Swazi style during PCT (Peace Corps Training)

         It has been awhile since my last post and lots has been going on here in Swaziland.  Training is almost over, only 2 short weeks left until swearing in where we will officially be a PCV (Peace Corps Volunteer).  Only at PCT stage now (Peace Corps Trainee) but so many amazing things have already been happening here as our group bonds, learns, fails, cries, gets upset, laughs, rejoices and all those other feelings that go along with the journey to being a Peace Corps Volunteer.  Through our training we have learned how to tie the lihiya and the other traditional wear here in Swaziland to building a Tippy Tap hand wash station in our communities.  There have been sessions on HIV in Swaziland all the way to how to design a library here and everything in between.  It has been a whirlwind of emotions with many ups and downs.  All I can say is that there is never really a normal day here in Swaziland and that is what makes the life of a Peace Corps Trainee exciting, I can only imagine what the next 2 years will bring as we step out of this training bubble and begin to help our communities one step at a time.  I imagine there will be many steps backwards before we go forwards, more downs before we go up, but I do know that we are all here for a purpose and we may never see that while we are here or even learn about it after leaving.

         I believe it is a great thing for every person to be exposed to another culture aside from theirs, a new language, and even just seeing how other people worship and their religions.  Stepping outside of our comfort zone and understanding new ways to think about things and communicate opens us up to many things.  The world begins to shrink as we travel more and with the internet today the options are limitless on our abilities to see and help.  Swaziland is a beautiful place with amazing people who have generous hearts.  They showed me how to get avocados out of the very tops of trees, cook bread without an oven, cook a full chicken that once was running around the homestead and play Swazi style soccer.  Not only from Swaziland but from my other times abroad in Germany and Austria, the people are welcoming, warm and friendly to everyone no matter where you come from and whatever background you have.  God created us all unique from the United States to Swaziland and has a purpose for each and every one of us.  I have already been touched here by the people of Swaziland and as I hope to leave just a little something behind from America to bring us all together even more.

Ayikho indlela lengayi ekhaya “There is no path that does not go a home”

I really don’t know when my sense of adventure and traveling took hold.  Ever since that point though I have not slowed down.  It is hard for me to tell people where I am from when they ask, “Where are you from?”  Oregon, Colorado, Austria, Arizona, now Swaziland.  All of these places have made up me in some form or another so I really can’t answer that question.  Sometimes I tell people Oregon, others I am from Arizona, and still that I am from Colorado, with a little Austria and currently Swaziland mixed into that.  The straight answer though?  I was born and raised in Oregon and began my adventure at 15 when we moved to Colorado. One thing is for certain though is that I would not be here without our Savior, Jesus Christ and trusting God’s path in all ways.  My loving and supportive parents and family, all my friends along this path who have all touched me in some way or another, and my better half, have all made this possible today.

“All my life I have seen where You’ve taken me, beyond all I have hoped and there’s more left unseen, there’s not much I can do to repay all You’ve done, so I give my hands to use.”  In the short 25 years I have been alive God continues to amaze me everyday with his works, what he has done and doing in my life and where he has brought me to today.  It is beyond belief that I am now in Swaziland to begin one of the greatest adventures of my life so far.  From my time in Austria where after high school I attended a Bible school, to college in Arizona and my time at Northern Arizona University to now, it is beyond all I have hoped or could dream of.  That is how I hope to live my life. To continue to give God my hands to use and be open to wherever he sends me and uses me.  Something that I have learned is to have an open heart, listen and be willing to go wherever He sends you.  Sometimes it may be a place you are uncomfortable in, but knowing where he brought me from and what He provided is what comforts me during the difficult times.  I cannot wait to share my adventures with everyone and the lessons learned as I continue to walk this path home from Swaziland.  Who knows where the next adventure will be and the fork in the road will take me but for now, it goes through Swaziland on the great continent of Africa.

Why am I here?

       My parents introduced me to the wonderful world of exploring God’s creation at a young age and have been so blessed ever since.  I remember growing up and going on family trips whether it was the weekend camping trip or one of our long summer vacations to Alaska or the Grand Canyon.  I believe this is a crucial thing for a child and being able to introduce them to World that we live in and all that it has to offer.  The curiosity soon grew on me on what more is out there beyond my town, state, and country.  Traveling has always been a passion of mine and I got one of my first real experiences of cross-culture when I traveled to Europe at 18 after high school and attended a Bible School in Austria for 3 months.  Ever since that time overseas the World has been opened to exploration and endless possibilities for me.

         It is all about taking that first step and trusting God the rest of the way.  He wants us to step out of our comfort zone and spread his amazing love to all the Earth and it starts by just trusting him.  It can be attending a school outside of your home state, starting a new job, meeting new friends, traveling to a new country or just asking that girl you keep seeing out on a date.  You never know what or who will change your life by taking that step and it is always a journey you will never forget.  I have had a few of those moments and I can say that I would never do anything differently and has always turned out to be more than I could even imagine.  My most recent leap has been joining the Peace Corps and moving to Swaziland in Africa to work in the Youth Development field and the HIV crisis for the next 27 months.

         I know as time goes on here in Swaziland I will learn many new things, meet new people, try new food, experience and see new things and grow as a person through it all.  The most important thing I believe in is to always be open to new ideas, perspectives and anything else that may come your way during this time.  Some of the best advice I have herd from multiple people before arriving and during the first few weeks of Peace Corps Training was to be yourself, don’t compare your experience with anyone else, and that every volunteer is different.  We are all here for various reasons, ambitions and goals and that what is makes this experience of the Peace Corps unique, is the varying outlooks on life and experiences that we all bring to the table to help out.  I cannot wait to see where I have come from and where I will go while here in Swaziland.