This morning I got up early for a meeting. As I left the hotel the most incredible scene lay before me. There must have been 100's of Ethiopians all dressed in shorts, tank tops and t-shirt and running up the main drag of Addis Ababa. There were groups running in unison and others sprinting up the hills on their own. As I drove past Meskel square I saw troops racing up and down the stairs round and round the square. Ever since Ethiopians started racking up the wins and the prize money, Ethiopians - who have a natural running ability - see it as a way out of poverty. I cannot think of any other developing country where people place such high value on fitness.
Jamaica provides an interesting comparison. Earlier this year while I was on vacation in Jamaica, I met one of the Jamaican Olympic bobsled team. He said that when he in the Olympic village, all the other Olympic athletes were lining up to get their autographs, but when they are home Jamaicans don't even realized that they have a bobsled team, never mind recognizing the team members. Maybe if there were more money in bobsledding ...
Thursday, October 27, 2005
Wednesday, October 26, 2005
Lag
So much for no jet lag. I am now shaking continuously and I feel nauseous simply from lack of sleep. I have been awake until at least 1 am every night since I arrived. This means that I skipped one whole night of sleep and have been getting an average of 6 hours a night since then.
I just figure that it's not worth trying to adjust as I will be back on my own clock again on Sunday.
Fran from Australia thought it was funny that John Cusack came up in a post from Ethiopia, well, here's another strange one. I went salsa dancing tonight. Yes, in Ethiopia. I went with the group from DFID that I met on Sunday. It was a fun evening out. This is turning out to be a much more social trip that usual!
I just figure that it's not worth trying to adjust as I will be back on my own clock again on Sunday.
Fran from Australia thought it was funny that John Cusack came up in a post from Ethiopia, well, here's another strange one. I went salsa dancing tonight. Yes, in Ethiopia. I went with the group from DFID that I met on Sunday. It was a fun evening out. This is turning out to be a much more social trip that usual!
Tuesday, October 25, 2005
9 to 5 (or is it 11)
I working until 11pm last night, but somehow I am not exhausted. I am sure that it will hit me at some point, but hopefully not until I am on the plane on my way home when I can sleep. It’s sort of sad that nowadays I look forward to the long flights so that I can catch up on some sleep.
It was another hectic day of meetings that was altogether uneventful. It's amazing how I can be in what I consider to be the most fascinating place in the world, but just have a normal day at the office. The highlight of the day was receiving a call from the DFID folks I met on Sunday (as I was sitting on the couch watching Gross Point Blank while eating dried out pizza) to invite me to dinner tomorrow night.
It was another hectic day of meetings that was altogether uneventful. It's amazing how I can be in what I consider to be the most fascinating place in the world, but just have a normal day at the office. The highlight of the day was receiving a call from the DFID folks I met on Sunday (as I was sitting on the couch watching Gross Point Blank while eating dried out pizza) to invite me to dinner tomorrow night.
Monday, October 24, 2005
Endangered species
I started off my day with a breakfast of bland tiny pineapples (and stale but uncooked French toast – or is patriot toast), which is poignant because I am here to work on developing a proposal for the agricultural sector. I spoke to the manager of an Ethiopian agribusiness who told me that a farmer here wants to plant 50 hectares of pineapples here but he can't get the plant material to do so. I just wander where he would find a market if this is the standard Ethiopian pineapple!
I had my first day in the office. I was a bit nervous heading in as there are lots of sorts of about the Chief of Party floating around. Fortunately, I found that most of them were untrue. Well, at the very least, we get along very well and he was very helpful. I spent a busy day setting up meetings and going to meetings.
I ended the day on a high note. One of the hardest things to find in Africa is data. Real live spreadsheets that are filled with accurate numbers are an endangered species. Today I had a sighting…in fact, I caught a big one. By a stroke of luck, the project here put me in touch with someone in the statistics office who not only provided me with all the data that I needed, but he had it ready to load on my memory stick when I arrived! Truly a unique experience.
I had my first day in the office. I was a bit nervous heading in as there are lots of sorts of about the Chief of Party floating around. Fortunately, I found that most of them were untrue. Well, at the very least, we get along very well and he was very helpful. I spent a busy day setting up meetings and going to meetings.
I ended the day on a high note. One of the hardest things to find in Africa is data. Real live spreadsheets that are filled with accurate numbers are an endangered species. Today I had a sighting…in fact, I caught a big one. By a stroke of luck, the project here put me in touch with someone in the statistics office who not only provided me with all the data that I needed, but he had it ready to load on my memory stick when I arrived! Truly a unique experience.
Sunday, October 23, 2005
Looking Up
Things are looking up. This morning I spent an hour or two searching for a better hotel, but then gave up and decided to make do with what I have. I then spent an hour or so working to prepare for the hectic week ahead and as a reward I took the rest of the day to spoil myself, even if it is not as much fun when you are doing it on your own.
I went to the Hilton hotel and had a lunch that lasted for two hours and would have been hours more if I had not called the waiter over several times to ask for a menu, ask to place my order, ask him when my meal would arrive, and even ask for the bill. Is it any wander that Africans are the most patient people on earth and that they find it funny when we harried westerners become frustrated when things don’t move quickly?
Next stop: massage. While I was here for two months last year I went for weekly massages at the hotel. I cannot think of a better way to spend $12 (for a full hour!) Feeling increasingly relaxed, I went to the next stop, poolside. I jumped into the warm waters that are heated by a natural hot spring and immediately felt the tension of the journey disappear. While paddling a bit, I met a group of DFID (the British equivalent of USAID) people who are here doing IT training for their local office. There are 5 of them, 4 below 35. I wish I traveled with that sort of group! They took pity on me and invited me to join them for dinner. We had a good meal at the Zebra Café which was a restaurant that I knew well from my last visit here as it was just up the road from my old office. I had my usual, coconut beans and rice.
When we got back to the hotel for a nightcap (of Coke for me as I am still on antibiotics getting rid of unwanted passengers from my last trip 5 months ago), there was a wedding going on. The blend of traditional Ethiopian culture and Western influence was fascinating. The bride wore a silver Cinderella dress complete with poofy skirt and lace up bodice. Her bridesmaids wore floor length red prom dresses, and by 10:30 they were curled up together on a sofa in the lobby. The feast was laid out just as any buffet would be in the US, with one exception: there were four carcasses of raw beef at the entry way waiting to be prepared into the luxurious Ethiopian delicacy Tere Sega. This is a dish or raw minced beef that is often served by the wealthy at weddings.
The guests were a blend of two cultures. Many of the women were dressed traditionally in white cotton accented with detailed colorful embroidery around the hem and wearing matching shawls that were wrapped around their head and shoulders. Walking in beside them were other women arriving in dresses that would not be out of place at a five star restaurant in New York City. This is a refection on the Ethiopian culture which is extremely traditional in many ways, especially religion, but because of the many Ethiopians in the US some of the American culture has been transplanted. Many Ethiopians have adopted Western fashions, although it is still rare to see an Ethiopian women with her knees bared, and it is not uncommon to meet Ethiopians that you think have been living in the US for years and are home on a visit, only to discover that in fact they have never left their country.
Quite a social day for a gal on her own in Ethiopia! Hopefully I will meet up with the Brits again later in the week, but I am keenly aware that I am going to be a little busy this week.
I went to the Hilton hotel and had a lunch that lasted for two hours and would have been hours more if I had not called the waiter over several times to ask for a menu, ask to place my order, ask him when my meal would arrive, and even ask for the bill. Is it any wander that Africans are the most patient people on earth and that they find it funny when we harried westerners become frustrated when things don’t move quickly?
Next stop: massage. While I was here for two months last year I went for weekly massages at the hotel. I cannot think of a better way to spend $12 (for a full hour!) Feeling increasingly relaxed, I went to the next stop, poolside. I jumped into the warm waters that are heated by a natural hot spring and immediately felt the tension of the journey disappear. While paddling a bit, I met a group of DFID (the British equivalent of USAID) people who are here doing IT training for their local office. There are 5 of them, 4 below 35. I wish I traveled with that sort of group! They took pity on me and invited me to join them for dinner. We had a good meal at the Zebra Café which was a restaurant that I knew well from my last visit here as it was just up the road from my old office. I had my usual, coconut beans and rice.
When we got back to the hotel for a nightcap (of Coke for me as I am still on antibiotics getting rid of unwanted passengers from my last trip 5 months ago), there was a wedding going on. The blend of traditional Ethiopian culture and Western influence was fascinating. The bride wore a silver Cinderella dress complete with poofy skirt and lace up bodice. Her bridesmaids wore floor length red prom dresses, and by 10:30 they were curled up together on a sofa in the lobby. The feast was laid out just as any buffet would be in the US, with one exception: there were four carcasses of raw beef at the entry way waiting to be prepared into the luxurious Ethiopian delicacy Tere Sega. This is a dish or raw minced beef that is often served by the wealthy at weddings.
The guests were a blend of two cultures. Many of the women were dressed traditionally in white cotton accented with detailed colorful embroidery around the hem and wearing matching shawls that were wrapped around their head and shoulders. Walking in beside them were other women arriving in dresses that would not be out of place at a five star restaurant in New York City. This is a refection on the Ethiopian culture which is extremely traditional in many ways, especially religion, but because of the many Ethiopians in the US some of the American culture has been transplanted. Many Ethiopians have adopted Western fashions, although it is still rare to see an Ethiopian women with her knees bared, and it is not uncommon to meet Ethiopians that you think have been living in the US for years and are home on a visit, only to discover that in fact they have never left their country.
Quite a social day for a gal on her own in Ethiopia! Hopefully I will meet up with the Brits again later in the week, but I am keenly aware that I am going to be a little busy this week.
Friday, October 21, 2005
Outward journey
This trip did not get off to a good start. On the first leg of my 24 hour journey I was stuck in the middle seat between two overweight people (one of whom knew my ex boyfriend in Sweden!) I did not sleep a wink and given the increased instability in the back of the plane, I threw up as we landed in Amsterdam at 3Am my time. I guess this is what happens when you buy your ticket three days before you fly.
I managed to grab an hour of sleep in the Amsterdam airport on one of their chaise longes (a brilliant idea for an airport) but the chill of the air conditioning woke me up. The second leg of the journey was much improved. We stopped off in Sudan (which was a surprise to me) so I had an interesting guy sitting next to me who works for the UN in Sudan. Another interesting guy was sitting behind me who is in Ethiopia to collect samples of stalactites for a climate change study. That said I slept for six hours straight (not even waking when the guy next to me climbed over me to go to the bathroom). That’s why I always try to book the window!
Arriving in Addis was sadly a bit of a let down. I arrived at my hotel at 10:30pm to discovr that I am staying in the grottiest hotel. I was assaulted by a foul odor as I walked in the door; there is a used toothpick that has been sitting on the desk for over a day now; and the couch I am sitting on as I write this is split at the back and the arms are rubbed bare so that you can see the foam underneath. I wander when was the last time it was cleaned. Gross thought. All decent hotels in Addis are fully booked for the next month for some conference or another. With both the African Union and the Economic commission for Africa based in Addis, this is a common event.
If I am really honest with myself, I know that a part of my disappointment with the hotel is disappointment with myself. There was a time when I would have thought of this accommodation as palatial - it is called the Queen of Sheba after all. Now expect to be in a nice “Western” hotel and that does not come cheaply. I used to look down on development types who spent so much project money on fancy hotels. Now I am one of them. But I also now realize how difficult this insane life can be (I found out I was coming to Ethiopia just 3 days before my departure) I can better understand the need to be in a place where you can feel as at home as possible. The irony of it all is that this trip is coming out of my company's overhead and not from aid money!
I woke up at 4 am to the call to prayers form the Ethiopian Orthodox Church nearby, and then again at 5am for the Muslim call to prayers from the mosque around the corner, even with earplugs. I am just thankful that DC is not so religious.
I managed to grab an hour of sleep in the Amsterdam airport on one of their chaise longes (a brilliant idea for an airport) but the chill of the air conditioning woke me up. The second leg of the journey was much improved. We stopped off in Sudan (which was a surprise to me) so I had an interesting guy sitting next to me who works for the UN in Sudan. Another interesting guy was sitting behind me who is in Ethiopia to collect samples of stalactites for a climate change study. That said I slept for six hours straight (not even waking when the guy next to me climbed over me to go to the bathroom). That’s why I always try to book the window!
Arriving in Addis was sadly a bit of a let down. I arrived at my hotel at 10:30pm to discovr that I am staying in the grottiest hotel. I was assaulted by a foul odor as I walked in the door; there is a used toothpick that has been sitting on the desk for over a day now; and the couch I am sitting on as I write this is split at the back and the arms are rubbed bare so that you can see the foam underneath. I wander when was the last time it was cleaned. Gross thought. All decent hotels in Addis are fully booked for the next month for some conference or another. With both the African Union and the Economic commission for Africa based in Addis, this is a common event.
If I am really honest with myself, I know that a part of my disappointment with the hotel is disappointment with myself. There was a time when I would have thought of this accommodation as palatial - it is called the Queen of Sheba after all. Now expect to be in a nice “Western” hotel and that does not come cheaply. I used to look down on development types who spent so much project money on fancy hotels. Now I am one of them. But I also now realize how difficult this insane life can be (I found out I was coming to Ethiopia just 3 days before my departure) I can better understand the need to be in a place where you can feel as at home as possible. The irony of it all is that this trip is coming out of my company's overhead and not from aid money!
I woke up at 4 am to the call to prayers form the Ethiopian Orthodox Church nearby, and then again at 5am for the Muslim call to prayers from the mosque around the corner, even with earplugs. I am just thankful that DC is not so religious.
Thursday, May 12, 2005
Homeward Bound
In 12 hours I will be heading for the airport for the first leg of my journey home. I am really excited about getting back to a normal life and spending time with friends and family. I'm also a wee bit apprehensive about having to deal with my apartment when I get back.
I subletted while I was away, so I'm not sure in what condition I will find things. Plus, my housemate Karlyn is moving out two days after I get home and I'm getting a new roommate, Ana Maria from Chile who sounds really nice over email! So I am going to try and move into Karlyn's room (bigger, has the only balcony and a private bathroom) in between all these other people moving in and out, starting a new position at work, and trying to catch up with folks. Why is life never luxuriously simple? (I know, I know, cuz I chose to make it complicated!)
The good news is that I have learned from the hell past returns, and I am taking a long weekend on my aunt and uncle's farm outside of Johannesburg on the way back. Tomorrow night I should be sleeping peacefully only disturbed by the jackals, wildebeast and spotted wildlife (mainly in the form of the two dalmations). So by the time you all see or speak to me at home, I should be fully relaxed - at least for the first few hours at home.
I'm already listening to my "Travel" Playlist on my ipod. It starts with "leaving on a jet plane" by Peter, Paul and Mary, and ends with "homeward bound" by Paul Simon. Get's me in the right mood for journeys.
Now on to packing - I have way too much stuff to bring home - as usual!
I subletted while I was away, so I'm not sure in what condition I will find things. Plus, my housemate Karlyn is moving out two days after I get home and I'm getting a new roommate, Ana Maria from Chile who sounds really nice over email! So I am going to try and move into Karlyn's room (bigger, has the only balcony and a private bathroom) in between all these other people moving in and out, starting a new position at work, and trying to catch up with folks. Why is life never luxuriously simple? (I know, I know, cuz I chose to make it complicated!)
The good news is that I have learned from the hell past returns, and I am taking a long weekend on my aunt and uncle's farm outside of Johannesburg on the way back. Tomorrow night I should be sleeping peacefully only disturbed by the jackals, wildebeast and spotted wildlife (mainly in the form of the two dalmations). So by the time you all see or speak to me at home, I should be fully relaxed - at least for the first few hours at home.
I'm already listening to my "Travel" Playlist on my ipod. It starts with "leaving on a jet plane" by Peter, Paul and Mary, and ends with "homeward bound" by Paul Simon. Get's me in the right mood for journeys.
Now on to packing - I have way too much stuff to bring home - as usual!
Tuesday, May 10, 2005
Conservation is Hopeless
I'm here in Malawi working on a natural resources program and today I came to the conclusion that in this environment, conservation is hopeless.
The harvest in Malawi just took place over the past few weeks and it was poor. Some crops failed completely because there were insufficient rains. In other places, the two week dry spell in the middle of the season at a key point meant that the crop was stunted. Part of the problem is that the staple crop is maize which is not adapted to drought conditions. Believe it or not, but maize was only introduced to Malawi about 80 years ago. It is seen as more modern and so has almost completely replaced the more drought resistant millet, sorghum and cassava in the local diet - even though that means starvation every few years when there is a drought.
There are reportedly already 15 countries in sub-Saharan Africa that have already been declared in food crises. Malawi is not one of them, so there is concern that by the time people realize the scale of the problem, there will be no foreign aid left to feed the country.
In this environment how can we encourage people to invest in the future. These are people who literally do not know how they are going to get through the next year - the real crisis will come next year when the grain stores have been emptied and next year's crop of maize is growing in the ground while the people starve. In this environment how can we convince anyone to leave trees in the forest, fish in the lakes and medicinal vines growing on the river banks? How can we convince them to preserve the natural resources for a tomorrow that they and their children may very well not see? How do we convince them not to engage in risky behavior (transactional sex) if it will feed their children and keep them alive? In this environment, food today is without doubt worth more than the risk of getting some disease that might kill you in 10 years.
Life expectancy in Malawi is 34 years.
The harvest in Malawi just took place over the past few weeks and it was poor. Some crops failed completely because there were insufficient rains. In other places, the two week dry spell in the middle of the season at a key point meant that the crop was stunted. Part of the problem is that the staple crop is maize which is not adapted to drought conditions. Believe it or not, but maize was only introduced to Malawi about 80 years ago. It is seen as more modern and so has almost completely replaced the more drought resistant millet, sorghum and cassava in the local diet - even though that means starvation every few years when there is a drought.
There are reportedly already 15 countries in sub-Saharan Africa that have already been declared in food crises. Malawi is not one of them, so there is concern that by the time people realize the scale of the problem, there will be no foreign aid left to feed the country.
In this environment how can we encourage people to invest in the future. These are people who literally do not know how they are going to get through the next year - the real crisis will come next year when the grain stores have been emptied and next year's crop of maize is growing in the ground while the people starve. In this environment how can we convince anyone to leave trees in the forest, fish in the lakes and medicinal vines growing on the river banks? How can we convince them to preserve the natural resources for a tomorrow that they and their children may very well not see? How do we convince them not to engage in risky behavior (transactional sex) if it will feed their children and keep them alive? In this environment, food today is without doubt worth more than the risk of getting some disease that might kill you in 10 years.
Life expectancy in Malawi is 34 years.
Saturday, May 07, 2005
Field day
With one week until my departure from Malawi, yesterday was my last day in the field before I dedicate myself entirely to writing the final report. I decided to make the most of it.
I traveled an hour away to Domasi, a small town outside Zomba, the former colonial capital. There I met with Mrs. Katunu, a truly remarkable woman of the same mettle as Ma Ramotswe, the lovable character from The Ladies Detective Agency series.
Mrs. Katundu runs a small enterprise that makes and sells an interesting array of cassava based products including cassava wine, cassava juice, and a cassava energy drink. (I am brining some cassava wine with me to South Africa to sample!) She is an astute entrepreneur and has carved out a niche for herself selling mostly at International Trade fairs in Malawi and Zimbabwe.
I found her because one of the ingredients in her energy shake is Gondolosi - an indigenous plant that is most well-known in Malawi for its aphrodisiac properties. She has noticed that it is becoming harder to find in the wild and so she has decided to start cultivating it. This fits well with the project I'm working with because while Gondolosi has a strong local market, we have been struggling with the ethical issues of encouraging the use of aphrodisiacs in a country with a major HIV/AIDS epidemic. (Do you think the makers of Viagra think about these things?) Mrs. Katundu’s product allows us to sidestep the issue – it’s an energy drink!
We went to visit her field of aphrodisiac, which is at her traditional home. When we finished meandering through the field, we sat on a grass mat on the front stoop of her older sister's house and she fed me and my driver lunch. When she brought out a steaming dish of livers and gizzards, I had to tell her that I am a vegetarian - something I try to avoid, but her surprising response was, 'my sister doesn't eat meat either'. Her sister brought out some freshly cooked local spinach to eat with my cassava rolls. As I left, they brought out some newly roasted peanuts for me to enjoy on the road. The generosity of those with so little to give will never cease to astound me.
I traveled an hour away to Domasi, a small town outside Zomba, the former colonial capital. There I met with Mrs. Katunu, a truly remarkable woman of the same mettle as Ma Ramotswe, the lovable character from The Ladies Detective Agency series.
Mrs. Katundu runs a small enterprise that makes and sells an interesting array of cassava based products including cassava wine, cassava juice, and a cassava energy drink. (I am brining some cassava wine with me to South Africa to sample!) She is an astute entrepreneur and has carved out a niche for herself selling mostly at International Trade fairs in Malawi and Zimbabwe.
I found her because one of the ingredients in her energy shake is Gondolosi - an indigenous plant that is most well-known in Malawi for its aphrodisiac properties. She has noticed that it is becoming harder to find in the wild and so she has decided to start cultivating it. This fits well with the project I'm working with because while Gondolosi has a strong local market, we have been struggling with the ethical issues of encouraging the use of aphrodisiacs in a country with a major HIV/AIDS epidemic. (Do you think the makers of Viagra think about these things?) Mrs. Katundu’s product allows us to sidestep the issue – it’s an energy drink!
We went to visit her field of aphrodisiac, which is at her traditional home. When we finished meandering through the field, we sat on a grass mat on the front stoop of her older sister's house and she fed me and my driver lunch. When she brought out a steaming dish of livers and gizzards, I had to tell her that I am a vegetarian - something I try to avoid, but her surprising response was, 'my sister doesn't eat meat either'. Her sister brought out some freshly cooked local spinach to eat with my cassava rolls. As I left, they brought out some newly roasted peanuts for me to enjoy on the road. The generosity of those with so little to give will never cease to astound me.
Wednesday, May 04, 2005
The Presentaiton
I'm sitting in an airport staring into space with my mouth open in between typing into my blackberry. It's been a busy couple of days.
I was up until after midnight last night working on the slides for my presentation today. The fact that I woke up at 6am today only to discover that the Meridian Hotel I was staying in had absolutely no hot water - great start to the day. My next realization was that I definitely overdid it with the Tai-bo “great buns” (DVD) workout last night - my glutes were killing me.
The presentation with one of my colleagues was on the work I've been doing here for the last three months on the traditional medicine market. We presented to a group of folks from the Department of Forestry, Department of Environmental Affairs, National Herbarium and Botanical Gardens, and the Universities - the gatekeepers of knowledge in the field of traditional medicine in Malawi.
The Chairman started off the meeting by welcoming the “lady and gentlemen”. Yup, once again I was the only woman in the room. There are so few professional women in Africa, is it any wander that I am rarely treated as an equal by my African colleagues? The presentation was well received and generated some good debate about the competing interests of conservation of medicinal plant species, promoting traditional medicine as a parallel healthcare system, and commercialization of medicinal plants as a livelihoods option for rural communities (our focus). Of course the debate was managed in a typically African way - more debate about how to best structure the discussion than actual substantive talk.
Now I just need to somehow capture all of this information in a paper in the next 8 days. I am really looking forward to that weekend of relaxation in South Africa on my way home. (Except of course for the shopping and errands that I need to do).
I was up until after midnight last night working on the slides for my presentation today. The fact that I woke up at 6am today only to discover that the Meridian Hotel I was staying in had absolutely no hot water - great start to the day. My next realization was that I definitely overdid it with the Tai-bo “great buns” (DVD) workout last night - my glutes were killing me.
The presentation with one of my colleagues was on the work I've been doing here for the last three months on the traditional medicine market. We presented to a group of folks from the Department of Forestry, Department of Environmental Affairs, National Herbarium and Botanical Gardens, and the Universities - the gatekeepers of knowledge in the field of traditional medicine in Malawi.
The Chairman started off the meeting by welcoming the “lady and gentlemen”. Yup, once again I was the only woman in the room. There are so few professional women in Africa, is it any wander that I am rarely treated as an equal by my African colleagues? The presentation was well received and generated some good debate about the competing interests of conservation of medicinal plant species, promoting traditional medicine as a parallel healthcare system, and commercialization of medicinal plants as a livelihoods option for rural communities (our focus). Of course the debate was managed in a typically African way - more debate about how to best structure the discussion than actual substantive talk.
Now I just need to somehow capture all of this information in a paper in the next 8 days. I am really looking forward to that weekend of relaxation in South Africa on my way home. (Except of course for the shopping and errands that I need to do).
Tuesday, May 03, 2005
Goddess Plan
I just checked in for my flight back to Blantyre from Lilongwe. We are flying on a tiny 18-seater plane for the 50 minute flight and so when checking in you are asked, “what is your personal weight in kilos?” Now I don't even know my weight in pounds, nevermind kilos, so the attendant asked me to hop on the luggage scale. What an unpleasant shock! I was convinced that the scale was wrong until my colleague told me his weight and then got on the scale - it was exactly right. The irony is that aside from the disappointment I felt at failing miserably at the goddess plan (to be tanner, blonder, thinner and more toned by the time I got home), I was actually a little relieved.
For three years, I struggled to identify and then poison the 7 species of parasites that had firmly attached themselves in my system during my backpacking years. During that time I lost a lot of weight and actually couldn't gain weight. I promised to never again complain about putting on a little pudge. So I'm just going to look at this as additional incentive to get in shape and train for a triathlon. (I'm also hoping that broadcasting the goal on my blog will also provide some incentive by not wanting to fail in the public eye).
For three years, I struggled to identify and then poison the 7 species of parasites that had firmly attached themselves in my system during my backpacking years. During that time I lost a lot of weight and actually couldn't gain weight. I promised to never again complain about putting on a little pudge. So I'm just going to look at this as additional incentive to get in shape and train for a triathlon. (I'm also hoping that broadcasting the goal on my blog will also provide some incentive by not wanting to fail in the public eye).
Sunday, May 01, 2005
Catch up
I think my frequency of blogging is directly correlated to my level of excitement about my current activities. Notice that I didn’t blog once when I was in South Africa. Actually, that’s a little unfair. Part of that was that I was just frantically busy.
I have learned a new lesson – don’t mix business with pleasure, at least not on business trips. I ended up running around all day to meetings, typing up notes and planning for the next day in the evenings and still trying to socialize. It was definitely too much, but I did get a heavenly 24 hours of rest on Penny and John’s farm. My aunt and uncle are part owners of a game conservancy 30 minutes outside of Johannesburg. They recently established themselves as a dinner, bed and breakfast game lodge, and I was spoiled staying in one of their romantic canvas tent under thatch (www.butjanilodge.co.za). The complete silence of the night was only disturbed briefly by the calls of the jackals, the snorts of the wildebeest, and the hooting of the owl. In the morning, I enjoyed their outdoor shower (despite the chilly temperatures) and got to birdwatch while showering.
I also did get a chance to catch up with a few friends. I spent my 30th birthday attending a conference, but in the evening I went to dinner with the mother and aunt of one of my dearest friends. I also got to see my former host sister (who stayed with my parents in Hornell, NY – poor her!) and her boyfriend.
I arrived back at my home at the Ryalls Hotel in Blantyre Malawi completely exhausted and ready to go back to my real home. That first night I slept 10 hours and when I woke up I experienced that brief panic of not knowing where I was. I knew that I was in a hotel (big surprise there), but I couldn’t remember which one.
I have learned a new lesson – don’t mix business with pleasure, at least not on business trips. I ended up running around all day to meetings, typing up notes and planning for the next day in the evenings and still trying to socialize. It was definitely too much, but I did get a heavenly 24 hours of rest on Penny and John’s farm. My aunt and uncle are part owners of a game conservancy 30 minutes outside of Johannesburg. They recently established themselves as a dinner, bed and breakfast game lodge, and I was spoiled staying in one of their romantic canvas tent under thatch (www.butjanilodge.co.za). The complete silence of the night was only disturbed briefly by the calls of the jackals, the snorts of the wildebeest, and the hooting of the owl. In the morning, I enjoyed their outdoor shower (despite the chilly temperatures) and got to birdwatch while showering.
I also did get a chance to catch up with a few friends. I spent my 30th birthday attending a conference, but in the evening I went to dinner with the mother and aunt of one of my dearest friends. I also got to see my former host sister (who stayed with my parents in Hornell, NY – poor her!) and her boyfriend.
I arrived back at my home at the Ryalls Hotel in Blantyre Malawi completely exhausted and ready to go back to my real home. That first night I slept 10 hours and when I woke up I experienced that brief panic of not knowing where I was. I knew that I was in a hotel (big surprise there), but I couldn’t remember which one.
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