Evening Folks....
It's interesting how much my lifestyle and standard of living have changed within these past few months. What I mean by that is how easily I've adapted to a totally different lifestyle than how I lived back in the states before I came here. A few examples:
It's interesting.....how I actually thought I was conserving water back in the states by not leaving the sink water running while brushing my teeth, as opposed to now when I have almost mastered bathing in one pitcher's-worth of water....how I can use three cups of water to wash two pots, a plate, and silverware from dinner....how I can then look at that bowl of water and then say to myself "mmph...that's not dirty enough to throw out, so I'll save it till the morning to wash my breakfast dishes".
It's interesting .....how in the states I'd see one ant and ignore it but here I search for the source so I can make sure my "condo" isn't infested with the little suckers.....how I used to scream at the site of one baby spider but here I only worry about killing the big ones b/c I don't want to waste my energy or bug spray....how if/when I do kill that spider I MUST put it outside b/c the "cannibal ants" will somehow find it and devour it right then in there in the middle of my floor.
It's interesting....how while in the grocery store in the States I never noticed something like a box of mince on the shelf but here I stock up b/c I know it's something simple I can cook w/o actually buying real meat and keeping it in my tiny freezer in my mini fridge.....how I can actually eat the EXACT same pasta dish that is absolutely horrendous (b/c I cooked it completely wrong) four days in a row b/c I don't want to waste the food I used.
It's interesting....how a peanut butter sandwich with sugar sprinkled on it has become my new "sweat snack" as opposed to Reese Cups or Oreo cookies with milk. And speaking of milk...it's interesting how I'm now drinking something called "Long Lasting Milk" that can sit unrefrigerated and unopened for months w/o going spoiled, taste DELICIOUS to me.
It's interesting....how an orange has become a major source of "refresh-ness" as opposed to a soda or Gatorade, or water for that matter b/c I'd rather conserve the water for something else, like one of my weekly baths (yep...that's right...i said WEEKLY).
It's interesting....how loud bass from the music of a next door neighbor in my apartment could keep me awake for hours, but now I sleep soundly with the sound of (LOUD) roosters/
chickens and house music from the Tavern down the road from my home.
It's interesting....how I used to not be able to use the bathroom with other people in the stall next door, but now I go with the door open in the pit toilet b/c it won't close all the way, and even if it did, the flies would drive me crazy too much....and deep down, I enjoy the view :)
And lastly....it's interesting that no matter where I am; Mexico, Korea, America, or South Africa, I must ALWAYS start my day with my cup of coffee!
Anywho...just a few thoughts....till next time...
Friday, September 19, 2008
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Quality Time With Family
Morning...
Let me first start off this post with a clarification from my last one. When I said I won't openly tell people I'm an American because right now I see more cons than pros, that (by no means) doesn't mean I'm "ashamed" to be an American here. I want to blend in as much as possible in my new village, and in many situations when I tell people where I'm from, I get the same responses: "oh...you must have alot of money", "really....then why come here, we all want to go to America", "mmph....you're such a nice young lady, we should find you a husband here". I do enjoy explaining why I'm here, and what I'm doing as a volunteer here, but often times the conversation doesn't necessarily lead that way. So....even though it's obvious that I'm not from around here, I've decided to try a little experiment. When people ask where I'm from, I'm just going to tell them the name of my village. I'm curious to see which direction the conversation will lead. They clearly hear that my Sepedi is different, but not so different that they can hear an American accent.
I just wanted to make that clarification. Interestingly enough, I've actually grown more patriotic since I started traveling overseas several years ago, and I see it happening here as well. Being in a foreign country, and engulfed in a completely different culture, helps me feel more connected to my own country and culture in America. Traveling opens my eyes to the good and the bad of ALL countries, but it always leads me back to being proud of who I am and where I come from. That's not to say I have all positives to say about my country, but I do begin to understand it more....for better or worse (if that makes any sense).
Yesterday I spent more time with my family and host brothers and sisters. I'm so blessed to have a family that openly invites me into their home. There is a show here called "Jiga Ma Jiga", and it's like a dance version of American Idol; except they choose a winner every night and the young people are dancing a unique style of dancing. It's like a mixture between break dancing, crunk dancing, and street dancing. IT'S AWESOME!!! Some of the dances are so trippy. It's a very popular show, and several of us (volunteers) are picking up on some of the styles.
I've also begun to watch nightly soap operas (called soapies) with my family. I began to do this during training, and the shows are pretty addicting (like all soap operas). The most popular one is "Generations". It takes place in Jo'burg and revolves around the lives of Black South African professionals. I LOVE the fashion on the show, even though the acting can be bit cheesy at times. Sad to say....I'm hooked and it's a great opportunity for me to spend time with my family every night at 8!
There is another soapie that comes on later at night called "Muvango" and I love this show because it is a great example of South Africa's traditional and modern worlds colliding. It revolves around several Venda families struggling to keep family ties close, traditions strong, and business relations powerful. It's pretty cool.
One last thing....I ran into two young girls at the bus stop yesterday in the nearby (big) town with the most unique English accents. The young South African girls lived near me in my village, but there English had a very distinct British-ish accent! It was so crazy. After speaking with them for a while, I found out they attended a private school in the (big) town and there teacher was Afrikaans. They couldn't be more than 12 years old, so they've obviously picked up their teachers English accents over the years. Sometimes when I speak with Afrikaners, I'm not sure if they are British or not. But these young girls definitely had a British accent, and it was tripping out me and my other volunteer friend. One of them was reading a novel as she waited for the bus, and that was the first time I saw a child here leisurely reading a book. Anywho....we had a nice conversation while waiting for the bus.
It will be interesting to see if the young students I work with will pick up my American accent over these next few years. I've already been told I have a "deep American accent". I had no idea what that meant, but my training host family had some difficulty understanding me because they said my "O's" sound like "A's". Like when I said "hot" they thought I was saying "hat", and this caused a lot of confusion and laughter. They understood one of my other volunteer friends better, and she was from Wisconsin. I had to learn to speak my words more clearly.
Children at young ages absorb so much, which is probably why it's easy for them to pick up a second language if they are around it all the time. In the past, Peace Corps has gone to villages to see some volunteers, and they'll run into a young kid with a distinct Southern accent. Come to find out, the volunteer who'd been working with them was from Kentucky (hahaha). I also remember while I was in South Korea, one of my friends was taught English in Britain so spoke with a British English accent; while another was taught English in Germany, so had an interesting guttural-ish sounding English.
Anywho...till next time......
Let me first start off this post with a clarification from my last one. When I said I won't openly tell people I'm an American because right now I see more cons than pros, that (by no means) doesn't mean I'm "ashamed" to be an American here. I want to blend in as much as possible in my new village, and in many situations when I tell people where I'm from, I get the same responses: "oh...you must have alot of money", "really....then why come here, we all want to go to America", "mmph....you're such a nice young lady, we should find you a husband here". I do enjoy explaining why I'm here, and what I'm doing as a volunteer here, but often times the conversation doesn't necessarily lead that way. So....even though it's obvious that I'm not from around here, I've decided to try a little experiment. When people ask where I'm from, I'm just going to tell them the name of my village. I'm curious to see which direction the conversation will lead. They clearly hear that my Sepedi is different, but not so different that they can hear an American accent.
I just wanted to make that clarification. Interestingly enough, I've actually grown more patriotic since I started traveling overseas several years ago, and I see it happening here as well. Being in a foreign country, and engulfed in a completely different culture, helps me feel more connected to my own country and culture in America. Traveling opens my eyes to the good and the bad of ALL countries, but it always leads me back to being proud of who I am and where I come from. That's not to say I have all positives to say about my country, but I do begin to understand it more....for better or worse (if that makes any sense).
Yesterday I spent more time with my family and host brothers and sisters. I'm so blessed to have a family that openly invites me into their home. There is a show here called "Jiga Ma Jiga", and it's like a dance version of American Idol; except they choose a winner every night and the young people are dancing a unique style of dancing. It's like a mixture between break dancing, crunk dancing, and street dancing. IT'S AWESOME!!! Some of the dances are so trippy. It's a very popular show, and several of us (volunteers) are picking up on some of the styles.
I've also begun to watch nightly soap operas (called soapies) with my family. I began to do this during training, and the shows are pretty addicting (like all soap operas). The most popular one is "Generations". It takes place in Jo'burg and revolves around the lives of Black South African professionals. I LOVE the fashion on the show, even though the acting can be bit cheesy at times. Sad to say....I'm hooked and it's a great opportunity for me to spend time with my family every night at 8!
There is another soapie that comes on later at night called "Muvango" and I love this show because it is a great example of South Africa's traditional and modern worlds colliding. It revolves around several Venda families struggling to keep family ties close, traditions strong, and business relations powerful. It's pretty cool.
One last thing....I ran into two young girls at the bus stop yesterday in the nearby (big) town with the most unique English accents. The young South African girls lived near me in my village, but there English had a very distinct British-ish accent! It was so crazy. After speaking with them for a while, I found out they attended a private school in the (big) town and there teacher was Afrikaans. They couldn't be more than 12 years old, so they've obviously picked up their teachers English accents over the years. Sometimes when I speak with Afrikaners, I'm not sure if they are British or not. But these young girls definitely had a British accent, and it was tripping out me and my other volunteer friend. One of them was reading a novel as she waited for the bus, and that was the first time I saw a child here leisurely reading a book. Anywho....we had a nice conversation while waiting for the bus.
It will be interesting to see if the young students I work with will pick up my American accent over these next few years. I've already been told I have a "deep American accent". I had no idea what that meant, but my training host family had some difficulty understanding me because they said my "O's" sound like "A's". Like when I said "hot" they thought I was saying "hat", and this caused a lot of confusion and laughter. They understood one of my other volunteer friends better, and she was from Wisconsin. I had to learn to speak my words more clearly.
Children at young ages absorb so much, which is probably why it's easy for them to pick up a second language if they are around it all the time. In the past, Peace Corps has gone to villages to see some volunteers, and they'll run into a young kid with a distinct Southern accent. Come to find out, the volunteer who'd been working with them was from Kentucky (hahaha). I also remember while I was in South Korea, one of my friends was taught English in Britain so spoke with a British English accent; while another was taught English in Germany, so had an interesting guttural-ish sounding English.
Anywho...till next time......
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Getting To Know My Village
Hey....
This week I'll spend time getting to know my village. Each week I have an assignment to follow that Peace Corps has given us. Some people aren't big fans of the assignments, but being the nerd I am...I actually enjoy the structure. Each week builds on the next. Anywho... I've finally finished unpacking and setting up my "condo", well except for my clothes which are still in my suitcase until my wardrobe is delivered.
Yesterday and today I went on walks with my host sister around our village and the surrounding ones. There are no signs that signal when one village ends and the other begins. It's pretty much left up to landmarks like a spazaa (small street shop) or a small bridge. It's interesting. I'm starting to recognize my own landmarks though. I have to draw a map of my village with landmarks included, so I'm glad to be walking around and getting more acquainted with my surroundings.
I decided today that I won't openly tell people I'm an American if they ask where I'm from. I'm just going to tell them the village I live in, which isn't technically lying because that's where I'm from.....now. Being an American in a foreign place has it's pros/cons and I decided that right now the cons slightly out weight the pros. I want to fit in as much as possible, and claiming to be an American doesn't necessarily help. Clearly I'm in a different situation than some of my friends because it's obvious they are not from the village. But for me it's a little different. I speak decent enough Sepedi where you can't hear my American accent so I'm going to see it goes for a few days.....
I'm actually enjoying cooking for myself again, but I can already see that I'm going to get tired of pasta and peanut butter. It looks like I'll need to learn to cook something else. Thankfully the Peace Corps provides us with cookbooks that help us use ingredient we actually have access to. Last night I made tuna fish patties, which may sound nasty but was actually pretty tasty!
Mmmmm....
This week I'll spend time getting to know my village. Each week I have an assignment to follow that Peace Corps has given us. Some people aren't big fans of the assignments, but being the nerd I am...I actually enjoy the structure. Each week builds on the next. Anywho... I've finally finished unpacking and setting up my "condo", well except for my clothes which are still in my suitcase until my wardrobe is delivered.
Yesterday and today I went on walks with my host sister around our village and the surrounding ones. There are no signs that signal when one village ends and the other begins. It's pretty much left up to landmarks like a spazaa (small street shop) or a small bridge. It's interesting. I'm starting to recognize my own landmarks though. I have to draw a map of my village with landmarks included, so I'm glad to be walking around and getting more acquainted with my surroundings.
I decided today that I won't openly tell people I'm an American if they ask where I'm from. I'm just going to tell them the village I live in, which isn't technically lying because that's where I'm from.....now. Being an American in a foreign place has it's pros/cons and I decided that right now the cons slightly out weight the pros. I want to fit in as much as possible, and claiming to be an American doesn't necessarily help. Clearly I'm in a different situation than some of my friends because it's obvious they are not from the village. But for me it's a little different. I speak decent enough Sepedi where you can't hear my American accent so I'm going to see it goes for a few days.....
I'm actually enjoying cooking for myself again, but I can already see that I'm going to get tired of pasta and peanut butter. It looks like I'll need to learn to cook something else. Thankfully the Peace Corps provides us with cookbooks that help us use ingredient we actually have access to. Last night I made tuna fish patties, which may sound nasty but was actually pretty tasty!
Mmmmm....
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Settling In
Thama!
That is just another way of saying "hello" in Sepulana, a dialect of Sepedi. I want to start off this post by thanking all of you who've left comments on the blog, they mean ALOT to me. Especially the comments from my students back in Jordan. I miss Jordan ALOT more than I expected and I hope the 400 wing is holding it's self together without me. It warms my heart to know that some of you are reading my blog.
I've spent the past few days buying basic necessities for my "condo". I'm not sure if I mentioned this, but that's what I'm calling my two bedroom house. It sounds so much more trendy. I've had to shop for a big plastic bin to bathe in, buckets, a hot plate, an electric water kettle, more buckets, cups, basic food items, silverware, did I mention buckets! Buckets are a hot commodity here in my village and amongst those of us who don't have regular running water.
For instance, today the water was running in the outside spicket so my host mother (whose AWESOME) came knocking on my door to let me know so I could fill up anything and everything I could find with water while it was on. I'm still not sure why, but sometimes the water is shut off at various homes so you live off your reserves or go to the neighbors house if they have water.
I had a great time today plucking my first batch of fresh avocados off our tree in the back. The tree is VERY tall, so the family uses a ridiculously long stick with a hook on the end. You then break your back and neck reaching up as high as possible to the avocados and try to wrap the hook around them. My little brothers and sisters stood under the tree with a blanket to catch the falling ones. The family has a make-shift tarp set up under the tree to catch the ones that fall once they are ripe. The avocados here are the size of a small cantaloupe. IT'S RIDICULOUS!!! I can't wait to start eating them. My neck/back is killing me though (haha...)
I attended an interesting workshop today with two of the principals I'll be working with on School Budgeting/Financing. I have to admit that I'm not a big fan of financing workshops, especially when they are in a language other than English. But it was great opportunity for me to meet other principals in my school district (we call them circuits here) so they know who I am and recognize my face. It was also interesting to hear about some of the circuit's policies on finances.
I'm trying to get my condo organized, but it's difficult w/o some pieces of major furniture, like a wardrobe for my clothes. My province's Department of Education will provide me with a bed, desk, two chairs, and a wardrobe. I know....pretty cool eh.....except for the fact that they haven't delivered them yet. Thankfully my host family is letting me borrow one of their beds. I don't mind living out of a suitcase for a few weeks. The key word for Peace Corps Volunteers is P-A-T-I-E-N-C-E.
I spent a few hours today laying in my hammock (yep....I said hammock) reading a book and listening to music. It was very relaxing. Tomorrow I'll head to my shopping town to pick up some more items, like a pot for cooking, string to hang my clothes on in my "condo", an iron, and....can you guess the third thing?....you got it....more buckets! I'm lucky because a PCV who has lived in my village the past year just ended her service and gave me ALOT of her stuff. So she gave me a great jump start.
Time for me to cook "LaTosha's Famous Pasta", which is pasta cooked with random spices until it smells and looks pretty.
Sepela Gabotse Bagweras! (aka...goodbye friends)
That is just another way of saying "hello" in Sepulana, a dialect of Sepedi. I want to start off this post by thanking all of you who've left comments on the blog, they mean ALOT to me. Especially the comments from my students back in Jordan. I miss Jordan ALOT more than I expected and I hope the 400 wing is holding it's self together without me. It warms my heart to know that some of you are reading my blog.
I've spent the past few days buying basic necessities for my "condo". I'm not sure if I mentioned this, but that's what I'm calling my two bedroom house. It sounds so much more trendy. I've had to shop for a big plastic bin to bathe in, buckets, a hot plate, an electric water kettle, more buckets, cups, basic food items, silverware, did I mention buckets! Buckets are a hot commodity here in my village and amongst those of us who don't have regular running water.
For instance, today the water was running in the outside spicket so my host mother (whose AWESOME) came knocking on my door to let me know so I could fill up anything and everything I could find with water while it was on. I'm still not sure why, but sometimes the water is shut off at various homes so you live off your reserves or go to the neighbors house if they have water.
I had a great time today plucking my first batch of fresh avocados off our tree in the back. The tree is VERY tall, so the family uses a ridiculously long stick with a hook on the end. You then break your back and neck reaching up as high as possible to the avocados and try to wrap the hook around them. My little brothers and sisters stood under the tree with a blanket to catch the falling ones. The family has a make-shift tarp set up under the tree to catch the ones that fall once they are ripe. The avocados here are the size of a small cantaloupe. IT'S RIDICULOUS!!! I can't wait to start eating them. My neck/back is killing me though (haha...)
I attended an interesting workshop today with two of the principals I'll be working with on School Budgeting/Financing. I have to admit that I'm not a big fan of financing workshops, especially when they are in a language other than English. But it was great opportunity for me to meet other principals in my school district (we call them circuits here) so they know who I am and recognize my face. It was also interesting to hear about some of the circuit's policies on finances.
I'm trying to get my condo organized, but it's difficult w/o some pieces of major furniture, like a wardrobe for my clothes. My province's Department of Education will provide me with a bed, desk, two chairs, and a wardrobe. I know....pretty cool eh.....except for the fact that they haven't delivered them yet. Thankfully my host family is letting me borrow one of their beds. I don't mind living out of a suitcase for a few weeks. The key word for Peace Corps Volunteers is P-A-T-I-E-N-C-E.
I spent a few hours today laying in my hammock (yep....I said hammock) reading a book and listening to music. It was very relaxing. Tomorrow I'll head to my shopping town to pick up some more items, like a pot for cooking, string to hang my clothes on in my "condo", an iron, and....can you guess the third thing?....you got it....more buckets! I'm lucky because a PCV who has lived in my village the past year just ended her service and gave me ALOT of her stuff. So she gave me a great jump start.
Time for me to cook "LaTosha's Famous Pasta", which is pasta cooked with random spices until it smells and looks pretty.
Sepela Gabotse Bagweras! (aka...goodbye friends)
Friday, September 12, 2008
Swearing In Ceremony Today
Go Bjang!
WARNING: THIS WILL BE A LONG POST!!!
Well....the past few weeks have been incredibly crazy and busy. I've been receiving all yall's comments on my blog and it is soooooooo good to read them! It's hard to explain how good it is to receive letters and thoughts from back home. At the same time it can be difficult because it makes me a bit homesick....BUT KEEP SENDING THEM!
As for packages that have been sent to me. Umm....I haven't received any which probably means I won't get them. Not to bash this lovely country, but the postal system is not very reliable, especially when it comes to packages. If you want to send me a package, please do one of the following:
(1) buy insurance for it
(2) label it as "Religious Material Inside"
(3) label it as "Education Material Inside"
(4) don't claim it as expensive
This will help decrease the possibility of ....umm....well....sticking fingers. Also, don't send me mail to the "Pretoria Address" anymore. I officially have my own PO Box at my new permanent site:
PO Box 3749
Acornhoek 1360
South Africa
Oh yes...I'll start having regular access to the internet because I bought an internet phone a few days ago. South Africa (SA) is an extremely interesting country because it's like 1st and 3rd worlds coming together. EVERYBODY has a cellphone, even in the most rural of areas sometimes. It's really neat because that means you get service in some of the most remote places. So what we (Volunteers) do is buy internet phones and then we're able to hook them up to our computers and get internet service. I know what you're thinking..... "isn't that expensive"? Not at all....SA has a prepaid system for their phones, and the phones aren't nearly as expensive as they are in the States.
So today is a big day. I'll no longer be a Peace Corps Trainee. This afternoon I'll become a Peace Corps VOLUNTEER! Cool eh?!?!? This past week we took our language test, which I passed with flying colors. I scored an Intermediate High, which is fancy for "I Rock"! Just kidding. This week was also difficult because we had to say goodbye to our host family's that we've been living with for the past 8 weeks. I grew extremely close to my family, and it was very hard to say goodbye (yep....just like the song). I'm going to miss them alot, but I know I'll be able to visit.
Today after our Swearing In Ceremony, we'll head to our new sites. That is where I'll be living and working for my two years of service. Finally, I won't be living out of a suitcase or bookbag. I've been assigned to two primary schools that are grades Creche (Kindergarten) through seven. There are about 350 kids at each school with a teaching staff of 10-15. Peace Corps is cool because it allows you to focus on areas that are your strengths. I want to focus on teacher training and working with youth in the community with HIV awareness. In 2005, the New Curriculum Statement was implemented in all schools across the country, and ALOT of schools/teachers/principals are having a difficult time moving into the "new system". And that's where I come in...
My two supervisors are the principals of the schools, and they are very excited about me. It's actually a bit overwhelming, because they have alot of expectations. And at the same time, the community was expecting a white volunteer. But they seem to be happy with me because I'm "one of them". Not to go to the "Race Thing", but I feel so welcomed here because people like the fact that I sound American but look like them. Its interesting... anywho....
My new village, Mokhululine (yea...it's a mouth full), sits right up against the Drakenburg Mountains and it's beautiful. I watch the sunset behind the mountains and its awesome. There's a large variety of animals and vegetation, different from where I've been training. My yard has mango, guava, avocado, and banana trees! I've been given a small two room house in the family compound of a widow and her children/grandchildren. I'm very happy for the space, especially since some volunteers were given one room inside the family's house or one room that sits off to the side. I can't wait to move in and turn it into my own space.
The one downer is that the village speaks a dialect of Sepedi that has bits of Xitonga mixed in, it's called Sepulana. So I'll have to learn a semi-new language. My family speaks Sepedi, so atleast that won't be a problem.
Anywho....now that I'll have regular internet access, I'll be able to update my blog more frequently AND begin to tackle the massive number of emails that I haven't checked in months. Sorry for the long post but alot has been going on.
Till next time....
WARNING: THIS WILL BE A LONG POST!!!
Well....the past few weeks have been incredibly crazy and busy. I've been receiving all yall's comments on my blog and it is soooooooo good to read them! It's hard to explain how good it is to receive letters and thoughts from back home. At the same time it can be difficult because it makes me a bit homesick....BUT KEEP SENDING THEM!
As for packages that have been sent to me. Umm....I haven't received any which probably means I won't get them. Not to bash this lovely country, but the postal system is not very reliable, especially when it comes to packages. If you want to send me a package, please do one of the following:
(1) buy insurance for it
(2) label it as "Religious Material Inside"
(3) label it as "Education Material Inside"
(4) don't claim it as expensive
This will help decrease the possibility of ....umm....well....sticking fingers. Also, don't send me mail to the "Pretoria Address" anymore. I officially have my own PO Box at my new permanent site:
PO Box 3749
Acornhoek 1360
South Africa
Oh yes...I'll start having regular access to the internet because I bought an internet phone a few days ago. South Africa (SA) is an extremely interesting country because it's like 1st and 3rd worlds coming together. EVERYBODY has a cellphone, even in the most rural of areas sometimes. It's really neat because that means you get service in some of the most remote places. So what we (Volunteers) do is buy internet phones and then we're able to hook them up to our computers and get internet service. I know what you're thinking..... "isn't that expensive"? Not at all....SA has a prepaid system for their phones, and the phones aren't nearly as expensive as they are in the States.
So today is a big day. I'll no longer be a Peace Corps Trainee. This afternoon I'll become a Peace Corps VOLUNTEER! Cool eh?!?!? This past week we took our language test, which I passed with flying colors. I scored an Intermediate High, which is fancy for "I Rock"! Just kidding. This week was also difficult because we had to say goodbye to our host family's that we've been living with for the past 8 weeks. I grew extremely close to my family, and it was very hard to say goodbye (yep....just like the song). I'm going to miss them alot, but I know I'll be able to visit.
Today after our Swearing In Ceremony, we'll head to our new sites. That is where I'll be living and working for my two years of service. Finally, I won't be living out of a suitcase or bookbag. I've been assigned to two primary schools that are grades Creche (Kindergarten) through seven. There are about 350 kids at each school with a teaching staff of 10-15. Peace Corps is cool because it allows you to focus on areas that are your strengths. I want to focus on teacher training and working with youth in the community with HIV awareness. In 2005, the New Curriculum Statement was implemented in all schools across the country, and ALOT of schools/teachers/principals are having a difficult time moving into the "new system". And that's where I come in...
My two supervisors are the principals of the schools, and they are very excited about me. It's actually a bit overwhelming, because they have alot of expectations. And at the same time, the community was expecting a white volunteer. But they seem to be happy with me because I'm "one of them". Not to go to the "Race Thing", but I feel so welcomed here because people like the fact that I sound American but look like them. Its interesting... anywho....
My new village, Mokhululine (yea...it's a mouth full), sits right up against the Drakenburg Mountains and it's beautiful. I watch the sunset behind the mountains and its awesome. There's a large variety of animals and vegetation, different from where I've been training. My yard has mango, guava, avocado, and banana trees! I've been given a small two room house in the family compound of a widow and her children/grandchildren. I'm very happy for the space, especially since some volunteers were given one room inside the family's house or one room that sits off to the side. I can't wait to move in and turn it into my own space.
The one downer is that the village speaks a dialect of Sepedi that has bits of Xitonga mixed in, it's called Sepulana. So I'll have to learn a semi-new language. My family speaks Sepedi, so atleast that won't be a problem.
Anywho....now that I'll have regular internet access, I'll be able to update my blog more frequently AND begin to tackle the massive number of emails that I haven't checked in months. Sorry for the long post but alot has been going on.
Till next time....
Saturday, August 23, 2008
A New Home
Thobela!!
It's been a while since I've been able to post a blog. There is an internet cafe in the closest town to me, but it is usually closed once I'm finished with class and it is a SUPER DUPER slow connection.
So yesterday we recieved out site placements, so my nervousness/excitement/anxiety is finally over.....well almost. Next week we will visit our new homes, I can't pronunciate the village and I don't have the sheet with the name on it. My shopping town Acornhoek sits right next to Kruger National Park!!! Which means I'll be in (pretty much) the most beautiful part of South Africa, next to The Cape. I'm very happy! My village is not near Acornhoek, but that is where I'll go to buy my basic necessities.
So next week will consist of me meeting my new supervisor, my new host family who is providing me with a room seperate from the main house, the village chief, the schools/teachers, and other things that need to be taken care of. I'm also excited about getting to see more of this country. My site is very far from where I've been training the past month.
The one bummer about my site location is that I'll be required to take Malaria medication because of my close-ness to Kruger National Park :(
Once we get back from out site visit, we'll have two more weeks of training which will also include my Language Test. I've really picked up on the language and I try to speak it as much as possible with my family and friends. All the pieces are starting to fall into place. It's a good feeling, let's just hope I can pass the test :)
My host family here is still AWESOME and I'm going to miss them alot. I know that I'll be able to come in visit them which is a comforting feeling. The food is still good and I'm learning how to cook some of the local cuisine like bagobe (pap), potato dishes, mashed pumpkin, and maize rice (which tastes JUST LIKE GRITS so you know I'm loving it!). I'm also getting alot better at hand washing my clothes and taking bucket baths. Hand washing clothes is a very tedious and arduous back-breaking task. My 16 year old cousin says I need to "not be so lazy" when washing them. I guess I wasn't scrubbing hard enough, but my back and hands didn't feel that way.
My internet time is running out. I hope I'll be able to get to an internet cafe some time next week so I can post some of my pictures.
I miss all of you and hope all is going well in the States. I'm staying healthy mentally and physically.
Gabotse!!!
It's been a while since I've been able to post a blog. There is an internet cafe in the closest town to me, but it is usually closed once I'm finished with class and it is a SUPER DUPER slow connection.
So yesterday we recieved out site placements, so my nervousness/excitement/anxiety is finally over.....well almost. Next week we will visit our new homes, I can't pronunciate the village and I don't have the sheet with the name on it. My shopping town Acornhoek sits right next to Kruger National Park!!! Which means I'll be in (pretty much) the most beautiful part of South Africa, next to The Cape. I'm very happy! My village is not near Acornhoek, but that is where I'll go to buy my basic necessities.
So next week will consist of me meeting my new supervisor, my new host family who is providing me with a room seperate from the main house, the village chief, the schools/teachers, and other things that need to be taken care of. I'm also excited about getting to see more of this country. My site is very far from where I've been training the past month.
The one bummer about my site location is that I'll be required to take Malaria medication because of my close-ness to Kruger National Park :(
Once we get back from out site visit, we'll have two more weeks of training which will also include my Language Test. I've really picked up on the language and I try to speak it as much as possible with my family and friends. All the pieces are starting to fall into place. It's a good feeling, let's just hope I can pass the test :)
My host family here is still AWESOME and I'm going to miss them alot. I know that I'll be able to come in visit them which is a comforting feeling. The food is still good and I'm learning how to cook some of the local cuisine like bagobe (pap), potato dishes, mashed pumpkin, and maize rice (which tastes JUST LIKE GRITS so you know I'm loving it!). I'm also getting alot better at hand washing my clothes and taking bucket baths. Hand washing clothes is a very tedious and arduous back-breaking task. My 16 year old cousin says I need to "not be so lazy" when washing them. I guess I wasn't scrubbing hard enough, but my back and hands didn't feel that way.
My internet time is running out. I hope I'll be able to get to an internet cafe some time next week so I can post some of my pictures.
I miss all of you and hope all is going well in the States. I'm staying healthy mentally and physically.
Gabotse!!!
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Village Life
Thobela!
I have about 10 minutes or so to sum up all that's been going on with me the past few weeks. I live in a somewhat large village with my two host parents, Lydia and Chico who are absolutely wonderful. They own a supermarket and tavern (bar) in the village, so I consider them entrepreneurs. I am living very comfortably with my own room, and have made it my own space by putting my poster from home on the walls. Also living with us are my two bobutis (brothers), two cousins (I don't know that word yet), and my Makoko (grandma).
The food has been very very good, but different. I have adjusted well to life here in my village. Everyday I have language class (I'm learning Sepedi) and then I go to the local teaching college to attend classes that are preparing me to work in the field starting in September. I won't know where my permanent site will be or what my responsibilities will be until the end of August. I will either be a teacher trainer, work with school management, work the school governing board, and/or work with youth in schools/communities. It all depends on what is needed at my site.
I am turning into a mini superstar b/c people are surprised to see a Black woman with an English accent! While walking home, the village kids call my name everyday and shout "how are you" even though I'm no sure if they understand what they are saying. People ask me the same question all the time "how is America compared to South Africa?"
My family has named me Lerato, which means "love", so that is what the village has started calling me. All-in-all, I'm very happy to be here and I'm loving village life! Letters from home take a while (3-4 weeks) to get here, but please please please write. It's a great moral booster since I don't get a chance to call home or get to the Internet on a regular basis.
gabotse!
P.S. this country is breathtakingly BEAUTIFUL!!!
I have about 10 minutes or so to sum up all that's been going on with me the past few weeks. I live in a somewhat large village with my two host parents, Lydia and Chico who are absolutely wonderful. They own a supermarket and tavern (bar) in the village, so I consider them entrepreneurs. I am living very comfortably with my own room, and have made it my own space by putting my poster from home on the walls. Also living with us are my two bobutis (brothers), two cousins (I don't know that word yet), and my Makoko (grandma).
The food has been very very good, but different. I have adjusted well to life here in my village. Everyday I have language class (I'm learning Sepedi) and then I go to the local teaching college to attend classes that are preparing me to work in the field starting in September. I won't know where my permanent site will be or what my responsibilities will be until the end of August. I will either be a teacher trainer, work with school management, work the school governing board, and/or work with youth in schools/communities. It all depends on what is needed at my site.
I am turning into a mini superstar b/c people are surprised to see a Black woman with an English accent! While walking home, the village kids call my name everyday and shout "how are you" even though I'm no sure if they understand what they are saying. People ask me the same question all the time "how is America compared to South Africa?"
My family has named me Lerato, which means "love", so that is what the village has started calling me. All-in-all, I'm very happy to be here and I'm loving village life! Letters from home take a while (3-4 weeks) to get here, but please please please write. It's a great moral booster since I don't get a chance to call home or get to the Internet on a regular basis.
gabotse!
P.S. this country is breathtakingly BEAUTIFUL!!!
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