Oct 25. 2014. FLY

“5-4-3-2-1-BUNGEE!”

I could not jump. Instead, I just fell from the sky. If I had jumped 3 meters from the spot, I might have felt committed suicide by jumping from the 111m heights. The count was so fast, and my legs and arms weakened and stumbled; in the moment of “BUNGEE!” I almost collapsed and bungee crews gently pushed me.

From the Victoria Falls Bridge:
the ground was cracked under 111m.

Victoria Falls scenery made me feel faint. How can I jump from this height? The bridge was even wobbly when the car was passing by. Oh… should I do it? Special force troops receive proficiency pay for dropping from a high altitude, but I paid exorbitant price with a lot of risk for plummeting to the sallow water. Victoria Falls was so dry in October; I expected my clothes would get soaked with water, but only sizzling heat worn me out. Nevertheless, I wanted to do it. No, more exactly, I had to do it because I needed to triumph over all fears in my mind. I weighed myself on a scale. Oh, I lost 4kgs! I have been suffering from serious constipation for a whole week, so I have only been drinking juice and eating some fruits since last Wednesday. (Thanks to losing weight, my abdominal muscle became visible.) Please, go away, constipation! Bungee jumping will beat you!

When I arrived at the bungee jumping area, I saw a fearsome message.

“Please dive out as far as you can: more than 3 meters. A good dive reduces the chance of injury and will make your jump more enjoyable.”

How can I do a standing broad jump more than 3 meters? At that time, bungee crew was not there because of the lunch time, so I had to wait almost 1 hour; waiting for diving out made me more nervous and scared. I practiced jumping on the ground and thought a lot of unnecessary anxiety. But I had to manage to set down. How many times have I been hesitating to do something in my life? What am I afraid of? I will blow off all stresses. There is no next time to do that. It must be the highlights of my life, at this very moment. Overcoming so many frightened emotions – 'What if the rope snapped? What if the rope tangled? What if I were shocked and got a heart attack? What if I peed my pants?' – I finally hopped to the bungee point. My original plan was not to look down because it would be just crazy to see, and stare at the front instead. But the front itself was also horrifying, so I closed my eyes. I wished I could FLY elegantly from the sky, just like Lala Croft from Tomb Raider, but it was not be like my heart.

Anyway, I succeeded! I was feeling the power of gravity and air resistance about a few seconds. I lightly opened my eyes and stretched the limbs at last. Wow, I am falling! Right after jumping (well, bungee falling), my mind was much more at ease. I bounced a few times; I just fell a half way between the bridge and water. I wanted falling more…

Next time, I will go skydiving. I had thought myself that I would not be a person who enjoys extreme sports, but I realized today that it was worth doing it. Life is short at best and I feel sorry if I spare my bones. The only difference between leaping off a cliff to kill oneself and jumping off the bridge to enjoy bungee jumping was safety equipment on the ankle and waist. The only thing I could do was to rely on bungee crews’ instruction. Bungee jumping was a special case, but I have already been surviving all perils; whenever getting on airplane, vehicle, train, bus, and walking on the road, I totally rely on my life to pilots, drivers and myself. An accident always happens somewhere, and all I can do is just to pray that this would not happened to me. Human being is weak-kneed under the natural disaster and furthermore, the laws of nature. There would be nothing that I can change the operations of Nature. All I can do is to enjoy every seconds of the moment, just like at the very moment while I was falling. 

Living life like a bungee jumping: I hope the life of the people will be always exciting.

Oct 21. 2014. 2G Life

I have been living in the 4G (4^th generation mobile networks/wireless system) world. Yesterday, South Korea companies, Samsung and SK Telecom demonstrated 5G technology at the World IT Show in Busan, South Korea. In the upcoming 2020, people will enjoy 5G, 50 times faster than 4G that only 1 second needed for downloading a movie.

<Here Comes 5G- The technology that will make your Smartphone nearly 50 times faster>

http://www.businessinsider.com/5g-technology-smartphone-50-times-faster-2014-10

1G technology refers to wireless telephone technology through radio analog signals.

2G networks use digital and SMS text messaging has begun.

3G is the beginning of Smartphone and mobile modem for laptop computers.

4G enabled us to have a video call.

And at last, 5G! This new frequency will vibrate like a thunder.

So far, I might have been only moving forward, adding number with the “generation.” Actually, I have never imagined going back to the previous G or keep staying an old G because my friends who have fancy Smartphones must have made fun of me. I was bothered by this quick quick fast fast world in the past, and now I am learning the beauty of patience in African countries. I came back to 2G life! Tracing back to my childhood, I got my first cellphone, only for calling and texting, more than 10 years ago.

#1. Since there was no micro SIM card in Zambia for my Samsung Galaxy III, I had to have another phone, which was NOKIA 2G phone. I was surprised that this little phone also had some racing game in the program. I was suspicious if this phone can ring a bell and receive some messages, but it all worked.

#2. Since there was no Airtel SIM card for my modem in Zambia (I do not still understand why… because modem SIM card should be the same as phone’s), I had to buy another modem, which was Zamtel. It must be Zam(bia)+tell, so Zamtel. The advertisement was clever; “Be Zamtelligent!” I paid 200 Kwacha (about $32) for Zamtel modem and 1GB SIM card, but unfortunately, it did not work. They said there should be network problem, but I had to use it right away to attend final project group meeting at 6:30 pm (EST), which was 12:30am CAT. Oh no… my peer evaluation will be terrible because I could not join.

#3. Western Union bank made me so sad, and I literally go there and come back about 15 times to receive the money from Tanzania. Whenever I went there, the system was down, cash was not ready, I did not know what MTCN number was…

Be patient. 2G life is not that bad. Nobody is chasing me, and it must be myself who pushes me to the desperate cliff. Nothing will happen, and everything should be fine. It is just slow. Slow slow. I am learning the rhythm, quick quick slow slow. I may not download a movie within a second in Africa, but I can feel the sufficientness of 2G technologies.

Oct 19. 2014. GDEC Cool Dudes

I know the word ‘dudes’ might be only for calling boys, but I just want to say dudes for my colleagues. They are all cool. My classmates in International Health: Global Disease Epidemiology and Control (GDEC) have been doing their practicum all over the world. Someone already finished and went back to Baltimore, and others are doing their second practicum to build more working experience. Americans normally like to shorten the long words and say the abbreviation literally, not G-D-E-C, but G-DEC, 쥐댁.

There are 2^nd year 17 쥐댁 people, including me, 9 girls and 8 boys. I am physically away from them, so I have been contacting with some of them since we completed 1st year course; but I was so glad that they are uploading their practicum experience in the voicethread. Actually, I did not quite like it when I made 3-4 slides and left a voice comments for the 1^st term requirement, but it was so motivating moment when I heard their voice and picture today. Only a few 쥐댁 people have uploaded their work so far, but I am looking forward hearing all other people’s news in the upcoming week.

Talking with my classmates who are in Brazil, U.S., Ghana, China, Kenya, Switzerland, Peru, and other countries through the online does inspire me with their enthusiasm. To be honest, I have come across so many frustrating moments, so it was so hard to control my temper. I also experience embarrassing, funny, ridiculous, and no way situations that goes against my narrow common sense. It was probably the first time in my life that I have felt terrible headache just because I got so irritated. I am still trying to finish my 1^st term online class in Africa – one of the hardest things that I have ever had – with fighting mosquitoes, mice, cockroaches, moth, and flies in the office. I do not really want to complain, but I have never realized that I was receiving blessing in the place where Internet was always available, “unlimitedly.” I had to talk with group members from the online class today, but both Skype and Google hangout were impossible to receive the call because of the slow Internet connection. I have given thanks to the situation that I anyway was able to connect to Internet since I came to Africa, but I am so sad that I have a hard time of taking online class that would be graded soon. Working and studying at the same time is hard!

However, I was motivated to be in Zambia by hearing my GDEC friends’ news. I cannot believe that I am already 2^nd year master student, and 1^st year students will listen my voicethread presentation soon. I am asking myself that I am good enough to be called as senior. Only two months are left that the year 2014 is finished, and I am getting old! I miss my GDEC friends. I may have to attend the graduation ceremony to meet them. My friends! I am looking forward to seeing you soon in next May, and you take care!

Oct 15. 2014. Global Handwashing Day

Today, October 15 is a global handwashing day. This day was originally created for children and schools, but anyone can celebrate and promote handwashing with soap all over the world.

<CDC Global Handwashing Day>

http://www.cdc.gov/features/globalhandwashing/

<Global Handwashing Day>

http://globalhandwashing.org/ghw-day

Every year, pneumonia and diarrheal diseases claim 2 million under age 5 children’s lives in developing countries. I did take using soap for granted whenever I wash my hands. However, the soap itself may be expensive stuff that remote villagers cannot afford to buy. Or, people just do not know the importance of handwashing with soap, have a hard time finding where to buy, or only use soap for washing dishes, bathing and laundry. Handwashing with soap is a “do-it-yourself vaccine” that protect against fecal contact and transmission of disease; this simple but critical activity does reduce skin and eye infections, intestinal worms, SARS, diarrhea, and respiratory infections such as pneumonia and influenza. Changing old habit into washing hands frequently – after using a toilet, before/after handling food, before cooking, or after cleaning a child – will be the most effective, affordable and easiest way to save children’s and mothers’ lives.

To enhance the effectiveness of handwashing, using soap, or at least ash is critical; fecal pathogens will not be dislodged by water alone, and soap will removes the oils of hands and leaves pleasant smell on hands. How long should we wash our hands each time? 20 seconds. Singing the “Happy birthday” song two times during handwashing would be the perfect time to gauge 20 seconds.

World Vision Zambia Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (ZWASH) team and I visited Hamaundu ADP- Demu area to attend the global handwashing day celebration. Before coming here, I could not distinguish between borehole and handwashing facilities. ‘Why are they different?’ One of the ZWASH staff Emmanuel told me people do not wash their hands at the borehole. ‘Why?’ He said that people use borehole only for drawing water. ‘Okay…’ And I finally realized that how a handwashing facility looks like. It was right in front of the toilet, and water bottle and soap water bottle were hanging on a branch. ‘Wow, it looks so simple.’

Village members gathered under the shadow of the big tree, and enjoyed performance and play about WASH. People dug a hole and constructed handwashing spot with 3 twigs within a few minutes, and a women demonstrated how to wash hand with soap. All I did today was sitting on the brick, learning tribe language, Tonga, and waiting for lunch, but a scorching sun caused dizziness. Having a good draught of water at that moment means everything; I have just saved my life. Living in Africa is hard, but it makes me to feel grateful what I already have. If you grab new cold water bottle and soap in your hand, you are a lucky person. I might have been wash my hands for 10 seconds, but from now, I will double the time of handwashing to eliminate all bacteria attached on my hands. 

Oct 10. 2014. Water Borehole

How much do we appreciate availability the water in our home? Water is always ready, so we might never realize how important it is. We might misunderstand that water is just like the air, and it never be drained. We simply turn the faucet on and wash our hands right after using a toilet. We enjoy the highest water pressure from the shower tap, feel the hot water for a long time, and hum forth our satisfaction.

However, the exact opposite situation is happening in the opposite side of the earth. There is literally, no water. There is even no rain, no river, and no creek in the drought-stricken area. It is not surprising anymore to me that people have been dying of diarrhea. People could not drink clean water, take a bath, and harvest crops. It took a whole day to carry only one bucket of water from the long distance. Ebola outbreak in West Africa has still claimed so many lives, and the virus has spread to the U.S. The reason why Ebola has started was that there might be no available water to wash hands and no education to make people sensitize to sanitation issues.  

I went to field with Dr.Opong, Doreen, Dorothy, and Davison to see how boreholes and sanitation facilities constructed by World Vision have positive influence on communities in Twachiyand ADP. We visited Mweebo village, the primary school, and Mumfumbila village and heard their stories about water, sanitation and hygiene.

What does a borehole mean to them? It must be a miracle because they are finally able to get the clean water anytime. 500 people in Mweebo village rely on only one borehole, but that one borehole itself does improve their lifestyle dramatically. Dr.Opong asked each child to hear how the clean water from a borehole changed his/her lives.

A child is using her bike to draw
 some water from a borehole

“I use it for drinking and bathing.”

“I wash my clothes.”

“I use my water to wash my hands after using the toilet.”

“I use it for cooking.”

“Animals are drinking our clean water.”

“We use our water for our vegetable.”

I have never realized that the water is the essential resource for our various critical moments in daily lives. If somebody had asked me how do you use the water, I might only have said, “I use it for drinking and taking a bath.”

Someday, water pipe will reach each household, and everyone can enjoy the clean water right in front of their home.

Oct 9. 2014. WASH Southern Regional office

Today was the officially first day to work for WASH in Zambia. I met staff in WASH Southern Regional office in Choma, Zambia. In the morning, I had a meeting with Alfred Chushi, Chongo ADP manager, Brenda Chilala: Regional DM&E officer, Dorothy Monde: WASH regional manger, Doreen Chizyuka: administration coordinator, Michael Chiyombwe: Magoye ADP manager, Daniel Ngulube: Kalomo ADP program manager, and Immanuel Opong, Regional Director. I had a presentation about LiST and my work in Sierra Leone. I was impressed that WASH team is ready to work under the great leadership of Dr.Opong. Zambia has 72 District and 13 Southern districts, and WASH intervention has been implemented in Southern area since 2010.

In Zambia, there is staple food called, Nshima, made of maize flour. It was almost same shape and taste as fufu in Sierra Leone and Ugali in Tanzania. Bravo! I have finally started using my hands to eat Nshima since I came to Zambia. No spoon needed. I had no more rejection symptom to tear of Nshima and immerse the chicken soup with bare hands.

In the other side of the regional office, I saw the equipment that was needed for borehole construction. It normally takes half a day to construct one borehole. I will go to the field tomorrow to see how boreholes have had impact on community people and how they have been maintained.

Oct 8. 2014. Every child deserves clean water

The weather at night was so chilly in Zambia. It reminded me of cool autumn weather in South Korea. I did not wait in the long line, so I ran directly to get Zambia visa. However, I realized that there was so simple step to obtain the visa; no paperwork, paying $80 for multiple entries, getting a receipt, and good to go! All processes were finished within a minute. I already love Zambia!

I got off the airplane at 8:50pm and exited the airport at 9:15pm. Everything seemed to go so smoothly, and I tried to find Doreen and driver from World Vision. ‘Where are they?’ I was in outside so early, so have they not arrived yet? After 5 minutes, people who I was looking for were getting out of the airport. They were waiting for me inside.

“Welcome to Zambia!” said Doreen.

I spent 3 days in the guesthouse in Lusaka, the capital city in Zambia, and introduced myself to National Office staff. My project for Zambia and Malawi is to analyze Lives Save Tool (LiST) to evaluate water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) project in Southern African Region (SAR). World Vision promoted the campaign, <Every child deserves clean water>, and it has become the leading NGO that drills wells in the developing world. World Vision has been working closely with the academic institution, the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill (UNC) to research, repair, and remain the well operations. 

World Vision’s efforts to provide clean water in African countries succeed in reaching one new person with clean water from well every 30 seconds. West African countries have already received benefit from sustainable clean water, and World Vision has expanded this WASH intervention to SAR since 2010: DRC, Malawi, Mozambique, and Zambia. It is good to be here in Zambia because I can contribute how much WASH project in SAR has been effective to community people by showing retrospective estimated number of lives saved from 2010 to current.

Until every single child have access to clean water in Africa, we will keep it up!

- From FEC ZWASH FY13 Semiannual Report

Oct 5. 2014. One-way ticket

I did not realize how hard saving money was. I just found the air flight that goes directly from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania to Lusaka, Zambia, takes only 1 hour and a half. It was also way cheaper than my original air flight. My effort to save the money lasted 3 full days, from Friday to Sunday, but it turned out that I lost my time, additional transaction fee, and energy. The payment method of that airplane company did have problems, so they did not confirm my ticket, and their Sunday flight was already booked. The next flight would be on Monday, but I did want to go Zambia at least on Sunday because my new fellowship would begin on Monday. It was not okay for me to get there one day late only because the airplane ticket is cheap. After long fuss and fret, I finally got another ticket, South African Airways, departing today. It was the exact same flight as my original ticket except the date. I felt my destiny to lay over at Johannesburg, South Africa, was already set. Anyway, I go to Zambia today!

I arrived early at the Dar es Salaam international airport, and tried to find where the South African Airways office was. I could not print my airplane itinerary, so I was a little worry; I just needed a piece of thick actual ticket paper in my hands as early as possible. I asked several airport employees to find the South African Airway booth.

“Inside!”

Inside where? I wished they could explain more where exactly it was. After standing at the random place with big 2 luggage quite a while, and I literally entered inside. Before getting inside, a man who looked from immigration office or police checked my Tanzania visa and asked me the purpose of visit in Tanzania.

“For travel!”

I answered shortly because my Tanzania visa says I am a visitor in Tanzania. I finally found the booth I was eagerly looking for, send my 45kg luggage to Lusaka, and got the one-way ticket: Dar es Salaam to Lusaka. One-way ticket… I always like to make plan ahead, and every activity should be lined-up, but I do not still even know where to go after this December. I want to open and be flexible to find more job opportunity in Africa. That was why I only had the one-way ticket.

This one-way ticket, unfortunately, made some problem when I finally checked my passport and scanned right fingers at the immigration office. The officer glared at me and asked, “Why do you go to Zambia?” The simplest way to answer was travel, so I said, “For travel.”

“Do you have round-trip ticket?”

“No, I only have one-way ticket.”

“Then, I can’t allow you to go because we don’t allow anyone to visit African country here and there without ticket for going back to their country.”

Oh my… every time I passed immigration office, I had a serious problem. In Sierra Leone, the officer urged me to go back to Freetown to get monthly renew stamp, and this time, the officer in Tanzania wanted me to show him a round-trip ticket. He might worry the situation I never return to my country and hide somewhere in Zambia.

“I don’t have that ticket, but I do go back to my country. Everyone is waiting for me in Zambia!” said desperate Charles.

“I don’t care everyone is waiting for you there, and you are not allowed to go.”

Argument time with the immigration officer had just begun again. The situation was “Let me go, let me go!” and “You can’t go, You can’t go!” Some passengers behind me had already changed to other line, and others were still waiting for their order.

“Okay, so should I purchase round trip ticket now?”

I did not mind buying one at that moment. Oh, actually, I did not have any money to buy any other ticket. The officer looked so unhappy about this situation, but he finally let me go. He sealed my one-way ticket with a stamp.

“Thank you so much!”

He did not talk back to me, but I was not offended at all because anyway, I passed the immigration checkpoint!

“Ticket one way! Ticket one way! One way one way one way ticket…! Ticket one way! Ticket one way! 한참을 너에게 가버린 맘…” The 9Muses song, <Ticket>, lingered in my mind. I really like that song. Maybe, I have already got crush on African life, so I cannot even decide when to leave. To be honest, I am a bit fear of my future, and it is too funny that I cannot decide where to return: to South Korea? to the U.S.? Nothing has been decided, but as always, I do focus on my current one-way ticket.

“Zambia, I am coming! Please wait till this evening!”

I got on the airplane. Cool! It is now taking off. My new life in Africa is ready to expand in Zambia.

Oct 2. 2014. I am leaving tomorrow!

At last, my AIM-Health Programme fellowship is heading to terminal station. It is not easy to say good-bye to people, but I have to say that and leave. I greet each person in the office and said, “I am leaving tomorrow!” Then, people said to me, “Oh, I am going to miss you,” “Will you come back to Tanzania?” “Don’t go!” But, I have no job here anymore, so I have to leave. Living in Africa for 4 months seemed to be short, but now I feel like I am here for 40 months. So many emotions crossed my mind. I never knew what would happen tomorrow, and I had to deal with many unexpected happening in Africa. Occasionally, I felt uncomfortable to be in Tanzania, because I was not supposed to be here, and I did not belong to World Vision Tanzania (WVT). Nevertheless, 2 months in Tanzania would be unforgettable happy moment; every staff was nice, and I had a strong impression that they were my sincere friends, beyond the thought of work-related colleagues. Every day was never lethargic, and I had a real dramatic life in Africa: from Sierra Leone to Tanzania within 4 months. I have overcome the difficult situations during this period, but especially, Ebola outbreak is still there in West Africa. I still feel so heavy in the head…

I took a group picture with sponsorship volunteers. I did not ask their age, but most of them have just graduated from university or been on school vacation. They called me or came to see me to have lunch together, so I was never left to starve. Although I deliberately skipped Nam Hotel free lunch this week, I always came to sponsorship office and said hello to them. Friends, I will also going to miss you a lot!

I am fortunate to continue my fellowship experience with World Vision in Southern African countries from next week, until this December. At least, it is better to say, “I am going to Zambia!” I will be a new fellow as LiST analyst for Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) in Zambia and Malawi. It will be only 2 month and a half program, but I will also have chance to visit Malawi during fellowship period. Air ticket for Zambia will be this Saturday afternoon, and I will go to Dar es Salaam city tomorrow to board an airplane on Saturday. It will be another long trip; it will take 8-9 hours to get Dar es Salaam by vehicle, and 7 hours to get Zambia from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. I will lay over in South Africa and arrive in Lusaka, Zambia in the Saturday night. My new official work will begin on next Monday. 

Okay, let’s move on! My life in Africa has just been officially extended until this December.

Oct 1. 2014. Finally, Typhoid

I felt so terrible yesterday. I had a severe headache, stomachache, and diarrhea, so I could not do anything. But I had two Skype meeting yesterday, so I could not leave the office. One was at 11am, and second one was at 5pm. It was so painful to wait until 5pm to attend the meeting. I did not want to cancel the meeting because it was for my preparation of the next project with World Vision. Internet connection was not good, so the meeting at 5pm was over so quickly without exchanging specific information. I could not stand my condition anymore, so I had to leave right after this meeting. It was first time to come back home early in the evening; it was only 5:50pm, but I deliberately lay down on the bed and slept for a long time. And I had to go toilet in and out frequently at dawn.

Today in the morning, symptoms have almost gone, but I have already lost my appetite. It was an unpleasant feeling that I was hungry but had no appetite. However, I had to eat breakfast by force because I had to take medicine. Unfortunately, stomachache came again right away, and diarrhea also came again. Whatever I eat, stomachache and diarrhea always followed in a twinkle. In and out within a minute… The Aga Khan Medical Health Centre opened at 8am, and I was the first one for malaria/ typhoid check-up. A clinician initially failed to collect my blood, so two new syringes were used to take my blood. The examination would not take long because I was the first patient, so I decided to sit down and wait. Soon enough, many people stood in line to have medical service. This Health Center recently extended its service hours to 10pm, so I guess there should be many patients who visit this place. After 30 minute, I got the result; no parasite for malaria, but typhoid test was S. Typhi O: 1/80, S. Typhi H: 1/80.

I finally got typhoid. It was not severe typhoid, but I had the minimum requirement to be diagnosed as typhoid. I knocked the doctor’s door, and came to see a doctor to have prescription, but he told me to pay the consultation fee first. So I waited in a line and paid for that fee, and came back to the doctor. He wrote something on the backside of my result sheet, and I went to the pharmacy with that to get medicine. The medicines were Cephalkem for antibiotic and Cetamol for headache. Although it turned out to be typhoid, my pain has somewhat eased off mentally because at least I knew what the problem was. I thought I was physically strong, but it was not true; I am one of the normal people who are likely to get typhoid or malaria. I have heard the stories that most of Korean volunteers in Tanzania were suffering from malaria and typhoid. Local people also take it for granted that they contract those diseases. But I should not make slight of it because some people die of malaria or dengue. I do not know which food caused typhoid, so now I am afraid to eat any local food. It has been 4 months since I came to Africa; if my physical condition cannot bear this new environment, I have to change my plan of living in Africa for a long time. I realize again that I really have to be careful of eating food and preventing mosquito bite.

Living in Africa is not surely easy. Especially since I came to Tanzania, I have been nauseous whole 2 months and had sudden serious headache/stomachache from time to time. What food makes this problem? I indulge in headache pill, stomachache pill, diarrhea pill, antimalarial pill, mosquito repellent, torn bed net, cockroach spray, vitamin, and plus, typhoid pill. Without a firm faith and will, coming to Africa would never be fun. I wish to be stronger enough to continue my public health life in Africa. I am not done yet. So, I will be okay; no… I SHOULD be okay.

... Go away, Typhoid!