The next 3 years!

            I know this is long and overdue and maybe a long read but please take the time to go over it all and see what all your support, prayers and thoughts have accomplished here in Swaziland.  This could not have been possible without my family and friends behind me…

So…Swazi Time: Where you believe that if something can get done today at a certain time then it most certainly can get done at the same time the next day, or even the next day.

            That is what I have been on when sending out updates and letting all my friends and family know how appreciated their support is.  Along with Swazi time, the limited access to Internet, transportation never coming, and the ever-busy life of a Peace Corps Volunteer does not help get this accomplished.  What does help is all the support that everyone has given me over the past almost 2 years here in Swaziland.  In just under a month I will have been here in Swaziland for 2 years, and August 28^th will be the end of my Peace Corps Swaziland service.  A lot has happened over the last 2 years here in Swaziland, in Southern Africa and in my small community in southern Swaziland.  I would like to try and express my gratitude and a brief update of all that has been accomplished here and where I will be going come August 2016.

GLOW Camp 2016 at the Flash Mob with my counterpart and the girls from the high school

            In March I was blessed with a visit from my family here in South Africa and Swaziland that I will never forget and will be one of the best family vacations we have been able to spend together.  When they arrived we got to spend 4 days in Cape Town, South Africa enjoying some real coffee, great food, flushing toilets and a washer and dryer.  Yep that was my favorite thing!  We went to the wine country, the penguins of South Africa, Cape of Good Hope and Table Mountain.  After leaving Cape Town we got to spend the rest of the trip in Swaziland traveling around and enjoying a great meal with my host family.  I took them on game drives in Hlane Royal Game Reserve, went zip lining through Malolotja Park, watched traditional Swazi dances and a visit to the cultural village, lots of shopping and great food, and finally a visit to the Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg before they left.  It was such a great trip and the highlight was my family getting to meet my host family here in Swaziland and them getting to see my community I have spent the last 2 years in.  We visited many of my projects, had an amazing home cooked meal from my “make”, met some of my students and teachers I work with and experienced “real” Swaziland.

My Swazi family meeting my family for the first time

            The preschool is moving forward with new projects being completed all the time and kids being able to attend school for the first time.  All of this could not be accomplished without all your support through prayers, letters and financial contributions.  We recently completed a garden at the school to provide nutritional food for the kids and their families.  There are tomatoes, butternut squash, spinach, cabbage, carrots, beetroot, and onions planted.  A new veranda was built to provide shade for the kids and provide a place for morning meetings.  New tables along with cubbies and bookshelves were built and the kids love being able to have a place to put their bags every morning when they arrive.  We also put in a tippy-tap which is a hand washing station near the toilets to promote good hygiene and sanitation practices.  In December we graduated the first class of 22 students and in our second year there is almost 40 kids in attendance.  I was blessed to hear from one of the parents how her child who graduated from the preschool was able to attend a good primary school because of his education he received.  The small success stories like those and people coming up to me expressing how they have changed and benefited are what keep me going in the hard times and why I love what I am doing currently.  The next stages for the school will be to build a kitchen and playground for the kids once we are able to collect enough funds and donations.  This will allow the school to eventually be recognized by the Ministry of Education here in Swaziland and have them support the school for sustainability.  It will provide a salary for our teacher and hopefully hire another teacher, provide food for the kids and allow them to attend the school for free.  Currently the parents pay E50 a month or E150 a term, which is about $10.00 or $30.00 for the entire year.  Many parents cannot afford this so they volunteer at the school with projects like gardening, cleaning up the yard, cooking or any other help needed around the school.  I am looking forward to seeing the development and future of the preschool and so proud of my teacher, the parents and community for all they have accomplished.

Preschool graduation in December 2015 with our teacher and Pasture Valley

            Another project nearing completion is the new library at the Primary School.  This month we will be receiving 1000 books from Books for Africa to put in the library and give the kids their first opportunity to explore the culture of reading.  Books for Africa could not have happened without your donations and now 30 new libraries in Swaziland will be opening at various primary schools, high schools, preschools and communities with 1000 new books each.  The primary school I work with is very excited for the new books and to see the children immerse themselves in a new world.  We have recently completed the painting in the new room all Dr. Seuss themed.  The new tables and chairs look amazing in the room allowing seating for 45 students.  We also purchased a new computer for the library as well as a television for movies and presentations in the library.  All of the material and renovations were done from a grant that myself and my counterpart at the school proposed with Peace Corps Swaziland.  The new library will serve over 350 students from ages 6 up to 15 at the primary school.  It will be the first time most of them have had access to books and been able to experience and see oceans, planes, Dr. Seuss, Harry Potter and all the World has to offer using the television and computer.  This will be the first library my community has had access to and will help the youth of my community gain a better education, progress their English and have a chance to see a brighter future.

Primary School Library painting before the shelves are installed

            The final projects I have been able to work on are developing BRO (Boys Reaching Out) and GLOW (Girls Leading Our World) clubs at the high school in my community.  Currently the boys club has around 20 members attending, while the girls have almost 30 girls in attendance.  We meet every few weeks and discuss topics such as HIV/AIDS, SRH (Sexual Reproductive Health), Self-Esteem, and other various life skills relevant to the youth of Swaziland.  One of the main goals of the clubs is to promote gender equality and educate the youth to make healthy life choices for their future.  Some of the things we do at clubs are grassroots soccer games, art and crafts, skits, drama, songs and other hands on activities to teach them.  Recently 3 girls from the GLOW club attended the annual GLOW camp in the capital city of Mbabane.  They spent a week over their school break along with 60 other girls from various clubs and communities in Swaziland learning more about how to be a leader in their communities and Swaziland and what it means to be an empowered women in today’s society.  A flash mob was organized promoting female empowerment and taking a stand by the girls, skits were done and guest speakers were brought to the camp as well as college and career support and advice for the girls.  It is an annual camp similar to the BRO camp each year that is organized and put on by Peace Corps Volunteers here in Swaziland.  My boys club has been able to send 6 boys so far to the BRO camps, which address similar issues and teach the boys how to be strong supportive men here in Swaziland.  The GLOW and BRO camps have been highly successful camps since they started here in Swaziland.  I have had the privilege to see the inauguration of the first ever BRO camp here in Swaziland in May of 2015 and helped put together a manual for all the BRO clubs around Swaziland to use as an aid for their clubs.  The boys and girls I work with in the clubs have become very important to me and seeing their future success is very rewarding.  I have been blessed with seeing a few of the older members in the clubs take leadership positions, improve in their schooling and be able to work towards a brighter future.

BRO Camp in December 2016, the 2nd annual camp in Swaziland

            Finally, the big announcement is that I am privileged to be extending my stay here in Swaziland for another year of service.  When I started the Peace Corps process I couldn’t imagine being away for 2 years in a developing country and if I could even accomplish it.  When I arrived in Swaziland and moved to my community I was ready to be done and was thinking 2 years is way to long, I will not make it.  Time passed slowly at first and before I knew it I was having my parents visit Africa, projects coming to a completion and thinking about our COS (Close of Service).  So, I will be working with a NGO here in Swaziland in the capital city of Mbabane called Young Heroes.  I will also be taking a PCVL (Peace Corps Volunteer Leader) position in Communications for Peace Corps Swaziland.  This opportunity came about from the relationships I have been able to form, my passion for working here and seeing all that is still yet undone.  I studied International Relations in college in the hopes of one day working with a NGO (Non-governmental organization) and international development including non-profit work.  This opportunity is huge in helping me see my goals and continue doing what I love.  A little about Young Heroes is that it is a small NGO started by a former Peace Corps volunteer here in Swaziland.  They focus on providing sponsors for OVCs and Child headed households including food, clothes and schools fees.  They also do leadership and life skills camps for youth and provide technical training for out of school youth and children who are between high school and college who cannot afford university but have skills in demand.  My position with them will be marketing, fundraising and social media presence as well as program development.  MTN Bushfire is one of the largest music festivals here in Africa and is put on by House on Fire here in Swaziland.  It is a major fundraiser each year for Young Heroes so I will be working with them as well on developing more of their presence at Bushfire.  I am looking forward to this new opportunity and seeing how we can improve and develop more of Young Heroes programs.  My position with Peace Corps will be to serve as a Communications liaison with volunteers, staff and improve our online presence.  I will work with Peace Corps Swaziland on managing the new website and other social media.  It will also allow me to help with updating trainings for volunteers and improve the working relationships with volunteers and staff.  All of these opportunities will allow me to continue to improve programs and success here in Swaziland on our goal to eliminate HIV/AIDS and give the children a brighter future.  I don’t know my next step and what will happen after this year but I do know that I am where I am supposed to be and doing what God has in store for me.  In the words of JFK, “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.”  I want to thank you again for all your support through prayers, letters, care packages, messages, monetary and most of all just showing your care.

“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.” –Jeremy Camp

Family together at Mantenga Falls in Swaziland

Here are some links and resources to help with donations and future projects here in Swaziland as well as learn more about my work and Swaziland.  We continue to need support with library projects, boys and girls camps, various education funds and just overall Peace Corps work here in Swaziland.

 http://swaziland.peacecorps.gov/

https://www.gofundme.com/cjkamhb8 (Help fund a friend in my community attend university)

https://www.gofundme.com/swazilandpreschool (Support the preschool project here in my community)

http://www.youngheroes.org.sz/index_home.php

New Year, New Goals and New Beginnings

          I just returned from my first official “vacation” as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Durban, South Africa.  It was an enjoyable trip with lots of good food, a decent beer (still no IPA or Black Butte Porter), beautiful beach and great friends.  Coming back to my community after spending New Years looking out across the Indian Ocean has given me lots of time to reflect on lessons learned and lived.  Everyone has his or her New Years resolutions, loose weight, eat healthier, and read the Bible every day.  I never have had a New Years resolution, I believe that every day I get up is a New Year, a new day and new minute to live your life better than before.  The last 6 months as a Peace Corps Volunteer have taught me more than I could learn in lifetime about myself and there is still much more to learn.

         To begin with, how can you build a library without a foundation, start a club without a common interest, or change a behavior with no motivation.  It all starts little by little (ncane kancane).  When you look at a New Years resolution, everyday, 365 days, 12 months, it can seem a little daunting and overwhelming.  How long do they really last?  I am sure there are lots of people though who have succeeded and made great changes in their life from New Years resolutions, I am not one of them.  Change takes time.  It is reversing something that has been engrained and taught to us from a young age, or something that has just formed out of habit.  With every change, whether it is behavioral or physical, there are obstacles.  We all have them, some larger than others.  Trust me, they do get in the way.  When working towards change, there are failures.  Some may be able to go an entire month without a failure, 6 months even, while others it may be only a day, or an hour.  We cannot get discouraged from those failures though and with every failure there is a strength that comes out of it.  Here in Swaziland I have been going through changes personally as well as working on changes in my community and school.  I have already come across many obstacles, personal failures, and moments of doubt in myself if I can actually make a difference here.  On a personal level, we all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, but God has given us a gift of grace and forgiveness when he sent His son to die on the cross for us.  The ultimate gift and sacrifice.  This alone helps me on a personal level to get back up, ask for forgiveness and pursue His path even stronger than before.  I also know that God goes before me in whatever I do, before I start a project, have a meeting, or speak with someone on the side of the road.  He prepares hearts and minds to receive his word and each one of us to make a difference.  That is my New Years resolution, let God be my strength, prepare my path and wake up each day giving it to Him, no matter what may happen.

         The Peace Corps changes you and I don’t think anyone will ever understand how it does until you have experienced it yourself.  Yet still, each volunteer has a unique experience that cannot be generalized into a cookie cutter answer to others.  There is no common theme, belief or outcome of serving for 27 months in a developing country.  I remember before setting out on my own adventure and asking current and returned volunteers what to expect, I never really got a straight answer.  Being an American it was frustrating.  It’s either 1 or 2, right?  I understand it now and I won’t be able to explain it when I return back to the States what I did, learned and how I changed.  I guess it’s all up for interpretation.  One volunteer said the Peace Corps is like a two-year black hole in our lives.  We leave behind friends, family, jobs, and our comfort to experience something that is unique to each one of us.  After two-years, we return home, see our family, start relationships and careers, yet there will always be those two-years in Swaziland that are unexplainable.  Granted, I have only been here for a little over 6 months, but this is how I feel currently.  Who knows, it can change tomorrow though, it’s the blissful ride of Peace Corps Swaziland.

         On a lighter note, here are some of the more recent happenings in Swaziland and what I have learned.  Currently, everything that is plugged into my wall socket and is metal shocks me when I touch it; I have to use a stick to turn on and off my light switch to avoid being shocked.  Not sure why that started happening all of the sudden but it does, it is like shock therapy, don’t touch the metal surfaces.  The bats are still living in my roof/wall and every so often they decide to take a little flight inside my hut at night.  The ongoing battle continues.  I can easily watch an entire season of any show in a day, enjoy doing laundry by hand now and will pick though an entire 5kg bag of sugar beans taking out the rotten ones.  There is also the constant killing of flies and seeing how long you can sit still before you start to sweat profusely in the 100 degree temperatures that is Africa.  I might buy a kiddies pool for my hut (it was done in the dorms with Phi Delt), bringing it to Africa.  School will be starting soon, thankfully, and I am looking forward to being back in the school and to start some of the projects we have in mind.  Until next time, Swazi time.

Mantenga Falls in Swaziland

An Adventure a Day

       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 1^st 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.

Students participating in traditional dance

Growing Abroad

          I don’t even know where to begin.  The last month or so has been a whirlwind of emotions, new experiences and time passing quickly yet Swazi style. Group 12 was sworn in as official Peace Corps volunteers on August 28^th and all 37 of us will be dropped off at our sites the next day to begin our service of 2 years in the Kingdom of Swaziland.  Writing this now it still is hard to believe that I have been in Swaziland now for over 3 months, time has been a strange thing since landing in Africa.  Training was a long 9 weeks that I still look back on and question how it went by so quickly.  The ceremony was held at the Royal Swazi Spa and Golf Resort outside of the town of Mbabane, which is the capital of Swaziland.  In attendance were the Prime Minister of Swaziland and the US Ambassador along with a few ministers of departments, judges and other prominent figures from Swaziland.  All of Peace Corps Swaziland staff were there including the current volunteers from Group 11 and some Group 10 volunteers, who were extending for their 3^rd year.  It was an immense honor to be sworn in as Peace Corps volunteers and to begin our 2 years of service and the growth that we can hope to bring to our communities and individuals.

         The adventure was only beginning as we departed to our permanent site with all our stuff loaded down in trucks and ‘khombi’ (taxi) and starting the journey to our sites, which were spread in all directions in Swaziland.  Arriving at my site my things were unloaded and put in my house, all in a matter of about 10 minutes, the driver and the 2 other volunteers in my travel group said goodbye, the truck pulled out and it disappeared down the gravel road.  I really was left to my own device; there was no more staff, no more volunteers, and no teachers to help me, just myself and the people that I would call my family for the next 2 years.  My things were strewn across the empty house in piles and my family and me kind of just stared at each other for what seemed like hours.  Really it was only a few seconds before they asked if I needed a bed to sleep on until I was able to travel to town to purchase my own.  The process of making my little oasis was set in motion and I don’t think I will get my house exactly how I will like it till the day I head back to America.  It is a slow process, which I will soon come to realize is how everything I set out to do in Swaziland will be.  I have to look at the small accomplishments each day and learn that the pace of life is rather different than what we are used to in America.  Something I read which made great sense for a Peace Corp volunteer is to create a list of goals you would like to achieve in your community, write out goals for 2 days, 2 weeks and 2 months.  Your goals in 2 days will take 2 weeks, your 2-week goals will take 2 months, and the goals you wrote for 2 months will be your 2-year goals for your service.  This helps to not become overwhelmed and able to put things into a better perspective.

         The last 3 weeks at permanent site have been crawling by, but the funny thing about time is that I can’t believe that I have already been at my site for 3 weeks.  I have spent time at the community garden, been to meetings with community members, introduced myself at church, shadowed some classes at the high school, observed a community soccer game and still trying to learn this card game called ‘casino’ from my younger ‘bhuti’ (brother).  An important lesson I have learned so far is that the relationship building will be one of the most critical things for me to work on if I would like to see any progress in my community.  Taking each day as an adventure and just learning to roll with life and whatever the day may bring my way.  The Peace Corps really is a 24/7 experience, making the conscious effort every day to step out of your comfort zone and flourish in the experience that comes from that.  It is only the beginning of this life changing journey and the only thing I can be certain of though is that God is standing right next to me every step of the way helping me navigate these paths, relationships and experiences.

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.