Green Light

Dear all
I am very excited to share the good news after a week of stress. I finally got  the Green Light, I can travel to Bujumbura this weekend! I did not get the visa but instead I got a travel document signed by PAFE(Immigration)Burundi.

The Batwa Local Organisation that invited me for Batwa Education worked really hard to arrange this for me up, and they managed to arrange this today. With this piece of paper I can get visa at Bujumbura Airport. A big thank you to my friends in Burundi!

Well , I am so glad I don't have to reschedule my program in Bujumbura.I am writing now while I am travelling to LOndon for a Hiv documentary.Tomorrow evening I will be back, pack my bags and then leave for Burundi in Saturday. So exciting.

I will keep you posted as promised. Have a great evening!

Peace,
Eliane

A day of Confusion

My day started very beautifully. I was told that my Burundi visa was ready and that i could fetch it at the Embassy in the Hague. So I woke up earlier to make it on time since they open from 9h till 12h. I had my day well planned to make sure I would be back home for a conference call from 13h.

When I entered the room, the receptionist, that I spoke on the phone earlier this week and told me my visa was ready, was very confident to find my passport quickly. She started searching my passport and sowly I saw her eyes widening, focusing on so many list like she never did before. I was very patient and confident that i would return with my visa.

After many long minutes, looking at all those lists,  she had to confess to me that my visa was not yet ready.  How did you manage to confirm my visa twice on phone  and even give me the right time to fetch it? She said "I am sorry, I confused you with someone else". I was speechless for a moment. I don't have the same family names with that person, not even the same name and age. Yeah being angry was no options because I would close all doors!

Before i caught my train I wanted to relax and spoil myself with a good Latte Macciato from Starbucks. Guess what happened? they also managed to confuse my name , Eliane became Eliani. What a confusing day of my life!

So now I am home without a visa , my last chance is next Wednesday. I will keep you informed, for now we keep our fingers crossed to have my visa in time. Never give up hope...

Have a good weekend.
Regards,
Eliane

Always Myself

Hello everyone.
While waiting for the news on my visa, I choose to share a little bit of my life at begining of my hiv. I was just looking at my old album foto and when i saw this picture, it reminded me of the first week of my hiv treatement. I was diagnosed in Luanda, Angola, with Bad news that i was going to die and not even allowed to have children.The Doctor in Luanda sent me home without prescription so i could not buy any medication anywhere. My husband was my guardian Angel he supported me and took me in Pretoria in South Africa to see a doctor .

I came back to Malange in Angola, where my husband was going for work. I have to start over a new life in making new contacts and try to socialize with people around me. It was hard to find people who speak French English or Swahili.Forget about Kirundi there was no chance!
I decided to start my medication after the 2004 new year party. It was not easy , i did not want to smell garlic, or chicken. I did want to smell or drink a single drop of beer for at least 4 months.

But after my first week of treatement, we decided to go for a pick nick at the Kangandala Waterfalls with a small family of my husband colleague. It was a beautiful place to be. I totally forgot even the whole hiv story. It was amazing to be in the nature. We had a great day we took beautiful foto which I am sharing with you. I tried to see the difference between this foto and the one taken last week with my friends in Groningen. I realize i am stil the same happy, energetic happy girl. My conclusion is hiv does not define me!I am who I am and I will always be the same.

Have a great week.
Regards,
Eliane.