Always in the deep woods when you leave familiar ground and step off alone into a new place there will be, along with the feelings of curiosity and excitement, a little nagging of dread. It is an ancient fear of the unknown and is your first bond with the wilderness you are going into. What you are doing is exploring. -- Wendell Berry

The TRIP: GUINEA - wonkifong --> MALI - bamako, djenne, douentza, Dogon Country --> Burkina Faso - ouagadougou, bobo-dioulasso, bala, ouagadougou --> GHANA - tamale, mole national park, tamale, yeji, volta lake ferry, akosombo, accra, green turtle lodge, elmina, cape coast, accra, hohoe and wli falls --> TOGO - kpalime, atakpame, lome --> BENIN - cotonu (transport stop) --> NIGER - niamey, tahoua, agadez, camel trek in aiir mtns, niamey --> BENIN (abomey, grand popo, ouidah, ganvie, cotonou) --> CAMEROON (douala, buea, top of Mt Cameroon, limbe, sangelima, yaounde, kribi, douala) --> MAURITANIA (nouakchott, atar, chinguetti, camels into the sahara, terjit, choume, ride the coal train, nouadhibou) --> MOROCCO (western sahara, dakhla, agadir, essaouira, marrakesh, imlil, summit of jebel toubkal, fes, chefchaouen) --> cross the Strait of Gibraltar --> Malaga, Spain --> fly to Geneva, Switzerland --> Les Grangettes, France
Click for a map. Updated April 30, 2007

mardi, mai 30, 2006

Midwifery Day 2006

Today was a completely fascinating day at my school. As we tend to do from time to time, the schedule was tossed out of the window to give the students an experience that they are unlikely to get elsewhere. Today the topic was the birthing of children. The full gamut was run. From the history of birthing to nursing to anatomy to actual birthing, the students were exposed to multiple facets related to the beginning of human life.

Personally, I have had little experience on either end of the spectrum of life. Fortunately, I have not experienced much death and am yet to be present during the giving of life. As I look forward to my next adventure, I feel this will change. From conversations with returned volunteers, death holds much more of a presence in Africa than in the United States and life is a reason for celebration. 5 weeks and counting…

posted by Frank @ 9:22 PM