[whistle while you] Work...

This blog is to answer the "so what are you doing there?!" question... So far, things at the University of Zambia (UNZA) have been going really well as I have begun orienting myself to the activities of the AIDS Response Unit (where I spend most of my time). I'll describe the highlights of my past week and some of the projects...

This past week was mainly spent preparing for a visiting U of T biochemistry professor and getting a lot of signatures/paperwork done for a major grant U of T/UNZA had to submit on Friday (what a headache!). Much of the professor preparation was pretty fun, as I arranged meetings for him with various department heads and tried to figure out how to keep him busy on the weekend (safari!), but the more random part was preparing for him to stay at my apartment with me (haha that will be weird, but he’s a pretty nice older man, so I think it should be fine!).

Okay, so the more exciting part of the week was spent touring the University’s AIDS clinic and getting to know the students and research assistants involved with the HIV/AIDS Response Unit. The students here are great! They are so dedicated to the welfare of their country, so knowledgeable about AIDS and so sincere in their involvement with AIDS activities. In particular, one of the research assistants, Remmi, has been explaining to me his ideas about gender equity & AIDS in Zambia (I’ve been interested in gender issues for a while so getting the Zambian perspective is great). He was explaining that great health achievements can’t be made until men and women are more equal in Zambia (particularly in relationships), but, unlike many other organizations the outreach he has been doing has focused on boys and men (vs. women). I think this great because, while empowerment of women (via microfinancing, confidence boosting, education, etc) is excellent, I don’t think it’s enough – you need the men to also change their attitudes. Okay, I could go on forever (but I won’t), if you want to hear more let me know!

Bottom line is that I am hoping to get the go ahead (from my Toronto boss) to work with this RA on expanding (and getting funding for) his current education program (with young men in urban and rural areas). This is the sort of thing I really want to be doing here, so I really hope it goes through! The other project I’m proposing (and almost certainly will get to do) is a review of the confidentiality process at the University’s AIDS clinic (right now the confidentiality aspect is pretty weak and deters a lot of students from using the services). Aside from these projects, I will keep facilitating exchanges between Zambian and Canadian students/professors, I am helping start up an intramural sports program at the university, and am going to begin laying the groundwork for a grant we just received (that will be used to improve data collection/analysis at the AIDS clinic)… So, in a (large) nutshell, that’s what I’m doing here! I hope that all made sense :)

More photos @: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2158772&l=0a815&id=13613119

Did somebody say animals?!

As expected (from those who know me well), seeing animals was high on the priority list. Ah ha and last weekend I saw some! I went with my Czech friends to the home of their friend (a Czech woman and her Zambian husband). Most of the day was spent eating a delicious home-cooked meal (a Zambian lasagna sort of thing - rice, snow peas, cinnamon...), looking at their paintings and playing volleyball in their backyard (they have a beautiful garden which is pretty rare in dry Zambia!). In the late afternoon we climbed into the back of their pick-up truck and went to a game park (animal park!) nearby. Please note, it is my photo taking skills (on shaky trucks) that is not excellent, the animals were quite excellent. The first (and most impressive) animal I saw was a giraffe, eating leaves by the side of the road! It was amazing to see this huge animal in the wild, and it looked a lot browner than I expected (maybe this giraffe had a tan? ha). Throughout the trip we saw Pukus (they only live in Zambia – no where else in Africa!)… there’s no photo of them because they are very quick (but they look a lot like deer). Next we saw a herd of wildebeests (I swear, those bumps in the photo are wildebeests!) – they’re pretty big animals with horns (to me they look like yaks). Haha and the funniest animals were the warthogs – they have these huge tusks that look way too big for their body and they trot around so primly (snout high in the air, tail vertical, hooves lifted quite high). It is the funniest thing ever! Hmmm, I think that's it for animals so far, except of course for the elephant I ride to work and giraffe that tucks me into bed at night, but that goes without saying ;)

View photos @: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2158772&l=0a815&id=13613119

Touched down!

So, I made it to Zambia! Surprisingly (to me), the airplanes worked properly and I didn’t get lost or stolen haha. I could bore you with my various Toronto-London-Lusaka stresses and amusements, but you can imagine what they were (all very groggy and random). My first day in Lusaka (I arrived at 6am) was also groggy and random but more noteworthy. Most of the day was spent negotiating accommodation, wrestling with bank machines to pay the deposit and visiting my workplace. At the end of the day I did a bit of grocery shopping but was SO useless (due to tiredness) and had a hard time sneakily deducing what would and wouldn’t make me sick (i.e. lettuce is generally not recommended) while my Zambian colleague was suggesting all sorts of things (lettuce!) – because her immune system could hack it! Anyways, I made it out with a bunch of random things that I thought would cover my bases (i.e. apples, peanut butter, bananas, cereal). When I closed the door to my (too big for just me) apartment I had the predictable ‘what am I doing here!?’ panic, but fortunately got over it pretty quickly, thanks to some phone calls from home and my awesome new neighbours. I live at the Czech Hospital Flats (pretty nice place) and most of the renters are Czech healthcare workers. They’re really cool and friendly, so I went out for a beer with 4 of them (a nurse, 2 social workers and a doctor) Thursday night. It was great, they’re all young and have interesting things to say. I think that meeting them is just what I needed.

Friday was really good. The overwhelmed feeling changed to something closer to excitement. I was (and continue to be) pretty excited by the purple trees here. They are big bright purple trees that look like they belong in a fairytale. Whenever I see them I smile (see photo). Aside from tree gazing Friday was spent at my new workplace (the university’s AIDS response unit –a very simple three room building), where I spent a lot of time with my 2 bosses (who have been really helpful and kind), met a group of student (AIDS) counselors who were doing a training session, and poked around the office. The first few weeks are going to be pretty slow (which is probably good) because my bosses are going to a conference in South Africa next week. After work I again went to the grocery and at night went out dancing for a bit with the Czech people because it was one of their friend’s Name Day (Czech celebration). When I got home I realized I can steal wireless internet from the neighbours! Yay! It’s a bit unreliable but lets me do this sort of thing at home.

Today was good. I decided to bite the bullet and go romping out on my own (up until now I have taken taxis). I didn’t have a good map so the trip was a bit daunting, but those purple trees kept me smiling ;) I walked along a few dusty roads, dodged cars, cut through the show grounds (don’t really know what goes on there but they’re safe), I saw horses on the way (see photo!) and finally made it to Manda Hill shopping center (really just a strip mall of 10 stores). Most of today’s purchases centered around water purification, cooking, electricity conversion and navigation – a very useful trip. The most exciting purchase was blackcurrant concentrate which I will add to my boiled water to disguise the funny taste. yay! As I have been writing this I ate my dinner - some instant noodles and avocado (they’re huge! holy camolly!), swallowed down my malaria pills, and may make some tea. Here are a few remaining amusements/comments/observations:

- This blog business is kind of tough. I was going to try to write in a witty concise way, but I don’t have the skill/energy - sorry! Hopefully it will improve!


- There’s a guard dog that lives at the apartment complex. He’s random, like sometimes he bites people, sometimes doesn’t. Kind of reminds me of some people in the morning haha. His name is Allan, he understands Czech and I quite like him, despite his possible terror.


- It’s hottttt here and very dry! Wow! And it’s only going to get hotter. Though the nights are nice and cool (you need a jacket outside).


- Sadly, I have not yet seen many animals (haha many of you have asked how my safari life is going). Only birds, the horses and the gecko that lives behind my toilet. He’s a little creepy (all see-through and tailless), I hope he moves out soon.


- All this food safety, combined with my already random cooking habits have resulted in rather sketchy meals. Haha, hopefully my skills improve, or else I’ll be malnourished until my Mom arrives.


- It’s interesting to be working in AIDS outreach among a very Christian population. The religion seems to make people rather kind and welcoming but also requires that I adjust what I say sometimes. (i.e. there is a greater push for abstinence than condom use – which is a little different from Canada). Also, I got myself into quite the pickle yesterday when trying to explain bioethics to some girls (I mentioned euthanasia and abortion) and was asked ‘but when is abortion ever okay?’ …. Yeah, I also didn’t realize that abortions are illegal here (unless it’s an emergency). Crazy eh?


- Mmm mmm I have discovered the local beer – Mosi, it’s pretty good. Maybe I’ll bring some back for you beer lovers!


- I plugged in a Canadian power bar last night and it sparked and blew the fuse! Yikes! I’m pretty intimidated by the power conversion situation here. All the appliances are South African or North American plugged, but have to go into U.K. sockets, and the voltage is much higher here. It’s pretty sketchy, but I think I finally have things under control.


- I’ve decided that living here is like 24/7 camping - what with the water purification, sketchy meals and mosquito avoidance. I predict I will be an awesome camper when I return to my lakes and mooses. Haha, though with that said, I haven’t seen too many mosquitoes. I think they either don’t buzz like Canadian mosquitoes or else don’t exist (yet).


- Yesterday when I poked into a salon with one of my coworkers she asked me why I would cut my hair. She really didn’t know why. I didn’t have a very good answer, but mumbled something about split ends and thin floppy hair when it gets long. I thought it was a good (and funny) question.


- Ever since my miserable dentist visit I have been drinking milk (they call 2% low fat!) and tried to floss. I really don’t know how to, my mouth is so small and my teeth are so close together. I think Sahra needs to come here for a lesson. :(






- The toilet paper has little pictures of puppies. It's too cute to use.

- There are dogs howling outside right now and I am trying to decide if they are guard dogs, wild dogs, or hyenas. Though I suspect guard dogs. I’ll be staying home tonight. ;)


- Hmmm I think that’s all for now :) I hope you are all doing very well, I miss home (!!) please email with updates! xox

***See photos at: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2158772&l=0a815&id=13613119

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