Weekend List!

Sarah's List:

Look what I found while packing up our house...

Compare that total to this, giving birth in the U.S. is more expensive than any other country in the world. Total costs average $18,329 for a vaginal delivery and $27,866 for a C-section, with the bulk of the bill going to insurers. However, families with insurance still have to pay about $3,400 out of pocket. Wowzers! Thank you South Africa for my first class and affordable birth.


A fascinating read on the man who first "discovered" Ebola and his return to Congo 40 years later.

  by  theglobalpanorama 

Congratulations to the first female coach in men's top-tier, professional soccer!

Roger Federer just had his second set of twins?! Those Swiss are so gosh darn efficient.

Ever notice how many novels about Africa have an orange sky and acacia tree on the cover?

From Africa is a Country.

We're making our shopping list for our summer trip to the States. Check out The Sweethome. They do all the comparison shopping for you.

And here's their sister site for electronics: The Wirecutter.

Not that I'm in the market for one, but has anyone ever heard of Korea's answer to the Ergo baby carrier? Folks on Amazon are freaking out over the Pognae.

Pognae USA!

Jill's List:

Congolese airport as playground.  "The Land" in real-life. (If you want to see more truly spectacular images from around the world, check out Michael Christopher Brown's Instagram and professional pages.)

Permission to use photograph given by artist.  Thanks, Michael!

A new, stylish online mothering magazine.  Happy Mother's Day!

Go here to read beautifully photographed articles about magazine-y type topics with a mother-twist.

And then, there's Instagram moms.

Fancy coffee.  Can't wait to occasionally indulge at a few of these spots.

Johan's Father's Day fancy coffee 2013.  This year, he'll be celebrating NY style.

Rappers rule (linguistically speaking). 

Robots tackle malaria.

Loulou explained in the moment above, "This is my baby, Mary. She has malaria."

What do your children call their Baby Boomer grandparents?  Us:  Omi & Pop, Gma & Boss.  (Yes, there is a story behind "Boss".)  A non-traditional favorite of mine?  "Pippi"!  I have two friends who use this instead of "Grandma".

This video made me think of the Ndaya original we have in our house.  Leaving Congo and want an amazing reminder of your time here while supporting a local artisan?  Try a handmade guitar.  Call Ndaya (center, below) and he'll meet you in an alleyway in Bandal which doubles as his workshop. 

And.  KIMA MBANGU (Run Fast)!  Our Annual 5K Run/Walk will be held next Saturday, May 17 on the TASOK campus for those of you in Kinshasa.  Even if you are in a different time zone, you should still take the time to read about Les Fonds Pour les Femmes Congolaises, an amazing local organization making a real, visible and holistic impact on the lives of Congolese women.  All of our proceeds will go to these great projects for the third year in a row.  An excellent partnership!

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Weekend List!

Sarah's List:

Of utmost importance: What is this goddess doing with George Clooney? (My beloved Slate covered it best.)

The power of female friendship. Amen sister.

Louise Catherine Breslau [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Best Written TV shows of all time.

What it feels like to have malaria. This article makes a good point about malaria and time taken off work. I'd say, in our place of work, at least one person is out every day due to a health issue we don't have to deal with in the developed world.

A great post on infertility. The high school diploma metaphor really hit home.

And Adam and I recently acquired almost every season of The Amazing Race. Thus we are watching them all, in order. It's a fascinating study on the evolution of reality TV culture. FYI: The first season is unbearably boring and Phil Keoghan looks 15 years-old. Here's what it's like to be a contestant on the show.

Jill's List:

A really important perspective on those striking "before they pass away" photos that have been circulating around.

The message found there is this: let us, the tainted citizens of modernity, bask in the beautiful simplicity and cultural purity of these exotic people of color before they become corrupted beyond redemption by the burdensome complexity of our lives. While you’re at it, make sure to take special note of the photographer’s unique ability to tame these mysterious and wonderful tribes with his inexhaustible charm.

Are you an adult that doesn't know how to swim?  Well, learn! It's not just about you.  A sneak peek photo from an upcoming post showing you why you really don't have an excuse anymore:

Ruth Reichl has a new book!  Wait.  It's a novel?

And J. Crew on the cheap? 

Memorizing these NYC tips.

I teach sex ed and this video about consent is important.  Especially in light of all of this news.

This is really, really horrible.  

And why purposeless walking is good - and dying.

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Weekend List!

Sarah's List:

Check out these Swedes who got married and changed their last names to something entirely new. Who does that?! I don't know, Mohammedsson does have a nice ring to it.  

Maust + Sensabaugh = Sensamaust

 (see how that works?)

The best books on the Democratic Republic of Congo. Before the Birth of the Moon looks ridiculously fascinating. But as always, I recommend starting with this primer for kids:

But it here.

5 words you may not have known are hateful. 

28 funny notes written by kids. 

Amazing Travel Complaints. I'm fairly certain I've linked to this before, but it's so good I'm putting it in again. 

Don't like the color of the sand? File a complaint. (Zanzibar 2010.)

Happy Birthday iPhone. Here are 7 Things You Killed. 

And for those of you who sent notes of concern for Falafel after we left him behind in this post. He's just fine. See: 

Proof he's okay. And only a little offended.

Jill's List:

Laughing gas is making a comeback in U.S. delivery rooms.  Friends who have recently had babies in Nairobi totally used nitrous oxide or "gas and air" during labor and gave it pretty good reviews. Any thoughts?

I recently looked up the eligibility requirements for blood donation in the U.S. - wishing I could participate in this blood drive to honor a beautiful mother and her baby - and found that though I can donate again after I've been out of a malaria zone for three years, my combined three months in the U.K. between the fateful years of 1980 and 1996 knock me out of the running.  Thanks a lot, mad cow disease. You, however, should consider making a donation! In the meantime, I'm going to be doing a little digging into what the blood donation/supply situation is like here in Kinshasa.

In Virginia, use code 9320 for "Team Jackie & Ramzey" when you donate!
If you are donating elsewhere in the world - make sure you take a picture and send it here.
No family should have to wonder if there will be "enough" blood.

This pregnant ballerina.

Having a funny time trying to locate winter clothing for Johan to wear when he lands in January's Boston & New York on Tuesday.  We are getting a hilarious hodge-podge of donations from the strange people in Kinshasa who keep coats and mittens in their closets. (This is where I link to the polar vortex, right?)

This should keep him totally warm in Boston, right?

I'm working on a piece for World Moms Blog right now about how I can't figure out how to write about Africa anymore. I haven't made much progress.  So, I'm reading about how not to write about Africa.  And re-reading my favorite essay, "How to Write About Africa".

Happy about the tiny perfume samples I ordered from Le Labo.  Especially Fleur D'Oranger. Though, the little tube of Eau Duelle from Diptyque I received for free with an over-indulgent candle order will always be my favorite.

It was sad to see my parents fly back to the U.S.  It's been good.  We sent them home with 100 pounds of books (early packing), rapid malaria tests, Coartem, (since malaria isn't exactly common in the States, the diagnosis and treatment can be a bit tricky outside of the malaria zone) and some really weird gifts - all wrapped in Barack Obama bags.

Read more about the cartoon eradication of malaria in the U.S. here.

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Friday List!

Sarah's List:

Looks like somebody's been reading Mama Congo. Surely this is where she found 46 Reasons My Three Year Old Might Be Freaking Out. Okay, or maybe not. But here's a good follow-up to the age-old question: Why does my kid freak out? Short answer: "If you didn’t have good communication skills or much of a frontal lobe, you’d freak the f**k out every once in a while, too."

My puzzle piece won't fit upside down!?

I just happened to find this buried deep in the news: Congo Coup Plot Foiled. Seems as if the alleged leader was Etienne Kabila, the eldest son of Laurent-Désiré Kabila who says Joseph Kabila isn't really the son of Laurent-Désiré and thus had no right to inherit the presidency from him. This claim isn't new and is a commonly held theory amongst Congolese. My informants now tell me Etienne isn't his son either. A true Congolese-Shakespearean drama. The plot thickens.

Etienne Kabila, the eldest son of Laurent-Désiré Kabila - See more at: http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Parentage+Congos+president+questioned+coup+plot+foiled/8022085/story.html#sthash.FQOan5Xr.dpuf

Etienne Kabila, the eldest son of Laurent-Désiré Kabila - See more at: http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Parentage+Congos+president+questioned+coup+plot+foiled/8022085/story.html#sthash.FQOan5Xr.dpuf

C'mon. Who is your son, really? Image from here.

Seems like people can't get enough of these nostalgia photos lately. And so, I bring you dearphotograph.com. Note to self: Start taking easily-reproduceable-20-years-later photos.

Image from dearphotograph.com

12 Enjoyable Names for Realtively Common Things. Funny, I always thought the "box tent" was just the previous life for my Barbie stool.

Box tent aka Barbie stool. Image from here.

Missing Adam while I'm away and these quotes reminded me of his favorite method of insult these days: "Well, it's not my favorite shirt, but it is my least favorite shirt." Or: "Well, it's not the best idea, but it is the worst idea."

From 21 Scathingly Witty Insults by Famous People

Hoping Jill reads my links and brings me back some Kingsbite from Ghana. It's not the best chocolate I've ever had, but it is the worst. (See how that works?) No really, it's not good, but would bring back oh so many memories of my favorite country on planet earth.

Jill's List:

Step One:  Take Statistics test.  Step Two: Pack for Ghana.  Though I can't really even think about my trip to Accra this Sunday until the Stats test is done and over, I did find myself wondering about the Ghananian equivalent to Tembo.  Star Beer?  If you're in the D.C. area, looks like you can get some at this place.

Image from Flickr.

We plugged this new blog on Wednesday, but will do it again today.  Check out Governance & Democracy in E. Africa if you are ever seeking a little less Mama and a little more politics.

Image from here.

Okay.  I am thinking about Ghana.  But just in an effort to not think about Statistics.  For example, this is my first opportunity to pack light in almost 7 years.  i.e. My first trip where I don't have to also pack for small children.  I'm studying up.  Like this:

Holy Organization.  Found here.  More clothing sketches here.

And thinking it would be easy if this were my carry on:

Buy bag here.

 Go, go bacteria and breastmilk.

Images from here.

And.  Dr. Seuss (it's his birthday tomorrow) on malaria:

Image from NYTimes.

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Friday List!

Sarah's List:

Jewish tailors, Pakistani cab drivers and Senegalese umbrella men. New York's finest.

  by  pennuja 

Malaria rates in DRC, visually.

Filmed in DRC, this new documentary about child soldiers, War Witch is getting good reviews. My sensitivities can't handle anything heavier than a romantic comedy these days, but won't you watch it and let us know?

F. Scott Fitzgerald buried in Rockville, Maryland? Who knew.

Poor ole Kate. After spending more than enough time on French beaches, I almost, almost believe the French newspaper's defense of boobs not being taboo in Europe.

Jill's List:

After a week spent listening to the ideas Congolese women (Dr. Laure & Mama NouNou) have for Congo, I found this to be a fascinating read.  Thanks, Anna, for the tip! 

 

Not convinced I will wake up looking like Anna Karina, but...this seems like a great Congo-rainy-season hair tip.

Surveyed my 7th graders today and found out that they each speak, on average, four different languages.  They are so cool.  And research says they're probably smart too.

Good thing a pint of Ben and Jerry's costs $19 here.

While we have not been indulging in ice cream, we have been gorging on Friday Night Lights.  I still can't figure out how something so cliched can be so good.  Even better, Sarah told me about Slate.com's commentary that ran alongside the original airing of the show. (Spoiler alert, of course.)

And.  Happy International Day of Peace. 

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Stories People Tell Me. (Or, I Tell Them.)

Whenever people hear that we are "visiting from Africa," they inevitably have a story.  It's what people do in conversation; they find common ground.  So, here are some of the things people have told me in the week since we became the folks "visiting from Africa."

Note: I love these conversations.  I am not at all annoyed, irritated, or exasperated by people's stories about Africa, Africans, African princesses, African dictators, Joseph Kony, expats, living abroad, airplanes, airplane food, and/or Obama.  I love it all and may, on occasion, "accidentally admit" to "visiting from Africa" when it is not at all necessary or socially appropriate.  A manipulative expat faux paus, certainly.  Fascinating, absolutely.


"I know some other missionaries that work in Africa!"

Alas.  We are not missionaries.  I know many very lovely missionaries in Kinshasa, but, my family is not among them.  Sometimes, people are disappointed to find out that I am not an exciting missionary-meets-romance heroine like Katherine Hepburn in The African Queen (totally filmed in the DRC, by the way).  But, their disappointment quickly turns to confusion.  Why would anyone live with their family in the Congo if they aren't missionaries?

"I knew this guy who married an African princess."


Which is when the conversation goes (because this dialogue has happened more than once.), "Oh, a princess from where?"  "No idea."  "Oh, okay."

My {aunt's cousin's sister} lived in Africa and caught malaria and she really never was the same again."


This general malaria concern is expressed by many.  From my mother (obviously) to my dental hygienist (really?), and I do get it.  Malaria is terrible.  Most of my Congolese acquaintances have chronic malaria, which takes them out regularly for a week of chills, fever, and malaise and they consider themselves among the lucky.  Johan did have one bout with the disease in April.  He still somehow managed to throw a (highly febrile) 30th birthday party for me.  We are among the happy people who can arm ourselves to the teeth with anti-malaria equipment and make use of it frequently.  I came to the U.S. with home malaria tests and Coartem should anyone be silly enough to get a fever in the first couple of weeks out of the "zone."

"Do you go on safari most weekends? I've always wanted to see a giraffe."


Nope. No giraffes in Kinshasa and I've never been on safari.

Kinshasa looks like this (kind of):

Kinshasa Miniature by Christophe Rigaud

Not so much like this:

"You came all the way from Africa to have your shoe soles repaired by me?  I had another customer come from Africa one time...what was his name?"


How unethical is it, exactly, to butter up a local business person by insinuating that you traveled to Harrisonburg, Virginia from the Congo just for their particular flair on shoe repair/hot dogs/haircuts/etc.?  Not at all!  Because it's absolutely true.  I have a notebook filled with lists about things that I was planning on doing when I came back this summer.  I wrote a blog post about it.  I have been dreaming of a haircut by Anna for months.  Johan really did walk around on peeling soles until he could have them fixed by the guy at Preston Dry Cleaners.  We rushed, still jetlagged, to buy enormous pork chops from Jim at the Farmer's Market 10 hours after we arrived.  Maybe you can get a glass of Evan Williams whiskey in Kinshasa, but it tastes better at the Blue Nile, listening to friends play super loud music at 1am.

I'm a little worried now that I've written this post that I'm totally that annoying person, (far worse than Sarah's "those people"), who uses the "I'm visiting from Africa" line to get attention after only being there for ten months.  I can think of a few people who are actually African and/or who have actual Africa chops that are reading this and rolling their eyes.  Sorry, everyone.  

I really don't know anything about Africa.  I know a little bit about Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo and more about Harrisonburg, Virginia.  I have a kid, who, if someone asks him where he's from, he says "Seattle, Washington."  We're all getting a little confused.  And maybe it's actually me that is telling the stories.

But, I really do think that it's okay in the end.  Okay for me to try identifying as the outsider, even if I'm really a townie.  Okay for my mom to remind me to buy even more mosquito repellent.  Okay if people assume we're missionaries.  Okay if people assume we're crazy.  Okay to strike up a mini-conversation about American influences in Africa with the bagger at Red Front.  Okay for the shoe guy to remember a long ago exotic customer who may or may not have been married to an African...or was it Indian...princess.  It's all okay.  Or, maybe kind of great, actually.

At One End of Lincolnshire Drive.  Harrisonburg, Virginia by Jill Humphrey

Kinshasa from the EU by Jill Humphrey

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