Over the course of six months, I’ve met some incredible friends who I will miss very much. I’ve attached pictures of just a few of our adventures around Cape Town!! Luckily, the world is small, I know we will cross paths again and will definitely stay in touch:

• Bobby. Originally from Atlanta, who left his consulting job to volunteer for a year, with aspirations to start his own NGO (very talented and super fun guy

• Byron. Princeton Grad, working as a fellow for two years in the legal and external affairs group, with aspirations to return to the US and pursue his law degree (hysterical and always life of the party)

• Julia. Columbia Grad, and originally from Santa Barbara, working here for two years as an assistant to the Co-Founder. She has lived in Africa for about three years now, previously working in hospitals in rural Sierra Leone and Senegal.

• Tamsin. Originally from Australia, recently left m2m to go to attend Oxford on a full scholarship, she is so impressive! I became very close friends with her and her fiancé Markus and plan to visit them in Oxford or host them in New York soon. They are getting married next April in Cape Town!

• Other close friends were Princeton Fellows: Wenli (who now lives in NYC and getting her law degree at Columbia), Morgan (now getting her PhD and Masters in Public Health in North Carolina) and Hannah and Allie (both still at m2m). Franklin and Phil from Grassroots Soccer, an organization that teaches AIDS/HIV awareness through soccer programs in townships; South African’s Kitsi, Fumani, Linda, Andrew and Janine; and two close friends Felipe and Luciano, originally from Brazil, who I enjoyed hiking and exploring Cape Town nightlife with.

For more photos check out http://picasaweb.google.com/nicolenys/OutAndAbout & http://picasaweb.google.com/nicolenys/MuzenbergSurfKalkBayChapmansPeak &
http://picasaweb.google.com/nicolenys/Hermanus

Durban is a two hour flight north of Cape Town, east of Johannesburg on the coast of the Indian Ocean. Weather is a constant 75 degrees year round and the city is known for its laid back lifestyle, great surf and warm water (in contrast to the cool water of Cape Town on the Atlantic Ocean).

I was invited by my new friend Lloyd to spend a getaway weekend with his girlfriend and seven other friends on his private game reserve in Phinda, located about three hours north of Durban. Obviously my answer: Yes, a no-brainer! I met Lloyd through my friend Emily who visited back in April. They sat next to each other on her flight from New York to Johannesburg and apparently connected instantly…no, she normally does not pick up strange men on planes, ha. He joined us on a couple adventures in Cape Town while visiting his brother who lives there too. Long story short, we kept in touch and he is now a great friend who is also planning on visiting us in New York in September.

Another friend of mine Erica also lives in Durban so I decided to leave early and stay with her for a day. I know Erica through a mutual friend in New York and hungout with her last summer while she was taking classes at NYU.

Erica picked me up from the airport Thursday night. We arrived at her home and let me say it was palatial! She is staying with her Dad until the end of August when she moves to San Francisco to get her Masters. Her Dad is the general physician for South Africa’s President Zuma, wow. I’m sure he gets a lot of insight on the life of Zuma, who is very controversial and interesting character to say the least (e.g. he spent 10 years in prison on Robben Island, has gone to trial for corruption, fraud, rape and has three wives given he is from the Zulu tribe and practices polygamy. That night we had a nice casual dinner and didn’t do much except talk and catch up on each of our lives. The next morning we met Lloyd and one of his girlfriend’s friends at brunch at a beautiful ocean front hotel called the Oyster Box. We ate a lovely brunch outside overlooking the Indian Ocean. Afterwards, I said goodbye to Erica since she was going on a long yoga and meditation retreat for the weekend and could not join us.

Lloyd, Amy and I jumped in the car, picked up Lloyd’s girlfriend Allie and another guy Luke on the way and began our three day adventure in the bush!! The car was packed to the rim, not because we over-packed but because the boys loaded it up with boxes and boxes of food, wine, alcohol and freshly made brownies that Luke baked that morning. We drove for almost three hours, each mile more and more desolate. Paved roads turned into dirt roads, the shrubbery and bush got thicker and the temperature hotter. We finally arrive at his house, which was situated in the heart of the Phinda Game Reserve right on a lake. Unfortunately, no swimming in this lake…it’s full of fish, hippos and crocodiles oh my! The house had four huge bedrooms all adorned with safari amenities, an expansive deck and infinity pool.

While we luxuriated on the deck, Lloyd and Luke were busy in the kitchen. With Lloyd owning and restaurant and Luke as an Executive Chef at another restaurant, they were in their element. But before we could even get settled, we were off!! We hopped in Lloyd’s massive open air game driving land cruiser and hit the bush. From here on out, Lloyd was referred to as Ranger Dan. Since he grew up visiting the bush, he had a sixth sense out there. He was able to spot animals hiding in the bush, behind trees and way off in the distance. Of the course of the weekend, we made our way through different territory and came up close and personal with giraffe, white and black rhinocerous, elephants, lions, crocodiles, warthog, buffalo, zebra, kudu and springbok. The adrenaline rush hit when we were leisurely viewing an elephant when all of a sudden three lions jump out of the bush to chase a herd of Impala. Luckily for us, or me, we avoided witnessing any attack.

After every evening game drive, we would drive to a secluded area in the bush and enjoyed sundowners (aka South African for cocktails at sunset) and snacks like roasted nuts, biltong (similar to beef jerky) and dried mango. We were definitely spoiled by Ranger Dan and Luke the entire weekend. They also cooked us gourmet meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I’m not talking ham and cheese sandwiches and spaghetti. More like fillet mignon, roasted chicken and Italian sausages on the braai (South African for barbeque), rigatoni with pesto chicken roasted vegetables, linguine with garlic shrimp and mussels, grilled pork tenderloin, and unlimited amounts of delicious wine and cocktails…unbelievable, boys!!

Although it was incredible staying in the bush and seeing National Geographic come to life, the best part of the whole weekend was meeting new friends. This group was so much fun and definitely entertaining!! Thank you Erica and Ranger Dan for your generosity and hospitality….I definitely have a wonderful impression of Durban and am looking forward to coming back one day!

For more pictures, see http://picasaweb.google.com/nicolenys/DurbanAndPhinda

I don’t need to say it, you can see for yourself that Cape Town is conducive to those who love playing outdoors…me!! It seemed like there were always people running on the seaboard, hiking, surfing, biking, paragliding, or sailing. I thought California was a nature lover’s paradise, which it is, but Cape Town took it to a whole other level. Some people are even extremists, and no I’m not trying to follow suit. Take my boss for example. This year alone, he biked in the Cape Argus (100 mile bike race up and around steep mountains), ran the Two Oceans Ultra Marathon (36 mile run), completed the South Africa Iron Man (one of the toughest competitions in the world…4 mile swim, 100 mile bike race, plus a Marathon!!) and wrapped the summer up with the Comrades Marathon (56 mile race –only for the insane at heart).

Since I love running outdoors, it was heaven, with the ocean in my front yard, a running path that went on for miles along the coast and Table Mountain as the backdrop. Table Mountain is not just a beautiful view, it’s hikable too (not sure if this is a word, but it works).

Table Mountain

Its named Table since it has a two mile flat plateau surrounded by steep cliffs. It curves around Cape Town, so from the city you’ve got the ocean on one side and incredible beautiful mountain on the other. It peaks at 3500 ft above sea level.

Hiking this mountain was not for the faint of heart. Hikes ranged anywhere from a couple hours to six hours, or longer if you decide to camp. I hiked this mountain about four times, all of them with friends who were WAY more experienced than me, who were able to lift me when rock walls were too steep, figure out paths just by looking at rock placement (since there were few signs), and who always managed to have an extra water or snack supply.

Part of the mountain had inclined trails, but the majority was rock scrambles, vertical rock walls and lots of exposure...treacherous!! Signs were posted “WARNING: Extremely dangerous route with steep rock climbing and difficult navigation. DO NOT attempt this route if inexperienced. Use at own risk.” Other than bungee jumping and sky diving, this was the scariest adventure challenge of my life. Especially five minutes of one hike where I thought my life was at stake…later to find out two people died at that same spot a year earlier. Luckily, I was smart enough to know my limits and was extremely careful. I know it’s not as accessible, but hopefully I can hit up some hiking in New York or California, since I’ve invested in new hiking shoes and a sweet backpack!

Lion’s Head

There is also Lion’s Head which is a mountain right next to Table which peaks at 2200 ft above sea level and has views of Table Bay on one side and Atlantic Ocean on the other. This hike signified my welcome and bon voyage, since I did this on my first and last weekends in Cape Town. The hike is a little over an hour each way, with a portion of it on a steep incline and most of it with semi challenging rock scrambles. There are also chains you can climb at two different junctures. Once you get to the top, the views are unbelievable. Often times, we would do this after work or before going out on the weekend just in time to watch the sunset as you climb down. The best time to do it is on a full moon, when the sun sets and the moon rises simultaneously, beautiful.

Scuba Diving!!

Although I was certified in Costa Rica almost four years ago, I decided since I have a scuba diving haven in my backyard why not pursue my advanced license!! Additionally, I already had one test under my belt which I had to take on a dive excursion in Mozambique to see the Giant Manta Rays. The only downside, was diving in extremely cold temperatures. When I say extreme, I mean low 50s. To give you an idea, usually I dive with a 3mm wetsuit…here they made me wear two 5mm wetsuits, so 10mm total. I was like that little kid in the Christmas Story who could barely move.

The certification entailed taking five written exams and five dives with a dive master, including underwater navigation (using a standard compass to calculate your direction/path and a dive computer to measure your depth / air consumption), underwater naturalist (fish and plant identification), deep dive (using unique equipment and safety measures at a specific depth), shipwrecks (understanding how to navigate them and unique obstacles/protection laws), and night dive (unique equipment and navigation).

The best experience was definitely the night dive. It was scary at first, but once I was under it was fine. The moon illuminated everything and gave you a whole new perspective at night. The kelp beds and jellyfish were glowing and the lobster, massive crabs and eels were out to play. I even made friends with a huge seal, who apparently loves divers. We swam through caves where strangely this certain species of fish like swimming upside down. The whole thing was pretty surreal.

Thanks to William and Jacques at Pisces Divers and to Sandra, my dive partner.

For more photos, see http://picasaweb.google.com/nicolenys/HikingTableMountainLionSHeadScubaDiving

Um, what happened to the last month of my life? Oh wait...World Cup happened. As anticipated, my life was taken over by World Cup and surprisingly, I loved every moment of it. The energy in the city from day one was incredible.

I had the fan fest around the corner from my office, the pleasure (and sometimes displeasure) of hearing the games streaming from the oversized screens, game day concerts (including a performance by R Kelly...this country is obsessed with him, huh?), humming of thousands of vuvuzelas and certifiably insane fans. Speaking of vuvus, I hope my hearing is not permanently damaged.

Every day was a celebration...imagine colourful painted faces (and bodies), waving flags from around the globe, impromptu dancing and singing, and some creative fans including the French who mounted their flags in French baguettes, Dutch dressed in traditional blue delft pottery costumes (but most in blinding bright orange), fans from Mexico adorning Sombreros, Brazilians in festive Carnival attire...the list could go on.

Mothers2Mothers did an incredible job catering to the World Cup experience and recognizing that it is a once in a lifetime experience for staff. They held a World Cup Opening Day Celebration where people were encouraged to dress in soccer attire supporting their favorite team or native country. They served cake in the shape of soccer balls and hosted a traditional soccer dance competition. They brought in a popcorn machine and foosball table for the entire month. Colleagues were also awarded a day off to view games of their choice. Grassroots Soccer, a local non-profit organization which uses soccer as a vehicle for educating youth about AIDS/HIV, donated over 500 tickets to our site coordinators and mentor mothers who could not afford to attend otherwise.

Despite concerns that it would be a failure, South Africa proved the world wrong by being very well organized!! Seriously not sure how they pulled it off. I remember a week before it started roads were being paved, structures being built, employees going on strike, homeless people on the street....and within days all of that was cleared up.

I attended four games including France vs. Uruguay, Netherlands vs. Cameroon, England vs. Algeria and a round of 16 game Spain vs. Portugal. Being in the stadium was so surreal. Magically, the people who hooked me up with tickets always had the best seats...either first or second section mid-field every time. Other than watching the game, I entertained myself by people watching and performing Shakira’s Waka Waka dance (if you don’t know, check it). PS, have you checked out the soccer players? They are some of the most attractive athletes in the world. Like I said, even if you don’t enjoy the sport there is fun for everyone!

Overall, it was an amazing experience and I really only have a few requests for next time. Dear FIFA, please serve something other than Budweiser...preferably, a full bar with a mixologist and since it will be in Brazil, fresh Caipirinhas would be nice; next, please try not to confiscate the cap to my beer...the cap is not dangerous, the beer is; last, if you need any assistance in the locker room, let me know!

Unfortunately the US didn’t make it past round of 16, however they played incredibly well against other international power players. The game where US scored a goal in overtime against Algeria to secure a position in round of 16, versus being eliminated, was one of the best moments! It seemed like the entire town was rooting for the US and at that moment you could hear screams everywhere. That night, streets were filled with US supporters, waving flags, singing Bon Jovi and Bruce Springsteen among other iconic American bands.

If I wasn’t attending a game, there was likely a braai (which is South African for barbeque) or some other party or event going on to celebrate. I know, I wasn’t a total lush this whole month. I still got my job done, actually doing three times as much work as agreed to in my objectives, and stayed active. Speaking of active, I have to tell you about these crazy hikes and dives I’ve been doing but will save that for later.

Overall, it was an amazing and surreal experience that I will never forget!!

For all photos, go to http://picasaweb.google.com/nicolenys/WorldCup#

Three years ago, while on a weekend excursion from an assignment in Johannesburg I missed the opportunity to visit Robben Island due to poor weather conditions, so given I am back and this time for six months, I wasn’t about to forfeit the opportunity again. Lillian, another Pfizer Global Health Fellow who is on assignment at the Center for Disease Control in Zambia, was in town and decided to accompany me on this historical journey.

After spending several hours with Lillian that weekend, I heard many interesting...actually scary stories about her experience in Zambia so far. Just to share a few: she works at a lab on the hospital premises and has seen several cases of people dropping deceased off on the sidewalk then walking or driving off (she suspects they are family members who cannot take care of funeral costs and don’t know what to do with them); she has seen people carrying unprotected blood samples in test tubes (which more than likely are infected with HIV/AIDS) in their pockets and purses while in transition between buildings; she’s observed washing of potentially contaminated equipment with undistilled water, when a filter can be purchased for less than $25. There is also a case of a broken water pipe, where they’ve been hauling buckets of water from another building for over a year...also a fix that costs less than $20. On another note, she also has a very peculiar boss. She is a female in her late forties who has been accompanied by several different boys in their early twenties to work events, presumably as her date. She’s also asked Lillian to take “sexy” photographs of her for her boyfriend(s), luckily with all of her clothes on...imagine if that happened in the states! Ok, enough of that but you get the point. After hearing her stories, I feel more than lucky to be here. However, it does paint a picture for how some of these institutions in rural areas and/or poor countries operate and how even the simplest of things we may take for granted (...a $25 filter) can be considered too expensive, compromising quality and sanitation.

Sorry to digress...back to Robben Island. For those of you living in a bubble, here’s a brief history lesson for you to set the scene. Robben Island, Dutch for Seal Island, is situated about five miles off the coast of Cape Town. Funny, I grew up in Seal Beach. Anyway...back to the lesson. It was home to one of the most infamous prisons, where Nelson Mandela along with many other political prisoners spent decades imprisoned during the apartheid era. The island was also a leper colony in the 1800’s, then used for training and defence in World War II. In 1961, a prison was established where political prisoners and criminals were sent until the prison was shut down in 1997. It’s now a memorial and World Heritage Site.

For years, Mandela was an anti-apartheid activist and leader of a militant wing of the African National Congress (ANC). Apartheid was a shocking system of racial segregation enforced by the government in South Africa between 1948 and 1994. The government classified its people into four racial groups: white, black, colored (mostly mixed race) and Indian. One of the strangest classifications were Asians, where the government classified descendents of Asian countries with poor government relations as colored (e.g. China) and those where the government had strong relations (e.g. Japan, Taiwan and Korea) as white. The government provided inferior services to colored and Indian people and even more inferior services to black people as compared with whites. Apartheid meant segregated education, medical care, public services, forced removal from designated residential areas, prohibited mixed marriages, passport ineligibility and other inequalities. This obviously sparked significant resistance over the next forty plus years and resulted in series of brutal uprisings and protests.

In 1961, Mandela became leader of the ANC’s militant wing which advocated radical Black Nationalist programs. He coordinated sabotage campaigns against government targets and raised funds for a possible guerrilla war. He planned to bomb government offices, however claimed that it would be done in a way that didn’t cause harm or death.

In 1962, he was arrested and convicted of sabotage and conspiracy to help other countries invade South Africa, and sentenced to life in prison. During his plea, he said “During my lifetime I have dedicated myself to the struggle of the African people. I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die." While in prison, his reputation grew and he became widely known as the most significant black leader in South Africa.

There were years of violence and police brutalities. In the 80’s, foreign investors began to withdraw from South Africa and there was global resistence against apartheid. In 1990, Mandela was released from prison.

Apartheid came to an end in 1994 after a series of negotiations, many of which were initiated by Mandela. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993 as a result of his work and was later elected as President in 1994, where he won international respect for his advocacy of reconciliation.

Unfortunately, Apartheid is nowhere close to being a distant memory. In fact, I hear racial references almost daily and read about articles about racial tension or violence on a surprisingly frequent basis. In fact, the murder of a very prominent white farmer occurred here just a couple months ago which most people believe was committed by members (or liaisons) of the ANC. And closer to home...last October, our finance group was split into two floors as a result of racial tension between black and colored South Africans. The other day, after the South African soccer team won their game against France, I asked my taxi driver who was born and raised here if he was excited...his angered response “no they are racist against us colored people, I wish they lost the game”...referring to the fact that they only recruit black south Africans. This week, I overheard a colleague of Xhosa descent verbally degrading a woman for taking time out of her day to say her prayers (she is South African, but of Indian descent and Muslim). I suppose that it takes a lot of education, a shift in culture/thinking and time for this to completely subside but it still surprises and saddens me to hear these comments.

Sorry to digress again, but hopefully that puts the significance of Robben Island into perspective.

Our journey began on aboard a boat, which departed the Cape Town waterfront and sped towards the island about thirty minutes away. From the dock, we boarded a bus headed towards the prison entrance. We passed a leper gravesite which was eerie to say the least. We also stopped at the limestone quarry where most prisoners worked several hours a day. Many prisoners lost their eye sight as they slaved daily for twenty years or more, hammering white limestone under the hot sun. We also saw the small cave they had used as a toilet, which also served as a secret meeting place where private discussions were held out of sight from wardens. We saw where prisoners used to bury things they made, collected or illegally smuggled, including paper torn from cement bags to record their stories and ideas. These scraps would later contribute to Mandela’s manuscript for the Long Walk to Freedom.

After a very short ride, we arrived at the prison gate and were greeted by our guide who was a former inmate. We walked under the stone archway, the same path the prisoners took back in the day. Inside the prison, we walked along the concrete floor passing prison cells no more than five square meters, rusted iron bars and walls with eroded paint. There was stillness in the air as people walked down the narrow corridor. Most of the cells were open and bare, except for pictures of its former inmates with dates of their sentencing and either a story of their experience or a direct quote. Some cells even contained inmate’s belongings, including shoes and a belt which was made by a prisoner over a period of fifteen years from smuggling fishing net he collected at the limestone quarry. The average time spent there was twenty-five years or more. They told stories of witnessing beatings, plans for escape, physical suffering, but mostly stories of hope for the future. We also saw where the prisoners showered and had their meals. The menus differentiated based on both the prisoners’ crime and race.

Our guide, and former inmate, told his stories with a sense of pride. He said that his time in prison was spent fighting for the rights of his people and that he felt he played a role in collectively making South Africa a better place to live today. He thanked us for coming and wished us a peaceful life.

For more pictures...visit: http://picasaweb.google.com/nicolenys/RobbenIsland

With only 15 days to go, World Cup is taking over this city....literally. It is the biggest sporting event the country has ever seen and while most people are ecstatic, the cynical ones are waiting to watch the city get crushed. Almost $500 million has been invested in Cape Town infrastructure alone, with the building of Green Point Stadium, restaurants and hotels and extensive improvements to roads, sidewalks and transportation. In fact, there are restaurants popping up in my neighbourhood overnight (no joke!!). On my way to work yesterday, my taxi driver looked me and said...”was that there yesterday?” and I said “nope”. Turns out they built the thing with wood and plastic overnight (not really sure if this is a temporary establishment or if it’s safe, I guess the tourists will never know...). Construction is not even close to being finished and some logistical issues remain...hope they can work wonders in 15 days. To that end, its strike season which could turn into a disaster. Last week, the trains weren't running at all. Now, power utility workers are threatening blackouts during the World Cup if they don't get a pay raise.

Further, FIFA has been widely criticized with its management of ticket distribution in Africa. The majority of South Africans don't have access to the internet or own credit cards and therefore effectively didn't have an opportunity to purchase tickets until a few weeks ago (as opposed to the rest of the world who have had over a year to do so). There also seems to be confusion around why worldwide ticket sales are low. Not too hard to figure out. First, airfare to Africa and even between African countries has doubled, hotel costs are at a premium, and there are numerous challenges with obtaining a visa, not to mention economic instability. Additionally, there were major faults with the website. It’s actually crashed numerous times since tickets became available, didn’t process credit cards correctly and had misrepresented ticket availability. After attempting myself for months, last weekend a friend of mine was able to get me tickets to the opening game in Cape Town, between France and Uruguay. Through other connections, I may also be going to Netherlands and Cameroon and even the Semi Finals. If not...I’ll be attending the braais (South African for barbeque) and after parties.

My life is about to turn upside down for the next month. First, my apartment is less than a mile away from the stadium and on the main road, so yes I anticipate fans and partiers alike to be parading right in front of my apartment all day every day. Second, my gym is next door to the stadium and the nicest one in Cape Town so I expect visitors, players and/or family members to be taking over. Third, the ‘fan zone’ has been set up directly across the street from my work with HUGE TV screens, tents and kiosks everywhere. Expectations are that either we won’t be able to get to work with traffic/people or if we do happen to get here, it will be so loud we won’t be able to hear each other talk (walls/windows are so thin you, the noise outside echoes throughout the office). Despite potential issues on the horizon, I am very excited!!

As part of the anticipatory World Cup buzz, South Africa has a little tradition of wearing soccer jerseys on Friday. Not everyone does this, of course, but on Fridays you can see at least a few people walking around wearing the yellow Bafana Bafana jersey with pride and enthusiasm. Bafana Bafana is the South African soccer team, which means “the boys, the boys”. People here are excited even if their allegiances are with other teams, and it’s undeniable that the event is fostering a sense of national unity.

So...I’ve been anticipating this moment, the chance to visit a clinic and actually see the mission of m2m come to life!! Last week, I had the opportunity to visit a clinic in the Mfuleni Township about 25 miles from Cape Town.

That morning, we had the chance to speak with the founding director Mitch about our impending visit. He reminded us that almost every minute of every day, a baby is born with HIV. The greatest tragedy is that with simple inexpensive and often free treatment, mother-to-child transmission of HIV is almost entirely preventable. However, there are still significant gaps that need to be addressed particularly in areas where there are overburdened healthcare systems, social stigmas, and lack of access to proper healthcare. m2m works within the healthcare system to provide mothers and their families with the education, emotional and psychosocial support they need...what the doctors and nurses in clinics are unable to provide. By employing HIV+ women, who have successfully completed the program, run the program it empowers these women and demonstrates to new clients that it is possible for them to live long and healthy lives. He also shared a short video with us which can also be seen at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TiDBMIWEAu8.

After navigating through a labyrinth of tin-roofed shacks, we make our way to the clinic. This is the sole clinic in a township of over 7,000 and employs approximately 1 doctor and 14 nurses...almost unbelievable.

We entered the building and passed a small waiting area overflowing with patients, mostly pregnant women and women with their newborns. There were roughly thirty to forty people in the waiting area and surprisingly, I didn't see one healthcare professional. Inside, we were greeted by the site coordinator Funeka and four mothers and their six-week old babies. The babies had been brought in to receive their first HIV test.

I anticipated the mood to be solemn, but in contrast the women were laughing and smiling, seemingly in high spirits. The camaraderie was tangible and there was a sentiment that they were survivors together with a great possibility that their newborns were HIV-. One woman was brave enough to stand up and tell her story which commanded our undivided attention. She learned she was HIV+ about five years ago when she was tested at a clinic early in her first pregnancy. She thought it would never happen to her. “I thought it was the end of the world. I lay in bed for days and cried myself to sleep. I was so afraid to tell anyone, especially my husband”. She expressed that the program not only taught her about treatment, but it also provided a support group, new friendships and hope. She also serves as an informal mentor in her community.

After she finished telling her story, she asked if I could hold her baby while she ate her sandwich. I was honored. The most difficult part of the day was actually leaving the clinic. I was moved by the power and strength of these women and hope they can inspire others willing to listen. For some pretty amazing pictures check out Picasa @ http://picasaweb.google.com/nicolenys/Mothers2MothersSiteVisit#