Wow…goodbye Moshi

As this year comes to an end, so is my stay in Moshi. It has been 15 months of joy, challenge, struggle, exchange, creativity and friendship. At this moment feelings are many and they will take time to settle down. This web page will only be able to cover a fraction of all events that have moved me and have started to move because of me.

What I can say about the work of the last six months is that it has been very successful. The behavioural study has collected 1235 questionnaires (we aimed at 200) among youth of Moshi. We had a team of peer interviewers, translators, colleagues and workers on data-entry, who have greatly contributed to this success. All questionnaires are entered in a data-file, ready to be analysed. While almost finishing my first article about the results of the quantitative interviews, I will soon start to write the second article on the results of these questionnaires. My topic of interest continues to be the influence of socially and culturally constructed gender roles to sexual (risk) behaviour of youth. This time I will however also include the influence of the Sense Of Coherence (in short: an instrument to measure a global orientation of life).

Meanwhile I have struggled with the thought of the possibility to continue my PHD and life in Moshi. The fact that I struggled with this idea, told me not to continue. Pro’s and con’s are many….but I decided to go back to Holland and finish the first year base-line research. The results of this research will be a valuable contribution to all projects currently fighting HIV and AIDS in Moshi. While at the same time it continues to be an essential experience in my own life. To finalise the work in Moshi is therefore not very difficult to me. To say goodbye to my life in Moshi however made me shed some beautiful tears. I realise I also leave a warm, inspiring and welcoming group of people. They made me feel at home. The farewell-dinner was unforgettable. First, because of the togetherness I felt. Second, because the company of friends (mostly men) as well as the heated discussions during dinner gave a summary of the experiences of my stay and results of my study in Moshi on gender roles.

I look forward to the paths that will unfold and become more visible during the coming New Year(s). One path I am currently exploring is my existing passion for dance and the possibilities to combine this with my experience in HIV and AIDS prevention. Therefore I am now staying with the Kenyan Performing Arts Group in Nairobi.

Wishing you a warm Christmas and an inspiring New Year (in which we will meet again!).