Is it sad that the proudest accomplishment of my day was getting to work all by myself? Yes, when you live in the United States, drive a GPS-enabled car, and work 10 minutes away from your house. But, for me, it's quite an accomplishment. My office is in Nonthaburi, north of Bangkok, and is a little difficult to get to when you do not own a car. Luckily for me, there have been TDYers staying and the embassy provides a vehicle from downtown Bangkok to Nonthaburi. So, I've been hitching a ride with them. However, this week, there are no TDYers and I was left to navigate my way to work.
Today, excited by the possibility of getting to work all by myself and apprehensive of getting lost in the mess that are Bangkok roads, I began my journey. First mode of transportation: motorbike. This part was easy - I take a motorbike to the BTS Skytrain almost everyday. (I am NOT a morning person and the idea of walking to the BTS, regardless of the weather, at 7 in the morning is enough to make me roll over every morning and sleep the extra 15 minutes.) The motorbikers even know me now and rather than walking down the street to the corner, they come pick me up as soon as I poke my head into the sub-soi. The ride is about 5 minutes long and costs 15 baht.
Next step is the Skytrain, again, easy-smeazy. In the morning, the train comes every 5 minutes or so. There's hardly a wait and the train is air-conditioned (sometimes a little too much!). I take it two stops, from Asoke to Ploen Chit. Takes about 10 minutes total (including walking time from the bike to the train) and costs 20 baht.
Now, here comes the challenging part: getting a public van to take me to Ngam Wong Wan. Try saying that three times fast... or just once. No matter how hard I've tried and practiced, I can NOT pronounce those words correctly. I've had complete strangers and friends alike laugh at me (once they understand what I'm trying to say, of course). The "ng" sound is baffling and "wong" and "wan" sound exactly the same to me. Nevertheless, as I waited at the Caltex station for the no. 89 van, a driver, who had stopped to get coffee, caught my attention, called "Ngam Wong Wan," and we headed off. Easy-peazy! The trip took about 25 minutes and cost 35 baht.
High off the adrenaline from finding my van (note: I'm excited from catching a van - this fellow is excited from escaping from a herd of wild elephants), I enjoyed the trip for the first half. Then I began thinking of my next step - while the MOPH is off of Ngam Wong Wan, the van drops you off on the other side of the expressway, and I would need to take a taxi from where the van dropped me off to work. I had a pretty good idea of where I would be dropped off and a tentative idea of where my office was in relation to that, but catching a taxi can be a bit tricky. Often, drivers will say they know where they're going, but then you circle around Bangkok for an hour. But, I was also equipped with the address of my office, written in English and Thai, and the assurances of my co-workers that I could call them and they would give directions to my driver.
I got off the van and headed to the pedestrian overpass to try to catch a taxi heading in the correct direction. (On the way I passed a McDonalds, so guess what, Dad? I finally got that picture of the bowing Ronald!) After hailing a taxi and being rejected twice, I finally got a driver who knew where the MOPH was. Three minutes later, I was at work. Taxi cost 50 baht.
To recap: 4 types of transportation (bike, Skytrain, van, and taxi); 45 minutes; 120 baht ($3.61). And, I got to work before 8am!
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Thursday, December 3, 2009
World AIDS Day
World AIDS Day was on December 1, and several news organizations highlighted it. Here are some interesting articles:
How Obama is Changing Bush's World AIDS Plan
South Africa vows to treat all babies with HIV
U.N. report: New HIV infections decreasing
How Obama is Changing Bush's World AIDS Plan
South Africa vows to treat all babies with HIV
U.N. report: New HIV infections decreasing
Monday, November 30, 2009
Fun times in Bangkok
A mime, near MBK
A living statue (also outside MBK)
And, the best, a live show during a press conference on NAT at the Thai Red Cross
(sorry, for some reason, video won't load, so it's loaded onto Flickr)
Plus, fun art outside the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre
Outside MBK (notice the Xmas wishes)
(why I love the micro-function on my camera)
Average word of the day: home
The world is conspiring against me.
Ok, not really... but the past 24 hours have brought a serious influx of "home" issues. While living abroad (and having lots of adventures) can seem glamorous, it's not always all it's cracked up to be. I am extremely blessed to be able to see and do all that I've done, but sometimes it's hard not to be home.
Today was one of those days when I couldn't understand why I decided to move to Thailand. When my friend emailed me with news of her engagement (yes, that would be three engagements in less than two months - ekk!) I was happy for her, but also a little sad that I couldn't immediately drive to her house or pick up the phone. Plus, I missed mashed potatoes and pie. So, rather than wallowing*, I tried to distract myself by reading "My Life is Average". Guess what was the "average word of the day." Yup, that's right: home.
Finally, as the whipped cream on my sadly missing Thanksgiving pies, I turned on my iPod on my BTS ride this morning. First song that pops up in shuffle: Homeward Bound, by Simon and Garfunkel.
While the world may not be conspiring against me, I think it fortuitous that I booked those flights home already or I would think someone was trying to give me a message.
*i.e., Dictionary.com's first definition: to roll about or lie in water, snow, mud, dust, or the like, as for refreshment - that's what I mean (not the second definition: to flounder about; move along or proceed clumsily or with difficulty)
Ok, not really... but the past 24 hours have brought a serious influx of "home" issues. While living abroad (and having lots of adventures) can seem glamorous, it's not always all it's cracked up to be. I am extremely blessed to be able to see and do all that I've done, but sometimes it's hard not to be home.
Today was one of those days when I couldn't understand why I decided to move to Thailand. When my friend emailed me with news of her engagement (yes, that would be three engagements in less than two months - ekk!) I was happy for her, but also a little sad that I couldn't immediately drive to her house or pick up the phone. Plus, I missed mashed potatoes and pie. So, rather than wallowing*, I tried to distract myself by reading "My Life is Average". Guess what was the "average word of the day." Yup, that's right: home.
Finally, as the whipped cream on my sadly missing Thanksgiving pies, I turned on my iPod on my BTS ride this morning. First song that pops up in shuffle: Homeward Bound, by Simon and Garfunkel.
While the world may not be conspiring against me, I think it fortuitous that I booked those flights home already or I would think someone was trying to give me a message.
*i.e., Dictionary.com's first definition: to roll about or lie in water, snow, mud, dust, or the like, as for refreshment - that's what I mean (not the second definition: to flounder about; move along or proceed clumsily or with difficulty)
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Christmas in Thailand
So the Christmas season starts the day after Halloween in Bangkok. You think I'm kidding... I'm not. On November 1st, I was walking to the BTS only to start giggling (almost hysterically) at the sound of "Jingle Bell Rock" Thai-style blaring over the Emporium Mall's loudspeakers. I couldn't contain myself when I saw the entire front wall of the 6+ story building covered with glittering lights and a 2-story, tiered, glittering, razzle-dazzle Christmas tree.
It seems Thai people adopt holidays that encourage sanook, or fun. When Halloween came around, I was surprised to see all of the decorations, costumes, and general holiday-ness of the city. Now that Christmas is coming, I'm even more surprised, especially in a country that is predominately Buddhist. But, I get the feeling that if there is a holiday where you can dress up, decorate, and get/give gifts, Thai people will like it. Unfortunately, Thanksgiving gets a little overwhelmed with all the other festivities.
Pictures of the decorations to come. I wonder if the malls will have a Santa Claus to take pictures with...
It seems Thai people adopt holidays that encourage sanook, or fun. When Halloween came around, I was surprised to see all of the decorations, costumes, and general holiday-ness of the city. Now that Christmas is coming, I'm even more surprised, especially in a country that is predominately Buddhist. But, I get the feeling that if there is a holiday where you can dress up, decorate, and get/give gifts, Thai people will like it. Unfortunately, Thanksgiving gets a little overwhelmed with all the other festivities.
Pictures of the decorations to come. I wonder if the malls will have a Santa Claus to take pictures with...
Monday, November 23, 2009
Two new acronyms
MFWIC and NCHSTP... both told to me by my mentor.
NCHHSTP (affectionately called "Nacho Stop" by my mentor, so you need to imagine this discussion with a Dutch accent) stands for National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention.
First person to get MFWIC right gets a prize.
Another sentance of acronyms I heard at a conference this week: Our funding is through PEPFAR to USAID, then FHI collaborates with HCMC PAC AIDS Center to support MSM at the Blue Sky Club.
Got that?
NCHHSTP (affectionately called "Nacho Stop" by my mentor, so you need to imagine this discussion with a Dutch accent) stands for National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention.
First person to get MFWIC right gets a prize.
Another sentance of acronyms I heard at a conference this week: Our funding is through PEPFAR to USAID, then FHI collaborates with HCMC PAC AIDS Center to support MSM at the Blue Sky Club.
Got that?
Sunday, November 22, 2009
In a past life...
I was a research assistant studying how to improve cancer screening in low-literacy patients in New Orleans. I knew the cancer screening guidelines for breast, cervical and anorectal cancers like the back of my hand. So, the recent spate of revised guidelines is very interesting to me, especially when I hear of them being used politically...
Guidelines Push Back Age for Cervical Cancer Tests
Culture Clash in Medicine
Mammogram Debate Took Group By Surprise
The Controversy Over Mammograms
Panel Urges Mammograms at 50, not 40
GOP Uses Mammogram Study to Attack Health Bill
I'll start off by saying that I am a big fan of using research and evidence-based practice to inform health decisions and policies. I'm a little biased that way. Unfortunately that does not seem to be the case with most health decisions, especially in the United States, where we have an extremely sophisticated health system that still fails millions of people a year.
I also surprises me that the GOP is using these new recommendations to attack the health bills and President Obama. The councils that reported the new recommendations are independent organizations, one a federally appointed advisory panel, the other the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. When we are looking for ways to improve health care and reduce costs, shouldn't we look to recognized experts in deciding where those changes can be made? Instead, the GOP (who, in my opinion, hasn't been a stalwart of women's health) claims the new guidelines are just a guise to create health rationing. But, don't we already have some form of health rationing in place? Medicare pays for one mammogram every 12 months, beginning at age 40, with one baseline mammogram for women between 35 and 39 years old. These rations (because they ARE rations for women who have Medicare) are based on guidelines with broad consensus from the American Cancer Society, the American College of Physicians, the National Institutes of Health, and others. When these same organizations change their consensus (which, to note, has not been done with the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force's new recommendations), I believe Medicare services should follow. No one (not even the those crazy health-rationing folks in the Democratic party) wants to create more morbidity and mortality from breast cancer. If for no other reason then that it's expensive. Cancer treatment is not cheap and, like most health problems, is easier to cure (and cheaper) when caught early.
I think people fail to realize the wonderful thing about recommendations. They are just that. They are not mandatory laws with no room for patient differences or doctor opinions. Even the old guidelines had important clauses. Women with higher risk, such as those with a first-degree relative with breast cancer or those with the BRCA gene, were recommended to start screening earlier. And, let's face it - how many women actually followed the guidelines? According to the Kaiser Foundation, only 76.6% of women aged 40+ had a mammogram in the past two years (2006).The American Cancer Society reports similar statistics: for women 40-49, the percent who had a mammogram within the past two years is 63.5%; women 50-64, 71.8%; and women 65+, 63.8%. But these numbers drop when looking at mammograms within the past year (the guidelines currently suggested by the ACS): women 40-49, the rate is only 47.8%; women 50-64, 55.5%; and women 65+, 50.2% (2009, click Breast Cancer Facts & Figures 2009-2010 to download the pdf report).
Finally, I'd like to go back to the basic principles of screening. Screening is a very basic public health strategy, used in a population to detect disease in people without symptoms. The point of screening is to reduce morbidity and mortality from the disease in a population. The ultimate question in deciding whether to implement screening and its frequency is to determine when anticipated benefits outweigh anticipated risks in a population. This is why there has been so much understandable debate with cancer screening - screening is based on populations, not individuals. While screening every two years after age 50 might be better at the population level, it might be detrimental to some individuals. That's where patients and doctors play the most important role in determining what is best. So, maybe the key to improving our health care is to have a system in place that allows for the use of best practices, incorporating population-level guidelines and individual decisions.
Guidelines Push Back Age for Cervical Cancer Tests
Culture Clash in Medicine
Mammogram Debate Took Group By Surprise
The Controversy Over Mammograms
Panel Urges Mammograms at 50, not 40
GOP Uses Mammogram Study to Attack Health Bill
I'll start off by saying that I am a big fan of using research and evidence-based practice to inform health decisions and policies. I'm a little biased that way. Unfortunately that does not seem to be the case with most health decisions, especially in the United States, where we have an extremely sophisticated health system that still fails millions of people a year.
I also surprises me that the GOP is using these new recommendations to attack the health bills and President Obama. The councils that reported the new recommendations are independent organizations, one a federally appointed advisory panel, the other the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. When we are looking for ways to improve health care and reduce costs, shouldn't we look to recognized experts in deciding where those changes can be made? Instead, the GOP (who, in my opinion, hasn't been a stalwart of women's health) claims the new guidelines are just a guise to create health rationing. But, don't we already have some form of health rationing in place? Medicare pays for one mammogram every 12 months, beginning at age 40, with one baseline mammogram for women between 35 and 39 years old. These rations (because they ARE rations for women who have Medicare) are based on guidelines with broad consensus from the American Cancer Society, the American College of Physicians, the National Institutes of Health, and others. When these same organizations change their consensus (which, to note, has not been done with the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force's new recommendations), I believe Medicare services should follow. No one (not even the those crazy health-rationing folks in the Democratic party) wants to create more morbidity and mortality from breast cancer. If for no other reason then that it's expensive. Cancer treatment is not cheap and, like most health problems, is easier to cure (and cheaper) when caught early.
I think people fail to realize the wonderful thing about recommendations. They are just that. They are not mandatory laws with no room for patient differences or doctor opinions. Even the old guidelines had important clauses. Women with higher risk, such as those with a first-degree relative with breast cancer or those with the BRCA gene, were recommended to start screening earlier. And, let's face it - how many women actually followed the guidelines? According to the Kaiser Foundation, only 76.6% of women aged 40+ had a mammogram in the past two years (2006).The American Cancer Society reports similar statistics: for women 40-49, the percent who had a mammogram within the past two years is 63.5%; women 50-64, 71.8%; and women 65+, 63.8%. But these numbers drop when looking at mammograms within the past year (the guidelines currently suggested by the ACS): women 40-49, the rate is only 47.8%; women 50-64, 55.5%; and women 65+, 50.2% (2009, click Breast Cancer Facts & Figures 2009-2010 to download the pdf report).
Finally, I'd like to go back to the basic principles of screening. Screening is a very basic public health strategy, used in a population to detect disease in people without symptoms. The point of screening is to reduce morbidity and mortality from the disease in a population. The ultimate question in deciding whether to implement screening and its frequency is to determine when anticipated benefits outweigh anticipated risks in a population. This is why there has been so much understandable debate with cancer screening - screening is based on populations, not individuals. While screening every two years after age 50 might be better at the population level, it might be detrimental to some individuals. That's where patients and doctors play the most important role in determining what is best. So, maybe the key to improving our health care is to have a system in place that allows for the use of best practices, incorporating population-level guidelines and individual decisions.
Friday, November 6, 2009
I do not like cucumbers and other fun things about me and Thailand
I do not like cucumbers.
It's become a problem. As the food is especially spicy here, various foods are used to cool your mouth. Bean sprouts, rice, and of course cucumbers. That's one thing that is particularly nice about Thai food (and Indian food) - they provide something to cool your mouth (as opposed to food in Sierra Leone and New Orleans, where they just let your mouth burn). But, that's where I've run into a problem. Despite cucumbers' apparent lack of flavor (that's what I've been told) and their oh-so-refreshing crispy sound, I do not like cucumbers. I have nothing to cool my mouth after eating a mouthful of spicy curry. So, I drink lots of water, my eyes water, and my colleagues laugh when my face turns red.
I need a bigger wallet.
The first reason for this is because I tend to collect change. Although I know most of the coins, I'm not comfortable looking for change yet (strange but true). Also, there are tiny coins that I get as change but few vendors take as change - satangs (1 baht = 100 satangs). I have satangs in quarter (worth less than a penny) and half (worth a penny and a half) denominations.
The second reason is that Thais like cards. I have a thick ID card for the TUC (provides access to doors and elevators), one for the BTS (Skytrain), one for the MRT (subway), and one to enter my building. And, those are just the cards I need on a daily basis. I also have cards for VAT discounts at Emporium Mall (good at Paragon, Emporium and The Mall), MBK, and Spot Plus (good at Tops Markets and Central Food Market). I also have paper cards for my health insurance, directions to get to my apartment (one in Thai, one in English), and directions to get to Centre Point.
I have a skewed sense of the temperature.
As I mentioned previously, I walked out of my apartment the other day and felt cool. Of course, a 40% drop in humidity did contribute greatly to this feeling; however, the temperature was still in the mid-80s (Fahrenheit, 30 degrees Celsius). Although, maybe I am just adapting to the Thai way of thinking of temperature (or Sierra Leonean or New Orlinean - both of whom wore winter coats when the temperature dropped below 70F). In Thailand, the cold season has highs in the low 80s.
I do not have enough solid-colored shirts.
Thais are obsessed with wearing specific colors on specific days. On Monday, it's yellow; Tuesday, pink; Wednesday, green; Thursday, orange; Friday, blue; Saturday, purple; Sunday, I don't know. The problem is that I do not own enough sold-color shirts. For example, today I am wearing a very fun African print that is both orange and blue. Maybe I'm celebrating Thursday and Friday (since there is a 12-hour time difference between BKK and Philly, right now it is both Thursday and Friday...). The other problem, however, is that wearing certain colors on certain days can also be a political statement. Yellow is the color of the king (he was born on a Monday) so those people who support the monarchy wear yellow. See this article from Time about some of the politics behind colors (http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1881841,00.html).
So, goals for the weekend are as follows:
It's become a problem. As the food is especially spicy here, various foods are used to cool your mouth. Bean sprouts, rice, and of course cucumbers. That's one thing that is particularly nice about Thai food (and Indian food) - they provide something to cool your mouth (as opposed to food in Sierra Leone and New Orleans, where they just let your mouth burn). But, that's where I've run into a problem. Despite cucumbers' apparent lack of flavor (that's what I've been told) and their oh-so-refreshing crispy sound, I do not like cucumbers. I have nothing to cool my mouth after eating a mouthful of spicy curry. So, I drink lots of water, my eyes water, and my colleagues laugh when my face turns red.
I need a bigger wallet.
The first reason for this is because I tend to collect change. Although I know most of the coins, I'm not comfortable looking for change yet (strange but true). Also, there are tiny coins that I get as change but few vendors take as change - satangs (1 baht = 100 satangs). I have satangs in quarter (worth less than a penny) and half (worth a penny and a half) denominations.
As I mentioned previously, I walked out of my apartment the other day and felt cool. Of course, a 40% drop in humidity did contribute greatly to this feeling; however, the temperature was still in the mid-80s (Fahrenheit, 30 degrees Celsius). Although, maybe I am just adapting to the Thai way of thinking of temperature (or Sierra Leonean or New Orlinean - both of whom wore winter coats when the temperature dropped below 70F). In Thailand, the cold season has highs in the low 80s.
I do not have enough solid-colored shirts.
Thais are obsessed with wearing specific colors on specific days. On Monday, it's yellow; Tuesday, pink; Wednesday, green; Thursday, orange; Friday, blue; Saturday, purple; Sunday, I don't know. The problem is that I do not own enough sold-color shirts. For example, today I am wearing a very fun African print that is both orange and blue. Maybe I'm celebrating Thursday and Friday (since there is a 12-hour time difference between BKK and Philly, right now it is both Thursday and Friday...). The other problem, however, is that wearing certain colors on certain days can also be a political statement. Yellow is the color of the king (he was born on a Monday) so those people who support the monarchy wear yellow. See this article from Time about some of the politics behind colors (http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1881841,00.html).
So, goals for the weekend are as follows:
- Like cucumbers (I think it's possible to do in two days, right?)
- Get a bigger wallet (or give up on organizing my current one)
- Get a thermometer to carry with me everywhere (or just stop talking about the weather to my sister, who is the one who makes fun of my temperature disorder the most)
- Buy solid-colored shirts (but not red or yellow ones)
Me and a Sierra Leonean cucumber
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Ayutthaya Province
Ah, three-day weekends! There is something so nice about having that one extra day to relax and plan as you wish.
Last weekend, the TUC office closed for Chulalongkorn Day, a Thai holiday commemorating the death of King Rama V. The king is famous for navigating the country past potential European colonizers, modernizing Thailand (then, Siam), and being educated by Anna Leonowens (ok, well, maybe he's famous for that only in the West). Regardless, his death is commemorated every October 23rd and I got a holiday.
On Friday, my goal was to find a broom. I'd seen a broom stall somewhere around my apartment just after moving in, but I'd forgotten where it was. So, I wandered for an hour or so, then finally gave up and bought one at Tops Market (a local grocery store). Ironically, as I was walking back from the store, non-returnable broom in hand, I not only found the mysterious broom stall but I saw a broom cart walking its way toward me. Oh well! At least I will now be able to sweep my tiled floors whenever my OCDness kicks in. My next task was doing laundry (not as daunting as I expected, despite my lack of a dryer - I'll convince myself that I'm being environmentally friendly as I walk around in stretched out clothes). Finally, I headed to a travel agency (Sawadee Travel) to try to figure out plans for the weekend. Along with Alpa and her family, I planned to go to Ayutthaya on Sunday for a guided day tour.
Sunday I woke up before dawn to head to Ayutthaya. Ayutthaya, for those of you without extensive knowledge of India, was named after the birthplace of Rama, Ayodhya, in India. It was the capital of the Ayutthaya Kingdom of Thailand from 1350 to 1767, when the Burmese destroyed the city. It is now designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. But before going there, we stopped at the Summer Palace in Bang Pa-In. (FYI "Bang" just means district. So there are a lot of Bang xxxx places around besides Bangkok). It is one of the summer palaces of the king and was built mainly by King Chulalongkorn. This king traveled around the world and picked up architecture from all over the world. So there is a Buddhist temple that looks like a gothic cathedral, a bridge that looks like the one leading from Rome to Vatican City, a Chinese mansion, a watchtower, and more. The place reminded me a little of Epcot - the grounds were perfectly manicured, there were building designs from all over the world, there were golf carts you could rent, and there was Musak softly playing through out the complex.
Next, we headed to Ayutthaya. It must have been a wonderful city when it was built - there are temples, royal complexes, and the ever-present elephant rides. While I passed on the elephant rides (next time), the ruined temples are magnificent. I need to go back and explore more. Pictures to come soon as I can not do the city justice with words. My favorites were the Buddha head in the tree roots and the reclining Buddha.
Finally, we had lunch on our boat cruise down the river back to Bangkok. While the temperature was warm, it was nice to sit, relax and watch the sites along the river. They included the Department of Corrections, a huge temple complex with a large Buddha statue, a barge that reminded me of the garbage barges along the Hudson, small fishing villages and boats, and Bangkok along the river.
Last weekend, the TUC office closed for Chulalongkorn Day, a Thai holiday commemorating the death of King Rama V. The king is famous for navigating the country past potential European colonizers, modernizing Thailand (then, Siam), and being educated by Anna Leonowens (ok, well, maybe he's famous for that only in the West). Regardless, his death is commemorated every October 23rd and I got a holiday.
On Friday, my goal was to find a broom. I'd seen a broom stall somewhere around my apartment just after moving in, but I'd forgotten where it was. So, I wandered for an hour or so, then finally gave up and bought one at Tops Market (a local grocery store). Ironically, as I was walking back from the store, non-returnable broom in hand, I not only found the mysterious broom stall but I saw a broom cart walking its way toward me. Oh well! At least I will now be able to sweep my tiled floors whenever my OCDness kicks in. My next task was doing laundry (not as daunting as I expected, despite my lack of a dryer - I'll convince myself that I'm being environmentally friendly as I walk around in stretched out clothes). Finally, I headed to a travel agency (Sawadee Travel) to try to figure out plans for the weekend. Along with Alpa and her family, I planned to go to Ayutthaya on Sunday for a guided day tour.
Sunday I woke up before dawn to head to Ayutthaya. Ayutthaya, for those of you without extensive knowledge of India, was named after the birthplace of Rama, Ayodhya, in India. It was the capital of the Ayutthaya Kingdom of Thailand from 1350 to 1767, when the Burmese destroyed the city. It is now designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. But before going there, we stopped at the Summer Palace in Bang Pa-In. (FYI "Bang" just means district. So there are a lot of Bang xxxx places around besides Bangkok). It is one of the summer palaces of the king and was built mainly by King Chulalongkorn. This king traveled around the world and picked up architecture from all over the world. So there is a Buddhist temple that looks like a gothic cathedral, a bridge that looks like the one leading from Rome to Vatican City, a Chinese mansion, a watchtower, and more. The place reminded me a little of Epcot - the grounds were perfectly manicured, there were building designs from all over the world, there were golf carts you could rent, and there was Musak softly playing through out the complex.
Next, we headed to Ayutthaya. It must have been a wonderful city when it was built - there are temples, royal complexes, and the ever-present elephant rides. While I passed on the elephant rides (next time), the ruined temples are magnificent. I need to go back and explore more. Pictures to come soon as I can not do the city justice with words. My favorites were the Buddha head in the tree roots and the reclining Buddha.
Finally, we had lunch on our boat cruise down the river back to Bangkok. While the temperature was warm, it was nice to sit, relax and watch the sites along the river. They included the Department of Corrections, a huge temple complex with a large Buddha statue, a barge that reminded me of the garbage barges along the Hudson, small fishing villages and boats, and Bangkok along the river.
Monday, November 2, 2009
I need a hygrometer
This morning, as I walked out of my apartment into what is usually damp, warm air, I felt slightly surprised. It took me a few seconds to realize what was different about this morning, in comparison to all the other mornings. The difference: it was not humid! I actually felt a bit chilly as I biked to the BTS. The lack of humidity even made the lunch table news. A colleague owns a hygrometer (a tool to measure humidity) and it was only 50% this morning. Most days, it is between 75-90% or it is raining.
Needless to say, I'm a big fan of dry air.
Needless to say, I'm a big fan of dry air.
Friday, October 23, 2009
The Small Things
It's amazing how the smallest things can make such a big difference. For example, in my life, not living out of a suitcase and finding the grocery store were huge accomplishments. For another fellow, it's moving from temporary housing to slightly-less-temporary housing. For another, it's making friends by singing karaoke of Celine Dion.
Anyway, here's a brief "day-in-the-life" post - not too interesting but several people have asked ;)
So traffic in Bangkok, as I've mentioned, is not great. (And, I've heard that it's going to get worse - right now is students' break and they start back up next week. I can hardly wait.) Luckily, getting to Nonthaburi is a reverse commute out of Bangkok. Once we get on the expressway, the traffic is mild and it can take less than 15 minutes to get to work. The tricky part is getting out of Bangkok. The shuttle, an embassy vehicle provided to CDC for TDYer's (oh another acronym), picks up the temporary CDC staff at their hotel. For the first week, it picked up me and two IEDA people from Centre Point, picked up some local staff from a central location, and headed off on the expressway. We were at work in 20 minutes. But, it becomes slightly more complicated when other TDYer's come and stay at other hotels. Anyhow, the shuttle picks up at the Caltex (a central gas station right near the BTS Skytrain and the expressway) any time between 7:35 and 8:15 (it was VERY late one day). Now that I have an apartment, I walk or take a bike to the BTS and take it to Caltex and hop on the shuttle. Commute time: Between 1/2 hour and 1-1/2 hours.
Usually I am the first one from my group to arrive at work. "My group" is the behavioral section of the Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention (DHAP). It is separate from the Global AIDS Program (GAP), mainly because of funding (a wonderful remnant of W's PEPFAR policy). So, I get to my office around 8am, open the curtains so I can watch the rain clouds coming, and turn my computer on. Thus far, work has not been entirely exciting. The first two weeks I spent reading about the projects going on (and writing down what all the acronyms stood for). Luckily, I also spent the first two weeks getting to know the rest of the team.
The team consists of Frits (my mentor), P'Aoy (the second in command), Took, and Oy. There are also several other people who work at the clinic (more on that later). P'Aoy is extremely nice, looks after me, makes sure I have weekend plans, helped me find housing, and is just motherly and guiding. Her office is right next to mine. Took, the only other male on the team besides Frits, is fun-loving and, I think, the fashionable one of the office. He is also very patient in answering my many questions, helping me order lunch (making sure it's "for a child," aka not spicy), and teaching me Thai words. Oy, the qualitative specialist of the group, is the traveler of the group, and she has already told me she'll help negotiate good prices for me when I travel and give me good recommendations. She's also extremely welcoming and makes sure I am up-to-date on conversations held mainly in Thai. They are a great group of people to work with and I look forward to learning a lot from them.
So then I leave work around 4:30pm - and hope it hasn't rained recently or is a Friday, because then traffic will be worse. Usually I get back any time between 5:30 and 6:30. I have to make dinner plans before I get home or else I tend to crash on my couch. Food is pretty easy to come by, so even if I am too lazy to go someplace, there are several places around the corner from my apartment that have food. By 10pm I'm ready for bed.
That's my typical day.
Next post, the work I'm doing.
Anyway, here's a brief "day-in-the-life" post - not too interesting but several people have asked ;)
So traffic in Bangkok, as I've mentioned, is not great. (And, I've heard that it's going to get worse - right now is students' break and they start back up next week. I can hardly wait.) Luckily, getting to Nonthaburi is a reverse commute out of Bangkok. Once we get on the expressway, the traffic is mild and it can take less than 15 minutes to get to work. The tricky part is getting out of Bangkok. The shuttle, an embassy vehicle provided to CDC for TDYer's (oh another acronym), picks up the temporary CDC staff at their hotel. For the first week, it picked up me and two IEDA people from Centre Point, picked up some local staff from a central location, and headed off on the expressway. We were at work in 20 minutes. But, it becomes slightly more complicated when other TDYer's come and stay at other hotels. Anyhow, the shuttle picks up at the Caltex (a central gas station right near the BTS Skytrain and the expressway) any time between 7:35 and 8:15 (it was VERY late one day). Now that I have an apartment, I walk or take a bike to the BTS and take it to Caltex and hop on the shuttle. Commute time: Between 1/2 hour and 1-1/2 hours.
Usually I am the first one from my group to arrive at work. "My group" is the behavioral section of the Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention (DHAP). It is separate from the Global AIDS Program (GAP), mainly because of funding (a wonderful remnant of W's PEPFAR policy). So, I get to my office around 8am, open the curtains so I can watch the rain clouds coming, and turn my computer on. Thus far, work has not been entirely exciting. The first two weeks I spent reading about the projects going on (and writing down what all the acronyms stood for). Luckily, I also spent the first two weeks getting to know the rest of the team.
The team consists of Frits (my mentor), P'Aoy (the second in command), Took, and Oy. There are also several other people who work at the clinic (more on that later). P'Aoy is extremely nice, looks after me, makes sure I have weekend plans, helped me find housing, and is just motherly and guiding. Her office is right next to mine. Took, the only other male on the team besides Frits, is fun-loving and, I think, the fashionable one of the office. He is also very patient in answering my many questions, helping me order lunch (making sure it's "for a child," aka not spicy), and teaching me Thai words. Oy, the qualitative specialist of the group, is the traveler of the group, and she has already told me she'll help negotiate good prices for me when I travel and give me good recommendations. She's also extremely welcoming and makes sure I am up-to-date on conversations held mainly in Thai. They are a great group of people to work with and I look forward to learning a lot from them.
So then I leave work around 4:30pm - and hope it hasn't rained recently or is a Friday, because then traffic will be worse. Usually I get back any time between 5:30 and 6:30. I have to make dinner plans before I get home or else I tend to crash on my couch. Food is pretty easy to come by, so even if I am too lazy to go someplace, there are several places around the corner from my apartment that have food. By 10pm I'm ready for bed.
That's my typical day.
Next post, the work I'm doing.
Monday, October 12, 2009
ASPH/CDC/TUC...
Often in the past week, I've felt like I did not understand what people around me were saying. Reasonable, right? I'm in Thailand - people speak Thai and I know only two Thai phrases thus far (hello and thank you).
Yet, most of the time, my confusion occurs around English speakers. There is, as I was repeatedly warned, another language of the CDC: acronyms. People throw them around like most people use articles (the, a, an). I've heard individuals speak entire sentences using acronyms. It's an impressive and daunting language that learning is almost as complicated as learning Thai.
In the interest of educating you (and saving my fingers from typing extra letters), here is a brief reference list of the acronyms I've come across so far.
CDC - US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (I know, this does not make sense - the acronym should be CDCP, but historically, the office was known as the "Communicable Disease Center.")
TUC - Thailand Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) - U.S. CDC Collaboration
ASPH - Association of Schools of Public Health (an American organization)
MSM - men who have sex with men (this removes the self-identifying terms such as homosexual that many people may not accept)
HIV - human immunodeficiency virus (the virus that causes AIDS)
AIDS - acquired immune deficiency syndrome
COGH - Center for Global Health (a part of CDC)
BKK - Bangkok
ARV - antiretroviral (drugs used to help people with HIV)
PrEP - pre-exposure prophylaxis (this abbreviation is used with HIV research - if you know about preventing mother to child transmission of HIV, it's the same idea except is now being studied in high-risk populations)
PEPFAR - President's Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief (the first wave began under Bush, PEPFAR 2 has just been renewed under Obama - look it up on Wikipedia)
GAP - Global AIDS Program (funded mainly by PEPFAR)
DHAP - Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention (PEPFAR did not allow the funding to go to HIV/AIDS research, leading to a division of program implementation and research. You can come to your own conclusions about the logic behind that.)
TDY - Temporary duty assignment (Yes, I know the letters don't match up. I still don't know why but if you know, please comment.)
These are the ones I have come across this week (that I remember). I'm sure there will be more to add soon.
Yet, most of the time, my confusion occurs around English speakers. There is, as I was repeatedly warned, another language of the CDC: acronyms. People throw them around like most people use articles (the, a, an). I've heard individuals speak entire sentences using acronyms. It's an impressive and daunting language that learning is almost as complicated as learning Thai.
In the interest of educating you (and saving my fingers from typing extra letters), here is a brief reference list of the acronyms I've come across so far.
CDC - US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (I know, this does not make sense - the acronym should be CDCP, but historically, the office was known as the "Communicable Disease Center.")
TUC - Thailand Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) - U.S. CDC Collaboration
ASPH - Association of Schools of Public Health (an American organization)
MSM - men who have sex with men (this removes the self-identifying terms such as homosexual that many people may not accept)
HIV - human immunodeficiency virus (the virus that causes AIDS)
AIDS - acquired immune deficiency syndrome
COGH - Center for Global Health (a part of CDC)
BKK - Bangkok
ARV - antiretroviral (drugs used to help people with HIV)
PrEP - pre-exposure prophylaxis (this abbreviation is used with HIV research - if you know about preventing mother to child transmission of HIV, it's the same idea except is now being studied in high-risk populations)
PEPFAR - President's Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief (the first wave began under Bush, PEPFAR 2 has just been renewed under Obama - look it up on Wikipedia)
GAP - Global AIDS Program (funded mainly by PEPFAR)
DHAP - Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention (PEPFAR did not allow the funding to go to HIV/AIDS research, leading to a division of program implementation and research. You can come to your own conclusions about the logic behind that.)
TDY - Temporary duty assignment (Yes, I know the letters don't match up. I still don't know why but if you know, please comment.)
These are the ones I have come across this week (that I remember). I'm sure there will be more to add soon.
Craving an orange Fanta...
My first week here was a blur of transportation, reading, and feeling extremely sleep deprived. But, I was lucky to make some friends early in the week who invited me on a day trip during the weekend.
The first challenge of the day trip was getting to the travel agent, located on Khao San Road. For those of you without some familiarity with Bangkok, Khao San Road is the "heart of the international backpacking scene" (Fodor's travel guide, my ever-present companion). It's a mix of Bourbon Street and the French Market, with a little bit of a sketchy road in Freetown. But, it was there we trooped to get tickets for our adventure the next day. After negotiating the price of the ticket, we headed to get some food, first to the Burger King to supplicate one of my friend's 3-year old (who was promised ice cream). Getting stuck in Burger King during a torrential downpour, as happens frequently, I relented to my grumbling stomach and ate Burger King for the first time in several years. It was quite delicious, although my standards might have been a bit low due to my hunger. After the downpour ceased, we tried to get a taxi to go back to the hotel. This proved more challenging then I imagined, but we succeeded after some time and made it back across the city in record time - it only took 90 minutes or so. (Remember what I said about traffic?)
The next day began bright and early - 6:30am when we were picked up by the van and shuttled back across the city to pick up other tour-goers. Our destination was southwest of the city, to see the floating market of Damnoen Saduak, Sampran Elephant Ground and Zoo, and the Rose Garden. The floating market is just that - a market of small boats that float along the many canals in Damnoen Saduak. There is food, tourist nick knacks, clothing, paintings, and more that line the edges (and middle) of the canals. This floating market is a bit of a tourist trap (there are apparently few places in Thailand that aren't), but it's a fun adventure. After several hours of wandering around the shops, we headed to the Sampran Elephant Ground. While I was a little apprehensive about how these elephants may be treated, they seemed pretty healthy and the show was entertaining, with a history of elephants in Thailand, a demonstration of battle using elephants, and, of course, feeding the elephants. At the same place, there was also a crocodile show. Now, I'm not one to run away from crocodiles (after all, I am my grandmother's grand-daughter), but the show made me nervous, despite others' assurances that the crocodiles were trained. The show consisted of sticking the "trainer's" head into a crocodile's open mouth, grabbing a crocodile by the tail and spinning him (or her) around, and picking a croc up. Like I said, I'm not one to shy away from a good crocodilian chasing, but always from the safety of a golf cart.
Our final stop of the day was at the Rose Garden. Known for its beautiful grounds, we were unfortunately stuck inside due to the torrential rain (common occurrence!). But, we did get to see a Thai cultural show of dancing, Thai boxing, sword fighting, and a wedding ceremony. Heading back to Bangkok, I promptly fell asleep. (Katie R, I think your car sleeping habit rubbed off on me.) We were dropped off at Khao San Road, ate some of the best chicken and cashews I've ever had at a restaurant (note: my mom's chicken and cashews is still the best), took another taxi back (I fell asleep) and returned to the hotel.
Oh, and the craving orange Fanta part... this is when I know I'm dehydrated. I had one almost every day in Sierra Leone and when I got back in the van after the floating market, I was craving an orange Fanta. Water, unfortunately, had to do the trick.
The first challenge of the day trip was getting to the travel agent, located on Khao San Road. For those of you without some familiarity with Bangkok, Khao San Road is the "heart of the international backpacking scene" (Fodor's travel guide, my ever-present companion). It's a mix of Bourbon Street and the French Market, with a little bit of a sketchy road in Freetown. But, it was there we trooped to get tickets for our adventure the next day. After negotiating the price of the ticket, we headed to get some food, first to the Burger King to supplicate one of my friend's 3-year old (who was promised ice cream). Getting stuck in Burger King during a torrential downpour, as happens frequently, I relented to my grumbling stomach and ate Burger King for the first time in several years. It was quite delicious, although my standards might have been a bit low due to my hunger. After the downpour ceased, we tried to get a taxi to go back to the hotel. This proved more challenging then I imagined, but we succeeded after some time and made it back across the city in record time - it only took 90 minutes or so. (Remember what I said about traffic?)
The next day began bright and early - 6:30am when we were picked up by the van and shuttled back across the city to pick up other tour-goers. Our destination was southwest of the city, to see the floating market of Damnoen Saduak, Sampran Elephant Ground and Zoo, and the Rose Garden. The floating market is just that - a market of small boats that float along the many canals in Damnoen Saduak. There is food, tourist nick knacks, clothing, paintings, and more that line the edges (and middle) of the canals. This floating market is a bit of a tourist trap (there are apparently few places in Thailand that aren't), but it's a fun adventure. After several hours of wandering around the shops, we headed to the Sampran Elephant Ground. While I was a little apprehensive about how these elephants may be treated, they seemed pretty healthy and the show was entertaining, with a history of elephants in Thailand, a demonstration of battle using elephants, and, of course, feeding the elephants. At the same place, there was also a crocodile show. Now, I'm not one to run away from crocodiles (after all, I am my grandmother's grand-daughter), but the show made me nervous, despite others' assurances that the crocodiles were trained. The show consisted of sticking the "trainer's" head into a crocodile's open mouth, grabbing a crocodile by the tail and spinning him (or her) around, and picking a croc up. Like I said, I'm not one to shy away from a good crocodilian chasing, but always from the safety of a golf cart.
Our final stop of the day was at the Rose Garden. Known for its beautiful grounds, we were unfortunately stuck inside due to the torrential rain (common occurrence!). But, we did get to see a Thai cultural show of dancing, Thai boxing, sword fighting, and a wedding ceremony. Heading back to Bangkok, I promptly fell asleep. (Katie R, I think your car sleeping habit rubbed off on me.) We were dropped off at Khao San Road, ate some of the best chicken and cashews I've ever had at a restaurant (note: my mom's chicken and cashews is still the best), took another taxi back (I fell asleep) and returned to the hotel.
Oh, and the craving orange Fanta part... this is when I know I'm dehydrated. I had one almost every day in Sierra Leone and when I got back in the van after the floating market, I was craving an orange Fanta. Water, unfortunately, had to do the trick.
(at the floating market)
(me and an elephant :-D)
(me, Prachi, Jaiden, Alpha and Ken - at the Rose Garden)
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Bangkok - Day 7
Oh my goodness! What a week! I cannot believe I have been in Bangkok for a full week now.
The week began slowly... that is, after two flights, totaling 29 hours travel time. My flights, first from JFK to Hong Kong then to Bangkok, were uneventful. My sojourn through the Bangkok airport was equally uneventful, despite a rather nerve-wracking wait while the Thai immigration officer examined my passport and visa before finally stamping it and allowing me through to Thailand. I found all of my bags, found the recommended taxi service, and arrived at my serviced apartment. (I think my travels to Sierra Leone have made me a little paranoid about international airports, as the simple act of getting all of my bags shocked and thrilled me.)
I arrived at my "serviced apartment," or long-stay hotel, and wondered if I was in the right place. The Centre Point is beautiful! It's pretty much a 5 star hotel with incredibly friendly staff. I will take pictures and post them. I have a gorgeous view from my 21st story balcony of downtown Bangkok, including Lumpini Park, which offers a rare patch of green among the skyscrapers and cement.
The first few days are an overwhelming blur. Walking around Bangkok, getting lost, trying to find my way back while deciphering Thai, eating unknown foods, dealing with crazy traffic jams, and avoiding getting run over by a (enter some form of vehicle here) are the highlights and lowlights.
First - walking around Bangkok. There is no standard way of translating Thai letters into the Latin alphabet. So, each translator tends to spell words differently. I have a map that spells the same street name three different ways. I've found the best way to figure out how to speak a Thai word is to look at all the different spellings. For example: Chatuchak is also spelled Jatujak. This, of course, means that it's a bit difficult to use a map to get around which leads to my second and third points - getting lost (pretty self-explanatory) and deciphering Thai.
Next, eating unknown foods - all I can say is yum. I could use fancier words to describe Thai food (enticing, delicious, ambrosial) but yum... well, encompasses it all. And, food is available everywhere: there are thousands of street vendors whose culinary expertise is enviable. Each vendor seems to find the right mix of tastes, textures and smells to create a memorable dining experience (even when you are eating "street food"). I have yet to find a dish I do not like, despite my dislike of seafood and chili peppers.
Finally, crazy traffic jams and trying not to get run over. Although I have heard there are worse cities for traffic, I have yet to see one. Bangkok is a mangled mess of streets that wind and wander through the city, changing names, directions and speeds. There are few major thoroughfares and when it rains (as it tends to in the rainy season), the smaller streets flood, causing insane jams. Even when it does not rain, jams occur without rhyme or reason at all hours of the day and night. The traffic system is exponentially intensified by the crushing congregation of cars, trucks, buses, vans, taxis, motorcycles, tuk-tuks, bicycles, other various wheeled objects, and, of course, pedestrians. Then, to top it all off in my jet-lagged, culture-shocked, sensory-deluged brain, they drive on the left side of the road. So, I look the wrong way when I cross.
And, that was my first week. Next up, the weekend!
The week began slowly... that is, after two flights, totaling 29 hours travel time. My flights, first from JFK to Hong Kong then to Bangkok, were uneventful. My sojourn through the Bangkok airport was equally uneventful, despite a rather nerve-wracking wait while the Thai immigration officer examined my passport and visa before finally stamping it and allowing me through to Thailand. I found all of my bags, found the recommended taxi service, and arrived at my serviced apartment. (I think my travels to Sierra Leone have made me a little paranoid about international airports, as the simple act of getting all of my bags shocked and thrilled me.)
I arrived at my "serviced apartment," or long-stay hotel, and wondered if I was in the right place. The Centre Point is beautiful! It's pretty much a 5 star hotel with incredibly friendly staff. I will take pictures and post them. I have a gorgeous view from my 21st story balcony of downtown Bangkok, including Lumpini Park, which offers a rare patch of green among the skyscrapers and cement.
The first few days are an overwhelming blur. Walking around Bangkok, getting lost, trying to find my way back while deciphering Thai, eating unknown foods, dealing with crazy traffic jams, and avoiding getting run over by a (enter some form of vehicle here) are the highlights and lowlights.
First - walking around Bangkok. There is no standard way of translating Thai letters into the Latin alphabet. So, each translator tends to spell words differently. I have a map that spells the same street name three different ways. I've found the best way to figure out how to speak a Thai word is to look at all the different spellings. For example: Chatuchak is also spelled Jatujak. This, of course, means that it's a bit difficult to use a map to get around which leads to my second and third points - getting lost (pretty self-explanatory) and deciphering Thai.
Next, eating unknown foods - all I can say is yum. I could use fancier words to describe Thai food (enticing, delicious, ambrosial) but yum... well, encompasses it all. And, food is available everywhere: there are thousands of street vendors whose culinary expertise is enviable. Each vendor seems to find the right mix of tastes, textures and smells to create a memorable dining experience (even when you are eating "street food"). I have yet to find a dish I do not like, despite my dislike of seafood and chili peppers.
Finally, crazy traffic jams and trying not to get run over. Although I have heard there are worse cities for traffic, I have yet to see one. Bangkok is a mangled mess of streets that wind and wander through the city, changing names, directions and speeds. There are few major thoroughfares and when it rains (as it tends to in the rainy season), the smaller streets flood, causing insane jams. Even when it does not rain, jams occur without rhyme or reason at all hours of the day and night. The traffic system is exponentially intensified by the crushing congregation of cars, trucks, buses, vans, taxis, motorcycles, tuk-tuks, bicycles, other various wheeled objects, and, of course, pedestrians. Then, to top it all off in my jet-lagged, culture-shocked, sensory-deluged brain, they drive on the left side of the road. So, I look the wrong way when I cross.
And, that was my first week. Next up, the weekend!
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Bangkok - Day 1... Trying to Stay Awake
Hello All,
Happy October! I can not believe it's already fall (in the Northeast USA, at least). I hope everything is going well wherever you are.
As some of you might know, I will be working in Thailand for at least a year, as an ASPH/CDC global health fellow. I am working with the CDC (US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) in the Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention (DHAP). I arrived safely in Bangkok, Thailand, late last night and now I'm incredibly jet-lagged. But, the process (and my first 16 hour flight) was not too bad. Aside from an immigration officer who made me wait nervously for what seemed like forever, the whole trip went very well. I'm looking forward to learning more about Thailand and working with the CDC.
I'll be sending out occasional emails (about Thailand, work, whatever) while here - if you want to receive them, just let me know.
That's all for now. I'm currently trying to do my best to stay awake.
Katie
Happy October! I can not believe it's already fall (in the Northeast USA, at least). I hope everything is going well wherever you are.
As some of you might know, I will be working in Thailand for at least a year, as an ASPH/CDC global health fellow. I am working with the CDC (US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) in the Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention (DHAP). I arrived safely in Bangkok, Thailand, late last night and now I'm incredibly jet-lagged. But, the process (and my first 16 hour flight) was not too bad. Aside from an immigration officer who made me wait nervously for what seemed like forever, the whole trip went very well. I'm looking forward to learning more about Thailand and working with the CDC.
I'll be sending out occasional emails (about Thailand, work, whatever) while here - if you want to receive them, just let me know.
That's all for now. I'm currently trying to do my best to stay awake.
Katie
Other Blogs
This blog is brand new. But if you want to learn about my other adventures, try these blogs:
* katie-nola2007.blogspot.com
* olpckenema.wordpress.com
* katie-nola2007.blogspot.com
* olpckenema.wordpress.com
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