A PSA for DWRG

(I feel a bit unoriginal for referencing another World Hum piece to aid in my static writer's block, but until my next adventure, I seem to be living vicariously through the adventures of others.)

In Eric Weiner's recent contribution to the award winning travel blog World Hum (is that something brown on my nose?) he discusses the serious and often overlooked condition of Post-Trip Funk or, as he's coined it, PTF. Weiner's piece is a light-hearted account of a relatively serious malady, pointing out that much advice is given to beginning a trip (where to go, when to travel, what to do, etc.) but very little is given to the return from a trip.

While Weiner focuses on the sun-screened and money-belted tourist's battle with PTF, I'd like to acknowledge the voluntourist (yes, "voluntourism" is an actual thing) struggle with a more intensified form of PTF known as Developed World Residential Guilt, or DWRG. Symptoms of DWRG include:

• Wearing only two or three outfits and one pair of shoes, despite stains
• Donating all other clothing to charity
• Refusing to spend more than $10 on any item
• While still considerate of personal hygiene (ie, showers and deodorant), complete ignorance of hair products, makeup, nail polish and perfume
• Feelings of guilt when turning on faucets and light switches
• Adoption of orphaned pet from animal shelter, especially if time in developing country was spent caring for children
• Sudden obsession with being "green" and minimizing waste
• Tendency to spend countless hours alone, ignoring phone calls, emails and personal invitations

Sufferer of DWRG. Notice adopted puppy coupled with

complete lack of fashion sense, make-up and hair products.

The problem with re-entry is that you don't expect it to be as difficult as it is. Going from home to somewhere new, one mentally prepares for the changes they will experience, new foods they will eat and new cultures to which they will adapt, excitedly embracing all of this "newness" as an outsider. But the idea of going home is supposed to be comforting, familiar and natural which is why when a voluntourist returns home he or she is thrown off by the shock of it all. It is important for sufferers of DWRG to recognize that home is unchanged. Family is unchanged. Friends are unchanged. It is only the traveler who has changed.

While symptoms of DWRG will subside with time (recovery time varies largely, often related to time spent away), it is rare that one will go back to a completely symptom-free life. Most victims of DWRG will forever bear the scar of their disorder, though many will ultimately block out the months of suffering and, again, set themselves up for a repeat episode by continuing their volunteer work and travels.

Githeri and Kilimanjaro? Yes Please!

Sunday was a special day. The sun was shining (for an hour longer, too), the broom was sweeping (sun inspired spring cleaning) and the beans were boiling (more on this one later). All of this in preparation for a screening of the MTV documentary Summit on the Summit, a Kilimanjaro trek organized by musician, Kenna, to promote awareness of the global clean water crisis. Kenna, who was joined by Jessica Biel, Lupe Fiasco and other famous friends, is of Ethiopian decent, making the clean water crisis a personal one for him.

So, on one of the warmest days Chicago has seen so far in 2010, I invited Tami and Katie over to relive seven of the coldest days of our lives. The African themed dinner (recipe below) complete with Milo and vino was originally organized so that we could laugh at the celebs whining their ways up the mountain but, instead, we ended up feeling almost bonded to them. Regardless of our histories, experiences or bank accounts on the mountain we're the same - we struggled over the same tough areas, breathed in the same thin air and had the same awe at the top. Suddenly, Jessica Biel and I have a lot more in common.

I think we look just as cute as the celebs while climbing!

The dramatic footage and retelling of summit day not only brought back nostalgic emotions of the experience but made the three of us seem even more amazing to our family and friends. To quote a text received from my mom Sunday night, "So glad i didn't see this b4 u climbed kili - i'd be a mess! Way 2 go - all of u!!!"

But here's the thing: the danger and risk of it all made me want to do it all over again. (Does that make me crazy?) I can honestly say, with 100% certainty, if I were given the opportunity to climb Kilimanjaro again tomorrow, I'd do it in a heartbeat! Because, despite the cold and headaches and the sore muscles, nothing compared with the feeling of making it to the top - that surge of adrenaline that hit me like a train, making me feel superhuman - capable of anything I set my mind to. Just writing me about it fills me with energy!

And another thing that fills me with energy... githeri! Githeri is actually a Kikuyu dish and a favorite of mine. I love any excuse to prepare Kenyan cuisine but this was my first stab at githeri. Now, get your pen and paper to write down the ingredients because there are many:

Red beans

Maize (or, in the US, frozen corn)

Seriously, that's all. Quick soak the beans by boiling them for a few minutes and then allowing them to sit for 2-3 hours off the heat. Then drain, add the corn (equal parts). Cover and simmer with enough water to cover the mixture until most of the water is evaporated and the beans are tender. The frozen corn makes it a bit sweeter than it is in Kenya, but overall I was pleasantly surprised by the results. And the best part is that it keeps for several days in fridge, making fantastic leftovers!

Githeri - a delicious and nutritious taste of Kenya!

Place Dropper? Guilty.

I love the World Hum blog. (And I'm not just saying that because I hope to one day be featured on their award winning site.) The pieces speak to real, gritty, Therouxian travelers - the kind of globetrotter I hope to be one day. Earlier I came across a brilliant and hysterical piece by Spud Hilton, discussing the "fine art" of place dropping. It's like name dropping but instead of making yourself cool by association to a person, you subtly (or not so subtly) make yourself cool by association to far off places. For instance (from my "place dropper" archives):

"What a fantastic necklace!"

"Thanks! I got it from a silversmith in Lamu who collected the ancient pottery on the beach from 15th century ship wrecks."

"Where did you get that scar?"

"Yeah, it's a little souvenir from climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro."

"You're so tan!"

"Oh I know! I guess I should have reapplied the SPF when I was in Dahab, but I just couldn't pull myself away from the Blue Hole."

It scares me how naturally I recognize an opportunity to place drop. Even while working a shift at Borders tonight I saw the window and went for it without missing a beat. I came across a girl about my age in the travel section (OBVIOUSLY my FAVORITE section of the ENTIRE store) surrounded by books on Italy, specifically Rome. I just couldn't help myself.

"Are you planning a trip?"

"Yeah, well sort of... a friend and I are thinking of heading to Italy for a couple of weeks."

"It's a beautiful place, you'll love it. And springtime in Rome is so exciting. Each year they put closed azaleas all over the Spanish Steps and let them bloom in the sun."

"Have you been?"

"Yeah, I lived in Rome for a couple of months a few years back." (Note: saying you lived somewhere exciting is much cooler than saying that you studied there for a semester.)

"Oh wow! How exciting! What was your favorite part of living there? Tell me everything, you're officially the coolest bookseller I've ever met. I will hang on your every word." (I'm paraphrasing.)

I know, I know. I'm pathetic. I've had a handful of interesting travel experiences and have been fortunate enough to visit some amazing places and suddenly I think I'm Samantha Brown - with far less class, of course.

So why do I do it? It's certainly not the reason I travel, it's just a mode that is easy to fall into back at home. I guess when someone's passionate about something, they want to share it with others. Or maybe I just miss that feeling - that rush - of being in an unfamiliar place when something ironic or memorable or life altering happens. Maybe I place drop because it means that those experiences actually took place, however distant they seem at the time. Perhaps being in dreary Chicago on a foggy March night, I need to remind myself of those experiences and places and people who have done so much to shape my life.

But there must be a less obnoxious way of holding onto those moments and I'm on a mission to find it. But until I do, beware of this place dropper. She's sure to strike again.

My apologies in advance.

A February Haiku

New blankets each day

again, I must scrape the car

Chicago winter.

23 Beanies

Heart for Africa is an organization that has various projects in Kenya and Swaziland. My Aunt Jan and Uncle Ron have made several trips to Swaziland with Heart for Africa putting their skills as social worker and physician to good use. In November Aunt Jan mentioned to me that Heart for Africa will be holding an event for the orphans of Swaziland in July at Somholo National Stadium. It is their wish that each child leave the event with a handmade beanie hat on which they are relying upon skillful volunteers to donate. I'm not much of a crocheter, but I do know how to make hats. I've spent the past couple of months using yarn leftover from past projects to make 23 beanie hats for the orphans of Swaziland. I'm hoping to get a couple more completed by February 20th when they have to be sent to Heart for Africa headquarters in Atlanta.
If you have a little extra time and talents in the knitting and crocheting world I invite you to become a part of this project with me. Believe it or not, Africa can get very cold at night, especially during the wet seasons, and having a hat can help keep a child warm and comfortable during those months. To find out more about the project please visit the Beanie Machine page on the Heart for Africa website. Send your completed beanies no later than February 20th to the Heart for Africa headquarters:

Beanie Coordinator

c/o Heart for Africa

P.O. Box 573

Alpharetta, GA 30004