I just couldn't help it......

Look like mommy!











Sleepingbob





















2Bob enjoying the new toy that his grandmother sent him

Kego Gopotse

While I was in Pretoria for a doctor's appointment last Friday, I received a phone call from the office that made my heart sink: my dear friend and colleague Faith passed away just the day before. Her death was completely unexpected by everyone...shock is the the spirit of the wind within my office. Faith was a beautiful person with a spirit that changed cobalt blue to sun yellow every day. She was dedicated to her family, friends, colleagues and her heart's pursuits. I know that she is missed by many, but I can't help but to be selfish and say that she is particularly missed by me! Have a restful sleep my angel!

My attempt at saving trees in the Amazon Rain Forest- from wooden to silicone dildos

One of the activities of my organization, amongst many other things, is to demonstrate the proper application of condoms during educational talks and VCT (Voluntary (HIV) Counselling & Testing) sessions. Unfortunately, because of the enormous expense of anatomically "more" correct dildos, my org has been unable to afford anything more than wooden dildos....you know the kind you saw in high school sex ed classes (pre Bush& before sex ed classes were stripped out of the classroom because of those people who feel that abstinence is the ONLY way to prevent everything from STIs to ADHD).

In an effort to address the need, I recalled how, many months ago, one of my dear friends from Chicago asked me what I wanted/needed. At the time, she was a board member of amazing organization that supports the social, health, and all around well-being of African American women loving women, Affinity. In her on rite, she's an activist, educator, student, friend and divine diva! I knew that Gaylon would be the perfect person to ask, and sure enough, she jumped at the request. I wasn't exactly sure, however, if a big box full of dildos would be allowed through customs (and since I've had a bad history with the South African Postal Service not delivering my packages), I was particularly concerned...but hoped that it would shock them enough to actually deliver it. I had her write "used educational materials" on the outside of the box, but really wanted her to write "for needy sexy people". I'm not sure which one sounds worse, but I figured that I'd go for the former instead. Needless to say, the package arrive yesterday! I just can't tell you how excited people were at my office. I think this is probably the first time many of them have ever seen a "life like" dildo. Actually, this is probably the first opportunity that many of the female counsellors will be able to freely explore the male sexual anatomy. I say this because, as a part of some of the cultures present in South Africa, it is taboo for a woman to talk to her male sexual partner about how and when to engage in sex. In some cultures it is taboo for a woman to touch her male partner's penis. Some women have never seen their partner's penis. One thought is that it is not proper for a wife to touch or see her husband's penis. That job is reserved for girlfriends only (and having a wife and a girlfriend is culturally accepted, but that's a whole other story).

I think that these dildos will not only help educate people coming in for VCT, but will help in the empowerment of women (both counselee and counsellor).

I would really like to thank Gaylon for her overwhelming support of me, my organization, and the movement to combat the spread of HIV and empower people everywhere to take control of their sexuality! Ke a leboga thata gape!

Saving one tree and one person at a time!

Can you believe it....

You can talk for free on weekends! (Ok, so you'd only get that reference if you watched South African t.v. commercials...it's really funny...check it out)

But really, can you believe it, I've almost been in South Africa for a year now?! I left Chicago on the 24th for a two day "Staging" in Philadelphia. We left on a South African Air flight to South Africa on the 26th! In preparation for coming to the Peace Corps, I talked to as many current and past PCVs, attempting to get a glimpse into what my live as a Peace Corps Volunteer would be. Well, let's just say that it's nothing like what I expected.

What I expected: Living in a mud hut. Fetching water. Loads of children following me around. Living with a host family. Eating strange foods. Walking every where I went. Boredom. Excitement. Hand washing clothes. Pit latrines. Little communication with the "outside world". Power outages (if electricity at all). Wearing skirts and flip flops 24/7. Fluency in a different language. I could go on and on...so I won't.

My reality: Living in a middle class community in a brand new flat with an electronic gate remote control. Super Spar/Pick n' Pay/Shoprite/Boxer (grocery stores) within a few blocks. Living down the street from my well established organization. Internet access. Waterfall Mall. Movie theatres. Sun City. Jeans and dress shoes. Community swimming pool down the street. Broken language proficiency. Muggings. Pretoria (a major city) less than an hour away. Cell phone. Etc.

My Peace Corps reality has not only changed my expectations of service, but have helped to shift other people's as well, including some of my fellow Peace Corps Volunteers who actually live in rural settings.

Overall, I can say that I'm enjoying my experience. I've made many friends. I've learned a great deal about the the multiple complexities that make South Africa the way it is (both good and bad). There surely have been challenges to adapting to life here (the dangerous way that people drive, differences in how time is perceived, differences in how "personal space" is perceived, racism, multiple concurrent partnerships, the impact of HIV, etc.) Some days I wanted to pack up and go home, but then something exciting happens which makes me rethink calling PC and telling them that I quit! Prior to joining the Peace Corps, I didn't take the program's motto to heart: The toughest job you'll ever love. Now I understand...