Connections

So some of you may know that I have recently become fairly interested in the role of fathers on infant development. Last semester at UNC I took a survey course on infant feeding and participated in a group project that looked at ways to better involve men in the process their partner and baby go through from early gestation through the first year of life. We found that very few public health studies even recognize father's as an important part of the necessary support needed for proper development, nourishment, and support on the part of the mother and her baby. Most interventions address the mother and seek to eliminate the barriers she faces while providing the best possible care for her baby.

The issue of paternal involvement interests me for many reasons, but I think specifically because it seems like quite an obvious opportunity but for some reason so thoroughly overlooked both in research and practice.
Today, I had the unique opportunity to meet with a pioneer in this area of research and study here in Hanoi. Dr. Bich, who works at the Hanoi School of Public Health, became interested in this topic when he was getting his PhD in epidemiology and behavioral science at Tulane. He said that he too was baffled at the lack of studies or interventions that even mentioned men as important, if not vital. components to the necessary support system needed by women and infants. Dr. Bich recently finished a study that looked at the impact of paternal support on rates of Exclusive Breastfeeding (EBF) practices in a province just outside of Hanoi where the exclusive BF rate was approximately 4%, significantly lower than the already low national rate of 16-18% through the first six months.

He was just recently funded for a scale-up project that will look at not only the impact of paternal support for the mother and what role that plays on EBF rates, but also the impact paternal involvement has on the infant's development from 7-20 weeks post-gestation through 1 year old. Personally, I think this is very interesting because it combines all three levels (father, mother, and baby) and recognizes the father's role to both mother and baby as equally important for the short and long-term health and well being of the infant.
I was grateful for the time Dr. Bich took to explain his research and was quite impressed by his resilience to such an under-funded, under-recognized topic such as this.

I look forward to more opportunities to stay in touch with Dr. Bich and am curious to see what findings may come from his next research project.
More to come on this front, as the beginnings of an organization called "Three to Be" or 32B are mulling in my mind (An advocacy/Call to Action organization for men to step up their roles in supporting and nuturing their partner and infant).

                                                Father and child at local park

                                                     Hanoi School of Public Health

In tune

I can't remember the last time I've truly had a day of rest. Seems like the last couple years, especially last six months have been chocked full from start to finish.
This past Sunday came as a surprise day of rest, as the weekend plans were diluted somewhat by a typhoon headed towards Hanoi up the coast of Vietnam through the South China Sea. The original plan was to spend another day exploring the mountainous Cat Ba Island which exudes upward from Halong Bay. Instead, the trip was cut short and I was back in Hanoi by early Saturday evening, just in time for some Indian food in the old quarter and a short taxi ride back to the apartment. Just for those curious- a nice meal of Indian food here in Hanoi costs about $5 per person. Not bad considering Indian in the States can costs $20/person for only a modest portion.
So, onto the Sabbath.
The skies began releasing their fury Saturday evening and come to think, it's still raining (writing this on Tuesday morning). Well done Captain- calling off the trip to Cat Ba!
On Sunday afternoon, in an effort to stretch my bones and sequester some "fresh" air, although probably more damp than fresh, I walked over to a local coffee shop just around the corner from the apartment. While drinking a Cafe Sữa Đá (an iced, Vietnamese coffee with condensed milk) and wrapping up Helen Keller's biography, mind you, a very wonderful story if you have the chance to read it, I spotted a classical guitar perched above a piano in this unique, feline-decorated cafe. Casey concurred that I should ask the owner if I might have a go at some afternoon strumming, and to my delight, the owner obliged my offer.
The first 15 minutes of playing are still a blur, probably because it has been forever since I held an instrument in hand (really, it's only been three weeks). I think I played "Will The Circle Be Unbroken" five times before moving onto the other usuals, "Orphan Girl", "Don't think twice, it's alright", "Miss Ohio", "I'll Fly Away", "Freight Train",  "Wagon Wheel", "Sweet Caroline".
I think all in all, I probably played for an hour and a half.
I forgot how much I love music. I've got a lot of learning to do, especially at the clawhammer banjo, but I am always so amazed what music can do to a person, a space, or an occasion.
I think something I love so much about playing music is that no matter where I am playing, each time I play a song, I am reminded of times I've played that song with my friends, and for some reason they feel close to me in that moment.
The last year has been a transition in many ways. Leaving Richmond, a city that shaped me and will always be near to my heart, wasn't easy by any means. Yes, leaving the Buttermilk trails, the James River, and Kuba Kuba was hard, but it wasn't those things that made my heart ache at times I least expected. It was the family and friends that have made Richmond home to me. The things I love in Richmond, or anywhere, wouldn't be the same if they couldn't be enjoyed by the friends and family I'm so blessed to have.
Tearing up the Northbank (hopefully more figuratively than literally) or stomping a boof at Pipeline just wouldn't be the same. Stalking a whitetail or calling in a Spring gobbler wouldn't be the same. VCU Rams games or Saturday mornings at the farmer's markets wouldn't be the same.
It was moments like these that I was taken back to on a rainy Sunday afternoon, sipping coffee, with a good friend, singing the blues.
I sure am blessed and I hope you all will count your blessings today as you read this and think about the things in life you love, and the people that make those experiences that much better.

Lessons

Hello folks,

I hope this post finds you well wherever you may be. Life in Hanoi is good. Most of the international traveling I've done in the past has been done in short stints-I'm talking two or three weeks in country. I think part of the excitement for me in coming to Vietnam was the chance to "settle" in another place and see what "living" in another country would be like. Though, I realize I am still very much limited in what I can experience in the meager nine weeks I will call Hanoi my home. I have for some time thought it would be nice at some point in my life to take some time off and travel the world. Perhaps 6-8 months, maybe longer. Save up some money and go see the world. 

So, this weekend, Casey and I traveled through a travel agency to Halong Bay and met folks from England, Germany, Denmark, Canada who were doing exactly that..traveling from one country to another and might I say, feasting off of the country's finer things and then scooting on to the next sight or sound. I found these folks quite interesting, as their tales were full with exciting stories of wonderous treks, delicious foods, ancient relics they had explored. Their thirst for travel accompanied by a unique sort of endurance was quite impressive as their packed itineries left only a modest amount of time for sleeping and relaxing.

As impressed as I was with their desire to see and experience sights, sounds, smells, and flavors of other cultures, what I was taken back by was a lack of respect for the local folk. I found them, myself included, to be interested more in ensuring that our Iphones were full with an impressive gallery of wondrous displays than to have a simple vocabulary that might portray our appreciation to these local folks for inviting us into their own backyards whereby we trounced with our REI sponsored trek to take in a sight or sound, and then leaving them empty handed. 

Something felt strange to me. I will admit, I am very much at fault as the two of the four or five phrases I know best here are "How much?" and "That's too expensive". Am I more interested in being ripped off than I am with telling the folks here what a beautiful country they have, or how sweet they are, or how impressed I am with their humility? 

The trip to Halong Bay was absolutely gorgeous. I am so grateful I had the chance to see such beautiful mountains rising out of the South China Sea. Even as I type that very sentence, it's hard to believe that I got to see and experience such a unique wonder of the world. 

So, this week's goal. Learn some phrases that will show my appreciation to the Vietnamese folks for their kindness and their acceptance of me into their home. Show them some respect for putting up with folks like me coming to their country, taking lots of pictures, sporting my REI-sponsored wardrobe, and asking if they have to-go cups for coffee because that's what I'm used to in the States..Thanks Starbucks for always putting my coffee in a to-go cup, regardless if I'm staying there to study for 5 hours. 

Settling in

Greetings from Hanoi!
Casey and I arrived exactly two weeks ago to Hanoi, Vietnam where we will spend two months working for Helen Keller International as part of a required practicum for school.
All in all, Hanoi has been an amazing experience thus far. Before leaving the States, I talked with a lot of folks about their experiences traveling through southeast Asia and everyone seemed to have unique stories or tales of their travels. I found them all quite interesting and couldn't wait to see for myself if I would, in fact, eat snails for every meal, as one friend told me. So...no, I haven't been eating snails for every meal, nor have I tripped from the Vietnamese coffee as told by another, but I have had my heart race more from crossing the street than I have from any waterfall or rapid I've ever run in my kayak. I don't know if I can even find the word to explain Hanoi except for that when I leave the somewhat quiet abode of my apartment until I get to whatever destination (be it inside or outside) I am constantly on alert. Not for potential thieves or damaging hail, as another told me, but rather for the sea, and I mean sea of mopeds, bicycles, and taxis and people walking in every possible direction.
So for those geography folks in the audience, Hanoi is the capital of Vietnam and is situated in the northern part of the country. Vietnam is divided into 58 provinces of which Hanoi is one. Hanoi has been the capital of Vietnam since the reunification of North and South Vietnam in 1976. Vietnam has approximately 90.3 billion folks that call it home, making it the world's 13 most populous country. As for Hanoi, it is home to about 6.5 million people, and trust me- I believe this statistic. For more fun facts like the ones in this paragraph, check out wikipedia.com- it is wonderful for fun facts.

So- what are we up to here in Vietnam? We are acting as summer interns for HKI's Vietnam office where we are first off, learning, second, learning, third, being humbled by the incredible staff and their hearts for the people of Vietnam, and fourth, we are offering our very modest public health skills for whatever they may be worth. Oh, and did I mention we are learning a lot?
So far we have been so impressed by the humility and hospitality of the Vietnamese folks, especially those we are getting to know in the office each day.
HKI has been working in Vietnam since 1990 and has focused its efforts primarily on eliminating pediatric blindness in both rural and urban districts across the country.
I have been incredibly grateful to HKI for this amazing opportunity to learn more about an issue I was otherwise, quite unfamiliar with, although one that has significant long term impacts on opportunities afforded to those impacted by it's associated conditions.
I am excited for what the next 7 weeks hold and hope to blog regularly about the amazing sights, smells, people, and most of all lessons I learn during my time here in Hanoi.

Here are some pictures for you to enjoy!

Coworkers from HKI

                                                              Old Quarter

                                        

 Lookin Asian, right??

The best and the most beautiful things in the world cannot be touched or even seen- They must be felt with the heart.  -Helen Keller

     

Back at it

      So it's been a while since I've fired up a new blog post. Many reasons, I guess. Perhaps life got busy. Perhaps I didn't really care to spill my weekly musings across the world wide web. Perhaps I got lazy. I'd say a myriad of reasons exists as to why I gave the blog a break, but the good news is I'm back. I'm sure you all are so excited! As I embark on a journey to southeast Asia this summer to do work with Helen Keller International, I hope you will "join" me and enjoy the stories, pictures, and inspiration I hope to share from the wonderful people I am sure to meet on this unique journey to a new land.
  
Cho đến khi thời gian tiếp theo

- Michael