The Circle of Life

            The past year has been a year of change for our family. With the passing of my grandmother in October and the birth of our first child the following June, we have experienced the circle of life. And just like most of our life experiences, our story is far from ordinary and truly something to be called our own.

            During this time last year, Adam and I were preparing for a once in a lifetime trip with friends to Munich, Germany for Oktoberfest. We couldn’t wait to see everyone, share a few (or more than a few) beers with our friends, and soak up the beautiful atmosphere of one of the greatest traditions Europe has to offer. But Angola had other plans for us. Adam came home from work one day and informed me that they still hadn’t processed his visa which meant that he wouldn’t be able to leave the country until they finished renewing it. And because I was on his visa, I wasn’t able to renew my visa until they had finished processing his documents. And poof, just like that our magical trip was cancelled. We wouldn’t be cheering “Prost!” with our friends or throwing back a few beers while we listened to music in a tent set up to host thousands.

            Despite my complete and utter state of devastation, I spent the week of our trip creeping on my friends’ Facebook pages in order to live vicariously through them all. Adam tried cheering me up by treating me to a date night at a restaurant that had both half chickens and beer on the menu. How did I ever get so lucky to find a man like Adam? As the days passed, I realized that they weren’t going to finish Adam’s visa in time for me to submit my documents, so I packed my bags and hopped on a plane headed back across the Atlantic.

            But the news of the visa situation and trip cancellation ended up being rather bittersweet for me. While I didn’t get to enjoy a vacation with my husband and friends, I did get the chance to spend some quality time back in the States with my grandmother right before her passing. I had previously kissed my grandmother goodbye in June knowing that it may be the last time I saw her, so I was more than relieved to have the opportunity to be with her again.

            But a canceled trip to Germany and spending time with my grandmother weren’t the only surprises life had in store for me. A week after my little feet hit U.S. soil, I found out I was pregnant. I was so excited to tell Adam, but of course he was almost 8000 miles away and 6 hours ahead of me. I spent that morning trying to figure out the best way to share the exciting news with him considering telling him in person was out of the question. I went to Target and bought a pumpkin baby body suit and then waited impatiently by the computer for him to Skype call me. I had sent him a text earlier in the day informing him that I had purchased a few “fall decorations” for the house and wanted to show him on video Skype.

            After the usual “how was your day” start to our daily Skype conversations, I held up the baby outfit and asked him if he liked our new “fall decorations” for the house. His response wasn’t exactly what I had expected. He said, “Who is that for?” and followed it up with a very confused look. Apparently my great idea of surprising him with a baby outfit didn’t translate so well. Obviously he was over the moon once I spelled it out for him that the stork would be dropping us off a little bundle of joy next June. Both of us were extremely excited to share the news with our families considering grandbabies had been a frequent topic of conversation between them since Adam and I got married, but we decided that we wanted to wait until Adam got back so we could share the happy news together.

            The month of October was such an exciting but also depressing time for me. Here I was bursting at the seams with the best secret of my life, but also watching my grandmother and family go through one of the most difficult times in all of our lives. My grandmother’s health continued to deteriorate until she was no longer responsive. I knew that her hearing would be the last thing to go, so I continued to go sit by my grandmother’s bed almost every day and reminisce with her about all of the good times we had and beautiful memories we made together. Even though she couldn’t respond, I told myself that she enjoyed hearing all of the stories.

            One day I made the decision to tell her the secret that Adam and I had been keeping. I was alone with her in the room, which made it the perfect opportunity. It was now or never. I told her that Adam and I had something that we hadn’t shared with our parents yet but wanted to share with her. We were expecting a baby early next summer. My grandmother’s face lit up and she smiled. I was completely shocked by her response because she hadn’t responded to anyone for days. Tears streamed down my face because I knew she heard me and was able to share in on the excitement of our big news. I continued to tell her that it was okay to let go when she was ready and that we needed her to look after us more than ever now. I left that day feeling as if a weight had been lifted off of my shoulders because I knew that I had truly said everything I needed to say to her.

            Later that night my parent’s received a phone call from the hospital. We all went to be by her bedside. A few hours later, she passed away taking our little secret with her. As we all grieved the loss of her, I wanted nothing more than to share the story with my family but knew it would have to wait. Another time, another day. And just like that, the circle of life was no longer just a movie but a reality.

The Anti-Antivaccination Movement

            Having been born in the 80s not only spared me the embarrassment of the popular trends that came along with the disco era, but it also saved me from the the age of diseases. I didn’t need to lose sleep over the thought of suffering from measles, small pox, or polio thanks to the advancements in medicine. A simple vaccine took care of all of that.

            But living in Luanda has served as a time machine for me because I have traveled back to the age of diseases that I was fortunate enough to miss out on during my own childhood. I’ve witnessed individuals sleeping on the streets outside of the hospitals in hopes of being seen by a doctor. Some of these individuals die before they are able to receive medical help. Others walk the beaches and streets (as seen below) begging for money or food because diseases have left them too disabled to work. These individuals don’t know what it is like to live in a world where diseases don’t devastate their communities. With an average life expectancy in the late 40s, many Angolans have grown accustomed to a lifestyle controlled by disease and illness.

            One very serious disease that still claims the lives of thousands of Africans every year and helps contribute to the short life expectancy is malaria. My husband is currently getting over his third bout of malaria making the disease hit even closer to home for me. There still isn’t an approved vaccine for malaria, only preventive methods that often times fail or are impossible to take every second of every day. One brief moment without being covered by a net or without putting on bug spray is all a mosquito needs to infect someone. A vaccine would prevent the spread of this terrible disease.

            My experiences living in a third world country have left me extremely bothered by the current anti-vaccination movement taking place in the States. Many parents are making the decision to not vaccinate their children for various reasons. But many of these same parents weren’t around when diseases such as polio, measles, diphtheria and small pox devastated the country, so they haven’t directly experienced what impact these diseases can have on their lives or those around them.

            Small pox is the only disease that has been completely eradicated worldwide. The World Health Organization reports that the last case of naturally occurring small pox was in Somalia in 1977. But other diseases are still very much a concern for the rest of the world. Even though polio has been eradicated in the States, it still exists in several African countries making it just one flight away from re-establishing itself in America.

            Measles obviously bought itself a ticket on that flight already because it has once again become a concern for Americans. The Centers for Disease Control reported in 2000 that measles had been eliminated in the United States; however, the anti-vaccination movement has paved a road for its re-entry. So far this year there have been 593 documented cases of measles in the U.S., a significant rise from previous years and a devastating increase from 2000 when it was considered non-existent.

            Living in a country where preventable diseases, many of the same diseases that have already been eliminated in the United States, kill thousands of individuals a year has been an eye opening and frustrating experience for me. Angola has been working very hard to eradicate diseases such as measles from its country through vaccinations and has cut the death rate significantly over the years. The progress it has made makes me very hopeful for this developing country. However, it also raises the concern I have for the United States. I am currently seeing first hand the devastating effects that diseases such as measles can have on a country. The same devastating effects Americans are starting to see and will continue to see in years to come if the anti-vaccination movement continues.

            I am very optimistic that medications and vaccinations will continue to reach Angolans so that one day they will experience a day to day life that doesn’t involve malaria, Ebola, measles, and other diseases that are currently claiming so many lives. I also hope that Americans realize how fortunate they are to have access to all of these vaccinations that have yet to reach other countries worldwide. I hope that parents don’t have to experience the devastating effects that so many other countries are experiencing before realizing how important it is to continue to vaccinate their children. We too often take health for granted.

References:

World Health Organization. (2014). Retrieved from http://www.who.int/en/

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2014). Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov

Monkey Business

            I am a creature of habit. I start nearly every morning off by feeding my caffeine addiction with a cup of coffee. However, two weeks ago I had a bit of a surprise during my morning routine. I was putting coffee into the filter when I heard a large thud at the living room window. Assuming it was just another bird flying into the glass, I didn’t pay it any attention and continued about my business. A short time later I heard a light tapping noise on the glass. When it didn’t stop, I turned around to see what was making all of the racquet and found myself staring into the eyes of a little monkey sitting on our window seal.

            As soon as the monkey had my attention, he stopped tapping on the window. We continued to stare at each for a brief moment before he decided that he wanted to join me for my morning coffee. He put his lips against the window and used his little hands to try to slide the window open. Unsure as to whether the window was locked or not, I grabbed my phone and slowly backed myself towards our front door. If the window wasn’t locked and he somehow managed to snag himself a seat on our couch for a morning coffee, I needed to know that I had an easy escape. Luckily for me, he got bored with me before he figured out how to open the window. 

            This little encounter with the monkey may have been my first, but it wouldn’t be my last run-in with him. I was in our apartment one morning when I heard loud screaming from the other end of the hall where the community kitchen is located. The little monkey may not have successfully made it into our apartment during his previous visit, but he had managed to make it into the community kitchen during this little drop by and he wasn’t alone. He brought along a friend. A few of the workers found the monkeys in the kitchen having a feast. They pulled all of the food out of the fridge and were obviously enjoying what was surely a jackpot in their minds. The workers managed to get them out of the building, but they didn’t go quietly. They jumped onto the thatched roof covering the outside patio and put a nice hole in the middle of it. 

            These little monkeys that have started to make regular visits to our compound bring a whole new meaning to having 'nosy neighbors.' I’ve learned to keep our doors and windows locked at all times because you just never really know who is going to drop by for a morning cup of coffee.

History In The Making?

            Africa has an assortment of animals, many of which we don't have in the States making them even more fascinating to Americans. And if we do have them in the States, they are probably pacing around their small cages in a zoo somewhere while thousands of people look on. Africa is anything but a zoo setting, at least for most of its animals. Africa is known for having the Big 5, which includes the African elephant, rhino, leopard, lion, and buffalo.

            Living in Africa has afforded me many life experiences that I never would have thought possible such as seeing the Big 5 in their natural habitat. One of the most amazing experiences I have had since moving here is going on a safari. As an animal lover, I dreamed of seeing beautiful animals roaming freely with nothing but the land and the air between us. I can now say that I’ve witnessed African elephants, the largest land animals in the world, playing together in the grass. I’ve seen the African rhino take charge at mealtime. I’ve looked on as the African leopard caught a few rays while relaxing in the sun. I’ve observed the Cape buffalo grazing on grass. And I've had my heart melted by a couple of African lions that used their large tongues to bathe each other.

            It makes me sad to think that those same elephants that were playing together are now considered a threatened species. And the rhino population that ruled the lunch table has dropped 97.6% since 1960. The sunbathing leopard is now listed as a vulnerable species. And the gorgeous lions that enjoy grooming each other are already extinct in seven different African countries. It is devastating to watch as the populations of some of the world’s more beautiful creatures decline at a rapid pace, but even more depressing when realizing that it is mostly due to the human race. Whether it is for the elephant’s ivory tusk, the rhino’s medicinal horn, the leopard’s soft coat, or just an ego boost from a Facebook or Instagram photo of hunters next to the lion they just shot, none of these reasons warrant the hunting and killing of some of our most precious animals. Not to mention that many of these wild and crazy African hunting trips that many people claim to go on aren’t really all that wild and crazy after all thanks to the newer version of the sport, canned hunting.

            Canned hunting is a sport in Africa made very popular by foreigners. The saying ‘shooting fish in a barrel’ is the best way to describe canned hunting. Hunting companies spend years raising animals on private reserves. They often start the rearing process when cubs are only a few days old. The bottle-feeding and constant human contact help build a bond with the animals that will later aid in the hunting process. An animal that is not threatened by or isn’t fearful of humans is much easier to kill. Individuals then pay a lot of money to travel to Africa and obtain the proper licenses necessary. A guide takes a hunter to his or her prey, which is kept in a confined area that offers no escape for the unsuspecting animal. After the kill is completed, the guide helps the hunter stage the scene to look as if the hunter shot the animal in its natural habitat.

            Canned hunting isn’t for the experienced hunter who hopes to feed his or her family. Instead, it is for the inexperienced hunters who have enough funds in their bank account to help aid in the early extinction of Earth’s beautiful creatures all for a good story and a fancy picture to run home and brag about.

            On my most recent safari adventure with my family, the reserve had an African leopard that had been rescued from a canned hunting farm. Although the leopard had narrowly escaped a certain death, it still had a long way to go in the recovery process before it could survive on its own in the reserve due to several man-made obstacles. The hunting reserve declawed the leopard making it nearly impossible for the leopard to catch and kill its prey. But the lack of claws wasn’t the only thing interfering with this leopard’s ability to hunt. It had been extremely overfed at the canned hunting farm in order to increase the size of its skin; the larger the skin, the more impressive the kill. The leopard’s saggy stomach, a far cry from the usual long, slender and powerful body, nearly touched the ground making it impossible for the leopard to climb high in the trees where it would normally stalk and often eat its prey. A leopard that can’t catch and kill its own prey is a leopard that can’t survive in the wild.

            But canned hunting game reserves can’t be that bad, right? The hunters claim to be helping poor African villages by providing meat from their kill and money from their license fees. And maybe it is helping a few of these poor villages, but what happens when the animals are extinct? Will tourists who fly to Africa for weeklong hunting trips still care about the starving people and poor villages? If hunters are really that concerned about the impoverished villages in Africa, there are many ways that they can help. They can donate money, food, water, or even shelter to aid those in need instead of killing Africa’s gorgeous wild life through a fence and then using the ‘helping villages’ excuse to make themselves feel better about their effortless and cruel kill.

            I love being able to see animals in their natural environments and am so thankful for organizations such as the African Wildlife Foundation for doing their best to offset the damage that the canned hunting industry has done and ensuring that future generations to come will be able to enjoy the beauty that is Africa. I can only hope that canned hunting is banned so that my future children and grandchildren will one day have the opportunity to go on a safari and see the Big 5.

If you have any interest in learning more about the Big 5, African Wildlife Foundation, or how you can help, check out the their website at www.awf.org.