PROTEIN!

Something struck me today. I was working, editing a forestry handbook, and I noticed something very different from forestry in Canada. When they go into the human labourer aspect of forestry, it’s not just making sure your employees are comfortable and trees don't fall on them. It's make sure they don't get HIV/AIDS. I mean obviously, I knew AIDS was an issue here before I came, but it didn't occur to me just how much it affects people's everyday lives. Especially to the extent that you would have to worry about something that huge, as well as all the normal hazards, while you were at work.

I think the reality of all of this hasn't sunk in yet 'cause I'm not in real Africa...I'm in tourist destination Africa.

On a happier note, some relatives of mine from England are coming to visit! Small world, hey? They’re coming to do this million km cycling race that everyone I talk to seems to be doing. It was 41 degrees today, so I’ll be impressed if they get half way through it without collapsing. Some people are just crazy and I’ll never understand it. In actuality it sounds really cool. My supervisor and his son are doing it, too. I went with them to the registration place yesterday. There were all these booths set up selling cycling gear, vineyard tours and protein bars. There was this one protein bar about the size of a smaller end chocolate bar, maybe a bit smaller than a Mars bar, which these people were trying to claim constituted a meal due to the 10g of protein it contains. I’m sorry, but I would not be able to get over the psychology necessary to make having one bar be my entire meal. No thank you. I will have the 10g of protein found in a delicious steak instead. Slightly less creepy and vastly more delicious!