A year ago, I was writing about how fortunate I felt to celebrate a birthday in Baltimore.
This year I'm in Nairobi, Kenya at a conference on water. There's a new slew of friends for another fun birthday.
This year I'm in Nairobi, Kenya at a conference on water. There's a new slew of friends for another fun birthday.
Earlier this week my boss said: "Shannon, what if for your birthday we all go to this really great restaurant that's across from a game park? The food's good. It'll be fun."
Me (eyes very wide): "Game on! Yes! AWESOME!"
As a special birthday bonus, Kenya's newspaper "The Standard" published another op-ed today. This time, it's on latrine maintenance (no online link yet!).
I am among the luckiest soon-to-be 28 years olds in the world.
xo
Shannon
For fun: some photos of Lake Vicky
9 comments:
looking forward to reading the article!!
Miss you on your b'day but sounds like you have great plans.
love and hugs
mom
yes i know i hit the wrong button
Happy Birthday Shannon. Restaurants with game reserves across the street....kinda like Cafe Brauer across from the Lincoln Park zoo?
Enjoy your day.
Debbie R
Great to hear from you again. Looking forward to a time when we can meet at leisure and talk about your year's experiences. Hope you're journaling...many (including me) would be fascinated by your observations/insights relating to a land many of us have not yet visited.
Happy Birthday!
Kisses and hugs,
AP
You rock! Can't wait to join you in Africa (someday).
Happy Birthday, dude. If you come to India, I'll buy you an awesome dinner here in celebration of your wonderfully awesome life. Lots of love.
I read the article. I think it was point on, especially on the fact that all things being equal, absenteeism is higher in schools (primary schools mostly), with poor latrine conditions than those with better latrine conditions. Back in the day when footwear was hard to come by, we mostly preferred the bushes to the squalid latrines at St Paul Kanyakwar, (incidentally situated opposite Prof Muga's then 'only storey building' in the county). Happy, belatedly though, birthday.
I had coffee with the UNICEF flack here in Delhi, just to pick his brain, get some ideas, etc.
And young school girl drop out rates came up, and I thought, "Shannon, has taught me about a little about that." So off we went on a discussion of puberty, menstruation, latrines and the like.
And then, after we discussed many other topics -- malnutrition, child marriage, underweight infants, early childbearing, HIV stigma, diminishing returns in the fight against polio, etc. -- I said, "Ya know, so much of this really does come down to public health."
He said, "Exactly. That's an major part of what we do: assisting government in the areas of child health and maternal health."
And then I abruptly laughed a little too loud. The UNICEF guy looked at me funny and I had to explain who you were.
I CANT BELIEVE I DIDNT RESPOND TO THESE WONDERFUL COMMENTS!!! I'm such a bad blogger!!! I never even read them!! Until now- almost a full month later. (Normally they get sent to my e-mail immediately!)
Mom: it was fun. Next should include you tho.
Debbie: Exactly! ;-)
AP: I've been really bad about journaling... but at least there's this blog!
Jessie: Come quick! I think I'm leaving soon!! Thanks, lady. Your compliments mean so much.
Adam: I'm holding you to that.
Elvis: THANK YOU! You always offer valuable insights.
Adam: No kidding!!! I'm so proud that you're now incororating public health into your conversational repertoire!!! Would love love love to hear/read more about your (mis)adventures. Someday.
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