You Don't Know

I tend to write in the abstract-vague sentences attempting to convey aspects of whimsy and emotion. Sunsets and rainstorms are equally as beautiful here, and this you could have already guessed. Every scene, every moment is a memory of which I wish to share but when it comes down to it, many of you do not actually know what I do. So this afternoon (and boy is it a SCORCHING afternoon) I've chosen to forgo the breathy language and opt for a more cohesive explanation of my life. I live in Pemba, Cabo Delgado, a predominantly Muslim area that is also a major tourist destination. Yes, I live a ten minute walk from the Indian Ocean and a barrage of hotels and restaurants, boasting a certain semblance of American food. There are a multitude of ex-pats here, many of which I see driving in their NGO-stamped Land Rovers. But as for me, I walk. A lot. I work in two places: for a tiny, community-based org in the city (a 20 min bus ride) and a LARGE NGO (a 10 min walk). My title is Community Health Promoter, following the objectives of assisting our orgs with capacity-building inciatives as well as organizational development. My daily schedule? Make my way into town around 8 or 9 to meet my collegues for home visits to patients living with HIV/AIDS, fill out paperwork at a local hospital or attend a meeting with all 30 activists in the CBO. I normally make it home around 3 or 4 to cook.