The Final Chapter...

            With only 4 days left of being a Peace Corps Volunteer I wanted to take time to reflect back on this three-year journey that took me places I would have never imagined. I experienced some highs, some joy, some sadness, some frustration, some anger, some happiness, and all those feelings in-between. When joining the Peace Corps you never know what to expect and just have to go into the adventure with open arms and letting God lead you. It all comes full circle, “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.” I am going into this next chapter of my life the same way I started my Peace Corps journey. Letting God lead and giving him my hands to use because I know he has a purpose and a plan for me, it will not be easy, there will be challenges, struggle, but in the end I trust and enjoy the life God has given to me each and every new day.

Swaziland and Sibebe Rock

            I recently finished my close of service interview with my program manager and one of the questions asked was what am I most proud of from my service. I was thinking backing to my youth clubs, the preschool, libraries, relationships built and my new family here in Swaziland. It is hard to think of just one but one thing does stand out during my time here. I have realized it is not the number of people you reach but the quality and relationships built during your service. There are two people who particularly stand out and have been a blessing to me and seeing them succeed and grow. These are their stories:

            Lindokhule approached me one afternoon when I was home washing clothes on a hot Swazi afternoon. Those over 40 degree days when your fan isn’t working, there is not water and you want to wear as little clothes as possible. She was a friend of my make from the community; a young woman aged 24 who was living at home taking care of her brothers and sisters. At the time she was living with her uncle as her mother was passed and her father was away unable to contact much. She completed her Form5 (Grade 12) studies but was unable to continue on with her studies due to grades and financial struggle. For the last five years she has been trying to provide enough money to take care of her siblings. We started talking and she wanted to return to school to upgrade her marks so she could get a scholarship and go to university. The problem was exam and school fees to retake Form5. It always seems to be an issue with money here in Swaziland for education purposes. We are very lucky in the US to have free education and many opportunities for scholarships to attend University. School should not be taken for granted, as there are millions of girls and children around the world who do not have the opportunity to go to school. After talking more we came up with a plan.

            I was able to create an online fundraiser to help her with the exam fees. I thank everyone who supported that cause and how much you helped change a life. We were able to raise the fees required in just a few short weeks and then went to register her for the exams. She still was unable to attend school so we worked with a few other students after school and had tutor sessions on English, Biology and Math. The high school was very generous in allowing us to use a classroom after school and to work with some other students as well. Finally she was able to start attending classes there and complete her Form5. We also got some of the past exams for her so she was able to review those and practice taking the exams.

Lindo on the far right with her brothers and sisters and uncle's family

            She worked extremely hard and was motivated to improve her marks and get into university. She was always the first one to show up and last one to leave the classroom and focused on her studies. While all the others were out at the soccer pitch or hanging out at the shops, she was in the classroom focusing on her studies. We made flash cards for some of her subjects, which she would review on her walks home or the bus rides to town. I could tell how much she wanted to succeed. I moved from my community in July 2016 to Mbabane to start my new position with Young Heroes and working in the Peace Corps office. She would be taking her exams in November of 2016 and would not receive her results until February of 2017. It was a long wait and was praying for her success.

            I started work, went back to the US for the holidays and then returned to Swaziland and got even busier at Young Heroes. My life in my community seemed so long ago and the next short chapter of my Peace Corps journey was underway. It wasn’t until April that I receive a text message from Lindo saying that she got accepted to continue her studies and will be starting them in March of 2018. Lindo got accepted into Bradford school for a teaching diploma, which is a private college in one of the main towns in Swaziland. It was so great to hear from her and learn that she is pursuing her dreams.

            The other story is about one of my closest friends and most motivated counterparts from my community. Without her the preschool would not be where it is today, continuing to service the community and now having graduated almost 100 children from grade0. The project started at the beginning of my first year in my community with the idea of creating a library for the Primary School. We looked at an old teacher’s house to renovate and make a library to serve both the High School and Primary School. As a Peace Corps Volunteer you have to be flexible and willing and open to work on projects that may not be your desire or expertise but is desired from your community. The library idea was not going well with the schools as many of the community members expressed concern over education and the need for a preschool.

The teacher and my beard at our new latrine being constructed

            Early childhood education is new for Swaziland and curriculum is still being developed for schools. Most of the preschools in Swaziland are privately funded or operated through NGOs or other organizations. This was going to be a challenge but one I was excited for. We started meeting at the schools with the parent committee and introducing the idea to them. Our first step was to start cleaning the building and work on funds for renovation. I had no idea how to start a preschool or what is needed so I set up a meeting with an organization here in Swaziland who focused on establishing and supporting preschools in my region of Swaziland. They agreed to help in any way they could and provide some training for our teachers. This was great news and excited to go back to my community to tell them and begin the work.

            The process of renovations started with cleaning the building, getting all the dirt out of the rooms, repairing cracks and clearing all the bushes from around the building. During this process we began to ask for volunteers or those with experience in teaching to help out and be teachers at the school. Few came forward to help out and of the few; one young woman has been there from the beginning. She was the one who organized the community members, lead the renovations, called the kids to come and made the first preschool my community has had succeed. Through the struggle or organizing parents, trying to get renovations and improvements done, feed the children, educate them and be a teacher she always has a smile on her face and never gave up.

The start of the Preschool Building

            We were able to take an empty old building and give it life and make it a safe and friendly place for the community to gather and mold young minds. The school now has a garden to supplement the food for the children, water harvesting system and holding tanks, toilets and hygiene station to wash hands, school supplies, desks and chairs, books and fencing around to keep the children safe from the road and animals. It is hard to put into words how much Lungile, the preschool teacher, invested and how important she is to the success of the school. Spending evenings preparing lessons, working on the weekends to clean the school or improve it and cooking for the children early in the morning so they had food at lunch time. I was able to work with her the last 2 years and see the growth in not only the school but also her as an individual. I was happy to find out that she was recently accepted into Ngwane Teachers College to finish her education and obtain her degree in teaching. This will be huge in her future allowing her to support her children and provide better education services to the kids around her and her students at the preschool. I am so happy to hear these stories and proud to have worked with someone so dedicated to life and the growth of young children.

The Preschool Today!

          There are so many others stories I could tell about my time in Swaziland and the people I have worked and interacted with. Eventually I would like to write more of these stories down and share them with others to realize what an impact an individual can have. Even if you think you are one person and that you don’t have the power, that is a lie and affecting the life of just one individual is worth it. It is the small things that will create change in the world today and it needs to start with that one person. I want to thank all who have supported me these last 3 years with your prayers, thoughts, care packages, monetary support, letters, messages and encouragement. You have made a difference and I would not be where I am today without all of you.

Siyabonga Kakhulu (We all thank you very much!)

PS: 7 days left in Swaziland. I will continue to write about my experiences in Peace Corps even when I get home and the memories and friends that have touched my life from Swaziland.

40 Days left in The Kingdom of Swaziland

It has finally arrived after just over 3 years living in The Kingdom of Swaziland. To be exact it has been 1,150 days since I put my feet on the ground in Swaziland. I arrived June 24^th, 2014 and will now be departing this wonderful kingdom on September 27^th, 2017. With just about 40 days left in Swaziland I made a list of 40 things that I will miss about Swaziland and Peace Corps. I have been posting them each day with photos on Facebook so be sure to check them out there. (They are in no particular order)

Overlooking this mighty Kingdom of Swaziland

1.     The preschool that I was able to help establish and seeing the smiling faces each day as I passed by. They have been able to graduate over 80 children now for the first time ever.

2.     The size of the avocados here and being able to buy them for less than 50 cents each (USD). Was able to make the best guacamole ever.

3.     Sunsets and sunrises over the landscape each and every day. God’s creation is amazing.

4.     Traditional attire from the men and women along with all the colors that are expressed. The fabric market and making curtains from them was the best.

5.     Boys from BRO (Boys Reaching Out) club and playing soccer, board games and having fun together along with taking them to the annual BRO camp that we started. It was the first BRO camp Swaziland has had back in 2015. There have now been more than 200 boys who have got to experience this camp.

6.     Working with the teachers at my High School and Primary School as friends and creating the bonds in and out of school.

7.     Hiking Sibebe multiple times and getting some time with God alone in His beautiful creation.

8.     Going to church with my family here and hearing the voices and their passion for God. Even though they could last from 3 hours to all night, the passion is amazing.

9.     Being able to buy fresh produce on the streets from the bomake (women) that would last a week all for about 5 USD. This would include potatoes, onions, carrots, tomatoes, apples, oranges, pears, lettuce, spinach, beets and even avocados.

10.   Sawubona (Hello) and Unjani (How are you?) greetings everywhere you go.

11.   Young Heroes staff and the passion everyone has for working with the orphans of Swaziland and building a bright future for all of the kids.

12.   Peace Corps staff, their support, laughter and always being their for you. They are family.

13.   The GLOW girls and their smiles that would fill a room.

14.   Fresh meat on the homestead and braai (BBQ) meat on the weekends. This included pork, chicken, beef, goat and even the occasional warthog or kudu.

15.   Playing cards and casino with my bhuti even though I still never learned how to play the card game casino. I could still beat him at checkers, sometimes.

16.   Volunteer gatherings on holidays or just when we needed some time off. The conversations and stories to share were endless from our time in our communities or just the most recent bus ride we just took across Swaziland.

17.   My friends.

18.   Rainstorms, thunder and lightening moving across the sky. You can see it come from miles away and hear the roar, as it gets closer to you. God is so powerful and just a small demonstration of his power.

19.   The simplicity of life in Swaziland. Being able to just sit under a tree for hours during the day and talk or just watch life go by and observe.

20.   Culture and the festivals including Umhlanga and Marula festival. Culture is what makes us who we are and why we are. It should never be changed but celebrated and loved.

21.   The places and trips with fellow volunteers during holidays or just long weekends. South Africa, Lesotho and Mozambique will be remembered for all those crazy adventures we Americans had.

22.   My family who welcomed me on day one to Swaziland and taught me things such as how to wash my clothes by hand, cooking traditional Swazi food, the SiSwati language and the kindness of Swazis.

23.   My new family who loved, protected and put up with me for two years as well as took me in as their own son.

24.   Make Masuku, the gospel singer who I would hear her singing on the radio blasting when she was not home and then hear her singing in the mornings when she was home.

25.   Pap (traditional Swazi dish) with Chicken dust (BBQ chicken sold from the side of the road) and the awesome Swazi beans. Best meal my parents had here while in Swaziland was Chicken Dust (all for under 2 USD)

26.   Playing soccer with the kids after school on the dirt fields and joining the game with my teachers and Young Heroes after work. Soccer is life and it was nice to see it all around.

27.   Animals and the different wildlife around, even the monkeys who would run across my roof and steal your food. Seeing the Elephants, Rhinos, Lions, Hippos, Zebra and Giraffes roaming free and safe.

28.   Bushfire Festival 2015, 2016 and 2017. One of the top 5 festivals in Africa along with the music at House on Fire and the food and quiet evenings at Malendelas restaurant. It has one of the best settings for watching the sun go down over Swaziland while enjoying a nice cold drink.

29.   The days of staying at backpackers including Sundowners, Legends and Lidwala. Always having taco nights and staying up late talking and telling stories or playing games with travelers and new friends.

30.   Seeing students succeed and build a future for themselves in and out of school. Working with the entrepreneurs and learners to be better and be successful. Especially working with Lindokhulu who is a young woman who has been out of school for 5 years now and returned to finish her Form5 and get accepted into college to be a teacher.

31.   The Swazi Times and Observer headlines. I don’t think you can be a Peace Corps Volunteer without having your picture in the local newspapers for some reason or another.

32.   Entertainment on those long bus rides from it breaking down, them having to pull over and weld a seat back in on the spot, the animals that catch rides, having to run and jump on the bus like a pro without them stopping and trying not to smash your eggs that you just bought at the grocery store.

33.   The time my parents came to Swaziland and we went to Cape Town and then they were able to meet my family here. It was a special moment having them come together and spent time here in Swaziland. Will be something that I will remember for my entire life.

34.   Seeing the smiles on the kid’s faces and the laughter as they run home from school. Every day seeing children around the community and town in their uniforms laughing and playing together on their way or coming home from school.

35.   The music here in Swaziland, the local musicians, and even the house music they play at Solanis (local hangout) in the evenings. That is all the music I will probably be playing and listening to now when I am back in the US. Get ready for some Tigi by Sands.

36.   Those best friends I will never forget here, Baba Siyabonga. You know who you are.

37.   Friendliness, support and help from all Swazis as we would learn what taxi to take to get home, how to order our chicken dust, carrying those large bags of groceries that we thought we could carry to the bus and just spending the last 4 hours talking with us on the side of the road.

38.   The dancing even though I can’t dance I tried sometimes.

39.   The hikes and adventures where Swazis always wonder why we do some of the things we do as Americans. Hiking up a mountain for fun, running through our communities at 5 in the morning or working on a 1500 piece puzzle at our house.

40.   The Kingdom of Swaziland and my family and home for the last 3 years and more.

Just another Swazi sunset

This is only 40 of the things that I will miss and love about Swaziland but there are so many more things that changed my life here. It was and always will be part of who I am now.

Siyabonga Kakhulu and Salani Kahle 

(Thank you very much and stay well)

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

The Real Kingdom

          It was the day after Christmas back home in Oregon and my Dad and I were getting ready to go play some golf at a nearby course.  I got in the truck and pulled up my email on my phone.  There was a message from the Peace Corps.  Was this what I was waiting for since I herd I was accepted into the Youth Development sector back in June? It was a moment of excitement and hesitation at the same time.  This would be telling me where I would be living for 27 months.  I opened the email and read.  So many emotions and questions begin to run through my head.  The next 6 months would be an eventful time for me, preparing my life for 27 months abroad.

As you probably already know, I am in Swaziland now.  The Kingdom of Swaziland.  It has been almost a year from now that I herd of Swaziland for the first time.  I am living here now and couldn’t imagine being in a better place.  I arrived in Swaziland in June and have been living here now for almost 6 months.  What better time to reflect on the culture, food, people, history and just share some of the beautiful things I have seen, learned and experienced here.

Swaziland is Africa’s last absolute monarchy, hence The Kingdom of Swaziland.  A country of about 1.4 million people living in the size of a country comparable to New Jersey and rich in culture with little influence from the outside.  The larger country of South Africa with the exception of Mozambique to the east surrounds Swaziland, yet you seem like you are the only place in the World when you are in Swaziland.  Traditional cultural events such as Umhlanga and incwala still flourish today and the entire country turns out to support their national heritage and celebrate their unique culture.  Culture is what makes us who we are, it includes our religion, beliefs, morals, food, lifestyle plus whatever else shows our uniqueness.  Swaziland is one of a kind.

I don’t like spouting off a lot of facts, numbers and dates on things cause after about two sentences I honestly stop reading.  I just want to share some culture experiences first hand so you can gain some perspective on the history and the Kingdom of Swaziland.  If you like that stuff though there are hundreds of websites you can look up to find the GDP, exact size, average age, dates, and whatever else you like.  For me though learning about Swaziland has come from a few things, Swazis are always happy and enjoy helping others out.  Also, the strong presence of dance, music and singing in whatever they do and lastly are Swazi’s love of God and the Creator.

No matter where I have gone here I have always been greeted with great enthusiasm and a willingness to help out.  The respectful cultural greeting wherever you go and before you speak with someone is always Sawubona.  Yebo.  Unjani?  Ngiyaphila.  It is saying hello, acknowledging them, saying hello back, and asking how they are.  It is a cultural value and taking a genuine interest in everyone you interact with.  Taking time to learn a language of another culture is probably one of the highest forms of respect and showing that you want to be part of something more.  Speaking the native language creates a more enriching experience in any country, especially Swaziland.  I have had people walk with me great distances just to show me where a store is because they care.  Others have carried groceries for me because they care.  An entire bus stopped right in front of my house so I could unload my bed and not have to carry it because they care.  Killed chickens and a pig to celebrate me being with them because they care.  Being here and seeing what little most people have, I experience a giving of more than they have.  I think that is a lesson from the Bible somewhere.

Singing, dance and music is all around in Swaziland.  During the morning assembly at the schools the children sing beautiful praises each day, singing from the surrounding churches fill the air on Sundays, the young girls dancing and singing as they carry the reeds down the road during Umhlanga, and maybe even some Lil Wayne in between the gospel music on the Khumbi and bus rides.  There have been a few presentations and celebrations at the schools in my community here and they all center around these three things.  You can find students singing songs, performing dances, traditional and unique, plus music blasting while everyone dances around the speakers.  I don’t think anyone has a bad voice here when they sing, except for me, so I avoid it.  It all revolves around celebrating life, enjoying friends and family, and praises to God.  Worship is all around us in whatever you do, from skiing down the mountains, the working and serving, to singing.  Swaziland worships with their voices and talents every day.

         It is hard to really sum up the history and culture of Swaziland without writing 30 or more pages.  I have learned though they are proud of their culture, a group of strong people willing to work and learn, and love God.  Don’t get me wrong though there are other religions and this is not everyone in Swaziland, to be politically correct, but it is hard to deny the presence of God and see their love for one another.  So why does a country like this have one of the highest HIV rates in the World then?  You see people happy, helping each other, loving God, working hard yet they struggle with this devastating disease each and every day.  Everyone in this small Kingdom has been affected in one form or another with HIV/AIDS; with 26% of adults between 15-49 is HIV positive.  It has the highest rate of tuberculosis (TB) in the world and 80% of patients are co-infected with HIV.  The Kingdom of Swaziland is a beautiful place with friendly and loving people who only want this to go away.  They want to return to a healthy and empowered kingdom free of disease, death and able to worship fully and finally celebrate their rich culture to its full potential.

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

The Daily Grind

          It truly is a new adventure each day here in the Kingdom of Swaziland.  I wake up each day unknowing what it brings, but prepared to take whatever may come my way.  Isn’t that really every day of our lives though no matter where we are?  I figured I should add a little humor to my blog in this entry, after all this is the Peace Corps.  I mean that in a good way.  My days here I try to create some sort of routine to help me stay balanced and sane at times.  There are moments that I really cannot expect what will happen, that is usually when I step out of my hut.  Then again, adventures can happen without me stepping outside.  It is all part of life and the Peace Corps experience.

         My daily routine that I have began to develop consists of the following:

(Some days will vary depending on if I have an event or traveling to attend to)

7am – 9:30am 

      

-Wake up

(I have gotten better at ignoring the roosters)

-Make coffee or tea

(Depending on supply and how tired I am)

-Daily devotions and Bible reading

-Have breakfast

(This varies depending on motivation)

Options: Corn flakes with powder milk, Oats with sugar and honey, or hard-boiled eggs and bread

                          

-Make my bed

(Yes! I finally make my bed every day; I don’t want to find snakes or spiders in it later that night)

-Morning workout in hut

(30-day challenges, or P90x on “days off”)

-Take a shower in my makeshift bucket/solar shower

-Get dressed and tackle the day!

9:30am – 3pm

      

-Walk to either the Primary School or High School

(It is a rough 15-minute walk, and that’s if I am walking Swazi pace)

-I check in with the teachers and will meet with some of them or work on project ideas and help students with schoolwork.

-Visit the store next to the school for snacks or a cold soda (Varies on the supply they have that day, and temperatures)

-Eat lunch with the teachers

(Rice and beans, or other days it is “mystery” meat, once it was the insides of a cow, I just eat it…kind of)

-Some days I will just go on a walk around my community, the best way to met people, learn new things and explore.

3pm – 6pm 

            

-This is usually the time my family returns home.

(School, church, town, the tree down the road, garden, not really sure some days)

-Spend time with my bobhuti “brothers” and “sister”

(We will just talk about the day, learn new words in SiSwati, or play games)

-I will help with any schoolwork they have

-Talk with make “mother” and babe “father”

-Retire to my hut for the evening at dark

6pm – 9pm   

          

-Will start cooking for the evening

(Menu varies on motivation once again, and supplies)

Options: rice and beans, rice and beans with veggies, rice with veggies, beans with veggies, I try and mix it up with pasta, or some meat if I have any

(No fridge in my hut so I store it in my family’s fridge if I have any)

-Usually listen to “West Coast Radio” from Durban, SA

(They actually played FGL and Taylor Swift, along with TLC, Tina Turner, you never really know what to expect)

-During dinner I watch a movie or a TV episode

(Thank you Jesus for external hard drives!)

-Spend time journaling, writing, drawing, or reading

-Do dishes from the day

(All by hand in my dish basin)

-Refill my water filter for water the next day

-The evening lock of doors and bug check throughout my hut

-Crawl into bed and Thank Jesus and God for another safe, productive, and rewarding day, pray for a good nights sleep, new day and to bless all those in my life.

         My day’s can take some changes though and I can never really expect what will be next.  We are on a period called integration, which is for the first 3 months at our permanent sites we are expected to observe, meet with community members, explore and learn as much as we can about our community and the people we will be working with for the next 2 years.  It is a time of learning and building relationships with our host family, teachers, students and community members.  It might be one of the more difficult times of our service, there is not much direction and we need to get out there, expose ourselves, be uncomfortable and integrate into the Kingdom of Swaziland and our unique community.  I anticipate as projects develop, relationships are built, and time goes on daily schedules with change and new adventures will arise.

         In my next blog I can expand on this idea of a new adventure each day because it really is here in Swaziland.  I never know what to expect sometimes.  From the time I transported my bed on top of a public bus 3 hours, to killing and cooking a pig, to riding in the back of a military truck at midnight returning from a church service with my host family.  Yes, that all actually happened! #Swaziland Every day though is a unique gift from God.  I continually thank Him every day for this opportunity, trust Him and lay it all in His hands.  I look at the positives; take it each day at a time, and learn to rejoice in the small success stories while being a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Kingdom of Swaziland.