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Diary - July 27, 2003
FAREWELL TO JAMBIANI!!
Jambo, family and friends.
It is now nearing the end of July and I'm winding down my 3 month
secondment here in Jambiani. I have to take a deep breath as I
reflect upon this intense period of time, and close the doors
of my massage practice. I will be sad to say goodbye to this gorgeous
place, and to the friends and patients I have met here.
Pat and Alastair have passed on the good news that there are volunteers
lined up from October to next January. Fantastic to hear. Please
contact them to confirm this, or to enquire if you are interested
in contributing in some way to the project at any time. Areas
of need in the community are quite diverse... everything from
waste management, water usage, farming techniques, business development,
education, exercise instructors, swim teachers, music and arts
education and development, dental and opthamology... the list
is endless. I invite you to consider contributing in some manner.
Again, please contact Alastair and Pat thru the HABS email link.
Today was my last day in clinic. Phew. In 2+1/2 months of working,
I've got the clinic space operational, taken in 180 new patients,
done 320 treatments, and have taught 30 hours of relaxation massage.
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED. Big time. I feel great about the whole thing.
This experience has by far been the most worth while and profound
clinical endeavour in my professional life. It has been fun, scary,
challenging, rewarding, overwhelming, and wonderful all at the
same time. It is hard to leave this place, and already I fantasize
about returning. I'm also ready to take a break and move on to
my next adventure.
My suggestions to any future physical therapy volunteers would
be to:
a) bring or study up on tropical disease resource materials.
b) bring information handouts with therapeutic exercises or other
health information to be translated and/or photocopied over here.
c) do some fundraising before you leave... many supplies are available
and less expensive over here.
So, my friends, I'm signing off from Jambiani now, in the hopes
that you will be hearing from me again when I return to the Jambiani
Wellness Center... whenever that may be!
Yours in Health,
Yvonne
Greetings from Zanzibar!
Well the incredible experiences are certainly happening on a
daily basis here in Jambiani. There are so many things to write
about I'm not sure where to start. I will focus on the work aspect
of things and throw in the odd story or two :)
I have now found myself moonlighting with a second volunteer job
down here... teaching an English class to adults in the community.
This class was already up and running, they meet daily Mon-Fri
from 3pm to 5pm. I teach them twice a week. I started with 6 students
and now have 9, all adult males ranging in age from 25 to 42.
Their jobs here in the village range from gardener, snorkelling
guide, chief councillor of the village (mayor), hotel manager,
hotel van driver, fisherman to farmer. It has been a real pleasure
teaching them, we haven't been working out of a book specifically
but rather focus on activities where they can get lots of practicing
speaking then I provide them with feedback. They have debates
on fascinating topics such as should a man only have one wife,
or several (as is common here in the muslim culture), is it better
to have only 2 children or 6 or more (again, as is common here
in Zanzibar), is it okay for tourists to flock to the east coast
of the island to go out on charter boats to see the dolphins,
or should they be left alone in their natural habitat - the dolphins
that is!! :)
Then I must admit that one of my favorite times of the week is
the walk home thru the village after this English class. It takes
about 30-45 minutes to walk home but it takes me 60-90 minutes
because I keep stopping and meeting villagers along the way or
stopping to play with the kids. I draw hopscotch in the sand,
or we skip, which may start with me and 5 kids but ends up with
about 25 kids all wanting to be the next one in line to show me
how well they can skip, be it girls or boys. This time for me
is so precious, these kids really are something else... seeing
the 4 year old with their 8 month old sister on their hip, wiping
her nose or smelling her bottom, then handing her off to their
friend when it is their turn to skip. After I've finished skipping
or playing hopscotch I carry on and stop and chit chat with those
that I see regularly on the way home, or stop to learn how to
make rope from the husk of the coconut shell from one of the women
in the village who is sitting on her porch making rope. There
are about 5 football fields (or soccer as we know it in Canada)
on the way home so I usually stop and watch a game for awhile,
then catch a ride on the back of one of the fellow's bike that
is riding by then hop off when we have reached his house and pop
in to meet his kids and wife. Oh I forgot to mention that I am
always dressed in a kanga for work which inevitably always draws
a snicker or two from any local women that may not have seen me
yet.
My work with the deaf kids in the local school is going very well.
I have made some important connections with the Office for Persons
With a Disability in StoneTown and have met with two people that
are over from Dar es Salaam on a 3 yr contract to teach sign language
here in Zanzibar. I attended a few of their classes, one for deaf
people learning how to teach sign language, another for deaf people
who themselves are only just learning sign language, and then
another for teachers who are learning to become sign language
interpreters. I gave a 3 hour presentation to this latter class
and will be attending that class one more time before I leave
to give another presentation.
The next step will be to arrange for the two main teachers to
make the trek out to Jambiani (90 minute drive from StoneTown)
and have a meeting with the Headmaster of the school and a few
of the teachers. I am really looking forward to this meeting as
it will be the link that will allow the work I have been doing
with these deaf kids to continue after I've gone, which is the
ultimate goal especially when it will be done by fellow Tanzanians.
As far as the clinic goes, Yvonne, the current practitioner is
winding down for her last couple of weeks here in Jambiani. She
has been doing an amazing job and has been holding down the fort
on her own which has been no easy task. Unfortunately no practitioners
were found for August and September so when Yvonne leaves the
clinic will be closed until 'Ali Baba' as he is fondly referred
to here by the locals and Mama Pat, return in October. For any
of you practitioners out there reading this with excitement and
curiosity, I can't tell you what an incredible experience you
will have. Not only will it be life altering for you, it will
be such a rewarding experience when you meet the people here and
realize how in need they are of your services, how you will touch
so many people and they in turn will creep into your heart forever.
I don't know what it is about Jambiani and the people here but
be warned, it is very contagious. The clinic is ever so comfortable,
and hey where else can you finish a day's work, take 50 steps
and be standing on one of the most beautiful deserted white sand
beaches in the world.......... here in Zanzibar! Come on, send
that email to Pat and Alastair and tell them when you can come!
Til next time,
Kristi Falconer
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