So there’s this saying here, “Ca fait deux jours.” It literally translated means, “It’s been two days,” but people use it to mean “It’s been a while.” I was so confused when people first started saying it to me. I was thinking, “No, actually it’s been 5 days since I last saw you.” Two days isn’t really a long time anyways. In Bissa, you say “Dom piya.” So sorry it’s been so long since I’ve been able to update my blog!!!
A lot has happened since I last wrote. It’s weird how normal life is starting to feel in village. It doesn’t even phase me anymore that I’m taking bucket showers or don’t have electricity. The family I live with is totally awesome and I’m so lucky I have them helping me out all the time.
Recently, I’ve kept myself busy with vaccination campaigns. To make sure that as many children as possible get their vaccines, the Ministry of Health organizes vaccination campaigns and they are administrated by each CSPS. In November, there was a campaign for polio. In December, there was a campaign for meningitis. The campaigns are exhausting because you go to the satellite villages, sometimes door-to-door, all day. But it’s a great opportunity to meet people in my satellite villages. Also, it’s been a great way to build relationships with the community health agents. The community health agents (representatives from each village who connect the CSPS to the community and mobilize the community) help out with the campaigns. They’re a really awesome and motivated group of people and I definitely see myself working with them a lot during my two years. I did a needs assessment activity with them to help me figure out what exactly the community wants me to do here. Some things that came up were sensibilisations (health education activities on topics like malaria, family planning, maternal health) and helping women with small enterprise development. I’ve also been doing an informal questionnaire. Anytime I can, I ask people, “Why is it difficult to have good health here?” The most frequent answers are mosquitoes, lack of means, and lack of nutritious food.
I’m starting to plan for projects and really excited to jump in after in-service training. I’m hoping to do a lot around nutrition because it’s something my community really recognizes as a health issue. I definitely foresee a lot of challenges and obstacles, but that can also be very motivating and exciting.
I have a name in Bissa. It’s Banse Tolow. Banse is the name of the family I live with. My name literally translated means “the name of the woman,” but as my brother explained it, it means the name of the woman with us. Before, I used to hear “nasara” all the time. Now, at the marche, biking back from the CSPS, or even visiting satellite villages for vaccination campaigns, I hear “Banse Tolow.” Although it can be overwhelming at times and frustrating that I’ll never be able to just quietly slip by at the market, it is comforting being somewhere where everyone knows you name. It’s hard to explain, but hearing people call me “Tolow,” and not “nasara,” makes me really feel like I’ve been adopted into my community.
Oh my goodness, so there’s so much more I want to write, but I don’t have enough time right now. Will get another chance to write in the middle of January. So sorry! Miss you all and thank you for all your thoughts, e-mails, and letters. Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!! Enjoy the holidays and Happy New Year!! (My New Year’s resolution is to get better at this blogging thing…)
