We have been separated into home stays and are all living in various houses in three separate villages. The villages have surprised me in many ways. There is electricity and cell phone service in all houses but no running water. This basically means that I can make phone calls and read at night but am taking bucket showers (which is very fun!!) and using an out house. The family that I am living with consists of my host mother her youngest daughter and her two nephews. My host mother is a teacher at the local school teaching 10th grade biology and a 12th grade tourism class (tourism being a major source of income). I am living with a fairly wealthy family who has many amenities that other people don't have. All the people in the village are very excited to have "mulungo" or white people living in their village and come every night to our house to play soccer or talk to us about American movies and music. Many people live in poverty with 80% of the population jobless yet the sense of community here is amazing. Everyone at least at first glance seems very happy and content. There is sharing of food and neighbors are always out and greating each other.
We are holding classes at the Wild Life College and the drive every morning to get to the college is basically a mini safari. Everyday we see an assortment of animals be it elephants, giraffes, baboons, or rhino's every ride is an adventure. The weather is very hot and dry aka a lot of sweaty clothes but it is much better then the snow I left behind.
Academically we have been going on many site visits to different people in neighboring villages. Yesterday we visited a herbalist who "does not practice witch craft but will attempt to cure sickness." People from all over will come to him and he through the use of herbs he will attempt to cure AIDS, Stroke, Diabetes, and high blood pressure. The experience was like nothing I have experienced before. The idea that modern medicine isn't the answer was difficult to accept but many people will choose the herbalists remedies over western medicine, is it more effective... probably not but that is the belief of many people from this area. We have been focusing our studies on HIV/AIDS since this is the primary problem that leads to TB, and other opportunistic diseases. Interestingly though we are focusing much of our time on assess how to get more adequate nutrition, water, and overall sanitation to this area to increase general health which would decrease sickness. We have meet with many groups that deal with domestic violence, and sex education in attempts to reduce the spread of this virus through these vectors. An overall better general knowledge of the disease and how it is spread is needed in order to effectively stop the spread of HIV/AIDS.
We are holding classes at the Wild Life College and the drive every morning to get to the college is basically a mini safari. Everyday we see an assortment of animals be it elephants, giraffes, baboons, or rhino's every ride is an adventure. The weather is very hot and dry aka a lot of sweaty clothes but it is much better then the snow I left behind.
Academically we have been going on many site visits to different people in neighboring villages. Yesterday we visited a herbalist who "does not practice witch craft but will attempt to cure sickness." People from all over will come to him and he through the use of herbs he will attempt to cure AIDS, Stroke, Diabetes, and high blood pressure. The experience was like nothing I have experienced before. The idea that modern medicine isn't the answer was difficult to accept but many people will choose the herbalists remedies over western medicine, is it more effective... probably not but that is the belief of many people from this area. We have been focusing our studies on HIV/AIDS since this is the primary problem that leads to TB, and other opportunistic diseases. Interestingly though we are focusing much of our time on assess how to get more adequate nutrition, water, and overall sanitation to this area to increase general health which would decrease sickness. We have meet with many groups that deal with domestic violence, and sex education in attempts to reduce the spread of this virus through these vectors. An overall better general knowledge of the disease and how it is spread is needed in order to effectively stop the spread of HIV/AIDS.
All in all I am loving SA the country is beautiful and the people are extremely friendly. The way of life is completely different but well worth living. In the near future our group will be busy learning more about the local culture, writing many papers, and participating in different case studies applying to health issues w/ in Bush Buck Ridge.
Joel
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