DefinitelyDressage.com

Eldest daughter (27 yo) is in public health. She's always wanted to work overseas in some god forsaken place. 2 years ago she did a stint in Sierra Leone working for the CDC as they were monitoring the last of the Ebola outbreak. Well, she got herself a job with Doctors Without Borders and got posted to South Sudan. She landed yesterday in Juba and will fly to Aweil whenever the next United Nations plane makes the flight. She's there for a 4 month stint in one of the most dangerous countries on the planet. No sleep for me for 4 months. Anyway, I'm reaching out to the virtual internet universe for some hand holding and jingles and whatever will get me and DH through this. Friggin kids.......
Oh, and I have a new horse on trial. Retail therapy?

My good friend's special needs daughter (oral deaf as well as stability and vision issues) was in the Peace Corps right in the middle of Sierra Leone also during the crisis. She finished her stint and came home just fine and got married this past weekend. I know her mom lost quite a bit of sleep during that time but it was a really good experience for her daughter. Jingles for everyone on your side. I know it's nerve wracking but she's doing what's important to her. She's a badass and you must be so proud (when you're not freaking out).

Jingles for a safe stint. I can imagine how worrisome for you.

Definitely rely on the retail therapy and I hope the new horse works out.

Susan

I know you have real and immediate concerns, but you clearly raised a woman who is exceptional among us. Peace to you and to her

acheyarcher wrote:I know you have real and immediate concerns, but you clearly raised a woman who is exceptional among us. Peace to you and to her

THIS!!! Wishing your daughter safe journeys in her important work, and you good sleep and a new horse.

Lots of good vibes to you and well wishes to your daughter!

Wishing your daughter safe times ahead, and a few nights of good sleep for you, too. She is doing good work that is sorely needed in this world.

I know it's no consolation right now, but you and your husband raised a wonderful person. Lots of hugs and well wishes.

Thank you everybody. I feel she succeeded in spite of her parents Anyway, she caught a UN World Food Programme plane today from Juba to Aweil. This is 3rd or 4th world country airports. There's a crashed plane next to the runway in Aweil that's been there for years. The runway is dirt. She has moved into her tukul (hut) and has internet access so that's good. This part of South Sudan is supposed to be safer than the southern or eastern part. The MSF staff is allowed out into town during the day so long as they go in pairs. So reassuring (said sarcastically). So the adventure starts....

Now I need to get some photos of the horse on trial to add to one of the other new horse threads. But he's morbidly obese and it's embarrassing. Maybe just a head shot to start.

goldhorse wrote:Thank you everybody. I feel she succeeded in spite of her parents Anyway, she caught a UN World Food Programme plane today from Juba to Aweil. This is 3rd or 4th world country airports. There's a crashed plane next to the runway in Aweil that's been there for years. The runway is dirt. She has moved into her tukul (hut) and has internet access so that's good. This part of South Sudan is supposed to be safer than the southern or eastern part. The MSF staff is allowed out into town during the day so long as they go in pairs. So reassuring (said sarcastically). So the adventure starts....

Now I need to get some photos of the horse on trial to add to one of the other new horse threads. But he's morbidly obese and it's embarrassing. Maybe just a head shot to start.

yes! new horse details please?

Does your daughter do any sort of blog? its very exciting! (in a good way) best of luck to her

Hugs for the very proud, very scared mamma. I would feel the same way if my son did that to me. (He's only 16, so there's still time.)

Nothing wrong with horsie retail therapy.

Jingles for a safe and good learning experience for DD. I would be a mess I know. It's hard to let go and let them live their lives. I've just faced having to let DS go off to college, DH and I are empty nesters now.

Hope the new horse works out! Seems like new horse is a theme here lately.

No blog from DD. She's a hard worker but not a prolific writer. Not many pictures will be forthcoming either. Apparently, the locals may or do not like their picture taken. So I expect a weekly update from her and more frequent updates from her boyfriend who lives in San Francisco. This will be the first Thanksgiving and Christmas that she hasn't been with us

Now, the new horse:
Apollo, 8 yo Morgan Gelding of western working bloodlines. Been a trail horse for the previous owner of my 15 yo Morgan. Hope to make him my trail horse and maybe dabble in western dressage. I have him on a 6 week trial which can be extended. I am a lucky woman. Yes, that is one blue eye. The other is brown.


And this is what I have to work off before I even dream of saddle shopping.



ACK!!! I just realized my user name is "goldhorse" cuz I have two palominos. Oh no! Do I send Apollo back?

goldhorse wrote:
ACK!!! I just realized my user name is "goldhorse" cuz I have two palominos. Oh no! Do I send Apollo back?

No, I think he'll be worth his weight in gold!

Have fun with your new project!

And, I'll be thinking of your family and your daughter.

And to think that I was freaking out on Sunday watching my 8-year old rock-climb 5.11 (no idea what that means, but she seemed to be really proud of it). She made it to the top, I didn't throw up and it only lasted a few minutes.

Clearly you've raised a pretty amazing human being but I can't even begin to imagine the worry. Ugh. As they grow, so does the worry, as my mom used to say. Hang in there momma, and enjoy the new horse.

Beautiful horse! Thanks for the update

piedmontfields wrote:

acheyarcher wrote:I know you have real and immediate concerns, but you clearly raised a woman who is exceptional among us. Peace to you and to her

THIS!!! Wishing your daughter safe journeys in her important work, and you good sleep and a new horse.

Me - what? fourth? fifth? - Thank you for raising a wonderful adventurous, empathetic daughter. The world needs more like her. Did you tell her we're all watching???

She's managing to indulge her hobby of cooking. Cinnamon rolls in a charcoal oven.

There's some important diplomacy and the spread of good will going on there!!!

Can't be all bad if she can cook cinamon rolls. Jingles for a safe stint.

She doctors, she cooks... sounds like a great kid!

She doesn't doctor. She does public health and is filling in for somebody on a large study of maternal health over there. Things are going well. She's gotten into the "field" whatever that means. She's also ventured into town to get Ethiopian coffee and has updated google maps with a few new places.
Otherwise:
-food sucks
-lots of bugs
-quality of life for locals is very sad
-the unit of currency is a cow. A dowry is between 11 to 200 cows. People will not sell a cow even if their child is dying of malnutrition. It literally is a different world over there that is hard for us first worlders to understand.

I am glad she is doing OK.

Quick update: This is her last week and then she meets up with her BF in Tanzania for safari. Then onto Paris for debriefing, NYC to see her ailing Grandmother and her college friends, and then back home to SF. COUNTDOWN BEGINS!!!!!

P.S. I have been hesitant to share any pictures of people or locations because of safety concerns.

Wow, that went fast. What an experience she has had.

Glad to come in and read this. I was thinking of your colic post and got worried with the "End is Near" modifier, but this is a good thing. I'm sure you can't wait to see her!

Glad to hear that she is making her way back home...

I am relieved at the topic, too! Bet you can't wait.

StraightForward wrote:Glad to come in and read this. I was thinking of your colic post and got worried with the "End is Near" modifier, but this is a good thing. I'm sure you can't wait to see her!

That was bad of me. I fixed the title.

wow that went fast!

She's in Tanzania. Happy Dance!!!!

It's wonderful to know she's safe and able to take some time to decompress and enjoy herself. If we're relieved, I can only imagine how you are feeling! Be sure to tell her that her aunties on the DDBB are proud of her.

AND HOW IS THE HORSE?

The horse-which one?

The one that was at death's door is doing great. If he didn't have an awful clip job from the abdominal ultrasound, no one would guess that he had been sick. He has put back on his lost weight, he's eating and pooping up a storm, and he's moving really well because of the steroids. I think he has one more week on the steroid taper and then he's done.

The riding horse (who coliced at Thanksgiving) is doing great. His paradressage rider is going to her first show in 2 weeks. She is a very good rider and has put a superb collected walk onto this guy. So good in fact that his topline grew (at age 16!) and I had to get his saddle widened.

Third horse at the beginning of this thread, the black Morgan, was sent back. He did not do well in our boarding situation with limited turnout. I felt it wasn't fair to him so he's back with his owner in a large pasture and is much happier.

So all-in-all, life is good these days!

Flight just got into JFK. She will spend some time in NYC and then back to San Francisco on Tuesday. Sadly, her grandma is slipping mentally and the family is putting her into memory care soon. But she'll get to spend a few days with her before her flight out west.

HAPPY DANCE!!!!!!!!

Have a wonderful time

DD#1 has only been back for a few weeks and she got a call from MSF for emergency help in Mozambique (Cyclone Idai). Supposed to be only for 2 months but she'll be leaving in a day or two. The previous stint in S. Sudan was interesting to her (long term maternal health outcome study) but this new assignment would be just up her alley-infectious disease outbreaks. Oh well This is what she trained for and I'm happy and proud but I was really enjoying the mother-daughter time.

goldhorse wrote:DD#1 has only been back for a few weeks and she got a call from MSF for emergency help in Mozambique (Cyclone Idai). Supposed to be only for 2 months but she'll be leaving in a day or two. The previous stint in S. Sudan was interesting to her (long term maternal health outcome study) but this new assignment would be just up her alley-infectious disease outbreaks. Oh well This is what she trained for and I'm happy and proud but I was really enjoying the mother-daughter time.

Excepting for the fact that the flooding was devastating, Mozambique and Malawi and Zambia are fabulous countries. Mostly lovely people. I am so glad she is willing and able to help.

Some areas are devastated.

The world is lucky to have people like her to help out in times of trouble. Congratulations for raising a wonderful daughter.

What Wicky said. ^ ^ ^

You have raised a wonderful and brave young lady. Prayers for her safe travels.

The Mozambique gig fell through so she's been nesting with her BF. Right now she's on a plane to Brussels to go to one of the Medicins Sans Fronteirs headquarters and then off to Sierra Leone until February. She's been to SL before working for the CDC during the tail end of the Ebola outbreak. At least SL is a relatively safe country with access to basic necessities like hygeine supplies and alcohol and lots of fresh seafood since she's a pescatarian. That was one of the hardest parts for her being in South Sudan-getting enough protein without eating meat. She'll have about 10 days off in December and me, DH, and BF and maybe her sister will meet her in Europe somewhere.
From somewhere she inherited some incredible self sufficiency traits. In S. Sudan, she managed to procure a turkey and pumpkins and cook Thanksgiving dinner for all the expats there. Hope to post more pictures than last time.