Interview - Clare Schnurr

Why are you climbing Kilimanjaro?

The physical challenge appeals to me. I want to see if I am capable of pushing myself mentally when physically I may be screaming to stop. There comes a deep satisfaction with pushing oneself to one's limits.

What are your personal goals related to the climb?

The climb or the expedition? I find the most appealing part of this journey is the community involvement at Awet school and the opportunity to leave something behind that will have a positive outcome on that community. hurray for CPAR an Ben and Shauna!

Another personal goal would be to reconnect with my husband without the influences of kids. So often now we are busy on activities focused on our children and our time to sit and spend quiet time together disappears. This will be the best part of this adventure.

What’s the funniest/strangest thing that’s ever happened to you?

I was stung by a scorpion once. Rather surreal - I was living in the Gambia west Africa as a volunteer with Canadian crossroads and I was invited up to the Commissioners house one evening with some colleagues to watch TV - the only TV in the district. En route, I felt a pinprick in my ankle and Nana, my colleague, whipped her flip-flop off and "thump" squished the small black scorpion that had stung me. Then about face and a 20 min walk to the health station. By the time I got there the pain in my right ankle had travelled up to my groin and was starting down my left leg. I was sweating and the tears were starting to flow. The health nurse was in another village so I was seated on a bench to wait. An elderly man noticed my pain and came over, placed his prayer mat in front of me, prostrated himself down and began to pray. An elderly woman began fanning my face. Soon the health aid arrived, pulled out a vial of anti-toxin, jabbed it into my now numb ankle and within 2 heartbeats the pain was completely gone. Nana pulled me to my feet and we set off to the Commissioner’s house again - no way she was missing out on this invitation. I sat of cushioned chairs, drink in hand, eating popcorn and watching Dallas for the next hour, unable to focus as I reflected on what was to me a near death experience that seemed to be just part of the daily events of life in Africa. It was pretty surreal.

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