Burundi...and Boston: Welcome Home

What's my least favorite part of any trip I take? Saying goodbye! But what better way to remember my last week than with some random pictures that, on their own, tell more of the story of what I was doing with my "off-time."

Oh, the food!

The food in Bujumbura didn't disappoint. My favorite experience? While the main professor on the project was around, I thought it'd be fun to try out the renowned "Mama Soro" that every American I met kept mentioning. "Oh, it's sooo good!" "You've got to try it!" 

We arrive at a little place on the side of the road, literally a hole in the wall, to which my professor says, "That can't be right. Let's go back into town." Fast forward one week and I try again - it was, in fact, Mama Soro's. A very unassuming, non-fancy local joint operated by Mamo Soro and a group of women who had some very unfortunate life experiences that left them wondering how they would make income to provide for their children. Not only have they now established a respectable business that is always bustling, and sent their children to some of the top schools in Burundi, but I can say with certainty that they have some of the best home-cooked food!  

A Malian-style family plate of pilau, meat, fish, greens, beans,
and peanut sauce Chez Mama Soro. Yum!

And some great company to go with it!

Last days of work

Well, I worked up until the minute my taxi arrived to take me to the airport, and although I didn't have a chance to see much of the city, I have no regrets. I finally made it to the lake on my last night in the city (but it was already dark so I didn't see much of the water). It just means I'll have to go back again soon! 

Me and my RA, Imelde. 

The Bureau. 

On my way home from work each day, I passed a shop named
after me: "La vedette" (the star)!

My hotel

When I was 15, I lived in Windhoek, Namibia for a year. While the year was full of so many incredible experiences - like learning about a new culture, attending international school, and getting my introduction to "Racial Justice" - it was also full of some of the most terrifying experiences of my life. I will never forget going out for Easter dinner with my family and returning to the parking lot to find that our trusted driver of three months stole our car; he was found a week later with a totaled version of what used to be our car, in a drunken state and on the way to Angola. Or the time when I slept through a robbery in our house - that I'm told could have been deadly if I'd awoken when it happened - which, police believe, was orchestrated by our housekeeper.

So, needless to say, when my security radars went up after my roommate's departure from our apartment (case and point: the drunk guard who kept peering into the kitchen of our first floor abode on my first night alone in the apartment), I decided to check-in to a hotel closer to town. After visiting several in the city, I decided on City Hill. It was a good call! 

The view from my room was pretty spectacular.
(You can see the lake and the mountains of DRC in the back). 

My morning fruit salad. Yum!

They had sweet plantains!!! (Not a common dish in Burundi).

The view, a glass of wine, and a chocolate tart from Cafe Gourmand,
while listening to the President's entourage on his way home.
Perfect way to relax after a long day.  

Zumba!!

Apparently, it's international. And I had a BLAST!! Throw in a little African music and it's almost as good as dancing in my room. 

Dedo, me, and our Zumba instructor.
It was SO good!!

Buja Cafe...and Freddie

Until my trip to Ethiopia, I had cut liquid caffeine out of my diet. But there was something about the 7-hour time difference - and the fact that Burundi is also famous for their coffee - that made me desperate for a cappuccino. Although my first few days were rough, since soy milk is almost non-existent in the country, my problem-solving self kicked into gear. I managed to enjoy daily soy cappacino's made by award-winning Ugandan barista Freddie (and considering that my first stop state-side was a very disappointing Starbucks mocha,  I already miss him!). 

The Airport 

Buja's airport is small, but rest assured it's not drama free. There was the time I locked myself in the bathroom and had to bang on the door until one of the airport workers heard me...Oh, and the time when I arrived two hours early for my flight back to the U.S. and almost didn't make it because there was a "small problem" with my reservation in the system. I felt especially good when, after two hours of waiting, the airport decided to issue me with a hand-written ticket so I could at least get to Ethiopia...(Luckily, the flight was two hours late, which gave them time to figure out how to actually check me in for the full flight to Boston). Phew! 

The ticket that left me wondering if I'd ever make it home....

Pouring rain at Buja's little outdoor airport, just before it's time
to walk to our plane...

Home Sweet Home

Twenty-four long hours later, I made it back to Boston! It's 5 AM EST, I'm jetlagged (or so I'm assuming because I keep sleeping at 6 PM and waking up at 2 AM), and frankly, my welcome home looked something like this:

The view from my window...and yes that's snow inside...
And yes, even in grad school, I get a snow day!!

One of four wrap-around lines at
Whole Foods due to the anticipated blizzard

Frankly, if someone would have warned me that I was returning just in time for the city of Boston to literally shut down on account of snow, I might have taken a few extra days...

Well, stay tuned for the adventures of this D.I.V.A. in... blizzard-y Boston!

Burundi: Get Your Hair Did - Buja Style

Getting my hair done is always an ordeal. 

"Do you have this type of hair in this color?"

"Can you do this particular style?"

"Is this the local price, or the 'muzungu' price?

Case and point - my hair adventures a few years ago in Malawi. (I'm still a little scarred that the bridge that I walked over to get to the middle of the local market to do my hair washed away while I was in the salon...).

This trip, although my hair still looked okay, I figured I should ease into Burundian life and try out the services here, especially if I was going to come back. I made the decision to do my hair on a whimi - Imelde had to take some time off, which put our research plans for the day on hold, so I went into centre-ville to start the adventure.

First, I needed to wash my hair. (Not a small task for someone who's hair had been in the same braids for almost 3 months). We went to one salon, then another, and then a third but thanks to having no power, those plans were temporarily thwarted.

Post-salon - so light and free! 

Then, we found a pretty nice looking salon (I didn't take a picture, but the red, black, and white created a "mod look" that worked, and they even painted stripes on the ceiling!). My coiffeur was a young man who was interested in studying computer information but then took a break to work in his grandparent's salon - and voila! His assessment of my head started with a not-so-discreet "Mmmm..." but an hour (and two awesome scalp massages) later, I was feeling light as a feather and pretty darn fab!

Afterward, thanks to a friend of Dedo's, I was able to make an appointment with a local salon that was usually very busy. His friend also took care of buying the hair, which although a little different from my usual style, would have to do. (I believe my description was something along the lines of "12-14 inches, curled at the ends, mixture of #4 and #30 or #33" so considering I had no idea the hair market here, she did pretty well). Despite the length of my hair, it took them about 5 hours to put dozens of some of the smallest twists I've ever had - amazing!

Attempting to enjoy a meal with Dedo despite the throbbing
of my tender head! 

And although I didn't realize it until I did the math this morning, it cost less than $30 - a much better deal than what could have easily cost more than $200 state-side.  

Overall, I feel good about this unexpected hair adventure! Now if these women would just come with me to help me take these tiny twists out...

Burundi: What I'm Actually Doing with my "Month Off"

It's the middle of the day in January, and Boston (according to Google) looks pretty miserable. I'm surrounded by white walls and lots of natural light, and in my short-sleeve shirt and jeans, I'm warm! It's the first day that I don't have to work from within the office, the first day that I actually have just allowed myself to reflect on the last few weeks. 

Six months ago, when the opportunity to work on a study in Burundi came across my email, I wasn't sure it was a good fit. I thought it might be nice to practice my French - I'd been studying away for a few weeks at Middlebury College. And I thought it might be nice to make some extra income, work with some new collaborators, and apply my French in a public health context. But the relationship between women, economics, and family planning was not an obvious intersection with my own interests in adolescents, HIV/AIDS, and child protection. I had no idea that accepting the offer and coming here this month would be pretty amazing, and very rejuvenating...

A neighborhood in Bujumbura

My first few days of work were absolutely crazy! I'd wake up early in the morning (though I refused to do the 7 AM start thanks to jetlag). J’ai commencé d’utiliser français pour la première fois cette année. I spent hours with Imelde, my research assistant, talking through what qualitative research is, how it differs from quantitative research, all the "who, how, where, when, why" questions that are important to understand before you can even effectively learn how to use a new research method. We talked about the different kind of qualitative research methods that exists - the individual-level approaches such as freelisting and one-on-one interviewing, or group-level approaches such as focus group discussions, a method that we were primarily focused on. The 100-page training guide I edited allowed me to facilitate training on how to effectively lead the research, and also reminded me how fun it is to move beyond "logistic regressions," "STATA," and "numbers" while actually using research to engage directly with people. 

(And, thanks to my amazing summer at Middlebury College, it was possible to have all of these discussions in French!)

Some of the neighborhoods we walked through...

At the end of the first week, we started recruitment for our focus groups and interviews. Since I blended in enough to pass for a Burundian (as long as I was silent) - a topic that, on its own, could be another blog entry - I went with Imelde to do the recruitment. We identified different neighborhoods in the capital city, walked from door to door in the hot sun, and spent up to 30 minutes explaining our study. Our hope was to identify a maximum of 60 women interested in discussing how women such as themselves define "work," and how they balance their income-generating activities with caring for their children. It was my first time actually walking through neighborhoods I'm sure foreigners rarely spend time in, places that were considered poorer and where Kirundi, rather than French, was the main mode of communication. 

Some of the neighborhoods we drove through. 

After a week of loooong, lunchless days - something very atypical here (and perhaps "workaholic American") given the normal 2 hour lunch period - the week of our first interviews finally arrived! We did a few focus groups and individual interviews, which gave Imelde the opportunity to apply the lessons from our training. The interviews were all in Kirundi, which made it hard to really assess how they were going, but it's amazing how little cues like body language, tone of voice, and facial expressions can convey a lot, once you understand a little bit of the local context. 

Some things are just international...

like Obama!

And pet monkeys!

My third week is nearly half way over, and we're working our way through the final data collection days. I was such a "proud mama" to see Imelde tell me how well yesterday's focus group discussion went, how for the first time she really felt like she had effectively facilitated the discussion and had found a group of lively, engaged women who were really happy to share their experiences with us. 

En route to the office 

And in the midst of all of this - it seems academia rarely like to focus on one project only - there's the continual networking and planning for possible future opportunities!

As I approach the end of my time here, I can't help but think how well everything's lined up. I'm so inspired and reminded by my leadership on this study of the fact that research can bring a voice to those often ignored, and if utilized, can actually bring about change. Talking to women about their perspectives on work is actually really interesting, especially when their definition of their activity differs from the common economic definition. Hearing them talk about the challenges of life and poverty in Bujumbura and how this impacts their livelihoods and their kids livelihoods makes me want to advocate for change in the world. And allowing women who know their own experiences to share them, recognizing them as the experts they are, is truly priceless. 

Kigali (Rwanda) for the Weekend

I don't think of myself as particularly impulsive. I mean, sure, I like a thrill. A little drama never hurt anyone. I crave adventure from time to time. And I LOVE a good story! So I guess it made perfect sense that I woke up Friday morning, had an "oh-I'm-in-Burundi!" moment, and promptly bought a plane ticket to Rwanda to celebrate a friend's 30th birthday!

What country could this be? 

As soon as I got to the hotel, I had exactly 10 minutes to look presentable and turn around. A mini Global Health Corps reunion was to follow! We danced the night away, and enjoyed a long (and delicious) brunch on Saturday, and lounged around Kigali for the rest of the weekend.

Mini GHC Reuinon

I thought about how strange it might seem for someone to take a half hour flight to go to a neighboring country, but I have to tell you, stepping into Kigali was just like I remembered a few years ago, when I spent a week there before heading countryside to visit a PIH site. It was like stepping into another world. The level of development is clear - tall buildings, amazing roads, stoplights (that are observed!), and no trash! Kigali is a city to rival several U.S. cities.

Hotel Chez Lando

I guess the city - which has become the international face of the country - wasn't always like that. In fact, 15-20 years ago, Burundi was probably the "big sister." But how two countries that still have ethnic and language overlap could be on such different trajectories - one that's considered in the bottom 4 poorest countries as compared to the other, who's GDP-PPP (gross domestic product at purchasing power parity) was more than double - still amazes me.

The views!!

Italian lunch with Dedo and Selif.

Another memorable weekend but back to work!

Burundi (finally!)

After a festive start to 2015, I was off to the next destination: Burundi! I’ll forewarn you that while I’ve enjoyed my time in the capital of Bujumbura so far, I’m here for work. (Although, arguably, global health work is fun – so proceed with caution!)

Burundi is a tiny little country in the Great Lake Region of Africa, and in many ways, it’s kind of a gem. Sure, you may have heard it in the news recently for conflict on the borders of DRC and Uganda (I heard about this 2 days before leaving Ethiopia!). And perhaps you’ll hear even more about this as their 2015 election roles near. But in this small, land-locked country of nearly 11 million – considered among the poorest in the world – there are so many positive things too!  

Take Dedo, for example. My dear friend and fellow Global Health Corps alum who I got to see multiple times since making the trip out here! He took me out to a few restaurants here (the same few I’ve been eating at all week, actually). He introduced me to his friends and some of Bujumbura’s elite (think “I’ll give away $1 million dollars” elite). And he really just helped me explore the city a little, including posing in front of a music video shoot! Gosh I just adore this man!

A music video shoot in the center of town!

Another really positive thing here, my housemate, Mahesh. I mean, really! He made my trip SO much easier for me, sorting a lot of logistics that I would have spent at least a month trying to figure out. We spent the first two weeks in this huge apartment – I think the power only went out once! – and he showed me the ropes around this place a little. We have a chef who comes in a few times a week and whips up incredible cuisine. (This probably sounds really fancy but with the exception of the fact that Jean-Marie, our cook, makes incredible crepes, it’s fairly common among families with a steady income here). And we hired a driver and vehicle…although, this one ended up as a bit of a disaster...long story. 

Mahesh in front of our apartment (with someone else's clothes
drying on our shrubbery...)

Just Jean-Marie, our cook's, weekly menu! 

And, since I always love food, I have to say I've enjoyed checking out a few restaurants in the city - Le Cafe Gourmand (home to amazing pastries!) and, one of my favorites, the lakeside (hippo-view) Kiboko Grill. 

A bruchette - a popular dish here in Burundi

Wine, brie, baguette, and a papaya/tomato/mango salad...
on a Friday Night.

Brunch at Cafe Gourmand.

Yum!

And aside from these incredible people, work has been an absolute whirlwind! Just 2 days after arriving, I started working 15 hour days! My job for the 3 weeks I’m here is to implement a qualitative research study to understand how women here in Burundi understand the concept of “work,” and how they balance that with childcare. We’re doing lots of focus groups and interviews to ask women themselves, who are the most expert about what their own experiences are, as part of a larger economist-led study on family planning in Burundi. This past week, one of the Principal Investigators on the project, a professor in my department, came and stayed with us for the week, which provided a new perspective on the project. But more about all of this later...

So, in short, an eventful first couple of weeks! It hasn't been perfect (e.g., car/driver troubles, stomach bug, limited work/life balance) but it has been enjoyable. Stay tuned!  

Ethiopia...Food, Food, Food.

Talk to me for five minutes and another love of my life probably becomes clear. Some people eat to live, but then there are a few (myself include) who live to eat! So although my time in Addis Ababa was brief, I think the most appropriate way to end my tales of my time there is by talking about all the delicious things I consumed! Besides being delicious, food is always a fun way for me to learn a little more about any culture.

Beer!

The newest beer to brewed in country.

The first Ethiopian thing I consumed! I love trying beverages from all over the world (I thank my undergraduate course on "Hospitality Beverages" for that) so I tasted a few. I also tried an Ethiopian red wine, which wasn't too shabby. 

Brunch

My first meal in the country at the trendy Kamenge restaurant. If the colors didn’t draw you in, the taste surely did! We had chechebsa, thin Chapati-like bread mixed with oil and spices; dirkosh firfir, dried injeera mixed with stew and jerky-like dried meat; injeera, the traditional Ethiopian break made of teff; and scrambled eggs.

Coffee

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Coffee is important in Ethiopia. And, although I don't drink it regularly, I can affirmatively say that it is good! Well, okay, the traditional coffee was a too strong and bitter for my taste but the machiatto’s (with soy milk) were fantastic! Traditionally-made coffee is always served with a small ceremony, which includes incense and a snack like popcorn. And, if you – like me – thought it was strange that soy milk was available, it’s used as an alternative to Ethiopian’s vegan fasting.

Breakfast – Breakfast for me, started with yummy black tea spiced with cinnamon, cardamom, and some other things. While my friend ate firfir, stew-soaked injeera, for breakfast, I was a big fan of the kincha. It was delicious shredded organic oats (think a hearty, not-to-soft steel-cut oatmeal without all the liquid), cooked with Ethiopian butter.

A side note on butter

Breakfast of "organic" shredded wheat (think steel-cut oatmeal
without the water) - cooked with butter, papaya, and
spiced tea. YUM!

 It is in everything! (Could this be what’s responsible for making Ethiopian women so beautiful?!) Seriously, it is in everything and you can smell it everywhere. For you nerds out there, here’s some fun facts I learned. The butter is made fresh from the cream of a cow and immediately shaken. The put lots of yummy (secret) spices in it, boil it down, and then let it harden again. If you walk around the city and there’s a smell you can’t put your finger on, the spiced butter is probably it. The stronger the smell of butter, the older it is and the less flavorful. (Lidet’s family’s butter was really good!).

Dinner 

My first dinner in Ethiopia was one of the best. We had shiro, a thick chickpea-based sauce, and thick lentil stew with injeera. We also had vegetables and beets for what was a delicious, home-cooked meal!

One night, I got adventurous and tried a three-course Fasting Combo, an eclectic (to me) mixture of starches, veggies, and other stuff. The plate came with macaroni, spaghetti, rice, potato wedges (yes, all of which were served together), two types of firfir, some roasted veggies, and a small salad. I thought it was so strange but actually learned an important cultural lesson. In Ethiopia, food isn’t paired for nutritional balance (e.g., starch + protein + vegetable), it’s paired for variety. Variety, which could be in color or just in the items themselves, signifies wealth and goodness. So, although I only took two bites, it was actually a feast for a Queen.

My last Ethiopian dinner, which we ate a local spot, was also amazing! In fact, it was probably my own complete meal. It had lots of tasty things whose names I can’t remember: shiro, lamb prepared in curry and red stew, ground beef in tomato stew with crumbled cheese, firfir, tibs, or little bits of meat, and lots of other delicious bites! I ate SO much, and it was worth it!

Raw Meat

 So, definitely didn’t try this one, but I’d never heard of the consumption of 1-inch chunks of raw red meat! Apparently, it happens, but I went for cakes instead.

Other Snacks

I didn’t get the impression that much snacking happens, but I brought my American spirit (and appetite) with me! I tried lentil samosas from my friend’s favorite street vendor, an incredible concoction of pineapple/guava/avocado juice, and different types of cakes and tarts. Yum!

So, there you have it - the little food adventures I sneaked into my trip (and the informal lessons that came along with it).

See you next time as a DIVA in...Burundi!