Back in Moscow

So I've said goodbye to all my friends in Chapaevsk. I was surprised that I managed to get so attached after only being there for 2 months. I was teaching my host sister how to swim. She cried while I was packing and when I said goodbye to her. Too bad that her and her older sister don't get along too well.
We finished up most of our projects for Chapaevsk and I think that they will finish with the Narcotics users questionnaire analyses by December because they actually need them for another project. :) On our last day they gave us lots of presents, as is typical of Russians. :) Between the presents they gave me and the presents I bought for everyone else, I've had to buy and extra little bag to carry along with my big back pack. So much for "traveling light"!
Our hotel in Moscow is pretty nice. Will get used to being spoiled american gradually this trip as I go west from Russia through Eastern Europe to France and then back home.
Hope everyone wanted something from Russia for Christmas because that's what your all getting!!!! I
In response to Shane's comment: I think that I will keep using this webpage for awhile even after I get home. I am hoping to be back in Russia for the follow-up grant project in Chapaevsk over the Summer,,,if I get the grant of course. No time to write more details. Just, I'm so happy I came!!Grateful that I was able to contribute some useful work in Chapaevsk, and of course, as stressed out about the next projects in my "to do" pile as ever :) Life is good. I love being busy.

Meetings in Samara

We did finally get to go to Samara yesterday. We had a pretty succesful trip. First, we went to the City AIDS Center. There we met with the Samara regional director and explained what we had learned in Chapaevsk. I mentioned the HIV positive pregnant girl that had been misinformed by them and questioned their counseling program. The director was not totally defensive, but definately misrepresented a lot of things that are happening in the region. I asked some questions about the AIDS treatment programs because I know that the pregnant girl was only getting the generic Russian version of AZT. He told us that they use the timizite to treat pregnant girls and it’s really just for PMTCT (prevention of mother to child transmission). Then he went on to show us all the expensive brand name pharmaceuticals that are available for ”free” on the tab of the government to treat patient who are experiencing symptoms of AIDS. That was not what we heard about the medications at all. We heard that they were beyond the price reach of any russian (7000$/year) and that you couldn’t get them for free. But according to the regional director there are 100 people getting free treatment. (I bet the whole $7000, that more than half of them have a connection with the director or his secretary). None of those people are from Chapaevsk. They are all from Tolliati or Samara, where there are 10,000 and 9500 HIV infectected people respectively. So we don’t have enough hiv infected people in Chapaevsk to qualify for any of the people from here to get treatment.
As far as networking though I think that it was a good meeting. I got the director’s email address and he invited me to come and do a behavioral change program research study at my earliest convenience  His big prevention thing is that awareness is good, but they are looking for the “secret” of successfully changing behaviors... I almost laughed at him when he said that...”Yes Mr director, you and every other public health specialist for the last 75 years.”
Afterwords we ate some bananas on the bus as we rode to the PSI (Population Services International) office. The first thing I noticed was how much space they have! Our office here is two small rooms for like 8 people and theirs was the whole floor of a podezd for like 12 people. Plus they have tons of brochures and cool stuff to hand out at their training meetings. They were doing a social marketing program with the "favorite" condoms for the last 4 years. But now that program is getting wrapped-up and they are moving on to a more anti-drug, abstinence, prevention education approach. Of course anyone who knows that PSI is a subset of USAID could deductively reason that our current administrations' views on things have of course effected the design of this new program for the next four years. I'm sad that the condom promotion program got closed before it made it out to Chapaevsk because they could really use that kind of program here.
After work I had a quick dinner and then ran to the pool with my host sister. I was teaching a swimming lesson to her and my co-worker Dima. They were both fast learners and it was rewarding to see them make such quick progress. We'll try to go again before I leave for moscow on friday night.

Postal problems

Well, I guess so far no one wants anything from Russia except vodka :)

This weekend we went to Samara for a little shopping/city post office errand. The post office experience was one that I would rather not remember for a little while longer. I need to give it some time to become funny. But the basic elements were 2 hours in line, a postal worker having a bad day and taking it out on an innocent american, and some unplanned for extra weight in my luggage on the way home.
Sunday I went to church in Samara again. It was great except for I was getting sick with a flu and had to leave early. Oh and I had to step in and translate for some senior missionaries during one of the talks. Never too sick to serve.
Yesterday, we were supposed to get a ride in our office’s car to Samara to visit the district AIDS clinic and PSI. But it didn’t work out and we are going there today instead. We should actually make it there today as we will be using the public transportation system.
So we ended up having a round table/planning meeting yesterday during which we examined our accomplishments during our time here. I think we did pretty well. Inspite of how much time we seemed to be wasting, we really got a lot done.
I presented our plan for the “Awareness Run” which we are planning request grant money for. The directors really liked the idea! Hopefully, if we get funding I will be back here for a month next summer to get it rolling. Looking forward to that.

My Last Weekend in Chapaevsk

If any one wants something particular from Russia for Christmas PLEASE let me know ASAP. I am taking orders until next weekend :) Here are some ideas to choose from:
-Matroshka dolls
-wooden traditional painted dishes
-traditional scarves
-KGB watches
-CCCP t-shirts
-Russian army antiques
-amber jewelry
-Fur hats
-Halva :)
-hand knitted socks, mittens, or scarves
-ornately painted wooden figurines
-anything with Lenin's picture on it
-brightly colored woolen tights (in any color you can think of)

We finished entering all of the drug-user survey data this week. It was like torture, so long and so many codes. But at least it's done and it will be useful.

Next friday we are leaving for Moscow on the evening train. I am already feeling a little sad. Trying to enjoy my last week here as much as I can.

Been spending a lot of time keeping up with my homework. Found out that I got an "A" on my big mid-term paper though :) That makes me feel a bit better about all of the work that I have been putting in.

Funny and Appropriate

Congratulations to Sara and Mike!!!!!!!! I am now an aunt. From what Goomie said, they had a boy, David Michael, at around 6pm and he was 9lbs 1 ounce. Yup, the big baby gene is definately still in the family.
Can anyone tell me some more details??? How was the delivery? Did she have to be induced? How is she feeling?

This is a funny story that Aunt Jill forwarded to me. I think it’s really appropriate for my work. :) I have not been doing anything exciting...Just never ending drug user statistics.

Prevent The Spread Of Disease

Miss Beatrice, the church organist, was in her eighties and
had never been married.
She was much admired for her sweetness and kindness to all.
One afternoon the pastor came to call on her and she showed
him into her quaint sitting room.
She invited him to have a seat while she prepared tea.

As he sat facing her old pump organ, the young minister noticed
a cut-glass bowl sitting on top of it, filled with water.
In the water floated, of all things, a condom!

When she returned with tea and scones, they began to chat.
The pastor tried to stifle his curiosity about the bowl of water
and its strange floater, but soon it got the better of him and
he could no longer resist.

"Miss Beatrice," he said, "I wonder if you would tell me about this?"
pointing to the bowl.

"Oh, yes," she replied, "isn't it wonderful? I was walking through
the park a few months ago and I found this little package on the ground.
The directions said to place it on the organ, keep it wet and it
would prevent the spread of disease.
And you know, I haven't had a cold all winter."

Back to Ufa

Well, it wasn't quite as exciting this time as the last time I went. I hung out with my friends again. Visited one less active family from my mission, but mostly just hung out. I watched one classic Russian movie and one movie in English- A Beautiful Mind. The fact that I hadn't seen it before combined with the enjoyment of watching something in english made for a great impression of the movie. My friend Albina and I did some shopping. I bought a nice "short" jean skirt, looks good with my tan boots.
I went out to Neftakomsk to visit Pasha again and almost got stuck there. Because of the holidays all of the buses back to Ufa were full! Not a single spot available! We had to pay 700 rubles to take a taxi for the 3 hour drive back to Ufa! At least I got to go to church and was able to get some homework done in the train station.
I was sad to leave, but unlike the end of my mission, I felt pretty hopeful that I'll be able to continue to do some work in Russia. And that this won't be the last time that I get to see my friends there.
The power is out at work right now, so I came to the internet cafe instead. I went right to work this morning from the train.
I WISH that someone would write me and tell me if Sara had her baby yet or not!!! Please!? I am feeling very out of the loop.

Back to Ufa

Been getting up really early every morning trying to keep up with my homework. I have an HIV/AIDS care and treatment class that started last week (2nd half semester class). It's great, really interesting critical issues, but I am going to have a hard time keeping on top of it all!
Today we gathered our lesson plans together for the Anti-stigma program. Yesterday, I talked the Family Services Center Director about it and she is excited to get it. They are really doing a great job in that organization! I'm excited to give them another tool because I know that they'll do a good job of using it.
I needed to have it ready to give to Pasha for transation this weekend. I think it's a good thing that I will be able to meet with him and explain exactly what pieces we're using and how it goes together...They are lesson materials and activities to go with each topic.
This afternoon we are putting our now coded narcotics user survey data into excel. There are 100 surveys with 25 questions each so it is going to take the rest of the day plus a little more to finish up on monday I think. One of the most shocking things so far is the sexual habits. Most of them (IV drug users) reported that they had had sex in the last thirty days, but almost all of them said that they use condoms "rarely". Which may mean that they may have just tried it once... That's definately something that the Harm Reduction Center needs to work on. They are not only spreading HIV, but also Hepatitus and STDs that increase their risk of getting infected with HIV.