Kenya Immunizations

Today I headed to the travel clinic to get my immunizations for my trip to Kenya.

My research told me I'd be needing 9 needles but when I got there I learnt that at most, I'd need at most only 5, since some are combined with each other, and others, like Japanese encephalitis, I didn't need at all.

The vaccines suggested were:

• Dukoral (oral vaccine)- for traveller's diarrhea and cholera
  
• Menactra- for meningitis
  
• YF-Vax- for Yellow Fever
  
• Vivaxim- for Hepititis A and Typhoid
  
• MMR Booster- measles, mumps, and rubella
  
• Polio

Yellow Fever is mandatory for travels to most part of Africa, including Kenya. If you arrive without the immunization, they might make you get it there (and my doctor told me to avoid getting any needles while travelling, if I can avoid it.)

The rest were not mandatory, but strongly recommended. Polio and MMR are 100% covered under Ontario Health Insurance, and the rest are covered 80-100% by my student insurance. So I figured, why not get them all? If they're recommended, I don't want to take the risk of contracting an illness while travelling just because I was afraid of some needles today.

I was feeling totally fine until I heard the nurse and doctor talking outside my room.

"She's getting all 5!"

"No way! That's brave!"

... wait, what? 5 in one day is uncommon to the point of being brave? Oh no, what have I gotten my self into? Crap.

The doctor then comes in and says she'll put 3 needles (MMR, Polio, Vivaxim) in my right arm, 1 in my left (YF-Vax) and one in my buttocks (Menactra)

BUTTOCKS?

After the first two in my right arm, the doctor paused to ask if I was feeling okay. Yes, yes, I answer. After the third she suggested I take a lie down break. I was sweaty and dizzy. It was really embarassing. It's not the pinch of the needle that bothers me, but that pressure you can feel with the fluid goes in, you know? The doctor told me it happened to lots of people, but maybe she was just being nice.

Then I put my brave face back on, sat up, but she suggested we just stay lying down. And good thing because yellow fever hurt A LOT. It took a long time too! Like 20 seconds. This one was definitely the most painful needle.

Time for the bum. Oh man. I was feeling kind of uncomfortable but it turns out "in the buttocks" just means you pull your pants down a little bit. It's more of a lower back than an upper butt cheek, really. Like no underwear removal or anything.

And that was that!

I also got a perscription for Malaria pills (Malarone) and traveller's diarrhea pills (Ciprofloxacin). Malaria is gosh darn expensive, you guys! Like $600 for 95 days worth. Good thing it is also 100% covered!

I now can't raise my arm from all the needles. I think I'm going to go wimper and a nap.

Needle Nightmares and a Forgotten Wallet

Today I had plans to go to the travel clinic and get about 5-9 needles.

I spent all weekend sweating about it. I hardly slept last night have needle nightmares. Today in class the prospect of having to get needles in one's bum came up.

When I finally got there (30 minute bus ride away) I realized I didn't have my wallet with me. More than embarrassing! I called my roommates to see if anybody was home who could drive it over, but nobody answered the phone. When I went up to the desk to see if I could reschedule, they asked for the information booklet back (digging it out of my backpack: how embarrassing activity #2!).

I had been waiting for 3 weeks for this appointment, but luckily they had an opening for next Monday, so I'll be able to get all my immunizations a full month before I leave for Kenya. So other than the hour I lost to pointless travel time, and other than the class I skipped to make my appointment, I guess it's really not a big deal and I should just shrug it off.

But shrugging it off means you don't learn any lessons! So what are my potential lessons learnt:

1. Get a cell phone already. Honestly every human in this country has one. They're not even that expensive. Then you would have had a whole list of friends' numbers at your finger tips, and you could have kept calling until somebody with a car was able to drive over your wallet.

2. Get a car. Then you can just drive yourself places. Nope, too expensive.

3. Carry your wallet around with you wherever you go, like a normal person. Yeah, but then I'd have to buy a lock for when I leave my stuff in the change room while at the gym or the pool. Plus then I'd always be buying brownies from the C&D on campus. Carrying money around with you makes it too easy to spend. 3b. Maybe just keep your Visa in your coat pocket (with your student card, which never leaves your pocket)

4. Be less careless.

Fine. 3b and 4.

It's just super annoying that I have to go through the whole "have needle nightmares" process again next week.

The first of many "I graduate SOON!" freak outs

On Tuesday I volunteered at UW's March Break Open House (oh, the lengths to which I'll go to get a free t-shirt!) giving tours and talking to potential engineering students.

I ran into an old prof from a course I took last summer, Fluids. It just so happens that I got my highest university mark ever in Fluids. I liked the course, I liked the prof, and I may or may not have had a mild, mild, mild crush on the TA.

Anyway he totally remembered my full name! Come on, that's pretty rare. I guess as a female engineer I'm slightly more memorable than my classmates, but then he also remembered my mark in the course. He then brought up that he had seen me at the engineering graduate studies presentation (oh, the lengths to which I'll go to get free lunch!) and asked if I had considered doing a masters specializing fluids.

Well colour me flattered! (i.e, kind of mauve-taupe, wouldn't you say?)

I've been giving law school some pretty serious consideration since about January, but all it look was 10 minutes with this prof for my mind to be completely changed! I love all the profs in the fluids department. Ooh, I wonder where my office would be? Man, I'd be the very best TA.

I called my mom that night and she was like, "uh, you'd hate that. You're just flattered. You don't want to do a masters in engineering" and I was all, "What, no, I was BORN to do a M.AppSci or whatever it's called! BORN TO"

But now, 48 hours later, I've realized that mom does indeed know best. I wasn't really interested, just flattered. Ugh, imagine the career I'd have if I did my masters? Like, research? Teaching? Lord knows I don't have the patience for teaching ESPECIALLY for teaching engineers. Engineers are a cocky bunch. I can say that because I'm a year away from being one. You can't say it though. Those are the rules.

Anyway but in my haste to imagine a future as an engineering grad student, I thought up 100 reasons why I'd hate law school. So now in addition to realizing I should never do a masters in engineering, I've also realized that I'd hate law school. Like tort law? Real estate law? That stuff? Bore me out of town, please!

The trouble is that my skills/interests are so diverse (I only know one other engineering-improvising-triathlete. KoryMath. But he doesn't share my passion for feminism and baby-naming trends so I'm back to feeling alone in the world) that I'm very afraid that nothing exists to satisfy all my parts. Surely there's a tiny niche out there somewhere just crying out for somebody like me?

Kenya flight booked!

Well, I booked my flight to Kenya.

I depart May 4th (and 18.5 hours later I arrive in Kenya on May 5th).
Then I come back on July 28th.

Holy smokes!

Fun fact: this flight is the most expensive thing I have ever bought (other than tuition, I guess).

Yikes-a-likes!

Things to do:

• book an appointment for travel immunizations (check. March 24th)
• get more info on visas (you can get them when you land, or you can get them ahead of time. I'd like to plan ahead and have it before I leave, if possible)
• get more info on how to get GPRS so I can get on the internet
• look into buying somebody's old laptop off them, so I don't have to bring my pretty new one with me
• start putting together a packing list

This is really going to happen!

Summer Plans: Phase 7

I have officially decided. I am going to Kenya this summer!

... AHHHH!

Kaja's Turns 7

To my sweetheart buddy boy, Jack,

You turned 7 a few days ago! Holy smokes! I called home to wish you a happy birthday and you sounded SO OLD.I was looking for pictures of you to post here, and I found some ones that felt recent. But then I checked their date and whoops, no, they were from 2007. Time passes pretty quickly. You're not a baby anymore.

This past year you did your first duathlon. I mean, you're good at every single sport in the world so of course you'd be an ace duathlete, but when I saw the competition I was a little nervous. Little kids wearing spandex with expensive bikes and parents who train them. But you really hustled and finished second of your age group. You've got some drive, kiddo.Also you've started talking about your future days in the NHL. You play this game where you make everybody list one thing they want, and one place they want to go. And then once we all choose our things/places, you say, "okay, when I'm in the NHL I'll pay for that." Thanks, farty.

You like calling me farty, but you always say it with a British accent. Fawty. You break out accents often and without reason.Also you sweat a lot. More than most people, I think.

When we were in Seattle visiting Laura, you and I shared a bed. You talk a lot in your sleep, mostly saying hilarious things, and you have a lot of bad dreams. And you like cuddling. Sometimes I'd wake up with your torso on top of my face. I didn't mind at all, you sweaty mess.
Laura got married this summer and you took it hard. I have a picture of the morning after the wedding, as she and Jerry left for their honey moon. You are grief stricken. Tears running down your cheek... it's the saddest picture in the world by far. I sort of realized that not only do we love you, but you love us. Your little heart loves so much!You're also quite the trend setter. You started saying "ahem ahem?" when you wanted attention and it caught on. Example conversation:

Me: I made this cake
Jack: ahem ahem?
Me: Jack helped

It's catchy and effective. Nice one Spratt-man.

Oh, nicknames. Jack, Jack-o, Jacques. Then Jacques backwards is Kaj. Then Kaja and Kajey. Then Kajak and Kajakistan and Kajakistanley. Jack-Spratt, Jack-man, Spratt-man. Toothless.When I came home from Texas (after not seeing you for 4 months! The longest I've ever gone without seeing you!) you waited for me in the airport patiently (my luggage was lost so you were waiting a long time. You have a lot of patience for a then-6 year old!) with a sign and balloons. Then when I finally came out of the doors, you dropped the signed and sprinted over (with your fake sprint where you take long strides and jut your elbows out to the side).

I started giving you a million kisses and while I'm sure most little boys would squirm and run away you hugged me tight with one arm, with the other hand did a beckon, and said, "oh yeah, keep them coming."

I love your old man pajamas and how long it takes you to diligently button them up. I love that you respond when I call you buttface. I love how you like to wear necklaces or those ugly rubber bracelets. I like how you hold a pencil and how gentle you are with cats. I love when I check your math homework, and you get it right you go, "OH YEAHHH. OH YEAHHH. OH YEAHHH." in my face for five minutes. I love how squeamish you are when looking at other people's cuts (like how you almost barfed at my knee stitches). I love your freckles and I love your dimples.
You're my favourite boy in the world, and I will love you forever and forever and forever.

Love Lisa

ps. I don't like when you give me beef stew. So stop that.

(Beef stew is when he farts on my face)

(Jack turns 6) (Jack turns 5)

Summer Plans: Phase 6

Phase 6: Decide like the engineer that you are

When called to the witness stand, my gut instinct got all wishy-washy then feigned some dry heaving and asked to be excused. Gut instinct, as usual, is useless.

So let's put some lists and numbers to the choice. Kenya vs NYC.

Financially:

Kenya: would nay make any money obviously. Cost of flight, immunizations, visa, etc: about $2000-3000.

NYC: would add to collection of coins. I'd be able to afford things like flying to visit my bestie who now lives in Argentia. Fly anywhere and every where and spend money recklessly on clothes and fancy food.

Emotionally:Kenya:the blue line, here approximated by 9sin(2x). Kenya is like AHHHHHHH. I'd be lonely a lot, I'm sure. And there would be a lot of adjusting.

NYC:the red line, here approximated by sinx+3. NYC it would be like more rah rah good times guaranteed.

Bloggingly:

Kenya: So much to blog about! Would miss 20sb meetup.

NYC: Would meet so many blog friends!

Finding direction in my life?:

Kenya: MAYBS.

NYC: PROBS NOT.

Health:

Kenya: as my mom said, "What's the worst that could happen? You get sick and dehydrated and they have to send you home in a medical airplane?" ... uh, sounds pretty bad. And I don't think that's the worst. Also, I have plenty of digestive issues. Imagine those issues without a flush toilet? At least it's at a higher elevation, so mosquitos/malaria isn't so much an issue.

NYC: the subway is dirty, but I have hand sanitizer.

Helps out my future career:

Kenya: Not really, but maybe indirectly.

NYC: I guess so but not really if I do end up going into law school.

Originality:

Kenya: Incred-unique opportunity. If I ever go to Africa, it should be now. Total real experience ("this is not Africa-lite" I've been told) with the nicest, most welcoming people ever. They say I wouldn't see another white person for the whole time I'm there. You sometimes see zebras.

NYC: The first time I packed up and moved to New York was 3 years ago, when I was 19. Then again 2 summers ago. The city that never sleep is almost ho-hum. Although this time I'd be over 21 so that might be a different spin.

Final line:

Kenya: Risky! Adventure! Potentially life changing!
NYC: Safe! Fun times! Guaranteed fun times! But for real: Fun! Times!

Choose for me.

My summer plans: Phase 4 and 5

(Phases 1-3 here)

Phase 4: Go with what you know

I worked in NYC two summers ago at a fantastic office with fantastic people doing fantastic work. That summer was most certainly the best summer of my life. I love New York to the max, and this summer I'll finally be over 21. A million fantastic bloggers live there. I could re-sign up with my bike coach. I know the subway lines. I have friends there.

I emailed my boss from my job a week ago to see if they might be able to offer me a job for the summer. I got an email from him on Friday saying that yes, he got approval to hire me! This boss is the best boss in the world, and even if I was on a crappy project it would be a good learning time because he's just the best like that.

Easy peasy. Known quantities galore. Very safe choice. But also very fun choice!

Also, I could probably work it out so that I'm only working 3 months, and then take August off to travel (I have friends in Argentina now! And camp is in Vancouver). WOULD BE THE BEST.

Phase 5: More cards on the table

My hesitations in volunteering internationally are that the expensive, big program safe "voluntourist trips" are expensive, and seemingly for rich kids looking to pad resumes, and that the cheaper programs all seem really sketchy. Without knowing somebody who's done it, I can't feel certain about my safety and stuff, you know?

Then my mom remembered that some family friends are involved with a program in Africa. A bunch of Canadian authors came together and together, with a school board, they're sponsoring 7 orphans. They've visited the village but if I went this summer, I'd be the only North American there. Everybody speaks English but still. I still have to get more details to know what I could be doing. What can I even do? I can type fast and factor trinomials like nobody's business... but what do I even have to offer, you know?

So many unknowns. I'm going to email my mom's friend more, get a dialogue going, get some more answers. It'd be the riskier decision for sure. More adventurous definitely.

I'm just nervous about making the wrong decision.

Katoleary summed it up nicely today: "I always think the problem is that I don't like any of my options. It’s not. The problem is that I like too many of them, and I feel like opening one door has the effect of closing every other."

Yeah. Exactly.

Brandy Walters: the interview

Brandy got in the mood to ask questions one day. Here are the questions she asked me. Also, here are my answers.

1. Your new blog "Notes for a Potential Suitor" is one of the best things that has ever been found on Planet Earth. It's hard to for me to pick a favourite entry, but if you had to share your top three, which ones do you love the most?

Oh, I am so glad you like that blog. I enjoy writing it so much. I guess my favourite 3 are #4, #8, and #31. And also #39. Choosing only 3 is for suckers.

2. Jack seems like the coolest person alive. If you could have him experience one life experience that you have had, what would it be?

Camp. More to the point, improv camp. In general it's the best place in the universe filled with the very best kind of people. Everybody there is just so themselves, you know? I think my summers there have been the most influential in shaping me to become who I want to be, instead of somebody with self-esteem issues and the inability to communicate. Okay, I was never THAT bad, but definitely camp has taught me a lot about perspective, compassion, honesty, and trust. I love that place.

Send your kids to camp.

3. If you had to give all your worldly possessions to one person who you are not related to, who would get the goods?

TOUGH. Because none of it is worth that much. Like, maybe a friend who is a student would enjoy receiving my laptop so s/he could take all my music files then sell my laptop for a few weeks worth of groceries or something. All my stuff of sentimental value (home made crafts from my little brothers, t-shirts from high school student council, that kind of stuff) isn't really of value to anybody other than myself.

All my stuff of moderate monetary value isn't worth enough to sell... can I give my books to SJ, all my engineering related stuff to a lucky first year student who reminds me of myself, all my triathlon stuff to my friend Julia who is probably the only person who might use it, and all my clothes to the Goodwill? (My fashion style is too non-descript for anybody to really want my clothes, I think. My sister would enjoy receiving all my Lululemon, but she's related to me so that sucks to her ass-mar)

4. Other than the whole health care thing and Wayne Gretzky, what's the best part about being Canadian?

When you're outside of Canada and you meet another Canadian, it's insta-bond. I don't think Americans do that. It's like meeting somebody from your hometown but for Canadians it seems to extend past town to entire nation. It's like auto-community.

Also, Canada is an incredibly beautiful country, geographically and culturally. I feel lame suddenly. I feel like I'm writing an intro to geography video for fourth graders. "You live in a unique nation! From the Rockies (cut to a panned out shot of people hiking in Bermuda shorts) to the Prairies (cut to a shot of wheat blowing in the wind) to the Atlantic provinces! (cut to a shot of grizzled fishermen unloading fish into a small bustling marketplace) Canada has something for everyone! (cut to a group of 4 friends, each a different race, skating on the Rideau Canal)

5. If you could either grow gills and swim underwater indefinitely or grow wings (the real kind, not some metaphorical pair) and fly, which would you prefer?

Gills. I could build a hovercraft if I was really into flying. Also, I'd be the best swimmer ever.

My summer plans: phases 1-3 out of infinity phases

Phase 1: Default

In the default phase, I hadn't really given much thought to straying off the straight and narrow. I applied for a 10 summer jobs that sounded interesting. However, most of them got cancelled (thanks, recession) so I ended up only getting 2 interviews, and from there, 1 job offer.

So basically the plan was to take the job (even though it wasn't the best for me, nor did it even pay that well), and spend the summer saving as much money as possible as to avoid going into debt next school year as I finish up my degree.

Phase 2: Reckless

Then I called my mom, sort of like, "ah, I dunno" and she convinced me to turn down the job offer on the logic that if something doesn't make me happy, I shouldn't do it. She also said if I couldn't get a good job for the summer, or if I decided I wanted to not be employed this summer, that she would loan me money for 4th year.

So, suddenly free from the shackles of making ends meet, I started researching volunteer opportunities. Like international ones! I found this excellent looking one in Nepal where I'd volunteer for three months at a women's crisis shelter.

My criteria for a placement was something like this:

• 3-4 months
• doing something that couldn't be done by a local. For example, digging wells, or helping carry water. For the amount of money even just my plane trip costs, I should just stay home and send money. You know? Like why not pay somebody to dig that well, and the job gets done AND somebody can support his/her family.
• relatively safe country
• not teaching English. (90% of jobs are teaching English. I don't know... not up my alley so much I guess)

Phase 3: Let's be real here

So I've found that there are basically two types of organizations:

Type 1 is really expensive, and costs about 5000 for 3 months (plus airfare). The testimonials feature pictures of groups of volunteers playing beach volleyball, looking like they've all showered recently. Girls wear eyeliner. Sample itineraries boast weekend trips to nearby touristy cities.

Type 2 is less expensive; prices are about a quarter of type 1 organizations. But these Type 2 organizations have ugly websites with hotmail email addresses and animated gifs. Google searches for people who have blogged their experience with these organization turn up sketchy or no results.

So now I don't really know what to do this summer. I don't want to spend a lot of money to hang out with rich kids who are trying to buff up a CV. I also don't want to travel to a remote part of the world and be lonely and afraid.

Hello square one, nice to see you again.