Mountains and Milkshakes

5/8/09
Today was such a gorgeous day that Jamie and decided to hike Lion’s Head after work. After a super long and demanding week, I came home and fell asleep almost immediately. We were calling a cab to the base of the mountain just after 3pm. Lion’s head is the peak of a long double-humped (fairly small) mountain. The other hump is aptly named “Lion’s Rump”. The actual “head” of the mountain is mostly rock. After a winding dirt trail that brings all the way around the mountain, the remaining climb is chains, ladders and (simple) rock climbing. It was perfectly challenging. The big difference I’ve noted between hiking here and at home in NH is that the mountains here are bare, providing beautiful panoramic views of the city and beaches below. It is absolutely breathtaking and I never tire of the views of the cliffs and crashing waves.

In the evening, a bunch of us went for dinner at Royales on Long St. Royales is famous for their burgers and chips (french fries). They offer a choice of regular, wedge and sweet potato fries. OR for the indecisive types (like myself) you can order a mixture of all three! The burger I ordered was veal blended with basil and cheeses. Everything was delicious, per usual. Lastly, we all ordered milkshakes to go. Also delicious..between us there was a chocolate-coconut, a milo (type of choc) and banana, smarties (similar to m&m’s), oreo and choc-banana-peanut butter. We were all happily satiated walking home.

LESSON #17: MOUNTAIN VIEWS ARE THE BEST MAPS…I have acclimated myself to Cape Town best by climbing its mountains and examining the city. It’s a city map “in the flesh”. Each new view shows me a new street, connection, or short cut to my favorite places.

British:
Pull = kiss (I pulled so-and-so last night)

Some Thoughts

5/6/09
Cara, Tami, Caroline, Jamie and I have been responding to a thread on facebook. Cara started it when she arrived home and it inadvertently became a means of communication for the 5 of us. Cara and Tami have mentioned how hard it is to be back home and away from everything that is Cape Town. Cara sounds on the border of depression and Tami empathizes, adding that she believes her family and friends are tired of hearing about her Cape Town adventure. It reminds me (on a much smaller scale) of Burn Camp. Even though it’s only a week’s time, returning back to the “real world” is always an adjustment. Each summer, it takes me a day or two to become a fully functioning human being again. It’s mostly because it takes that long to wash the bug spray and dirt from your skin, and to catch up on the 95 hours of sleep that were lost. But it’s also because the experience you share is profound, and the people you share it with are rare. You have this short but intense circumstance, and then you wake up one day and it’s gone. Your life is completely different. Everything that you knew (that became your universe) is gone; the people, the places, the smells, the routine. Just like that, you are left floating; trying to find your footing again. You do it, because the human body is remarkable like that. Eventually, you get back on track and you continue forward. Because it’s all we can do. We hold on to the memories and take the lessons and experiences with us…and onto the next adventure.

I learned earlier this week that I will be getting a roommate on May 18th. She is from New York City. I will certainly miss having my own room, but that's not what I signed up for. Soooo I look forward to meeting yet another new face and sharing this fabulous apartment! The only thing that sits in the back of my mind is that I gather that she is young…as in 20. That’s an awfully small room to be sharing with someone who could be so drastically different. However, I know it’s not fair to judge a person on age….or anything for that matter. I’m just going to embrace the change and make the best of it. Worse case scenerio: it’s only 5 weeks.

Lucy and I had a conversation on the way home from yoga about traveling. She mentioned that, while she loves traveling, she doesn’t think it’s good for you. I begged her to explain…Lucy went on to say that traveling, in a sense, spoils you; it makes your own city/country seem boring. Hence, those who travel would be bored all the time. She added that those who don’t travel are living in blissful ignorance. While I see her point, I don’t necessarily agree. I think traveling also helps you to appreciate where you come from. When you travel, you miss all the things and people you are living without. Those things are that much more gratifying when you return home. Furthermore, I am all for any endeavor that expands your knowledge. I am always so entertained to learn the differences among myself and those I visit. To learn about the way OTHER people were brought up and the ways they practice and the TV shows and music they were exposed to, and the children’s songs they sang and how they spent their childhood. I think traveling has given me a better understanding of where I’m from. For example, why certain laws exist: Being in an environment that is without those same laws is a first hand experience as to why that law was a good idea. While I can attest to both DEstructive and CONstructive ideas of any place, I believe it an advantage to have the ability to weigh and understand those opposing ideas.

Who is Cinco De Mayo?

5/5/09
Happy Cinco de Mayo, amigos!! This week (so far) at RCCH it has been just Jamie and I. Cara and Taylor are gone and Caroline has been away with her parents while they are visiting. Mondays are one of the big theatre days. There were 8 kids of the 18 on C2 scheduled for the ONE theatre reserved for burns. The remaining 10 inpatients and 5 outpatients all had dressings to change and attention spans to occupy. Even still, the ward was entirely manageable and the morning passed fluidly.

While in theatre with a patient (who was passed out on meds and taken in almost immediately), I ran into another patient who I recognized from past visits to C2. She is 7 years old and a spitfire. Weighing in at about 30lbs, she is affectionate, busy, talkative, and energetic. Her injuries are pretty involved and she has a history of theatre anxiety, particularly with the large lights and the mask used to administer anesthesia. Today, waiting her turn for surgery, she was her bubbly self. We began to play solely for fun. Before long, the doctors called for her and she became teary and clingy to her mother. The mother asked me to accompany them…and bring bubbles. As we passed through the doors to the theatre, the patient ‘hit the ceiling’ (as we say). She was reaching for the door and crying. When she spotted the mask on the bed, she out her hand over her face and shouted, “my nose is closed! My nose is closed!” The team led mom and the patient back out into the hallway and we discussed trying an IV (instead of the mask). They gave her some numbing cream and sent us to a bench to color. I gathered that neither mom nor the patient understood what the cream was for. I did an impromptu preparation; explaining the IV and the purpose of the cream. By child life standards it was far from an ideal prep situation, but it rarely ever is. Just as I was closing up my sprinted prep session, the doctors called for us again. I asked if mom could hold the patient during the insertion. Implementing, a “comfort hold”, I suggested that the patient sit facing mom. This would allow them to hug each other and minimize the patient’s space to squirm (but in a non-threatening way!). After two attempts at inserting an IV, and lots of crying and bubbles, the mother stood up and announced that they were finished. In the past, this patient has always been medicated before surgery because of her anxiety. Because the patient was admitted from a general pedi unit (not C2), her history was not known and she was not pre-medicated. The patient’s surgery was rescheduled at mom’s request.

Later, Jenny Thomas (head of anesthesia-and our ‘boss’) found me. She began to describe the patient I had been with in theatre that morning. She was seeking us out to help prepare the child appropriately. She feels strongly about the work we do in child life and goes the extra miles to ensure that our services are present where needed. I told her I had been with the patient that morning and was hoping to work with her further. Jenny informed me that I would have that opportunity since she scheduled the patient to come in next week for the sole purpose of being prepared. As a child life specialist, it is common to slip under the radar. We often have to seek out the patients in need ourselves and then beg for a few minutes alone with the child for a quick preparation. It was refreshing to be so accommodated for. The only thing weighing on me now is that I pray I am successful!

I should use this time to talk about the Child Life program at RCCH. I realized I haven’t talked much about that, as big a role as it has played on my time spent here. What’s happening here is nothing short of extraordinary. Jenny or Prof (the respective title given to head doctors) has been an amazing advocate for our practice. Jenny believes child life plays is an integral part of the medical team and is nothing but supportive. She has been extremely instrumental in implementing the program, providing our (generous by Child life standards) office space, and connecting

us with patient’s who are in need of our services.

At the weekly Pain Management (our department) meeting this morning, I attended in Caroline’s absence. Jenny reiterated the case of the anxious 7 year old and then presented a follow up with a few other patients child life assisted with. One of the women asked, “What will happen once the girls are gone and who will take their place?” Jenny’s response was profound and touching. I wish I had a tape recorder or had at least taken notes, but this was the jist:

“…I want you to understand something. The work that these girls do is a practiced skill. They are not volunteers, they are not students. They have four years education in their field. That is not something that just gets replaced. If they leave, the services stop…I don’t know if any of you have had the opportunity to observe the work that they do but is absolutely awesome…it’s humbling…and it’s marvelous the changes I’ve seen in children…these kids don’t need pre-meds, child life is their pre-med.”

I was almost moved to tears. Mostly because I haven’t heard anyone outside of child life speak about it so passionately and respectfully. All of the staff have been receptive to child life on the unit. On Cara and Taylor’s last day at RCCH we had our own farewell tea on Tuesday. Caroline’s parents were visiting and joined in on the celebrations. For all staff, Wednesday’s Tea was a gaggle of farewell speeches and thank yous. One of the residents shared his appreciation for the respect shown for all staff on C2. Even though Prof (head doctor) calls the shots, there is generally no true hierarchy. The sense of teamwork is tangible on C2. Staff members (child life included!) are able to speak up and make an argument for their practice without being snubbed. On the contrary, the staff are open to new ideas and therapies. Prof went on to talk about his appreciation for “complimentary medicine” (i.e. Child Life J). He noted its contribution in all aspects of healthcare, form the wards to the theatre. He paid tribute the difference it makes; not just a small one, but a large, very visible one. He ended his message with hopes that complimentary medicine would become a permanent fixture at RCCH. Connect 123 is has been meeting with us and (the almighty and fabulous!) Caroline to add her to the Connect team. She just signed a contract this afternoon to stay in Cape Town (employed by connect and working at Red Cross) for the next YEAR!! Child life is coming to Cape Town, and we are the pioneers!

In the evening, a group of us went out for a Mexican dinner. We ended up on Long Street at “Mexican Kitchen”. We had margaritas and nachos while sitting outside in the not-so-sitting-outside weather. But still had a great time. Jamie and I headed back early (since we had an early morning ahead of us) with a few of the newer connect people. Driving home, I listened to them make the same comments I once made about Cape Town. Without a second thought I was explaining things to them. I immediately thought, ‘What do I know?! I just got here!!’ But I realized that I had graduated from ‘newbie’ to ‘veteran’. I sat in silence for the rest of the ride swallowing the idea and watching Cape Town pass by my window.

FYE: Many of our friends from other countries have never heard of the Holiday "Cinco De Mayo". Lucy and Pippa spent the day in utter confusion since they didn't officially learn about it until this evening. Tracey sent a mass SMS saying, "It's Cinco De Mayo. Do you want to go out to dinner?" Lucy spent the day trying to figure out who Cinco De Mayo was; taking Tracey's phone and asking her to dinner while pippa thought someone was asking her about mayonaise.

Connect Word of the Day: Sinceriously

South African Slang:
SMS = text (i.e. ‘sms me when you get back’)
Smiley = lamb head (“an animal that is happy to die…always smiling.” The heads are cooked over and open fire. The meat is eaten straight out of the head. “You go to the bar and eat peanuts. We eat smileys like that.”)
Shabeen = township pub (The pubs consist of a hut within the townships. Beer is brewed and served in large tin buckets for sharing. Drinking beer is always a part of tribal ceremonies and has been for centuries. In continuing this practice, they are connecting with their ancestors.)
Veld = field or area (maybe) "bush veld"

A 'Medium Cup' Kind of Day

5/3/09
I started my day with an am run to the base of Table mountain. While running the base trails, I found myself in the middle of a race! I was running opposite the race and passed runners every 15 feet or so. At first I thought I should leave, but I realized that there was nothing that kept me from the trail…so I kept going, cheering the runners on as they passed. I was taking in the view of Lions Head to my left, Table behind me and the city in front of me when an energetic and over zealous runner spotted me and said, “Wow! Morning Ma’ am! You look hot!” The next thing I knew I was being squirted with water. I watched him as he passed me. Not breaking stride, he held up his hand and said, “Your welcome!” Completely in shock, I could only laugh. It was so bizarre it was comical. Just around the next corner, I saw a volunteer handing out what appeared to be gel packets. But when I saw a used wrapper on the ground, I saw it was actually a water packet! How ingenious!

In the early afternoon, Jamie and I set out for Camp’s Bay. It was the perfect beach day; high sixties, clear skies and no wind. We first got lunch at The Bayside Café. Having made myself a large breakfast (scrambled eggs with cottage cheese and ketchup on wheat and fruit), I placed a small order of two tapas. My tapas were (no surprise) delicious!! One was a veggie tapa: veggies, pesto and parmesan on sliced (and toasted) French bread. The second was an adventure: springbok (a South African antelope) and parmesan. Springbok tasted just like ham. Yum!! We spent the rest of the afternoon laying and walking on the beach watching the surfers and beach goers. Camp’s Bay is prime spot for people watching. The children are adorable and almost all of them can ride waves, either with different boards or with their bodies. The waves here are incredible. I’m seriously considering testing them out for myself. The surfers get pretty far out there without any shark encounters, but there are a lot of rocks…I also hesitate to spend money on a board when I know how cold the water is and that the temp should only continue to drop. Not too mention I would never get it home..But it won’t get TOO cold and the waves are just begging me to get in and play.

After getting some ice cream from our favorite place, Marcel’s, we decided to wait out the couple hours until sunset. We got grapetizers (exceptionordinarly delicious sparkling water fruit drinks) and toppers (equally delicious cookies made famous on our safari!) and made ourselves comfy in the sand. I don’t know what it is about me and cookies and candy bars here in South Africa. I think it’s all the new options. The US sweets are easy for me to deny, but I have NO discipline when it comes to South African sweets. Good thing I’ve also increased my exercising.

The sunsets are gorgeous at the beach, but I think I’ve been spoiled by our safari ones. The colors were magnificent and like nothing I’ve ever seen before. I kept waiting for the sky at Camp’s Bay to get prettier but it never quite met my expectations. I hope I can sincerely enjoy a regular sunset again. Regardless, our sunset was beautiful, especially against the waves (sprinkled with surfers).

South African Slang:
Alice Band = Headband
Candy Floss = Cotton Candy
Now = anytime between now and 5 hours from now; variations include: “just now” and “now now”
“The Monkeys are having a wedding” = when it’s raining while the sun is shining
“Noon-Zan” = What’s your name? (shona)
Billtong = Beef Jerky
Shame = awww or “sad”

TRY!

5/2/09
Yesterday we started the morning with a hike up Lion’s Head. Lion’s head is much smaller than Table. It’s a diverse hike with beautiful views of the beaches (Camp’s Bay and Clifton) and Table Mountain. Jamie and I hadn’t hiked it yet, so Cara led the way. From my apartment (the city/waterfront side), the skies where mostly clear and the temp was warm. Only as a second thought did we grab long sleeves (just in case!). Walking out the front of the building (the mountain side), we were met with cool air and gray skies ?!! We went on with our hike anyways. The fog was passing quickly so we decided we were safe. It was a fine hike until about halfway up….when it began to rain. Lion’s Head is a trail with lots of (metal) ladders and rocks. Swallowing our pride, we agreed it was in our best interest to turn around. We continued walking all the way into town (to make up for the lost miles) for breakfast. We ate at Caramello’s and it was delectable! Cara and I had scrambled eggs, bacon (which, PS, is not like American bacon) and gouda on a croissant. Jamie had an omelet. Not only do South Africans know how to enjoy a meal, they also know how to cook one! I have yet to have a disappointing meal…unless you count the fast food Jamie and I had a couple weeks ago, but that was a fault of our own.

Later in the afternoon, we ventured to the waterfront. We usually take a cab there but I’ve run to it a few times, and we wanted to attempt the walk. Since it was “Workers Day” (Labor Day?), the city was desolate. When they say “holiday” in Cape Town, they mean it. No super sales, extended hours, or even alcohol. People here take their holidays and relaxation seriously…one of the very few things we Americans DON’T take seriously.

Today was Cara’s departure day! :( I made my fabulous croissant French toast for breakfast, then Cara, Jamie, Lucy and I walked (about 2 miles) up to Table Mountain National Park to hike the base trails. They wrap around Table Mountain and provide glorious views of the mountains, the city, and the waterfront. I spotted the coolest bird I’ve ever seen…well, it rivals the Lilac-Crested Roller I saw on the safari. This bird had 3 or 4 flowing tails that made a beautiful flapping noise when in flight, which was very close to the ground. I read later that they do this to impress the females. We tried, to no avail, to get lost in the woods so that Cara might miss her flight. She wasn’t buying my insistence on turning right off of the dirt path up into the rocks and shoulder high grass…I should know better than to try and fool such avid hikers as ourselves…

This evening Jamie, Murray (Jamie’s friend who led us up Table Mountain), Martin(Murray’s father) and I attended a real live Stormers game! The Stormers are the South African professional rugby team. They were playing the New Zealand Chiefs tonight. Murray got word that we were interested in going and made the arrangements. Our seats were incredible; about 5 rows from the field just before the Try Line (Goal Line). The best part: the tickets were R65 (less than 10 USD)!!!! And a bottle of water: R10 (just over a dollar!!!) The popular snacks at rugby games are doughnuts and biltong (beef jerky). They also sold chips, soda, ice cream and burgers. I saw maybe 2 hotdogs. The most entertaining vendors were the guys with the packs of hot chocolate on their backs. A hose swung around to the front for pouring. Sounds like a recipe for disaster, but there were none that I witnessed. My best purchase of the night was a rollout sign that read, “TRY!” ...R10!! I love that sports are an affordable form of entertainment, as it should be! Sometimes, I can’t help but think that this third world country has a better handle on lifestyle than the almighty US of A…

thanks tami!

Goodbyes...shame

5/1/09
Happy May day! This Wednesday I will have been in Cape Town for exactly a month. I will have been away from home for 5 weeks. It’s crazy how fast it has gone by, yet my first day seems ages away.

Two of my friends are leaving this week. Tami left last night and Cara leaves tomorrow night. There is always coming and going at Connect. It seems like a place that everyone should be arriving and departing at the same time. Like it was college or something. It’s hard to leave friends behind and to carry on without the old ones. Cara and Tami have both spent two months here in Cape Town. They were having trouble imagining themselves back in the states: returning to work and seeing old friends, how it felt like they’d been away for ages. I can only imagine how I’m going to feel after THREE months. I also didn’t realize how profound it will be to celebrate the 4th of July as soon as I get back. It will surely be an intense experience. But that’s a ways away. We talked a lot today about living in the moment. The past is the past and the future is unpredictable. “We have now. We have this. We are in AFRICA!”

Even though I’ve only known these girls for a month, our friendships run deep. We have the child life crew: Myself and Caroline from the North East coast, Jamie from Oklahoma/Arizona, and Cara from Missouri. Then there is Tami from the North West coast who Caroline met when she first arrived. My roommate, Lucy, and Jamie’s roommate, Pippa, work together at a Refugee camp. They are from England and have become good friends with Cara’s roommate, Megan from Philadelphia. We are intertwined into a diverse, comical, and-ever entertaining social group. Individually, we are pretty true to our region while at the same time crushing many of its stereotypes. Together (and against a South African back drop) we are as ‘American Female’ as one would expect. When out in the city (and particularly in the bush) our mannerisms, reactions, and morals mirror one another more often than we would have ever thought. A lot of it has to do with the humanitarian in each of us, but the gestures and language bleed red white and blue. It’s not until you are the only 4 or 5 individuals doing the opposite of everyone around you, that you realize the common ground that such a sundry group can share.

On Wednesday night we had a farewell dinner at The Kove for Tami. It’s pretty posh by Cape Town standards. Located on the beach at Camp’s Bay, the décor is elegant and refreshing. And the food: delicious!! We all sampled and shared so I can vouch that EVERYTHING was delicious. Later that night she, Caroline, Lucy, and a fellow connect-er, Bart, went out to a nearby bar. A total dive, we spent the majority of our time playing foosball. Tami left for her flight at 4:45 Thursday evening. Jamie, Cara and I helped her cart her luggage into her taxi and parted with a heartfelt and tearful goodbye. We were pretty “blah” for the remainder of the evening. Since it was our weekly dinner night, Cara, Jamie and I cooked up Cara’s leftovers (and some fantastic brownies). Everyone else was otherwise occupied (being the night before a holiday-yes ANOTHER holiday). We concluded the evening with a shopping spree and photo shoot of Tami’s leftover wardrobe that wouldn’t fit in her suitcase. Cara is spending the weekend with us in my spare bed. She had to be out of her apt by the first and Lucy and I were happy to host her. It’s like a slumber party!!

FYE: For the past 2 weeks we have had these two (reconstructive pt) boys roaming the unit awaiting surgery. My theory with healthy children in hospitals is that they do not belong there. Their daily expended energy requirements can not be met in a hospital setting. However, when the situation presents itself, Child life accommodates. J These boys are noted to be 4 and 5, but we agree they are closer to 5 and 7. Neither of them have a guardian staying with them so the staff certainly have their work cut out for them. Between all of us (as in all staff-not just child life), the boys have been consistently entertained and staying out of any real trouble. We only had one run-in with a particularly out-of-sorts staff member. I had the boys playing with a beach ball on the front porch. The play was under control, but the boys kept walking in and out to get things from their room, use the bathroom, or chase us down for a hug. The staff member said to Jamie, “I can’t have all this back and forth, they must pick one place or another.” After Jamie relayed this info, we told the boys to pick an area. They chose the porch and we provided them with anything they might need. We took turns walking back to the porch to check on the boys. This same staff member finally approached us, “You really must stop this back and forth, it is too distracting.” I announced that these expectations were unrealistic, but she ignored me and closed the door. Beginning to feel slightly intimidated, Jamie and I were trapped on the porch. We began to once again engage the boys, wondering how to get back to the floor where our other patient’s were waiting for us. Well, we didn’t have to stress too long and hard because only minutes later, the staff member came back out on the porch. This time she was visibly upset and told us we MUST leave the porch. We were not allowed to be out there because outpatients were coming. ?!?! A whole lot of pressure could have been avoided is she had just kicked us off the porch in the first place…but that’s just me.

FYE: During the boys first week with us, I was assigned to their bay. Already in high gear at 8am, I set off to find them an activity. I sat them in the small art/music therapy area at the end of the hallway. No more than 3 minutes later, I returned with a memory game, to the muffled sounds of fighting. I entered the doorway to find the boys out of their chairs in a full fledged FIST FIGHT. Being 8am and utterly astonished, I said the first thing that came to my mind, “Hands are not for hitting!” The three of us took a moment to process what came out of my mouth. I seized the opportunity and instructed them, “you sit here, you sit there!” They immediately started in with the, “he called me this..” game. I did not have the brain capacity or the energy to mediate the argument so I only said, “It’s all over! The moments passed. It doesn’t matter. We are going to eat our breakfast and then start over.” Anytime they opened their mouths to whine, I repeated one of those phrases. It worked marvelously. Before long they were friends again and we all played a riveting and entertaining game of memory. One of the child life team’s favorite quotes is now, “Hands are not for hitting”; nouns and verbs substituted as appropriate.

Afrikaans:
Lollipop Ice Cream = popsicle
Alice Band = Headband
Candy Floss = Cotton Candy
Howzit = How are you?
Now now = in a little bit (we will be done now now…mommy will be here now now)
“The Monkeys are having a wedding” = when it’s raining while the sun is shining
“Noon-Zan” = What’s your name?
Billtong = Beef Jerky
Shame = awww (so if you saw a baby or a puppy-aw so cute!..OR if you saw a crying child-aw so sad)

after dinner fashion show with tami's clothes that wouldn't fit in her suitcase...and my attempt at carrying a baby the African way.

The Bush

4/28/09
This past weekend Cara, Tami, Jamie and myself set out on our safari adventure! Jamie and I were up by 4 am Saturday morning in order to catch our 5:45 flight to Jo-burg. What’s funny is that each of our roommates was just getting in from the previous night’s celebrating as we were heading out. It made for comical interactions…

We met up with Tami and Cara that afternoon in the Jo-burg airport, then continued on together to Hoedspruit (Kruger). The flight was just under an hour and the plane was propeller operated and about 12 rows long. We were the youngest by at least 30 years of our fellow travelers. We remembered our guide (Craig) mentioning that he was excited to have guests more his age. We flew over beautiful mountains and plains before landing in the tiniest airport ever.

I’m convinced it may even be the smallest in the world. The plane let us out in the middle of nowhere at the end of a small runway (big enough to host just one plane at a time). We were then led down a brick walkway to a fenced in (it did have barbed wire) hut-looking building. The luggage from the plane was pulled by a tractor. We were so thoroughly entertained by the entire scene! We were laughing, squealing, and taking pictures left and right. Once through the initial gate, we spotted Craig. He described himself as unusually thin, tan and in Safari gear. That’s exactly what was waiting for us. What he didn’t mention was barefoot. He quickly became the next subject of our photos. As the other (posh) rangers (from their shi-shi lodges in their preppy safari gear) collected their “cronies” (as Craig later described the majority of the older safari-going population), Craig (barefoot and scruffy from “the bush”) received big hugs from his four young American guests. As the cronies boarded big, shiny Land Rovers, we oogled over and snapped pictures of Craig’s older, more used version. He grinned and waved, “Cheers” to his fellow rangers and we piled in. Our Safari adventure had officially begun!

Kruger National Park is a very large, very popular Safari destination. We got the recommendation (and a 20% discount!) through Connect. Because of our “connections” the four of us were the only guests of Craig 1 and Craig 2 at GREATER Kruger National Park. They are conservationist game rangers living in the wild year round. They dedicate their lives to the wild and all its living creatures. For periods of time they take on volunteers to help them with their research and studies, but otherwise only take Connect Kids. They also host 6 lodges for the occasional guest, however, they have drifted away from the commercial piece, preferring not to ‘host” and “entertain”. An hour with these Craigs and you realize why. Craig Spencer (Craig #1) is the scientist. Thin, tanned, wide smiled, and blunt. What you see is what you get with this guy. Then there is Craig Fox (Craig #2), equally thin and tanned with a charming smile and wonderful blue eyes . He is a trained ranger who chauffeured 98% of our drives. He conducted these drives with endless facts about the bush and the animals and plants which inhabit it. Elephants (Elleys) are his speciality. He is highly dedicated to protecting these wonderful beasts, and his love for them pores out of him. Both guys are highly educated and shared a wealth of knowledge over the weekend. We stayed with the Craigs and their mongoose, affectionately called, “The Children” at Ezulwini or “Paradise” Camp. Mongoose look almost like ferrets but with no tails. They love people and affection and will shimmy up a chair, steps, or even your legs to snuggle. Cara and I found them adorable and settled with them all over camp. Tami and Jamie were less than amused by the mongoose (Eva, Indiana Jones, and Wellington). The camp was made up of 4 chalets -small huts just big enough for two beds raised about 12 feet high on stilts; 2 bathrooms –a toilet, sink and faucet enclosed in 3 and half walls of bamboo shoots (?); A large hut to serve as a dining room/office; a kitchen area with a beautiful rooftop for game (and star!) viewing; tiki torches and, of course, a campfire. It truly was paradise…

The weekend was an adventure from the very beginning. From the airport to our camp we had already spotted Zebra, Giraffe, impala and a Jackal, towed and jumpstarted a land rover (bush style-w a rope), and got to know our rangers. That evening, after setting up camp, we went on our first game drive with Craig #2. We saw two male Rhinos (which apparently is very rare since they don’t normally enjoy the company of other males). I had no idea how large African Rhinos are! Wow!! They could be mistaken for small elephants! We also spotted a male Elephant and countless more Giraffe and Zebra. After about 2 hours of driving, we stopped at a watering hole for some wine, water and biscuits at Sunset. The night sky in the bush is amazing. The sunsets are of the most vibrant and colorful I’ve ever seen. Once the sun was set, the stars began to come out. Because there was no moon during our stay and the skies are always clear, the stars are absolutely breathtaking. Breathtaking. We spent the entire drive back to camp (at least an hour) staring up at the stars as we bounced along in the rover. Craig pointed out some impala with his giant spotlight and proceeded to teach us about how the male will create himself a harem of females. He will then spend the next few months mating with all of them and keeping them from mating with other males. This is a very tiring job for these studs and are often thin and weary by the end of mating season. Craig was touched and “refreshed” that we asked him not to shine the lights on the herd since it alarmed them. We began to grow on the Craigs in all our squeeling, giggling and bathroom stops (note: 3 of the 4 of us had our period in the bush). In return they grew on us in all their rustic, chain smoking, and crass comments. They were really very endearing…I mean, any man who dedicates his life to conserving animals has to be. We commenced the evening with a campfire steak and potatoes compliments of Craig 2. We all agreed it was the best streak we’d ever had…and it had little to do with the actual taste. As we were settling into our chalets Craig announced that there was a leopard nearby. We fell silent and heard a subtle almost throat-clearing rumble. I was admittedly scared at first; to think a leopard was prowling around our camp, but I quickly decided it was actually really cool. I was in awe…but then asked, thinking of our stilted chalet, “Can leopards climb stairs?” Craig replied, “Lady, leopards can EAT stairs.”

The next day started around 6 am (just before sunrise). We push started our rover and we were off for our am game drive. A little ways into the drive (after countless giraffe, zebra, impala and warthog sightings) we got word of a lioness moving her cubs. We learned that lions lay low during the day. In the early hours of the morning, the mothers hide their cubs in tall grass or among rocks to protect them from elephants and out of the heat. For this reason, in addition to our short stay, we did not spot any lions L. We did, however, hear plenty from them. From the other side of “pride rock” we heard the mother calling to her young. It was a low grumbling sound. After 20 minutes or so of no sightings, Craig decided the lioness wasn’t moving and we headed off for our am tea and biscuit break. Typically well-eating, exercising, caffeine-avoiding Americans, we quickly adapted the bush tradition of having coffee, tea and biscuits (which are really just cookies with a title that makes you feel better about eating them before 8 am) daily. After spotting more giraffe and zebra (who are actually “best friends” in the bush-often seen together. We found this entirely endearing), we headed back to camp for a fire cooked breakfast of scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon, toast and potatoes. Again: the best ever. Since it’s always hot during the day (and almost never rains), the animals lay low and the rangers have a “no gaming” rule to give the animals a break. We spent the afternoon sunbathing, journaling, reading, mingling with the mongoose, and getting to know the Craigs. We also used the afternoon to shower. Since there is no hot water at Ezulwini, showering is best during the day when the sun warms the pipes. How liberating and refreshing to shower under the sun among the African landscape, clear skies, and the animals “right to roam” law.

Our evening game drive was as eventful as any other. The craigs were dead set on us seeing a lion and drove wildly around the dirt roads. For this drive, we were in an older roofless, nearly seatless, land rover. We were tossed around like rag dolls in the back. We were enjoying the ride until Craig backed up into a thorn tree! Cara and I were scrapped and bruised (but still laughing). Craig felt awful and apologized profusely. That night’s sunset and game break was a blast. Even though we didn’t see any exciting new animals, we were appreciating were we were and the beauty around us. We took countless pictures and got the Craigs to pose for many of them. As we were getting ready to head back to camp we were trying out our new talent: Thanks to Craig 2, we are able to find “true south” using the southern cross. Reveling in our excitement (and all of us looking at the sky) we saw the biggest, most beautiful, most colorful shooting star. It was actually Jamie’s first ever. We spent the entire drive back to camp standing in the (roofless) Land Rover singing every song we could think of with the word star in it. We thought we were being obnoxious until the Craigs started making requests and singing along. Back at camp, after a chicken and veggie dinner, we played charades. In all the excitement the Craigs shushed us. In the silence we heard two male lions calling out to each other. The Craigs said they were about 8 km (5m) away. I would have thought 8-10 FEET. But apparently at that distance, the ground shakes. We also took turns asking conversation provoking questions (name 6 European Capitals-which I did flawlessly; If you could have lunch with 4 people who would they be; if you had all the money in the world, what would you do-all of us said, “this”. Craig 2 said he would buy all the elephants in the world. That way he could keep them protected –awww. Craig 1 said he would start the Nature Ninjas- a sort of ‘secret service’ for Mother Nature.) Later, we lay on the game viewing rooftop to get an uninterrupted view of the Milky Way in all its bright and beautiful glory.

There is no room for fallacies, privacy and personal space in the bush. You leave it at the airport. It’s all very primitive and natural. It really brings you home and helps you realize what is important. Life was so clear and honest in the wild; simple, blithe and exactly the way Mother Nature intended. Though I had met these girls less than a month ago, we shared the most amazing, most intimate, most magical weekend of our lives.

I thought a safari might be no different than being at a zoo or a game reserve, but there is a significant difference between bringing the wild into humanity and bringing humanity into the wild. This has seemed to be a reoccurring theme for me here in Africa. I pride myself on being open-minded, culturally sensitive and respectful, and tolerant. What I failed to recognize is the importance of the environment. It is one thing to welcome and accommodate for a culture. It is quite another to be immersed in a different culture while maintaining your own morals, beliefs, habits, and (especially) ways of thinking. The best way to understand another culture (and I use the term loosely) is to immerse yourself into it. It’s not easy. I feel more vulnerable and diminutive than I ever have in my life. This was really difficult for me to face at first. I’m used to being independent and confident anywhere I go. I was afraid to leave my building for the first week or so in Cape Town. It wasn’t exactly the people or the city that I feared. It was the feeling of vulnerability uneasiness that I was so unaccustomed to. Luckily my new friends and connect people empathized and helped to integrate me. In the wild, you are on the animal’s territory. It is their home. They have their own established routines, guidelines, and general way of life. It is not a foreigner’s place to come in and disrupt any of that. Animals do not know how to be tolerant of another culture. If you come between a mother and her cubs, you will get eaten. A lion does not care to hear your sob story about how you didn’t know what signs to look for since you’re “not from these parts”. It’s about respecting the territory, learning from those who ARE experienced, educated and living the culture, and taking it one small step at a time. Before you know it you are walking to pick-n-pay on your own without a second glance over your shoulder.

FYE: In preparation for our safari flight, the four of us were back and forth all week regarding zip lock bags, converting ounces, and detailing the contents of our carry-ons (we weren’t checking any luggage) to ensure we would have everything we needed while still meeting airline standards. So here are Jamie and I approaching security at Cape Town domestic airport. I have my toiletry bag out of my backpack (anticipating inspection) and we are both removing our top layers. We are preparing to remove our shoes when we notice that no one else seems to be struggling as much. Jamie asks, “Do I need to remove my shoes?” She was told no and shot an amusing glance. Our bags (and ourselves) passed through without so much as a second glance, never mind an ID and boarding pass verification! I remembered how convenient flying USED to be! Though, I must admit, we did feel less secure.

FYE: Our final night in the wild was very eventful. Sometime around 2am, a wicked wind storm swept through our camp. I was kept awake by the repetive beat of the trees against our chalet and was certain the stilts would buckle under the swaying. Cara was convinced a bushman was climbing her chalet stairs hearing his "footsteps" everytime the wind blew. Too afraid to look out her window, she spent a better part of the night tucked under her covers listening for the muffled screams of her firends. Tammy swears she looked out her window and saw a giraffe swaying back and forth eating the leaves off the tree next to their chalet, and beating his tail against her wall. Her visual impression is much better than my written one. Jamie was kept up by not only the storm, but my constant questioning, "Did you hear that?" and "Are you awake?". The wind calmed just before it was time to get up for our 5am game drive. We were all just happy to have survived.

FYE: During one of our morning tea breaks, Craig2 picked up what appeared to be a rock. He looked to Tami (the most skiddish of the group) and said, "Catch." She obeyed, asking in mid catch, "What is it?" As soon as it landed in her hands Craig casually responded, "Elephant dung" and the mass immediately hit the ground. While she appreciated the humor in the situation (though not as much as WE did), I'm pretty sure she would have liked nothing more than remove her hands from her body. Craig informed us that elephant dung was nothing but dirt and grass and proceeded to pick through the mass that now lay at Tami's feet. Since Elephants don't have a very good digestive system, they pass almost immediately after eating. Even still, none of us volunteered for the "hands on" experience.

LESSON #16: MONGOOSE ARE MEERKATS! One thing I was hoping to see on the safari was a Meerkat. My intentions were pretty commercial with my impression of a Meerkat being Timon from The Lion King. But I just think he’s so cute that I wanted to see one for myself. I got so caught up in everything else happening that weekend, that I didn’t voice my Meerkat wishes too much. Last night we went to the bookstore at the corner to check out some African children’s books. One of them was on animals and we found a page dedicated to the Meerkat…aka the Mongoose. Mongoose?!!! The creatures I was playing with ALLL weekend were Meerkats?!!! They became so much cooler and I loved them that much more!! I only wish I had known when I was there. The Meerkat: Endearing African mammal...social creatures…affectionate; love hugging, kissing and grooming each other liberally, all the while “talking” to one another in a range of chatters, whines, grunts, growls and bark…we could learn a lot about living in a community by observing the Meerkats.

zebra and giraffe (best friends in the bush!)

Happy Voting Day!

4/22/09
I felt myself slip into a routine this week. My day starts at 7am. I have a bowl of cereal, get ready for work, pack my “lunch” which consists of a peanut butter and honey sandwhich, granola or pretzels and an orange or clementine (I forget what they call them here), cut up an apple and take it with me to meet the rest of our team downstairs for 7:40am. We get to work just before 8am, change into our scrubs, grab a ‘bag of tricks’ and head to the ward. Once there, we take note of all the children on the ward and what their treatments plans are for the day. From there we assign roles and get underway. Things are generally a blur until about 10:00am. “Tea” happens anywhere between 10:30 and 11:00 (some days we get to break for a snack of our own at this time). The children get their lunch around noon. At this point things tend to calm down a bit. We are either doing play interventions, waiting for a patient to go to theatre or the treatment room, or we assist in the feeding. Around 2 we walk the ward collecting our toys and saying our goodbyes. We reconvene in our office where we do our documentation, debriefing and eating. The toys are soaked and laid out to dry, then we change and head home. We make an evening plan which usually consists of (in no particular order) a nap, a workout (and my daily shower), The Garden Center (Post office, Pick-N-Pay, cell phone minutes, items for work), a dinner plan and maybe a fun outing, and always always always Fleetwood Mac’s “Everywhere”. Often times, everyone ends up in my apt lap tops in hand-to do work stuff, blog or trade pics. A lot of these things can vary greatly depending on the day and the weather, but for the first time in my life, I have a regular routine…that I thoroughly enjoy.

Today is Voting Day!!! I think it’s super exciting to be here on Voting Day. It’s the talk of the city. Here, when the residents vote, they recieve ink marks on their left thumb at the nail bed. This is how they keep people from voting twice. Apparently the marks take weeks to fade. It is also a National Holiday. With nothing going on at work (they don’t even do dressing changes on holidays), we took the day off as well. We started the day with a group breakfast. I tried out my new favorite thing: Croissant French Toast. It was pretty tasty. After that Cara, Jamie and I set out for Table Mountain. We had wanted to tackle “Plateklip Trail” since our group hike last week. This trail is on OUR side of the mountain and consists solely of an open, zig-zag, rock ‘stairway’. We took this trail down as a group and the reverse hike seemed so steep and difficult that the three of us (being super competitive) had to try it. The estimated time for hiking up this trail is anywhere between 2 and 2 and half hours. We did it in 1 hour and 11 mins. We were on a mission! Table Mountain has challenged me both physically and mentally more than any other hike I’ve done. She is steep and unforgiving. But, wow, is she gorgeous. She and I have a beautiful relationship and I will probably miss her the most when I leave here. Mostly because she is everywhere I turn…keeping me company 24hours a day.

two hours: cake!

The rest of the day has been a blur since we are operating on fumes from our intense morning…but I think we went to the waterfront for souvenir shopping, dinner at pancake house (you’d be surprised the number of delicious things you can do with a pancake), and gelato-of course. Now I’m off to bed before another exciting day at RCCH!

table top picnic after a record breaking hike

Hakuna Matata

my favorite view (camps bay from atop Table Mountain)

4/18/09
Friday at RCCH was pretty steady. I’m falling more in love with the patient’s on C2 everyday. They are so incredibly interactive and responsive. There is certainly a difference between children who are bombarded with media and technology and those who are not. It’s not a matter of one being “better” than the other, just that there is a significant difference. My “interaction of the week” was with a 4 year old boy. As a result of his injury, his eyes have been swollen shut. In the beginning he slept most of the time. The following day, I noticed he was more awake, though still unable to open his eyes. I held his hands, read to him and (even though his first language is Afrikaans) I talked to him…a lot, making sure to describe his environment and what was happening around him. On Friday, I did my first “co-treat” at RCCH. While I was playing blocks with my little friend, the physical therapist came in. She encouraged him to open his eyes and I was the first person he looked at. I was so happy for him to finally see me and we continued to work with blocks and bubbles to encourage deep breathing, balance in sitting on his own and using his arms and hands to interact. He became more and more animated and delighted in play. It continues to amaze me how truly resilient children are, and how incredible a vehicle play can be to reaching them.

Friday night my friends Pippa (England) and Meghan (Philidelphia) and I attended Ash Tanga Yoga. I had wanted to get into a Bikram Yoga (Hot Yoga) class while here, and before leaving, that’s what we thought we were going to. This, however, was a bit too “yoga” for me. The “oooommms” and crazy pretzel moves were a little beyond me, but it was an all-in-all good experience. I adore the people and the places that surround me everyday here in Cape Town, but I realized during yoga that, in the last two weeks, I have not had any real space to myself. We were encouraged to create this “space” and to keep everyone and everything out of it…and so forth and so on blah blah. But the general idea was pretty nice for me. I have never been one to really “require” my own space most of the time…it’s almost like I need to be TOLD to do so. This yoga provided that…along with some really good laughs! ….yup, we were those girls giggling in the back…

I started my day this morning with a run to the waterfront. I covered about 5 miles exploring my neighborhood. I decided that running is the best way to do this. You can easily avoid looking at or talking to anyone (because both can get you into a situation you don’t want to be in) without seeming rude or having to make any real effort (because for friendly people like us, it can be hard). Furthermore, if you DO find yourself in an uncomfortable situation, it’s not weird if you suddenly break into a sprint. And lastly, if you happen to stop and explore the sights, you can avoid the beggars and street vendors easily by shrugging and saying, “I don’t have money on me, I was just out for a run”. They don’t even attempt to challenge you...because typically you have to deny them 3 or 4 times before they even begin to leave you alone. A lot of people here with connect are pretty active. I almost always have a workout partner, which is fun.

Our original plan was to hit the beach by early afternoon, but the forecasted, “70 degrees and sunny” proved to be just the opposite: Overcast and 61F. So instead, Jamie and I set out to find a yummy breakfast. Boy, did we EVER! Over by Long St (the popular st) we found a plethora of options. We finally settled on a place called “Greens” (deciding that we would have to make this a weekly event to cover all the different cafes and restaurants). I ordered French Toast and Jamie got Flapjacks with Banana and Honey. We also split a (large) bowl of fruit. In a word: delectable! The French toast was made with a split croissant: GENIUS!! It was the most amazing French toast I’ve ever had in my life. And that’s how I really feel. We explored some of the local shops, then sat down for some hot chocolate and a muffin. We ate outside both times. It was so enjoyable and relaxing. We got to talking about how the concept of “going out to eat” is so different in the US. Restaurants are so concerned with making as much money as possible that they turn over tables as quickly as possible. Here in SA there is no sense of urgency. None. My first dinner experience was highly frustrating! It took FOREVER to get our food and drinks. I should note that this was actually exceptionally slow, but the general idea of going out here is to relax and socialize. The connect staff even made a point to mention this during my “orientation.” What’s more, you have to ASK for the check. They will not bring you your bill until you mention it. We thought this was strange at first (and still have a hard time remembering every now and then) but I’ve come to really enjoy this style of dining. I can recall feeling distracted and almost offended when a waiter brings the check prematurely. Here, they avoid that entirely and always invite the customer to enjoy tea or more drinks following your meal. Since we get our meal so spread out, there’s always room for dessert!

In the evening a bunch of us joined the Connect bunch for a sunset cruise. Just before, we had a quick dinner at “Steers”, an apparently fast food joint. Note to self: Don’t eat fast food in Africa. Blech! The cruise itself was a blast. The connect staff are super fun and friendly. The boat was hands down the rockiest I have ever been on. Certainly spiced up the event a touch! The boat was more of an oversized yacht and I’m truly surprised we didn’t lose any one over the edge. A few people were beginning to get sea sick, but the trip ended just in time. We docked out by the beaches to watch the sunset to a champagne toast. Given the grey day, the sunset was surprisingly beautiful. The skies cleared just in time for us to watch it disappear. The city lights were gorgeous heading back in. We finished the night with ice cream and shopping. I have officially started my “souvenir collection”.

Jamie and I also started our “Cape Town Bucket List” this week. She and I arrived here about the same time. The other girls had been here a while and have done a lot of the big touristy things. This also makes them a great resource! We are up to about 15 items and have already completed a couple. We are making the most out of our time here.

FYE: So one of the items on “The Jamie and Dani Cape Town Bucket List” is a Safari. Our friends, Cara and Tami, had one already planned in Kruger for next weekend. We decided to try and join them. This required plane tickets and securing a spot with the safari program. With the holidays, they were near impossible to get in touch with. We had been researching the tickets on line and found pretty cheap airfare. However, we didn’t dare book that before being SURE we had a spot on the Safari. We finally got in touch with them Wednesday night. Not only was there space for the both of us, but they seemed like a super fun, quality Safari team. He also mentioned that they had to mother lions who had just given birth to cubs that were “running about”. Jamie and I jumped immediately online to book our flight. We decided to book them separately. That was a horrible idea. Never in my life have I done that, and I don’t know why I thought S. Africa was a good place to start. You know where this is going…Even though we were booking the flight side-by-side, each of us on our respective lap tops, I somehow got the LAST seat available on the plane. What?!! Of course. We spent the rest of the night pulling our friends together, scheming, planning, calling, emailing, and bartering to try and figure it out. Feeling defeated, we finally called it a night. On a whim Thursday night, we decided to look up the tickets one last time…success!! Our flights home are different but only by a few hours. Whew! We ALL rejoiced as, by this point, even the girls not attending the safari were invested. I hate learning things the hard way…

LESSON #14: TAKE THE TIME TO ENJOY LIFE...this is especially easy for me these days with only 5-6 hours of work/ day and no other commitments, but it's nice to take the time to truly BE in each moment and live at the slow pace that is South Africa.
LESSON #15: LOOK BOTH WAYS. THE RIGHT WAY…I am struggling to grasp the traffic laws here in South Africa. Nearly every time my friends and I set out we look right, then left when we should be looking left, then right. The coast looks clear so you step onto the street only to be mere inches away from loosing your toes to the oncoming cars. What’s more, pedestrians don’t have the right of way. Or any rights for that matter. Cars actually speed up when they see you crossing (even if you have the walk signal), I’m convinced just to get their kicks out of watching us scurry out of the way.

iViva Mexico!

the neighborhood

4/16/09
The first thing that comes to mind when I typed that date was that our milk expires today. Down here when the carton says “4/16/09” It doesn’t mean, “BUY it by this day”. It doesn’t mean, “oh, a day or two later is fine”. It means, “Throw me away by midnight tonight!” So I will be doing that after I type this.

The hospital seemed very slow today, compared to yesterday. I only saw two kids in the treatment room, but I did a lot more bedside distraction and soothe-the-crying-babies activities. I blew bubbles for about 20 mins straight. Every time I stopped another baby would cry, so I kept going. I was moments away from hitting the floor when Jamie walked in. I held out my bubble jar with an, “Oh thank god; take over for a bit, please!” I also had my first “theatre” experience at RCCH. Theatre is what they call the operating room. I accompanied two patients to theatre. It actually wasn’t too different than the ORs I’m used to. Probably less strict and a bit more laid back, but I felt that children were safe and aptly cared for.

On the way to work today, I spotted the local fire station only a few blocks up from out apt building. After work I stopped by to introduce myself and inquire about burn prevention programs. The firefighters were extremely welcoming. They invited me in and we spoke for about 45 mins. They do a lot of the things one would assume the fire dept does with school aged children; visiting schools, hosting field trips, truck rides and fire prevention and education games. They work only with the younger children in the middle to upper class populations. They haven’t done anything with RCCH and very little in the townships. I have found that it is these populations who require the most education. My goal will be to try and reach this group. It will certainly be a challenge..especially to tackle in less than 3 months, but I’m going to get as far as I can. The fire dept gave me loads of resources, posters, phone numbers and contacts. They were so cooperative and enthusiastic to work together and learn from each other. I hope to take the base of their program and adapt it to one appropriate for the population I am aiming at. My program from back home won’t help me all that much, given that our laws and culture are very different. Smoke detectors are not a law here, and in many of the townships the children are EXPECTED to do many of the adult chores, such as cooking. I’ve got my work cut out, but I am excited to get in there!

We had our second weekly dinner party this evening. We chose to do a Mexican Themed dinner. Jamie, Cara and I went to “Pick n Pay” the local grocery to pick up the menu items. We got all the ingredients for tacos and Spanish rice. They have a sauce here called, Peri Peri sauce. It is the most delicious sauce I have ever tasted in my life and I want to put it on EVERYTHING. Dad, I thought of you because I think you would love it. It comes in super spicy too! I will try and smuggle a few jars home ;) We also had an array of desserts. I attempted some South African “biscuits” which are what they call cookies. This mix was a vanilla sugar cookie. They certainly had a biscuit-y taste and texture to them. Jamie made what I called a “Sprite Cake”. Apparently you can take any cake mixture and replace the oil and eggs with a can of carbonated soda. We chose a white cake and diet sprite. Get this: it was delicious!! And I would have never guessed anything was substituted. Tami received an Easter package from her parents and shared her chocolates with us (those who DIDN’T receive and Easter package haha ;), and Therese made Flan. We were all stuffed and Table Topic-ed by the end of the night. I am forming some wonderful friendships with these girls. Our apartment has officially become the main hangout and I love the in and out and company of these fabulous people! My motto for our apt (or flat as Lucy says) is “All Welcome All the Time”.

mexican night dessert

Affrikaans:
Asseblief = Please
Heis = House
Dammy = Pacifier
Bry (sp?) = grill or barbeque
Fire Brigade = Fire Department
Many fires are caused by the use of “paraffin” as a cheaper form of gasoline or propane. It is intensely flammable and extremely dangerous.
Cheers = a parting phrase
Shame = “awww” (I can’t really grasp this one yet)
Tekkies = sneakers

Diving In

4/15/09

I had my first day at Red Cross Children’s Hospital yesterday. The 5 of us (Myself, Jamie, Caroline, Cara and Taylor) met in the lobby for 7:40 am to be at work for 8. Taylor rented a car during her stay here and is kind enough to drive us to and from work. The morning, for me, was more of an orientation from Caroline. She was the first to arrive here in February and has done an absolutely outstanding job at initiating our program. Not only do the staff adore her, but they are incredibly receptive to child life interventions. Because of her initial, positive influence, the implementation of a child life program is off to a fluid start.

South Africa's 1st child life team

The burn unit is divided into 6 “bays”. Each bay contains up to 6 cribs (yes, even the school aged kids are in cribs). Some of their “High Care” bays have fewer. The children are divided up into bays according to their wounds and infections. There are nurses and physicians who follow up with the children, but the “Sisters” do the bulk of patient care. I’m not sure what the qualifications are to become a sister, but had I not known, I would assume they were nurses. From what I gather, they are not assigned to any patients. They cater to all of them together. We change into the unit scrubs and divide up the bays accordingly. We then provide for the children in our assigned bays…whether it be procedural support and preparation, therapeutic medical play, or various play activities. I spent my first day mainly playing with the children in Bay 2. By the time I had arrived to the floor, many of the procedures and dressing changes for the day had been completed. I did go with one or two children to the treatment room. I am still orienting myself to where the sanitary aprons, gloves and masks are, the sinks, what soaps to use and so on. The day FLEW by. We ended it with taking pictures of various “comfort holds” (non-threatening ways to hold children during procedures..on laps and hugging the child instead of laying the child flat on a table). The goal is to make posters to hang up in the treatment rooms to encourage this intervention. I got back home just after 3 and almost immediately fell asleep.

C2

My second day at work was MUCH more eventful. Wednesdays are the big “outpatient” days. With the holiday weekend, there was an overload of outpatients to see. We start work an hour early (7am) on Wednesdays to be there for the early dressing changes and “Ward Rounds”. A team actually rotates from bed to bed discussing each patient and their plan of care.

We quickly suited up, divided the bays and almost immediately began following children to the treatment room for dressing changes. The children are taken into the treatment room one by one to have their dressings changed. The staff have responded immediately to the Comfort Holds. They are already handing the child over at the start of the procedure, inviting us to hold them in the most comforting and non-threatening way. My experience has been that the staff welcomes us into the treatment room and cooperates extensively with our suggestions and interventions. The morning quickly became very fluid. We had seen over 20 patient’s before 11:00 am Tea time. (Yes, they have “Tea Time” every day.) Our day ended around 1:30 and we concluded that we had seen about 70 interventions that day. Child life was there for EVERY one. About 25 of them were mine. That is most definitely, hands down, the most procedures I’ve ever done in day…a week even.

The children have captured my heart immediately. The majority of them are young toddlers (about a year-give or take a few months). These babies are just so captivating. What they can say with their eyes is more than any other child has ever spoken to me. Beauty is in every corner of this culture and I am honored to be invited and immersed into it.

LESSON #12: THE TABLE CLOTH...The other night we were in Caroline’s room, and I was admiring her (gorgeous) panoramic view of Table Mountain. Being dark out, I could barely make out her outline, but I COULD see what appeared to be snow caps on her top. I asked the others about this (knowing it was impossible), and they casually replied, “Oh it’s the clouds.” I considered this, then decided it def wasn’t clouds. This was something that was clearly sitting on TOP of Table Mountain. Considering this, Caroline told me, “It’s probably the Table Cloth”. The what?! The Table Cloth…when the clouds pour over the front of Table Mountain draping it, like….well….a table cloth. With this new knowledge I looked back out at the mountain. WHAT a sight. Just when you thought that mountain could not get any more beautiful; any more amazing. Since this happens mostly at night, I’m afraid I may never get a decent picture of it. You will have to come down and see it for yourself. It’s def something to add to your travel must-see list. New Table Cloth pic...side view is not as dramatic as straight on.

British:
Gym Kit = Gym or workout clothes
Kettle = an electrical tea kettle. It boils water at lightening speed. I actually got made fun of by my brit roommate for boiling water on the stove for pasta. Apparently we are way behind the times in US with out stove top kettles…

LESSON #13: MAKE THE BEST WITH WHAT YOU HAVE...the staff at RCCH certainly don't have a lot of resources. I give the staff so much credit and applaud the work that they do. They are a pleasure to work with and learn from.