I had quite the weekend in Kisumu – I got so much work done, but I also got a chance to relax, do a little shopping, eat some really good food. Friday I spent the day transcribing, getting some errands done, and drinking some good coffee, then I went out for dinner with Morgan and Kelsey, two of the girls I stayed with and got some good pizza. Mmmmm. Had a great night’s sleep, then Saturday I went shopping! They have such beautiful cloth here, I wanted to get some before I headed back, so Morgan showed me the good stands for cloth – I got some really beautiful pieces. Then we met Kelsey for lunch at this place that makes Mexican food – can you believe that? We got chicken enchiladas for less than $2 each – and they were actually good! Service, as usual, was REALLY slow – I was about ready to eat my arm, but the food was soooooo satisfying when it came. In the afternoon, we went and hung out at the pool for the afternoon – I finally got my feet clean! Which, of course, won’t matter after going out in the field tomorrow, but for now, it’s pretty fantastic. At night, we went and hung out at the same rooftop restaurant I did work in on Friday – it’s such a nice place, with cushioned benches all along the outer wall, candles on the tables – it felt pretty luxurious. Then Sunday, I spent the day traveling back to Mbita – oh, and forgot my cell phone at the girl’s house. There seems to be an issue with me, traveling back and forth to Kisumu and cell phones, but at least it isn’t lost this time! And Kelsey is coming out on Thursday for a girl’s football tournament happening out here, so she can bring it then.
Traveling – whew, that is ALWAYS an adventure. First, I have to go to the “stage” in Kisumu in order to get a matatu, so everyone is yelling at you “where are you going? Lwanda here, lwanda here!” and grabbing your arm, getting in your face – I seriously do not like that place. Kelsey was awesome and came with me to get the matatu, which I so appreciated. Anyway, I got on a matatu and we sat there for another 45 minutes or so until it filled up and of course, right at the end, this guy sitting next to me shoves a box on the floor between the front seat and my knees. Joy. Actually I didn’t know that it was his box – the matatu guy was the one who shoved it, squishing me so that I basically couldn’t move the rest of the time. I seriously don’t think my left leg is ever going to be the same! J Anyway, this guy sitting next to me kept wanting to talk and I finally told him I “just want to ride today.” Which he wasn’t very happy about – he wanted to know where I was going, where I was staying, what my name was, and I just wasn’t in the mood! Well, anyway, turns out the box that was cutting off circulation to my feet was his, except that HE didn’t have it in front of him and didn’t make any effort to move it. Grrr. Anyway, I was about ready to shoot the matatu driver – we stopped so many times (which is normal, just wasn’t in the mood with the stupid box in my way), but we did make the 3 o’clock ferry and I made it back! I went over to the neighbors to try and borrow their phone, but they had given it to someone else, so I couldn’t officially check to see if I had left it in Kisumu. But this morning, I got to the clinic, got the office phone and confirmed that, yes, it was there! And I guess that Moses, my moto driver, had called twice wondering why I hadn’t called for a ride. Oops. Kelsey I guess finally answered and let him know I didn’t have the phone.
I will be honest, I had a little bit of anxiety about the phone thing – I could just kick myself for forgetting it! But at the same time, I had to keep reminding myself that it just was what it was and worrying about it for too long wasn’t going to get me anywhere. Anyway, spent the day today walking around Kisui talking to women. The first woman was completely close-lipped. I asked her my first question, “When you are pregnant, what do you do to make sure you stay healthy and to keep the pregnancy safe?” and total silence. We probably sat there for about a minute before I said, “Are there foods that you believe are important to eat?” and she finally says, “Our local foods.” Oh, very helpful. The whole time, too, she is literally tearing apart this piece of fabric – she was so nervous! I kept trying questions, but she would either only give a one-word answer or she would say, “I don’t know” over and over! I finally gave up half-way through and just told her thank you very much.
The last woman we saw had 8 children – oh my. She wasn’t very open either, although a little more than the first woman. At the end, we started talking about birth control – she had tried “the injection” (Depo-Provera), but it had made her very sick, as did the pills, so of course, she’s on nothing right now and her husband refuses to wear a condom. Can I say 9th child might be on the way soon? So we talked about surgery (there are many women here who have tubal ligations) and possibly a norplant (kind’ve like an IUD). Anyway, then she really opened up, wanted me to stay for lunch (which I kindly refused – I am NOT getting sick again!) and to come back. Very sweet. I just feel so bad for the women here! Emily, the CHW who was walking around with us, is one of three wives with a total, between all three of them of 21 children. Oh my. She herself has 9! And, of course, has had a tubal ligation (“TL” they call it). She says, “Oh, the husband, I have forgotten about him – I can only think about the children now!” Basically, she says that with school fees for all of them, they just really don’t have money left over and so she goes without food often. I can’t imagine.
I saw another Michigan (UofM) t-shirt today – yeah!! Seriously, there must have been a shipment of Michigan wear sent over and it all ended up in this area. It tells me I was meant to be here. Haha. No UW t-shirts yet. Oh, funny thing – painted my finger nails in Kisumu and if I thought the kids were curious before, it’s nothing to having painted nails! One girl, the whole time I was talking to her mom, just sat there and rubbed my nails. Maybe she thought they were dirty?? So great.
…okay, the funniest thing happened at the clinic today when I got back from my interviews. There was this old woman there (well, she was probably only 65 or something, but she looked about 100) and she had another older lady with her. The very old woman needed support when she was walking, which is why the other woman was with her. Well, she had finished her appointment and a piki-piki (moto bike) that the helper lady had called shows up. He backs up right to the step, but they expect this old lady to just get on! Ver quickly they figured out that that wasn’t going to happen. Anyway, I’m watching them trying to figure out how they’re going to get this lady on – by this time, there was another man there and Milicent, our receptionist and my translator for the interviews. Milicent was trying to help the woman step on the foothold for the motobike, but the woman couldn’t balance on one foot. So finally, I went over and had the woman put one arm around my shoulders and I basically manhandled her onto the bike. She did NOT like the bike, because one we had her on it and straddled, her dress was way high on her legs AND she had to sit very close to the moto-driver so that her friend could sit on the back and make sure she stayed on. After MUCH adjusting, pulling down of the dress, scotching her forward, helping her friend get on, etc…they were off! With the woman complaining the whole time! (I don’t speak Luo, but I could totally tell she was NOT happy). I really wish I’d remembered to take a picture or that someone had had a video, it was so hilarious! Hopefully this gave you a good mental picture.
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