Hujambo from Kenya!
After two red eyes, lots of interrupted naps, some pretty decent airplane food, and a long ride in a Land Rover older than me, we have arrived at Kilimanjaro Bush Camp, which is home for the next five weeks. I have not yet made my bed or showered (ew!) so this will be short. Lots has happened since leaving Boston with tears stinging my eyes and backpacks weighing me down (or as one of my colleagues put it "shattering my vertebrate") so I'm going to do a "Rose, Bud, Thorn" type of reflection.
Rose (the best parts): Intact luggage not missing any of my belongings, visiting Hyde Park during our ten hour layover, being a much better airplane sleeper than I remember (sans the Ambien prescribed by the travel doctor no less!) and taking a walk around the camp perimeter to check it out and take photos. It pretty much looks like a real life version of The Lion King.
Bud (the parts I'm most excited about): Being able to do homework outside in this gorgeous environment, getting to know people better, the food, learning Kiswahili, living in our "Tumbili banda" and learning from the professors who we met only briefly but who seem very nice and mutually excited.
Thorn (the worst parts): Goodbyes, and of course feeling tired and dirty. Asante to all of you who gave big hugs, advice on items to bring, well wishes, and rides to the airport. You are too lovely for words.
Kwaheri!
Monday, May 28, 2012
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Gotta keep 'em separated
This is going to be short because I have a few items left on the MustDo list... but this NPR piece was too good to avoid sharing.
If there is one concept that touches on many of the major issues coming up in this election (and ones featured on this blog often), it would be the separation of church and state. This piece by On Point did a really nice job summarizing parts of the founding of our country that are still making it difficult for politicians to keep their religion out of their politics. Regardless of your left/right-ness, it's bound to make you a more educated, informed, and curious voter this fall.
If there is one concept that touches on many of the major issues coming up in this election (and ones featured on this blog often), it would be the separation of church and state. This piece by On Point did a really nice job summarizing parts of the founding of our country that are still making it difficult for politicians to keep their religion out of their politics. Regardless of your left/right-ness, it's bound to make you a more educated, informed, and curious voter this fall.
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
MustDo, part three
1. Open a wine bottle without a cork. Maybe even two. Useful knowledge gained in my workshop last night.
2. Bake enough treats so that a certain someone doesn't go broke at the local bakeries in my absence.
3. Pre-assignment: find out everything I can about community-based participatory research in developing countries in general, and specifically Kenya. This is the group I'll be working with for five weeks, so I should probably get used to this really long phrase.
4. Pack all of the piles into the suitcase, so the guest room will be not only recognizable but able to fulfill its purpose for our subletter.
5. Get more books on my awesome Kindle.
6. Reassure Ben that #4 is a joke. I promise.
7. Finish up work things. Proving to be as difficult as you'd imagine when you're leaving a job for six weeks with major funding deadlines hitting August 31.
8. Get music on my computer... and remember to pack headphones.
9. Be on time for my flight.
2. Bake enough treats so that a certain someone doesn't go broke at the local bakeries in my absence.
3. Pre-assignment: find out everything I can about community-based participatory research in developing countries in general, and specifically Kenya. This is the group I'll be working with for five weeks, so I should probably get used to this really long phrase.
4. Pack all of the piles into the suitcase, so the guest room will be not only recognizable but able to fulfill its purpose for our subletter.
5. Get more books on my awesome Kindle.
6. Reassure Ben that #4 is a joke. I promise.
7. Finish up work things. Proving to be as difficult as you'd imagine when you're leaving a job for six weeks with major funding deadlines hitting August 31.
8. Get music on my computer... and remember to pack headphones.
9. Be on time for my flight.
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
MustDo, part two
1. Remember that, when it's raining, bringing your bike back upstairs is a lot easier than going to work in drenched pants. Also remember that work friends who bring you extra dry pants are worth their weight in gold.... or at least coffee.
2. Get others to attempt biking, maybe when the clouds aren't so threatening.
2. Learn how to use my awesome new camera.
3. Learn how to Skype chat ...but no video since that's too much for the internet to handle.
4. Stop being so surprised when I say that I'm leaving for Kenya one week from Saturday.
5. Acquire biodegradable soap/shampoo/conditioner. (Suggestions?)
6. Give family and friends extra tight hugs to last them until July.
2. Get others to attempt biking, maybe when the clouds aren't so threatening.
2. Learn how to use my awesome new camera.
3. Learn how to Skype chat ...but no video since that's too much for the internet to handle.
4. Stop being so surprised when I say that I'm leaving for Kenya one week from Saturday.
5. Acquire biodegradable soap/shampoo/conditioner. (Suggestions?)
6. Give family and friends extra tight hugs to last them until July.
Friday, May 11, 2012
Coming Out
Things are happening in places that I am suddenly very thankful I don't call home. And I am finished with finals, so now, we bloggeth.
North Carolina - W. T. F. ...and that doesn't stand for "Wednesday, Thursday, Friday", Dad. This actually brought back a memory from early childhood. I'm not sure how old I was exactly, but I was young enough to still live in Norton (younger than 7) and ride in the back seat of our minivan.
I asked my mom if women ever married other women. I can't be entirely sure, but this was probably because I was extremely afraid of getting cooties one day. She said, no they don't. I asked if women ever fell in love with other women. (There was a lot of Disney in my young life, and clearly falling in love was a theme in this conversation.) She said sometimes, but it doesn't happen as much as women and men falling in love. I said well even if it doesn't happen very much, if the two women are in love, why don't they get married to each other? She said, because it's not allowed honey. I remember being totally devastated by this because at that age, as a little girl, there is nothing worse than living your life with a boy. Luckily, I found one that I like... and I got my cootie shot.
Both the version of myself riding in that minivan back seat and the present version of myself are so happy, in fact this happy, that Obama finally, finally, came out in his own way - supporting marriage equality - as a giant slap in the face to North Carolina.
Another slap in the face to them? A large study, done in Massachusetts, shows an association between states supporting marriage equality and better health outcomes compared with states that don't. Really?!
I am completely shocked that people who are no longer burdened by a flagrant form of discrimination are happier and healthier.
And this means, wait for it, that since our levels of various health risks are all pooled together in insurance companies' giant figurative minds, that maybe they'll start flexing their giant figurative muscles and incentivizing states to enforce marriage equality. That's probably my idealized extrapolation, but either way, take that, NC.
I asked my mom if women ever married other women. I can't be entirely sure, but this was probably because I was extremely afraid of getting cooties one day. She said, no they don't. I asked if women ever fell in love with other women. (There was a lot of Disney in my young life, and clearly falling in love was a theme in this conversation.) She said sometimes, but it doesn't happen as much as women and men falling in love. I said well even if it doesn't happen very much, if the two women are in love, why don't they get married to each other? She said, because it's not allowed honey. I remember being totally devastated by this because at that age, as a little girl, there is nothing worse than living your life with a boy. Luckily, I found one that I like... and I got my cootie shot.
Both the version of myself riding in that minivan back seat and the present version of myself are so happy, in fact this happy, that Obama finally, finally, came out in his own way - supporting marriage equality - as a giant slap in the face to North Carolina.
Another slap in the face to them? A large study, done in Massachusetts, shows an association between states supporting marriage equality and better health outcomes compared with states that don't. Really?!
I am completely shocked that people who are no longer burdened by a flagrant form of discrimination are happier and healthier.
And this means, wait for it, that since our levels of various health risks are all pooled together in insurance companies' giant figurative minds, that maybe they'll start flexing their giant figurative muscles and incentivizing states to enforce marriage equality. That's probably my idealized extrapolation, but either way, take that, NC.
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Thursday, May 3, 2012
MustDo, part one
I have been calling my "to do" list my "must do" list recently because there is an increasingly short amount of time before I leave for Kenya. Here's a glimpse at said list:
1. Make BU establish a rape crisis center. Check... just kidding, that was the result of the hard work of many, and I wasn't involved this time. Kudos to them.
2. Get my own health insurance. Check, and thank you Obamacare.
3. Get myself immunized against Hep A, Typhoid Fever, Yellow Fever, the Flu, as well as tetanus and Hep B boosters, just for good measure. Check. And ouch.
4. Pick up prescriptions at CVS that my thoughtful travel doc gave me in preparation for nasty sickness while I'm very far from medications. Check.
5. Purchase a giant backpack to live out of. Check.
6. Purchase a giant hat (thanks Mom!) and a longsleeve UPF shirt for my Irish skin that will be residing practically on the Equator. Check.
I think this is the end of things I have accomplished... there will be a part two and perhaps three to celebrate other purchases or productivity.
1. Make BU establish a rape crisis center. Check... just kidding, that was the result of the hard work of many, and I wasn't involved this time. Kudos to them.
2. Get my own health insurance. Check, and thank you Obamacare.
3. Get myself immunized against Hep A, Typhoid Fever, Yellow Fever, the Flu, as well as tetanus and Hep B boosters, just for good measure. Check. And ouch.
4. Pick up prescriptions at CVS that my thoughtful travel doc gave me in preparation for nasty sickness while I'm very far from medications. Check.
5. Purchase a giant backpack to live out of. Check.
6. Purchase a giant hat (thanks Mom!) and a longsleeve UPF shirt for my Irish skin that will be residing practically on the Equator. Check.
I think this is the end of things I have accomplished... there will be a part two and perhaps three to celebrate other purchases or productivity.
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