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...