Did Someone Say "Cold Drink?"

     Dumelang & avuxeni everyone!  I hope that you are all doing sharp, sharp!  As the leaves turn colors and you feel the crunch under your feet, as the first nip of cold air makes you catch your breath, and apparently when the first snowfall hits stateside, South Africa is heating up (big time! – some days it gets up to 40 degrees Celsius or about 104 degrees Fahrenheit).  I must say, when I think about it, I miss the fall.  Running in the fall is my favorite thing ever, and it’s always so beautiful.  There are very few things, with this heat, that really quench your thirst and make you feel cool.  One of these things includes cold drinks (aka soda).  Despite my inability to follow every conversation my family/colleagues/friends have, my ears always perk up and my heart skips a beat when I hear “cold drink.”  Although I’m not the biggest proponent of soda, I’ve come to love it here.  Another way to beat the heat is “cool time,” which is a Popsicle that is usually sold in Guava Juice flavor (mmmmm).  When you’re waiting for a taxi home, there are plenty of people walking around selling and yelling “cool time.”  With the change in weather, I feel like I’m constantly sweating, because, well, I am.  The other day my host brother said, “Meghan, you’re always sweating.  When you run, you sweat.  When you bike, you sweat.  When you stand, you sweat.  When you sit, you sweat.”  Thank you for pointing this out.  Apparently no one else here sweats, so I’ll just add that to the list of things that makes me the odd man out in my village.  Maybe my body will adapt in time, but I’m not holding my breath that my sweating will stop.  Sorry Tumelo, you’ll have to get used to my sweating.

                Last week I experienced the first dreaded illness of my Peace Corps experience.  On Tuesday evening, I wasn’t feeling too hot (not in reference to the weather I might add) so I got to bed early.  I must have had some sort of stomach bug, because I literally thought I might die.  I don’t think I have ever slept for so long – I’m pretty sure I slept for over 36 hours!  As terrible as it is to be sick, it’s even worse when you’re sick on a different continent away from your family and your friends (aka familiarity).  However, this experience proved how lucky I am both here in South Africa and at home.  My host family and my schools were very concerned, and made sure that I was taken care of.  My host brother went and got me Sprite at the tuck shop and my host mom bought me tea biscuits.  Luckily I didn’t scare them too much since I’m pretty sure I looked like the Grim Reaper.  My family and friends back home were also wonderful, sending me texts that made me feel much better.

                I was glad to recover and get back to work.  This week has been a really good week at both of the schools.  I am continuing with the journals with grades 6 & 7, and the students seem to be opening up and writing longer answers, which I was thrilled to see.  Also, my grade 7 students are improving their scores on their vocabulary quizzes – this week 5 of the students received perfect scores, and a bunch of the students scored either a 90% or 80%.  I was really glad to see this!  Studying really pays off!  I worked with the Grade 2 teacher at one of my schools, having her students practice writing letters/numbers outside in the dirt.  The students loved it!  In addition, on Friday one of the schools had the Grade R Graduation Ceremony.  In order to celebrate properly, all of the teachers and all of the students came to school dressed in their traditional Xitsonga clothing.  When I arrived to school, in my ever-so exciting plain dress and cardigan, hands flew!  Within minutes I became the first ever Tsonga Barbie, and was dressed head to toe in Tsonga clothing.  It was awesome!  Throughout the day we all danced Xibelani (the traditional Tsonga dance), had guest speakers to motivate the students and congratulate them on all of their hard work, presented the graduates with certificates of achievement, and ate lots of delicious food (and of course, drank cold drink!)  The Grade R students even had their own graduation caps and robes – ADORABLE!!

                Next week I am going to work with Grades 6 & 7 on teaching them about HIV/AIDS, in order to participate in another PCV’s project: Peace Corps South Africa World AIDS Day Art Exchange.  I went to the local clinic to see if one of the nurses/doctors would be able to come speak to the students (since I’m really no expert).  In case this does not come to fruition and no one shows up to speak, I am going to prepare a lesson to do with the students, discussing what they know, what they want to know, and then what they have learned from the lesson (KWL).  After the lesson (which will be one day), I will have the students create art centering on the 2011 World AIDS Day theme, “It takes a village to fight HIV!” or “Swi teka tiko ku hlasela HIV!”  I’m hopeful that someone from the clinic can come, because guest speakers are always fun for students, and he/she will know much more than I do on the topic.  Also, he/she will be able to communicate the information in both English and in the students’ home language.  After the students give me their art work, I will exchange the art with another PCV and submit a few pieces to the Peace Corps Office.

                I’m really looking forward to the 21^st of the month, because I will be meeting with both of my principals to discuss my first few months at site.  I’ll give my feedback, and they will also give me feedback on how I have been doing.  During this meeting, we will discuss my observations, ideas I have for both of the schools, projects they would like me to work on next year, etc.  One of the biggest things I want to do is to start holding monthly teachers’ workshops.  I think this would be a great way to share ideas and different teaching practices with the teachers.  I'd also like to do the "Peace Corps World Map Project" at the schools.

                The next month/2 months are really busy!!  For Thanksgiving, I will be traveling to Vhembe to celebrate Thanksgiving with some other PCV’s.  Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, so I know I’ll be missing home (especially the Gobble Wobble with the family, Pammycake’s pineapple stuffing, and Mrs. Meister’s famous pies).  It will be really nice to celebrate with the other PCV’s since there is no Thanksgiving here.  Straight after Thanksgiving I’ll be heading back to Makapanstad (where we did our training) for my first host brother’s wedding.  I haven’t been to a wedding since training, so I’m wicked excited.  Weddings here are so exciting.  Literally anyone and everyone comes.  From the 5^th-15^th of December, our entire group (SA24) meets for training.  Aside from the fact that I’ll get to see everyone I haven’t seen since swearing in, I’m also looking forward to this because we get to bring a counterpart with us.  I am bringing my host mom, because she is involved in the Drop-In Centre for the OVC (Orphans and Vulnerable Children).  This will be beneficial since there will be trainings on Life skills, HIV/AIDS and proposals/grant writing for funding.  I’ll be at site again from the 15^th-23^rd, and then I’ll head out for my Christmas holiday for hiking and general merriment. 

If I don’t get the chance to blog again until after the holidays, Happy Holidays everyone!!

Miss and love you all!

Salang Gabotse!

Meg J