Taxis & Surveys

Well who ever knew that my most faithful comrade here would be the taxi driver, Mark, who I call for all my transportation needs in Georgetown. Literally he is the person I see every day, multiple times a day, and I honestly think he may be the person who is the most concentrated on my well-being. I was introduced to Mark by the Administrative Assistant for the Nurse's Association. Her boyfriend & Mark are god-brothers I believe. And, it is the norm here in Georgetown, that when you like a taxi driver & consider him a safe driver, you get his cell number & call him directly. So, here I am in my second week in Guyana, and I realized as I went about my work and life here yesterday, that he is the person who may be getting to know me the most. I also realized at that point, that I am very much so, on my own. I thought the Nurse's Association and my sponsor in particular might be a little more involved in my daily life, but they are not. And, it is not necessary for them to be. I am pretty much just getting to know things on my own, which I feel proud of- and am truly thankful for all they set up for me prior to my arrival. But, at the moment I am most thankful for Mark, who is an excellent driver on these wild streets and very knowledgeable about everything I need to know about Guyana. On my short stints in his cab, we discuss the trouble he sees with his country, the government, and at times his philosophies on life, its ups and downs, and being a parent. He points out the sights I have yet to see and explains the history of various buildings and institutions. Yesterday after a day conducting my study, he picked me up to take me home, and I had the pleasure of meeting his wife and son. Appreciation goes out from me...

On the study side of life, surveys are going well. I am on day 3 of conducting my surveys & interviews. On a quick FYI note: my study is called: Microbicide Acceptability Among Reproductive Age Women in Georgetown, Guyana. A microbicide is the name given to substances being explored by scientists that if used could substantially reduce the transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted pathogens when applied prior to sexual activity. Many different forms of microbicides are being studied and considered, and part of my intention here, is to assess women's opinions about the possible product and possible product characteristics, so that when they are made, they can be made to suit the women who will use them. Acceptability of a product is considered a factor contributing to the use of a product. The idea behind microbicides being, that this could be a female-initiated method of protection from disease, and possibly also a discrete method which a woman could decide to use even if a partner does not want to use a condom. Therefore, they might put protection from disease more in a woman's control. While it is contended that condoms on the other hand, are often not in the woman's control, but more in the man's. My study just asks hypothetical questions about product characteristics and women determine if they find them very acceptable, probably acceptable, probably unacceptable, or very unacceptable. Does that help?? There is a bit more to it, but no need to bore everyone...

I have been in 2 different locations over the past 3 days and must say that the time it takes to conduct each survey is much faster than I had anticipated. And, most pleasing, is the realization that despite the intimate nature of the topic, the women appear very comfortable with the questions I am asking. I have found so far, that there is very little confusion, always a few moments of laughter, and the survey questions often inspire at least one, if not several, very revealing and thoughtful comments from the woman as she considers the possibility of microbicides, and the reasons that women need them. After completion of the survey the women often share with me small details about their lives, and just as regularly they inquire of me a few more particulars about myself, which I happily share. Many women have parted ways with me by expressing their hope that "something like this" really is invented for women, to stop the spread of HIV. These moments of interaction are inspiring me, which is nice, as I often consider how small and inconsequential my study will likely be over a mere 8 weeks. In talking with the women, an understanding seems to develop over the course of the short survey, and despite the actually very brief period of time we are together, as I read each question the woman often seems to become increasingly more interested and more committed to the necessity of her opinion. It is such a unique moment, randomly spending a short time discussing an intimate topic with a stranger, and often coming out on the other end of each conversation with a feeling of a shared mission. The mutual understanding of the necessity of a product that doesn't yet exist but should.

...For more quantity, and more thorough information about microbicides, you should check out: www.global-campaign.org. They have great content.