Indonesia!

About a month ago, I touched down in Jakarta, Indonesia.  It is the farthest east I have ever been, and in fact, its so far east, I think its actually west.  Or just about.  It is basically completely the other side of the world.

Of course, I forgot to write about it or put in any pictures the first time.  It wasn't terribly exciting so for the most part, there wasn't all that much to see. We stayed in Bekasi, which is sort of a suburb of Jakarta, but really its all just part of one huge city.  Jakarta is giant, something like 10 or 14 million people and while it is definitely more developed in terms of infrastructure than some of the giant cities I have been in, at the end of the day, a city is a city.  Unless its a giant city, and then its just a city with even more traffic.

Malls are a really big thing there.  Malls and Starbucks are basically on every corner.  So you know, Starbucks are pretty much the same everywhere.  I have to say, once I ordered my double soy latte, and it tasted just like a double soy latte at home, well... there is just something so reassuring about that.

I read a book once in a political theory class about the rise in "nowhere spaces", spaces in the world that are all sort of exactly the same, like a McDonalds or, as it turns out, a Starbucks, that are completely uninfluenced by the culture or geography in which they exist and are the same everywhere.  And by being the same, by being everywhere, they essentially exist nowhere.  It was a discussion of globalization and while interesting, the reality of the nowhere spaces is kind of nice.  Its just a comforting feeling to know that in the midst of new food, new drinks, new reactions to foods, new languages and everything else, that you can go to your nowhere space and order something that you know will be what you want.  That said, there are maybe too many nowhere spaces when there is a Starbucks, a Domino's, a Pizza Hut, a KFC and a McDonalds all within 500 feet.

Anyway, back to the malls...

We went to one mall and saw a covered wagon ferris wheel at an inside amusement park

And some statues that I have no idea what to make of...

A different mall had a Beatles tribute concert that brought out all of the twisting skills of the local teenagers.  And one mall, blessedly, had wine.

Lest you think we spent all of our time in malls, let me correct you.  We spent most of our time here... In a conference room, teaching.

And getting a lot of these looks...

But teamwork always clarified when we failed.  And now our students have become the master (trainers).  

So I am back for Round 2, when our students teach new students, and so forth.  Before I get into that though, here are a few more pictures from my first visit...

We went to a bird park...

The fearsome Cassowary.  Really.  Its the most dangerous bird in the world.  It killed someone.  In 1905.  

And it sounds like a dinosaur from Jurassic Park.  Shani was very brave against the fearsome bird...

I was not.  Razor sharp talons.  Thats what those guys have.  So I hung out with this fellow.  Much more speed.  And taste in outfits..

And then after the bird park, we saw some traditional dancing...

And explored a replica of a traditional house in Papua, complete with carvings of ummm well... carvings of something....

And we took a tram ride...

All of this happened in Jakarta.  Now I am back again, in Yogyakarta (pronounced JogJakarta) and will post a few more pictures and rambling thoughts in the days to come.

Greetings from Uganda

Hello all,
It has been almost six years since I have been back in what I consider the heart of East Africa and it feels so nice to be back.  The first time I was in Uganda was in 2007 for my masters thesis work and then when I lived in Rwanda in 2008/2009, we made a few weekend trips up to visit the big city.  Its amazing to see how much has changed, and how much has not.  Traffic is still terrible, but the air seems a little cleaner.  Compared to other places I have been lately, it seems much cleaner than I remember.  I don't think I really realized how lush and green it was when I was here the first time, but now looking out over the surrounding area, there are more trees and bushes than I recall seeing in Ethiopia, Ghana, or Nigeria on my last few trips.  And people are as friendly as I remember.  Very warm.  Everyone has a greeting and a smile.

Unfortunately, the second I got off the plane I was hit with a major cold.  I blame the 13 month old demon in child form who sat next to me on the plane and coughed all over me, my food, and everything I had with me.  I had a great window seat in the exit row originally but then I agreed to switch with a young mother so she could sit next to her five year old.  Apparently they were split up by 27 rows.  So up I went 27 rows, thinking "sweet, nice deal" and giving myself a pat on the back for being a good humanitarian switching from a window seat to a middle seat.  Until I realized I had switched into the bassinet row.  That's the row where they set up all the clip in bassinets so the screaming, tiny people can sleep.  And two of the three screaming tiny people did sleep.  Just not the one in front of me.  I think he was up for literally the entire 12 hour flight kicking, throwing things, grabbing things, dropping things, until the last twenty minutes of the flight.  Thats when he decided it was time to sleep.  Anyway, short story long, I got hit with a major cold and have been confined to my hotel room for the past two days, alternating between sleeping and blowing my nose.  My co-worker arrives today and is bringing me DayQuil so hopefully this will soon be a distant, cough medicine-hazy memory and I will leave my hotel and actually see something other than the view from my bed.

If and when that happens, dear friends, I will post some pictures and snappy narrative.  Until then, please excuse me while I go blow my nose...

Home away from home

I have been to Addis so much in the last year that it is starting to feel like a second home.  

Know how to get from the airport to my bed?  Check

Know how much it should cost to take a cab?  Check

Know that I am getting ripped off by a cab even though I know where I am going?  Check

Sitting, pretending to listen to people but really not hearing a word they are saying?  Checkmate

I have been here so much and worked with the same people for so long, that it is comfortable coming back.  As comfortable as one can be without sit down toilets at work.  OK, sure, apparently squat toilets are more hygienic but I don't care.  I'm an American and I like to sit down when I pee.  Luckily, I got upgraded at the hotel I am staying at.  When I checked in they gave me the key to a room that was deadbolted when I tried to get in (was someone else staying there? Possible.  I don't think so though.  I think it just somehow magically bolted itself from the inside.).  Since no one could get in, they gave me the room next door.  Which is basically a suite.  It is legitimately the size of the apartment I lived in for four years during my PhD.  Jacuzzi tub and a sit-down toilet.  I mean all the toilets are sit-down in the hotel, but not every tub is a jacuzzi tub.  Upgrade!!  So I am quite comfortable this time.

Something that throws me off though is that I am getting used to not understanding a word that anyone says, since everyone speaks in Amharic.  And since I don't understand a word that anyone else says, I forget that they can still understand what I say.  At least some of it.  So yesterday when we were in the cab (with a lovely driver who was not ripping us off), and I was complaining about something (hopefully nothing to do with Ethiopia), it surprised me when the driver started talking to us in perfect English.  Turns out he has two degrees from Addis Ababa university.  And it threw me off, because I have to admit that one of the things I have grown used to with travel is the language bubble.  So much of the time, you can say whatever you want, because no one will understand a word that you say; its like walking around in a little impermeable bubble.  If you are in a bad mood and want to complain about the fact that the person next to you really needs to take a shower, you probably can.  If someone is wearing a cropped t-shirt when they should be not wearing a cropped t-shirt, you can probably note it.  If the waiter is really cute, you can probably point it out.  Buuuuut, then something will remind me that maybe you better not do that.  Because maybe the taxi driver understands you, and maybe the man who needs to shower understands you, and maybe the crop top understands you, and almost certainly, the waiter will understand you.  So probably, its better to remember that the bubble is more like a screen door.  Some stuff gets in, some stuff gets out, and if you aren't careful it will hit you in the ass.

Good thing I wasn't saying that the cab driver was cute (although he was) or that he drove like a maniac (which he did).  

New blog name

I decided it was time to change the name of the blog.  The stories of the Littlest Linnea had a time and a place, but since lately my postings are more about my personal reflections on the world at large and less about specific adventures, it seemed like I needed a change.  Worry not, the blog won't change much.  I won't post more than a couple of times a year, the postings will largely be the ravings of an overly educated professional traveler, and my pictures will still mostly be of buildings with the occasional circumspect people shot.  And probably I will change the name again soon because I didn't really think too hard about this one.

I chose it for a couple reasons.  One, I wrote my dissertation on indirect demographic estimation techniques.  Don't worry if that doesn't mean anything to you.  Its just the idea of trying to estimate something without having all the information that you would really like.  Sort of a general metaphor for what I do, what we all do, really.  It would be great to have all the facts all the time, but since we don't, we do the best with what we can.  And of course transit, because it seems like I am traveling as much as I am home.  Always in transit, somewhere.  And since there are very rarely direct flights from point A to point B, in travel or in life, it seemed like a fitting name.  And so, for the next hour or day or year or however long it is until I change the name again, Indirect Transit it will be.

And I might even update this soon because I am probably going to Ethiopia in a couple weeks.  And on the way back I am going to try to swing by Istanbul.  So hopefully I can update with some new photos and adventures from a whole new part of the world! 

Nigeria

So some of you may know this and others don't, but I just got back from Nigeria.  I contemplated posting something while I was there, because when I am traveling that is usually the only time that I post things, but decided against it.  The reason being that if you didn't already know, you would have no reason to worry.  And if you did already know, I was emailing my mom to let her know that I was fine.

Why would you worry, you might ask?  Well, if you read the news or watch the news or just have general access to the media, you might have heard of ebola.  Which is running rampant in West Africa right now.  I mean according to the media, ebola is practically already here.  Outside your door.  Just waiting for you to open your door and walk right into a big cloud of ebola...

But here is the thing, its actually pretty hard to get ebola.  People are most contagious right before and right after they die.  So unless you are taking care of someone on the brink of death from hemorrhagic fever, or are taking care of someone right after, you aren't likely to get it.  Doesn't mean its impossible, of course, but its not airborne, you can't get it from mosquitos, and since I don't meat, I can't get it from undercooked meat.  And since I went with public health instead of direct patient care, I am also not getting it from actually helping people.  Gross.  Helping people...

Ebola is real and its an epidemic and the infrastructure of West Africa is not suitable to deal with it. Social customs and financial constraints are absolutely leading to a public health emergency (things like this certainly don't help ((https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/166257-ebola-sparks-panic-across-nigeria-as-citizens-scramble-for-salt-water-bath-remedy.html#sthash.Y1En3Jko.dpbs)).  But its important that it not be blown out of proportion so that fear mongering takes over.  There are congress people advocating for closing the borders to foreigners from West Africa (here is a tip to those semi-racist congress people... American residents who travel to West Africa can also carry the virus.  Letting them back in when you are excluding everyone else isn't really going to solve the problem).  Screening everyone, no matter their country of residence is probably a better way to go.  Isolating people suspected of having the disease is critical.  But the random dude next to you at the supermarket who coughs, probably doesn't have it.  Remain calm.

There can and should be more done to control the epidemic.  Most countries (and I dare say the US is one of them) is ill-equipped to handle the kind of emergency being faced by Liberia, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, and Guinea today.  Being educated, being compassionate, and being rational helps though.  Educating the public instead of frightening them might also help.  At the risk of sounding a little farther to the right than I am comfortable with, there is something to be said for being frustrated with the "lame stream" media (God.  I said it.  I hate myself a little bit).  Sensationalism doesn't help people.  Facts and objective reporting might.  Since it seemed rather unlikely that that philosophy would suddenly infiltrate the media while I was gone, I figured I would let you all know that I am safe and sound and healthy when I got back.  And not have you worry overmuch while I was gone.

And because no soap box speech is complete without some pictures, here are some pictures I took of my time in Nigeria.  Please note, there are no bodies or hazmat suits anywhere.  Just some pictures of my very talented Nigerian co-workers.  And some family planning advertisements we saw.  Yay!!!

Venice at night

As you may or may not know, I am perilously close to finishing my doctorate.  Perilously because, as excited as I am to finish, it means that I am about to close one chapter in my life and face the whole rest of the unwritten novel.  Which is daunting.  But its also worthy of celebration.  And because I have the single greatest best friend in the whole world, she decided to get married just when I was finishing and to do it in style in Italy.  Was that really for me?  No, not at all, but still... great friend.  So here I am.  Celebrating two wondrous events with a two week vacation through Italy. And because my mother likes adventure and "wants to see Venice before [she] turns 66", she is adventuring with me.  But today it was just me.

I have to admit I was a little lame today.  I flew into Milan and then hopped a shuttle bus and a train to get to Venice.  While I am glad that I came first to Venice, I was too tired to try to take pictures of anything and when I got here, I crashed.  I am so envious of people that can survive on four hours of sleep.  That is not me.  I need eight.  Or at least six.  And when you are flying, even when you luck out and score the only seat on the plane without a neighbor and "sprawl" out on the luxuriousness of two seats, garnering mad-dog envy stares from everyone else around you, well, newflash, you still dont sleep that well. So when I got into Venice, I just crashed.  I mean, I took the public boat through the grand canal and wandered the streets for a while trying to find my hotel, but THEN I crashed.  I woke up in time to wander the streets at nightfall though and here are some of the photos I took.

Venice is a different city at night.  During the day, there are people EVERYWHERE.  Although as the waiter at the restaurant I ate tonight said, its nothing compared to high season.  I shudder.  But at night, its quiet.  The streets are empty, even the piazzas.  And its beautiful.  Venice is beautiful in the day too, at least from what I could see on the public taxi sitting next to the Spanish couple that argued for twenty minutes with the ticket collector about whether or not they should have to pay a fine for not purchasing the correct ticket (at least I think that is what they were arguing about since the ticket collector was arguing in Italian and the Spanish couple in Spanish and I was just trying to stare uncomfortably anywhere else because I was stuck right in the middle).  But what I could see was lovely.  It truly is a marvel of engineering.  You dont even realize that you are literally walking on water until all of a sudden the street you are on dead-ends into an alley of water.

Anyway, once I woke up, I took some pictures of Venice at night and here they are.  For those of you who might come in the future, follow Rick Steve's advice and take a break during part of one day, take a rest, and wander at night.  Totally worth it.  Plus you get to sleep.  Aces...

In case you wonder what I do

Here is a little taste.  The first is an article that I helped write that was recently published.  The idea is to quantify how much gains could be achieved in life expectancy if maternal mortality, one of the most preventable forms of mortality, could be achieved.  The second one I had absolutely nothing to do with but it very much speaks to why I have chosen to go into a field that studies and advocates for family planning and reproductive health.  For so many reasons, family planning is one of the most important keys to improving health, development, wealth, education, and other opportunities for women and men all over the world.  We are so lucky that women in our country have the ability to control when and if they want to have children and the freedom to take advantage of that (although there are so many, many people who would limit that right).  The ability to control the number and timing of children can allow women to receive more education, participate in the labor force, regain health between pregnancies, and limit their risk for maternal mortality (bringing these two articles together).  Even when I am worn down from work and dissertation, articles like the second one remind me how important it is that women be allowed to choose their reproductive destiny for themselves.

http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0086694

http://www.economist.com/news/middle-east-and-africa/21598646-hopes-africas-dramatic-population-bulge-may-create-prosperity-seem-have