What's city life like for a GSV in Kota Kinabalu? I can't take pictures to show you what it's like here at the crisis center (unlike at the girls' hostel, where I took pictures galore), so I thought I would try to give you some written glimpses of what life has included the last several weeks. Pretend these are captions to pictures :)
- Playing Rummikub and Rummy with the women here is a favorite pastime for all of us. It's especially exciting when you're playing to pass the time til L. has to go to the hospital to give birth to her baby. L. stopping regularly to double over in pain as we can see the contractions going through her body.
- Making mandalas during a workshop with the women. D.'s is my favorite, with a picture of a waterfall, trees, birds, and fish. She explains that she often blames herself for what happened to her, but that right now she is calm and strong, like the waterfall.
- Hearing from fellow staff Pauline, a mother of three, about how she went to keep D. company at the labor room and wanted to faint because of all the crying, blood, and tearing.
- Seeing D. back here lying on her side in bed looking at her beautiful baby lying next to her. Emanating, manifesting, radiating love.
- Fellow staff Pat cutting her toenails on the office floor while 5 other staff chatter back and forth, count receipts, type away on the computers. That's the reality of living where you work!
- Looking for C. who had just arrived today. She jumped the gate and ran away. I can only imagine what it's like to come to this place for the first time and feel that you're giving your life up. Among the hundreds of other emotions. Overwhelming.
- Pauline telling me "Here Lara, try to breastfeed baby R.! Just try! Just let baby suck and something will happen." Oh Pauline, so silly, so grateful for you for keeping things light in this place.
- F. dancing during my sing-along/dance workshop (I don't know who decided it would be a good idea for me to lead these, but I do and love it). F.'s inner diva came out and she just let loose. She said she likes to dance but had forgotten how. Seems like she remembered quite quickly!
- Malay lesson with J. who can barely read and write. No, I'm not teaching anyone how to speak Malay! But I had a lot of thoughts about the intricacies of language and literacy and education during these 45 minutes. We went back and forth - me calling out the basic Malay words that I know and she carefully sounding, spelling, and writing them out. It's so interesting to think that even though I am so new to Malay, I can read it better than J. who is the fluent speaker. It's exciting to think that maybe J. will leave here more literate, especially with the help of English teacher Maureen.
- Doing an 80s style aerobics video with the women. The aerobics instructors in the video are 3 women in black, purple, and teal spandex - and pregnant bellies. Moves include "Tummy rub!" and "Jazz step!"
- Watching music videos on an MTVAsia series called "OK Karaoke!" They show music videos with the lyrics at the bottom, karaoke style. I now know that Adele is in fact saying "Sometimes it LASTS in love, but sometimes it hurts insteaaaaaad." I also now know that it's really really hard to sound out Korean words with the alphabet (there are a lot of Korean music videos on MTVAsia).
- Going to a candlelight vigil the last two weeks in support of the UN 16 Days of Action Against Violence Against Women. Made some really good friends, had some really good times. At the last vigil, my two new friends Carrey and Elton, who are vocal musicians, started belting, Broadway style, "Feliz Navidad" and "Price Tag" - "WE DON'T WANT YOUR MONEY, MONEY, MONEY, we just wanna make the world daaaance."
- Talking to a group of Filipino workers at the first night of the vigil. They were standing outside at the plaza we were at, taking a break from their massage parlor job. Two new Malaysian friends, June and Anne, are also half Filipina and we bonded with them over Filipino pride. Anne told me later about how immigrant workers like them are exploited and often forced to perform other sorts of jobs in those places.
- On a precious day off (we work a 6-day week) I went to the mall alone to buy mainly toiletries like soap and shampoo, but also, Ellen's new book "Seriously...I'm Kidding"!! So excited. Went to a lunch place called Havana and ordered a yummy burrito that came with french fries and was delicious, read my book, laughed out loud by myself. To top it all off, there was a group having a gathering and after they finished lunch they stood up at the entrance of the cafe and started singing Christmas carols. After they sung a couple songs, they went to everyone in the restaurant to shake hands and say "Merry Christmas." I was very amused and very happy with that.
That's all for now. Wishing you all some peace and joy in these December weeks. I'm definitely not in a wintery environment, but I am feeling the reflection/renewal/rebirth that is indicative of this time of year. Til next time! Peace and love out.
Happy 2012! Courtney, myself, and my two friends Allison and Estela, who are visiting for a week, had an awesome night here at the Seri Murni Crisis Shelter with 7 lovely women and 3 babies. Our festivities included a yummy fried chicken dinner, watching a concert and countdown in Kuala Lumpur on TV, making party hats, cheering and hugging each other when the clock struck, a Shirley Temple toast, delicioso brownies from our very own baker Courtney Ghirardelli, ice cream, and Goldfish crackers (supplied by Allison and Estela). It was the perfect way to welcome this new year.
