Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Back Home Again

I need to start off by apologizing for not posting more.  Apparently I have a few fans, because I have been getting asked about the lack of posts.  Internet was very slow and unreliable where I was staying in Haiti, so I did not have additional opportunities to log on and blog.  Plus, being a short project week I was busy either with project work or playing with kids:)

So now that I'm back again, I'll just share a few of my reflections. . . Going back to Haiti was great.  Before I left I wasn't sure what my reaction to being there would be.  Of all the places I have travelled, Haiti was not the first place I envisioned making a return visit to.  But I knew I was meant to be there, and I am so glad I went.  I think I was worried that the language barrier would prevent me from connecting with locals in the same way I did in India and Uganda.  And it did to some extent, however, I realized that holding a child's hand is a powerful thing.  Sometimes they just want to be held, and they really don't care what language you speak.  Walking into the playground and having 15 kids hanging off me is like nothing else.  I love it.  And because the locals didn't speak English, I had the opportunity to learn a few phrases of Creole and also play some fancy Charades at times.

This trip also made me realize how much I love what I do.  I had a blast designing composting toilets in Uganda, and I had just as much fun sizing water tanks and septic systems in Haiti.  It is just so much fun!  I really do love water:)

So now coming home is the hard part.  Emotionally, in many ways it would be easier simply just to live in the developing world.  Instead I return home, to tell the story and to advocate for causes I believe in with all that I am.  I was only in Haiti for 1 week.  You might not think coming back would take a lot of adjustment.  But it does.  Today at work, one of my co-workers asked me how the adjustment back was going.  It meant so much that he asked and realized that coming back does take major adjustment.  It is a process and now having done it 3 times before I might know a little bit better what to expect, but also need to remember to be patient with myself and realize that it will take time to process this experience.

I'll leave you with a few of my favourite pictures.  Thank you for your interest in what I do.  This, right here is the heart of who I am.  I love getting to learn and love people from other countries.  They teach me in ways that no one else can.

                 

Monday, September 12, 2011

It's good to be back


So I made it to Haiti.  I’m so happy to be back here, even though the heat is far more intense than I was expecting or am used to.  As we were descending onto the runway in Port Au Prince, I looked out the windows and saw endless shanty towns.  It was this that reminded me why I love this.  All of it.  Being thrust into a reality so different from my everyday life.  Driving from the airport to the site where we are staying and seeing Haiti through the window of our van was a stark reminder that I am out of my element.  And that is a good thing. I love interacting with the locals and seeing more of this country.  As we were touring the landsite today, I waved at a little girl who came up and grabbed my hand.  Here they speak mostly Creole and much less French than in Port Au Prince.  That pretty much limits my interactions to hello and goodbye.  Language didn’t matter to this little girl.  She just wanted to hold my hand.  She grabbed her friend and motioned for me to take her picture, and then took great delight in looking at them on the display at my camera.  As much as I am here to design water and wastewater systems, these are the moments that stay with me, the reason that I do this.  As we toured an orphanage this afternoon, one of the little boys motioned for me to take his picture, and then took great delight in running away every time I would try to do so, laughing without abandon at the apparent hilarity of the moment.

Another thing, that surprised me so far this visit, was the things I now notice that I have travelled to other countries.  For instance, the first time I came here, I thought the traffic was crazy.  After being in India, the traffic seemed rather calm and orderly for a country outside North America.  I also thought the streets were quiet.  Compared to the blaring horns and blasting music present on the streets in Uganda, I was surprised and the relative quietness on the average street.  Although still present, the horns and the music were much less overwhelming. Damage from the earthquake is evident, however, I thought it would be much more so.  They have done an amazing amount of work to start cleaning and restoring this country.  While there is still so much more to do, most of the rubble is gone and rebuilding has started.  I’m looking forward to other cultural observations over the next week.  I look forward to getting to work, and I look forward to playing with more kids.

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Haiti here I come!

So in a week and a bit, I'll be on my way to Haiti.  This comes as a surprise to even me.  This trip was not something I planned, but I definitely know that I was meant to be a part of this team.  I am surprised because I thought I would be going back to India or Africa long before I was back in Haiti.  I loved Haiti while I was there, however, I didn't miss it on a daily basis like I do India and Uganda.  I loved it, but it didn't capture me and take me in the same way other countries did.  I'm not sure how to even put this into words, but that's just the way it was.  And I'm not sure why.  Maybe it was because there was more of a language barrier, or because it was my first true cross cultural experience and I was overwhelmed and amazed by all the sights and smells.



I know that the Haiti I visit this time will be a very different Haiti than the one that I left 2.5 years ago.  You see, last time I was there in 2009, the earthquake had not yet occurred.  I still witnessed a lot of pain and poverty, but the country hadn't been devastated by its largest natural disaster at that point.  Because of this, I'm not sure how it will feel to go back.  Will I be overwhelmed?  Time will only tell.



I'm going to be helping at two ministries called Haiti Arise and Heart to Heart.  I'll be helping with the design of a water and wastewater system for a technical school at Haiti Arise as well as a church that was damaged by the earthquake at Heart to Heart.  I don't know a lot of details yet, but will fill you all in once I find out.

Just today, I found out that the surveyor I worked with in Uganda is coming as part of the team.  I am so very excited!  Patrick is like another father figure to me, and we worked through some very difficult conditions together.  It will be great to be a part of a team alongside him again.

And so I leave you with this.  Although I will only be gone for a week, I am very excited about returning to the first country that flipped my worldview upside down and sideways. I'm excited to learn from the Haitian people and from my teammates.   I know I will come home a little bit different, and I know that will be a good thing.

"To the homeless, the poor, the beggar, the victim of AIDS and Alzheimer's, the old and the humble, the prisoners in their prison and the wanderers in their dreams, it is our sacred duty to stretch out our hand and say, 'In spite of what separates us, what we have in common is our humanity'."
-Elie Wiesel



Thursday, May 5, 2011

Half Marathon of Hope


My latest shenanigan involves registering for the Intrepid Dezine Half Marathon in Winnipeg on June 21.  What possessed me to do this you may ask?  I got thinking that this would be a great personal challenge and also an opportunity to raise funds and awareness for something I believe in.

I’d like you to meet Ibra.  He is 10 years old and upon meeting him one can see in his eyes wisdom beyond his years. I had the opportunity to visit Ibra in the house made of mud and sticks where he spent the start of his life with his maternal Aunt and Grandmother who struggled to care for him.  You see, this innocent little boy has buried both his parents; he walked me past their graves as though it was nothing out of the ordinary. Instead of playing on his iphone or laptop he spends his time making cooking tools for his Aunt or hauling water.  Until recently he had a future that didn’t look like much of a future at all.  Now he resides at Eagles Wings Children’s Village during the school year where he gets three nutritional meals a day, a place in a family with a mother and father and other children like him, and an education and thus a chance at a future that is full of possibilities.  Ibra wants to be a doctor and I hope that he is able to realize his dream.

Why did I want you to meet Ibra?  Because he is part of the reason I am running a half marathon. The family that Ibra belongs to at Eagles Wings Childrens Village is living in interim housing away from the Eagles Wings Childrens Village property. They are in the process of raising funds to build them permanent housing on the property alongside the other two families of children that currently reside there.  I was able assist with the site survey and design of the sanitation system for this property when I was in Uganda. Visit http://www.eagleswingschildrensvillage.com/ to find out more.

You can make a difference.  Consider sponsoring me in my half marathon so Ibra and his family at EWCV can have a home.  I was able to see and witness the way that Eagles Wings uses their donations with honesty and integrity as to honour the donor. A few dollars can go a long way.  If you are able I encourage you to partner with me in this way.
Donations can be made the following ways:

For Canadian Donors: 

1. Donate online at paypal.  Tax Receipts will be issued for donations over $10 at the end of the calendar year.  Receipts will be for the donation minus the 2.9% + $0.30 transaction fee charged by PayPal. If you want a receipt please be sure to fill in your name and mailing address.  





   

      2.  Donate through the mail.  Mail cheques made out to Eagles Wings Childrens Village with “Family 3 Housing Project- Jaimee's Marathon” in the memo line. Tax Receipts will be issued at the end of the calendar year for the full donation amount for donations over $10.

Eagles Wings Children’s Village
Attention: Pat Bates
#300-404 Desalaberry Street
Winnipeg, MB
R2L 2G3


3. If you see me in person you can give me cash or cheques made out to Eagles Eagles Wings Childrens Village with “Family 3 Housing Project” in the memo line. Tax Receipts will be issued at the end of the calendar year for the full donation amount for donations over $10.


For American Donors

1.       Donate online at paypal.   Tax Receipts can not be issued but the full amount will be used towards this project.





2.       Donate through the mail.  Make cheques out to Real Partners Uganda Inc. With Eagles Wings Childrens Village Family 3 Housing Project in the memo line.  Tax Receipts will be issued.


Real Partners Uganda, Inc.
Attention:  Eagles Wings Children’s Village Uganda
523 Lafayette Blvd.
Brigantine, New Jersey
08203 USA


For International Donors

1. Donate through Paypal.  Unfortunately tax receipts can’t be issued but your donation will be fully used towards this project.



Wednesday, February 16, 2011

There and back again

I'm back in Toronto.  One more flight until I'm home, and it's a short one to boot.  After being on a plane or in airports for the last 2 days I am ready to be home again.  I already miss the African people and culture and I know that I will have many things to sort through in the coming weeks, but it is nice to be home again too. I thought I would be finding it cold here, but this terminal is a freaking sauna.  I suppose I will find out for real when I actually go outside after I arrive in Winnipeg.

I wanted to post a photo of the last day I was in Uganda which was Tuesday, which was technically yesterday, but really 2 days ago since they are 9 hours ahead of us. All the eMi staff, interns and volunteers were eating lunch outside when all of a sudden a monkey started running along the compound wall, right through the razor wire.  I have a photo that I will post.

And so, this may very well be my last blog post.  Thank you to everyone who has so faithfully been reading and leaving comments.  Writing posts helped me to verbalize and sort through to some extent what I was seeing and experiencing, but it was nice to know that there were people that loved and cared about me following along in my adventures.

I will keep my blog account open for my next adventure.  I'm leaving for Alaska on March 3 to volunteer for 1 week at the Iditarod Sled Dog Race.  I hadn't told many people yet, because I didn't want it to distract from what I was doing in Africa, however I think my Mom told half the universe anyway so it won't be a surprise to everyone.  I'm not sure if I will blog for that or not.  It is only for a week, and won't I don't think be as life changing as Africa was.

While Alaska is in the near future for me, it is Africa and not Alaska that is on my mind.  I'm sure it will be for a long time.  Everyone I met there was asking me when I will return.  I'm not sure what the answer to that question is, but I hope it will be someday in the not too distant future.  I love my job and going to work, however, development work is really where my heart is at.  For those of you that are worried, I don't have any plans to pack up and move overseas anytime soon, but I know that work like this will continue to be part of my life in some capacity, and for now that includes keeping my job and serving overseas with whatever vacation time and resources I have off from work. What the future holds no one knows, even though I love being overseas as much as I love being at home, I'm happy where I am at right now.

So thank-you again to both my faithful followers and also to those who checked in only occasionally.  Continue to think and pray for me as I process my experiences and begin to integrate back into Western society.

Until the next adventure,

Jaimee

 The monkey that came to visit us at lunch.  He just scooted right through all that razor wire.  I will miss experiences like that.
Having lunch at the Amsterdam airport.  I had a 5 hour layover, so I was able to have a nice sit down lunch complete with apple pie, as well as look around in all the stores. It was sure different from being in a remote African village!

Monday, February 14, 2011

Visiting Ester


Today I went to visit the girl I sponsor through Compassion International.  As I mentioned in yesterday's post, I have sponsored her since I was in high school. She is now 17 and almost through the program.  It was so neat to go visit her. 

When we picked up the project director he asked if I had arrived in Uganda yesterday.  The driver said "No brother, she's Ugandan!  She's been here for a month."  Both the driver and the project director were former Compassion children, so it was neat to see how they are now successful adults.

When I got to the Compassion Development Centre near where Ester lives I got to have breakfast and meet the staff as well as take a tour of the centre.  When the project directoror served me breakfast, I thanked him in Luganda which is the local language here. He looked at me with a dazed expression on his face for about 10 seconds, and then once he realized that I had indeed not just spoke in English, started laughing his head off for quite some time.  And then said "SISTA, you know!  You are learning.  This is good, very good"

When we arrived at Ester’s house, which was about an hour off the beaten trail, about 10 people started chasing the vehicle and screaming and making loud noises.  Then when I got out of the van, I started getting mobbed!  It was such a neat experience.  I had a really neat time with Ester and her family.  They gave me a tour of their gardens, and showed me the cow that they had bought with some extra gift money I had sent them.  They served me a huge meal with about 10 dishes, and then gave me several gifts of a mat they had weaved, a lot of stalks of sugar cane, a watermelon, and several avocados.  I'm going to have to leave most of it here, however the interns and myself enjoyed the watermelon after supper tonight, and I'm going to bring the mat home.

 When I arrived.  This picture does not show the full mob effect, as it was taken after things calmed down a bit.
 Ester was so excited to see me.
 Ester's family presenting me with some gifts.
 Me presenting Ester and her family with some gifts.

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Ssese Islands

We finished up our project at Eagles Wings.  We had an extremely good and productive final few days.  In the final presentation I spoke on Eco-San toilets.  As such, I was deemed "the voice of the toilet."  It ended up being quite a controversial topic.  Some of the staff were very supportive of it and others were not so convinced that this was the way they wanted to move in the future.  In any case, there was some good discussion on the direction that they will head in regards to sanitation.

After we finished our presentation and said our good bye's and left at 6:30 AM yesterday to head to Ssese Islands.  We took a ferry across Lake Victoria and stayed at a hotel for the night on the island.  It was incredibly beautiful.  Today we took a 3 hour ferry ride back to Entebbe where we ate lunch and did some final shopping for souvenirs.  I am now back at the eMi office until Tuesday night when I fly out.  We had a great closing meeting and one of my highlights was taking a sketchy looking boat a few hundred metres across the lake to get to the ferry.  See pictures below.

Tomorrow, I am going to Mokono which is about an hour from here to meet my Compassion sponsor child.  I am looking forward to meeting her.  I have sponsored her since I was in high school and she is now 17 and almost out of the program.

I am very tired tonight.  We had an intense week of work and visiting.  I am looking forward to going home in some respects, but I know I will experience reverse culture shock, and I am going to miss so much here.  People have commented on how easily I seem to fit into African culture.  Although there have been challanges, I love the people that live here.

So I must get going to bed.  I'm too tired to write anything too philisphical tonight so this will have to do.

 Us on the sketchy boat.  It was so fun!
 A full view of the sketchy looking boat.  It was interesting getting all of us plus our large amounts of luggage on it!
A photo I took on the island.

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Singing from the children

Today we went to the property for a presentation by the children.  They gave us a fabulous presentation of African song and dance.  I have some videos from one of the other team members.  I'll post one on youtube when I get home.

The last few days of this project will be really busy so I'm not sure if I'll have time to post again.  I thought I would share a few of my favourite photos though.

I was able to spend some more time with my sponsor boy Ibra.  He is so sweet.  He has written me two letters in the last two days and they were really cute.

Yesterday we also got to tour a construction site of a girls school that eMi had designed a year and a half ago.  It was neat to be able to see the design under construction since I usually only get to see the drawings and proposed ideas.

 Me and Ibra
 Some of the children singing for us
 One of the nursery students.
 He is so cute!
A chameleon that was found outside our guest house

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

1 week to go


I have been extremely busy working the past few days so haven’t had time to write a proper blog post.  When I am not working, I am trying to spend every spare minute visiting and playing with the children. I have so much been enjoying my work and visiting with all the people.  I wish there were more hours in the day, because I’m feeling like I’m not getting in enough work or enough visiting! I have been continuing to enjoy the fabulous fruit here. We had mango’s for desert the other night.  All the other times I have had mango it has always been cut up.  This time, it was the entire mango served.  They are very messy to eat.  Wes the architect compared my mango eating technique to gutting a deer.

The past 3 days I have been surveying and today I stayed in Masaka to work on the design of the sanitation system along with Joyce who is a civil engineer from Vancouver. The survey crew has consisted of Patrick, myself, K2, and Pat helped us out with some GPS delineation. Paul who is a Ugandan engineering student that stays with Bill & Ann was able to help us out on Monday so it was nice to once again have an assistant to help keep the snakes away.  Also it is astounding to hear from him about the lack of equipment at his University so it was very nice for him to have an introduction with GPS survey equipment.  Patrick is a very gifted teacher and has a passion for passing along his knowledge, so we have all learned a lot from him.

Yesterday I was helping out with percolation and water testing and during lunch break, I had the opportunity to go to the nearby village with K2 and visit the child he sponsors through Eagles Wings.  Quarich lives with his mother who also looks after 5 additional children.  Two of the girls who couldn’t have been more than 4 or 5 years old were HIV positive. It was really hard to see the detrimental conditions they lived in. It was so encouraging though to see the positive influence that Eagles Wings is having on the surrounding community by providing education to disadvantaged children. They are really providing them with tools through education to empower themselves to finish school which will give them opportunities to better themselves and their families.  To all my readers I want to challenge you to evaluate whether it is feasible to provide $40 a month to provide a child with education and 3 square meals a day.  Quarich who we visited yesterday gets 3 meals a day at school.  The family had no food in the house, so he gets nutrition and love that he otherwise would not get. Visit http://www.eagleswingschildrenvillage.com/ to find out more.

I leave Uganda to return home to Canada one week today.  I am not sure I am ready to leave yet. Although I am looking forward to certain things back home, I know I will really miss a lot about African culture. I know when I return home I will feel displaced, like I belong more in Africa than I do at home. It will take me some time to re-adjust to Western ways. The people here work so hard, and yet I have rarely ever heard anyone complain.  They simply accept the way life is.  I’m not sure how to convey many of the things I have witnessed.  How do you put into words the way it feels to have an HIV positive little girl take your hand and stare back at you with her innocent big brown eyes. 

So in closing, I am going to love every last minute I have left here, but I am looking forward to seeing many of you upon my return.  I’m looking forward to going back to work, and to cuddling with my cute little kitty.  Although I may be departing from Africa in a few short days, I will not leave Africa behind.

 This is Trust who belongs to the house parents of Family 3.  She is so sweet.  Whenever I come in the gate she comes running screaming "Auntie Jaimee" and gives me a big hug.
 This is one of the family 2 children.  He is the keeper of the dogs.  He had just returned from his school holiday and the dog Police was so excited to see him.  The dog was jumping up and down really high.
 Here are some of the school children playing football (soccer) after school.
 Pat and Joyce are seen here performing the perc test.  I also helped out with this.
 Here are me and Joyce with the nursery class.
 We ate lunch with Family 2.  Here is me with some of the girls.  Bushira my sponsor child is in the front, second from left in the photo.
 Joyce brought some beach balls for the nursery class.  They had a blast playing with them.
 Here is K2 who is an eMi intern and Quarich.  It was so special for him to meet his sponsor child.