Family Back Home

New Topic at Horsed School of English

Last Monday, we had a heated debate about solving world hunger due to the over population of the Earth. It was very interesting that many of the people in the class room was from all over the Horn of Africa and not just Djibouti alone. Some of the kids were from tribes from Ethiopia. Really good night.

English Discussion Group - Horsed English School

Horsed English Sign
The English Discussion Group project helps build relations and improve understanding between the people of the Horn of Africa and the United States.

The school I've been going to is called the Horsed English School in Djibouti. The building itself is made of tin, wood and stones. The floor is dirt and the small classrooms have wooden flooring. The classroom had electricity, a fan, wooden tables, wooden stools and a big green chalkboard. As a representative of the Asian American population, I was very happy to volunteer and offer my time as an English teacher. The English teacher, Hassan Mahamed was very hospitable. He gave me a tour of their library. For this school it was quite impressive. There was two large book shelves filled with approximately 300 books. Across the street was the movie theatre playing two Bollywood films (Indian Fliks). It was also in a tin building.
Bollywood Movie Theatre
The English topic last week was: "What is your Favorite Sport?".

Most of the Djiboutian teens really like soccer. Well, in this part of the world, it is referred to as football. Most of the sports mentioned were, soccer and basketball. Soccer is really popular because you don't need any special equipment and it can be played anywhere. You just need a ball.

The American group with me had mentioned some sports such as motorcycle racing, surfing, golf and dodgeball. I think it would be fun to teach them dodgeball. However it may be hard without some "dodgeballs".

Naruto and Jigglypuff in Djibouti
Djibouti Stadium

Volunteering at Cheetah Refuge

Cheetah at Cheetah Refuge in Djibouti

Echo 6 Members trimming thorn bushes
Turtle habitat
Turtle
Lynx
Gazelles
Emus

Volunteering for Djiboutian Baby Orpheanage

Djiboutian Water Collector

Looks like this project was scrapped...

Me and Mahad (baby boy dressed in girl clothes...)

Lately, I've been volunteering at the Djiboutian Baby Orpheanage. I go over and spend time playing with the babies, feeding them, changing their diaper and putting them to bed. It is a very rewarding experience.

It is hard to remember all their names, but I know that there are three Muhammads and Ramadans.

July 08 Dental Civil Action Project in Djibouti

Ship in the Round-About
Today, myself, the medical equipment repair technician, a dentist and two dental techs went out on a Dent-CAP on a mission to deliver donated dental supplies and free technical support. The staff at the Adventist Health Center was grateful for the attention and assistance.



The dental staff offered their expertise in teaching Djiboutian children on how to brush their teeth. It was taught to children ages 5 to 16. The existing method of brushing their teeth is by using sticks. They would take a twig off a branch of a tree and munch on the end until it splits, then they would take that and brush their teeth with it. Not very sanitary, but it is better than nothing.

Another day in Paradise in Djibouti

I got to work on their dental chair that was built in the 1960’s. It was having intermittent problems with the controls in the chair. I discovered that the board was soaked in lubricating oil which was likely causing the loss in connectivity. I recommended that the board be sprayed down with electrical “contact fluid” which will dissolve all the oil and impurities. Otherwise, nothing can be done to fix it unless they change out the board, which is unlikely to still be in production, however it may be scrapped from an old chair from somewhere in the world. Or if someone could just donate a more modern dental chair, that would be even better.

Traffic and Cott Sales after two p.m.

With the overwhelming population of Djiboutians being hooked on the drug, cott. Dental hygiene is generally bad because the cott makes their gums rot and the result of that is that teeth can be pulled out with little or no effort over time. It is ironic that the number one cott seller in Djibouti is the President’s wife. Having the population addicted to cott keeps them all happy.

I was also educated that for a man to eat all the food on his plate is being greedy. A man should waste his food, because the man eats first, then the wife and lastly, the kids.


The supermarket in the heart of Djibouti I was told that this supermarket is the second largest market in Djibouti. It is roughly the size of a "Ralphs"(for you west coast people), "Piggly Wiggly" (for you southern folks) or "Giant" (for you east coast people). So yeah, it isn't that big. The owners are Saudi and they frequently travel to Taiwan to acquire goods to sell in the market.

Wild Djiboutian Goats

Meal at the All-You-Can-Eat Restaurant - A mix of Arabic and African cuisine

I also got to eat in a restaurant in downtown Djibouti. It wasn't too bad. It was a mix of Arabic and African cuisine. I was told that the menu changed everyday depending on what they can get. Sometimes they have ice cream, but today they had custard and watermelon.

Homes in Djibouti In this picture, don't be fooled. Most of the population lives in the homes made of tin and held together with rope, tires, et cetera. It is a third world country. I have no clue who lives in those big homes. I think it's the French foreign nationals.

Djiboutian Goats In the driver's class, they tell us that if you were to hit anybody with your car, hit a Djiboutian because it is cheaper to hit a Djiboutian than somebody's goat. If we crash and kill a goat, not only do we have to pay for the goat, we would have to pay for the goat and three generations. That's a lot.

Out and About in Djibouti

Stores along the street

I got to take a bus ride to the orpheanage and along the way I snapped some photos. Here are the ones that aren't blurry.

Cyber Cafe store

Two U.S. Marines attacked by Porcupines

Djibouti, Africa - Two U.S. Marines were attacked by porcupines during a training exercise. The two accidentally stepped in a hole in the ground full of porcupines and freaked them out. The injuries reported were minor.

Why does this stuff always happen on my duty?

Anaka @ 4 Months

Anaka in a Bib
Be happy :)

Life in Djibouti is okay. There is a lot to do here. I've been going to indoc all this week and they've been telling us why we are here. We are a force to assist countries in the Horn of Africa(HOA). We do this by building them schools, vaccinating their goats, building wells and whatever they may need. They say that Djibouti is where the cradle of life for human beings began, however they haven't progressed much after that. I plan on climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro if at all possible and help with civic projects and at the orphanages.

Long Flight to Djibouti

Layover Store in Germany

We had a layover in Maine, Germany and Kuwait before landing in Djibouti, Africa. It was quite a long flight from California which all started in Maryland.

Here is what I saw in Germany.
Berlin T-Shirts
Berlin Wall Souveniers
Map that says, "You are Here"

There wasn't a whole lot in the layover place at the airport. I was just happy to just get off the plane. I got to try out the Germain chocolate almond ice cream. It was really good! Like Japan, the bathroom was super tiny, but clean.

Stuck in Camp Virginia. This is the inside of our large tent.
Getting on my laptop.
Loading up the pallets of seabags onto our C130

The ride in the C130 was really bad. The piece of junk airplane was broken to begin with, so we had to wait until the plane got fixed. After it got fixed, we all sat inside the plane with our bags in our laps in a tight sitting position for 5 1/2 hours straight. It was very uncomfortable, cold, and extremely loud (even with earplugs and noise canceling headphones).
Sitting inside the cramped C130

Upon landing in Kuwait, the temperature was already over 110 degrees and maybe even hotter. The heat was unbearable.
Suck down that H2O or else!

The heat in Djibout wasn't as bad as the dry heat Kuwait. It was just uncomfortable because of the humidity. If you like being in damp humid conditions and be constantly dripping in your own sweat, this place is for you. Drinking plenty of water and keeping your feet dry is a necessity.

It's OKAY to Save Money

This is an interesting article I ran into lately about saving money.



Ways to Make Saving a Habit
by Andrea Coombes
Friday, May 9, 2008
provided by Wall Street Journal

What's your excuse? When it comes to the sorry state of our finances, we've all got one.

Maybe your raise at work never materialized, or you charged that unexpected car-repair bill -- or that plasma TV -- to your credit card. Whatever the reason, for many of us, personal balance sheets could look better. Half of U.S. workers report less than $25,000 in savings.

Even if you've saved more, is it enough to sustain you through a decades-long retirement?

Sure, plenty of consumers now are easing back on spending, thanks to sticker shock at the grocery store and gas station. But soon enough retailers and restaurants will be pushing hard-to-resist "recession deals" -- will you be able to restrain yourself? And, what happens to your budget-minded ways when the economy recovers?

It's time to shake off the "consumer" mantle that politicians and economists are so happy to drape around our shoulders. Resist their calls for consumers to save the economy, and resist the advertisements enveloping us in the idea that we need more and more things.

The only thing most of us need more of is financial security. A lot more.

How to get there? Think thrift. For some, it's a familiar idea. For others, thrift implies denial and deprivation, and that makes for a tough call-to-arms.

So, how to save money without scrimping, be thrifty without feeling miserly -- and maintain those habits after our economy picks up speed?

It won't be easy. Expect discomfort, says Kathleen Gurney, a psychologist and chief executive of Financial Psychology Corp. Keep going, even when it's uncomfortable -- the rewards are worth it, and once this economic slowdown ends, you'll have financial habits in place to support you for a lifetime.

1. Spend less time feeling poor. Flipping through catalogs and going to the mall will make you feel like you need things, Ms. Gurney notes. Sure, you can afford some of that stuff, but the main message is: Most of this is out of your reach. Instead, do things that offer a sense of well-being. Invite friends over. Walk in the park.

2. Retrain your brain. Depriving ourselves of current pleasure is nigh impossible if we're not driven by a sense that the future will be more fulfilling, says Ms. Gurney. When you start to feel that "I'm deserving so I'm buying" feeling, visualize a smaller credit-card bill or higher savings-account balance.

3. Look around you. Are you happy with what your hard-earned dollars bought? If not, shift your spending to those things that bring greater long-term satisfaction, including retirement savings.

4. Choose your extravagances. Here's mine: I eat out about once a week. An extravagance I do without: Cable television.

5. Assess weaknesses. "If you were thrifty, how would you look different?" says Gary Buffone, a financial psychologist in Jacksonville, Fla. Identify what you want to change; then shoot for specific targets, such as a six-month hold on buying new tech gadgets.

6. Make trade-offs. Substitute small, free pleasures for those that cost. Have a movie night at home with friends -- you'd be surprised how many people are equally eager to cut costs.

7. Set goals. Meet weekly with family to discuss the spending plan (don't call it a budget) for the months and years ahead. This may involve tough choices, such as forsaking a family vacation. But think of the guilt-free trip you can take after saving the necessary cash. Good memories last longer, Ms. Gurney notes, when not trammeled by large credit-card bills.

8. Resist your children. They're going to find it hard to change their expectations. How can you help? Stand firm. The next time they clamor for the latest videogame, remind them of the bigger prize (that family vacation), and tell them their choices here and now are, say, a picnic or a movie rental. Offer options, but don't give in to their push for more consumer goods.

9. Enlist other people. Many people are reticent to talk about money worries, but almost everyone has them, so open up and tap your allies. Hold a contest with friends to see who can save the most in a month, or agree with your spouse to talk before spending more than $100, Mr. Buffone suggests.

10. Post it. Remind yourself by putting post-it notes on your wallet, mirror or steering wheel with the mantra of your choosing: "I want to go to Hawaii in January." "I want to pay off credit-card debt."

11. Automate it. Divert money monthly from your checking account to savings. It will force you to budget, based on what's left in your checking account.

12. Rethink rewards. What are some of your happiest memories? Those are the true rewards. Next time you're about to buy something because you deserve it, ask yourself whether there isn't something you deserve more, such as time at home cooking with your teenager, or a stroll with your husband or best friend.

"We've been conditioned to think that spending the money on clothes, at a restaurant, is going to be the reward," Ms. Gurney says. "But what is the ultimate reward that we want from working hard, in the end?"

Pics

Held in Captivity
Warm and Cuddly
Anaka in Color

NEMTI

Land Navigation

I'm at Naval Expeditionary Medical Training Institute (NEMTI, formally known as Fleet Hospital Training)

The classes here are very informative and interesting. We learned combat medicine at the TCCC (Tactical Combat Casualty Course). Here we got to practice doing IV's, needle thoracentesis, cricothyroidotomy, patient lifts, litter carrying, applying tourniquets and using Quickclot. At the end of the course, they tested us in a high stress environment with bloody bodies, bombs and guns sounding off, people yelling at us, the whole works. It was quite realistic.

Another part of the training included IED training, gas-mask application in the gas chamber, the wear of MOPP gear, hot and cold injuries, law of conflict, 9mm Barretta qualifications and gun simulations, land navigation and setting up ISO shelters and tents.

I'm pretty glad to have led my team to every check-point at the land navigation evolution. All we had was a compass, protractor, pen, land coordinates and a map. My knowledge of mathmatics and analytical skill got my four man team to finish the course in 2 hours! I didn't led them in the easiest direction (we had to go through some pretty rough terrain and thick bushes), but I got us there. That's all that counts.

Out on the Range

Inside our Seahut