BIRTH ... from the backseat

Watch this video: Your baby will thank you! Skin to Skin with Dr. Nils Bergman

2011-11-01T11:18:00.000-07:00


My cousin, Darci, and her beautiful daughter just moments after birth

I went to a yoga class for the first time in six weeks this morning with my favorite teacher, Juliana (@ The Yoga Room in Astoria). With each breath I released more and more of what I've been holding so tightly to these last several weeks; my need to control the outcome of my life. With each breath I became closer and closer to trusting the Universe that all is going to be okay and that I am open to receiving.

When I came home, I was flipping through Facebook and saw that one of my doula colleagues posted this amazing video interview with Dr. Nils Berman on skin-to-skin care.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2IYtFrgbDUo&feature=player_embedded#!

Tears came to my eyes and a smile to my face as I was in touch with a deep part of myself that yearns for a baby to hold. Trust is created from the very beginning of life...trust in our caregiver, trust in ourselves, and trust in the Universe.

I encourage each of you who are about to give birth to remember what you learn from this video and to know that you have a great opportunity to teach this lesson of trust to your baby from the moment of his/her first breath. If you have already given birth or are not a parent at all, find someone you love and give them this deep pressure touch or "containment touch" to put pressure on the amygdala (in the brain) and remind them that they are safe. If you can't find anyone, go to a yoga class and give this love to yourself! In the end, this is something that we all need and so deeply desire.

I had the absolute privilege to meet this amazing gentleman - Dr. Bergman - and to interview him in his home in Capetown, South Africa. Keep an eye out for my interview with Dr. Nils Bergman from his home in Capetown, South Africa! Coming soon....

"A Sacred Pilgrimage"

2011-10-10T18:57:00.001-07:00

This evening I was remembering that last year was 10/10/10 (which to me, it's a really great day when all the numbers match up). I decided to look into my journal from our trip last year and discovered that the words I wrote then still resonate for me today -

"let's see what will happen with my fear if I put some more trust into my body and in the Universe to take care of me".

Last year on this day we rode for about five hours from Dahab along the coast of the Sinai peninsula - where we had spent four days scuba diving in the Red Sea - to Ras Mohammed Marine Park where we camped on our own private beach for a night and snorkeled with the blue spotted sting rays. We were two days away from our six month point on the road and decided that it would be a good time to begin trying to build our family (and it was also my 38 1/2 birthday). Well, I decided that it was a good time to start. Having done this type of traveling before Jason knew a bit better than I about the challenges we may face over the next six months; but, being an Aries and having an idea that I was really attached to made it difficult for him to change my mind.

Today marks a little over a year that we have been trying to grow our family and have a baby. Despite being given some sad news about my body's abilities I am still hopeful and have kicked my acupuncture/chinese herb regime with the YinOva Center into high gear. I have beaten some fierce odds in my life and have chosen to live a great adventure thusfar. I am full of hope now that the words I wrote one year ago today will continue to support me as I walk through this next chapter.

Lastly, a doula colleague of mine sent me these words which are shared on a Jewish holiday celebrating the new year. They can apply to any part of our journey. And, for me, the road may be taking me somewhere I'm hesitant about going; but, in truth, I was somewhat hesitant about going on a year long motorcycle journey and I ended up swimming with blue spotted sting rays! Who knows what lies ahead....

Birth is a Beginning
Birth is a beginning 
And death a destination. 
And life is a journey:  From childhood to maturity 
And youth to age; From innocence to awareness 
And ignorance to knowing; From foolishness to discretion 
And then, perhaps, to wisdom; From weakness to strength 
Or strength to weakness- And, often, back again; 
From health to sickness And back, we pray, to health again; 
From offense to forgiveness, 
From loneliness to love, 
From pain to compassion, 
And grief to understanding- 
From fear to faith; 
From defeat to defeat to defeat- 
Until, looking backward or ahead, 
We see that victory lies 
Not at some high place along the way, 
But in having made the journey, stage by stage, 
A sacred pilgrimage. 
Birth is a beginning 
And death a destination
 And life is a journey, 
A sacred pilgrimage- 
To life everlasting.

My first published piece on our travels!! (as published in the DONA International eDoula August 2011 issue)

2011-08-21T11:08:00.000-07:00

A Real-World Education: Things I Learned About Birth Abroad

By Elizabeth Mangum-Sarach, CD(DONA)

New York, NY

In April 2010 my husband and I set off on our first adventure -- driving overland from London, England to Capetown, South Africa on his BMW motorcycle (R80GS). We traveled for twelve months and six days, rode 30,000 miles, and traversed through 31 countries. Along the way, I had the great privilege to interview and work alongside midwives, doulas, doctors, and pregnant women with the intention of learning about childbirth in other cultures. In brief, what I discovered is that women around the world experience childbirth quite similarly in drastically different environments. While the external resources for childbirth around the world are phenomenally different, the internal resources of women seemed to be quite the same. My belief that women are strong and capable was proven time and again in each country I visited and with each birthing woman I supported.

I began the trip with just a few contacts in my address book and with each conversation I had about my project, the list grew longer and longer. People opened their homes and invited us to stay for dinner, stay to observe them during their work, stay to hear their birth stories, stay to absorb childbirth in their country. In Albania I stopped to ask directions from a woman and, to my utter shock and amazement, she was an OB/GYN! The next thing I knew she was whisking me away to give me a tour of the L&D unit at the local hospital. In Amsterdam, an incredibly genuine doula/midwife hosted a "tea party" for me and invited several local midwives and doulas. In Gulu, Uganda, I collaborated with Village Birth International and Florence Ochitti to facilitate a five-day training for midwives offering labor support while healing from their own post-traumatic experiences from the devastating effects of the civil war in Northern Uganda.

We have been back in New York City now for several months. I have an imprint on my heart of the women I have met. The emotional and physical strength of each woman, their courage, and the display of such incredible internal resources carried me along the way as I traveled through each country. I learned that flexibility is key to giving birth all over the world and that, most importantly, an intense belief in one's internal resources and power can take a woman through any experience with which she is faced. They're not bad guidelines for an overland motorcycle trip either.

Back in the USA!

2011-07-21T04:51:00.000-07:00

Months have flown by since Jason and I have returned to the states. It's 7:25am on an already steamy July morning in New York City. Jason left about 30 minutes ago for his new job in Brookfield, Connecticut at Max's BMW. It's a long commute; but, he is loving every moment of grease on his hands again. I am recovering from two births in three days, preparing to take a bus to Boston today for the annual DONA International conference, and about to take Franny, our chocolate lab, for her morning walk/sniffing session.

Since we've been back we have been surrounded by life's transitions....birth and death. My family lost one of my dearest and sweetest uncles, Mark Oudemolen, on May 5, 2011. He played Santa for years at our family Christmas parties and had one of the calmest and sweetest demeanors of any man I have ever met. He will be greatly missed. On July 4, 2011 I celebrated our nation's independence from a hospital room while celebrating and encouraging the independence, freedom, and strength of my first client since returning home. She gave birth to a beautiful daughter who, although she has her very own story, has been given a birth experience of unbridled courage and love from a mother who succeeded in having the birth of HER choice. A mere ten days later I supported two other women as they became first time mothers and gave birth to a son each. I witnessed incredible partnership and support from each of their spouses as they moaned and chanted with their wives in awe, held their tired bodies as limbs were draped over their shoulders, and cried right along with them tears of joy as their children were born.

This summer I am training in an incredible new approach to birth - Fear to Freedom. Karen Brody, author of "Birth" (a play written in 2006 which highlights 8 women's birth stories), is pioneering the Fear to Freedom method as a way to teach women to be more connected with their bodies and voices in order to have a more empowered birth experience. It's been an incredible journey for me, as well, in all aspects of my life as I have been learning from each weekly module and practicing the techniques with my clients. The real gift has been to actually witness women become more in touch with themselves, their "True Nature", and to watch them "keep their internal power switch on" during birth! With every woman I work I maintain a nonjudgmental approach as I support them, one breath/contraction at a time, as they unfold their own birth experience. It's been an amazing gift to watch women choose their own birth experience.

I continue to be transported, on a daily basis, to the bush of Africa, the cliffs of Turkey, the gold fields of Poland, and many other places from my trip. Faces of birthing women, midwives, and doulas I've met over the last year are imprinted on my mind and I am beyond grateful each waking moment for the adventure that Jason and I shared over the last year. I am happy to be home, happy to know where I am going to sleep each night, and happy to be grounded again in my own life. My doula practice has expanded and continues to grow into a centralized space of support, knowledge, and birthing energy for the doulas and expecting families of NYC. On Labor Day BirthFocus will be premiering a reading the new "Birth" script which includes a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean) story at the brand new Museum of Motherhood in NYC. One of our very own BirthFocus doulas, Kira Neel, will be directing and the cast will be filled with other doulas, as well. This reading will be an opportunity for BirthFocus to share it's "rebirth" with NYC and to honor our founder, Ilana Stein, in a way that will also allow our practice to grow to new dimensions.

I am also working on the creation of Nomadic Birth - a book and/or documentary film featuring interviews from midwives, doulas, pregnant women, and doctors around the world sharing about childbirth in other cultures.

My life is filled today with amazing projects, visits with friends/family, and easy nights full of delicious dinners, loving moments with my husband, and the "routine" of walking my dog. I miss the adventure of the bumps in the road from our trip AND I am so happy to be home....one breath at a time.

Dreaming of Elephants

2011-04-18T23:59:00.000-07:00

On my last morning in Africa I woke to the memory of dreaming of a baby elephant in the sea. She was floating around, on the waves, enjoying life with only a hint of fear about the giant elephant seals behind her. I'm sure there are many translations of this; but, as I know from my own dream work, it's all left to the dreamer herself to interpret the meaning behind dreams. Therefore, I will offer that my anticipation of returning home is being met with a variety of emotions, most of which are positive! And, that perhaps I feel a bit like a baby elephant after gaining 10 pounds while traveling around for a year on a bike eating nothing much more than carbs? :)

As I write this "My Sharona" is kicking about in my head and I think this could mostly be due to the fact that it's the theme song to one of my favorite movies from the '90s, Reality Bites. In my communication with several friends and family members over the last few days I've been advised to take "small bites" out of reality when I'm home. This is very clever, and much heeded, advice. It's been an incredible year on so many levels and the adventure will only continue as we try to settle back into our lives at home. Jason shared with me (and now with all of you) that, in the past, each time he has returned from a trip such as this he sheds a layer of skin. It's not surprising that his body should have such a physiological response. After all, in birth, life, and death our bodies respond and we must listen to them. We are returning home equipped with new survival and adaptation skills and are looking forward to taking this new adventure head on.

On one of our last few days here in South Africa we hiked Sentinal Peak in the Drakensberg. This hike was 14km and brought us up and around mountains whose beauty can be summarized in one word - magnificent! If you've ever seen Lord of the Rings or Braveheart you will be able to understand the breathtaking views of which I'm referring. At one turn we had to climb up a 30mt (90ft) chain ladder. Just before we ascended a husband and wife team, of eighty years old, completed the invigorating task. This truly inspired me. Jason went first and when he reached the top he shouted down advice for me... "it's a bit scary, but don't look down. Take it 'one rung at a time'". His voice carried me through each rung and my connection to, and trust in, the Universe to take good care of me also helped. I will carry these words with me for the next few months as we settle in... "one rung at a time". Fear is only an emotion. One of the bungee jumping company mottos that we heard along the trip was "Fear is temporary. Regret is everlasting". And, although I did not bungee jump (nor do I ever have the desire to have my body yanked all around like that) I took their words to heart and intend to continue living my life in this way. I only hope we can continue to inspire others to let go of their own fears and embrace life to it's fullest!

Our bike is in safe hands at the Joburg BMW, waiting for the shipping agent to come pick it up. The airport transport is calling. "My bags are packed and I'm ready to go..." as Joni Mitchell says.

See you all on the flip side!

Capetown - We made it!

2011-03-22T08:56:00.000-07:00

After 27,000 miles, 343 days, 40 countries on 3 continents, one full year of marriage we drove into Capetown, South Africa on a 30 year old BMW R80GS yesterday afternoon, March 21, 2011!

Approximately 40km outside of Capetown the view of Table Mountain was our first sign that we were about to reach our final destination. Not having a particular place to arrive into we drove directly to the top of Table Mountain to soak in the incredible view of South Africa's "Mother City". We pulled the bike up to the curb, got off, and waited for the tears to leave our eyes before we could take in the magnitude of the view. Well, I waited for a bit while Jason's main focus was "taking a leak" (what a guy thing!). A family of four walked by and, seeing our New York license plate, exclaimed "did you come all the way from NYC?!" to which we were able to respond by saying "actually, we just drove here from London!". After a few minutes of convincing them that we were not "having them on" they congratulated us and said we deserved a gold medal. And, with much humility, I have to say that I fully agree. We do deserve gold medals.

Having said that, pulling into Capetown was a tad anti-climatic. As embarrassing as it is to admit, there was a small part of me that was honestly hoping for a champagne reception, ticker-tape parade, or someone with a sign with our names on it jumping up and down and cheering us on. That said, it was also magical and an excellent reminder in understanding that this trip (and the trip we call "life") is not about the destination; but, the journey itself. And, I have to say, this journey has been one of the most profound experiences I have ever had in my life. One of my friend's wrote and said that I should enjoy this time because life will become mundane soon enough. Perhaps I am very much caught up in my post-accomplishment mode; but, I don't think life should ever be mundane and while I may not be driving coast to coast or continent to continent each day there are adventures around every corner and I am grateful for the opportunities to experience them.

I am sitting in a kimono at a doula's house in Hout Bay, Capetown waiting for my laundry to finish (in the tumble dryer!), running a hot bath, and staring at Table Mountain (already multi-tasking!). We are attempting to soak in the gravity of what we've just completed; but, I'm having a challenging time with that at the moment. In my work as a doula I often write a birth story for my clients including many details and specific events. What is always missing though are the emotions and feelings that each mother, and father/partner, are having during one of the most important times of their lives. Often when I see them for the postpartum visit they're quite grateful to have the birth story in hand and share that they haven't had the time to write anything themselves (obviously, caring for a newborn takes a bit of their attention). But, after completing this major event in my life I am left feeling such a multitude of feelings that I can't even begin to articulate each of them and give them the credit that is due and I can empathize with a new parent. At the moment I just feel a bit like a Jackson Pollack painting - all my emotions are flung, passionately, onto a giant canvas and can be interpreted differently at different moments and in different lights.

Friends and family have been asking... what now? We've decided to spend the next few weeks kicking around Capetown, enjoying good food, taking in the culture, and hearing some music (starting with the International Jazz Festival this Friday). Then, we're considering driving along the Garden Route and the Wild Coast to Durban, from where we'll ship the bike home, and then make our way to Jo'burg where we will send ourselves home.

And, then, the new adventures will begin....

Thank you to each of you for your love and support throughout our incredible journey!

East Africa and back south

2011-02-24T01:40:00.000-08:00

Admittedly, I am quite overwhelmed by the amount of time that has passed and the awe-inspiring events that have taken place during the last two months. Jason and I have ridden through Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, back to Tanzania, Malawi, and into Zambia. We are heading to Botswana tomorrow, then into Namibia, and then finishing our trip in South Africa. Our six week countdown has begun and I have been flooded with mixed emotions about leaving this life of travel and adventure to move into our second year of marriage; which, undoubtedly, will bring more adventure itself.

Over the last two months I have experienced life in Africa. I have witnessed babies being born, women and men dying, animals mating and hunting, crops being harvested, wedding ceremonies, and other rituals of daily life in a variety of cultures. I have learned much from the people here - patience, kindness, defensive driving skills, cooking, and adventure seeking just to name a few. I have been embraced by the African sky, with it's billowing white clouds and endless shades of blue. I have been welcomed into the heart of Africa.

Many detailed notes, videos, and photos have been taken throughout and I am hopeful that I will have the time in the very near future to write about my days of spending our first year of marriage on the road and studying childbirth practices in different cultures - A Nomadic Honeymoon. As internet is quite challenging to find (as well as the time to take away from the incredible opportunities that are provided daily here) I am going to claim a hiatus to this blog for now. On that note, I would like to begin this hiatus by sharing a quote from one of my favorite books I have read along the way, Three Singles to Adventure by Gerald Durrell (1954). This is a memoir of an animal collecting trip in South America and summarizes my feelings about traveling so much that it brought tears to my eyes. I hope you all enjoy and I look forward to giving you each a big hug upon our return!

"During a trip of this sort you meet with many kinds of adventure, some amusing, some thrilling and some that are extremely irritating. But these are merely the highlights in many months of work and worry that go to make up a collecting trip. However, when you sit down to write a book about it, all the worries, irritations, and disappointments seem to fade from your memory, leaving only the more entertaining moments to be recorded. Thus you tend to paint a false picture of collecting. It seems to be nothing more than a thrilling and amusing romp, a rather colourful and exciting sort of job. It is, at times, all of these things; but at other times it is also depressing, disappointing, frustrating and damned hard work as well. But there is one thing to be said for collecting, one advantage it has over all other forms of employment: it can never, under any circumstances, be described as dull."

"Thumbs Up" Continued...

2010-12-19T01:38:00.001-08:00

Thumbs up from Tanzania!!

2010-12-19T01:34:00.000-08:00

Per usual, so much has happened since the last blog update! Although, this time I have a pretty reasonable excuse for not writing; which is, there is hardly any internet in Africa and when there is it is so ridiculously expensive! On that note, I will give the very brief update as to where we are today, and how we got here, and for the rest of it you will have to buy our book :)

Today we are on our way to Mkumi National Park in Tanzania where we will camp with the elephants/hippos/and maybe lions? All I can say is I really hope that nobody gets hungry at night. We will then head to Dar Es Salaam where we will try to get a new rear tire and then venture to Zanzibar where we plan to spend Christmas (although, we don't have a reservation so we might be camping on someone's lawn). We have nearly accomplished 18,000miles since April, 2010 and, as Jason says, "the old girl" turned over for another time in Mozambique making the total of 200,000miles on this bike official.

We arrived in Johannesburg, South Africa on November 12, 2010. We then rented a car and drove four hours north to the Kurisa Moya lodge near Polokwane to visit a wonderful friend/midwife, Jacky, and to attend her advanced doula retreat. Jason was "banned" to Jacky's cottage (the dula - meaning "to be" - and having no affiliation with her work per se) for the first two days as I joined 12 other women for an incredible training from Jacky. We learned, and relearned, the art of cupping, rebozo use in labor/post partum, homeopathy for labor, and many other fascinating skills to put to use in our doula practice. I met some incredible women and am looking forward to lifetime friendships.

Jason and I then spent some time reconnecting, and waiting for the bike (which was arriving from Cairo in the near future), at the cottage and on the farm. I was also on call with Jacky to attend a "birth in the bush" and was very hopeful that I would be given the privilege to see Jacky's midwifery skills at work. At the end of the week Jason headed back to Jo'burg to pick up the bike and I waited at the lodge with Jacky for the birth. After four days of waiting (for all of us as the bike paperwork was a bit later than we had hoped and the baby hadn't yet arrived) I went to Jo'burg to join Jason. We were then very warmly greeted by Jackie (a wonderful doula I met at the retreat) and her family and spent the following week with them visiting Jo'burg and resting up for the next leg of our journey. A few days were spent at Pilanesberg National Park where we had a head to head with an elephant and watched four adult male lions stalk a waterbuck (and then give up the chase which we were so happy about since we didn't want to see the gorey feast). We celebrated Thanksgiving with 15 others, including many doulas, and were so grateful to be surrounded by such love (I baked my first chicken as we couldn't find any turkey and we had some delicious South African desserts in lieu of pumpkin pie). I also volunteered with Jackie during one of her doula shifts at the Genesis Birth Clinic and attended my first birth in 9 months; which happened to be a water birth! Very exciting!

The bike finally arrived and we geared up to get back on the road on November 30. We drove into Mozambique where we spent six extremely wet days driving through the rainy season. It was beautiful though and we were constantly impressed with the sightings on the road - baboons, lizards, snakes, chickens, goats (everywhere!), women carrying incredibly heavy things on their heads, and children everywhere. Farther down the road we headed into Malawi and spent six nights there. Malawi and Mozambique reminded me so much of the Caribbean with palm trees and fruit and the tropical air. The women all wear brightly colored "sarongs" around them and many of them either have a baby tied to their back or one straggling along behind. We spent days on Lake Malawi relaxing with new traveling friends we met - hello to Chris, Ineke, Seppe, and Nils! - and I took some time to visit a traditional birth attendant. As it turns out TBA's in Malawi are not currently allowed to practice as the program was discontinued in 2007; but, there is some talk about it continuing soon. Needless to say they are desperately in need of more supplies and training. Nonetheless, it was fascinating to hear about her experiences over th

(It's all in the parentheses)

2010-11-10T07:19:00.000-08:00

At the moment I am sitting, quite comfortably, on the patio, of the Cairo Community Service Association (a "club" for ex-pat's) watching a mama cat nurse her four kittens. The look on her face mirrors the wave of feelings I have been riding for weeks; exhaustion, confusion, acceptance, exhiliration, exhaustion, and even more exhaustion! Never having breastfed anyone myself (yet, insh Allah!) I can only imagine (or project) that these are her feelings. I want to go over to her (when she's finished, of course) place her in my lap and gently soothe her while she falls into a deep, and much needed, slumber (although, if she is anything like the mothers I know she will pounce right back to reality as soon as she hears one of her little ones squeal). I suppose the urge to nurture her comes from the fact that a) I am a care-taker and always have been (just ask my two "little" sisters, now mothers themselves) b) I miss my own two kitties (Mia and Magee) c) I really want someone to do that for me as the last month in Cairo has been, at times, torturous emotionally and I have already had four nightmares where I have, literally, jumped or fallen to the floor in tears or d) all of the above. If you know me at all, you will have guessed "d" and you'd be spot on!

Today is November 10 and we arrived in Egypt on October 6, 2010 (ironically, as this is a very important
date in Egypt's history marking the day when they launched an attack against Israel, in 1973, which led to the "Yom Kippur War"). We had a few days snorkeling and diving in the Red Sea, mesmerized by the dazzling colors and underwater creatures we had never seen before. We rode to the southern tip of the Sinai and spent a night camping on the shore, just the two of us, of Ras Mohammed Marine Park. We came around the western coast of the Sinai, through the Suez Canal, to reach New Cairo, where we were warmly greeted by David and Sherry Arnold (aside - their daughter, Jessica, and son-in-law, Kyle, and I all worked together in 1991 and 1992 at Indian Trails Camp in Michigan; hence, the connection). We were invited to a private screening of "Jupiter gazing" at the President's office, to which we quickly obliged, and then spent the rest of the evening canoodling with other ex-pat's and, eventually important, individuals who have helped us tremendously over the last month (thanks to Lesley, Kathrin, Bruce and your gorgeous wife, Yasmina, and, of course, Sherry and David!). We then spent two weeks in Cairo sight-seeing, eating koshary, spreading awareness for breast-cancer research at the Pyramids, visitng with friends, couch-surfing, and running from embassy to embassy. While waiting for word on our Sudanese visa we visited Bahariya Oases, the White Desert, and Alexandria. We then returned to Cairo for an update on our visa and to move more deeply into "Operation Fast Forward" after the realization that the visa was probably an unrealistic goal.

Today is 18 (business!! days since we've applied for the visa and still not a word. We were told over a week ago that the original 10 days of prospected waiting was changed to 3-4 weeks total (this was from the Sudanese Embassy in DC and, at least, they had open ears when we applied). I heard from a friend here, just yesterday, that his wife (also American) applied recently and was told it would be approximately six weeks. There are elections coming up in Sudan and it is causing further exploration, for many, into the idea of an increased civil war (to say the least) and also Obama recently told Al-Bashir (President of Sudan) that there would be more sanctions imposed if the election did not go peacefully. So....Americans aren't high on the list of people waiting to enter their country (Latvians, however, have no problem and one woman was issued her visa in just 5 hours...who woulda thought?).

In attempts to follow "Operation Fast Forward" we decided that while we waited we would look into flying the motorcycle out of Cairo, to Johannesburg, in case we couldn't get the visa for Sudan. The idea behind this was to really mix things up a bit and do "London to Capetown" upside down (not to mention that we also heard, from other overlanders ahead of us, that there has been some difficulty getting vehicles into Ethiopia). And, even more importantly, is that I have a wonderful friend, Jacky Bloemraad de Boer, who is a midwife (originally South African; but, lives in Amsterdam) hosting a retreat for doulas/midwives, on Nov 13 and 14, at her gorgeous eco-lodge four hours north of Jo'burg. So, we will fly south and migrate like the birds. That's the idea, anyway.

The next step of this process goes somewhat like my favorite reading series when I was little, the "Choose Your Own Adventure" series (not surprising, I know). The first few pages would outline the story and then, as the character develops and the adventure begins, the reader can choose the plot, the drama, and the ending. Our experience in Egypt has been similar; only, we haven't felt as powerful in choosing the ending, or for that matter anything in between. So, I guess it's nothing like those books except for the fact that it's been a giant adventure and each morning we wake up we have no idea what might lie ahead of us. As anyone who has ever tried to do anything, even remotely, administrative in Egypt knows the process can be a nightmare and a half! Over the last month we have been told many things only for none of them to actually be true. We have been wondering if we are working with complete morons or if they are just telling us what we want to hear? We have determined that the Egyptian style of business (or even answering a random question of directions) is to take on a client, tell them that you can meet their needs (whether you know if you can or not), and once they have signed on string them along a series of nonsensensical events until the process actually completes ("insh Allah"!). For the record, this is also the approach of cabbies who will take you anywhere you like (whether they know how to get there or not) and stop every block to ask for directions! It seems there is very little problem solving and that the big pictures if often not seen. And, of course, "baksheesh" is demanded constantly and when not given (because the cabbie has driven you around for half an hour even though they know exactly where they are going but you don't) voices (and sometimes fists) are raised!

In the next blog entry I will outline, in detail, the many hoops we jumped through in order to ship our bike out of Egypt. For those of you who are a) insane enough to possibly try this in the future, read on to the next entry; b) sane enough not to ever try this, but still interested read on to the next entry; c) bored already ...don't read on, but, instead go to www.comedycentral.com and watch a clip of the Jon Stewart show (preferably the one of David Sedaris discussing his new book Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk).

(Next blog post to come very soon....much love to everyone!)

Egypt - Words, Walks, and Interviews

2010-10-28T05:41:00.002-07:00

EGYPT

She is known as the "Mother of the World"

She doesn't seem very motherly to me

She is harsh and unforgiving

She is dark, dirty, and untrustworthy

She doesn't nourish me with her mediocre and repetitive cuisine

nor does she gently tuck me in at night

She screams at me to cross the street, with the threat of a severe lashing if I am not fast enough

She smells of urine, diesel fumes, and sewage

Her breath reeks of cigarette smoke

She suffocates me with each turn down her narrow alleys and her stares bear into me, forcing me to cover myself

She is old and rebuilt; yet, she does not age well

She is sad

If I look closely, I can see her beauty in her glamorous years and I know that if she were cared for in a more loving way she would now claim her title with more grace

I long for her to hold me as mothers I know hold their young; but, I find myself spending my days waiting for the right to my wings which will free myself from her

She is nothing like my mother

Some may say that this poem, written by me on 10/26/2010, is an unfair reaction to a country that was really never given a chance. It is now our 22nd day here in Egypt and, much like Turkey, our intrigue and level of patience for this land has become slimmer and slimmer since our fourth day here when we were told (by a Sudanese embassy official who shook his head, closed his eyes, and plugged his ears while saying it) "Americans cannot apply for a visa to Sudan". We later learned that this is not true; but, that the process is extremely time consuming and can grate very speedily on one's nerves. I guess this is all part of the overland experience and, truth be told, it hasn't been all bad. But, as I have learned throughout my life, feelings aren't facts and on that day, and in that moment, I was not feeling that the title given to this country was appropriate.

That said, there have been many days during the last three weeks in Egypt that I have enjoyed. For one, on October 23, Jason and I participated in a "Walk for the Cure" race, at the Giza Pyramids, to encourage awareness of breast-cancer in Egypt. The day was full of excitement and energy as thousands of people came out. Among the participants were students and families from Cairo and the surrounding area and foreign supporters. This walk was important to me for many reasons and I walked for many people, in my life, who have been effected by cancer - Melis (my friend from h.s. and college), Erv (my step-father), Ilana (my beloved mentor and friend who passed away in 2008 after a fierce battle with ovarian cancer), and Marian (my mother-in-law whom I never got to meet because of this epidemic). The day brought tears to my eyes many times and I was inspired by the thousand of supporters and survivors coming together. At one point, as we ate our lunch outside the press tent, one woman in particular caught my eye. The twinkle of hope and kindness beamed from her and her inviting smile encouraged me to ask her about her experience with breast cancer. See the images below for more about this conversation and other events throughout the day. For more information and other related articles on this event see an article written by a fello Brooklynite and new friend (whom we met at the hotel a few days prior) who covered the event.... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jennifer-utz/thousands-race-for-the-cu_b_772860.html

This is Enam. She is 55 years old and has been cancer-free for seven years. She described the first year as "very hard" with "a lot of pain in her arms" and she struggled a lot with "depression". When asked what helped her the most to get through that first year, and the following, she shared that "positive thinking" and "religion" helped.

These young women chose to ride a camel to the finish line and readily agreed to pose for a photo op with me. The camel was also a supporter as well - both of breastcancer awareness and being in the photo!

This family didn't speak English; but, also generously agreed to have a photo taken. The pink t-shirts were handed out to survivors. I am quite sure this family is beyond grateful for each day with their mother/wife.

These guys are medical students from the University of Benha in Cairo. They are walking for Mohammed's grandmother - Fatma- and for the "spritual and social" reasons.

Jason and I taking a break. It was a beautiful day with temperatures in the low 80s. The walk took us along the pyramids to the Sphinx at the finish line. Thanks to a fellow Brooklynite, we met at our hotel, we were given press passes as well which allowed us access to the "survivors" tent.

This woman shared, with great pride and a beautiful,big smile, that this December she will reach her one year anniversary of being cancer-free! Congrats to her!

Another survivor and her supporter!

These women are the future dentists of Cairo - students from Cairo University's School of Dentistry. They shared that they were at the race mostly to have "fun" as they support breast-cancer awareness. From the sounds of laughter and their big smiles it sounds like they achieved their goal!

At the finish line, music was played, food/water was shared, and names of survivors were read! The sphinx and pyramids in the background only added to the energy.

More to come from my interview with the first professionally trained labor support doula in Egypt, Gertrude Simmert-Genedy, Founder of Cairo Birth House (http://www.freewebs.com/birthcoursegermanstyle/)

A story in pictures

2010-10-18T05:10:00.000-07:00

A "whirling dervish" captivated by his own charm in Cairo

An immaculately engraved large wooden door in a mosque in Islamic Cairo

More Sufi dancers...these men danced for over 30minutes non-stop while in a trance-like state in dedication to their God

Traditionally Whirling Dervishes wore plain colored, burlap clothing. Here, as we were told, is the Egyptian style of Sufi dancing...full of color!

A traditional Egyptian dish of fish and vegetables cooked in a clay pot

My depicition of the map of Cairo based on an activity my step-mom and my sisters and I used to do... pick up a crayon, draw a random shape without taking the crayon off the paper, and color in the lines. In this game, however, there are actually "lines" which is very different than the traffic system in Cairo

A young Egyptian couple, presumably engaged as they are not allowed to be alone in public together if not, canoodling on the Nile

Our campsite in Ras Mohammed Marine park in the Sinai. We snorkeled twice that day and saw a blue-spotted stingray, lionfish, and the most brilliant coral we could've imagined

Yasmina (our kind friend and tour guide for the evening), Kathrin (a recent graduate from Austria), and I in the glow of a mosque in Islamic Cairo

A security guard on break at the Egyptian Musuem - Cairo

Gardens at Egyptian Museum at sunset, with the Cairo tower in the background

Koshary - a mix of noodles, rice, lentils, fried onions, and tomato sauce. A traditional, and very inexpensive, dish in Egypt

Mesopotamia - the view from our room in Mardin,Turkey (southeast). If you look very closely, through the dust, you can see the Syrian border

Families congregate to watch the carp feeding in Urfa's largest park. The beautiful lavendar scarf is also worn by men and may be a way to claim ownership to a particular sect

A mother carries her son, as he leans to watch the jumping carp

Islamic tombstones in Sanliurfa, Turkey. We found one with Jason's family name on it - Sarach - as his grandfather was Turkish

This flower blossomed the morning after a long night at a desolate campground in southeastern Turkey. This was during a "jaunt" we had taken while we waited for our Syrian visa. It's symbolism of a new beginning was a welcome suprise. Notice the bike in the background...

Laundry day in Turkey

On our way from Aleppo to Crac de Chevaliers we stopped at these ruins - Afamia - for a history lesson in the noon day sun

Crac de Chevaliers - this castle is the epitome of a childhood fantasy, complete with princess towers and all

Oh where or where has my prince gone?

There he is - guarding the moat!

This classic sewing machine picture is really for my mom as she had one like this, I am sure, in the "olden days". This one was owned by a gentleman who made many repairs for the people of Damascus

Souk El-Hamidiyeh in Damascus, Syria

Just the good ol' boys...

I couldn't resist taking a picture of this man as he contemplated life in the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus

Our new friends from Kuwait -this man approached me and engaged me, ever so charmingly, into a conversation whilst his friend filmed the whole thing on his cell phone. Look for it on youtube, I am sure! Turns out, he is a graduate from Miami University...a very lovely fellow, indeed!

A father and daughter wash their feet together at the mosque

After being approached by one of the men of this lovely group of Iranian women at the Umayyad mosque (for a pic of Jason and I) , we couldn't resist a picture of our own. It was one of the most spiritual afternoons of my trip so far as we communicated across cultural lines. This family had made a pilgrimage from Iran to attend services at this mosque.

Fresh juice is easily accessible all over the Middle East. This man charmed me with his lemon-mint ice combination and I became infatuated!

Ali - a local artist in Damascus

Shisha, nargilla, water pipe...what have you - it was a fun and new experience for me!

Sadly, this Israeli flag is on the street in Damscus for arabs to profess their disdain for Israel

Organizing the daily bread

We bought one of these as a memory of Handicrafts Lane in Damascus (and in return the artist let me take a turn of my own attempting his craft)

The artist himself!

A museum in Damscus...the facade was built in the 1300's, I beileve, and was transported to here

Spice market in Damascus

The "eye" is meant to ward off evil and envy in the Middle Eastern culture. We had one tied to the bike but it fell off somewhere between Turkey and Syria. We'll keep looking...

A birthing stool on display at the Azem Palace in Damascus! The guard let me take a picture and then whispered "baksheesh" (or bribe) into my ear. I obliged him with much gratitude

Fulah - the Muslim Barbie

Sayyida Ruqayya Mausoleum - amazing devotion these women have.It's a fascinating story and well worth looking into...some of the women were bawling their heads off andhaving their children kiss the shrine. Inside is a 4 year old girl who died upon the sight of her father's head on a stick (of course there is much more to it than that)

These guys generously offered their garage for an oil change in Gerash, Jordan

Chariot races in Gerash, Jordan

Our campsite in Gerash. You can see Israel on a good day.

Jason floats in the Dead Sea!

Syria (!!) and Jordan

2010-10-01T02:52:00.000-07:00

We are in Jordan and it is incredible! Last night we slept on a concrete roof in our tent at the Dana Nature Reserve (although the option for a homeade burlap tent with mattresses was also available) after a fabulous veggie meal and listening to some locals playing the oud (a middle eastern guitar type instrument). The stars in Jordan are absolutely amazing and I fell asleep waiting for a shooting star. We drove for 8 hours on the bike yesterday (very long day!) and in between did an hour and a half hike through a canyon river to a waterfall...all the time soaked in water up to our knees. It was awesome! On the ride to this site we saw wild camels and this morning on a little hike, through the 15th century village we are staying in, we saw a baby donkey who seemed to be lost and followed us, while crying, for a bit. My heart sank.
Tomorrow we will go to Petra for a few days and then to Wadi Rum. I just spoke to an American woman who works at a women's center there and she will connect me to some women from the local Bedouin community. She said most women give birth in hospitals these days but I am hoping to hear about rituals they have before or after birth.
A few nights ago we stayed in a little town called Madaba and met a really great guy, Ohed, who is married to an Indonesian-Chinese woman who was raised in Bali. They have a 2 year old little girl, Emily, who was born in Bali at a hospital. The day after her birth they cleaned the placenta, put it in a glass jar, and then took it to the middle of the ocean and threw it in for good luck.
Jordan is really an incredible country. If you ever get the chance you should definitely come to Jordan! There are travelers from all over and many women traveling alone as it is very safe.
Syria...now, that is a different story. While the people were really great (for the most part; despite one man asking me if I was from Moscow - code for asking if I am a prostitute) it was very challenging to get our visa due to the political relationship between Syria and America. We waited for three weeks in Turkey and were finally awarded a visa after jumping through many, many hoops. We arrived in Syria on September 27 and stayed at a backpackers hostel, Spring Gardens, in Aleppo for one night. We then drove to Crac de Chavaliers (a fantastic castle with secret stairways and a princess tower) and then on to Damascus for four days. Damascus is full of incredible history and is a city that should not be missed on a trip through the Middle East.
While in Damascus we found the Syrian Family Planning Agency and I had a fantastic interview with a midwife there, Lorda, and an Italian woman, Valentina, who is working in collaboration on a gender based violence program. Lorda has been working as a midwife for 25 years and she loves her work! Rukiye, a staff at the center, translated for us (unfortunately I can't speak Arabic) and I was able to hear about Lorda's many experiences including attending to some of her friends' and relatives' homebirths (she was very hush-hush about this service and focused primarily on her work in the hospital and at the center). She shared that she sees women from age 16 or so (usually married) to women in menopausal age. She was quite excited to share with me her extensive knowledge about the medical aspects of childbirth and shared that she gives everyone episiotomies for the most part and that most women have epidurals. They do have a low cesarean rate in Damascus; although I wasn't able to get the percentage from her. She also mimicked putting a mask up to her face when we were discussing pain relief; but, I wasn't exactly sure what she meant (morphine?). When women are in labor they are fortunate to have the support of their partner, their family, and anyone else who wants to be there it sounds like; however, for the birth itself the woman is on her own with the midwife and the doctor. Lorda shared that she has often caught babies on her own, without the doctor, but it seems that it's the practice to have a doctor present.
On a non-childbirth note, Valentina is coordinating a project through AIDOS (Italian Association for Women in Development) on preventing and treating gender based violence. GBV is a major issue in Syria and many women, and the society, have not yet reached a point where discussing it openly is accepted. Valentina is located at the SFPA in the Halbooni clinic. There are 20 family planning clinics all over Syria and this program was founded in 1981. There are two main goals to the project - (1) to train local staff in a holistic approach to reproductive health (with a focus on gender based violence) and (2) women's empowerment including a "business incubator". At the Halbooni Center they have, on staff, a social worker, youth counselor, lawyer, psychologist, male counselor, gym trainer (they have yoga classes), a gynecolotist, a health counselor, and a midwife. It's founded by United Nations Family Planning Assoc. and the EU. They are really doing fantastic work. If you are interested in learning more, let me know and I will put you in touch with Valentina.
In the Dana Nature Reserve I have been speaking with an American volunteer who shared with me that honor killings (when a girl or a woman are killed by a family or community member for either having consentual sex or being raped among other "offenses") are still quite common in Jordan, as well, despite the strong stance that the Queen has taken against them. There is an excellent book Murder in the Name of Honor by a Jordanian journalist that can give better insight into these attrocities.
We will be in Jordan for another 5-6 days and then will take a ferry from Aqaba to Sinai and do some diving. More news to come...

Transition - Europe to Middle East

2010-09-13T10:01:00.000-07:00

When İ started documenting this journey I thought of it as my own version of a 9-month adventure and broke it down - in my mind - to the three trimesters (Europe, Middle East, and Africa). It seems we are having a bit of a challenge getting into that second trimester....

Today is exactly one month since I last updated this journey. I am currently writing from our hotel lobby in Gaziantep, Turkey where we have spent the last 13 days waiting for our Syrian visa. Yesterday we drove to the border of Syria and Turkey to renew our Turkish visa as it has already been 90 days that we have been in this incredible country (and then turned around and drove another 60km back to our hotel - joyride!). Over the last 3 months we have seen almost all of Turkey (despite the northwestern coast) and have made many incredible memories we will cherish for a long time. On September 1 when we applied for the visa to Syria we were told that - for Americans - it would be a 10-15 day wait. That also happened to coincide with the end of Ramadan and a 4 day holiday so our wait time has been a bit extended. We would have applied for a visa in our home country - the US - however, it would have expired as they only last for 3 months and we have already been on the road for five! Wow - time flies!

A few weeks ago as we rode the ferry from Beşiktaş to Uskudar we were amazed at the idea of traveling from "Europe" to "Asia" as they say in Istanbul. Istanbul - for those of you who aren't familiar with this glorious city (although if you want to be you should read The Museum of Innocence by Orhan Pamuk) - is divided by the Bosphorus river which separates the city into these two regions. Now, we are desperate to say that we are fully immersing ourselves into the Middle East and will one of these days...when we are proud new recipients of a Syrian visa!

As some of you may know "transition" is often one of the most intense periods of labor; however, often also the fastest. That said, I have witnessed many women spend hours upon hours working through the transition phase as their cervix dilates from 8cm to 10cm. When this finally happens there is often a priceless look of rejuvenation on their faces and eager anticipation to embrace the second stage of labor - pushing! Of course this isn't always the case as each birth is unique; but. in this metaphor; I am truly waiting to feel that rush of a second wind and eagerness to get back on the road! We have been waiting and it seems that this "transition" period will never end. I am fortunate that I have had many "doulas" throughout this journey and have had a lot of support in this waiting process (thanks Jessica, Meg, Chrissy, Kirst, Mom, Niki, Aly, etc...).

As often with the birth of a baby, or other momentous occasions, the waiting has been very, very challenging and we are growing more and more bored (well, boredom isn't usually present during labor but I can only take this metaphor so far). . Each day brings the same food options (apparently there are no vegetarians in this region) so we have been eating a lot of tomato and cucumber salad, cheese pide, and an occasional köfte (a raw bulgur meatball full of spices). Çay has been drunk, backgammon match upon match won (still pretty evenly skilled players although Jason is getting really good!), and pages and pages turned through our Lonely Planet Middle East book. We have also had the great fortune of catching up on Gossip Girl (sarcasm...sorry Jess!) and watching Turkish dubbed Ellen Degeneres.

The good news at the moment is that during these last 4 weeks my hand has healed quite quickly and two days ago I stopped wearing my brace full-time. It turned out that, after seeing a Turkish orthopedist (thank you Amy!), I was diagnosed with a broken fifth metacarpal and not a broken wrist. So in a few more weeks I should be back to my regular yoga routine!

I am putting much faith in my friend Melissa's life philosophy... "the Universe conspires to bring us what we need". I am hoping that is a yoga-able hand and a Syrian visa!

More to come...from Syria!

Life's Unpredictable Moments

2010-08-13T02:43:00.000-07:00

Oil spots on Greek corners, quick "get offs" the bike, trips to emergency rooms, and a broken wrist....all of life's unpredictable moments. We are both okay after having a bit of a fall earlier this week riding from Plomari to Mytilini - in Lesvos - to catch a morning ferry back to Turkey on August 8. Jason is an incredible rider and hasn't had a fall in over 20 years, but sometimes there is no compromising with oil spots. After the fall he drove 30km to the hospital in Mytilni where I had some xrays and a half cast put on my left wrist (fortunately I am right handed). We left the hospital and found a hotel room near the port and waited for the next morning ferry. While waiting we watched "Save The Last Dance" and "Heat" in our air conditioned hotel room to entertain ourselves.

After taking the ferry the next day to Ayvalik we drove through northwest Turkish lanscape towards Bursa where we then caught a ferry (the next morning) to Yeni Kapi in Istanbul. When I started this trip I searched out doulas in Turkey and began talking regularly with Amy, a doula and pilates teacher originally from New Orleans. She has lived in Turkey for 11 years and is married to a very sweet Turkish blues musician, Turgay. They have taken us in and are doing an excellent job of helping my recovery process, for which we are very grateful. She and I also have some interviews lined up wih other doulas, a midwife, and an OBGYN hopin to soon become certified in water birth.

Before arriving back in Turkey we spent 3 weeks traveling around Athens and the Greek islands. I interviewed a midwife in Naxos and dined with doulas in Athens. All of this gave a pretty clear picture of the birth customs there and soon I will write about the full picture of giving birth in Greece and Turkey. Sadly, it seems that there are a lot of challenges to having a natural birth, or even a vaginal birth as the cesarean rate seems to waiver between 60%-70%.

For now I must give my wrist some more time to heal and my right typing hand a bit of a rest as well. Thank goodness I am not doing doula work at the moment!

Riding in Turkey with David and Juliette Bird!

2010-07-27T01:48:00.000-07:00

jasonelisjul2010

2010-07-27T01:46:00.000-07:00

The first "Quarterly Report"

2010-07-26T07:39:00.000-07:00

We are now in an internet cafe in Lesvos (trying to breathe as the smoke is ridiculous here - really missing those non-smoking rules in NYC!). We have been in Lesvos for a week so far and are waiting to board a ferry in a few hours to Athens. It's an 11 hour trip and we arrive at 6:30am. We will spend a few days in Athens and then we are heading to Naxos and Santorini to take in a bit more of the Greek island life. Lesvos was fantastic and we really enjoyed visiting some of the smaller villages. Mythymnos - Molivos Beach - is an adorable Greek village on a hilltop which has been preserved for the last 40 years or so. There are olive trees everywhere, a beautiful castle on top of the hill, and delicious homemade ouzo and food all over. We camped there for three days and then made our way to the southern tip of the island where we stayed for a few days on Melinda Beach. Fortunately, we met a really sweet woman who has allowed us to park the bike at her hotel while we explore the islands for a week or two. We will head back to Lesvos and pick up the bike and then take a ferry back to Turkey, where we will finally meet up with some friends in Istanbul for some time there. The heat has continued; but, since we are by the water we have access to an easy cool off. We are hopeful that we will find some good camping, and beaches, in Naxos and Santorini as well.

Jason and I were talking about the last three months of our trip and we decided it might be fun to gather some "statistics" from our journey; especially since we have found ourselves on a bit of a "vacation" from the journey of London-Capetown as we avoid the heat of the Middle East. Actually, one of the couples we met (thanks Ben and Esther) suggested that we keep track of the number of hours we are sitting on the bike together. At some point we might want to go for a world record of number of hours a husband and wife have been touching during their first year of marriage - and still end up talking to each other at the end (just kidding!).

Quarterly Report - as of July 20, 2010 (beg. April 13, 2010)
**This was our 97th day of travel**

#Miles - 183,000 (beginning of trip) - now: approx 192,000
# of countries - 17 (England, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Poland, Czech Republic, Lichtenstein, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, Croatia, Bosnia, Montenegro, Albania, Greece, Turkey)
# of actual travel days - 50 (out of 97)
# of hours together on bike - 265 (avg 5.3 hours on travel days)
# uses of the First Aid Kit - 1 (Jason cut his foot on some rocks and I got to stitch him up!)
# of ferry trips - 5
# bottles of suncreen - 3
# scuba dives - 1 for Elizabeth (then the naseau hit), 2 for Jason
# speeding tickets - 1
# bees in jacket - 2 (1 for each of us)
# oil changes - 2
# of services for bike - 1
# interviews for this project...
         Midwives - 5
   Doulas - 6
   New parents - 6
   Other birth professionals - 1 (thank you, Janet Balaskas!)
# books read - 5 (The Glass Castle, Who Will Run the Frog Hospital, The White Tiger, The Truth About These Strange Times, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time)
# Backgammon games played (16 - 9 for Jason and 7 for me)
# nights camping (44), # nights at hotel (22), # nights with friends (31 - THANK YOU EVERYONE!)
# thunderstorms - 8
# animals hit by bike - (1) one Albanian snake and a near miss for a little puppy in the Kabak valley
# of births attended.... 0 but I am hopeful!

We will continue to gather these statistics! If you have ideas for other categories.... let us know! :)

I am hopeful to update you on info re: birth in Greece as I hope to meet with some people over the next few weeks.

Love to all!

A HUGE victory for NY Midwives and an update on our time in Turkey

2010-07-15T00:50:00.000-07:00

Much like my wedding vows I have been composing this entry in my mind for several weeks now. Riding pillion (as they say in England - or on the backseat) I find that I do some of my best thinking. My mind travels to places we have been, fantasies of our future life together, memories of friends and family, and chapters upon chapters are written in my mind for the book summarizing this incredible journey.

We have been in Turkey since June 15 (exactly one month today) and I have found it quite challenging to spend time near a computer, despite all of the blog entries I have written in my mind. The heat has been very intense; and, there have also been many other distractions keeping me from blogging (the Mediterranean, hiking along the Lycian way and accidentally riding on some of it, scuba diving, stomach bugs, Turkish delight, searching for the perfect replacement rear tire and finding it, scaling mountains, ancient ruins, etc...). I am happy now though to share a bit of what we have been up to over the last several weeks.

We made the decision to really slow down our travels about two weeks into our time in Turkey as we realized that the heat would only continue to rise the farther south we traveled. We are now slowly moving through this ıncredible country and savoring every moment as they come. There isn't much of a choice for us as each time the thermometer climbs another degree the enticing sea calls to us and we find ourselves needing her relief. We are coming to the end of our week long stay in Kas, Turkey today and as I write this now Jason is packing the bike and we are preparing to take our last ride with David Bird (until we return, of course!). David, and his lovely wife, Juliette, graciously open their stone farmhouse in the countryside of Kas to overland travelers needing a bit of tender loving care. They have taken us on incredible rides (pics to come soon with proof of my first time standing up during a ride), fed us mouth watering food, and nurtured our weathered traveling souls with the offer of a deliciously comfortable guest room. Their animal menagerie has also been incredibly welcoming! They are not only caretakers of travelers like us; but, they have also earned a reputation as an animal sanctuary of sorts for the local strays. They have 7 dogs - Dusty, Lucky (appropriately named as she has 3 legs), Bisquit, Muffin, Jasper, Blaze, and Twiggy (who was named this as shortly after they rescued her she released 3 bits of a kebap stick she had swallowed!). They also have 4 cats - Peg (with a club foot after a fight with a dog before her rescue), Pip, Sugar (this adorable cat crawls around the house like a seal on her three stumpy legs), and Hilda and Doris the new kitties. It has been great comfort for us as we really, really miss our own furball, Franny!

We are moving on today and continuing down the coast towards Antalya with a stopover in Olympus where we will spend a few nights in the famous treehouses. Then, the plan is to head back to the northern coast and take ourselves to Lesvos - a Greek island - where we will begin a bit of our island hopping adventure (hopefully hitting Naxos, Chios, and Kos). Our hope was to leave the bike in Turkey and go to some Greek islands on our own, but we aren't allowed to leave the country without the bike as they think we might've sold it or something. After island hopping we will head to Istanbul - where my project can continue as I will meet with some doulas and midwives there - and then head south again towards Syria (traveling along the Black sea and then through Capadocia and Mt. Nemrut). Of course, that is the plan TODAY and we have learned that we are living day to day as we never know what other opportunities may present themselves! Although İ haven't interviewed any midwives or doulas I have been speaking to all kinds of women about their birthing experiences so much so that Jason is now beginning to ask for me!

On an extremely positive note, on June 30 NY Midwives celebrated the passing of the Midwifery Modernization Act! I have posted a clip (at the end of this entry) from an email from Choices in Childbirth for those of you who are interested in hearing the details and following this incredibly life changing success! This is very exciting for us as well because we were getting a bit nervous about not having the chance to have a homebirth upon our return to NYC (no babies yet but, ideally, next year!)

Since the previous blog and now we have traveled through Greece and the northern part of Turkey as well. We have met really incredible people along the way and have been so touched by the warmth and hospitality of everyone. Jason just walked in and announced that we are packed so I will be composing the rest of this entry on our ride this afternoon and sign off with a promise to post soon again.

**For those of you who are on facebook you can see some of our pics there OR create a facebook page and ask me to be your friend! Otherwise we are uploading some of our 1000s of pics onto snapfish and will post that link soon!

************************

CONGRATULATIONS! The Midwifery Modernization Act has just  overwhelmingly passed in the New York State Assembly with a vote of  95-17. 

During public debate, many of  the Assemblymembers reported being influenced by the phone calls, emails  and stories from constituents like you. Each of you has been  instrumental in this success so far. Thank you for your support of  midwives!

The next step is for the bill to be introduced  to the Senate floor. This could happen as early as tomorrow.

We will continue to provide updates about the impact the  passage of this bill will have on access to midwifery care - stay tuned!

You  can still help in these final moments. To find out how visit http://freeourmidwives.org/

Chasing the Sun

2010-06-05T02:10:00.000-07:00

Today is June 5, 2010. I cannot believe that so much has happened in the last few weeks and we are only in Albania! We had hoped to be as far as Egypt by now; but, with several thunderstorms to delay us and incredible sights to distract us we are where we are now. It's a good practice for me to accept life on life's terms.

In the last three weeks we rode through the following places .... Switzerland: Interlochen and Lucerne, Austria: Innsbruck and Lienz, Italy: Verona, Garda Lake, Venice, Florence, Sienna, Ancona. From Ancona we took a ferry to Split, Croatia and then rode south to Orebic where we took a short ferry ride to Korcula, an island in the Aegean sea. After two nights full of thunder and lightning, we continued to head south to Dubrovnik, Croatia and then made our way into Montenegro. On June 2, in Montenegro, we stopped in the Bay of Kotor and met Daniel, a German guy who is traveling on his own also on a BMW. We also met a really lovely couple, Hans and Carol, whom have been riding together for a little over 2 years but separately for close to 25! Carol is from Canada and teaches BMW riding courses for women. She encouraged me to learn to ride myself...one day, perhaps.

Daniel, Jason, and I decided to travel together for a bit as we were all heading to Albania. The three of us rode through Lovecen National Park in Montenegro, where I experienced, for only the second time, extreme nausea from riding through the switchbacks and high cliffs overlooking the sea. We camped in Montenegro and then left for Albania, where we arrived on June 3. We made a stop in Durres and then headed into the center of Albania to Berat, where I am writing from now. This afternoon, now that the sun is out for a bit, we will head to the coast of Albania and check out the beaches we've been hearing about. Then, we will make our way to Istanbul via northern Greece and continue to chase the sun.

Over the last three weeks I have had the great privilege to meet with a few incredible women in the field of childbirth. Lisa Forasacco, a midwife in Verona, Italy, introduced me to birth practices in Italy via a prenatal visit with a client and a tour of the center, Il Malengro, where women can access information and support for their pregnancy and after. In Durres, Albania I had the great fortune of meeting Alma Tedeschini, a gynecologist and Director of the Colposcopy unit at the maternity center in Durres. She stopped to see if we needed assistance with our directions and it turned out she owns a bed and breakfast as well! Unfortunately, it was full but she guided us to another hotel and then offered to meet with me and give me a tour of the maternity center the following morning. I was then able to meet two obstetricians, who were taking a brief break from a 24 hour labor, and then had to cut our interview short to prepare a patient for a cesarean delivery.

Birth is the same and so very different along my travels thusfar. It sounds simple, and it is in a lot of ways. I am looking forward to writing more about my observations in Italy and Albania soon; however, the sun is calling and we have to hit the road to make some good riding time this afternoon. I will write more soon....thanks to everyone for reading! Please feel free to comment as it's always nice to hear from you!

Interviews along the way

2010-05-18T23:23:00.000-07:00

This morning we are packing the bike and leaving Saubraz. We have been visiting our friends, Irene and Laurent, and their 5 month old son, Loic. I had hoped to interview Irene's midwive; however, as many of us know, sometimes babies have other plans and she had to attend a birth. We are driving towards Zurich this morning, with a stopover in Interlachen and then Lucerne, in the hopes of meeting up with a midwife there.

I have had the pleasure of interviewing many new mothers, expecting mothers, midwives, and doulas along the way thusfar. In Prague we stayed with Vlasta, one of the main coordinators and trainers for the Czech doula training organization. In the Czech Republic doulas are trained throughout a one year program and study with a mentor. In Neukirchem vorm Wald, near Passau, Germany I met with Frau Rastiker, an incredible midwife who is originally from Persia but has been working in Germany for the last 23 years. She welcomed me into her office and we spoke for hours about birth. It was quite fascinating and I learned that an OBGYN cannot attend a birth without a midwife in her area!!! They also give homeopathic remedies - IN THE HOSPITAL- for pain management during labor and provide acupuncture services as well. Ursula also shared that in the hospital her midwife applied a warm compress to her perineum to assist with the birth process. This compress was different than any I've ever seen in the states, however; because it was drenched in coffee which allows the blood vessels to dilate and eases the stretching process. I was undeniably impressed, to say the least.

From Poland we traveled to Brno, Czech Republic and then to Prague where we stayed with Vlasta. Then, we moved on to Neukirchem vorm Wald and spent a few days with Ursula and Stephen. On to BMW Welt in Munich for a day and then on to Darmstadt where we spent time learning about wine and more of the German culture from our friends Lina and Andreas. From Darmstadt we went to the Black Forest where we flowed in and out of the curvy mountain roads and the misty spring rain. We bathed in a bathhouse from 1870 in Baden-Baden and then camped in Freidburg. The next day we woke and drove directly to Switzerland and found ourselves waking the following morning to a symphony of cow bells at Irene's house in Saubraz.

After Zurich we will head to the biggest national park in Austria for some more good riding and then south to Verona, Italy where I will interview my friend and fellow doula, Lisa. Lisa is also a trained midwife and I am thrilled about all she has to share about birth in Italy.

Poland

2010-05-10T02:20:00.000-07:00

Admittedly, it's been more than ten days since I've updated all on our adventures. Since Sunday, May 2 we have been in 3 different countries (well, 4, if you count the wrong turn we made into Austria). We left the comfort of Kate and John's very warm and cozy six floor walk-up and drove into Poland. As soon as we crossed the border we were greeted with potholes in the road and stunning "fields of gold", which are really a crop on this side of the world that produces seeds for making oil and gas for tractors. Each time we flew over a hill and saw them I felt like Dorothy when she landed in Oz, after the invention of Technicolor. After six hours on the bike we landed in Auschwitz - much different than Oz. The museum was closed as it was already late in the evening so we found the backroads in search of a campsite. As the sun went down we decided to stop in a quaint little town called Kety and stayed at the local hotel since campsites seemed to be very few and far between in Poland. Inside, we found a knight in shining armor, literally, and reserved a room. The restaurant was midevil and we had dinner in a cave - a Polish traditional dinner of pike-perch and potatoes.

The next day we woke up early and went to Auschwitz. This is a journey that every human being should make at least once in their life. It was undeniably powerful and oddly there was a sense of peace there. Dandelions sprouted on grassy fields in between run down barracks and we spent the afternoon taking in as much as we could. There were definitely moments when I had to excuse myself from the tour to wait outside; especially, when the displayed mountains of women's and girl's hair was far too overwhelming to view for long. After the tour Jason and I had a pretty quiet day as we attempted to process our feelings. We did take some amazing pictures and hope to post them soon. That afternoon, we left our luggage in Kety and drove to Krakow. It was May 3 - Poland's constitution day - so we caught the tail end of a celebration and then had dinner at "Nostalgia". We were the only two there for awhile and then a couple walked in with their 3 week old daughter, Martha. I desperately wanted to speak to her about her birth experience in Poland; but, tried to respect what appeared to be their first night out after the baby. I did notice that when she breastfed at the table her husband came around and held up a blanket, even though it was only us in there. It was very sweet.

In the morning we left Krakow and headed back to Kety to pick up our luggage. We had heard the night before that there was a failed car bomb in NYC! Just before getting on the bike we noticed a package that had fallen off the back of a truck, we assumed, and the immediate response from both of us was that it may be a bomb. How sad it was to think about where the state of our world had led our thoughts; yet, despite the unrealistic idea that this package actually was a bomb, I still walked to the corner and had Jason pick me up there. I had enough frightening thoughts in my mind from the last few days that I decided it would be best. Needless to say, we made it safely to Kety and headed down the road to Czech Republic.

"Most animals don't know where they'll give birth until they go into labor" - Janet Balaskas, Director and Founder of Active Birth Centre, London, England

2010-04-30T09:53:00.000-07:00

At the moment my mind is overwhelmed by the amount of information I'd like to share here. Never again will I wait 10 days between posts as my mind/body can only soak up so much before needing to share.

Jason and I are now in Berlin where we've spent the last three days visiting with my very dear friend, Kate, and her husband, John. They have a beautiful apartment here (they have to walk up 118 steps to their 6th floor walk up!). We rented bicycles and made our way around the city. We saw pieces of the Berlin wall, Checkpoint Charlie, the Jewish Memorial, the Turkish market, and lots of other sites. As I was riding on the bike today we had to go onto the sidewalk, because of construction, and a very elderly man shoved me in such a way that I was knocked off my bike. He was not at all happy that we were on the sidewalk! I was shocked that an older man would do that to a woman; not to mention, really pissed off as well!

Yesterday we had a really great Vietnamese lunch with Adam Good ( a former roommate of mine and Kate's) and meet his lovely wife and his 2-year old daughter, Dora Kee. They livein a part of Berlin that is very similar to Park Slope in that there are strollers everywhere! We went to an organic farmer's market where we sampled some Austrian cheese (I wasn't so into it as it tasted exactly like what you think that horrid farm/cow manuer stench would taste like). There were some people at the market who were organizing an anti-rally against some neo-Nazi groups to prevent them from walking through their neighborhood tomorrow during the May 1 (labor day) day parade. Tomorrow is a major holiday here during which workers are given the opportunity to share their feelings about their legal rights (I don't really understand too much so far). Apparently, it can become very dangerous in the streets and it's the one day of the year when the police can do anything they want to anyone without any reprocussions. Clearly, we will be playing Scrabble all day inside tomorrow.

Before arriving in Berlin we were in Amsterdam from April 23-27. We were in Paris/Rouen before that for three days where we really focused on our "honeymoon" and enjoyed the romance of the city; so, I didn't meet with any birth professionals and decided to focus on being with my husband. We had a really great time and especially enjoyed the speedy elevator ride to the top of the Eiffel Tower.

On Friday, April 23, after spending about two hours packing up the bike (we're getting our timing down each time), we left for Amsterdam. The drive from Rouen to Amsterdam, via Brussels, took us a total of 10 hours; including 2 hours of stop-overs for lunch (at an adorable creperie in Amiens, France) and resting at a nice gas station/rest area in Brussels. It's an incredible feeling to drive from country to country. At each border there's a sign with the country's name in the middle of a circle of stars. It's much like when you're driving in the states and you see a billboard that says "Welcome to OHIO". There's no passport check or anything remarkable. The roads in Belgium were horrific so when we crossed over, from France, we knew immediately with the first pothole that we were in another country. However, as we passed the border into the Netherlands we were greeted with a beautiful sunset and 6 hot air balloons in the sky.

In Amsterdam we stayed in an extra room of an anti-squat apartment of our new friend, Molly. They have a policy there that if an apartment has been empty for a year anyone has the option to "squat" it and live there for free (yes, mom, I was very tempted to find a squat of my own!). Molly was asked by the landlord of this building to live in this house, since he doesn't have the money to renovate it now, and protect it from being squated. It's huge and since there are so many extra bedrooms Jason and I put down our sleeping mats (thank you Cynthia and Joanna!) and made ourselves at home.

Molly is the daughter of Jacky, an amazing doula/midwife/acupuncturist in Amsterdam, who is also our very dear new friend! Jacky and I were introduced via Angie Ferin, a very good friend of mine in NYC (who also happens to be a doula). When Angie lived in Amsterdam she had a son (Xavier - now 3yrs!) and Jacky was her doula. When I met Jacky I immediately understood why Angie chose her to be her doula and felt an instant chemistry myself with her. She was so friendly and generous and also a bit of a spitfire, especially when riding her scooter! On Sunday afternoon Jacky arranged a "Doula Tea Party" and invited many of her doula and midwifery colleagues. I met incredible women who shared with me about their experiences in Amsterdam and Holland. We compared birth experiences and statistics on csections/epidurals/episiotomies and, as many of my American friends can imagine, I was convinced to have a baby in Amsterdam! Seriously, they have about a 35% homebirth rate and midwifery care is very accessible. I learned so much more about their phenomenal system; but, will have to save those details for another time. While at the tea party in Jacky's garden (see my facebook page for pics - or I'll post them here soon) she pointed out where Xavier's placenta is buried! I got a picture just for you, Angie! Jacky also has written a book called "Pregnancy from A-Z" and I would highly recommend it! Jacky is South African so we're hoping to see her, and her very sweet husband, Badger, again in the fall.

I also had the great privilege of doing a postpartum visit with Jacky for a couple who gave birth on April 19 to a 10lb baby boy. That was a true blessing to be able to meet the "little" guy (and his very cool parents who have also traveled the world!). Leticia, his mother, was really sweet and clearly an extremely strong woman. She was visiting with her best friend, Patricia, who is also pregnant and due May 1. During that visit I interviewed Ruth, who was working for the family as a kraamzorg. A "kraamzorg" is the Dutch equivalent to a postpartum doula, except that EVERYONE gets one and it's covered by insurance. She comes to the home and focuses on the general health of mama and baby; specifically, breastfeeding. Everyone must have the minimum of a 3 hour visit with the kraamzorg and can have her for up to 24 hours over several weeks (I think this is correct; but, I'll have to go back and watch the video interview so don't quote me). Anyway - another amazing reason to give birth in Holland.

Lastly, just to back track a bit more, on Thursday, April 15 I had the great privilege to meet with Janet Balaskas, the pioneer behind "Active Birth" (for more information see her site at http://www.activebirthcentre.com/NEWpages/JANETB.html). She was very warm and welcoming and invited me to sit in on her "yoga for pregnancy" class that evening at the Active Birth Center in London. She described the class as "an environment and not a course" and shared her motivation to provide a "deconditioning and then a reconditioning" for the pregnant woman's body as she prepares for an "active birth". It immediately rang true for me and then even more strongly as I witnessed 12 women participate in the class. The class opened with the story of Sophie's birth, which Janet read from an email sent from a previous client. Typically, she has a former client come in and share her birth story. As she read the story it reminded me that there are often few opportunities for women to hear positive and empowering birth stories. The woman who wrote her birth story described running up Parliament Hill in London and using some of Janet's common suggestions for visualizations (all of which are practiced in the class repetitively) such as "my baby is moving down" and "my body knows how to give birth smoothly and easily". She also talked about using "belly breaths" and how this kept her going throughout her labor. Janet encouraged the women in her class to use what's instinctive to them and to move in instinctive ways. I stayed for a bit of the class myself and then waved goodbye to Janet and the 12 other women. Janet is offering a conference in Turkey on Active Birth in the end of May and I am really hoping that we will be there by then.

On Sunday we are leaving for Krakow, Poland to visit Auschwitz. While in Amsterdam we did go to the Anne Frank house and that was such a powerful experience that I can't even begin to imagine what it will be like to visit Auschwitz. We'll spend one day there and then head to Prague to visit with a doula I met at the DONA conference in 2009.

I'm an Auntie (again!) - Welcome Benjamin O'Brien Fulks!!!

2010-04-19T09:56:00.000-07:00

I guess my little nephew wanted to be on this "side" to follow his auntie's adventures and chose to be born yesterday, six weeks early (on the same day that we really began our trip)! My sister, Alysun, was visiting my other sister, Nicole, for a baby shower and, completely unexpectedly, her water broke!! She gave birth in a different hospital than she planned, two hours from her home, and both are doing beautifully! Ah, the unpredicatability of birth. Well, of life really. I am so proud of Alysun and inspired by her strength, belief in her body and the process, and in her incredible force in life! Not to mention, I can't wait to meet my nephew and am so excited to pick up some little European goodies for him.

Speaking of unpredictability, Jason and I are now in Brighton at our friend, Gillian's. We were hoping to visit her last week; but, she came down with the nosovirus (aka stomach flu). We decided to come this morning on our way to the Dover/Calais ferry. However, we took a few wrong turns and after about an hour and a half of round abouts in London we found the highway and made our way to the coast. Brighton is absolutely beautiful and we love it here! I keep finding all of these amazing places I'd like to live one day. The view out her front windows is of the water and the beach, all covered in rocks, and the back has a lovely terrace. Incredible really!

London was quite fun and then we spent a few days in the countryside in Darbyshire visiting some other friends that Jason had met on the road in South America. They've done the exact trip we're doing (only from south to north) and gave us all kinds of pointers. We've got perfect directions to a campsite in Egypt now (take a left at the pyramid). They treated us to a proper English cooked breakfast, afternoon creme tea, and a walk in the Peak District. We stopped along the way and took pictures of lambs, spray painted with the same number as their mother on their bellies.

Tomorrow we'll take the 12:15 ferry into northern France. We've been so lucky that we avoided all of the air travel problems and are hopeful that the ferry won't be jam packed with Europeans waiting to leave the UK or Brits trying to get in. I just heard on the radio that someone took a cab from London to Madrid. It took 13.5 hours and he had to keep stopping at ATM's along the way!

We woke up really early this morning and after about 2 hours of packing, hit the road for the first leg of our trip (London to Brighton). We drove for 3 hours before making it here. The ride was beautiful, the scenery incredible, and my trust in Jason and the road is growing more and more.

Just to really be sure I learned about birth in England a random cow (and I mean animal, not slang for a female!), on the road from London to Brighton, stood right in the middle of her field, hind legs spread wide apart squatting, and lifted her tail. Now, we were going at least 70mph; but, I am entirely convinced that she was about to give birth especially as she had a big bulging belly!

One can only dream....

Iceland and London

2010-04-14T02:04:00.000-07:00

It's Weds morning (or so I think after being somewhat disoriented) and we've just woken up from a lovely sleep at our friend's Nick and Jill's. Jason met them on his previous trip around South America, where they were riding two-up on their honeymoon as well. Now they have an adorable 18month old, Erin, and a 4x4 Land Rover that they're planning to use to go to Morocco soon. I had a bit of a talk this morning with Jill about her birth and birth, in general, in England. She shared that she had a water birth in a birth centre and that water birth is quite common here. A friend of hers had a homebirth, which seems more common than in the US. Her boss' wife used to be a doula; but, she shared that she hasn't heard of anyone using doulas yet.

We spent our 9 hour lay-over in Rykievek, Iceland yesterday. We had a good rest in the airport for a few hours after landing and then took a cab over to the Blue Lagoon. It's an amazing spa and geo-thermal pool. I had a massage while floating on a raft in the water by Sventen! It was absolutely relaxing and the perfect beginning to this adventure. However, the mineral water did quite a number on my hair and now, even after 3 conditionings, it still feels like straw. Let the hair issues begin....

We'll be here through the weekend and then off to France. \I have a meeting to meet with Janet Balaskas, Director of the Active Birth Centre, tomorrow and there's a doula here as well that I'm hoping to meet with towards the end of the week.

We'll post some pictures soon....

Franny goes on an adventure of her own

2010-04-10T15:03:00.000-07:00

We just said "goodbye" (or rather "see you very soon") to our chocolate lab, Franny. Our great friend, Glen, came to pick her up at our place. He barely had time to open the door of his truck before Franny jumped past him and headed for the passenger seat. She must've known something was up and was clearly very excited to be spending some time with him, his two cats, and his pet snake. I gave her a huge hug, she licked my face, I slipped her a rescue remedy pastille (and took one for myself), and sent her on her way. Tears flowed for a bit more as I thought about her as an 8 week old little puppy. I feel good, though, knowing that Glen is going to take great care of her while we're traveling. Here's to you, Fran!

The Countdown has begun...

2010-04-06T20:36:00.000-07:00

It's Tuesday night and I am having a challenging time going to sleep. The motorcycle was prepared for shipping today, so it's the clearest sign that this adventure is really happening. Well, that and the two final shots I received today for yellow fever and Polio. I'm filled with a multitude of emotions about our upcoming trip and I'm beyond thrilled to be writing my very first blog! I'm also really looking forward to sharing my journey with everyone. More to come....