Just briefly, before I dash off to the HASH (I'm the only one who join's a runner's club for the walking...)
I have taken it upon myself to keep myself busy and do as many "good works" as I can while I am here. Mostly this involves networking because, being me, I have no bloody idea where to start. Last week it was crises babies, this week, I donated blood.
That's right, I donated blood in a country that has a 15% HIV-AIDS rate. I'm not nervous however, because my nurse-friend suggested it, came with me and held my hand the entire time. (check out her blog at: www.babycatching.blogspot.com ) She wrote about an incident where there was only ONE bag of o-positive blood in the entire hospital that she works in. Normally, in the US I am unable to donate blood due to my travels in malarial countries. However, I am firm believer (even though I dislike needles) that giving blood (and donating an organ) truly saves lives.
I watched the fresh needle come from a protected, untampered, unbroken seal. The nurse, Mary, was great. And when it was all over, I got three glasses of juice and lots of cookies. Plus, a warm fuzzy for doing something for someone simply by sitting and breathing. Go donate today! (But, don't overdue it. I wanted to donate once a week for the next seven weeks I am here, but I guess your limit is once every three months...)
So besides that, I also had my first farmer's focus group today. It went...ok. But there's nothing like that high of a) getting out of the office, b) meeting cool people and c) being the slutty american woman in pants - PANTS! Can you believe it! I wore pants. D'oh!
I am busy planning a trip down south for next week - one good thing about working for the government is per diem, of which I am allocated ten whole days. The per diem rate here is ridiculously high (like, $50/day which I cannot spend in a WEEK) which means that will help defray some other costs I'm thinking of incurring (safari to Zambia and Victoria falls).
Ok, I'm off!
M is for Pants.
M.
2 comments:
you know they won't take my blood in the states because apparently i have mad cow disease. well, not really but since I ate meat in eastern europe in the last 10 years I am probably infected, or so the US red cross says. oh, well, if I do go mad it won't be because the disease but too much coffee and grad school. i'm glad you were able to give blood, too bad they won't let you do it again for 3 months. Maybe you should just start saving it when you go home and bring back a gallon next time you get back to Africa. now that would be selfless and scary. anyway...things in bosnia are good. i had a good meeting today and have a few more in the next couple of days. it's damn hot and since I keep going into mosques and muslim organizations I have to wear long sleeves and pants, which of course does not serve me well when I get big ass sweat pits. miss you lots.
Emira! You crack me up. Keep on sweating to the oldies and don't drive yourself crazy with too much coffee - just boys. Don't feel too bad about the blood- they won't let me donate in the states either - something about Malaria or some junk. Boo. Well, if the white people don't want my blood there are PLENTY of other people who can have it!!
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