Can you tell the difference?

AFTER: YEAH

Before

Other than the clothes and angle of the sun…can you see anything different? Yep, you guessed it…we’re officially Peace Corps volunteers (The first picture...if you couldn't tell). We swore in on September 21st at a local resort in the Mpumalanga Province. Just to catch you up to speed on what you’ve missed over the last few weeks, here are some of the things that happened:

In the afternoon, on Tuesday, September 19th, we all left our host families to move into the camp-like compound we lived in for our first few days in South Africa. I woke up extra early (around 4:30 am) to see my mother off for the last time as she was headed to work. The goodbye wasn’t as long and emotional as you might expect. This, however, is due to the fact that, for the week leading up to this day, my whole family was emotional over my departure. I will miss them a great deal, but plan to see them several times over the course of my two years…Salang sentle!

Wednesday night, the Education and NGO volunteers got together for one last hoorah. I’m not sure if I’ve mentioned this, but when we first arrived in South Africa, we were told to pack a “non-essentials” and “essentials” bag. People initially freaked out about parting with some of their 80 lbs (and more) of stuff, but doing this exercise allowed for less clutter in our host family homes. Interestingly, in my “essentials” bag, I managed to include my swim suit, which is useful in a land locked portion of the country…with no pond, pool, lake, bath tub, or slip-n-slide in sight! Well, I’ve said all this to say that we were finally reunited with our “Pretoria bags” as the “non-essentials” bag came to be known as. It was like Christmas, Presidents Day, and a 21st birthday combined. Over the course of two months, most of us forgot what we even packed in those bags. So on Wednesday night, we were all outfitted in “new” digs, smelling fresh (body sprays that we were separated from, but could have been useful after rinsing off in the dirty water you just washed up in…courtesy of the bucket bath), and with a renewed sense of hope for the future. That night, the party was in my room because I had the loudest speakers…who woulda thunk that such a little box could produce such big noise! The party was fun until my iPod froze…such a sad day! Let’s take a moment to reflect on the joy that an iPod can bring...filling your ears and mind with noises from home……………… The camp compound was divided into “the quiet side” and “the party side.” Really, let’s just be honest and say that the whole compound was “the party side”, because the majority of people stayed up!

Swearing in took place at a local resort. It was an event in and of itself to see the grungy people we turned into over the past six weeks, magically transform into well polished ladies and gentlemen…myself included. I was able to capture the actual swearing in portion of the event on video just in case you don’t believe that I’m now an official volunteer. Yes, you really can call me a Peace Corps Volunteer…I made it!

I can’t believe that time has flown by so quickly. It seems like just yesterday, I arrived in Philadelphia to start this journey. Now, I am about to take another step to coming closer to fulfilling my dream…Peace Corps here I come, or rather…Here I am!

Over the next two years, I will be working with a local organization that provides voluntary HIV/AIDS testing and counseling (VCT) through the efforts of local volunteers. I’m very excited about working with such an organization, because next year, I will start the process of becoming a VCT counselor, which will afford me some of the skills I was looking for in my life prior to the Peace Corps. Additionally, there seem to be several opportunities to become actively involved in several projects, particularly with respect to the new mobile VCT unit and working with the large mines surrounding my community. As I become better acquainted with my organization and my role within it, I’ll make sure to let you know.

Oh, you wanted to know about my living situation as a PCV in the NGO program? Well, let me first say that as an NGO volunteer, housing is usually arranged by the organization, or you will be given the opportunity to find housing (within a budget, of course) for yourself. Depending on your site location and budget, this could mean that you live the “traditional” Peace Corps experience (whatever that is), which could mean living in a rural village, with no electricity, pit latrines (or long drops as they are affectionately called), bucket baths, fetching water from the local watering source, and two years in a thatched roof hut. The other end of that spectrum could find you living in a nicely furnished apartment, in a gated community, in a large metropolitan area, with a gym membership. So, if you are thinking about joining the Peace Corps, expect both the expected and unexpected, because many things are possible.

I’m currently living in a two bedroom, one bathroom flat on the compounds of host family’s house. Sharing my flat is another PCV who will be working at the same organization as I am. We have a bathtub/shower combo, fully functional kitchen, electricity, and lounge. Both my roommate/PCV and I have the option of staying here or finding separate housing.

Well, as I’m sure you’ve noticed, I’ve written enough to keep you busy for a while. If you are going through the nerve wrecking Peace Corps application process, think you might be invited to Peace Corps-South Africa, or just have questions, please feel free to post a comment and I’ll get back to you A.S.A.P.

Tsamaya sentle!