My flight is at 3:30am, so I am hanging out in the in-country coordinator's apartment. I have completed my month in Kenya, and it has been a great success! I apologize for not updating the blog more often, though I have had access to internet at least once a week. The problem has been that a weird series of full page ads crop up instead of my log in page whenever I open blogger, and I haven't been able to find how to close them out or avoid them without clicking on anything on it... and since connection speeds have been, say, less than optimal, I've decided to wait it out.
Let me start by clarifying a few things about living standards in rural Kenya. I didn't HAVE to cut my hair short; as far as I know, no other volunteer does this prior to visiting and they are perfectly fine and happy! For myself, I am impatient with vanity and have thick hair that grows fast, so I wanted to cut it anyway.
Also, I have not been attacked by insects, either in the showers, toilets, out and about, sleeping, or anywhere! I had a couple bite here and there, but they were gone within 24 hours, and I haven't even been wearing repellent! They say it's mosquito time because it's rainy season, but really, considering I had suffered over 40 bites within 2 weeks in Belize last year, it must be super safe for any traveler here. I almost wondered if it were necessary to let down the mosquito net around my bed every night, since I nary saw one any evening.
Things have also changed since the last time I was here in 2008; electricity is coming to one village, and had expanded in other villages! Some roads have been paved, and a toilet has been installed at Dago village (one where you pour water in to flush) for volunteers.
I did achieve the goals I set for my trip here, except for reading Harry Potter every day... I realized the kids had enough trouble with my American accent without my having to explain things like streetlights, office buildings, and zoos for them (all in the first book).
In addition to profiling at least 30 people with disabilities in the 3 villages, I've interviewed 11 candidates for the Butterfly Project, 29 students being sponsored or needing sponsorships at Namunyak, made several series of videos for Village Volunteers' YouTube channel for fundraising efforts, discussed starting 3 special education schools and/or rehabilitation clinics at each of the programs, been introduced to a school for the Deaf in Kitale as well as a rare public school accepting kids with physical disabilities, measured 4 people who might benefit from a fitted wheelchair, talked about providing counseling/mental health services and their needs at each of the villages, and even joined in on a mobile clinic outreach effort in a slum called Kipsongo, in which hundreds of men, women and children pushed and shoved to get in to the one room where we were treating wounds, removing jiggers, dispensing medicine, and injecting shots.... I've never ever seen anything like it.
After the first couple weeks, I was already on the verge of tears, having come across so many desperate, seemingly hopeless situations. The day after the overwhelming outreach clinic, I received news of the results of Kevin's doctor appointment. It's not elephantiasis - it's a tumor that has spread its infection to his thigh (not pictured), and damaged the integrity of his bones from the knee down, and will have to be amputated.
I finally allowed myself to cry that night.
How is it fair, in this world in 2011, that a boy with so much ahead of him will now have to lose his leg because something wasn't identified and treated properly earlier? It wasn't just Kevin's situation that got to me, nor the hundreds of sufferers begging for the most basic care, nor the other 30 cases I had profiled for therapeutic help. It was the gaping disparity between the two worlds I live in - the American one that suffers from affluenza and the rest of the world that seems to suffer from everything else... or sometimes from the symptoms of the former.
But I have hope, just like all the caregivers who thanked me for visiting them, asking about them, caring about them. I recovered myself from the tears with the knowledge that, though we couldn't save Kevin's leg, we can save his life. I tried to remember that the whole purpose of my month in Kenya was to discover what and where the needs are, and then send the right people, finances, and opportunities to fulfill those needs. That I just happened to be the first to find and try to help them, so it starts off appearing more hopeless and helpless. That if I didn't come around doing so at this time, we don't know who could have died waiting, or how long caregivers would have suffered in silence, wondering what their child with a disability is going to do when they die because he can't take care of himself. As soon as I can encourage others to care enough to help personally or financially, lives will no doubt get better.
We'll see what the next 3 weeks in Ghana will bring.
Neuroplasticity: changes that occur in the brain as the result of experience
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Monday, April 4, 2011
5-day update
Emmanuel's 3rd child, Shiloh, has been home from his boarding school for Easter break, but today he has to return to school so I came along to be able to go to a cyber cafe in a town that's on the way, called Kericho. Emmanuel's currently about town with him running errands, so he will come back in a bit to pick me up to return to the village. I'm on the computer for personal and business reasons: while I'm blogging, I'm uploading videos for another Village Volunteer project. Therefore, I don't want to insert pictures to the blog today because YouSendIt.com is being frustrating, estimating anywhere from 1 hr 45 minutes left till 10 hrs 38 minutes. Shoot me now.
Here is a pictureless summary:
3/31 Thursday
Nearly 2 hours in Nairobi morning rush hour traffic to get to the shuttle. Fortunately, that at least meant I had less wait time for the shuttle to fill before we could leave, about 45 minutes. Left the station at 9:30am.
11:00 flat tire. Fixed within 10 minutes!
12:00 arrived into town called Narok. Delayed for reasons I will explain at another time.
2:00 depart Narok
5:00 arrive Kilgoris. Reunion with Emmauel, who came to pick me up in his own car. Quick snack on chai and chapati rolled with egg. Drive 45mins-1 hr to his home from Kilgoris (Emmanuel says it would only take 15 minutes if the roads were paved or smooth)
4/1 Friday
Tour Sirua Aulo Academy. I was the first volunteer on site when the school opened in 2008. They had a couple temporary structures at the time, and about 70 students. Now they have nearly 300 students and a couple permanent buildings, including classrooms and dorms! The rest of the day was spent updating each other about our lives and goals. We also planned there rest of my stay. That evening, we tried to download Skype onto a laptop someone donated to Emmanuel, using wireless internet out in the village, but after an hour we drained the battery and didn't accomplish anything because there was basically no signal. Oh well, we tried.
4/2 Saturday
Sirua Aulo Academy had also been on Easter break, and school would start again on Monday. Staff returned Saturday to prepare and have meetings... and Emmanuel wanted me to start things off with an introduction to special needs and special education. He says it went well, though I always think my presentation skills need a lot of work. We first reviewed the book I brought, "Don't Call Me Special" to introduce the topic, and we had a bit of a discussion about it. It is such a good book that it led to a great start. The teachers said they learned that children with disabilities can and should be included in the same activities as everyone else; that they don't want to be labeled; that they can surprise us with great skills; that they can succeed given assistance. It was a new concept for everyone, they admitted.
I summarized a few of the most common disorders we encounter in the States (autism spectrum disorder, ADD, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, etc), and they had never heard of any of them, but they said they knew people or children who matched the symptoms I described. In fact, they said there were some in the school they thought fit the descriptions, but didn't know they might have a disability. I will have my work cut out for me in the next couple weeks, identifying them and giving the teachers strategies. I did clarify that I cannot diagnose anything but communication disorders; it is otherwise the role of a psychologist or doctor to diagnose disorders.
A discussion followed, about Kenyans' perspective on disorders, disabilities, witchcraft, stigmas, fear, etc. Fascinating stuff, but we were all looking forward to a future where that's a thing of the past.
After a tea break, Emmanuel kicked off their staff meeting and I stepped out to the library to prepare for the following day's trainings.
4/3 Sunday
For the first part of an hour, I presented information based on a printout of slides from a lecture given by Iowa's Area Education Agency (AEA) on building a robust vocabulary in students. I used the "Don't Call Me Special" book to give the staff practice on the techniques, then split them into partners with a variety of books to practice and then present to the rest of us. We got to see each other teach, and gave feedback about strengths and areas for improvement. The whole thing lasted about 2.5 hours, and it was a blast.
It was the same in Peru -- teachers love pretending to be students, and the worst students at that! They tease each other, there's lots of laughing, and a lot of encouragement. Emmanuel said the staff needed this opportunity to interact with each other. One of the staff gave a speech to thank me, and then we did a closing prayer. It was a good day.
In the late afternoon back at home, Shiloh and I used another laptop of Emmanuel's to watch "The Medallion". I suspect someone donated that other laptop to Emmanuel because this one was old and the battery lasted less than 2/3rd the movie (not sure how much of the movie was left actually, bc I've never seen it). Poor Shiloh; he'd been waiting forever to watch it and now couldn't finish until the end of the month, when he returns home for another break. His school doesn't have electricity either.
4/4 Monday
This morning we stopped by Sirua Aulo to make the videos I am currently sending to Village Volunteers. We stopped by a small town on the way to Kericho to have a simple snack which I found absolutely delicious: ndazi with egg. No picture because I accidentally left the camera in the car when we left it to be washed while we ate. Maybe we'll have it again on the way home :-)
So that brings us to me here and now. Until next time!
Here is a pictureless summary:
3/31 Thursday
Nearly 2 hours in Nairobi morning rush hour traffic to get to the shuttle. Fortunately, that at least meant I had less wait time for the shuttle to fill before we could leave, about 45 minutes. Left the station at 9:30am.
11:00 flat tire. Fixed within 10 minutes!
12:00 arrived into town called Narok. Delayed for reasons I will explain at another time.
2:00 depart Narok
5:00 arrive Kilgoris. Reunion with Emmauel, who came to pick me up in his own car. Quick snack on chai and chapati rolled with egg. Drive 45mins-1 hr to his home from Kilgoris (Emmanuel says it would only take 15 minutes if the roads were paved or smooth)
4/1 Friday
Tour Sirua Aulo Academy. I was the first volunteer on site when the school opened in 2008. They had a couple temporary structures at the time, and about 70 students. Now they have nearly 300 students and a couple permanent buildings, including classrooms and dorms! The rest of the day was spent updating each other about our lives and goals. We also planned there rest of my stay. That evening, we tried to download Skype onto a laptop someone donated to Emmanuel, using wireless internet out in the village, but after an hour we drained the battery and didn't accomplish anything because there was basically no signal. Oh well, we tried.
4/2 Saturday
Sirua Aulo Academy had also been on Easter break, and school would start again on Monday. Staff returned Saturday to prepare and have meetings... and Emmanuel wanted me to start things off with an introduction to special needs and special education. He says it went well, though I always think my presentation skills need a lot of work. We first reviewed the book I brought, "Don't Call Me Special" to introduce the topic, and we had a bit of a discussion about it. It is such a good book that it led to a great start. The teachers said they learned that children with disabilities can and should be included in the same activities as everyone else; that they don't want to be labeled; that they can surprise us with great skills; that they can succeed given assistance. It was a new concept for everyone, they admitted.
I summarized a few of the most common disorders we encounter in the States (autism spectrum disorder, ADD, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, etc), and they had never heard of any of them, but they said they knew people or children who matched the symptoms I described. In fact, they said there were some in the school they thought fit the descriptions, but didn't know they might have a disability. I will have my work cut out for me in the next couple weeks, identifying them and giving the teachers strategies. I did clarify that I cannot diagnose anything but communication disorders; it is otherwise the role of a psychologist or doctor to diagnose disorders.
A discussion followed, about Kenyans' perspective on disorders, disabilities, witchcraft, stigmas, fear, etc. Fascinating stuff, but we were all looking forward to a future where that's a thing of the past.
After a tea break, Emmanuel kicked off their staff meeting and I stepped out to the library to prepare for the following day's trainings.
4/3 Sunday
For the first part of an hour, I presented information based on a printout of slides from a lecture given by Iowa's Area Education Agency (AEA) on building a robust vocabulary in students. I used the "Don't Call Me Special" book to give the staff practice on the techniques, then split them into partners with a variety of books to practice and then present to the rest of us. We got to see each other teach, and gave feedback about strengths and areas for improvement. The whole thing lasted about 2.5 hours, and it was a blast.
It was the same in Peru -- teachers love pretending to be students, and the worst students at that! They tease each other, there's lots of laughing, and a lot of encouragement. Emmanuel said the staff needed this opportunity to interact with each other. One of the staff gave a speech to thank me, and then we did a closing prayer. It was a good day.
In the late afternoon back at home, Shiloh and I used another laptop of Emmanuel's to watch "The Medallion". I suspect someone donated that other laptop to Emmanuel because this one was old and the battery lasted less than 2/3rd the movie (not sure how much of the movie was left actually, bc I've never seen it). Poor Shiloh; he'd been waiting forever to watch it and now couldn't finish until the end of the month, when he returns home for another break. His school doesn't have electricity either.
4/4 Monday
This morning we stopped by Sirua Aulo to make the videos I am currently sending to Village Volunteers. We stopped by a small town on the way to Kericho to have a simple snack which I found absolutely delicious: ndazi with egg. No picture because I accidentally left the camera in the car when we left it to be washed while we ate. Maybe we'll have it again on the way home :-)
So that brings us to me here and now. Until next time!
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Water and Power
Hi everyone! It is 1:30am in Nairobi and 5:30pm in Chicago. I arrived safely and with all my stuff intact and not stolen :)
And the Kenyan visa was only $25 USD this time, instead of $50...
I landed after 8:30pm and was picked up within an hour (after immigration, long wait for the baggage, and a quick stop at an ATM). Had a late dinner with Wendy, Kenya's wonderful in-country coordinator and city host, and we talked till 12:30am! We agreed that even though the last time I was here was 2008 it only felt like last year at the longest, or yesterday.
Nairobi is like most major cities with all the modern amenities of internet, plumbing, and 24-hour electricity. Depending on a volunteer's arrival time and preferences, volunteers stay overnight in Nairobi before embarking on the long shuttle rides out to the villages the following morning. The shuttles don't have a set departure time; they wait in the lot until the seats are filled. Since it's a weekday, people are less likely to want to go to villages, so I may end up waiting there for 3 hours... we never know! Wendy recommends leaving her home by 6am or 6:30 at the latest, so that I can at least pick a good seat. There are some uncomfortable middle seats or back seats that I'd want to avoid having to sit in for the 8-10 hour rides.
Weatherwise, I feel like it's a perfect, cozy room-temperature, indoors and out. That means some Kenyans are wearing sweaters tonight and I'll be the one sweating by the time the sun comes out. :: sigh ::
In any case, this really will be the last time I'll have internet for a while. So I figured I should take this opportunity to post something of mild interest before you have to wait a while for my next update. I wanted to show you how I sterilize water with a SteriPen, and show off my trusty universal plug.
Cleaning Water
First I fill my bottle up to .5 liter or more. Then I push twice on my SteriPen for .5 L or once for 1 L and wait for the little green light to flash.
Next I immerse it into the water and when the SteriPen senses liquid, its ultraviolet light switches on to eliminates over 99.9% of bacteria, viruses and protozoa that cause water-borne illness. I agitate the water to ensure full penetration. After about a minute, the light turns off to indicate it's done.
After drying off and wiping down the edge of the bottle with anti-bacterial stuff, it is safe to drink directly from it. This is also water that I must use for brushing my teeth.
Universal Plug
And the Kenyan visa was only $25 USD this time, instead of $50...
I landed after 8:30pm and was picked up within an hour (after immigration, long wait for the baggage, and a quick stop at an ATM). Had a late dinner with Wendy, Kenya's wonderful in-country coordinator and city host, and we talked till 12:30am! We agreed that even though the last time I was here was 2008 it only felt like last year at the longest, or yesterday.
Nairobi is like most major cities with all the modern amenities of internet, plumbing, and 24-hour electricity. Depending on a volunteer's arrival time and preferences, volunteers stay overnight in Nairobi before embarking on the long shuttle rides out to the villages the following morning. The shuttles don't have a set departure time; they wait in the lot until the seats are filled. Since it's a weekday, people are less likely to want to go to villages, so I may end up waiting there for 3 hours... we never know! Wendy recommends leaving her home by 6am or 6:30 at the latest, so that I can at least pick a good seat. There are some uncomfortable middle seats or back seats that I'd want to avoid having to sit in for the 8-10 hour rides.
Weatherwise, I feel like it's a perfect, cozy room-temperature, indoors and out. That means some Kenyans are wearing sweaters tonight and I'll be the one sweating by the time the sun comes out. :: sigh ::
In any case, this really will be the last time I'll have internet for a while. So I figured I should take this opportunity to post something of mild interest before you have to wait a while for my next update. I wanted to show you how I sterilize water with a SteriPen, and show off my trusty universal plug.
Cleaning Water
First I fill my bottle up to .5 liter or more. Then I push twice on my SteriPen for .5 L or once for 1 L and wait for the little green light to flash.
After drying off and wiping down the edge of the bottle with anti-bacterial stuff, it is safe to drink directly from it. This is also water that I must use for brushing my teeth.
Universal Plug
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Goals for Kenya
Namunyak Maasai Welfare: April 1-12
Dago Dala Hera: April 12-20
Sister Freda's Foundation: April 20-27
- video clips for fundraising, website updates, and other stuff
- workshops and trainings for teachers on special education, literacy development, and other stuff
- interview, profile kids with disabilities around the community; caregiver consultation and training
- interview, gather info, discuss with Emmanuel for the book we want to write about his life
- work with Emmanuel to decide everything he wants for the website I'll create for him upon return, about his NGO and school
- profile children who need or have sponsors for website and sponsor updates
- determine people appropriate for wheelchairs and gather preliminary measurements
- Read to the children after school every day (Harry Potter!!!!)
Dago Dala Hera: April 12-20
- video clips for fundraising, website updates, and other stuff
- interview, profile kids with disabilities around the community; caregiver consultation and training
- gather caregivers to meet each other to form a support group
- determine people appropriate for wheelchairs and gather preliminary measurements
- discuss possibility of sending special education teachers to train a local teacher to run a special education program (which I had visited in 2008 but had since stopped because that teacher left and now those students with special needs have nowhere to go)
Sister Freda's Foundation: April 20-27
- video clips for fundraising, website updates, and other stuff
- interview, profile kids with disabilities around the community; caregiver consultation and training
- determine people appropriate for wheelchairs and gather preliminary measurements
- learn about the programs here: hospital, orphan feeding, clinic, etc. and determine therapy needs (this will be my first visit to this village)
Monday, March 28, 2011
Sample of Expenses for 7 weeks in Africa
Medical Prevention
Travel Medicine Consultation: $42
Mefloquine (anti-malarial): 14 count = $173.18
Azithromycin (for traveler's diarrhea): 10 count = $152.59
Oral typhoid: $84
Flu shot: $9.67
Immunization administration: $21.83
Hep A vaccine: $112
Immunization administration: $23
Consult with PA about whether I should take birth control to postpone menstruation for duration of trip (conclusion was no): $113
My insurance won't pay for these because it's preventative... I haven't yet received the bill for my meningitis, MMR, and Tdap shots (and their administration costs!)
Donations
10 skirts from thrift stores which I can wear and donate: $30
25 children's books from thrift stores: about $10
5 copies of "Don't Call Me Special", which I recently discovered at Barnes & Noble (one for each village I will visit): $42
Suitcase from Goodwill: $4.99
Haircut at nice salon near downtown participating in Locks of Love: $10 tip, $3 parking, $5 in gas
Copies of documents I will use for trainings and workshops: $10
Insurance
Village Volunteers fees (covering housing, water, 3 meals/day, in-country transport, escorts, logistics coordination, etc): $2,365
Ghana visa (Embassy cost $60 + processing service $59): $119
Kenya visa (paid at airport upon arrival): $50
Flights
25 children's books from thrift stores: about $10
5 copies of "Don't Call Me Special", which I recently discovered at Barnes & Noble (one for each village I will visit): $42
Suitcase from Goodwill: $4.99
Haircut at nice salon near downtown participating in Locks of Love: $10 tip, $3 parking, $5 in gas
Copies of documents I will use for trainings and workshops: $10
Insurance
Travel medical insurance (from March 2-May 19 with $250 deductible and policy max at $1,000,000): $98.10
Traveler's insurance (for same period): $90.40
MedjetAssist Annual Membership (since I will be traveling overseas more than a few times in a year): $250
--> This is not an insurance plan. "As a member, if you are ever hospitalized 150 miles or more away from home, MedjetAssist will arrange for medical transfer to the hospital of your choice — at no additional charge. No transportation cost limitations. No pre-existing condition exclusions." <--
Traveler's insurance (for same period): $90.40
MedjetAssist Annual Membership (since I will be traveling overseas more than a few times in a year): $250
--> This is not an insurance plan. "As a member, if you are ever hospitalized 150 miles or more away from home, MedjetAssist will arrange for medical transfer to the hospital of your choice — at no additional charge. No transportation cost limitations. No pre-existing condition exclusions." <--
Fees
Village Volunteers fees (covering housing, water, 3 meals/day, in-country transport, escorts, logistics coordination, etc): $2,365
Ghana visa (Embassy cost $60 + processing service $59): $119
Kenya visa (paid at airport upon arrival): $50
Flights
Chicago to Nairobi via KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and Kenya Airways: $779.57
Nairobi to Accra via Ethiopian Airlines: $568
Accra to Chicago via Alitalia: $1134.70
Nairobi to Accra via Ethiopian Airlines: $568
Accra to Chicago via Alitalia: $1134.70
Dear shower in my bathroom,
We're not breaking up; I just think we need to spend some time away from each other for a while. You are strong, hot and steamy. I'm going to miss you.
XOXO,
Linda
XOXO,
Linda
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Travel plans
Here's how it will work: I fly from Chicago to Amsterdam (4 hr layover) to Nairobi, arriving at 8:15pm March 30 via Kenya Airways.
March 31: take 8-10 hour bus ride to Oronkai village, transfer from bus to matatu (mini-van taxi) or be picked up by Emmanuel, local host
April 12: Go on to Dago village
April 20: Go on to Sister Freda's Foundation in Kitale
April 27: Return to Nairobi to catch a flight at 3:30am on April 28 via Ethiopian Airlines to Accra, Ghana
April 28: Arrive in Accra at 11:35am; work in Volta region
May 17: Return to Accra and depart at 11:45pm to Rome (3 hr layover) to Chicago by May 18 at 1:35pm.
March 31: take 8-10 hour bus ride to Oronkai village, transfer from bus to matatu (mini-van taxi) or be picked up by Emmanuel, local host
April 12: Go on to Dago village
April 20: Go on to Sister Freda's Foundation in Kitale
April 27: Return to Nairobi to catch a flight at 3:30am on April 28 via Ethiopian Airlines to Accra, Ghana
April 28: Arrive in Accra at 11:35am; work in Volta region
May 17: Return to Accra and depart at 11:45pm to Rome (3 hr layover) to Chicago by May 18 at 1:35pm.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Less hair = More water
I don't like having long hair in Africa. Besides it being uncomfortable in the hot weather, there is a very practical reason for preferring shorter hair while out there: to conserve time and resources.
Depending on the village, families might have rain collection tanks as their water source, or river water, or if they're lucky, they have a well. In most places, you use bucket of water and a cup for your "shower". In some places, you might be lucky to have running water and a stand-up shower like you're used to in the West.
I don't mean to discourage anyone from volunteering. It's just like going camping. In fact, you can also use camping shower bags that past volunteers have donated. You can bring one of your own, of course.
In the end, less hair means using less water and firewood or coals, and spending less time in the stall with uninvited flying guests. Also, the haircut, valued at over $50, was free because the salon was a partner with Locks of Love and I had 10" of untreated hair to donate.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Workshop
As usual, I spent a long time preparing to present something that ended up being scrapped anyway! I meant to present for at least 45 minutes on visual aids for expressive/receptive language, but we miscommunicated about where we would meet for the session and started a full half hour late. However, we did end up doing a full 2 hours anyway, and I think it went well.
Having skipped that part of the lesson, we quickly reviewed that communication is based upon expressive/receptive language, then dove right into how to use their limited material/toys to target many areas of development at all levels of difficulty. This brought on many other areas that I didn't expect to talk about or teach, such as how to contain a child who cannot stay seated, pay attention, or even keep hands down. Celeste and I demonstrated how to position ourselves and one or more children who are wild, and how to use immediate reinforcement and praise. We also talked about using the toys and a token system to increase kids' ability to work. The teachers listened, observed, asked questions, and finally paired up to practice these techniques. Then each pair took it in turns to present to the class what they practiced and learned, and we reviewed what the teachers did well and discussed areas of improvement.
It was a great time for all; the information seemed to have been well-received and it was great to see them try out what we just talked about. Definitely a very rewarding day. Tomorrow I'll follow up and see if the teachers can incorporate the lessons immediately into real time situations where kids are pulling hairs and throwing toys, rather than the laugh fest we had with teachers only pretending.
It's been a great week overall. Even though we didn't really have exact plans for my visit, I think it worked well for me to have observed each class for part of the day each day, then taken that and turned it into some valuable lessons for the teachers. It wouldn't have been as respectful or productive if I had just dropped in and tried to push my agenda without having seen what they're up against, absorbed their culture a bit, or determined their current abilities.
I hope to never get tired of being a travel therapist. And I hope to be able to give others the same rewarding experience and knowledge exchange soon, with Therapists Without Borders. This is what it's all about.
Having skipped that part of the lesson, we quickly reviewed that communication is based upon expressive/receptive language, then dove right into how to use their limited material/toys to target many areas of development at all levels of difficulty. This brought on many other areas that I didn't expect to talk about or teach, such as how to contain a child who cannot stay seated, pay attention, or even keep hands down. Celeste and I demonstrated how to position ourselves and one or more children who are wild, and how to use immediate reinforcement and praise. We also talked about using the toys and a token system to increase kids' ability to work. The teachers listened, observed, asked questions, and finally paired up to practice these techniques. Then each pair took it in turns to present to the class what they practiced and learned, and we reviewed what the teachers did well and discussed areas of improvement.
It was a great time for all; the information seemed to have been well-received and it was great to see them try out what we just talked about. Definitely a very rewarding day. Tomorrow I'll follow up and see if the teachers can incorporate the lessons immediately into real time situations where kids are pulling hairs and throwing toys, rather than the laugh fest we had with teachers only pretending.
It's been a great week overall. Even though we didn't really have exact plans for my visit, I think it worked well for me to have observed each class for part of the day each day, then taken that and turned it into some valuable lessons for the teachers. It wouldn't have been as respectful or productive if I had just dropped in and tried to push my agenda without having seen what they're up against, absorbed their culture a bit, or determined their current abilities.
I hope to never get tired of being a travel therapist. And I hope to be able to give others the same rewarding experience and knowledge exchange soon, with Therapists Without Borders. This is what it's all about.
Monday, March 7, 2011
Cusco 5-day summary
March 2 - Chicago to Mexico City. 11:20pm flight to Lima, Peru, was canceled. Stuck in Mexico for 24 hrs.
March 3 - Fun sightseeing Mexico City. Caught next 11:20pm flight to Lima.
March 4 - Lima into Cusco 9:15am. Very quick tour of Camino Nuevo's campus (but no school in session yet), quick lunch with Director of Manos Unidas, who suggested I take the next couple days to adjust to the high altitude, culture, language, and jetlag. So I napped till evening's dinner party with said Director and her friends.
March 5 - Walked around San Blas area of Cusco and took a "city tour" of 5 archeological sites.
March 6 - With Director & her friends to Pisaq's Carnival festival, during which children enjoy throwing water balloons, dumping buckets of water, and squirting water guns and spraying foam on people... Loved it!
March 7 - FINALLY spent the day meeting staff and students at Camino Nuevo! First day of school back from break; Came home more fulfilled and excited than 3 days of being a tourist. This will definitely be a primary destination for professional therapist volunteers. They are receptive to outside assistance, have a vast list of needs, and have plenty of work for any therapist. I still would love to get trained Spanish interpreters for therapists involved!!!!
Today I only spent assisting in 3 classrooms. In one class, the teacher was feeding a child with severe cerebral palsy when I came in. His head was rolled to the side and he was tied to a wooden upright chair so he wouldn't fall over. She reported that he doesn't chew and drools a lot. Boy am I glad (or, boy are they lucky) that I've got a dysphagia background. I taught the teacher how to support his head and body upright (since his wheelchair is too heavy to bring from home, apparently), use a smaller spoon with a soft tip, mash/puree all food, present only a half teaspoon amount, have him help hold the spoon and watch it approach his own mouth, and activate his lips to clear the bolus rather than bite on the spoon... And lo and behold, he chewed and swallowed and minimized drool almost to none, and feeding was a happy experience now he gets to participate. I also taught the teacher how to clean his mouth after each meal (which is extremely important since all his teeth looked like cavities, his gums were 100% inflamed as well as his cheeks... You betcha I said he HAS to be seen by a dentist ASAP), and how to give him drinks (using a sippy cup instead of from an open cup)
In another classroom with children with autism and down's syndrome, things were ... out of hand. Kids (about 6-7 years old) were putting blocks and toys in their mouths, one kid kept grabbing and pulling and trying to bite another kid's hair, another pulled his pants down to indicate he needed the toilet, another freaked out (tears, screaming, jumping, pulling others' hair and clothes) for no apparent reason and couldn't be calmed... There's a lot of work to be done... And finally I observed the afternoon class with the young adults, and helped a bit there too (though it was very calm in comparison hehe)
The plan now is that Tuesday I'll observe and help the rest of the classes.
Wednesday I'll actually go out into the rural villages to see how ThWB therapists can support families in the homes and communities.
Thursday afternoon I'll host a workshop for the teachers on communication and the many ways to use toys to teach different lessons (esp. regarding expressive/receptive language).
Friday I suppose I'll wrap things up in the classes, and in the evening I'll take a train up to Machu Picchu to spend the night.
Saturday Machu Picchu and then return in the evening.
Sunday all day outdoor rock climbing!
Monday fly back to Chicago via Lima and Mexico City again...
Tuesday finally arrive home.
I do have a lot of pictures, but as I am quite exhausted and slightly overwhelmed tonight, I'll post them another day. Buenas noches!
March 3 - Fun sightseeing Mexico City. Caught next 11:20pm flight to Lima.
March 4 - Lima into Cusco 9:15am. Very quick tour of Camino Nuevo's campus (but no school in session yet), quick lunch with Director of Manos Unidas, who suggested I take the next couple days to adjust to the high altitude, culture, language, and jetlag. So I napped till evening's dinner party with said Director and her friends.
March 5 - Walked around San Blas area of Cusco and took a "city tour" of 5 archeological sites.
March 6 - With Director & her friends to Pisaq's Carnival festival, during which children enjoy throwing water balloons, dumping buckets of water, and squirting water guns and spraying foam on people... Loved it!
March 7 - FINALLY spent the day meeting staff and students at Camino Nuevo! First day of school back from break; Came home more fulfilled and excited than 3 days of being a tourist. This will definitely be a primary destination for professional therapist volunteers. They are receptive to outside assistance, have a vast list of needs, and have plenty of work for any therapist. I still would love to get trained Spanish interpreters for therapists involved!!!!
Today I only spent assisting in 3 classrooms. In one class, the teacher was feeding a child with severe cerebral palsy when I came in. His head was rolled to the side and he was tied to a wooden upright chair so he wouldn't fall over. She reported that he doesn't chew and drools a lot. Boy am I glad (or, boy are they lucky) that I've got a dysphagia background. I taught the teacher how to support his head and body upright (since his wheelchair is too heavy to bring from home, apparently), use a smaller spoon with a soft tip, mash/puree all food, present only a half teaspoon amount, have him help hold the spoon and watch it approach his own mouth, and activate his lips to clear the bolus rather than bite on the spoon... And lo and behold, he chewed and swallowed and minimized drool almost to none, and feeding was a happy experience now he gets to participate. I also taught the teacher how to clean his mouth after each meal (which is extremely important since all his teeth looked like cavities, his gums were 100% inflamed as well as his cheeks... You betcha I said he HAS to be seen by a dentist ASAP), and how to give him drinks (using a sippy cup instead of from an open cup)
In another classroom with children with autism and down's syndrome, things were ... out of hand. Kids (about 6-7 years old) were putting blocks and toys in their mouths, one kid kept grabbing and pulling and trying to bite another kid's hair, another pulled his pants down to indicate he needed the toilet, another freaked out (tears, screaming, jumping, pulling others' hair and clothes) for no apparent reason and couldn't be calmed... There's a lot of work to be done... And finally I observed the afternoon class with the young adults, and helped a bit there too (though it was very calm in comparison hehe)
The plan now is that Tuesday I'll observe and help the rest of the classes.
Wednesday I'll actually go out into the rural villages to see how ThWB therapists can support families in the homes and communities.
Thursday afternoon I'll host a workshop for the teachers on communication and the many ways to use toys to teach different lessons (esp. regarding expressive/receptive language).
Friday I suppose I'll wrap things up in the classes, and in the evening I'll take a train up to Machu Picchu to spend the night.
Saturday Machu Picchu and then return in the evening.
Sunday all day outdoor rock climbing!
Monday fly back to Chicago via Lima and Mexico City again...
Tuesday finally arrive home.
I do have a lot of pictures, but as I am quite exhausted and slightly overwhelmed tonight, I'll post them another day. Buenas noches!
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