Final Miles in Magugu

I am back from Magugu for good, and my group had a pretty successful two weeks after our break. We had a testing day, where about 220 people were tested (including myself!), taught at a village meeting, the Catholic Church, and the Lutheran Church (and their choirs!). We set up a peer education group at the secondary school, so the kids there will be able to teach incoming students about HIV. We also planned and hosted Community Day in Magugu, where all the other villages game in, and we had a soccer tournament (the prize was a goat), chapati-eating contest, rice-sack races, chicken chases, and HIV testing. Over 300 people got tested that day, and hopefully SIC left a very positive mark on all of the villages in Magugu ward.

Chicken Chasing

The winning village (Matufa) celebrates by dressing up their trophy

Teaching the peer educators (yes, Francois helped...)

Some song and dance from the Lutheran church choir after our teaching

Leaving the homestay was hard on Monday. I will definitely miss everyone from the house, even if we couldn't really talk to each other much. My roommate and I got their PO box though, so hopefully I can write letters that Kaka Michael and translate for everyone.

I have more pictures of the family on my camera, but I didn't bring the cable to upload them... so these will have to suffice for now :)

Eriki, Michael's nephew

Our neighbor Nungu (with Francois)

Although our program wrapped up on the 17th, I am staying until August 3rd to continue working on my practicum for my MPH. SIC has a lot of baseline data collected for their community health worker (CHW) program, so I am working (and living) in the office to help organize it. Funnily enough, my work so far looks a lot like the spreadsheets I used to put together in my former life as an insurance analyst. It's a lot more gratifying looking at CD4 counts and medication adherence than premiums and violations ever were though.

I already miss running... and it's only been about 5 days off. There's a short strip of road that is paved well and has almost no traffic (aka runnable) near the office. But I don't like the idea of running alone here. It's perfectly safe during the day, but I'm hesitant to draw extra attention to myself. Plus I'd probably have to run up and down the road about 10 times to get a decent workout in. Oh well. At least I managed to log just over 130 in my time in Magugu since break! I even had a couple of running buddies that I picked up along the way - like these kids! (Pardon the blurriness, it is hard to run and take pictures at the same time!)

My experience here has been powerful. SIC, the volunteers, and the teaching partners really worked hard to make an impact in Magugu ward, and I feel like we really changed some lives for the better. So asante sana to everyone who helped get me here, whether through donations, encouragement, moral support, prayers, or any other means. I greatly appreciate it all.

Natalie

Jamie's miles - Part 2!!

I am very happy to report that Jamie has gotten way more than the 1.2 she donated. I have been running in Tanzania... a lot! Thanks to my Garmin (of course I brought it...) I can tell you I have run 137.92 miles in TZ. Every morning I get up around 6 (my roommate at least pretends not to mind when I briefly wake her up) and hit the pavement (or dirt paths) of Magugu village for a run! After accidentally getting lost in a sunflower field (not as pretty or nice as it sounds), and getting tired of almost twisting my ankles on the paths, I have opted to generally stick to the "highway." The view is pretty nice!

A little different than a Somerville sunrise run

I also get some company! Kids will run with me for a while on the way to school! Usually they don't last very long, but one kid did come along for almost 3 miles. We only parted ways because I had to turn around. Which confused him a lot. Running is weird in a land where everyone is always at least 20 minutes if not 2 hours late. Especially running just for the sake of running. No rush here.

I'll take this over Boston traffic

Typically I just get a lot of people yelling at me from their houses or as I run by them. "Mzungu! Where are you going?" "How are you?" "Good morning!" "Good evening!" (despite the fact that it is still morning. I can't judge, my Swahili is much more limited than their English.) My favorite is when people say "Pole!" to me. Pole means "Sorry." Usually you say this to someone after they have worked really hard at something. For example, our host family says it to us when we come home from a long day. It's weird to have someone feel bad for me for running, since I'm usually thoroughly enjoying myself. On hot mornings, however, I do miss being able to wear shorts and a tank top. (I have to wear capris and t-shirts here, and then when I'm finished I change right into a skirt.)

Since I'm out almost every morning, and one of four white girls in the village, people definitely know who I am because of it. Kids at the schools we teach at have told me they see me in the mornings, and some tell me they ran with me too!

Unfortunately, it does not look like I will be making it to Kenya for the marathon... but I am very grateful to be running in TZ. I'm even more grateful, just to be here, working with SIC. There is a lot to be done here to combat HIV and the stigma around it, and I feel like I am really helping to make a difference. I wish I could write about everything I've been up to, but that would result in a novel and a half. So here are some highlights:

We've already taught hundreds of kids at the schools in Magugu (Magugu is the main village in the area, so they have a population of about 10,000, other villages have much less), and the secondary school is going to start a peer educator program, so the kids will keep teaching each other about HIV.
We are having a testing day in less than a week, and are hoping to test a few hundred people. We found out that the hospital doesn't always keep results confidential, so hopefully SIC's day will encourage some more people to get tested.
We met with some HIV positive people in the village, and learned a lot about how living with HIV has impacted their lives, and how we can help improve their situation.
We met with the village leaders, and will start teaching community groups in the sub-villages soon.

So thank you Jamie, for the wonderful miles I have been running in Tanzania! I hope you are having a wonderful summer in Boston. When I get back, we'll have to log some miles together as well!

Baadaye! (Later!)
Natalie

How Long am I Gonna Run for BOMF Team Somerville? FOREVER!

I have, hands down, the greatest running group of all time. Back on My Feet Boston's Team Somerville launched on March 14, 2011. That's right, Pi Day. So we were clearly destined for greatness. Now, add to that fact that we are incredible athletes, very friendly, and the most attractive group of runners you will see congregating in Somerville at 5:45am. Or anywhere at anytime for that matter.

Case in point

I already miss everyone terribly, and I've only missed 2 runs so far. (3 by the time anyone reads this probably.) When I tell people that I gladly wake up before the sun to go running 3 days a week, I typically receive quizzical looks. Being a full time student, I can pretty much go running whenever I want. Instead of sub-zero weather, I could theoretically wait until the temperature peaks to a whopping 15 degrees or so in the dead of winter. But then I wouldn't get to see these beautiful people!

Sometimes we wear hats

Also, I'd be running alone, and that is not nearly as much fun. With Team Somerville, I get great conversation, some fabulous puns, and the occasional song (often by Lady Gaga) while logging some serious miles. I've been lucky enough to get to know everyone pretty well, especially with our question of the day. For example, I know what super power most of these people would want, their favorite ice cream, and what their childhood nicknames were. But you also get to know each other really well - you're pretty much bound to open up to each other when you are out on a long run. 

So today, I ran 2 miles for Team Somerville. Okay, I ran something like 3.4 miles, because I did a weird loop. And anyone on my team can tell you this is a huge deal for me. A few weeks ago, our question of the day was "Do you have any weird superstitions or habits?" And mine is that I have to run race distances. I'll do 3.1 (5K), 5 miles, 6.2 (10K). I'll allow 8 miles (it's too big of a jump to 10). And then, obviously 10 miles. And on rare occasions 12, because you might as do 13.1 (a half-marathon) once you hit that point. My team understand my issue (or at least pretends to). Most people think I'm crazy. I chalk it up to: what do you get when you cross a runner with a math major?

Well I think I found my future husband...

Over the past year, and especially since my sleep cycle has been completely thrown off, the team as put up with a lot of odd behavior and statements from me. Lately, I have been showing up on minimal sleep, rambling semi-coherently, and laughing hysterically and things that are only remotely amusing. I was going to add in "leading them into on-coming traffic and getting them lost." But I do that regardless of my level of sleep. So far, we haven't lost a single member to a traffic accident or navigation issues on our runs. 

Look how attractive... maybe extra attractive because I'm absent...

So Team Somerville, I ran for you guys today, and I'll be running for you guys in Tanzania too. I miss all of you already and I can't wait to see your bright smiling faces at circle in August!

Who are we? Back on My Feet!

Who are we? Back on My Feet!

How long are we gonna run? 

FOREVER!

Love you guys!

Natalie

10 Miles for the O'Neils!

When I was younger, the O'Neils got a lot of facetime with me. I was best buds with their daughter, Shannon, so I was at their house a least a couple of times a week when we were about 5. At least that is how it seems in retrospect. Of course their tree house also seemed like it was larger than my actual house at the time. So my memory may be less than perfect regarding this.

I think this is accurate though

But I do remember tons of trips to the mini-mart with Susan and Shannon, and playing with their dog Rudy. It took me a very long time to realize that this dog was named after Rudy Ruettiger... and not Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

Which is funny, considering I ended up at Notre Dame... geez, I'm brilliant. Also, the O'Neils hailed from a far-off land called Massachusetts, and really liked Boston sports teams, which made no sense to me. I guess I pulled a reverse-O'Neil move when I moved up there...

But... the Phillies...

I also spent a lot of time with most of the family during our participation with the Laymen Playmen. Yes, my friends, I was actively involved in musical theater in my pre-college years. The main difference between myself and the O'Neils was that they had pretty legit roles, and I was consistently placed away from microphones. All for the best I think. Patrick was a great Captain Von Trapp (although I think my favorite character for him was Abel Frake in State Fair... specifically in the scene when he celebrates his pig winning first prize... but I digress). Anyway, this family has some talent... And this is what happens when people hear me sing:

I do it anyway though

Now, similar to the Kratz family, the O'Neils have gotten into running, and do the same bootcamp as my parents. In fact, the last time I saw Patrick was running trails on Thanksgiving with the group! And, according to my mother, Patrick, Susan, and both their daughters did the Broad Street Run this year, which is awesome! Maybe someday we can arrange a Kratz-O'Neil race? Ragnar PA, anyone?

Today, I very gladly ran 10 miles for the O'Neils. I decided to do an out and back, and was disappointed at how small these towns are. I ran past my old house. I ran past my church (well I was still about a block away). I ran past the water ice place that my dad used to take my softball team to. And then I finally hit 5 miles and turned around. It was kind of hot, but it was nice to see some of my old stomping grounds, since this was for some old friends!

So thank you, Patrick and Susan, for the donation, all of the amazing times growing up! 

Hopefully I'll catch up with you guys when I'm back in August! If not... I think you'll have to make a trip to Boston...

-Nattles

5 Miles of Reasoning with the Hurricane Season for Derek!

Despite my parents' name for him, Derek is not evil. We just call him "Evil Derek" to distinguish him from "Fiance Derek"... who isn't even a fiance anymore, since he has married my sister. But that is neither here nor there. Derek is my ex-husband, at least on facebook. In college, it's all well and good to be "married" on facebook, but when you "grow up" people start thinking this means you might actually be married (weird), so we got facebook annulled. It was devastating, but we got through it somehow and have remained friends. Probably, because we share a love for the chillest man ever to grace God's green earth: Mr. Jimmy Buffett.

Seriously, God's gift to man

Together, we have been to 3 Buffett concerts, and his regular haunt of Key West, FL... where Derek witnessed me at one of my finest moments at Sloppy Joe's.

Doesn't look like much, but it's Buffett's recording studio!

I was thrilled by his request - wearing leis and listening to Buffett for 5 miles. I'm getting a bit pressed for time and mileage, so I decided this had to happen today. And when I woke up, it was raining quite a bit...

We also have strict no running rules on our back porch

After consulting weather.com. I determined that running in a downpour would be better than the anticipated thunderstorms this afternoon, and went for it. (Let's not talk about how it ended up being a beautiful afternoon and I had to go shopping for all of it.) First, I went to the Kratz family stash of Buffett paraphernalia.

What? You don't have an emergency Buffett stash?

I selected not one, but two leis. I'm so glad he didn't request a grass skirt, or coconut bra, or inflatable parrot. Luckily after, 2 miles, the rain let up. (Let's not talk about how it ended up being a beautiful afternoon and I spent it shopping.) Only a few drivers witnessed me, and most made at least some attempt at not spraying puddles all over me. I did see one other runner, coming around the bend, passing me, completely in the zone, as I was cruising along, listening to "The Weather Is Here, I Wish You Were Beautiful," which I thought was pretty appropriate given the weather. I'm pretty sure he thought I was weird, but at least I wasn't making the weird intense runner face that he was. Due to the power of Buffett, the leis survived the monsoon, and came out pretty unscathed, and ready for many more concerts.

That's some high quality dollar store leis for ya

The best part of the day was yet to come! I just got back from getting a "Cheeseburger in Paradise" with Derek himself. Just replace "burger" with "steak" and "paradise" with "Greenhouse Tavern" (the latter are synonymous anyway, though).

Serious noms.

So thanks a million Derek, for the great run, and all of the great Buffett-related (and non) times together. Keep your calendar cleared for my return, and I'll tell you all of my "Coastal Confessions" from Africa in August!

Everyone else: keep an eye out for the Save the Date

-Natalie

10 Miles at Peace Valley Park for Tim

I know, I'm blowing up the newsfeed with all of these blogs - but I need to get these done before I head out on Friday! And, in the words of Weezer "If you don't like it, you can shove it. But you don't like it. You love it."

Today, I ran 10 miles for Tim, in exchange for borrowing his sweeeeeet backpack! Seriously, Tim you are a LIFESAVER. I'm flying into Dar es Salaam, but then have to take an 8 hour bus to Arusha, and then I guess we'll be taking a bus to the village we'll be living in from there. There will probably be quite a bit of walking involved too, so it was highly recommended that we use hiking backpacks. So this is awesome!

What a beauty!

Running at home can be pretty frustrating, because everything I thought was really far away when I was younger is apparently quite close. Also, shoulders are small and people don't look for runners and there are few streetlights, so I have to choose routes carefully. Instead of zig-zagging my way through Telford and Souderton again, I took my dad's suggestion and went to Peace Valley Park. I still had to do two loops to hit at least 10 miles, since it's about a 6 mile loop. So Tim got an extra 3.1 miles. It was kind of rainy off and on, but it was still a beautiful course.

Such an upgrade from the Minute Man path!

Knowing that Tim is a big fan of the Beatles, I listened to "All Together Now" and "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da." This was all the Beatles that I had on my iPhone, so I also listened to "Be My Yoko Ono" by Barenaked Ladies... I figured that counts for something. And Tim would probably hate this song, because he's not a tween in adult's clothing (let's be serious I wear tween clothing...), but I also listened to "Call Me Maybe" by Carly Rae Jepsen 3 times. I'm not even ashamed. Instead of linking to the real video... here's a nice video of the Harvard baseball team dancing to it.

So thank you thank you Tim, for a great run and for lending me your backpack! I'll be sure not to bring back any weird bugs in it or anything. And hopefully I can return it to you in person if we both end up in Vermont on the same weekend this fall again!

Natalie

P.S. I'll run another 10 if someone wants to pack that bad boy for me...

2 Miles for Katie - Wearing the Latest in Running Fashion

Ah, so nice to be back in PA for a couple of days. In my typical fashion, I came home and within a day coaxed my parents into going for a 2 mile run with me. Usually I do this strictly for the company, but I had a bit of an ulterior motive yesterday. Doing incredibly embarrassing things are a lot less traumatizing when you have company...

Katie and I had the best luck ever at the ripe age of 18, when Notre Dame decided we would be roommates. We didn't hit it off right away... I was in a bit of a mood on move in day, and have been told I was a little "intimidating." But very quickly, I proved myself to actually be a reasonable human being, and even friendly at times. So within about a month, we were bonding as we, along with our third roommate, hosted Friday afternoon dance parties. Unfortunately, I have lost the playlist, but I can tell you that "Summer Girls" by LFO was always played, in conjunction with a well-choreographed dance. We also had a few specific duets we would sing to each other... and I'm still a little bitter that she always made me be Kiki Dee in "Don't Go Breakin' My Heart." But whatever. 

We spent quite a bit of time together over the four years, with our regular routines of dance parties, Waffle Saturdays, and ANTM marathons. We also managed a few great trips, like when we visited each other in Dublin and London while studying abroad, the MSU away game (with the party bus), and the time we went to Madison and saw a dog poop on the marble floor in the state capitol building (and then saw some senators laughing uncontrollably about it outside). And since graduation, we've managed to see each other a bunch of times at ND/in Memphis/in Boston. Someday, I will make it out to Colorado to see her. 

And this is how we greet each other

I simply cannot say no to this girl. She is, after all, the Dwight to my Michael Scott.

This is also her middle name.

She requested that I wear the "Irish hat" for my run. At first I thought that she meant one that I used to have that looked kind of like this:

Except it said "Kiss me I'm Irish"

Unfortunately, that was lost on St. Patrick's Day :( So then I thought maybe she meant my ND hat. But then when I asked her she said "I meant the Guinness hat." So for Katie, I talked my parents into joining me for a 2 mile run around our neighborhood dressed like this.

I think I inspired my parents to run, because chasing a beer is like dangling a carrot

First of all, that thing does NOT breathe. So after about a mile it was getting pretty gross under the hat. Also it is way too big, so I was constantly in danger of it blinding me. This was a risk I was willing to take though. It wasn't as aerodynamic as my other running hats, so it slowed me down a little bit. The best part was our neighbors' reactions... or the lack thereof. They would look at me, and then quickly avert their eyes as if I were invisible. Two tween boys simply continued their conversation, even though they had to move to the side when my mom and I went down the sidewalk. The same thing happened when we ran by two other girls out running. I assume that they just didn't want to make it awkward by staring, but it might have not been so weird that I was dressed like that. Many of the locals are still sporting jorts and mullets... I may have been one of the better-dressed people out there.

Local establishments have stepped up to deal with the problem.

Once again, my parents came to my rescue, and this time saved me from a little bit of embarrassment. At one point, I asked them if they were embarrassed to be seen with me, and my dad responded with "No, I'm pretty proud."

So thanks Katie, for a terrific run, the donation, and for helping me instill some sense of pride in my parents. I'll have to bring that hat out to Colorado, so you can try running in it. Or we can use it as a candy dish like we did for most of the Spring of 2008.

-Nat