Terresa's Online Journal

July 23, 2002

So, it's my birthday...what a lovely day to ride all the way back to Benguela on a bumpy road and a car full of people!! There was six of us in the car to begin with then we dropped one off before our supposed to be final destination for the day, Bolumbuo.. We were supposed to stay there for a couple days along with one of the teachers from EPF..

When we got there the driver took off and the person that was spoken to didn't know anything about us coming?? We were supposed to be doing some recruitment for the school but somewhere there was a miscommunication and we decided to hitchhike home.. Otherwise we would be sleeping on the side of the road somewhere??? The first vehicle to come by was a big semi truck.. Valli showed some leg and stuck out his thumb!! It worked and they stopped!! It was two trucks and they were on there way to Lobito so we climbed on in.. Dana and I rode with the first truck?? The two minhinas of course!!!! There were bunks behind the drivers seat so we got to lay down and nap most of the way.. I did anyway!!

They were actually pretty nice! The driver was talking about his 15 girlfriends but it was made clear we weren't interested and were involved in relationships already. The truck kept breaking down and we got to Lobito pretty late... The trucker offered to take us back in his car to Benguela!! We stopped of at his house and met his wife, I assume, and two and a half kids.. One on the way... They were a very beautiful family... The wife even gave us cake!! Three different kinds!! How did she now it was my birthday, I wonder?? HA HA!! We took some pictures and headed off to Benguela.. Dana and I rode in the back of the truck going probably 80 miles an hour but it was nice.. The moon was almost full and shining through the small wandering clouds as we drove down the road gazing at the imperial pines that lined the way!!

July 22, 2002

Sunday we were supposed to go to the orphanage but we got sucked in to a church service that was taking place right outside... We were there for three hours, long service, but it was fun.. There were six groups and they would sing their lungs dry and dance until their legs fell off!! The preacher would read a passage in Portuguese then another would read it in Imbundu... It was a mix of the old and the new.. Scriptures were read and songs were sung but also people would be invoked by the spirit and start speaking in tongues... At any time someone would yell out unspoken words... It was a neat experience!! They definitely welcomed us there and even made us a part of their service.. It was a nice day....

Today we finally got to the orphanage.. It is ran by an Angolan NGO, unlike a lot here... The orphanage is an old milk factory that was destroyed at some point in the war?? It is very simply made into a few classroom by fixing some of the walls with mud bricks and the roof by adding some long branches of wood, straw mats and tarps that went over the whole roof........ The rooms where the children slept were small and had four beds, each holding two children. There was also a small building used as a medical post... The Orphanage has very little but really takes care and makes use of what they do have! The teachers have maybe 6 thin books to get their material out of and of course the students don't get books...When we ask what it was that they really needed they lady in charge said History books.. They want to know about and teach the kids their country's history... It is the best way to learn about what has been going on in their country. I really want to help this organization and get them some material that they need and want..

July 20, 2002

Yesterday we went to a second mine field that was located right beside a school and a prison... Weird combination huh, a prison.. school.. and an army camp full of mines!! Anyway , we actually got to see mines that were in the ground that the workers had found that day.. When a mine or explosive is found then it is marked, left in place, then exploded at the end of the day.. Any mines or explosives that are found that are not dangerous but need to be destroyed to get them out of circulation, are destroyed in a big demolition on every Saturday!!

Today is Saturday and we were invited to come see the demolition so of course we went... When we arrived the holes had been dug and the missiles, mines, and explosive devices were laying around the pits waiting for placement.. There were four holes probably a meter wide , two meters long, and a meter and a half deep.. The holes were clustered together like a big square ... The explosives were then strategically placed into the ground.. Each hole contained about 90 kg making a total of almost 400 kg of explosive material.. After placement a fuse line was ran ... connecting each hole to a main line... Then a slower burning fuse was attached to the other... It burned slow enough for the last guy to get the heck out of there before the boom!!!

It is all pretty safe and we were taken far away.. back to the road.. The boom was loud and shook my heart!! The cloud that emerged was kinda like the pictures we see of Hiroshima.. It was a great experience and certainly an everlasting memory... Thank god someone is trying to help get rid of these awful devices that maim and kill so many people in the world... Here in Angola it is a huge problem.. It isn't at all unusual to see people everyday with a missing arm or leg!!

July 17, 2002

Today I got out of bed bright and early in order to catch a bus, that I ended up missing, and started our walk into town.. The walk ended as some bulls tried to run us over as a truck from the school came hauling ass down the road.. We got a lift into town and went to the Red cross center.. We went out to the refugee camp with all the people... The lady who runs it is awesome!! She is a nurse that worked for Doctors Without Borders for three years in 3 different countries and then got this job in Huambo. They do several things but when we went with them they were visiting health/medical posts where they talked with midwives that keep track of how many deaths and births are happening each month!! Anyway, it was cool and the children made my heart break!! I just know so many of them will die before they ever get a chance!! Everyone has so little here and yet they survive!! When we go to the market so many people want money or bread or something? You know they need it way more than you do but if you give away everything you never get to eat!! Every time we buy bread we have to buy extra if we want to eat any at home. When somebody ask you for food it just feels like I am being such a bastard by saying no, I don t have any!! I do have!! There was a man kneeling in the park today beside the walkway on our way back from the market and we walked buy.. He didn't t say a word but we took some bread out of our bag and asked him if he would like some? At first he couldn't understand us so we put the bread in his hand!! The man was blind and overjoyed with thanks for the bread in his hand!! That is what makes you want to give the most even after you have been hit up for money 15 times a day!!!

July 15, 2002

... On Saturday we took our hike out to the big mountainous pile of rocks that look like a giant boulder from the school.. We climbed as high as we could and had a blast doing so.. At one point we crawled into a crevice between two giant rocks and climbed up another one. Then we had two jump two a smaller one that was probably only 2 feet wide. Between the two was a drop off that didn't end stretching probably 3.5 feet maybe.... It seemed like some Indiana Jones thing... Anyway it was fun and we may get to go to one where we can explore caves..

Today we went with HALLO TRUST out to a mine field called Bella Vista. It was a 2 hour drive that went through places that have been hit real hard by the war... There was a refugee camp with over 100 thousand people living in their mud grass huts!! It was insane! Also we went through a couple cities that looked as if they had been bombed to the ground... There were at least 5 tanks and 6 cars that were bombed and left by the side of the road or partly on it!! I got a shot of me hanging upside down on the gun of the tank like Indiana Jones does in the movie!! ha ha Anyway, we went to the field where they work and they gave us the whole low down and took us through the mine field where they showed us everything they do!! We had to wear the full equipment and everything, hella cool!! It was a good day and Saturday we get to go watch a demolition of mines, bombs, and explosives!!

July 11, 2002

hey hey hey again!! Today we went on a long walk and tour of the eucalyptus plantation.. They have a ton of trees and vegetables that they grow behind the school.. It is way cooler here because the people actually work and seem to enjoy it! Then later in the day we went to the market to buy some food. We aren't really aloud to go to the markets in Benguela because they are too dangerous. It was awesome though.. So many people in an area all trying to get you to buy their stuff!! The dust filled the air as trucks and cars flew by. I'm glad I am getting a little taste of Africa!! Tomorrow we are going to go to some NGO´s in the area and try to get more info about what they are doing?? We talked to some landmine people today and we are going to set up a time to go to the field and see how they work!!

July 10, 2002

Wow!! The trip to Huambo was amazing, probably the only time I will get to see part of real Angola.. The trip itself took 19 hours of driving and it was only like 4 or 5 hundred kilometers... The road was horrible and full of bottomless pits! We went through some amazing towns though.. We stopped once to fix some problem with the car and we decided to go on a walk! We wanted to try this fruit from the boabab tree so all of these kids were trying to get one down. After at least 15 or 20 min we tried this weird fruit.. It looks and feels like astronaut ice cream but taste like dried apples with big seeds. Actually, it was quite nice.. Going through the mountains was unbelievable! They are all quite rounded and look like huge rock that were dropped from the sky.. I want to climb them all, probably not a good idea though huh!! Towards the end of our journey we got a flat tire and realized we had the wrong tools to fix it so we flagged down these trucker guys that were very drunk and mumbling a bunch of crap about different languages over and over. They kept sucking on something from a plastic wrapper? I think it was some kind of alcohol?? Anyway, they had the tool we needed and were again on our merry way. Towards they end I couldn't keep my eyes open I was so tired! My head whacked the side of the van 5 times before I found some space to rest my head on my mosquito tent!! I think my head is bruised... We finally arrived at our destination at 5am this morning and slept until 2pm!! Huambo seems to have more of a relaxed atmosphere than Benguela. It is very calm here, and beautiful.. I like it!!

June 29, 2002

Here we are again and I thought I felt the Malaria coming on, so I took a test on Monday but it was negative?? Friday I am positive and felling pretty sick! I got the medication and took it three times before my temperature was starting to be dangerous and I was vomiting.. Well because I was trying to eat something with the Quinine because it is strong... Anyway I couldn't keep my medicine down or my fever so I went to the hospital.. They gave me a couple shots in the buttocks and fever gradually started to come down and I started feeling more alert.. I went back in the morning and they gave me some new medicine that was to be taken at different times so it wasn't too much on the stomach. They also gave me some shots incase I started vomiting again!! What a fun night!! Malaria likes me too much!! But not as much as Joseph!! he he

June 16, 2002

Another day in beautiful paradise! They beauty of the landscape and the people here are amazing! Problems exist everywhere but people here always manage to survive and are happy... For us Development Instructors not having an enough water is a problem. People here deal with this issue every day and yet we always have access to supplies to clean our water. Our water cantainers have been empty a couple days after we fill it so several times we walked to the river to get some water at least for showers while using the project leaders water to drink.. Now the river is dried up, which isn't at all unusual for this time of year! There is a big water tank down the road from us that we have been getting water from the last few days.. It is almost like a pond with thousands of creatures (tadpoles, rats , frogs, snd ect..) swimming around!! I wouldn't ever drink the water but its good enough for a quick bucket bath...I guess I am just grateful to have access to water when so many people don't!!

June 11, 2002

Hello once again! I thought I would tell you a little bit about my experiances here with men. The first question is always what is your name? The second is How old are you? Third, Where are you from? Of course the fourth question are you married or single? Even after you say you have a boyfriend many men seem to believe they can change your mind and you will marry them!! Ok, I guess I am just getting annoyed and not all men do this. There is this one guy though that just won't leave me alone. I made it absolutely clear that there was no way I would be his girlfriend because I already have a boyfriend that I wouldn't give up for anyone here or elsewhere! I guess if he is still coming around and bugging me then I am just going to tell him to go away and leave me alone!! Shoe fly don't bother me?? O and they make this sound like sssits sssits sssits at you?? I never reply to sounds people make at me, I find it rather rude!! People probably think I am somewhat snobish but really, come on!!! I hope after awhile they will stop or at least not do it so often..

June 9, 2002

Hello! We have moved out to the EPF school and I am now working out here too. I like it much better but it is far away from the city so it makes it harder to buy food and get water sometimes. It seems more like Africa out here in Cavaco Valley. Instead of big cockroaches we have rats!! We finally fixed it so they can't get into our room at night when we are sleeping. They were coming in under our door and running along our bunkbeds!! One fell on Dana's head!! I am glad I bought a mosquito tent!!!! nothing can get in besides for fleas?? Anyway, I am getting used to the squat latrines and bucket showers!! We need our water tank filled so we haven't had much water around here. I think I may be starting to smell??!! HA HA I am feeling so grateful for what I have at home!! A shower would feel like heaven about now!!! I hope everyone is doing well. Take care and enjoy your summer as I enjoy my winter here!!

June 6, 2002

Since my last e-mail I have talked with my project leader and more or less he agreed I needed to work at a different project doing something that I was interested in and wanted to do. Right now anything is good for me!! I still want to try and get some of the much needed supplies for the projects here in Benguela though. I know two of the volunteers working at the childrens school are wanting to go back early to fundraise enough money for a water container. The kids don't always have clean water and lunch at school because it is not availble without walking 20 kilometers!! It cost something like 4,000 US dollars for a good tank that will last more than a year. It seems everything here only built to last a year, not because they want it that way but good materials are hard to come by and when you don't have what you think you need you manage with what you have!! I guess that is a good lesson in life!!!

May 28, 2002
The Barrios

I am finally feeling better now! I finished my medication but it stays in the system for a few days so I have to wait to take another test to make sure it is gone!! I think it is though. Anyway, while I have been sick I have been thinking about my job and what I am not doing?? I really don't have much to do and I don't think I am in the right job for me?? I thought maybe I could travel around to the different projects in Angola and try and make an inventory of what they really need! Times are tough here and the projects are cutting back on workers and supplies are hard to come by. If I went back to the states early I could try and fundraise supplies so people here can actually do their jobs.. So much is needed and it seems the people here could do so much more if they had the materials and supplies to do so. I guess I will bring up my idea to my project leader and see what he thinks.. ??

May 22, 2002

I have had a bad sore throat for a couple of days now!! I have been feeling terrible and I am always tired. I went to get a Malaria test in the morning and it came back positive!! I got Malaria after only being here for like 10 days?? We came right after the rainy season so Malaria is everywhere! Of course I have the pleasure of this experience!!! The medicine that they gave us is horrible, it makes me feel worse than the Malaria does.. I can't eat anything without wanting to puke and I have to take like four different pills with food. I am feeling like I want to go home! I am definitly a baby when I don't feel well!! A fan would be so nice to have right now!!!! I am going to take a nap, I am exhausted!!! goodnight

May 14, 2002

Neil hasn't got back from Luanda and I don't know what I am supposed to do at work? I don't think anyone else does either? It haas been really boring but I have had some interessting conversation.. I hope I figure out what I am doing soon!!!!

The funniest thing happened last night!! In the early morning a cat pounced onto our roof and started crying like a baby?? I could have sworn it was a sick child crying?? I was still very much asleep and wasn't for sure what was going on? The day before Manwela was telling me about how the lady that washes our clothes house fell down when the rains came. During the rainy season many peoples houses fall down and even kill some of their occupants.. Anyway, at the time something was happening in my dream when the cat jumped onto the roof. Dust, dirt, and paint chips fell from the ceiling onto me and my mosqito tent. I wasn't fully concious and thout that the ceiling was falling in. I dove for the space between Dana and I's bed. She was as confused as I was but though UNITA was attacking! It was the scarest and funniest thing that has happened to me in a long time. I was just laying upside down in a collapsed tent wandering what was going on?? Then the wander turned into tears and laughter after realizing where we were wnd what was going on. We laughed for at least 20 min strait!! One again another night of little sleep, but OOO what a night!!!!

May 11, 2002

I have been in Benguela for two days now. It is a beautiful city with about 1/2 a million people living in it.. There is alot of trash here as well, but it is so much cleaner than Luanda. The people here are very nice and looking forward to a future of development and change!!

There are 10 Development Instructors here from various places around the world (Holland, Italy, Iceland, France, Czeck Republic, Irealand, Hungary, Portugal, and the two of us from the U.S.) They all seem to be very nice people and it is interesting to hear about their cultures..

I am so tired I can't sleep. It is also too hot to sleep!! My Portugues isn't good at all but there are several people who speek English. I think it is going to take awhile but hopefully I catch on before I leave. At least so I can speak enough to have a deacent conversation??

May 9, 2002

We are finally in Luanda!!! It took forever to fing my luggage on the bottom of the piles of bags. Now we are at ADPP just chilling out until we find out where we are sleeping? I guess we will go to our final destination in Benguela tomorrow!! Luanda is a shocking place to be! You can tell that this place used to be a very beautiful place but now it is overcrowded and full of trash!! I see so many kids runnong around half naked playing in the trash piles which are everywhere. Even though there is a peace agreement I still feel things are unstable but that was expected after so many years of war. When that is all you know it takes time to change!! Anyway, the future looks bright for Angola if that can get the Aid that they so desperatly need!!!

May 8, 2002

We just arrived in South Africa and we are very tired!! We have been traveling for two days and are very tired. We had Some time in London to travel around the town and try and get Malaria pills but sleeping wasn't really in the picture. Now we are exhausted and don't even know day from night. The wonderful experience of jet lag!! We are off to our beds for a long nap and another flight in the morning!! Goodnight to all....