Happy in Myitkyina

And here I am in front of the gate of our DIC in Myitkyina. I am feeling good and happy to be involved in such a nice program for target populations. In Kachin there is a lot to do and it is sometimes very tiring to have to travel 4 hours/day to spend a few hours in Moeguang. This village is indeed a couple of hours away from Myitkyina, the place where we live, and expats usually can not stay overnight. It is also the DIC with the highest recruitment and with new doctors which need supervision. So the best is to go to Moeguang at least twice a week, despite the traveling...The expat team and the local staff is very nice and it is just a pleasure to work with all of them both in Yangon and Myitkyina.

I am now in Yangon since a few days and enjoying the "BIG" city, shopping and going out in night clubs. We have a tailor for making new dresses with local fabrics, a massage place (fantastic...1h30 later I was melting), nice restaurants like the Italian restaurant called the Opera (pictures coming soon..)


So NO WORRIES. Despite some difficulties (which are definitely limited when compared to other missions...) I am definitely happy of doing this work.
Please continue on sending your support, it is great to receive news and emails.

Best to all of you and till next connection (better not fix a date as these past few days the server in Yangon was down...so even in the capial I may be offline for a while, you never know...)

Lizard says yes to condoms

In a mission mostly dedicated to HIV prevention and treatment, condoms are a must. In each country around South East Asia there is a different word for condom and it is associated to a different figure.
Here in Myanmar it’s the lizard that promotes the use of condoms! This is related to what children ask to their parents when they would like something. Indeed the lizard is always nodding with its head saying yes so the kids usually say to their parents “let’s ask the lizard if I can have what I would like to get”…smarts!
So the campaign for condoms asks to the lizard “Should I take condoms with me?” and of course the answer is yes!

Food

This is an example of what our cook prepare for us in Kachin for breakfast and lunch...For sure I don't miss the lab canteen. The only thing I am missing from times to times is cheese...but if I am really craving for cheese I can find some in Yangon.
One thing I have noticed is that I am getting so used to rice that when I stop rice my body complains...Apparently this is frequent among expats that are usually sick when they go back to their home country and stop eating rice!

Biking in Mitkhyina

As promised I didn’t give up the skills acquired in the Netherlands. Here I am on a biking tour around Mitkhyina, 16 miles return trip. 16 miles you will say not much for Dutch standards…sure but you should see the roads conditions! Holes, stones, trishaws and motorbikes everywhere, overloaded with all the family on one motorbike…just like in Napoli. And being one month without biking I can tell you that I had hard time sitting on a chair in the evening! Nevertheless I am going to work by bike every day…but hopefully we have a car that we can use whenever we like and even though I am equipped for the rain I will take the car for the raining season!!!!

Burmese kiss vs. French kiss

While reading “Burmese days” from G. Orwell, I discovered that in Myanmar language there is no word for kiss. As a matter of fact the Burmese kiss consists in smelling the other person’s cheek. As I was curious to know if this was still in use (“Burmese days” takes place in the ‘30s) I have asked one of our young nurse counselors who was traveling with me to Kachin. She started laughing and said “Now we are advanced to French kiss!” But the Burmese kiss is still in use…for kids ;-)

Discovery of Kachin

Finally connected in Kachin state.
I arrived in Myitkyina one week ago and I have been quite busy assessing the three clinics we have in the Kachin state.
I bike everyday to go to the office and I managed to make spaghetti with fresh tomato sauce last WE!
Connection is very slow here and doesn't always work so you will have to wait the end of the month for nice posts and pictures that I have prepared. Will post everything from Yangon.
I have also adjusted the comments settings so now you can post comments, don't hesitate. By the way here I can only access laposte email so I can not reply if you sent your messages only to the gmail address...
Till next internet connection ;-)

Min ga la bar

...greetings in Burmese!
You can say Min ga la bar at anytime of the day.

I am doing well in a very nice and pleasant weather :-)
Big house with teack flor, bed with a pink bednet and at 10 min walking a beauty salon called Bagan Princess salon!

The MDM clinic is very nice with two consultation room, a kitchen, a space for consouleing and a lrge space for IEC (Information, education and communication).
Palm trees, sun, lots of birds, we are close to one of the big lakes of Yangon called the Iun lake.

Today I am following activities in the center and tomorrow I will go on outreach activities with doctors and nurses to see patients that are at home.
I am leaving for the North, Kachin state, on thursday. I will be escorted by an offcial for my trip (by plane).

If I have time will try to post some pictures as we have ADSL in the center (not super fast but should do it). No ADSL in the north...
Gmail is not accessible for the moment but I can get laposte emails.
Will tell you more soon :-)

DEPARTURE

Finally a blog! And finally an humanitarian mission!

Last few hours before my departure for Myanmar...

Everything is packed and I am very excited about this opportunity I have to work for Médecins du monde.

The purpose of my mission is to help and supervise the local staff, Medical Doctors and nurses, in the drop-in centers in Yangon and Kachin state which are dedicated to HIV treatment and prevention.

Please note that I will read your comments before publishing them on the blog, so don't be surprised if they don't appear right after you sent them.

I will give news as soon as possible however free time will be limited and internet connection slow...

Thanks again for all your support which I hope will follow me in South-east Asia! Emails, letters, news will be highly appreciated.

All the best for this new year and stay tuned ;-)