Farewell ceremony

27 Mar 09


I was asked by my team to make a farewell speech to the people of Malungeni on behalf of Global Volunteers to make at our last day. I read the following as a member of the community translated for me. All our kids were there and members of the community. The local paper the Fever was there. It was a great event.


On behalf of this group of Global Volunteers, we would like to give Malungeni a big Enkosi!

The warmth that we have recieved in the community has been overwhelming. We have enjoyed staying in the beautiful country side and have been admiring it since the first day we arrived. Enkosi!

We are impressed with the soul and heart of the community that is proudly displayed in the passionate voices of the singers who gracefully sang to us, in church or just even walking on the street. The passion is also there in the dancing we saw on day 1 when the women and kids showed us their confidence, beauty and grace. Enkosi!

Also, Enkosi to our host Rev. Spiero and the guest house staff for tending to our every need from start to finish. We enjoyed every moment spent with you and thanks for making our stay feel like home. again, Enkosi.

During our two week visit to Malungeni our goals were to:

1. Wage peace by promoting justice
2. Work towards building change
3. To promote our own self development
4. To commit to educating our community when we return home to Chicago, Minneapolis, NY and Poland.

In reviewing our goals, we feel successful in our achievements of these goals. OUr time was mostly spent at the local primary school teaching English, however we worked with many facets of the community as well. We spent time with the women's empowerment group to discuss plans for progress for the bakery, veg garden, piggery/poultry, brick making and sewing projects. Not only was it quite nice to build relationships with the women but also in helping to foster the idea of trading service/goods for service/goods. This was a great example of how to build unity in the community. What is community anyway? Common unity right? Our hope is that the growth does not stop there. Let this be an example for you in your community to continue to work towards development and follow the yes, we can mentality.

Let this mentality grow within the children. WE hve had the privelage to get to know the kids of this community well. Tehy are very bright, egar, well mannered kind and gifted young people. Their enthusiam for learning has shown us the importance in loving and fostering the youth. From english lessons, geography, math, shapes and colors to HIV discussions you were all ready to participate and learn something new. On our first day here were were told "knowledge is power". We believe that to be true and hope that the youth continue to gain power. Let the youth be the change you want to see in the world. It has been more than and honor to work with Grades R -9. You will hold a special place in our hearts and we will be forever proud to have been called your "TEEEchaahs"!

In grade 4-6 we learned the english word hope while singing "do you hear the people sing" what is the word hope? What does it mean? Hope is the belief and promise in something better.

Our hope is for continued success in this program. Our hope is for continued progress and prosperity in Malugeni and our hope is for a long lasting relationship between Malungeni and Global Volunteers.

Thank you - Enkosi!

Goodbye Malungeni

27 Mar 09

Song for this post: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ekgb5oJSobU


My last night in Malungeni is filled with tears. My mind racing to capture the memories and my heart not wanting to let go of the people who really touched me. (I find it hard even today - days later to write this post) As I lay here in the front year looking up at the blanket of stars that are comforting me, I am thinking of how far i have traveled and for what purpose. I as the twinkling stars (so abundant that I haven't seen them liek this since I was a little kid - if ever) I ask them "Have I accomplisted my goals here and what have I learned?" The answer to the first part of the question I will leave up to the Malungenis to answer, but I will tell you what this lovely part of the world has taught me or really reaffired.

Remember to believe in yourself and what you know deep down is right and good.

All people are made of love and have love and goodness in them.

Love comes in all shapes, sizes, and COLORS. You just have to be patient enough to let it in.

It is always important to rest for plus/minus 20 mins.

Change can happen if you try. It is the trying that counts.

It is important to be here now. Remain in the present to absorb life. Past and future are not real.

Everyone needs to be heard, believed in, loved and adored. Give someone attention today. :) Their heart and yours will be warmed.

HIV - Prevention, Myths and Empowerment

26 mar 09

song for this post: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1B-tRDOtzkw


Woke up today witha bit of a sore throat. Better than the rest of my team who have had colds, flue, diarrehea and such. I am tired so spent the morning re3sting ("plus or minus 20 mins) for we are giving a life skills class today. We will hold a discussing surrounding HIV/AIDS to the 7,8 and 9th grades. I was so egar to have the open discussion to get to the root fo why 2/10 South Africans are known to be infected with HIV, when condoms are given free by the gov'ment. They are in the clubs, airports, nature reserves and shopping malls. Everywhere!


We put the 35 kids in a circle and besides a few of them they were all glad we were having this dicussion although no one will really willing to chat. The 3 of us jason, amy and I shared our relationship to the disease and how we work with kids/drug users in the states who are infected so they can see that we have some expertise in the subject. We asked them to share some of the myths about the diesase and soem studens told us: 1. If you seep with a virgin or a small child you will be cured of the virus. 2. A healthy diet and vitamins will keep you negative. 3. Love = girls who open their vaginas easily. 4.. No sex = you are stupid and dumb and finally 5. condoms don't feel the same as flesh to flesh.

These answers were hared to hear and made me refute them passionately. We went on to male and female condom demonstrations and talked about ways to make condoms fun and encourage their usage. We also talked about ways to empower yourself to say 'wrap it up' or 'not without a condom' . The students shared thoughts after their teacher left the room and if nothing else I think they learned that the topic of HIV is so important that 3 people from the US flew here to talke to them about it. Hopefully we empowered some of them and hopefully our discussi0n will lead to smart choices.

Bar Flies

23 mar 09


Today we went to visit the local bar for we heard they sold good SA beer there. Little did we know when we arrived at a small run down blue home that we had just arrived to the bar!! WE walked to the back of this home that apparently also raised chickens. There was an old lady sitting at the bottome of the 3 crooken steps into the entrance of this house. She could barely walk but i guess as a bouncer of sorts you just need to be able to hold out your hand for an entry fee. Not like she was checking any IDs or anything. WE walked into the hut to a funky smell of BO, sour booze and since there was a bed in the corner of the room I am assuming I was also smelling sex. We were greeted at 3pme to the local bar flies: both the people that frequent the joint in the middle of the day and also the 40+ flies (insects) that buzzed around for the smells to them must be tempting. There were 8 men sitting around and one woman lounging on the very worn out bed. As soon as I shook the shaking hand of the first "gentleman" with no teeth in the front and bloodshot eyes, I knew I wanted to leave -sans the beer. We were given bottle crates to sit on and then were asked questions by one man who knew some english and one that attempted to know some. I had a hared time concentrating on them for the other bar flies that were gathered around a bucket of furmented corn meal that looked like a puke bucket. All of the men were drinking out of this bucket and the thoguht of them asking us if we wanted some made me nauseaus. WE were adked if we wanted the beer now and I quickly said that I had a student comeing for tutoring so no time to stay and the gang bought the beer anyway to take home. We quickly said goodbye and on the way out a family of baby chickens and their mother came in the door I guess to hang out for a while out of the heat.

As I was wiping my hands and arms with an antibacterial wipe on our walk home, I thought, "so this is where all the men in this village have been hiding" I can count on one hand how many non durnk, non high, non mentally ill, non domestic abusers there are here and they are all somehome affiliated with our project here. It is the women in this town who try tokeep things going. The pressure is put on the women to cook,clean, farm, raise upwards of 7, 8 kids, to be a good wife and provide for the family. All of this just to be considered to be a "good" woman. To be a man howver it is simple: 1. you turn 18 and get circumcized and 2.. well there is no two. That is all that is expected of you to be a Xhosa man. That is it. No other expectations are given. I see this as a major downfall to this community. The men need higher stakes and the bar raised for them to aspire to. IT is painful to see these men walk around with out a purpose. Buzzing around if you will. Just like the bar flies - just waiting for the day when they will be swatted away.

Planting seeds of change

24 Mar 09

Quote for this post: "Do your little bit of good where you are; its those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world." - nelson mandela


We did our little bit of good today and we are hoping to overwhelm Malungeni if not the world. Today was a great day. I think today was a turning point for all of us in this journey. Week one was all about planting seeds and today it was about watching the tree grow tomorrow will be about see it blossom. This afternoon we met wit the women's group again. It was fitting that we were discussing how to give birth to a new Malungeni community in the front lawn of our guest house, sitting in a circle around a tree spudling that is determined to grow. Sitting there while Amy inspired the women by introducing the barder system to them as a means to grow their veg patch, I thought, these women are just that the growing tree. They needed the tools or the means to grow their business just as this tree needs water and sun to survive. Something so simple and basic has never occurred to them. They seemed to embrace the idea and I believe they were excited to 1. have their land plowed and 2. That they were going to collaborate with someone in the community they they previously didn't think would help them. We went to survey the field as well today and plowing began! To me this was victorious. What a great example of community unity and as the local preacher would say " loving thy neighbor".

We are excited and hopeful that the women's grou now only plants seeds for growing corn, squash, spinach andcabbage on their fields, but will also continue to plant seeds of change throughout Malungeni.

Victory in Unity

23 Mar 08

Song for this post: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LuNHSXfMp8&feature=related


The Malungeni people have had a hard time working together. This community is small much like a family and as we all know open wounds and bad blood from a family riff can take forever to heal -if it ever heals. Today however, we acted as the family thearpists and worked with two groups towars progress in this town. Twice a week we have been meeting with the women's empowerment group to work towards building business and getting the woment to see their value to this community. (The woemen are the spine of this community but are treated poorly with abuse and lack of respect while the men frequent the local bars which I will describe in a later post.)

Continuing, the women in the group needed assistance on their vegetable patch which is the size of 5 soccer fields. They have a till but no one to plow the field for them. However, the one very hard working man in town is a farmer and the ladies thought he could help although doubtful he would. We met this man at our welcome for he was the one that said "Knowledge is power" but also believes that nothing comes for free.

With this we decided to introduce the barder system to the women and tried to come up with ideas of howthey could help the "tractor man" in exchange for him plowing their fields. We arranged to meet with him to see if we could negotiate something. Arriving at his shouls was like being in another world. Althought the house was extremely modest by our US standards, to us living in Malungeni for two weeks... it was a mansion! They were even adding on a new addition to the home. When we arrived the progressive thinking man we met at the welcome was replaced by a tough, Malungeni guy who seemed to still have a chip on his shoulder from some old feud. He would not even look to us when he asked what we wanted to chat about and continued to work in his yard. Amy stared by stating our purpose and how we felt it was important for a 1st step in this community to help each other if they want to see change... positive change. They could be the shining example. He walked us inside passing the 3 cars he owned and ushering us into his lovely and clean living room with a large book shelf. "I don't' provide service for free" he said while watching soccer on TV. I added that it would not be for free and that we insist that the women provide something to him to equal the cost of his services. I wen ton further to say how intelligent his is and how out of everyone he should know what this will mean for the community (a little bit of stroking goes a long way! )

He reluctantly agreed and wenton to ask us about our favorite soccer team. This is when I knew our meeting was successful and I can't wait to watch the plow work on the veg field!

Weekend Recap

22 Mar 09


Song for this post: http://www.songmeanings.net/songs/view/3530822107858548570/


Went to Port St Johns this weekend for a mini vacation from our stay in Malugeni. It was nice to get away and enjoy the sunshine, beach, running water and a room to ourselves. Today is global water day and I can't help to think how wonderful it is to have the simple things in life like a nice hot shower that instantly turns on when you would like it to and you can brush your teeth, shower or even get a glass to drink. According to the internet site I was reading, 1/6 th of our population will die from lack of water. Wow! We forget how lucky we are in the US. I mean we consume over 8 glasses of water a day, take 30 mins or longer in the shower, cook, clean our cars and give our pets plenty of fresh water without blinking an eye. The women in Malugeni spend lots of time tending to our water. Making sure that our bath water is boiled, that there are buckets and buckets of water there for us. They carry it from the rain collectors on their heads and even have other young girls collect water for us. This is NOT a task that men do by the way. This is one of the many many chores of a woman for her day never ends. I must say, I am glad not to be born a xhosa woman for I don't think I would cut it.

Back to the weekend - We saw lots on our trip. I another way of life here in South Africa which was the beach town. It was very similar to many of the beach towns in the US full of hippies smoking weed, beach bums, surfers, townies, and roadside cafes to grab a bite. We ventured all around this mountain beach town on both tar roads and what they call "bed rock" roads. This was an adventure all in it self. Mind you were were in "Bessy Bens" - the small hach back Mercades that we rented that we affectionately adored for getting us through the non tar paved roads filled with rocks the size of tennis, golf and footballs all while making vertical climbs. Boy are we glad to be back in Mthatha. We laughed at all of us in this car going through these towns were the kids were grabbing at the car and we are driving yelling "sweets, sweets" and only Jason knows how to change a tire. As I am sure you can imagine.. we love Bessie Bens for getting us through it all.

Today I saw a baptism on the beach where the baptismees were dressed in white robes and were escorted in the water by the ministers. Bystanders were beating on a drum and dancing and chanting. After 4 or 5 dunks in the cold Indian Ocean, they were escorted back to shore where they proceeded to get some type of holy ghost. They would fall to the ground, have to be picked up by all fours and dragged to safety just to stand up and then fall out backwards again hitting the ground on their back and lay there for a few mins to recover. It was a sight to be seen only to be topped by the heard of cattle that showed up on the beach on the other side of me. Can't say I have ever seen that before. It was an eventful morning! Can't wait for my picture on my camera to be downloaded.

"What is Hope, class?"

19 Mar 09

Song for this post: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yXRGdZdonM

"We have not taken the final step of our journey but the first step on a longer & even more difficult road for to be free is not mearly to cast off chains, but to live in a way that respects & enhances the freedom of others. The true test of our devotion to freedom is just beginning." - Nelson Mandela wrote in his auto biography " A long walk to freedom".

We visited the Nelson mandela museum today in Mthatha. The modest but powerful museum gave Amy, Dorota, Jason and I a better sense of what life was like here just a short while ago (Apartied ended in 1994). I think we all found it exciting as well as interesting to visit and I could tell it got all of us thinking about the work we are doing and how far many South Africans have come. Also, in the case of the Malugeni community, how far they still have to go.

Being in Mthatha really made us realize that there is a world just 10 km away from Malugeni but they are too poor to access it. Mthatha has a bit of a hustle bustle feel to it and people who have seen the world, who have opportunity, determination and hope. In Malugeni there is less hope (which was one of the English words I taught my 4th, 5th and 6th grade combined over crowded classroom this week). Malugeni has no Internet, no land line phones, not running shops except for a run down convenience store filled with flour, sugar, cleaning supplies and of course some candies and chips for the school kids to spend their pennies on) It make us wonder how we can help and make an impact. As Jason and Dorota said this evening it is all about exposure and that is what we are providing them. Opening up a mind to think ... "what else is out there?" We saw this example today with the 7,8 and 9th grade class who leaped at a chance to work on a charades game demonstrating present continuous tense. (yes they were excited about learning sentence structure). I must say their enthusiasm for English is overwhelming. We also tutored "peels" today. She came to work on science home work even though it was her 18th birthday!! She was that excited to have help with her home work and to share her brilliant poetry which I posted in the last post. She has an amazing way of expressing herself. Tonight I went to bed knowing we are making a difference.

A poem from one of my star students! She is amazing!

Vukani Ma Africa

By Philiswa “Peels” Xapile

What is the world turning into?

Oh no!

Children live with out parents or the other way around

Parent burying their own kids.

What is the world turning into?

Oh no!

My brothers and sisters are killing their souls.

Time is growing old, when will our suffering bear fruit?

One dream but who will dream it and who will make it real?

The future hold opportunities we can not afford to ignore.

To ignore them would be admitting to failure and this is something we can never allow.

Not for ourselves nor our children and our continent.

Nature and history are not just about survival of the fittest.

They are also about survival of the wise and most adaptive and aware.

Black brothers and sisters Vukani Nizenzele.

This is your future we are talking about and take place.

THIS IS YOUR BIRTH RIGHT.

Vukani, Vukani MA AFRIKA!!!

Pictures

Check out my facebook page (link to the right) for picture for I am only able to download from my blackberry. :)

The Sun is Shining!

18 Mar 09


Song for this post: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrzjv121t4c

I know we are making an impact and that is very encouraging. When I was teaching my class of 4-6 graders alone today of which there are about 40 of them, we worked on an English/drama/musical lesson. We sang the song "do you hear the people sing" from the musical Les Miserable. It seems as though they understood the message behind the song and learned how to put emotion behind what they were singing. It was lovely to see. After class about 15 students stayed to look thru my book on Illinois that I brought. The were more than fascinated with each page like a teenager with their first shiny new car. It was great to see the interest in the the outside world for I think their travel limitations keep them confined to this community and they seem to know little about worldly things. They do know Rhianna, Usher, Celine Dion and Josh Groban. Music truly is a universal language. I walk home and sing "sun is shining" to some of the kids which is new for them. We walk down the paved rocky road like a large group from the wizard of oz. In the amazing South African sunshine we sing and sing so they can remember it. The weather and the company is really sweet. It is a very simple life here and different from mine but I know one thing - that all humans are the same fundamentally. We all love to be smiled at and catch the contagiousness of grinning from ear to ear. We all love to sing and dance. We all express emotion. We all want to be be heard and we all have the capacity to listen.

Thinking from outside the box

15 Mar 09


Song for this post: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nYn9kxMIjU

"Life has no formula" - Malugeni teacher Mr. Cromwell

AS you can assume, there are many challenges we face in trying to bring a community in the 21st century. Lace of finance, empowerment, jobs, knowledge and world view all hinder this groups ability to step out of their box of comfort and confinement and embrace change. How can you expect them to when old, tired traditions stand in their way. Every decision must be approved by the husband, father, mother, elder, teacher, tribal chief, local gov'ment, national gov'ment and then God. It is very frustrating to see the slow forward movement here. Change is scary to them. The potential of the kids is abundant but I know that they are trapped or bound by the confines of this small small box of in opportunity they live in. Many of whom have never seen the tar road that is only 3-5 Km from their community but the rocky road of their town inhibits them from seeing the rest of the world. To see the land be so abundant but a plow stuck in the mud for lack of knowledge of how to use new machinery is hard to see. We must focus on what we can do. Focus on what we can change and the lives that we can impact.

Molweni!

15 Mar 09

Song for this post: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6b_9blNcio

Molweni or welcome in xhosa. (Xhosa is pronounced with a tounge click and then kosa). This is the native languate of the people of Malugeni. Many of whom we met today. We were so pleased to be greeted in the mid afternoon by some of the community members that came to our guest house. We sat in a half circle and were lead by Nkulie who translated the event. We were greeted by members of the Dept of Ed, and Social Services, as well as high tribal leaders of the community. All of which experssed thanks for our commitment to the community and home for continued success with Global Volunteers. They expressed how important working together has been, is and will be great benefit to the community. From their talks, they are just as intrested in learing from us and we are from them. AS Bonke so elequently stated earlier in the day, "It is always good to check your angles on all things". What e meant by this was the importance of a difrferent perspective. Yesterday the minister of the town said " knowledge is power" and power is so important for this community to help "fight the enemy which is poverty" , as passionately stated by the leader of the DOE. We were asked to give an introduction and an item for which we sang " you are my sunshine" (one of my gran's favs) as best as we could on the fly. The ceremonies ended with traditional dance from the women and kids. Their faces painted and with woven skirts on they danced in step to the drum. With arms stretched out, head tilted back looking up at the sky with so much pride, confidence, joy and sterength. They were so open to the world and what awaits them. Full of tireless energy and an abundance of spirit. It was an amazing day for all of us and one that I am sure neither ment nor us will forget.

The Real World

14 Mar 09

Our guest houses:

Grander than I ever expected. So excited that I had to immediately explore like they do on the Real World House and go into each room. There are some differences to the lavish house that you might see displayed on TV. You will not see the colorful rooms or the hightech bathroom instead we boil our collected rain water for drinking , bathing, and brushing our teeth. If it does not rain .. we don't have water. Thank goodness for the large amount of rain we have at night. Also there is no pool or gym like on the Real World. We have a rooster outside that I am sure will stop crowing the night we have chicken for dinner and we have a small chain link fence for protection. My room has a leak in the celing but besides that .. it is home. Looking forward to our orientation tomorrow.

Enkose

Song for this post: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPLvH6FONqQ

"Enkose" is Xhosa for Thank you and Wamkelekele is your welcome.

Today I met the other volunteers: our lead from Poland is Dorota - a full time Global Volunteer worker in Poland, Jason is 35 from NY (long Island) and works in mental health care and Amy who I have talked to via email before coming here is a buisness owner from Minneapolis. Everyone has pretty much just arrived to the country and boy am I glad I had some time to adjust first prior to arrivin to our new and very different home. We are greeted by Nkulie and Bonke who are going to be our host country guides while in Malungeni. They are very intrested in our safty and will not let us go anywhere with out being introduced or escorted. Everything is very slow here. Life is slower and just not as fast. On our way to Malungeni which is 3 hours a way, we stop at Nkulie's sisters house who's husband works for the SA government. This means they are pretty affluent and have a large ranch home. They were so happy for us to come in and see the house and have a chance to talk to the Americans about politics, American life and about our up coming experience. We chatted to the men in the house as the women stayed in the kitchen and fetched us juice. They were so proud to be having us there and even gave us all a bottle of wine as a SA tradition of not leaving someone house with out something which seems opposite of what I am use to. So inviting. So I gave them all a big " Enkose" as that was the first word i learned in Xhosa. They all died laughing. I assume at my pronounciation. Well I guess I can only get better!

13 Mar 09


Never thought I would be sitting at a dinner table saying

"Wow, that Zebra is Yummy". (here it is pronounced as you would Debra or Zed)

Went to Carnivore tonight which is like a Brazilian steak house and enjoyed all of the new meats I had better than the typical beef, chicken and lamb. I tried Kudu sausage, Zebra, Osterid (sp?) - but the croc got me.. I drew the line there.

The Panoramic View

13 Mar 2009

Song for this post: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBSnR4ZP2MI
Today I traveled to "God's Window"and no matter waht religion you subscribe to, this place will definately bring you to spirituality. God's window is a look out point near the Blith River Canyon. On a clear day (reference the colin hay song from previous post) you can view Kruger park and the surrounding area almost 80 Km away.
On a day like today, the view was covered with a dense fog, however this added to the öh my God's window factor. Never have I stood on a cliff and felt like I was floating. I felt the mist and humity of the rainforst behind me, the uneven rock below and nothing but a sea of puffy clouds in front. I had a quiet thought to jump it was so amazing - but knew of the the long way down to the canyon floor below. It was 8am I as was completely alone on this cliff.
On my way down I met a couple who were from the arrid anterior region of the country and the wife was too scared to continue on so she came down with me. She explained that they too were on holiday and it was the first time she was in the area. The spoke about their drive and how they too were lost at one point (almost to mozambique). As she was telling the story she said they didn't use the map much and that was part of the issue. Then she told me in her thick South African accent that sometimes you dont'know the journey that the road brings. It was great advise. I will always remember her (didn't even get her name) and how she was another teacher for me to allow life to happen and to enjoy what ever it brings.

The Elephant

12 Mar 09

Song for this post: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWpERZAIy3E

At 4:30am my wake up call rang for me to go on Safari for the lions are out early. I was lucky on the drive for I saw 3 out of the "Big 5" which are Lion, Leopard, buffalo, Elephant, and Rhino. Kruger is teh place to see game for I was less than 5 feet from all of the animals we saw - Lions, Leopards, Buffalo, Kudu, Snakes, chimps, monkeys, spiders, and many more. I was disapointed I missed rhino but knew that I would be riding an elephant later in the day. Yes I said riding. Casper and Kusa were my "rides"and the 23 and 10 year olds were quite the sight. They at max eat up to about 500 lbs of food a day and weigh several tons each. The ride was amazing and they were adorable and as i understand I only feel like a light backpack to them. After the ride I had drinks at sundown. It was only me who took the ride after the elephant interaction (yes i was kissed by Kusa) so the guides joined me for water and crackers and cheese. It was gret to have a candid conversation with them and even though casper and kusa were on a free roaming walk, as the guys and I chatted, there was still a bit of an elephant in the room. I aked them if they were married and had kids ( a bit of small talk) and they mentioned they were for they start early due to their "short life expectancy" This was extremely shocking to me that this is what they believe their reality to be. If I am being aloof on what we are talking about it is because when I too was in the dark at first.

The went on to mention that HIV is so prevelant in the country that for black males, that is the reality. They said it as many American males talk about going bald. That it is what it is. Not only was I shocked that this is the attitude towards the disease but that they were talking to ME about it. Let me assure you, there were not flippant, proud or light about the subject - but very matter of fact. It find it hard to listen for I know that there is such a lack of education, and lack of empowerment in that area for many of the South African people. (I will address my views on the empowerment issue in a later blog for I have some views on this subject as well)

With all of this said, I really hope I have the privelage of meeting more South Africans who are willing to chat with me about HIV/AIDS. I am so intrested in the dynamics of it all here and just want to know more and be a part of the dialog.

The Little Differences..

10 Mar 09

Song for this post: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xjdUmx26p0

Tonight I met one of my dearest friend's sister for drinks in Pretoria's Hatfield Square for a proper South African Welcome. Hatfield is the Capital's college square district. We went to a German Pub call Herr's, ordered a draft beer, and sat out on the back veranda for a chat. Now all of this sounds no different that what you would do in the States however - I was drinking Castle lager (ZA's own brew) in about 75 degree F and paying a guy to "look after"our car outside. In talking to Raine and in being in the country for only a few hours I noticed a few other small things that let me know I was not at home.

First, Let's talk about the fond nick names they give certain things. "Frosties" are draft beer, "Toastie" are toasted sandwhiches, "Doccies" if you were to make a documentry film and I have been called everything from "Miss Tiffany", Mamma, Lady and Maám. On my first day I have been called out for being an American because I am fast.. fast walk and fast talk. I am told I will have to get on South African time and learn the South African walk which is extremely slow for me and is not much of a stroll even. O - and you have to lean a bit. I hope one if the ladies shows me how to walk with a giant bag of potatoes (over 50 of them) on my head. Absolutely AMAZing! I did in fact pick up a lil bit of the lingo here - (Erin Swisher I know you will get a kick out of that) They use the word "hey"for a lot of things and as a conversation filler as well as a "mmmmhuh" which comes from the gut. I will have to demonstrate that one. The other thing I love is people are great drivers here. They are exactly what I love... They drive in the slow lane and pass in passing lane (Erin Furman will be happy to know I have not had any incidences with the curb and tell my self "left left" when turning.

In all there are things that are foriegn to me here, however in talking with Raine out on the portch while driking our frosties, I realize that we are all very similar. Most people want family, good job, houses, kids the opportunity to meet new people. It was great for the both of us to have a sounding board to chat about political/social topics - a mini UN if you will. I was able to come to a better understanding of this country and how it works and she the States. It was rather "nice". (Another word commonly used here)


Editor's Note: This post the first time around (on 10/3/09 was more profound as i wrote it at night on my blackberry and had all of these amazing thoughts but had it in draft and deleted by mistake. Being that I was in Kruger with lite reception for the past few days.. well lets just say I am on African Time. :)

landed safe and sound

"is it possible?" this is the south Africa tourism slogan. It is meant to signify the wonder of a magical place that has it all; beauty, adventure, culture , diversity all wrapped up into one place. From 45,000 feet - this is hard to confirm, but I hope by the end of the trip I can make the claim. All I know is we just crossed the Botswana border into SA - the sun is shining, I am beaming. . . I think it might be possible!

Waiting For My Real Life to Begin

I woke up this morning with a huge smile on my face in part because I am filled will all of this positive energy due to my trip, but in part because I woke up to my ipod alarm clock playing Colin Hay's "Waiting For My Real Life to Begin". Of all songs it is funny that my shuffle landed on this one. The beauty and coincidence of it all. The song gets my morning mind thinking about a few things. 1. That Colin Hay is underrated and is such a fantastic singer songwriter. I wish he got more love since his days with Men at Work. But more importantly, 2. How lucky we all are to have lil luxuries like an Ipod alarm clock when many around the world are hoping and praying for clean water to consume. And 3. How poetic it is that in just a few short days I feel like MY real life will begin.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4tcRlHY-3Q

Thanks again for reading and hope you enjoy the blog!

Cheers,
Tif

My Travel Schedule

Today is officially my last day at work and I am thrilled to be finally at this point. For the past week I have been a bit checked out and in a bit of a daydream. Good thing I have been loaded with work and haven't had the time to allow myself to really sit back and relax just yet.



As many of you know I tend to have a bit of the planning streak in me and have been working on my travel plans for some time now. I finally made my final touches on my travel plans that have been 9 months in the making; coincidentally, the same amount of time a baby needs to grow in a mother's womb. As all eager mothers like to show off their new creations, I am proud to announce my travel schedule to you and hope you think that it is as adorable as I do.



Cheers,

Tif


9 Mar - Depart O'Hare
10 Mar- Land in Johannesburg, rent car and drive to Pretoria (Capital City) to explore the historic sights.
11 Mar- Drive to Kruger National Park Game Reserve.
12 Mar- Day Safari to see Big 5 and Night Elephant Safari
13 Mar- Drive West towards: Sarbie, Hazyview, Pilgrims Rest, Blyde Cayon, God's Window, Grasgoap
Visit the Apartied Museum
14 Mar- Fly from Jo'burg to East London to meet with the rest of the volunteers and drive 3 hours NE to Malungeni (near
Volunteer in Malugeni for 2 weeks
29 Mar- Fly from East London to Cape town
Visit the Summer Concert at Kirstenbosch National Gardens (botanical)
30 Mar- Cape Town city tours
Ride to the top of Table Mountain
31 Mar - Open Day to Explore
1 Apr- Beach Day
2 Apr- Winelands Tour
3 Apr- Cape Town markets
4 Apr- Meet with Amy, another volunteer who will be also staying in Cape Town
5 Apr- Winelands Tour
6 Apr- Robben Island
7 Apr- Fly from Cape Town to Jo'burg to Frankfurt, Germany
8 Apr- Frankfurt city tour
Visit the Staedel Art Museum
Trip to the Rhein (45 minutes) via train ride to Rüdesheim (extremely touristy) and Bingen, take a boat trip on the river
9 Apr- Fly from Frankfurt to O'Hare