Friday, February 24, 2012
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Hi everyone!
It's been an exciting week here. Classes are in full swing, I did my first day of work at the Midwife Obstetric Unit (MOU) in Gugulethu, and I had drinks with members of my favorite South African band!
I'm very happy with my courses this semester. They are my last three! Introduction to Health Systems Research and Evaluation (yes I am in the health systems track and taking the intro course in my last semester...darn scheduling!), Qualitative Research Methods, and Theory and Application of Economic Evaluation. In plain terms, the first two course are a lot about methodology, so formulating research questions, research protocol design, and critical appraisal of articles. Economic Evaluation coincides nicely with the study I am working on. So far we have looked at costing and cost effectiveness analysis, and our study examines the cost effectiveness of various interventions of a PMTCT (prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV. Some folks are saying EMTCT now, for "the elimination of...," because taking ARVs during pregnancy along with other interventions reduces the risk of transmission to a child to almost nothing) program at a pre natal clinic in Gugulethu, a township nearby Cape Town.
Thursday was my first trip into Gugulethu (pronounced "goo-goo-lay-too"). Landon was kind enough to drive us and a medical student visiting from the States, Tori, came with us as well. I went in with an open mind, preparing for the worst after seeing pictures and film of townships lined with tiny shacks for living space. Sticking to the main roads, at least, Gugulethu (or "Gugs") was not exactly what I expected. For example, there is a mall there! I'm not sure if it is meant for residents or tourists. Most folks living in Gugs, to my knowledge, are employed on low income or not employed at all. The MOU and other health centres on the complex, are publicly funded and patients do not pay for care.
The MOU was both better and worse than I thought it would be! Worse only in the sense that there are SO many people waiting to be seen, and even when you hear about those things over and over, it is still different to see it with your own eyes. The most mindblowing line for me was the wait for the pharmacy...rows and rows of benches just to get medicine! Can you imagine? Most of us get annoyed when one or two people are in front of us at Rite Aid. Can you imagine waiting hours? Sure, folks could also go to a private pharmacy, but that is far too expensive for most living in Gugs.
I found the staff at the MOU to be great, though, which was a pleasant surprise. In the MPH you hear tons of stories about apathetic healthcare staff, which I don't doubt are true. When you are seeing a bazillion patients a day, you are bound to get tired. But, speaking to the staff, it was clear that they were sensitive to patients' situations and needs. I kept thinking of my time at Planned Parenthood. And the fact that a positive HIV test was quite a rare thing for us...imagine the exhaustion of telling every second or third woman you see that she is HIV positive.
In any case, it was an amazing day for me. I'm sorta obsessed with operations (i.e. how a health centre is run) so observing and speaking to staff was absolutely fascinating. The next step of our study is to do a time study in order to measure the amount of time a woman spends at each chunk of her visit. This will help us calculate staff salaries and lost wages for patients per visit.
This is getting long, so I will just very quickly say--I had drinks with Zolani and Kyla from Freshlyground! A friend of a friend visiting from the States traveled with the band for some time and is very close friends with them. I totally blew it an was too embarrassed to say I was a big fan when I met them, but it was still pretty cool to hang out with them! In case you don't know their music, this is my current obsession by them: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-5GzjsxGU0 it sounds one million times more beautiful live. I had the privilege of seeing them perform for the third time last weekend.
Okay, time to go DRIVE myself to the gym....that's right, I have graduated from driving lessons with an excellent instructor who helped build my driving confidence! Took my first solo drive in T's car on Sunday and it was a natural high! Still a little nervous to try again today, but practice makes perfect!
Love!
Kristen
It's been an exciting week here. Classes are in full swing, I did my first day of work at the Midwife Obstetric Unit (MOU) in Gugulethu, and I had drinks with members of my favorite South African band!
I'm very happy with my courses this semester. They are my last three! Introduction to Health Systems Research and Evaluation (yes I am in the health systems track and taking the intro course in my last semester...darn scheduling!), Qualitative Research Methods, and Theory and Application of Economic Evaluation. In plain terms, the first two course are a lot about methodology, so formulating research questions, research protocol design, and critical appraisal of articles. Economic Evaluation coincides nicely with the study I am working on. So far we have looked at costing and cost effectiveness analysis, and our study examines the cost effectiveness of various interventions of a PMTCT (prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV. Some folks are saying EMTCT now, for "the elimination of...," because taking ARVs during pregnancy along with other interventions reduces the risk of transmission to a child to almost nothing) program at a pre natal clinic in Gugulethu, a township nearby Cape Town.
Thursday was my first trip into Gugulethu (pronounced "goo-goo-lay-too"). Landon was kind enough to drive us and a medical student visiting from the States, Tori, came with us as well. I went in with an open mind, preparing for the worst after seeing pictures and film of townships lined with tiny shacks for living space. Sticking to the main roads, at least, Gugulethu (or "Gugs") was not exactly what I expected. For example, there is a mall there! I'm not sure if it is meant for residents or tourists. Most folks living in Gugs, to my knowledge, are employed on low income or not employed at all. The MOU and other health centres on the complex, are publicly funded and patients do not pay for care.
The MOU was both better and worse than I thought it would be! Worse only in the sense that there are SO many people waiting to be seen, and even when you hear about those things over and over, it is still different to see it with your own eyes. The most mindblowing line for me was the wait for the pharmacy...rows and rows of benches just to get medicine! Can you imagine? Most of us get annoyed when one or two people are in front of us at Rite Aid. Can you imagine waiting hours? Sure, folks could also go to a private pharmacy, but that is far too expensive for most living in Gugs.
I found the staff at the MOU to be great, though, which was a pleasant surprise. In the MPH you hear tons of stories about apathetic healthcare staff, which I don't doubt are true. When you are seeing a bazillion patients a day, you are bound to get tired. But, speaking to the staff, it was clear that they were sensitive to patients' situations and needs. I kept thinking of my time at Planned Parenthood. And the fact that a positive HIV test was quite a rare thing for us...imagine the exhaustion of telling every second or third woman you see that she is HIV positive.
In any case, it was an amazing day for me. I'm sorta obsessed with operations (i.e. how a health centre is run) so observing and speaking to staff was absolutely fascinating. The next step of our study is to do a time study in order to measure the amount of time a woman spends at each chunk of her visit. This will help us calculate staff salaries and lost wages for patients per visit.
This is getting long, so I will just very quickly say--I had drinks with Zolani and Kyla from Freshlyground! A friend of a friend visiting from the States traveled with the band for some time and is very close friends with them. I totally blew it an was too embarrassed to say I was a big fan when I met them, but it was still pretty cool to hang out with them! In case you don't know their music, this is my current obsession by them: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-5GzjsxGU0 it sounds one million times more beautiful live. I had the privilege of seeing them perform for the third time last weekend.
Okay, time to go DRIVE myself to the gym....that's right, I have graduated from driving lessons with an excellent instructor who helped build my driving confidence! Took my first solo drive in T's car on Sunday and it was a natural high! Still a little nervous to try again today, but practice makes perfect!
Love!
Kristen
Monday, February 6, 2012
2011 Update and Recap
Hi Everyone!
At this time I am back from a six week stay in the States and through block week of my last semester of classes. We'll come back to classes, as I want to first write an update about the end of 2011.
My visit home was absolutely amazing but a complete whirlwind. I was busier than I was all year, visiting friends, which included trips around NJ and to Philly, D.C., and NYC. It was phenomenal to see everyone. I think that seeing everyone gave me a better understanding of where friendships in my life stand. I am incredibly blessed to have so many "best" friends that will be life long--whether I see them once a week or once a year.
While home I was also busy working. Planned Parenthood was wonderful to have me back working in the clinic! I can't even express how much I have missed working in direct service healthcare. PPAMA staff, new and old, are still some of my favorite people in the world. Additionally, I was doing an internship with New Jersey Citizen Action. My internship supervisor was fantastic and taught me so much about the legislative process and politics in NJ. I am thrilled to have had the experience, especially going to the State House in Trenton (even when we had to wait over an hour for session to start, ack!).
Working at PPAMA and learning about the policy world at NJCA helped me do a lot of thinking about my future and where I would like it to go. My top job path at this point would be to work in some type of health center or hospital in an admin role--preferably in such a way that I still have some chances to interact with patients while also doing higher level management.
However, research could win me over this year. Ladies and gentlemen, after a YEAR of not finding public health related work in Cape Town, I finally got a part time gig as a project coordinator for a study. I'm working with Landon, the same doctor I worked with briefly at the end of last year. We'll see how it goes!
Being back this year has already highlighted for me how much happened in 2011. Moving here was challenging for a long time--trying to figure out which friends you meshed with best, not finding work, trying to use time productively, enjoying the sights and balancing school...it's much easier now that I am more established here. Already since I've been back, I've spent a lot of time with friends. I'm so glad I didn't have to start all over somewhere new again this year! Thomas was also home for most of January, which was absolutely lovely. We finally got a bookshelf for our bedroom which makes it seem much more homey in here.
So, that is the quick update. More coming soon!
Love!
Kristen
At this time I am back from a six week stay in the States and through block week of my last semester of classes. We'll come back to classes, as I want to first write an update about the end of 2011.
My visit home was absolutely amazing but a complete whirlwind. I was busier than I was all year, visiting friends, which included trips around NJ and to Philly, D.C., and NYC. It was phenomenal to see everyone. I think that seeing everyone gave me a better understanding of where friendships in my life stand. I am incredibly blessed to have so many "best" friends that will be life long--whether I see them once a week or once a year.
While home I was also busy working. Planned Parenthood was wonderful to have me back working in the clinic! I can't even express how much I have missed working in direct service healthcare. PPAMA staff, new and old, are still some of my favorite people in the world. Additionally, I was doing an internship with New Jersey Citizen Action. My internship supervisor was fantastic and taught me so much about the legislative process and politics in NJ. I am thrilled to have had the experience, especially going to the State House in Trenton (even when we had to wait over an hour for session to start, ack!).
Working at PPAMA and learning about the policy world at NJCA helped me do a lot of thinking about my future and where I would like it to go. My top job path at this point would be to work in some type of health center or hospital in an admin role--preferably in such a way that I still have some chances to interact with patients while also doing higher level management.
However, research could win me over this year. Ladies and gentlemen, after a YEAR of not finding public health related work in Cape Town, I finally got a part time gig as a project coordinator for a study. I'm working with Landon, the same doctor I worked with briefly at the end of last year. We'll see how it goes!
Being back this year has already highlighted for me how much happened in 2011. Moving here was challenging for a long time--trying to figure out which friends you meshed with best, not finding work, trying to use time productively, enjoying the sights and balancing school...it's much easier now that I am more established here. Already since I've been back, I've spent a lot of time with friends. I'm so glad I didn't have to start all over somewhere new again this year! Thomas was also home for most of January, which was absolutely lovely. We finally got a bookshelf for our bedroom which makes it seem much more homey in here.
So, that is the quick update. More coming soon!
Love!
Kristen
Sunday, November 13, 2011
When it Rains
Am I updating this blog instead of studying for my last exam tomorrow morning? You bet I am!
Dear readers, if there's one bizarre phenomena of this last year, it's been the oddness of my working status. It seems that every time I have a job offer (be it as a waitress, teacher, or public health-er) I have been offered numerous opportunities at once, with dry spells in between. Well, this last week has not been a dry spell, and don't you know it's right before I leave for the States (hooray!). Still, things are looking up for next year.
After months of barely a peep from the Learning Network (they're busy folks and I wasn't exactly seeking them out either), I was asked to do a research gig for about 40 hours that would actually pay me. Unfortunately, it's over the next couple of months so they'll be looking for another candidate. My friend Bob also recommended me for a fieldworker job. It's one of those jobs where they reeeeeally want you to speak Afrikaans or Xhosa, so I probably would have never gone for it on my own. They called me recently to say that they are interested in me for a slightly higher level position that sounds a bit more like coordinating fieldwork rather than doing it. I have an interview on Friday where I have to do a three minute presentation. We'll see how it goes. They explained that they have some positions where only English is required, so it sounds like a possibility.
Alright, I might be a just a little too proud of this last one, but you have to understand that after MONTHS of not getting even close to working in sexual or reproductive health, even a glimmer of hope is amazing. An email went out to the MPH students requesting a student to work for about 40 hours with Landon Myer to edit a document. It's in the heart of finals, so I knew most people probably wouldn't respond. Maybe I shouldn't have either, but the work started when I only had one exam left, and I figured I could balance it all. I've heard amazing things about Landon and his research, and I figured if editing was a way to get in the door, I would jump at it. He does a lot of HIV research, but more recently has also been focusing on IUDs, which I am completely obsessed with.
I met with Landon, who is awesome, discovered that when you're editing a giant NIH grant it is COMPLETELY possible to spend 40 hours editing it, if not more, and that because it is such "menial" work, he was willing to may me r20 (about 3 USD) extra per hour of the normal student rate to do it. I've been working hard, making sure everything is as perfect as possible to make a good first impression. Things are hectic with the grant right now (due Thursday!) but on Friday he talked to me a little about my interests and said that we should sit down and talk about future work after the grant is finished, because there are a lot of exciting projects coming up next year. I really really hope something works out, because his research is exactly the kind of stuff I'd like to be a part of!
Also, I am officially done at Bella. Still love the food and the people, but I really want to focus my energies more on projects such as the above. Here and there I've been doing the breast pump thing and, if I haven't mentioned, I also did a brief gig with Stellenbosch University doing some data extraction, which was my first official paid public health job here.
So, things are looking up! Even doing the editing over the last few days (which I strangely enjoy, by the way), it felt so wonderful to have work to do again. It was tiring, but fulfilling. I'm looking forward to more of that next year!
Yes, I almost through finals! Earlier this week I took Health, Policy, and Planning, which I actually felt I did quite well on. Evidence Based Healthcare was a bit scary at first--the format of the exam was definitely not how I studied, but after freaking out for five minutes I read the questions and realized I knew how to answer them. I actually finished about half an hour early, even with checking it over. Tomorrow, I have Economics of Health Systems. It was my first ever economics course and entirely new material for me. I learned a TON and really enjoyed it, but I think at this point my getting a solid B is inevitable. In a way, that is freeing because I feel less stressed studying for it. The chances of my doing miraculously well and pulling out a high A on the exam are slim, but I certainly know enough that I don't expect anything below a B. In a little over 24 hours, I will officially be done with my first year of grad school!
Well, I'd better put my money where my mouth is and go do some studying. Oh, and Thomas is great--in a couple of hours he'll be getting home from his last Nigeria trip. Having him home once a week has been AMAZING. Let's hope there are some more gigs like that in our future.
Love!
Kristen
Dear readers, if there's one bizarre phenomena of this last year, it's been the oddness of my working status. It seems that every time I have a job offer (be it as a waitress, teacher, or public health-er) I have been offered numerous opportunities at once, with dry spells in between. Well, this last week has not been a dry spell, and don't you know it's right before I leave for the States (hooray!). Still, things are looking up for next year.
After months of barely a peep from the Learning Network (they're busy folks and I wasn't exactly seeking them out either), I was asked to do a research gig for about 40 hours that would actually pay me. Unfortunately, it's over the next couple of months so they'll be looking for another candidate. My friend Bob also recommended me for a fieldworker job. It's one of those jobs where they reeeeeally want you to speak Afrikaans or Xhosa, so I probably would have never gone for it on my own. They called me recently to say that they are interested in me for a slightly higher level position that sounds a bit more like coordinating fieldwork rather than doing it. I have an interview on Friday where I have to do a three minute presentation. We'll see how it goes. They explained that they have some positions where only English is required, so it sounds like a possibility.
Alright, I might be a just a little too proud of this last one, but you have to understand that after MONTHS of not getting even close to working in sexual or reproductive health, even a glimmer of hope is amazing. An email went out to the MPH students requesting a student to work for about 40 hours with Landon Myer to edit a document. It's in the heart of finals, so I knew most people probably wouldn't respond. Maybe I shouldn't have either, but the work started when I only had one exam left, and I figured I could balance it all. I've heard amazing things about Landon and his research, and I figured if editing was a way to get in the door, I would jump at it. He does a lot of HIV research, but more recently has also been focusing on IUDs, which I am completely obsessed with.
I met with Landon, who is awesome, discovered that when you're editing a giant NIH grant it is COMPLETELY possible to spend 40 hours editing it, if not more, and that because it is such "menial" work, he was willing to may me r20 (about 3 USD) extra per hour of the normal student rate to do it. I've been working hard, making sure everything is as perfect as possible to make a good first impression. Things are hectic with the grant right now (due Thursday!) but on Friday he talked to me a little about my interests and said that we should sit down and talk about future work after the grant is finished, because there are a lot of exciting projects coming up next year. I really really hope something works out, because his research is exactly the kind of stuff I'd like to be a part of!
Also, I am officially done at Bella. Still love the food and the people, but I really want to focus my energies more on projects such as the above. Here and there I've been doing the breast pump thing and, if I haven't mentioned, I also did a brief gig with Stellenbosch University doing some data extraction, which was my first official paid public health job here.
So, things are looking up! Even doing the editing over the last few days (which I strangely enjoy, by the way), it felt so wonderful to have work to do again. It was tiring, but fulfilling. I'm looking forward to more of that next year!
Yes, I almost through finals! Earlier this week I took Health, Policy, and Planning, which I actually felt I did quite well on. Evidence Based Healthcare was a bit scary at first--the format of the exam was definitely not how I studied, but after freaking out for five minutes I read the questions and realized I knew how to answer them. I actually finished about half an hour early, even with checking it over. Tomorrow, I have Economics of Health Systems. It was my first ever economics course and entirely new material for me. I learned a TON and really enjoyed it, but I think at this point my getting a solid B is inevitable. In a way, that is freeing because I feel less stressed studying for it. The chances of my doing miraculously well and pulling out a high A on the exam are slim, but I certainly know enough that I don't expect anything below a B. In a little over 24 hours, I will officially be done with my first year of grad school!
Well, I'd better put my money where my mouth is and go do some studying. Oh, and Thomas is great--in a couple of hours he'll be getting home from his last Nigeria trip. Having him home once a week has been AMAZING. Let's hope there are some more gigs like that in our future.
Love!
Kristen
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Settled In
I should probably stop apologizing at this point for the length of time between entries...but I will try to be better!
So, nine months after moving to Cape Town, I can finally say that I feel settled in. I have an established group of friends, I'm doing well with school, I don't gawk at the scenery (though I still make a point of being grateful for my mountain views each morning and night), and I have a solid idea of how to get around Cape Town and where things are.
Of course, it's just around this time of settling in that it comes time to go home again--thankfully only for a long visit, before returning to Cape Town for at least another year.
I am incredibly excited about the impending visit (I leave in less than five weeks!). I'll be able to work and replenish my bank account a bit and also hopefully get a bit of health policy experience out of an internship. But, the top two things I am looking forward to? The people and the food. :)
But, as I said, I've been making more new friends recently and have a fairly solid group of people here as well. At Gabby's going away party I had met a group of five young women who are here in Cape Town for a year doing the Princeton in Africa fellowship. They are really incredible women with impressive resumes despite being a bit younger than I am!
Apparently, I have managed to neglect mentioning that I have been taking courses in salsa dancing for the last eight weeks or so. It started because a woman I know really wanted to go so I volunteered to go with, figuring I'd try something new. Honestly, it's turned out to be one of the best times of the week for me. It is SO much fun, decent exercise, and I've actually met some people through the course. I have a new friend, Homero, who is from Angola and came to Cape Town for an English language course. We decided to get together before class yesterday for dinner so I could help him practice English. Honestly, I don't think he needs the help--he talked up a storm! All I knew about Angola prior was that it is located on the west coast of Africa (kinda in the middle) and that the national language is Portuguese. Afterwards, I knew about the thirty year civil war, the politics, the role of the U.S., and what the main city Luanda is like. Oh, and it's good to have a boy to practice salsa with, since Thomas refuses!
I also recently met a couple of whom the guy is South African, the gal is Chilean. They are both super sweet, plus it's always nice to hear about another successful international romance--they are getting married in February and are taking the dance lessons because their wedding will be Latin themed! We're going to try to do a double date when Thomas is home. He FINALLY got the right visa for Nigeria, so I'll have him home at least a couple of days each week--could not be happier about that!
If I haven't made it clear by now, Cape Town is a very international city--not just the MPH program. Everyday you hear a variety of accents and, if you're friendly about it, you're constantly meeting new people. I have a theory that many of us internationals aren't outgoing because we were naturally born that way, but as a survival mechanism. Any time you go somewhere new, you need to reach out unless you want to be a loner. At least, I've become much more willing to strike up conversation since moving here. I find that other non-South Africans tend to be same.
Alright folks, don't forget to mark your calendars: I'll be home November 22nd! Love.
So, nine months after moving to Cape Town, I can finally say that I feel settled in. I have an established group of friends, I'm doing well with school, I don't gawk at the scenery (though I still make a point of being grateful for my mountain views each morning and night), and I have a solid idea of how to get around Cape Town and where things are.
Of course, it's just around this time of settling in that it comes time to go home again--thankfully only for a long visit, before returning to Cape Town for at least another year.
I am incredibly excited about the impending visit (I leave in less than five weeks!). I'll be able to work and replenish my bank account a bit and also hopefully get a bit of health policy experience out of an internship. But, the top two things I am looking forward to? The people and the food. :)
But, as I said, I've been making more new friends recently and have a fairly solid group of people here as well. At Gabby's going away party I had met a group of five young women who are here in Cape Town for a year doing the Princeton in Africa fellowship. They are really incredible women with impressive resumes despite being a bit younger than I am!
Apparently, I have managed to neglect mentioning that I have been taking courses in salsa dancing for the last eight weeks or so. It started because a woman I know really wanted to go so I volunteered to go with, figuring I'd try something new. Honestly, it's turned out to be one of the best times of the week for me. It is SO much fun, decent exercise, and I've actually met some people through the course. I have a new friend, Homero, who is from Angola and came to Cape Town for an English language course. We decided to get together before class yesterday for dinner so I could help him practice English. Honestly, I don't think he needs the help--he talked up a storm! All I knew about Angola prior was that it is located on the west coast of Africa (kinda in the middle) and that the national language is Portuguese. Afterwards, I knew about the thirty year civil war, the politics, the role of the U.S., and what the main city Luanda is like. Oh, and it's good to have a boy to practice salsa with, since Thomas refuses!
I also recently met a couple of whom the guy is South African, the gal is Chilean. They are both super sweet, plus it's always nice to hear about another successful international romance--they are getting married in February and are taking the dance lessons because their wedding will be Latin themed! We're going to try to do a double date when Thomas is home. He FINALLY got the right visa for Nigeria, so I'll have him home at least a couple of days each week--could not be happier about that!
If I haven't made it clear by now, Cape Town is a very international city--not just the MPH program. Everyday you hear a variety of accents and, if you're friendly about it, you're constantly meeting new people. I have a theory that many of us internationals aren't outgoing because we were naturally born that way, but as a survival mechanism. Any time you go somewhere new, you need to reach out unless you want to be a loner. At least, I've become much more willing to strike up conversation since moving here. I find that other non-South Africans tend to be same.
Alright folks, don't forget to mark your calendars: I'll be home November 22nd! Love.
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Life is Simple; Life is Good
This is the sentiment that continues to come to mind over the last few days.
I've really been trying to scale back the stress in my life. Schoolwork is important. Making some amount of income is important. Building my resume is important. But all of the stress just ain't worth it at the end of the day. I'm learning a lot in school, making some spending money with waitressing, and doing my best to put myself out there in the public health field. This might be the only time for the next few DECADES that I'm not bound to a full time job. I'm prone to workaholicism, especially when it's a job I'm passionate about. So, I am once more trying to settle into enjoying the little things in life.
These include:
-Sitting out on the balcony to enjoy the sunshine. Spring is coming!
-Giving myself permission to read for pleasure without the guilt (i.e. that I "should be" reading for class). Right now I am 2/3 through The Help. It's been an interesting reflection exercise since race is definitely still a hot topic here.
-Time with girlfriends. I've organized a dinner this Thursday for--brace yourself--18 girlfriends and myself. Wow! I owe the large turnout to the Ethiopian cuisine and not my organizing skills, but I'm looking forward to having many wonderful women in one place.
-Time with my love. Thomas is doing a gig in Nigeria for the next couple of months (well, barring that his visa come through in time...!) that will have him home a few days of each week. Needless to say, we're psyched!
-Food. I blame this on also reading Eat, Pray, Love with my mom. Been indulging in some amazing biltong and tonight I'm going for a burger with Katherine....and "Bitchy Bingo" at Beefcakes. :)
And the pink of the sunset is just starting to seep into the sky. Yes, life is good.
I've really been trying to scale back the stress in my life. Schoolwork is important. Making some amount of income is important. Building my resume is important. But all of the stress just ain't worth it at the end of the day. I'm learning a lot in school, making some spending money with waitressing, and doing my best to put myself out there in the public health field. This might be the only time for the next few DECADES that I'm not bound to a full time job. I'm prone to workaholicism, especially when it's a job I'm passionate about. So, I am once more trying to settle into enjoying the little things in life.
These include:
-Sitting out on the balcony to enjoy the sunshine. Spring is coming!
-Giving myself permission to read for pleasure without the guilt (i.e. that I "should be" reading for class). Right now I am 2/3 through The Help. It's been an interesting reflection exercise since race is definitely still a hot topic here.
-Time with girlfriends. I've organized a dinner this Thursday for--brace yourself--18 girlfriends and myself. Wow! I owe the large turnout to the Ethiopian cuisine and not my organizing skills, but I'm looking forward to having many wonderful women in one place.
-Time with my love. Thomas is doing a gig in Nigeria for the next couple of months (well, barring that his visa come through in time...!) that will have him home a few days of each week. Needless to say, we're psyched!
-Food. I blame this on also reading Eat, Pray, Love with my mom. Been indulging in some amazing biltong and tonight I'm going for a burger with Katherine....and "Bitchy Bingo" at Beefcakes. :)
And the pink of the sunset is just starting to seep into the sky. Yes, life is good.
Monday, August 29, 2011
Whales, Sluts, and the Archbishop
Okay, I have a tiny bit of an excuse this time for not writing--for the last week I've been sick, spending several days in bed barely thinking about anything more than watching television. I'm fully on the mend now, with just a bit of congestion and a cough. Of course, my sickness doesn't excuse the two weeks prior that I have not updated, so let's back track a bit.
A couple of months ago, I met a new friend, Gabby, at a Learning Network training. She is an MPH student from the states doing a summer internship in Cape Town with Leslie London (of the LN). We got to chatting, hung out again, and somehow decided that we should go to Hermanus together before she left the country. Hermanus is one of the best places in the world for whale watching from land. I'd been wanting to go, so when she suggested it I was all for it. Plus it would nice to get out of Cape Town overnight--something I haven't done since moving here except for the 24 hour trip to Durban for Thomas' sister's birthday.
Unfortunately, our trip was fruitless--despite it being whale season, the waves were rather choppy the two days we were there and apparently the whales are not to fond of that. However, I personally enjoyed the trip immensely because it gave me a chance to get to know Gabby better. I have a bit of a friend crush on her--she is one of those woman that I truly admire, beautiful on the inside and out, and I learned as much as I could from her during those couple of days. Besides her giving me an actual lesson in driving stick (yup, the battle still sloooowly wages on...), I have also learned how to sell wine to customers (bullshit), travel the world on a budget (she's been to about 40 different countries), additional relationship communication skills (she has a husband back home), and the titles of a ton of new books, movies, and songs (we made each other lists on the ride home of recommendations for each other). I feel really lucky to have met such an amazing person and we plan on remaining long distance friends.
Unfortunately, the weekend before last was Gabby's last weekend in Cape Town. We gave her a pretty interesting send off by attending the Cape Town Slut Walk. If you haven't heard about Slut Walks yet, frankly I'd be surprised, but you can read more about the original here. We had gorgeous weather for the event and there were about 2000 people there dressed up, with signs, etc. It was a cool experience. The only thing I would've liked in addition would have been a rally or some time of speaker at the beginning or end of the walk to articulate the purpose of the event, particularly in South Africa, which has one of the highest rates of rape in the world.
I've added pictures from Hermanus and the Slut Walk at the end of this album.
After the Slut Walk I had lunch with Gabby and then hung out with her until her going away party. I had the chance to finally meet a lot of her friends whom she had been talking about whom were fantastic. I left that night with almost ten new friends, which included South Africans, Tanzanians, Ugandans, and Americans. The party also reminded me what a wonderful energy being with a group of women can generate. Don't get me wrong, I love my male friends and they are wonderful and important in my life, but there is definitely a different energy with all women that I also enjoy. It was a great evening of food, wine, and laughter.
Lastly, I recently attended a Q&A for a new book at the Cape Town Book Lounge. I'll be honest, the event itself didn't hold much appeal to me--I hadn't read the book, didn't know who the author was, and didn't know what it was about--but my friend Katherine had invited me so I decided to go. I glazed over for most of the talk while eating the complimentary finger sandwiches, but there was one definite exciting moment: when Archbishop Desmond Tutu walked in! Yes, he is just as precious in person. We didn't speak to him as he left before the end of the talk (and as some of you might now, I hate introducing myself to "famous" people) but it was still neat to see him there. Just goes to show how small Cape Town is--never know who you might run into!
Now I must get back to working on a paper for my Economics of Health Systems course. Missing you all and looking forward to being home with you again soon!
A couple of months ago, I met a new friend, Gabby, at a Learning Network training. She is an MPH student from the states doing a summer internship in Cape Town with Leslie London (of the LN). We got to chatting, hung out again, and somehow decided that we should go to Hermanus together before she left the country. Hermanus is one of the best places in the world for whale watching from land. I'd been wanting to go, so when she suggested it I was all for it. Plus it would nice to get out of Cape Town overnight--something I haven't done since moving here except for the 24 hour trip to Durban for Thomas' sister's birthday.
Unfortunately, our trip was fruitless--despite it being whale season, the waves were rather choppy the two days we were there and apparently the whales are not to fond of that. However, I personally enjoyed the trip immensely because it gave me a chance to get to know Gabby better. I have a bit of a friend crush on her--she is one of those woman that I truly admire, beautiful on the inside and out, and I learned as much as I could from her during those couple of days. Besides her giving me an actual lesson in driving stick (yup, the battle still sloooowly wages on...), I have also learned how to sell wine to customers (bullshit), travel the world on a budget (she's been to about 40 different countries), additional relationship communication skills (she has a husband back home), and the titles of a ton of new books, movies, and songs (we made each other lists on the ride home of recommendations for each other). I feel really lucky to have met such an amazing person and we plan on remaining long distance friends.
Unfortunately, the weekend before last was Gabby's last weekend in Cape Town. We gave her a pretty interesting send off by attending the Cape Town Slut Walk. If you haven't heard about Slut Walks yet, frankly I'd be surprised, but you can read more about the original here. We had gorgeous weather for the event and there were about 2000 people there dressed up, with signs, etc. It was a cool experience. The only thing I would've liked in addition would have been a rally or some time of speaker at the beginning or end of the walk to articulate the purpose of the event, particularly in South Africa, which has one of the highest rates of rape in the world.
I've added pictures from Hermanus and the Slut Walk at the end of this album.
After the Slut Walk I had lunch with Gabby and then hung out with her until her going away party. I had the chance to finally meet a lot of her friends whom she had been talking about whom were fantastic. I left that night with almost ten new friends, which included South Africans, Tanzanians, Ugandans, and Americans. The party also reminded me what a wonderful energy being with a group of women can generate. Don't get me wrong, I love my male friends and they are wonderful and important in my life, but there is definitely a different energy with all women that I also enjoy. It was a great evening of food, wine, and laughter.
Lastly, I recently attended a Q&A for a new book at the Cape Town Book Lounge. I'll be honest, the event itself didn't hold much appeal to me--I hadn't read the book, didn't know who the author was, and didn't know what it was about--but my friend Katherine had invited me so I decided to go. I glazed over for most of the talk while eating the complimentary finger sandwiches, but there was one definite exciting moment: when Archbishop Desmond Tutu walked in! Yes, he is just as precious in person. We didn't speak to him as he left before the end of the talk (and as some of you might now, I hate introducing myself to "famous" people) but it was still neat to see him there. Just goes to show how small Cape Town is--never know who you might run into!
Now I must get back to working on a paper for my Economics of Health Systems course. Missing you all and looking forward to being home with you again soon!
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