One of the major goals of the Peace Corps is that of cultural exchange. As we live and work alongside the local people of the country we serve in, in my case South Africa, we are meant to share our American culture while learning about the culture where we are living. I can only hope that I have shared some of my culture and that I have taught a few things to the people that I am lucky enough to work with on a daily basis as they have done for me. Since arriving to South Africa almost 8 months ago now, I have learned so much about life. Yes, it may sound a bit cheesy but forgive me. South Africans know how to celebrate life in every facet. They know how to celebrate love, they know how to celebrate life, and they know how to celebrate friendship. Most of this stems from the culture of “ubuntu,” the idea that I exist because you exist. So, this blog is just a small glimpse of the celebration of love, life, and friendship that takes place every day in South Africa.
A Celebration of Love...
Valentine’s Day…I have always asked myself “What is this holiday all about anyway?” I personally never really liked Valentine’s Day. I always looked at it as a “Hallmark Holiday,” a holiday to support the card and candy businesses. I didn’t really see the need to celebrate a day of romance; why can’t you celebrate that every day? When I was little, I didn’t see the need for all of the mushy gushy stuff. This changed about two weeks ago when I experienced my first Valentine’s Day in South Africa. Coming out of my rondovel about to bike to school, my host brother Tumelo, in his “Cupid is my Wingman” t-shirt, found fault in my outfit. “Why aren’t you wearing red and white?” Tumelo asked me. I thought that my baby-pink cardigan was celebratory, but apparently it wasn’t flashy enough. In South Africa, at least in my village, you really need to show your Valentine’s Day colors. Throughout the day I realized what a big deal Valentine’s Day was here! Everyone was decked out – the learners were even permitted to dress in red, pink, black, and white if they donated R5 to the school. My learners were very excited about Valentine’s Day. As I walked into my Grade 7 English class with hot pink paper for them to make Valentine’s Day Cards, you would have thought I was holding gold. Before the school day ended, I had my first Valentine from one of my Grade 7 learners – absolutely heartwarming. When I got home, I had plenty of work to do – 90ish journals take quite some time to respond to. As I was responding to the journals, watching the movie “Easy A” (quite funny if you haven’t seen it), and enjoying my gourmet meal (an omelet and coffee), there was a knock on my door. It was my youngest host brother, Matome. “Mom says come and get meat,” Matome told me. “Alrighty,” I thought. Never one to turn down free meat, I skipped across the street to my Aunt Selena’s house, where Christmas lights were twinkling, music was blasting, and a large group of my female friends from the village were chatting. As I was about to finish my chicken, Maggie (my host mom) and Selena began handing out bags to a few of us – Valentine’s Day presents. What ensued from that point, I still am not sure – sometimes I swear I am on “Candid Camera.” Let’s just say there was a lot of dancing and parading of the presents. Although I was very confused (a normal occurrence here), I had a blast. I realized during this time that Valentine’s Day is not just a day to buy fancy cards and chocolates (although that is never a bad thing), but rather a day to recognize those you love – family, friends, significant others. To all of my family and my friends back home and in SA, I love you very much.
A Celebration of Life…
My fellow friends and Peace Corps Volunteers have been to countless funerals since arriving to South Africa. It seemed as though every weekend someone was going to a funeral. Whenever I asked my teachers “what are you doing this weekend?” the answer was “going to a funeral.” Even if they did not know the person, they were always attending a funeral. It is a sad testament to the HIV/AIDS epidemic in South Africa – South Africa has the highest number of people infected with HIV in the world. While it may sound rather morbid, I was a bit jealous about everyone going to a funeral. I too wanted to experience a funeral in South Africa; I want to soak up as much of the culture as possible during my service. A few weeks ago, my closest friend in the village – Sylvia (Thabiso) – invited me to go to a funeral with her in the next village; her Uncle had passed away. I accepted, and she began to tell me all of the rules for attending a South African funeral. As a female, I would have to cover my hair (with a duku), I would have to cover my shoulders (wear a cardigan), I would have to wear a dress, and I was not allowed to wear earrings. On the day of the funeral, I left with my host mom and another woman in the village at 5:30am. We got a ride to the next village, and at about 6:00am the service began. What happened from here, I can only use my best judgment since I did not understand 95% of what was said – the service was done in Sepedi. There were many people who came and spoke about the deceased. Between the different speakers, the ZCC (Zion Christian Church) choir sang. This was definitely my favorite part of the service; they have beautiful voices. After about an hour, we all stood. I was ushered to a car that did not have a/c and that did not have functioning windows (aka sweat box); I would have preferred walking, but for some reason or another I am still given special treatment. We arrived to a new location (at the same time as those who walked) where the service continued. This part of the service lasted for about an hour and a half. More people spoke about the deceased as the coffin was lowered into the grave. Then, to my surprise, all of the men who were present got out their shovels and began filling the grave with dirt and concrete. This took about 30 minutes to do. Following this, we again took the “oven” car back to our original location. On our way back, we had to get out of the car to be splashed with water. I am assuming that this is part of the religious ritual involved in the ceremony. When we got back to the original location, we were served the normal South African cuisine – pap, rice, chicken, pumpkin, beet root, mashed potatoes, cabbage, biscuits, and juice. If that wasn’t enough, prior to leaving we were served more biscuits and cold drink.
During the service, I was very surprised to observe the differences between South African funeral services and American funeral services. First of all, there were SO many people in attendance. Whether or not you knew the deceased, you came. You came because your friend or your relative knew the deceased. You came to support; you came to celebrate this person’s life. Secondly, most of the people in attendance were dressed in vibrant colors. I saw people dressed in yellows, oranges, pinks, blues, etc. rather than the normal grey, navy, and black. Lastly, throughout the entire 6 hours we were there, I only saw ONE person cry, and I am pretty sure that this was the deceased’s wife. Rather, most people were jovial, gathered together to celebrate this man’s life, and to remember him in happiness rather than in sadness.
A Celebration of Friendship…
“Mpoxo.” Before last week I had never heard of the word “mpoxo,” a Tsonga word/tradition. Now, I have attended “mpoxo” and I even have my own “mpoxo” scheduled for the near future (just now). At one of the primary schools where I teach, the teachers always eat lunch together; we enjoy pap and meat for lunch. Last week, however, lunch seemed a little fancier than usual. Of course there was still pap and chicken, but there was also lots of cold drink (an unexpected treat, for sure). Also, on this particular day, the principal, the HOD’s, and the cooks joined us; I was really excited about this since the more the merrier. This, my friends, was “mpoxo” at its finest. One of the teachers (a few weeks before this) had been singing too loudly for the likes of one of the older cooks. Now, just to backtrack a bit, age is very important in South Africa. Elders are held with much respect. What a gogo says goes. When the cook made her disappointment known, “mpoxo” was arranged. The entire staff contributed R20 to hold “mpoxo,” and during “mpoxo,” an apology was made to the cook. All was forgiven very quickly. So, yes, “mpoxo” is about apologizing, but it is more important that friends and colleagues get the opportunity to gather and enjoy one another’s company, something that cannot always happen with the ins and outs of everyday life.
Now, to give you a run-down on my “mpoxo”…
All of the teachers and both of my principals have come to realize how much Americans like to exercise. I insist that I ride my bike to school when I can. Otherwise, with all of the pap, cold drink, magwina, etc. I’d most likely gain a few pounds. Also, my bike ride to school, while a bit sweaty, is a nice time of reflection. Last week, one of the teachers came to pick me up for school. However, I was not ready. I had planned on riding my bike to school, and was still getting prepared. When I arrived at school, I was told that I owed “mpoxo.” Since I was not ready when the teacher came, I messed up the schedule at school a bit. At first I thought I was in trouble and felt really badly, but to my relief all of the teachers ensured me that I was not, that everything was sharp, sharp. The teachers were excited to get the chance to have another “mpoxo.” Any excuse to enjoy one another’s company and to make amends at the same time is always a good idea, especially when there is cold drink involved.
Since coming to South Africa, I have realized how important relationships are. One of the things I love about being here is that life moves a little bit slower. Everyone always greets everyone, says hello to everyone else when passing by on the street. Yes, time is still important, but people always trump time. That being said, here is my challenge to you. Make sure, during each day, to celebrate love, celebrate life, and celebrate friendship. I understand that days get busy, I really do. However, a day is never too busy to take 5 minutes to recognize the ones who you care about and who care about you. A day is never too busy to count your blessings. And certainly, a day is never too busy to catch up with an old friend.
Word of the blog:
Compare – Sepedi: bapetsa; Xitsonga: ringanisa
Salang gabotse,
Meg :)
Friday, February 24, 2012
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Sekolo
Ngwaga wo moswa wo monate! – Happy New Year!
To all of my family and friends, cheers to a happy, healthy, and ayoba 2012!! After hiking in the beautiful Drakensberg Mountains for Christmas with some of my closest Peace Corps friends and ringing in the New Year in style in Durban, I am back to site, ready to make 2012 a great year. My New Year’s resolutions? – 1. Save money/rand since vacation proved rather pricey (yay for canned beans, eggs, and yogurt until I get paid again!), 2. Run more (apparently “you’ve gained weight” is a compliment in South Africa…), and 3. Become fluent in Northern Sesotho. Can’t be too hard, right?
This week marked the first week back to school for all of the teachers and learners, as well as my first week of a full school year teaching in South Africa. I am happy to say that the week was a really good one! After getting my feet wet from September – December during our “observational period,” I was ready to get to work. When first arriving in South Africa in July I had very big plans and big ideas, but shoo did I have many. After taking everything in and trying to make order of it all, I’d like to think that my plans and ideas are just as good, but more realistic and more manageable.
If you know me at all, you know that I have a very Type A personality, very OCD with the need to have a schedule and to be organized. Annoying, I know. The lack of a schedule/time table during my first 3 months at site drove me a bit crazy (I really don’t like not knowing what I should be doing/where I should be), but I managed to do just fine without. I am happy to say that I finally have a schedule this time around, and I think that it will be quite successful (fingers crossed, or as they say here “holding thumbs!”).
Monday and Tuesday were the first days back at school for the teachers – the learners did not start back until Wednesday. These days were meant primarily for all of the parents to come and collect their child(ren)’s books and school supplies, and to set up the time table for the classes. The Department of Education puts together packs for each grade and for each learner; in the pack there are notebooks (the # increases exponentially with the grade), pens, pencils, glue sticks, colored pencils, scissors, erasers, and pencil sharpeners. It was a lot of fun seeing all of the parents and the learners who came along with their parents to collect their supplies. Let me tell you, covering all of those notebooks is quite the task! My host mom spent much of her afternoon/evening covering my youngest host brother’s books. My younger host brother and his friends also spent a lot of time covering theirs.
On Tuesday, at one of the Primary Schools where I am teaching, I held my first Teachers’ Workshop. I was thrilled because it went pretty smoothly. During this workshop I focused on things that the teachers should do during their first days of teaching (i.e. setting up classroom rules with their learners, creating a seating chart, developing a routine with the class/making lessons, creating things like bathroom passes, etc.). All of these activities act as preventative measures in which discipline should decrease in the classroom. At the end of the workshop I handed out an anti-bullying policy I came up with to the teachers, and asked them to go over it with the students. Violence seems to be a big problem in the schools here, unfortunately stemming from the learners’ home lives, and I truly think that a school should be a safe place for students – this is the only way that they will have a good learning experience. Prior to the teachers leaving, I also handed out the first “Teacher of the Month Award” to a teacher who I think displayed excellent teaching practices and a genuine care for the learners/school. A friend of mine/fellow PCV had mentioned the idea, and I think it is a very good one in order to motivate the teachers and encourage great teaching. Although I only gave a certificate of recognition and a bandana from the states, it was a big hit! Thanks Aunt Beth for the bandana idea – they loved it!
Getting back to school on Wednesday with the learners was so much fun! They were all very excited to be back for the New Year. At one of the schools I will be teaching 6th and 7th grade English as well as working with a program called SOUNS. At the other school I will be teaching 7th grade English, working on more teacher workshops, and working with SOUNS. SOUNS is a program that was brought to us by the rotary; it helps children to connect the sounds of letters to the letter itself, and it has proven to be very helpful with literacy. At both of the schools I am going to work with the Grade R (kindergarten) learners first, and then with grades 1 and 2. All of the teachers and I are really excited about this program and are very hopeful that it will benefit the learners. I am also very glad to be working with grades 6 and 7 again; the journals seemed to work really well in the first 3 months, so I will be sure to be doing that again. Also, the answers to the questions always make my day. My favorite this week was when I asked my learners “What do you want to learn in English class this year?” and I received the answer “This year in English class I want to learn what a hermaphrodite is.”
When I first learned back in late August that I would be working at 2 primary schools without any involvement with a high school, I must be honest by saying that I was a bit disappointed – I went to school to teach Secondary English Education… With that being said, I really do enjoy working in the primary schools. However, since I am at 2 schools (2 days at one, 2 days at the other), I have a fifth day that I need to fill. At first I was switching every other Friday between the two primary schools, but that does not allow for much of a schedule on that fifth day. Long story short, this is how I decided to go and talk to the Principal at my village’s high school. Starting next week I will be going to the high school and helping with English on Fridays (and on Saturdays when I am able). I’m really excited!
At both of the primary schools I have decided to do a “word of the week” in order to improve/increase the learners’ English vocabulary. Therefore, I will do a “word (or words) of the blog” for all of you, my wonderful readers. This week’s word for my learners is “write.” In Xitsonga, “write” is “tsala.” In Sepedi, “write” is “ngwala.” Next week’s word will be “think.” In Xitsonga, “think” is “ehleketa.” In Sepedi, “think” is “nagana.”
Thanks for reading!
Until next time,
Salang Gabotse!
Xoxo
Meg J
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
From Peace Corps to Posh Corps...And Back Again
This blog post goes out to my friend and fellow PCV, Casey. Casey, we all hope that everything is sharp sharp in America and that you can come back to SA ASAP!
I just returned from what I would categorize as one of the best weeks (okay, 10 days) of my life. Our group – SA24 – had our In-Service Training (IST) from the 5th to the 15th of December. Our IST was held outside of Pretoria and focused on life-skills training, HIV/AIDS training, and project/funding planning. While the queen-sized beds, hot showers, scenic runs, swimming pool, and endless amounts of delicious food (and tea time twice a day) certainly helped to make this a wonderful week, it was the people who truly made the experience an unforgettable one. Seeing friends and fellow volunteers from other areas of Limpopo, the Northern Cape and the North West was fabulous; some of these people I saw for the first time since swearing in three months ago. Seeing the Peace Corps staff and the LCF’s (Hlulani, na khensa ngopfu for playing telephone Pictionary) was also amazing. All of us swapped stories, smiled when discussing even the smallest of victories, vented about common frustrations, and laughed over crazy experiences.
Let’s start back on day one of the trip…I have never been known as the “lightest packer.” One of my closest friends here, Jill (Xongile as her village knows her) would rephrase this statement, referring to me as “the worst packer EVER.” I was thinking about how correct Jill was in her estimation of my packing, looking at my suitcase in my rondovel and thinking “how the heck am I going to lug this to the bus stop” when my host mom came in, on her phone, and picked up my suitcase. Like magic, a khombi was waiting for me outside of our compound. Can we say “lifesaver?” When I arrived in Giyani to catch our bus to Pretoria, I was once again crowded by one too many men asking “mi ya kwihi, mi ya kwihi?” Honestly, does it really matter where I’m going? Is it going to change your day? In response, I told them that I was headed to Pretoria, but that I’d be quite alright, I was catching the City to City Bus. Once I saw the cue to buy my ticket for the bus, I nearly died! It must have been a busy travel day. After about 45 minutes of standing in the cue, I eventually bought my ticket – phew, wicked close call (seriously, almost was not able to buy a ticket)! I was all settled in my seat, prepared for a nice relaxing trip to Pretoria when “splash!” went my coffee. Yes, this would be a very relaxing trip indeed…three bus transfers later and a khombi ride where we not only paid for our ride, but also gave the driver additional money for cold drink, we finally arrived at the Peace Corps Office in Pretoria.
The first few days at IST felt like a huge family reunion. We all caught up, as much as possible, on the ins and outs of each other’s lives at site. After big hugs and shouts of joy at seeing each other, questions flew – “What is your site like?” “How is your host family?” “How are the schools?” “What have you been doing?” “How hot is it where you are?” “How many weddings/funerals have you attended?” “Are you still eating pap?” Everyone’s answers varied, but we all understood each other and what everyone was going through, both the good and the bad. It was at IST that I truly realized how lucky I am to have these 50+ other volunteers I am serving with; they have all become like family to me. While we all have our individual experiences, we are all going through rather similar things. On tough days, it helps to know that I am not the only one who is in this incredible, yet sometimes rather difficult, situation.
The real fun started when our counterparts arrived at the hotel. As I may have explained in my latest blog post, each of us was told to bring a life-skills counterpart with us to our training. While many of my fellow PCV’s brought teachers, I brought my host mom, Maggie. Maggie is on the SGB (School Governing Body) and works at the Drop-In Centre for the OVC’s; I thought this training would really benefit her and the village. It was really cool seeing all of the Americans and the South Africans together – definitely a sharing/blending of cultures. I think it was a relief to all of us that our counterparts got the chance to see other Americans (since we’re the only ones they see on a day to day basis). It definitely helped to show how much Americans as a whole exercise!
Many of the sessions during IST were geared towards our working with our counterparts; this was very helpful. On one of the days, we were assigned the task of creating a project in our community. Maggie and I came up with the idea of a Girls’ Club in the village, something I had wanted to do. Beginning next year (when the school year starts in January) I am going to have a Girls’ Club one or two days a week after the school day knocks off. I still need to iron out the wrinkles, but I am thinking that at the Girls’ club we can make bracelets (feel free to send string!), talk about whatever the girls have on their mind, play games, etc. This will be a great bridge to when Jill and I hold our Camp GLOW (Girls Leading Our World).
In addition to the project planning, we were also assigned the task of presenting a lesson with our counterpart in the life skills department. As luck would have it, Maggie and I were given the lesson on HIV Prevention/Condom Demonstration. Unfortunately Maggie was ill on the morning of the lesson, so I was up to bat by myself. My crowd was great, and my friend Sean/fellow PCV was a great sport in helping me during the demo. Since it seemed as though a banana fairy ran off with our banana, we had to make due and use one of the water bottles. The lesson was not nearly as awkward as I had anticipated, and it led to some very interesting discussions between us and our counterparts. So often in South Africa, sex and contraceptives are a taboo to talk about for parents with their children. This has even crossed into sex education at the schools. However, as teenage pregnancy continues to be an issue and as HIV/AIDS continues to ravage these villages, we all agreed that this is a conversation that needs to take place. It was a big step for this discussion to take place with our counterparts, and I am hopeful that these discussions will continue to take place at each of our sites.
Another session that was held for us and our counterparts was a session on HIV/AIDS done by David Patient and Neil Orr. This was one of the most interesting lectures I have ever attended. David and Neil were both engaging and extremely informative. David is HIV+ and has been for over 28 years. You would never think this if you saw him in passing – he looks like he is in picture perfect health. During this talk, I realized that HIV does not necessarily mean a death sentence. As David is living proof of, you can live a happy and long life with HIV. By taking care of yourself, watching what you eat, exercising, and taking ARV’s, HIV does not mean the end of your life. It is unfortunate that so many people choose not to get tested because of the stigma that surrounds HIV/AIDS. If more people chose to get tested and knew how to properly take care of themselves, many people could live healthy and normal lives even with HIV. David and Neil taught us about nutrition (everyone, go eat pumpkin seeds) and gender roles in SA as well. David even led some of us in early morning yoga sessions!
Prior to our counterparts leaving, we had a dance/song session in the hot tub. Abby, one of my closest friends from our group/star PCV, helped to teach some of the counterparts how to swim. Once everyone became comfortable in the water, we were singing and dancing in the hot tub (which became more like a whirlpool after about 5 minutes). Songs included Shosholoza, Dipoo, and a host of other songs that I am unfamiliar with. It was definitely one of those “Peace Corps Moments” when you realize just how lucky you are to be granted this experience.
IST seemed to go just as quickly as it came. We all agreed that in the future there should be a weigh-in before and after IST for all of the volunteers – soooo much food! On our last night at IST we celebrated with one last dance party (yes, we had quite a few during our time there – “making the pap” is the newest dance move). I’m still not sure whether or not Chris and Daniel, two of the wait staff, were happy to see us go. We’re quite a lively group, but not in a negative sense of the term; we certainly kept them busy. Saying our goodbyes was hard, but I think we all left feeling inspired and invigorated, ready to start some projects when the New Year rings in. (It also helped knowing that most of us would be seeing each other quite soon for our Christmas vacations.)
As a child you have a difficult time realizing just how much wisdom your parents have; sometimes you even go against what your parents say just to spite them. However, as you grow up, you realize each and every day, “wow, Mom was right” or “oh, I guess Dad had a point there.” Pammycakes always says to me that “as nice as it is to get away, it’s always so nice to come home.” Tonight, as I ate scrambled eggs and beans under the brilliantly starry night, regretting my decision not to apply sunscreen on laundry day, I thought about how last week I was sitting in a plush hotel restaurant eating roast beef, sushi, and tiramisu (no, no, not all together). I have traded in the shower for my bucket bath and the flush toilet for my pit latrine and pee bucket. While some people might think that this is a loss, I don’t. I know this because getting off of the khombi Saturday afternoon, hearing the familiar “Naledi!” from the village kids, listening to my friend Tumiso shout “motswala (cousin)!” and getting to hold Rhulani across the street as she grabbed for my glasses made me realize that I was home. I’ll take Peace Corps over Posh Corps any day of the week.
Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah, and Happy New Years to all of my friends and family back home!! I’ll miss being with you during this holiday season!!
Ke a go rata kudu!!
Meg :)
Xoxo
I just returned from what I would categorize as one of the best weeks (okay, 10 days) of my life. Our group – SA24 – had our In-Service Training (IST) from the 5th to the 15th of December. Our IST was held outside of Pretoria and focused on life-skills training, HIV/AIDS training, and project/funding planning. While the queen-sized beds, hot showers, scenic runs, swimming pool, and endless amounts of delicious food (and tea time twice a day) certainly helped to make this a wonderful week, it was the people who truly made the experience an unforgettable one. Seeing friends and fellow volunteers from other areas of Limpopo, the Northern Cape and the North West was fabulous; some of these people I saw for the first time since swearing in three months ago. Seeing the Peace Corps staff and the LCF’s (Hlulani, na khensa ngopfu for playing telephone Pictionary) was also amazing. All of us swapped stories, smiled when discussing even the smallest of victories, vented about common frustrations, and laughed over crazy experiences.
Let’s start back on day one of the trip…I have never been known as the “lightest packer.” One of my closest friends here, Jill (Xongile as her village knows her) would rephrase this statement, referring to me as “the worst packer EVER.” I was thinking about how correct Jill was in her estimation of my packing, looking at my suitcase in my rondovel and thinking “how the heck am I going to lug this to the bus stop” when my host mom came in, on her phone, and picked up my suitcase. Like magic, a khombi was waiting for me outside of our compound. Can we say “lifesaver?” When I arrived in Giyani to catch our bus to Pretoria, I was once again crowded by one too many men asking “mi ya kwihi, mi ya kwihi?” Honestly, does it really matter where I’m going? Is it going to change your day? In response, I told them that I was headed to Pretoria, but that I’d be quite alright, I was catching the City to City Bus. Once I saw the cue to buy my ticket for the bus, I nearly died! It must have been a busy travel day. After about 45 minutes of standing in the cue, I eventually bought my ticket – phew, wicked close call (seriously, almost was not able to buy a ticket)! I was all settled in my seat, prepared for a nice relaxing trip to Pretoria when “splash!” went my coffee. Yes, this would be a very relaxing trip indeed…three bus transfers later and a khombi ride where we not only paid for our ride, but also gave the driver additional money for cold drink, we finally arrived at the Peace Corps Office in Pretoria.
The first few days at IST felt like a huge family reunion. We all caught up, as much as possible, on the ins and outs of each other’s lives at site. After big hugs and shouts of joy at seeing each other, questions flew – “What is your site like?” “How is your host family?” “How are the schools?” “What have you been doing?” “How hot is it where you are?” “How many weddings/funerals have you attended?” “Are you still eating pap?” Everyone’s answers varied, but we all understood each other and what everyone was going through, both the good and the bad. It was at IST that I truly realized how lucky I am to have these 50+ other volunteers I am serving with; they have all become like family to me. While we all have our individual experiences, we are all going through rather similar things. On tough days, it helps to know that I am not the only one who is in this incredible, yet sometimes rather difficult, situation.
The real fun started when our counterparts arrived at the hotel. As I may have explained in my latest blog post, each of us was told to bring a life-skills counterpart with us to our training. While many of my fellow PCV’s brought teachers, I brought my host mom, Maggie. Maggie is on the SGB (School Governing Body) and works at the Drop-In Centre for the OVC’s; I thought this training would really benefit her and the village. It was really cool seeing all of the Americans and the South Africans together – definitely a sharing/blending of cultures. I think it was a relief to all of us that our counterparts got the chance to see other Americans (since we’re the only ones they see on a day to day basis). It definitely helped to show how much Americans as a whole exercise!
Many of the sessions during IST were geared towards our working with our counterparts; this was very helpful. On one of the days, we were assigned the task of creating a project in our community. Maggie and I came up with the idea of a Girls’ Club in the village, something I had wanted to do. Beginning next year (when the school year starts in January) I am going to have a Girls’ Club one or two days a week after the school day knocks off. I still need to iron out the wrinkles, but I am thinking that at the Girls’ club we can make bracelets (feel free to send string!), talk about whatever the girls have on their mind, play games, etc. This will be a great bridge to when Jill and I hold our Camp GLOW (Girls Leading Our World).
In addition to the project planning, we were also assigned the task of presenting a lesson with our counterpart in the life skills department. As luck would have it, Maggie and I were given the lesson on HIV Prevention/Condom Demonstration. Unfortunately Maggie was ill on the morning of the lesson, so I was up to bat by myself. My crowd was great, and my friend Sean/fellow PCV was a great sport in helping me during the demo. Since it seemed as though a banana fairy ran off with our banana, we had to make due and use one of the water bottles. The lesson was not nearly as awkward as I had anticipated, and it led to some very interesting discussions between us and our counterparts. So often in South Africa, sex and contraceptives are a taboo to talk about for parents with their children. This has even crossed into sex education at the schools. However, as teenage pregnancy continues to be an issue and as HIV/AIDS continues to ravage these villages, we all agreed that this is a conversation that needs to take place. It was a big step for this discussion to take place with our counterparts, and I am hopeful that these discussions will continue to take place at each of our sites.
Another session that was held for us and our counterparts was a session on HIV/AIDS done by David Patient and Neil Orr. This was one of the most interesting lectures I have ever attended. David and Neil were both engaging and extremely informative. David is HIV+ and has been for over 28 years. You would never think this if you saw him in passing – he looks like he is in picture perfect health. During this talk, I realized that HIV does not necessarily mean a death sentence. As David is living proof of, you can live a happy and long life with HIV. By taking care of yourself, watching what you eat, exercising, and taking ARV’s, HIV does not mean the end of your life. It is unfortunate that so many people choose not to get tested because of the stigma that surrounds HIV/AIDS. If more people chose to get tested and knew how to properly take care of themselves, many people could live healthy and normal lives even with HIV. David and Neil taught us about nutrition (everyone, go eat pumpkin seeds) and gender roles in SA as well. David even led some of us in early morning yoga sessions!
Prior to our counterparts leaving, we had a dance/song session in the hot tub. Abby, one of my closest friends from our group/star PCV, helped to teach some of the counterparts how to swim. Once everyone became comfortable in the water, we were singing and dancing in the hot tub (which became more like a whirlpool after about 5 minutes). Songs included Shosholoza, Dipoo, and a host of other songs that I am unfamiliar with. It was definitely one of those “Peace Corps Moments” when you realize just how lucky you are to be granted this experience.
IST seemed to go just as quickly as it came. We all agreed that in the future there should be a weigh-in before and after IST for all of the volunteers – soooo much food! On our last night at IST we celebrated with one last dance party (yes, we had quite a few during our time there – “making the pap” is the newest dance move). I’m still not sure whether or not Chris and Daniel, two of the wait staff, were happy to see us go. We’re quite a lively group, but not in a negative sense of the term; we certainly kept them busy. Saying our goodbyes was hard, but I think we all left feeling inspired and invigorated, ready to start some projects when the New Year rings in. (It also helped knowing that most of us would be seeing each other quite soon for our Christmas vacations.)
As a child you have a difficult time realizing just how much wisdom your parents have; sometimes you even go against what your parents say just to spite them. However, as you grow up, you realize each and every day, “wow, Mom was right” or “oh, I guess Dad had a point there.” Pammycakes always says to me that “as nice as it is to get away, it’s always so nice to come home.” Tonight, as I ate scrambled eggs and beans under the brilliantly starry night, regretting my decision not to apply sunscreen on laundry day, I thought about how last week I was sitting in a plush hotel restaurant eating roast beef, sushi, and tiramisu (no, no, not all together). I have traded in the shower for my bucket bath and the flush toilet for my pit latrine and pee bucket. While some people might think that this is a loss, I don’t. I know this because getting off of the khombi Saturday afternoon, hearing the familiar “Naledi!” from the village kids, listening to my friend Tumiso shout “motswala (cousin)!” and getting to hold Rhulani across the street as she grabbed for my glasses made me realize that I was home. I’ll take Peace Corps over Posh Corps any day of the week.
Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah, and Happy New Years to all of my friends and family back home!! I’ll miss being with you during this holiday season!!
Ke a go rata kudu!!
Meg :)
Xoxo
Saturday, November 12, 2011
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 21st 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 5th-15th 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 15th-23rd, 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
Saturday, October 22, 2011
You Are My Porridge
A couple of weeks ago, someone yelled across the street, “You are my porridge!” At first, I was rather confused by this. What was this man trying to tell me? Did he want me to make him porridge? Did he want to make me porridge? Then, after a while, I realized that in South Africa
I hope that everything is going well state-side. Thanks to my brother, Dave, my sports connection to the US Limpopo (which is apparently known as the Eden of South Africa)…
First of all, I celebrated my first South African birthday last Saturday. I felt like it was a 36-hour birthday due to the time difference – let me tell you, I could get used to having a longer birthday! It was definitely weird not being with my family and friends back home (I was feeling a bit nostalgic for Lady Antebellum and birthday cake shots), but I had a wonderful day nonetheless thanks to some of my best Peace Corps friends. At first I feared that I might be spending my entire birthday in the back of a khombi – the taxi drivers don’t leave until every seat, and I mean EVERY seat plus some, is filled. Eventually we were off to Polokwane, my head hanging out of the window (I am not quite sure why dogs enjoy doing this) so I made sure not to sweat to death. When Mardy, Jill, and I arrived in Polokwane, we met up with Abby, Nick, Colin, and Casey at the Mall of the North. They gave me the nicest birthday card (props to Casey for being a great artist)! Thanks to my my parents, Erny, and Aunt Barb, I was able to purchase a new pair of shoes (Crocs has some really adorable & comfortable shoes for teaching) and a foam roller (which my host family LOVES!). After a bit of shopping, we enjoyed a meal at Mugg & Bean, and then headed off to the Game Reserve. One of the PCV’s from SA23 was the nicest host ever, making us feel quite at home. The evening was spent eating a delicious cake (Betty Crocker Nick made a peanut butter and chocolate cake – the appearance didn't do it justice!), drinking Top Deck Martini’s (thanks Abby!), and playing a multitude of card games. The next morning we were able to walk around the Game Reserve, and even see some animals; I’ve never been so close to an ostrich before. It was definitely an unforgettable birthday. Thanks to everyone at home for all of the warm wishes; they meant a lot!
As much fun as I had, it was nice to come home. Unfortunately the trip back was a little too eventful for my liking – let’s just say that I kind of stick out and get some unwanted attention. I don’t know how many times or in how many languages I have to say “no, I don’t want your number” and “no, you can’t have my number” and “no, I will not marry you” to get the point across. Luckily, my host family was home when I returned, arms wide open, to welcome me back which made the khombi ride back a little less upsetting.
As for my site – it continues to make me smile, and I continue to be amazed as to how lucky I was to be placed where I am. I feel like a member of the community now, which is a really terrific feeling. At one of the schools I am working with, we just began the Reading Intervention program. I assisted the English teachers and the HOD with different strategies on how to successfully implement the program. It was so great working with the teachers on this, and seeing how receptive they were to my advice. I know that while they will learn from me, I will learn so much more from them. This week was my first time teaching the 7th grade learners English for the ANA (Annual National Assessment) Reading Intervention. The lesson – which took about 2 hours – went really well! I had the learners make their own Personal Dictionaries, and we started doing Personal Journals. One of the PCV’s who was at our group’s training had suggested the idea of Journals, and I’m so glad that she did; I think it is going to be a successful tool for improving writing. In addition, I played hangman with the class. It’s a really great way to get the learners spelling, and learning new vocab. Since they beat me, I brought all 57 of them cookies on Tuesday, which they were very happy about. The teachers didn’t mind eating the extras, either! I have also started the journaling program at the other school I am working with. Last week, I discussed the reading program – D.E.A.R. – with the teachers. Some of them have made the corners in their classrooms, which I was glad to see. I have realized that I will definitely need to be patient on implementing it.
In addition to working at the schools, I have started teaching the ABET class on Mondays and Tuesdays after school; this is the village’s adult education program. The secretary at the school in my village goes there, so it really fell into my lap as luck would have it. Although there are only 6-7 students on a given day, I am really enjoying working with these men and women. We have had some really wonderful discussions so far. I never thought that I would be teaching things like Life Skills, HIV/AIDS, how to develop positive relationships, etc. but I find myself doing so and loving it. I am also teaching them English; last week I taught how to write Diary Entries, and this week I taught a lesson on poetry.
For some random notes… I love that when I have a bad hair day, I can simply wear a duku and I manage to get multiple compliments. I’ve started practicing carrying items on top of my head (pots, buckets, bowls), which I love! The women here make it look wicked easy, but it takes major skill! I still need to keep my hands close to whatever I’m carrying to make sure that it doesn’t fall off of my head. Hopefully I’ll be an expert soon! I’ve also started to bake with my host mother. This week we made banana bread which for some reason or another I manage to burn every time. Luckily, it was salvageable! Next week, we are going to try carrot cake. I’ll be sure to let you know how it turns out! I just finished reading Randy Pausch’s “The Last Lecture” and I am currently reading Mitch Albom’s “Tuesdays with Morrie.” Both are great reads and are very inspirational. If you have the time, be sure to pick them up.
This morning two other PCVs and I ran a 9k in Giyani! It was my first race in SA and it went really well! We were able to talk to the local running club, who we plan on running with a few times a month.
Sala Gabotse!
Love and Miss you All Very Much!
Meg J
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Toto, I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore…
Dumelang! (Hello in Sepedi) Yes, I am learning Sepedi now; maybe in 2 year’s time I will come back to the states with a few different languages under my belt (not betting on all 11, which is the number of official languages in SA). Not that I’ll be able to use these languages in the states, but it’ll still be neat to know them. Sepedi is my host family’s and my village’s spoken language. My host brothers are constantly teaching me new words and phrases, which is great. It also serves as entertainment for them since they get a kick out of my American accent. Sepedi is also one of the school’s where I’m working primary languages. I am still able to practice speaking Xitsonga as the other school I am working at speaks it as its primary language. I constantly have to remind myself which language/greetings I should be using when I go between the two villages. Knowing how to speak these different languages is great; I love going into town and using the greetings, whether it be Sepedi, Xitsonga, or Setswana. You wouldn’t believe the looks on people’s faces once they realize that this “legkoa” can speak something other than English/Afrikaans (and no, I do not know Afrikaans…it’s wicked hard! It reminds me of a mix between Dutch and German.)
I have been at site for about 3 weeks now, and I am starting to feel settled as well as very happy at my new home. My village is great, and the people are so welcoming. Ubuntu exists just as much here as it did in the North West Province. The kids in my village finally have my name down pat, which is nice. Whether I’m riding home from school (side note – never buy an unassembled bike…dish out the extra R100 for the already assembled bike, you’ll be happy you did) or going to the tuck shop, I am bound to hear “Nyeleti” or “Meghan” at least 20 times. Very rarely, aside from the kids who are under 2, do I hear “legkoa” in my village which I’m really happy about. I’m still working on getting everyone’s names, but I’m sure it will come with time.
I feel very lucky to have been placed at the two schools where I am working. Both schools have a wonderful principal, a very kind staff, and terrific learners. Since I am working at two different schools (in different villages), the principals and I have created a schedule (a time table) in order to divide my time equally. I go to the one school Mondays and Tuesdays, and the other school Wednesdays and Thursdays. I switch on and off at the two schools every other Friday. The past weeks and up until December Peace Corps has given us a packet of assignments to complete to help us integrate into both the schools and the community, and to find what the greatest needs are/where we can be of greatest help over the next two years (Peace Corps terms this “Phase 2 Assignments”). This time includes, but is not limited to, interviewing the teachers, interviewing the principal, talking with the SGB (School Governing Body), talking to the students in the village, finding out different projects that exist in the community, etc.
In addition to the Phase 2 assignments, I have started working on “Reading Corners” for one of my schools. I am working on putting a “Reading Corner” into each of the grade’s classrooms (Grade R-Grade 7). Once this has been done, I am going to work with the teachers and the principal to implement D.E.A.R. (Drop Everything And Read) into the school day. I always loved this reading program and looked forward to the 30 minutes of reading in the school day (yes, I’m a nerd). I am hopeful that this will help with the students’ reading/writing. At the other school, I am working on organizing the library; eventually, I would love to make “Reading Corners” and implement D.E.A.R. at this school as well. I have decided that I would very much like to help the students with English at the conclusion of the school day. Thanks to a Miss Lindsay Jarrett, I’ve been playing “Scrabble Slam” with the kids. They love it, and the best part about it is that it’s educational without them realizing it! (I think I might enjoy playing “Scrabble Slam” with them more than “Words With Friends!” Hard to believe, I know.)
It’s currently turning to summer here, which means it constantly feels like I’m in an oven. I have stopped boiling water for my bucket baths and I have decided to go running in the morning since in the afternoon it’s about 37 degrees Celsius (apparently it gets up to 40 degrees Celsius, about 104 degrees Fahrenheit – shoo!). As much as I’m one for hitting the snooze button, I’d much prefer a “cooler” run than having to go when it’s crazy hot outside. Also, it’s a nice way to start the day. I have also mastered making my own iced coffee, which my host family finds quite interesting. It’s no Starbucks, but it does the trick.
Since arriving at site, I’ve discovered some additional differences between American culture and South African culture, thanks to the teachers I’ll be working with. First of all, my fellow teachers were quite disappointed to learn that no one would be paying lebola for me. Lebola is what a man has to give to a woman’s family before taking her as his wife; this can be paid either in cattle or Rand. Apparently the lebola fluctuates due to the woman (i.e. whether or not she is educated). I am told that the current lebola can go up to R40,000!! Additionally, South Africa has multiple cultural dances; there are different dances for whether you are a Venda, a Sotho, or a Tsonga. My host family has taught me how the Xitsonga people dance which surprisingly I am able to do. In return, when they asked me to show them how Americans dance (hold your laughter please) I taught them some of my favorite dance moves – the “Q-tip,” “making the pizza,” “the shopping cart” and “reeling in the fish.” To my friends who actually know how to dance (Katie!) don’t worry, I told them I can’t dance very well. I didn’t want them to think that all Americans dance like me haha.
I am super excited because I have just finalized my Christmas plans. Nine of us will be traveling together (some of my favorites from our groupJ). We will be traveling close to Mpumalanga, going to places like Drakensburg, and hiking for the majority of the trip. On Christmas Day, we will be doing a 9-hour hike! It will be very hot then, so it should be interesting! I can already tell that I will miss the snow! For New Year’s we will be going to Durban, which is known as South Africa’s playground. I am very much looking forward to this trip, and I think it will be a great time. I’m hoping that it will help with any homesickness I’m sure I’ll experience.
So no, there aren’t any flying monkeys in my village nor do I have shiny red slippers like Dorothy (that would be quite the fashion statement), but I can certainly realize the difference between being a Peace Corps Trainee and a Peace Corps Volunteer. It’s quite a new experience going from being surrounded by 50+ Americans on a daily basis to being the only American in a 50km radius. I can see why previous PCV’s call the first three months at site the most challenging, what with adjusting to your site, feeling like a fish fresh out of water, etc. Despite this, I must say I feel very lucky and am doing really well so far. I adore my host family and I love the schools, so I am excited for what the future holds.
P.S. Khombi/Taxi rides are wicked entertaining here! On my way here, I was in a khombi with 20+ people, 2 babies, and gogo's sitting on top of people's laps. In addition, we drove most of the way to town with our door opened!
Until next time, sala gabotse! (Stay Well in Sepedi)
Lots of Love,
Meg J
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Some lessons I’ve learned in South Africa thus far:
1. Never leave home without your roll of toilet paper.
2. No need for an alarm clock when you have roosters and goats outside of your home.
3. With enough tablespoons of Ricoffy, instant coffee isn’t half bad.
4. Khombis and cars do not move, so you better.
5. 9 am really means 10 am.
6. Your best friends will be the gogo’s and the local kids in your village.
7. It’s so true when they say “When you speak a man’s language, you speak to his heart.”
8. Always refrigerate your chocolate unless you want chocolate soup.
9. Prepared to be dusty, all of the time.
10. Pap completes any meal.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)