Since our last meeting I have been
busy in the Kingdom of Swaziland.
Well as busy as we can get living here as a PCV (Peace Corps
Volunteer). I was able to teach a few
life skills classes with the students at the high school, conduct interviews and
surveys to learn more about my community, completed our IST (In-Service
Training), and started the planning stages of some projects to introduce in my
community and the schools. There
has been a pig roast, farewell party at the high school with lots of dancing
and singing, playing card games with my bhuti “brother” that I don’t
understand, and the private screening of Frozen in my hut with my
bobhuti “brother’s” and sisi “sister”.
Everyday is an adventure, everyday is something new and everyday is a learning
experience.
The
relationships continue to grow in my community and I am feeling more
comfortable with my work, my family and the community. I think the more you accept that
in-order to live and learn, we need to be uncomfortable, this creates more of a
sense of comfort for us at the end of the day. I never know what to expect when I wake up each day, but I
know that God prepares the way for me and that whatever I set out to do he has
prepared that path for me. It can
be from the days I just ask Him for smooth and safe travels to Manzini, that
the bus arrives that day, to the days when I walk to the school and ask Him to
bring me just one person today.
Sometimes He decides though that someone is going to teach me something
that day, the young child running by me saying “Hello Celimbilo” as the bell
rings at the school, or my Babe “father” yelling outside my door just to ask me
how I am at 8pm at night. I enjoy
every moment of it and have to just thank God everyday that this is real life.
It
has been almost 5 months now that I have left home to start this adventure here
in the Kingdom of Swaziland (maybe a little history lesson and culture lesson
is in store for Swaziland in the next blog), time has been flying by and
sometimes I don’t know if 2 years is enough time. A little bit on some things we are working on with the
schools and my community are boys and girls clubs, getting a library together,
income generating projects with my family and the community, and good hygiene
practices. That could all change
tomorrow though so I just continue to ride this ride. You cannot force something and do things the way we
Americans think things should be done, it also takes 100 times longer to get
something done here, it’s just the Swazi way. I kind of like it, “if it can be done today, it usually can
be done tomorrow.” It holds some
truth to it.
On
the PCV side of things we celebrated our 1st successful Halloween
here in Swaziland, the people here don’t understand this holiday, but neither
do we really. It was held at a
local backpackers lodge near Mbabane (the country capital) with almost all 100
of us volunteers who are in country right now. Our first and only hopefully IST (In-Service Training) was
completed and was a good way to get re-motivated to go back to our communities
“guns blazing” typical American style…that didn’t last long. Nonetheless, it was all great
information for us to help in our communities. Thanksgiving planning has begun and will be hosted by our CD
(Country Director) at his house with all the volunteers. Christmas is in the works currently and
spending the holidays together as a volunteer community and family. New Years is going to be spent sitting
on the beach looking out into the Indian Ocean in Durban, South Africa…doesn’t
get much better than that. January
the schools will be starting up again and hopefully all the planning and
learning about projects can be put into action.
The
process though is not over, there is no really set plan for a volunteer and it
is a constant planning, evaluating and learning process for the next 2
years. The most important thing is
to learn how to listen, observe and just be available. Some projects may be a great success,
but others will fail and it is learning what happened, re-evaluating and trying
again. Relationships are essential
in successful integration and success of projects, starting those is the difficult
thing sometimes, but nurturing the relationship we make is what makes it
rewarding. Seeing others grow
along with you, sharing cross culture experiences, ideas and lessons, ultimately
improving both of us in one way or another. The stories continue, friendships made, adventures had, and
living each day as a blessing from God, just walking this path of life.
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| Students participating in traditional dance |
