making pro/con lists about the experience. In addition to this I will be applying for some jobs and seeing what possibilities are available to me in the Pittsburgh area.  If by the end of the month I still am unhappy, I will terminate my contract with Peace Corps, and come home. I have given 5 months to this extension position, and feel that it unfortunately has been a gigantic waste of time. I do not feel that I have accomplished anything of true value, and that I am not getting anything out of it. While during my two years in Quissico I often felt that I wasn't giving enough, I was at least immersing myself in the culture and having fantastic life experiences.

As my friend stated, there are three parts to think about in a peace corps experience – work, culture exchange and enjoyment. While work was not always available in Quissico, I still enjoyed hanging out with my local friends and neighbors there, and learned a great deal about the culture. Here in Quelimane, it is obvious that I am not enjoying my ‘work’ am getting little to no cultural exchange, and generally do not like the environment I am living in. SO…. That's where things are with me.

Today is a holiday- Mozambican Hero’s Day. Meaning the ICAP office is closed – not that it really matters - - I went to the office yesterday to find that both my counterpart and supervisor are gone for the week. . . no notice, no information. Whatever. I spent the day at the office, and enrolled myself in an online course through edX, a MIT course called Challenges of Global Poverty. . and then did an online certificate course through USAID about HIV and its, biology, epidemiology and prevention. I went and had some delicious soup for lunch at a new café I’ve discovered – note to self, stop eating hot spicy soup in 90+ degree weather… and then in the evening I mentally recharged with my yoga practice.

Those are my plans.

Let me know what you think.

xo

and in the meantime, check out some amazing TED talks that I've found to be completely inspiring - 

Ben Saunders: To the South Pole and back 

Nancy Frates: Meet the mom who started the Ice Bucket Challenge