Tears of the Giraffe

We have a tendency to fall prey to apathy when some event does not affect us directly. How many Americans cared about the oil issue till gas prices inflated? Who mourned for the losses of 9/11 the longest, or continue to mourn to this day? Unless you or someone you know have been involved in a tragedy, it's just normal to not care... either after a while, or ever.

This is something I struggle with, and which compels me to keep working. Western Kenya is currently suffering from drought. Plants, animals, and now people are dying. They can't plant their next crop; it's too dry and dusty. Their rain collection tanks are empty now, and women and children have to walk to the river and carry the dirty water in jugs back to the village. Life is based on subsistence farming out there, and they are at the mercy of the seasons and weather. Seeing my friend Edwin, for the third time this week, write another plea on his FB status for people to help pray to God to send rain, made me cry.

I get this way sometimes, when I'm on my own and thinking about the people I've met and lived with, who struggle day by day to make it another day. And I re-imagine myself flying in there, getting a taste of life in another's shoes (if only they all had shoes), then flying back to the safety and comfort of the American Dream. And I start to feel like I'm carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders. Not just Kenya, but also Belize and Vietnam; you never ever forget when you make eye contact with sadness looking back at you with hope (remember I'm the foreigner they see as healthy and wealthy coming to bring them solutions). And then when the senseless violence began in Libya, even though I've never been there or know anyone there, I immediately sympathize with them because when life gets tough, it's tough no matter where you are, and I hurt for them.

Shana, the wise director of Village Volunteers and my role model, warned me about this earlier, about caring for everyone I visit, and will be tempted to spread myself too thin by wanting to help every project, thereby not being of help to anyone. This is another reason we've postponed India.

So as I visit these new villages and programs for the sake of Therapists Without Borders, my remedy to the pain I feel for the oppressed poor and neglected, I must guard my heart. But when I say "guard," I don't mean avoid feelings toward them; I mean shield it with the knowledge that I'm there to try to make a difference. Not to feel sorry for them. With that last thought, I must finally turn off my iPhone and be on my way to Cusco.

India? Not this time...

It has been decided that taking on projects in India is just too much for this trip and for the controllable size of Therapists Without Borders.

All those great reasons to visit the New Light organization in Kolkata still stand. They are in the center of the sex district and prostitution is a primary way of life out there. New Light attempts to stem the flow of children heading toward that fate, and give young women new opportunities for positive development. There's no doubt that psychotherapists, counselors, psychologists, and social workers would make an immense impact on their mental and emotional health.

However, after months of debating with myself, talking to a few key people about the situation out there, and taking a hard look at all the projects I'm already trying to take on as a newborn non-profit, we've concluded that India is too immense to take on at this early stage. Not only are there language barriers, but also deep cultural values that I feel I would need to give much more time to understand in order to better serve them in the future. In fact, Kolkata is not the only place in India that would stand to benefit from that kind of help. I almost took on another project just by hearing about another organization in the city of Kushalnagar!

On top of that, I have already been feeling like there are a million things I need/want to do for Therapists Without Borders without even leaving the country yet. By the time I come back from Cuzco, I will have my mind buzzing with work for them (ThWB will set itself up to screen, interview, and prepare volunteer therapists for them). Then I will be visiting 4 villages in Kenya and a school AND orphanage in Ghana. More information about those projects later. Needless to say, that's plenty enough work for the rest of the year!

What made the decision final, is that I have not yet heard back from the director of New Light. I am given to understand from the various people who have worked with her that she is an extraordinary woman, but is also extraordinarily busy. She has created many many projects beyond, and in support of, New Light... and has worked with the Dalai Lama (yay, my first name drop). It has been difficult to coordinate my visit with her for the past couple months, and with the trip coming up so soon, I just don't feel comfortable flying by the seat of my pants on this one, unless I'm a tourist.

Speaking of the trip, it's a good thing I still had not purchased plane tickets. I had been waiting to get things confirmed with New Light, and waiting to hear back from a pro bono travel agent who helped me look for humanitarian fares for flights. Now I can rearrange my time in Kenya and Ghana, and save money and stress from the issue of getting India's visa (I'd have had to pay $200 in total, for all the components of the application and to get it expedited).

:: phew ::

Vaccinations & Medications

My past (relevant) immunization history:

• Hepatitis A -- 2008
  
• Hepatitis B -- 1994, '95, '96
  
• IPV (Polio) -- 2007
  
• MMR (Measles/Mumps/Rubella) -- 1994
  
• Td (Tetnus, Diphtheria) -- 2004
  
• Typhoid -- 2007
  
• Varicella (from prior infection) -- 1986
  
• Yellow fever -- 2007

Vaccines recommended for my next travels:

• Flu: primarily because of being in enclosed airspace during my looong and multiple flights
  
• Hepatitis A: because this is a 2-dose series to get lifetime immunity, so I just need one more.
  
• MMR: because I will be working in close contact with people with disabilities who have unknown diagnoses, I should get a booster
  
• Oral Typhoid: because the first vaccine I received was a shot, which lasts only 2 years. Oral typhoid, which are 4 pills taken across 7 days, lasts 5 years.

• Tdap: Even though it hasn't been 10 years since I received my last Td, the physician recommended I get this new Tdap as an early booster because it also protects against Pertussis (Whooping Cough)
  
• Meningococcal (Meningitis): this has caused epidemics in parts of Africa. I couldn't remember whether or not I had received a shot for college (that was over 10 years ago, after all!), but the physician suggested I get a booster regardless.
  

Side Effects:

First, a side note. I asked not to receive any of those vaccines on the day of the consultation because I had not had eaten yet. Instead I scheduled to get them through my primary physician a day later, as I also wanted to consult with her about delaying my menstrual cycle through birth control pills. (There are many reasons for considering this, but the fascinating aspects of toileting in rural Kenya will have to be explained in another post. For now, consider yourself so much luckier if you are a guy.) After a long talk about the risks and benefits, I decided not to take those pills not only because I dislike taking pills/meds if I can help it, but also because they need to be taken at the same time every day, and the last thing I need is to keep track of the hours across 4 countries' time zones!

SO I received only the flu shot, Hep A, and oral typhoid. Firstly because I did not want 5 shots in one go. Secondly because some things aren't to be mixed with other things. Thirdly, I do not need all of them yet because the greater risks areas are in India and Africa.

Side effects of the flu and Hep A have been minimal. Flu (0.5cc) was nothing. Hep A (1.0cc) was super sore where it was injected, but lasted only a day. Oral Typhoid... I have to take on an empty stomach so that it can travel all the way to the small intestine. It has been causing some mild headache and nausea.


Prescriptions:

• Mefloquine (anti-malarial): I take this once a week and have to start taking it 2 weeks before traveling and continue until 4 weeks after returning to the USA. The most common side effect of this is vivid dreams. Not nightmares, but vivid and very weird dreams. I've taken this before, and the most memorable dream involved my flying on a broom through walls at a generic Hogwarts. I kid you not ;-)
• Azithromycin: for traveler's diarrhea. They called me "iron stomach" in Kenya, until I got food poisoning my 3rd time visiting and spent the night throwing up. No diarrhea though. That, I got in Vietnam.