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blue_lotus13) wrote2006-01-10 05:18 pm
blue_lotus13) wrote2006-01-10 05:18 pm
(no subject)
Yesterday I read an article in the Globe and Mail about some AIDS research happening in Nairobi. Canadian researchers from the University of Manitoba have been researching a group of Nairobian prostitutes who seem to be immune to HIV. They have been taking blood samples from some of the women for around 20 years. Now I realize that this is important research, but the reporter, Stephanie Nolen, raised the very important issue that the Canadian researchers have done nothing to help these women retire from prostitution. One woman is still sleeping with several men a day and may have slept with almost 50,000 men since the start of the study. She thinks that the Canadians could do something to help her get out of prostitution. Frankly, so do I.
I can't access the Globe article, but here's another article on these HIV resistant women .
I must admit that I love Stephanie Nolen's writing. I'm glad that the Globe has devoted so much attention to Africa and covering African issues. I must admit that I do have some of my own guilt towards Africa and AIDS issues. Due to my skin, I know that I can never work with AIDS infected people. I am constantly battling open sores, which means that unless I was to wear a body glove, I couldn't work on the frontline of the AIDS battle.
Also, I have felt guilty because I don't feel the same connection of level of interest in Africa that I do towards other regions of the world. My first area of interest is Asia; I love the continent, the people, everything. I feel alive when I'm there. After that, I'd go for Latin America and the Caribbean, then the Middle East, then Africa. In some ways, I feel like my own interests are prejudiced, and I feel guilty about this. I know that I would love Africa if I visited it. I'd love to see Ghana and Uganda because I've heard so much about them. Yet I'm freaked out by the parasites, because of my open sores.
Where are Europe, the United States and Australia in this equation? Far behind.
I am much more fascinated by the developing world. I think the contrasts make me understand Canada and what it means to be Canadian more. Sometimes I feel like I haven't even seen enough of my own country. I didn't study it in university because I was taking International Studies, and I find as I age, I want to learn more about Canada's history, our regionalisms and our culture.
I can't access the Globe article, but here's another article on these HIV resistant women .
I must admit that I love Stephanie Nolen's writing. I'm glad that the Globe has devoted so much attention to Africa and covering African issues. I must admit that I do have some of my own guilt towards Africa and AIDS issues. Due to my skin, I know that I can never work with AIDS infected people. I am constantly battling open sores, which means that unless I was to wear a body glove, I couldn't work on the frontline of the AIDS battle.
Also, I have felt guilty because I don't feel the same connection of level of interest in Africa that I do towards other regions of the world. My first area of interest is Asia; I love the continent, the people, everything. I feel alive when I'm there. After that, I'd go for Latin America and the Caribbean, then the Middle East, then Africa. In some ways, I feel like my own interests are prejudiced, and I feel guilty about this. I know that I would love Africa if I visited it. I'd love to see Ghana and Uganda because I've heard so much about them. Yet I'm freaked out by the parasites, because of my open sores.
Where are Europe, the United States and Australia in this equation? Far behind.
I am much more fascinated by the developing world. I think the contrasts make me understand Canada and what it means to be Canadian more. Sometimes I feel like I haven't even seen enough of my own country. I didn't study it in university because I was taking International Studies, and I find as I age, I want to learn more about Canada's history, our regionalisms and our culture.
no subject
I have a friend who went to Ghana as part of Journalists Without Borders. She loved it and told me I should go. I think it's much more interesting to live someplace else than it is to visit there. I feel like such a tourist.
no subject