Dumelang Abantu!!!!!!!!!!!

I know, I know, it’s been a looong time since I’ve updated my blog….but I have a really good excuse….I’ve been serving as a Peace Corps Trainee (PCT) in South Afrika! Enough said! Thus far, I’m really enjoying myself and am attempting to soak up as much as possible from this experience! I’ve made many friends within both the NGO (Non-Governmental Organization) and Education groups, but unfortunately, contact between the two groups is limited to random meetings at the local shopping plaza. During a much needed and sought after safari to the local shopping center, to upload on the essential items of any PCT (toilet tissue, potato chips, KFC, chocolate, power adapters, etc.), you see people that you know you should know, but haven’t seen in a while…SA-EDU Trainees! Just in case you need an example…so that you can relate to the experience…it’s like running into people you haven’t seen since college at the local Publix (or Shoprite as the case may be). I’m sure my fellow PCTs would liken it to smelling a home cooked meal after being forced to consume cafeteria food during freshman year of college.

In addition to making friends within the Peace Corps group, I’ve made many friends within my local community! Specifically, I’ve integrated very well into my host family and extended family! I’m learning Setswana…although the people in this area primarily speak Ndebele…this is Peace Corps people! My host family has been helping me learn Setswana…even though their primary language is Swazi…hmm. My host mother is great! She makes me laugh all of the time and that really helps to keep from getting homesick! I have family up the street and host brothers/cousins/uncles/aunts that live “on that side” (next door). They are all very protective of me and have so graciously included me into their warm and loving family! Some of my fellow trainees have had ups and downs with their families, but everyone seems to be settling in nicely.

As far as my average day goes, let’s just say that it leaves very little room for personal time or space. I wake up to my morning bucket bath at 6:30am…warm water provided by the tea kettle. My host cousins usually walk with me to school, as their high school is right next to mine. Monday through Friday, I attend language training in Setswana with six other NGO trainees, from 8am to 10 or 10:30am. After language class, we all attend sessions with guest speakers that talk about a range of topics related to NGOs, HIV/AIDS, gender based violence, just to name a few. These “technical sessions” have been hosted in the community “old age center.” We generally have 5 minute (10 to 15 minutes is more like it) breaks throughout the day, and have lunch around 12 or 12:30pm. I live so close to class that I usually walk home for lunch. I either end up eating last night’s leftovers or a PBJ (boy, a PBJ never tasted so good) with the salt & vinegar chips I picked up at the store (aka “tuck shop”). After lunch, it’s back to “tech sessions” until 4 or 5pm. After 5pm, I’ll either hang out with my PC friends and their host families, or hang out with my host cousins until my mom comes home from work.

One of the fun things to do, while waiting for my mom to come home, is explore the community in which I live. This usually consists of climbing one of the many beautiful hills that surround the town. If you take a walk up one of these hills, you seemingly escape to a whole other world full of peaceful silence and a stunning panoramic view. I wish my camera could capture the feeling and the view, but unfortunately digital cameras aren’t that advanced yet.

Ok…now to the fun stuff. Here are just a few things I’ve learned/experienced as a South Afrika-15 NGO Trainee:

Number of Shabeens (bars) immediately surrounding my house that bump music until 5ish am: 3 and counting.

I live in a town with a name no one (not even those who’ve lived here all of their lives) can either spell or say correctly.

Some roosters have a beautiful cock-a-doodle-doo…the rest…you’ll want to tell them to shut up!

My host brother is digging a new hole for the brand new pit latrine, because the current one is full…think about that one!

If you stare at a cow, it will stare back at you! If you stare at a male goat, it may charge you!

Letters I’ve sent to Freckle-maine with the wrong address that he will never receive: 2

Time of day that, according to my host mother, is unsafe to walk on the street in front of my house (or on one of the many hills atop my village, or when one of my host cousins/brothers acts up, or when walking to or from school) because “the Totsi (thugs) will get you!”: Morning, Noon, Night.

Number of people you attract when attempting to hand wash your clothes, that tell you how bad you are at it: at least 5.

You find yourself struggling to keep your eyes open at 8pm, and you and your fellow PCTs discuss how that was staying up “late.”

You watch the same news broadcast in 3 or more languages throughout the evening.

You either get addicted to the soap opera “Generations” or WWF, or both.

Water is not pronounced “water”, it’s pronounced “Wotah.”

At 1 am, you can hear a song from the play “Rent” at the local shabeen...”525,600 mintues….”

Imagine how many times it will take you to wash up in a bucket before you start readjusting your standard of cleanliness.

It is unsafe to visit the latrine after dark, because “the Totsi will get you”, so each individual is outfitted with a bucket in their room for those late night urges…create a visual image for yourself.

My nose is disproportionately darker than the rest of my body.

Most beautiful times of day: Sunrise, sunset, and midnight (you can see every star in the sky, plus the milky way…no, not the candy bar you city dwellers).

The best way to change a blank stare into a smile that will light up a room: Say hello! Lochane (Ndebele), Sanibonani (IsiZulu), Dumelang (Setswana/Sepedi), Hola 7 (slang)!

Well, I’ve written enough! If you want to contact me, leave me a message on this blog, contact my parents for my phone number (if you’re that ambitious), and WRITE LETTERS!

Until Next TIME!!!!!!!!!