This is Tanzania? or 10 days packed!

We are welcomed to Pangani-Mkoma Bay

Chrissy me Katrina and Carol--nice cool picnic in Arusha

Last Weeks and Days in Moshi

Our last weeks in Moshi were completely jammed with visitors, travel, and work…and of course the inevitable packing and homeward trek. The highlight of this time was Katrina's arrival and stay of only one week. Thanksgiving was part of the fest, a trip to Pangani, a fateful "hash", and even a trip to Arusha National Park. I will maybe just bombard this blog with pictures since that would seem to be the most interesting.

Now for the last pictures.

On our way to Pangani, people have gathered grass to sell

Just as we turn onto the "Dar Road" vegetable sellers line the highway

Busses provide main transport, and no seller wants to miss out on the sale

Market Day in Korogwe is a busy busy time.  Everything is for sale

Sisal was the largest export of Tz, which was the largest exporter in the world.

Here you see Sisal hanging -- strands stripped from the leaves.  The plant flowers  are on a long pole which is often used for the poles of houses or for fence poles.  They last forever.  The strips are used to make amazing rope.  Plastic replaced these strong ropes, and Tanzania lost out again.

The sign and KM reading are deceiving.  It takes an hour from here.

What?? why this stop?  Because "This is Tanzania" (TIT)

Always pleasant diversions

And where exactly do we drive???

Mkoma Bay from our deck

My Girls on the beach

Sea Kayaking in the afternoon

We returned to Moshi after the short weekend, pretty tired.  And raced to the fateful Hash.

The one thing that I cannnot show in pictures was an amazing crash with a bicycle during the last "hash" we ran in a beautiful area of Kibosho.  It was a cloudy but cool day with a few sprinkles.  I learned that no matter how carefully I picked my way along the narrow, sometimes steep paths, there are some potentially horrifying experiences that can occur.  Mine was the sudden appearance of a young boy on a bicycle who appeared out of a path just adjacent to the one out of which I appeared.  We were headed for the same road, me going to the left, he going to the right.  We saw each other only the second or two before he ran directly into me as I reached out my hands to catch his bike (stupid idea). Of course both of us crashed to the very hard rocky ground with him a bit on top of me.  He was horrified, I was dazed and a bit bloody and most right side body parts hurt like the dickens.  He kept saying, "samahani mama", and I oh no--"bila samahani" (I'm sorry, oh no don't be sorry)  Fortunately I had friends behind me who slowly helped me up (mostly to see if I had broken my arm, knee or hip) I wasn't sure about the hip, but nearly immediately I could feel that it hurt but was not fractured.  I had another week to go in Moshi, and thank heavens most of the hip pain was relieved by the time we got on the plane.  Just goes to show--well I'm not sure. So, thanks again to my dear friends Dorothy, Greg, Terrie and Jan for their help getting me back to the house and some beer and to the girls and John for getting me inebriated enough to ride home in the car and get me to bed. 

The next morning, I found solace in my chickens and heading to KCMC for morning meeting.

Charlie is huge but still wants to fluff himself up

Chrissy and I cut Angel's toenails.  A picture will eventually follow of the day.

Many people arrive at KCMC too late, and the inevitable daily departure from KCMC looks this way.

After one whole day for Katrina to rest, we headed off to Arusha National Park.

Check out the Albino baboon!

Flamingos added fun because they rather walk on water than fly

Sister love

Lots of colobus, but pretty shy

My personal favorite, warthog, seemed to hide most of the day

Another great pic of lunch at Momella lake

Katrina with walking Flamingo

 

 

Chrissy and Kate at Fig Tree

Family picture at Fig Tree belies arm, knee, hip and head bruises

 Thanksgiving was a great treat.  Katrina, Chrissy, Rose, Pauli, Lucy and I cut and chopped and baked.  The turkey, (most expensive I have ever eaten) was delicious, and the baked goods both from home and from friends fantastic.  No TV or football, but there were cigars with Bob at the end of the day. 

Katrina and Chrissy cut, chop and boil

Pauli, Lucy and Rose enjoy the food they helped to prepare

Chrissy, Matt and Genevieve chat on the porch

Two lab freaks!  Jean and Shanette, former Dukies catch up

Neighbors Julia and Molly add beauty to the neighborhood

There he is...John was the busiest person on this trip

There was really way too much food!

Katrina and John had to leave the day after Thanksgiving.  So sad.  But for me, I had both a Youth CAB seminar and World AIDS Day to go--as well as our last Sunday at St. Margarets.  It was crazy, but, we made it through.

Seminar with 41 Young people all wanting to learn more about Research

Sweet Ema and old Mama after Seminar

None of the hard work of the Seminar and the 3 previous youth CAB meetings could have been accomplished without quiet, loyal, hardworking Sister Bona.

Wonderful Wonderful Sister Bona!

And the queen Diva of Moshi....Prisca....  She could be the future of the CAB--a mover and a shaker with friends in every part of Moshi!  Cannot wait to hear how the December meeting and bus ride to Marangu turn out.

Prisca does not miss a step!

World AIDS Day was a hodgepodge of over 300 people in downtown Moshi.  A March and Rally, our CAB had a big booth and over 30 CAB members turned out, handed out brochures and talked about "utafiti" Research.  What an honor to work with them.

For better or worse, the highlight of WAD was a snake dancer...ummmm

Our brave chairperson Mowo

The group work the CAB table

Nice brochures and fortunately a table out of the sun

Some very cute youth

Thomas and Emmanuel are rocks of the CAB

Our pastor Jason and Kacey talk about fun ahead in Advent

We had just a few days with Kilimanjaro out to remind us that a. global warming is a reality b. that she is a force that anchors us, and c. that we are so fortunate to be able to return to Moshi, no matter how hard and long the travel is, and how difficult it is in many ways to work in Tanzania. 

Kilimanjaro from our corner

Two Months in Moshi

Charlie, King of A-5

Kili after rain....Most snow gone today

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Last week was hysterical for a variety of reasons.  There were the usual crazy things happening, our OB/GYN folks arrived at staggered times and filled the house with new conversations.  It is always fun to discuss our favorite STD at the dinner table in this family, but the focus is of course on HPV and Genital Warts with John and Peyton here.  Lovely. 

John S. arrived just in time for Bob (from Machame’s) hash.  We were told that it was more family friendly than most of Bob’s, but at the end of the day, I think it was a typical Bob hash.  Everyone knows Bob as Dr. Bob in Machame, thus other than the peril of the map, we were all safe and would always meet someone who knew where Dr. Bob lives, but it was definitely more the steep hills and water crossings that were our potential sure death! I felt perilously close to death several times and ran with a bloody hand most of the way, but made it back to Bob’s house in tact and was happy for beer and even some cigar puffs before we headed back down the mountain.  John S. took the “easy” last stretch and was grateful as well to be alive, and several friends did not arrive until after dark, including our dear friend Sylvie Emmanuel, a brave senior of the Machame community who finished the entire hash. 

Sylvie and Dr. John chat after hash

Nikoli is beat!

The second Dr. John has a nice puff of cigar

A happy Coy

Dr. John and Molly finish the hash without death

Brave new Pastor handles the hash and the baby!

My friend Agnes and her husband brought quantities of cow manure over for our garden.  So exciting!  We will for sure be ready for the short rains that do not seem to be coming.  But I suppose it will be fine for the long ones as well.  We piled it up by our eggplant and the chickens raced to it to bathe.  Who would have known that cow manure could be the happy bath water for chickens who toss it all over them and then peck in looking for worms or other delicious bugs, and other horrifying things.  I believe I reported that my rooster Charlie had stolen one of Pauli’s other hens and was having his way with her.  She is now very loyal to him and will not even consider going back to her old love (Floppie).  She seems to be held quite dear with Charlie, though the other hens are not nearly so fond of her and have pecked off her little crown so that she is not terribly attractive.  Hopefully, she will be accepted soon, though we are all laughing about how Charlie parades around convinced he is the king of A-5.  

The pathetic Kahawa Ndogo (little coffee) with no comb because of other hens

One of 11 bags of manure itching to be mixed with the dirt

Mound of manure

John (JB) returned from the US and thankfully will be with us for the remaining time we are in Moshi.  We are already planning a big Thanksgiving Dinner in the yard and cannot wait!!!!!

I’m so very excited about learning this week when our dear Lucy (wife of our gardener) will have her baby.  Sadly, we won’t have returned to Moshi, but hopefully a little boy or girl will greet us when we return.  She is a beautiful pregnant lady!  Every time I see her, I think about the new grandchild that will be coming into our family in the US in May.  May I just say that John is beside himself and all of us are really happy to think about grandchild number 2.  John is now seriously looking at his plans to build a play house in the mountains, and I’m sure Ella will be happy to be in charge!

We were in the world of high fixing this week.  Our ceiling fan began to make terrible noises and shake so badly that it seemed the whole fan would fall and kill us.  Chrissy refused to be in the same room with it when it was running, and I felt like fingernails grinding on black board surrounded us.  Thank goodness a nice nice man appeared to take it apart.  Looks like the fan will carry on but only after a new bearing is put in it. Since it is incredibly hot and dry right now, we are happy!  It is so hot that without the fan, we would be very uncomfortable.

Fan Fundi

In the US, the fan would be declared dead and we would have only the choice of a new one.  Here, everything is salvaged and nothing is declared dead until the last part is tried.  This has been true of our car which is I’m sure being held together with Duct Tape.  Each week, something new goes wrong and back to the “fundi”.  The next day it returns and for a very reasonable price, we have it for another week until the next thing happens.

 We had a wonderful meeting with the EDR at the end of the week.  I believe that the whole KCMC/Duke project should be proud of the work that they have completed this year.  Despite the huge disappointment of the ACTG grant, work continues and every person has given his or her all.  There is no question that we are making a difference in the Kilimanjaro region and will make our best efforts to continue to do so.  We are even recruiting goats, sheep, cows, and humans for one study.  I’m imagining the consent process for the cows, sheep and goats.  

Have you read and do you understand the consent?

Wait, come back, you have to sign this consent!

And for our IMPAACT studies, we have 3 babies ready to be born any time.  So exciting.  

We have had no rain for over a week, and now everyone is worried that the short rains won't come.  It is dry, hot and dusty, and yet....even next door, burning leaves is the way to take care of the yard.  It is almost unbearable.  Yet--here it is

Great burning on the other side of "Mawenzi" peak.

Chrissy overtaken with smoke

smoke and watering

This week, Katrina arrives and we have a week of hectic showing everything off. May the force be with us.

 

Week 6 and few more days

The past week has been filled with drama, sadness and excitement.  There would not be anyway to describe it.  Here in Moshi, things don’t move very quickly (thank goodness) but you find, as I have reported in the past, that many things actually go on around you almost too much to take in.

We learned 2 weeks ago that our biggest research projects in both Moshi and Duke were not to be refunded.  This has been an enormous blow to us all, one that has kept us up for many nights on end.  First, I am processing the enormity of it, trying not to feel that it is my personal fault that I potentially could have done better in some way yet feeling a loss almost like a gigantic loss of life.  Then, suddenly it hits you that not only are you losing the projects, but also it hits you that many people, good, hard working people will lose their jobs because of this decision.  And then you think immediately about the research participants both current and those who were ready to enroll in studies and you cry.  And finally, you think about the community in which you have been working and how your community volunteers have steadfastly attended meetings, strategized on how they can educate the community about research, and how they have a personal commitment to the ongoing activities of the project.  I am still grappling with it all.  I want to be gracious, but it is definitely not easy.  What sustains me are the staff who constantly ask how we are doing, what can they do to help, and who remind me, “we have had ups and downs before, we can make it through.” I suspect that there is much more anxiety about their future in their minds, but they are not telling me that, and for that I am touched and moved.

In the meantime, our Youth CAB here in Moshi continues to amaze me.  Yet another meeting has gone by and undaunted by the harsh news, they make plans for a seminar, talk about the issues of stigma and disclosure, and the importance of research. At the same time they are really bonding with one another. 

This week's meeting Youth CAB

This week's group discussion with John K

Our awesome facilitator John K

Prisca...give her a challenge and she grabs it!

My dear friend in Moshi (fellow social worker) lost her mother to a stroke this week.  This little lady was an amazing woman.  She managed to have 8 children and when she died had 14 grandchildren.  She kept meticulous records of her life, the ups and downs.  While she had health problems, she was very busy.  She took in children of family members who were unable to care for them, without a thought for how much it might cost her.  These young folks expressed their gratitude by helping in the house and farm, and thanking her and her husband for their kindness and begging her to not send them away.  Of course she did not.  All her neighbors knew her as a wonderful person who helped them in time of need.  About 300 people walking into the compound and showing their appreciation for her life underscored this love.  I had experienced her love and caring just under a year ago when I visited her home with my girlfriend.  I arrive with a small gift, and come home overwhelmed not only with the hospitality of her mother and youngest daughter (a fabulous farmer) but with vegetables, kanga, basket, pocket book, and love.  Wow. 

Mama Urasa with my Dear Agnes and her daughter, sister and nephews

Though the day of the burial was long and hot, my heart was full.  I thought a lot about my own mother and what her loss continues to mean to me.  I had brought some handkerchiefs to Moshi that she had always used, thinking that they might be good to wipe sweat off my face in the hot African summer.  There I was with this very delicate handkerchief in my hand thinking about both Agnes’ mother and mine. 

 

talking about mother

House compound and funeral procession

Lydia me & Bona

Roses for the funeral

 

grave of Mama Urasa

 I thought how they were much more alike than different, both strong and opinionated, sometimes a bit harsh in our raising, but ready to listen to ideas, and definitely go “to bat” for their children and grandchildren…loyal to the end.  I thought about how my mother never differentiated between the grandchildren born to her children versus those who came into her life through marriage.  And I thought about how she is always somewhere around in my brain, continuing to give me advice (and criticism).  As I passed this on to my friend and her husband, they just nodded agreement and seemed happy to think that this might happen to them, too.

Mother and grandchildren

Chrissy and I have done a little singing at church, and she much more in Arusha and at the church.  It is wonderful to have her here in Moshi while we are here. We continuously fight….nothing has changed.  We had a disastrous day at one of the local sewing ladies places.  She had purchased fabric and was having a dress made that apparently has turned out so badly that she won’t even show it to me.  I also had one made that turned out so badly that I clearly looked 8 months pregnant (oops how can that happen to me with my 64+ years showing every day). But the miracle was that I managed to find my old sewing lady.  (she is really young actually). She doesn’t live in Moshi anymore but she came to town by Dala Dala we found a place to try on the disaster, she found a sewing machine where the dress could be fixed.  We made several deals and one way or the other mending and sewing will be done.  Miracles do seem to happen here.

So at the end of the day this week, we have had 3 big rains, mild temperatures, green coming up so fast I can hardly believe it, and that wonderful fresh smell.  My My.  “on on”. 

A brilliant mountain--New snow and lots of it

The renewal--a wedding!