Sunday, November 13, 2011
When Animals Attack
The last three days of my life have felt like I’m on that show on Discovery? Animal Planet? whatever - where people talk about their bizarre and terrifying encounters with animals. It all started Friday morning….
Friday, 11:00am
I’m at the office, normal Friday. All the staff is gathered around the big table in the main room of our office for the weekly staff meeting. Part way through I get up to use the restroom. Nothing out of the ordinary. Until I flush the toilet. As soon as I do the pink tail and gray behind of a RAT becomes visible as it attempts to not get flushed down the toilet. Let me try and set the stage. Our office toilet has no actual seat, so it’s just the rim. I would not have sat down if a rat was visible. It was HIDING IN THE TOILET under the seat somehow. I could have been bitten for all I know! So, obviously I panic, scream and run out of the bathroom into the main room where everyone is looking at me like - what just happened - and all I can say is “RAT! In the bathroom!” while freaking out. Now everyone groans, and acts like “oh, she’s being so dramatic our wimpy American can’t handle anything” – typical. They think I’m such a baby because I don’t handle cockroach/rat encounters well. So the men go into the bathroom as I hide in the kitchen attempting to find it. My manager assures me that on Monday all the boxes will be taken out and searched for rats. I am amazed at how no one thinks this is a big deal.
So we sit back down as she’s telling me about the cleaning plan and I say “well, in the mean time no one better go to the toilet because it’s hiding IN THE TOILET”. Now this garners what I thought the appropriate reactions should be when I ran out in the first place. Lots of “YYYOOOHH! Zoleka?!?! In the toilet??”. YES. IN THE TOILET. Now people respond with the shock and disgust I thought the situation called for. The men go back into the bathroom, armed with a stick, kill the poor (but gross) thing, and flush(??!!) it down the toilet after attempting to fish it out of the water with wires. I didn’t watch any of it I was too shaken up by my VERY close encounter. I just saw lots of entering and exiting of the bathroom with wires/stick. Man. What a terror. Needless to say, I’m not sure if I’m ever going to be able to use that bathroom again.
Saturday, 1:00pm
In my last blog I told you about the family of birds that was living in-between the ceiling and the roof in my host sisters bedroom. This was not only noisy but also as you may know birds carry bugs like lice and bed bugs. Gross. Well, the only way to get them out was to take off the roof, which our handyman did Saturday afternoon after sealing off all holes that were there between the wall and roof (to prevent further bird nesting situations). Well, as expected the birds freaked out when the roof came off and he tried getting them out. The two baby birds (which were adult sized I might add) haven’t left the nest yet, so aren’t sure how to fly properly. SO. Imagine, I’m minding my own business, reading a lovely column in a magazine about adventurous South Africans, lounging on my bed when all of a sudden a bird is flying through my burglar bars INTO MY ROOM in a panicked state. This was very startling. I also have a tiny room and I didn’t want to be attacked. I’m screaming at the top of my lungs (much more so than with the rat to my surprise…I think it’s because the bird was also freaking out). I jump off my bed, and run out of my room. All the while thinking…how am I going to get it out?! Well the brave Aunt of my host sister runs in as soon as I run out, grabs the bird and throws it out of my room. Poor thing, it was really struggling. What a traumatic first flying experience. I hope it made it somewhere safe! Thank goodness for brave South Africans. I would have needed a broom at least…
Sunday, 10:30am
I’m having a lazy Sunday morning in bed, watching Inception (which I really enjoyed this time – first time I saw it I was just confused). All of a sudden I hear something moving in my ceiling…and I hear chirping. F-in a. All I could think at this point was, are you JOKING?! Now there is a bird in MY ceiling. So I go outside to the party that has picked up where the night before left (it was my host brothers fourth birthday party and it was a rockin’ party Saturday). So, I find my host sister outside and explain that, I think there is bird in my ceiling now. This is when I am told that only one of the baby birds got out of the house yesterday (of course, why only one flew into my room. Duh.). The other one flew to my side of the house. Wonderful. I’m told nothing can be done about it now because of the impending rain and the not so sober state of our handy man. Fabulous. So, all I can do is be annoyed and go back to watching Inception with the occasional chirp added.
I am happy to report that all is quiet on the bird front currently. Hopefully it’s off sleeping somewhere other than above my room. But what’s next? Is a cow going to ram me? Is a goat going to bite me? Chicken attack? I can only imagine. I’m going to try not to think about it because as soon as I do I’ll just draw it to me. I’m hopeful that my animal bad luck streak is OVER. Keep your fingers crossed for me.
The good news is that I had a really fun time at my host brothers birthday party – he is just too cute! I got him a toy monster truck and some strawberry candies. I hope he likes them! I also made some new friends at the party that are my age which is really exciting! I had a blast. And today I made delicious pizza and got to watch Extreme Couponing on TLC for the first time. Have you seen that show before?! A lady had a grocery bill of $600-something and she ended up paying $2-something!!!!! Can you believe it?! On the one hand those people are totally insane and all boarder on just really OCD hoarders…but on the other hand…genius. But mostly insane. All in all a wonderful weekend, except that I didn’t actually do any of the mass amounts of work that I intended/needed to do sooooooo. I guess I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it, which will be tomorrow morning at 9am. Yay!
Take care, and remember, always check for rats in your toilet!
Friday, 11:00am
I’m at the office, normal Friday. All the staff is gathered around the big table in the main room of our office for the weekly staff meeting. Part way through I get up to use the restroom. Nothing out of the ordinary. Until I flush the toilet. As soon as I do the pink tail and gray behind of a RAT becomes visible as it attempts to not get flushed down the toilet. Let me try and set the stage. Our office toilet has no actual seat, so it’s just the rim. I would not have sat down if a rat was visible. It was HIDING IN THE TOILET under the seat somehow. I could have been bitten for all I know! So, obviously I panic, scream and run out of the bathroom into the main room where everyone is looking at me like - what just happened - and all I can say is “RAT! In the bathroom!” while freaking out. Now everyone groans, and acts like “oh, she’s being so dramatic our wimpy American can’t handle anything” – typical. They think I’m such a baby because I don’t handle cockroach/rat encounters well. So the men go into the bathroom as I hide in the kitchen attempting to find it. My manager assures me that on Monday all the boxes will be taken out and searched for rats. I am amazed at how no one thinks this is a big deal.
So we sit back down as she’s telling me about the cleaning plan and I say “well, in the mean time no one better go to the toilet because it’s hiding IN THE TOILET”. Now this garners what I thought the appropriate reactions should be when I ran out in the first place. Lots of “YYYOOOHH! Zoleka?!?! In the toilet??”. YES. IN THE TOILET. Now people respond with the shock and disgust I thought the situation called for. The men go back into the bathroom, armed with a stick, kill the poor (but gross) thing, and flush(??!!) it down the toilet after attempting to fish it out of the water with wires. I didn’t watch any of it I was too shaken up by my VERY close encounter. I just saw lots of entering and exiting of the bathroom with wires/stick. Man. What a terror. Needless to say, I’m not sure if I’m ever going to be able to use that bathroom again.
Saturday, 1:00pm
In my last blog I told you about the family of birds that was living in-between the ceiling and the roof in my host sisters bedroom. This was not only noisy but also as you may know birds carry bugs like lice and bed bugs. Gross. Well, the only way to get them out was to take off the roof, which our handyman did Saturday afternoon after sealing off all holes that were there between the wall and roof (to prevent further bird nesting situations). Well, as expected the birds freaked out when the roof came off and he tried getting them out. The two baby birds (which were adult sized I might add) haven’t left the nest yet, so aren’t sure how to fly properly. SO. Imagine, I’m minding my own business, reading a lovely column in a magazine about adventurous South Africans, lounging on my bed when all of a sudden a bird is flying through my burglar bars INTO MY ROOM in a panicked state. This was very startling. I also have a tiny room and I didn’t want to be attacked. I’m screaming at the top of my lungs (much more so than with the rat to my surprise…I think it’s because the bird was also freaking out). I jump off my bed, and run out of my room. All the while thinking…how am I going to get it out?! Well the brave Aunt of my host sister runs in as soon as I run out, grabs the bird and throws it out of my room. Poor thing, it was really struggling. What a traumatic first flying experience. I hope it made it somewhere safe! Thank goodness for brave South Africans. I would have needed a broom at least…
Sunday, 10:30am
I’m having a lazy Sunday morning in bed, watching Inception (which I really enjoyed this time – first time I saw it I was just confused). All of a sudden I hear something moving in my ceiling…and I hear chirping. F-in a. All I could think at this point was, are you JOKING?! Now there is a bird in MY ceiling. So I go outside to the party that has picked up where the night before left (it was my host brothers fourth birthday party and it was a rockin’ party Saturday). So, I find my host sister outside and explain that, I think there is bird in my ceiling now. This is when I am told that only one of the baby birds got out of the house yesterday (of course, why only one flew into my room. Duh.). The other one flew to my side of the house. Wonderful. I’m told nothing can be done about it now because of the impending rain and the not so sober state of our handy man. Fabulous. So, all I can do is be annoyed and go back to watching Inception with the occasional chirp added.
I am happy to report that all is quiet on the bird front currently. Hopefully it’s off sleeping somewhere other than above my room. But what’s next? Is a cow going to ram me? Is a goat going to bite me? Chicken attack? I can only imagine. I’m going to try not to think about it because as soon as I do I’ll just draw it to me. I’m hopeful that my animal bad luck streak is OVER. Keep your fingers crossed for me.
The good news is that I had a really fun time at my host brothers birthday party – he is just too cute! I got him a toy monster truck and some strawberry candies. I hope he likes them! I also made some new friends at the party that are my age which is really exciting! I had a blast. And today I made delicious pizza and got to watch Extreme Couponing on TLC for the first time. Have you seen that show before?! A lady had a grocery bill of $600-something and she ended up paying $2-something!!!!! Can you believe it?! On the one hand those people are totally insane and all boarder on just really OCD hoarders…but on the other hand…genius. But mostly insane. All in all a wonderful weekend, except that I didn’t actually do any of the mass amounts of work that I intended/needed to do sooooooo. I guess I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it, which will be tomorrow morning at 9am. Yay!
Take care, and remember, always check for rats in your toilet!
Saturday, November 5, 2011
My Adventures/Misadventures in October
Molweni friends!
Yoh, things have been hectic (that’s a really South African expression by the way). Where did the month of October even go?! It seems like it just disappeared! So much has happened this is going to be quite the long post but since it’s been over a month – I think it is okay. ; )
I got to go to PE and spend some time with two of my PCV friends that were in town visiting from Kwa-Zulu Natal (the Province that they live in). It was over the school holiday and then I met up with them for the long weekend in PE. We had lots of fun shenanigans in PE. We stayed at a backpackers I haven’t stayed at before and it was great. That was exciting – a new favorite find! We went out dancing with a Canadian and French guy we met at the hostel which was a blast and then got late night McDonalds (hello, were we in America?!). It was also great because we got to cook our food to save money which was actually fun and tasty. Well it wasn’t actually fun because the hostel only seems to believe in extremely, extremely dull knives. Which were then all stolen(?) so the next night we had ONE very dull knife. Not conducive to good cooking, but eh. Whatever. It made for just yet another hilarious situation in our usually hilarious lives. Cutting veggies with a butter knife. Typical.
Sam and Kelley were able to confirm for me that the Eastern Cape really is in its own world compared to the rest of South Africa (although I think the Western Cape is like it too, but there are no PCVs in the Western Cape so I can’t confirm that). SO MUCH about it is just different than at least the other places in South Africa that I’ve been, and the stories that I’m told by other SA PCVs. In a way, it seems like the Eastern Cape is a little more modern and more diverse. Now, I haven’t been into the heart of the Eastern Cape really (the very rural areas) so it might be totally different there but the part that I’m in, and from what all of the other PCVs in the Eastern Cape have said (some of which are really in the heart of it) it is like that all over. It usually shocks other PCVs from different Provinces that we have regular contact with white and coloured people. It’s just interesting when the now five of us that are in the EC have such unique experiences to other PCVs. Each placement within a country will be unique and different but for all of us in the EC we have some group differences in our experiences compared to the rest of SA PC. Sam and Kelley were telling me that it’s true – at least compared to their experience at site.
*Tangent: in South Africa due to their history there are very distinct racial groups just like in the States only they are different which makes sense since race is a social construct which is to mean that it is not a universal – obviously since it can mean something different in different places. Anyway, coloured people are what we would called mixed race. Obviously in the states it’s not okay to call someone colored because of our own historical context but here it is a defined and distinct group of people with their own culture…it was one of a few option to mark you were coloured on the census. Which is another story by the way…I filled out the census and it was so interesting to see the differences between US census and SA census! The sociology nerd is coming out again.
All in all, the visit with Sam and Kelley was so fun, and much needed break! I have a pretty insane life here anyway (for example Tuesday night I went out and ate pizza at a restaurant…another example of my unique PC experience…I don’t really think many people here are doing things like that). BUT sometimes it’s just nice to get to talk to my fellow Americans about life. To hear about different sites, different successes and challenges of other people. We get to share ideas and stories for projects and programs – it’s nice to know that we’re all for the most part having the same things happen. We also have a blast together which makes any get together worth it!
South Africa in the month of October held their 2011 census. I was counted! It was really interesting to me for a couple reasons. One, the race category compared to ones you see that in the States was very short. Then I found it really interesting that if you weren’t a South African citizen they didn’t have a whole section asking what you were doing there, or how you came to be in South Africa. I just had to list that I was in fact not a South African citizen. I did then also explain that I was from the United States because it asked for what country you were from, but no sections about why you are in South Africa. Wouldn’t they want to know that? Maybe not. I’m not sure what the US census is like in that area. I was just surprised I didn’t have to say what I was doing here! The other sections it asked about were I think typical. Jobs, education, normal stuff. It was really interesting because they asked information about your house and you had to say how many rooms you have – but you couldn’t count bathrooms. It was really bizarre to me! I think it was kitchens and bathrooms or something – you couldn’t count those. I was confused about that. It was really fascinating to me.
On to new things. We have finished our first SKILLZ intervention! We had 12 kids graduate. In order to graduate they couldn’t have missed more than four of the 11 practices. So, considering our attendance challenges I was happy with 12! It was a really young group (10-13) and so they were at times a challenge to manage behavior wise. But they were so cute, and a really funny group. This next team starts this week and we have to have three practices a week because we need to finish the second intervention by December 1st. It’s going to be a tight squeeze but we gotta do it. It’s all grade seven learners which is the oldest grade at the primary school. I’m hoping that it can go a bit more smoothly due to the older audience. Plus, they are actually about to graduate in January and go to the secondary school. I’m not-so-secretly hoping they will be easy to manage!
The girls clubs started last month and were AWESOME. Noxolo and I have been so excited about them, and they went so well! We had introduction meetings at each of the schools and had 41 girls come to one and 46 come to the other! It was a great turn out! We’ve realize since it’s so late in the year, and they have exams this month we can’t really meet in November. And then December is school holiday when we won’t be meeting at all. So really, the main clubs will start in January and go all next school year. The school year here is January to December. We got a great package of goodies and supplies for our girls clubs which is fantastic – shout out needed to Dave! Thanks SO MUCH! We have so many things we can do with them now – it’s really exciting!
There has been major drama at my org this last month. I’m not going to get into it, except to say that I have been very, very, very stressed, confused, and worried. I’m finally at a place though that I’m optimistic about the future. We have the opportunity for a fresh start so to speak! Although we always seem to be in a state of small-to-huge crisis at my org. The panic levels correlate with the level of crisis. So, we’re always sort of in crisis/panic mode. It’s exhausting. Luckily I’ve been able to focus on my projects and sort of remove myself from the insanity although I can’t escape it altogether. My dream would be to get us to a place where we in fact are NOT in a state of constent crisis/panic. It’s a matter of setting up systems and organization. There was very REAL example of how we are hindered by our lack of organization. So, there is this amazing funding opportunity that we are eligible for. Of course we found out about it the week before the application was due (typical). Which happened to be the week that our management and lots of staff were out for the week at a training. Well, we were going to have to post our most recent audited financial statements and our NPO certificate to them to London – so we needed to send it ASAP. Now, we have filing cabinets but we might as well not. We simply couldn’t find the most recent audited statements and no one could tell us over the phone where they were. So, we lost the opportunity to apply for $100,000 in US funding that we would have been able to use on OVCs. I explained this to everyone at the staff meeting yesterday in an attempt to point out how the small things – like putting something in the correct place on a day to day basis actually does have a HUGE impact on the big picture of our organization. We lost out on a major opportunity.
I should also mention that we’ve been attempting to re-file since the end of August. We did organize the office in August (you may recall the close encounter I had with a giant rat during that episode) and part of that was suppose to be refilling. Well that didn’t happen and still hasn’t happened. And I refuse to do things like that on my own because what’s the point if I re-file for us – to a logic and system that suits me – and I’m leaving! It’s not sustainable, or useful to set people up with a system that they won’t understand and won’t use. So, I’ve sort of sat back and waited for someone to take the initiative on it. In addition I’ve been so insanely busy with girls clubs and SKILLZ that I haven’t even had the chance to put a fire under anyone to get started although I have voiced remainders. I hope this whole lost chance at funding has shaken some people up and it will get done sooner rather than later.
The REALLY REALLY AMAZING news though is that we FINALLY received our funding from the Department of Social Development. You know, seven months late, but who’s counting. Well, probably the people who have been working and not getting paid for the last seven months!!!! The only thing I can say about that is thank God. Well and although it is good news the Department expects us to spend the money as quickly as we can now so adding to the panic and crisis we have to spend over R200,000 as soon as possible. I don’t even want to think about it…I’m so overwhelmed with the idea of all the planning we have to do and then implement in the next month and a half. I think I have a hectic time ahead of me too.
Things at home have been wonderful! My room is put together in the way I want it – and definitely feels like home. Luckily cockroach sightings in room are very low (two in last couple months although one was on my bed – major negative), and as soon as I finally buy some more hangers for my wardrobe I will have no random excess luggage still sitting around. Our refrigerator is working and has stayed working after months of not working - yay! Thanks to the very generous help from the Smith family and many attempted fixes by the electrician it is finally working! Thank goodness! For so long I was eating so unhealthy because it’s hard enough to cook for one person. But when you can’t keep anything for a long time it’s really hard! I couldn’t buy really anything fresh because it wouldn’t last. But, all that is in the past (hopefully for good!). It does seem like one thing after the other though happens at our house. So my window broke (which I think I blogged about…it was scary). Well the same window broke AGAIN. Only this time the glass thank goodness didn’t and it’s just the wooden frame. So I can’t open one of my windows (the other one already broke but I can still open it, eish). Then, the spring in my door handle has been broken so if the wind is blowing in one direction and my door isn’t locked the top half will blow open (we have those doors where you can have it half open or totally closed). I need to recruit someone to fix those things. Add to all this that we NOW have a family of birds living between my host sisters roof and ceiling in her bedroom. As I’m sure you can imagine that is very noisy and not okay. I’m so happy it’s not in my part of the house! But I feel really bad for her, because they are literally in her bedroom keeping her up at night. I would hate for the only solution to be to kill the birds but I have no idea how else it’s going to be taken care of. Eish. She asked me how I think we should handle it and I told her the only way I know of to get rid of things like that is to call an exterminator. You know…like in the States. Her idea is to put a cat into a hole in the ceiling in the garage and let run free in our ceiling until it kills them. She just doesn’t know where to get a cat, and my question was…well how do you get it out then? I am personally advocating for a human intervention. Also, we need to get something to go around the roof to ceiling line and block the holes so this doesn’t happen again!
It has been SO WEIRD to not have any Fall references in my life at all. Except on Facebook. I really miss Fall – who knew!? I would literally kill someone for a Starbucks drink. I can’t even handle the fact that it’s now “holiday” season and I won’t be able to drink my favorite - caramel brulee latte. It was also really weird with no signs of Halloween – and now Thanksgiving. But I actually have lots of really good things to look forward to in November and December! On Thanksgiving weekend I’m going to Jeffery’s Bay which is about two hours away from here. Jeffery’s Bay is one of the most famous surfing beaches in the world and the Billabong Pro takes place there every July. I’m going with my South African friend and meeting other PCVs there (if they can make it). I’m going to make garlic mashed potatoes and green been casserole – my favorite Thanksgiving dishes. I’m drooling just thinking about it! Then, in December I’m going to Cape Town with my South African friend – and then I think meeting up with PCVs to do some things in the Eastern Cape! So, I have lots of things to look forward to! : ) It should be a really great time! YAY. Even though it won’t be a white Christmas it will be a beach Christmas! Yesssssss.
OH! I totally forgot that a man on the street told me he was going to send his Uncles to America to negotiate labola (bride price) and would my family be interested in cows. He was joking, but I was like…well that would probably only work if I wanted to marry you which I don’t. But Mom and Dad…are you interested in becoming cow farmers? I have an idea for a business venture…
“Believe in yourself and all that you are. Know that there is something inside you that is greater than any obstacle.”
- Christian D. Larson
Yoh, things have been hectic (that’s a really South African expression by the way). Where did the month of October even go?! It seems like it just disappeared! So much has happened this is going to be quite the long post but since it’s been over a month – I think it is okay. ; )
I got to go to PE and spend some time with two of my PCV friends that were in town visiting from Kwa-Zulu Natal (the Province that they live in). It was over the school holiday and then I met up with them for the long weekend in PE. We had lots of fun shenanigans in PE. We stayed at a backpackers I haven’t stayed at before and it was great. That was exciting – a new favorite find! We went out dancing with a Canadian and French guy we met at the hostel which was a blast and then got late night McDonalds (hello, were we in America?!). It was also great because we got to cook our food to save money which was actually fun and tasty. Well it wasn’t actually fun because the hostel only seems to believe in extremely, extremely dull knives. Which were then all stolen(?) so the next night we had ONE very dull knife. Not conducive to good cooking, but eh. Whatever. It made for just yet another hilarious situation in our usually hilarious lives. Cutting veggies with a butter knife. Typical.
Sam and Kelley were able to confirm for me that the Eastern Cape really is in its own world compared to the rest of South Africa (although I think the Western Cape is like it too, but there are no PCVs in the Western Cape so I can’t confirm that). SO MUCH about it is just different than at least the other places in South Africa that I’ve been, and the stories that I’m told by other SA PCVs. In a way, it seems like the Eastern Cape is a little more modern and more diverse. Now, I haven’t been into the heart of the Eastern Cape really (the very rural areas) so it might be totally different there but the part that I’m in, and from what all of the other PCVs in the Eastern Cape have said (some of which are really in the heart of it) it is like that all over. It usually shocks other PCVs from different Provinces that we have regular contact with white and coloured people. It’s just interesting when the now five of us that are in the EC have such unique experiences to other PCVs. Each placement within a country will be unique and different but for all of us in the EC we have some group differences in our experiences compared to the rest of SA PC. Sam and Kelley were telling me that it’s true – at least compared to their experience at site.
*Tangent: in South Africa due to their history there are very distinct racial groups just like in the States only they are different which makes sense since race is a social construct which is to mean that it is not a universal – obviously since it can mean something different in different places. Anyway, coloured people are what we would called mixed race. Obviously in the states it’s not okay to call someone colored because of our own historical context but here it is a defined and distinct group of people with their own culture…it was one of a few option to mark you were coloured on the census. Which is another story by the way…I filled out the census and it was so interesting to see the differences between US census and SA census! The sociology nerd is coming out again.
All in all, the visit with Sam and Kelley was so fun, and much needed break! I have a pretty insane life here anyway (for example Tuesday night I went out and ate pizza at a restaurant…another example of my unique PC experience…I don’t really think many people here are doing things like that). BUT sometimes it’s just nice to get to talk to my fellow Americans about life. To hear about different sites, different successes and challenges of other people. We get to share ideas and stories for projects and programs – it’s nice to know that we’re all for the most part having the same things happen. We also have a blast together which makes any get together worth it!
South Africa in the month of October held their 2011 census. I was counted! It was really interesting to me for a couple reasons. One, the race category compared to ones you see that in the States was very short. Then I found it really interesting that if you weren’t a South African citizen they didn’t have a whole section asking what you were doing there, or how you came to be in South Africa. I just had to list that I was in fact not a South African citizen. I did then also explain that I was from the United States because it asked for what country you were from, but no sections about why you are in South Africa. Wouldn’t they want to know that? Maybe not. I’m not sure what the US census is like in that area. I was just surprised I didn’t have to say what I was doing here! The other sections it asked about were I think typical. Jobs, education, normal stuff. It was really interesting because they asked information about your house and you had to say how many rooms you have – but you couldn’t count bathrooms. It was really bizarre to me! I think it was kitchens and bathrooms or something – you couldn’t count those. I was confused about that. It was really fascinating to me.
On to new things. We have finished our first SKILLZ intervention! We had 12 kids graduate. In order to graduate they couldn’t have missed more than four of the 11 practices. So, considering our attendance challenges I was happy with 12! It was a really young group (10-13) and so they were at times a challenge to manage behavior wise. But they were so cute, and a really funny group. This next team starts this week and we have to have three practices a week because we need to finish the second intervention by December 1st. It’s going to be a tight squeeze but we gotta do it. It’s all grade seven learners which is the oldest grade at the primary school. I’m hoping that it can go a bit more smoothly due to the older audience. Plus, they are actually about to graduate in January and go to the secondary school. I’m not-so-secretly hoping they will be easy to manage!
The girls clubs started last month and were AWESOME. Noxolo and I have been so excited about them, and they went so well! We had introduction meetings at each of the schools and had 41 girls come to one and 46 come to the other! It was a great turn out! We’ve realize since it’s so late in the year, and they have exams this month we can’t really meet in November. And then December is school holiday when we won’t be meeting at all. So really, the main clubs will start in January and go all next school year. The school year here is January to December. We got a great package of goodies and supplies for our girls clubs which is fantastic – shout out needed to Dave! Thanks SO MUCH! We have so many things we can do with them now – it’s really exciting!
There has been major drama at my org this last month. I’m not going to get into it, except to say that I have been very, very, very stressed, confused, and worried. I’m finally at a place though that I’m optimistic about the future. We have the opportunity for a fresh start so to speak! Although we always seem to be in a state of small-to-huge crisis at my org. The panic levels correlate with the level of crisis. So, we’re always sort of in crisis/panic mode. It’s exhausting. Luckily I’ve been able to focus on my projects and sort of remove myself from the insanity although I can’t escape it altogether. My dream would be to get us to a place where we in fact are NOT in a state of constent crisis/panic. It’s a matter of setting up systems and organization. There was very REAL example of how we are hindered by our lack of organization. So, there is this amazing funding opportunity that we are eligible for. Of course we found out about it the week before the application was due (typical). Which happened to be the week that our management and lots of staff were out for the week at a training. Well, we were going to have to post our most recent audited financial statements and our NPO certificate to them to London – so we needed to send it ASAP. Now, we have filing cabinets but we might as well not. We simply couldn’t find the most recent audited statements and no one could tell us over the phone where they were. So, we lost the opportunity to apply for $100,000 in US funding that we would have been able to use on OVCs. I explained this to everyone at the staff meeting yesterday in an attempt to point out how the small things – like putting something in the correct place on a day to day basis actually does have a HUGE impact on the big picture of our organization. We lost out on a major opportunity.
I should also mention that we’ve been attempting to re-file since the end of August. We did organize the office in August (you may recall the close encounter I had with a giant rat during that episode) and part of that was suppose to be refilling. Well that didn’t happen and still hasn’t happened. And I refuse to do things like that on my own because what’s the point if I re-file for us – to a logic and system that suits me – and I’m leaving! It’s not sustainable, or useful to set people up with a system that they won’t understand and won’t use. So, I’ve sort of sat back and waited for someone to take the initiative on it. In addition I’ve been so insanely busy with girls clubs and SKILLZ that I haven’t even had the chance to put a fire under anyone to get started although I have voiced remainders. I hope this whole lost chance at funding has shaken some people up and it will get done sooner rather than later.
The REALLY REALLY AMAZING news though is that we FINALLY received our funding from the Department of Social Development. You know, seven months late, but who’s counting. Well, probably the people who have been working and not getting paid for the last seven months!!!! The only thing I can say about that is thank God. Well and although it is good news the Department expects us to spend the money as quickly as we can now so adding to the panic and crisis we have to spend over R200,000 as soon as possible. I don’t even want to think about it…I’m so overwhelmed with the idea of all the planning we have to do and then implement in the next month and a half. I think I have a hectic time ahead of me too.
Things at home have been wonderful! My room is put together in the way I want it – and definitely feels like home. Luckily cockroach sightings in room are very low (two in last couple months although one was on my bed – major negative), and as soon as I finally buy some more hangers for my wardrobe I will have no random excess luggage still sitting around. Our refrigerator is working and has stayed working after months of not working - yay! Thanks to the very generous help from the Smith family and many attempted fixes by the electrician it is finally working! Thank goodness! For so long I was eating so unhealthy because it’s hard enough to cook for one person. But when you can’t keep anything for a long time it’s really hard! I couldn’t buy really anything fresh because it wouldn’t last. But, all that is in the past (hopefully for good!). It does seem like one thing after the other though happens at our house. So my window broke (which I think I blogged about…it was scary). Well the same window broke AGAIN. Only this time the glass thank goodness didn’t and it’s just the wooden frame. So I can’t open one of my windows (the other one already broke but I can still open it, eish). Then, the spring in my door handle has been broken so if the wind is blowing in one direction and my door isn’t locked the top half will blow open (we have those doors where you can have it half open or totally closed). I need to recruit someone to fix those things. Add to all this that we NOW have a family of birds living between my host sisters roof and ceiling in her bedroom. As I’m sure you can imagine that is very noisy and not okay. I’m so happy it’s not in my part of the house! But I feel really bad for her, because they are literally in her bedroom keeping her up at night. I would hate for the only solution to be to kill the birds but I have no idea how else it’s going to be taken care of. Eish. She asked me how I think we should handle it and I told her the only way I know of to get rid of things like that is to call an exterminator. You know…like in the States. Her idea is to put a cat into a hole in the ceiling in the garage and let run free in our ceiling until it kills them. She just doesn’t know where to get a cat, and my question was…well how do you get it out then? I am personally advocating for a human intervention. Also, we need to get something to go around the roof to ceiling line and block the holes so this doesn’t happen again!
It has been SO WEIRD to not have any Fall references in my life at all. Except on Facebook. I really miss Fall – who knew!? I would literally kill someone for a Starbucks drink. I can’t even handle the fact that it’s now “holiday” season and I won’t be able to drink my favorite - caramel brulee latte. It was also really weird with no signs of Halloween – and now Thanksgiving. But I actually have lots of really good things to look forward to in November and December! On Thanksgiving weekend I’m going to Jeffery’s Bay which is about two hours away from here. Jeffery’s Bay is one of the most famous surfing beaches in the world and the Billabong Pro takes place there every July. I’m going with my South African friend and meeting other PCVs there (if they can make it). I’m going to make garlic mashed potatoes and green been casserole – my favorite Thanksgiving dishes. I’m drooling just thinking about it! Then, in December I’m going to Cape Town with my South African friend – and then I think meeting up with PCVs to do some things in the Eastern Cape! So, I have lots of things to look forward to! : ) It should be a really great time! YAY. Even though it won’t be a white Christmas it will be a beach Christmas! Yesssssss.
OH! I totally forgot that a man on the street told me he was going to send his Uncles to America to negotiate labola (bride price) and would my family be interested in cows. He was joking, but I was like…well that would probably only work if I wanted to marry you which I don’t. But Mom and Dad…are you interested in becoming cow farmers? I have an idea for a business venture…
“Believe in yourself and all that you are. Know that there is something inside you that is greater than any obstacle.”
- Christian D. Larson
Friday, September 23, 2011
You Can Just Call Me...Whatever...
Baba, sisi, mama, ntombi (girl), MyZo, Zozo, Zoey, Zolekaaaa, sweatheart, girl, sweetie, lady, mam, madam, miss, lumkazi (white lady, sp?), umlungu (white person), Alana-ee, and sometimes Alana.
Those are the many names that I have gotten used to hearing. I find it funny that I get everything from baby to mama. I am getting more and more well known throughout the community. We have a lot of people here – but when I’m gone for a week like I was recently many people ask me where I have been. I am the queen of greeting – waving from very far away at anyone and everyone so as not to offend (people have asked me – why didn’t you greet me?). I get my name called from all directions (usually by kids) and they are the automatic alarm that I’m coming down the street.
They are the funniest because they each say my name about 10 times and are not satisfied with a general “Molweni!” (hello plural)…they each want individual “hi!”. Usually I do not pay attention after the first two hellos and just let them scream my name over and over as I walk by waving and smiling at them. Greeting is a VERY important custom in South Africa. If you want to be rude – jump into a conversation without saying hello and how are you? If you think about your daily interactions (in the States I mean), it is not always necessary to greet someone fully before launching into whatever story it is, or problem you have to share with them. Here – store clerk, co worker, random person on the street – you don’t say hi? You are running the risk of seriously offending them. This has been something that I’ve really enjoyed HAVING to focus on here in South Africa.
Coming from the mindset that I need to get things done, and get them done efficiently and quickly I don’t normally take the time in the States for a full greeting before launching into whatever it is I’m thinking of. I like to think that I have manners – so I think I usually begin a conversation with at least “hi” but I’m sure I’m guilty of skipping even that when for example at a store, in a rush, trying to find the aisle with the shampoo – “where can I find shampoo? K, great, thanks!”. I did that once here – walked up to the movie ticket counter at a mall only to ask about price “how much are movie tickets?” I asked. After literally shooting daggers at me with her eyes, the clerk took a long pause, and said “hello, how are you?”. I apologized, greeted her and then asked again. It was actually really embarrassing and an “ah ha” moment.
I knew that it was going to be something I was going to learn in South Africa – how to be more relationship focused and friendly – even with random strangers that I will never see again. I’ve been working really hard at taking the time to do that. I know that it’s not just an American thing, but also an individual personality thing. I tend to be a direct person so sometimes slowing down to take the time to ask how someone is can be last thing on my mind. Knowing that about myself, I hope to come back to the States with a little more patience and a little less rush.
On the work front I’m less frantically rushed to get everything done as I have been the last few weeks. I held the Strategic Planning workshop (which went SO WELL – yay!). I applied for a grant from the MTV Staying Alive Foundation which funds youth led HIV/AIDS prevention projects around the world (pray for me that I get it!). I have this really cool idea for an all youth conference on HIV/AIDS and healthy behaviors. It would be awesome. Our pilot program for HIV/AIDS education SKILLZ has started and is so much fun! The kids really seem to enjoy it (despite the ever present problem of attendance). A lot of them were able to tell us what HIV and AIDS stands for! And they are 9-13! I mean it’s a good thing but also kind of crazy to think about. They are apparently giving really great answers to all of our questions (I can’t understand anything that’s happening because it’s all held in isiXhosa). I’m kind of excited to work with older kids so I can participate and help lead some of the sessions. Right now I just am sort of there to see that everything goes according to plan. And I always facilitate this one session called Fact/Nonsense and then the coaches in teams translate for me.
This was my first week back from the Peace Corps Life Skills training in Pretoria. I brought two of my counterparts with me and it was GREAT. We all got a lot out of it, and the whole week was really productive and helpful. I was very impressed with the Peace Corps, the facilitators, the smooth logistics, and my counterparts for their excitement and willingness to learn. We also got to know each other better which was really fun. I brought an extra bathing suit for my girls clubs co-facilitator Noxolo so she could go swimming. We also worked out together once (well they worked out more but I only did once haha). We also had a chance to just sit and chat about work, the office, and all kinds of stuff. I loved it. The two counterparts I brought are really fun and we have a really playful relationship. It was a good time. On the last night I bought them each a drink at the bar. All in all – a very valuable experience. Funniest quote of the week: during a “recap” of the day before which was taking wayyyyyy too long my male counterpart Figo leans over and says “borrow me a gun”. Maybe that sounds horrible but it was hilarious. Good times in PTA…
I’m really excited to have my first visitors at site – my two PCV friends who stay in KZN (Kwa-Zulu Natal) are coming to visit! They’re just going to be at my site for one night but still – so excited! Then I’m going to go with them to spend the night in PE before they head back. One of them studied abroad here in college and she’s going back to talk to the new study abroad kids about the Peace Corps. I would have gone to that also but I have SKILLZ that week so no such luck. While they are here we’re going to prepare for the World Map Project so that we can all each do it at our sites. It should be a great time!
Funny story: for the last two days these children have come to my house and demanded I give them biscuits (cookies). They just say it over and over. I told them I only have carrots thinking that would deter them and then they demanded carrots. I was shocked by this clever strategy of theirs so then I could only say…well if I give you my carrots what will I eat? That was about the extent of our conversation besides them demanding things from me. Like – go to church, go home (which I was), give me biscuits. “ZOLEKA! Give me biscuits!”. Please let this not be a daily thing…
“Risk more than others think is safe. Care more than others think is wise. Dream more than others think is practical. Expect more than others think is possible”.
-Cadet Maxim
ps. If you are interested in helping me out with my girls clubs just see below on how you can help us out!
Those are the many names that I have gotten used to hearing. I find it funny that I get everything from baby to mama. I am getting more and more well known throughout the community. We have a lot of people here – but when I’m gone for a week like I was recently many people ask me where I have been. I am the queen of greeting – waving from very far away at anyone and everyone so as not to offend (people have asked me – why didn’t you greet me?). I get my name called from all directions (usually by kids) and they are the automatic alarm that I’m coming down the street.
They are the funniest because they each say my name about 10 times and are not satisfied with a general “Molweni!” (hello plural)…they each want individual “hi!”. Usually I do not pay attention after the first two hellos and just let them scream my name over and over as I walk by waving and smiling at them. Greeting is a VERY important custom in South Africa. If you want to be rude – jump into a conversation without saying hello and how are you? If you think about your daily interactions (in the States I mean), it is not always necessary to greet someone fully before launching into whatever story it is, or problem you have to share with them. Here – store clerk, co worker, random person on the street – you don’t say hi? You are running the risk of seriously offending them. This has been something that I’ve really enjoyed HAVING to focus on here in South Africa.
Coming from the mindset that I need to get things done, and get them done efficiently and quickly I don’t normally take the time in the States for a full greeting before launching into whatever it is I’m thinking of. I like to think that I have manners – so I think I usually begin a conversation with at least “hi” but I’m sure I’m guilty of skipping even that when for example at a store, in a rush, trying to find the aisle with the shampoo – “where can I find shampoo? K, great, thanks!”. I did that once here – walked up to the movie ticket counter at a mall only to ask about price “how much are movie tickets?” I asked. After literally shooting daggers at me with her eyes, the clerk took a long pause, and said “hello, how are you?”. I apologized, greeted her and then asked again. It was actually really embarrassing and an “ah ha” moment.
I knew that it was going to be something I was going to learn in South Africa – how to be more relationship focused and friendly – even with random strangers that I will never see again. I’ve been working really hard at taking the time to do that. I know that it’s not just an American thing, but also an individual personality thing. I tend to be a direct person so sometimes slowing down to take the time to ask how someone is can be last thing on my mind. Knowing that about myself, I hope to come back to the States with a little more patience and a little less rush.
On the work front I’m less frantically rushed to get everything done as I have been the last few weeks. I held the Strategic Planning workshop (which went SO WELL – yay!). I applied for a grant from the MTV Staying Alive Foundation which funds youth led HIV/AIDS prevention projects around the world (pray for me that I get it!). I have this really cool idea for an all youth conference on HIV/AIDS and healthy behaviors. It would be awesome. Our pilot program for HIV/AIDS education SKILLZ has started and is so much fun! The kids really seem to enjoy it (despite the ever present problem of attendance). A lot of them were able to tell us what HIV and AIDS stands for! And they are 9-13! I mean it’s a good thing but also kind of crazy to think about. They are apparently giving really great answers to all of our questions (I can’t understand anything that’s happening because it’s all held in isiXhosa). I’m kind of excited to work with older kids so I can participate and help lead some of the sessions. Right now I just am sort of there to see that everything goes according to plan. And I always facilitate this one session called Fact/Nonsense and then the coaches in teams translate for me.
This was my first week back from the Peace Corps Life Skills training in Pretoria. I brought two of my counterparts with me and it was GREAT. We all got a lot out of it, and the whole week was really productive and helpful. I was very impressed with the Peace Corps, the facilitators, the smooth logistics, and my counterparts for their excitement and willingness to learn. We also got to know each other better which was really fun. I brought an extra bathing suit for my girls clubs co-facilitator Noxolo so she could go swimming. We also worked out together once (well they worked out more but I only did once haha). We also had a chance to just sit and chat about work, the office, and all kinds of stuff. I loved it. The two counterparts I brought are really fun and we have a really playful relationship. It was a good time. On the last night I bought them each a drink at the bar. All in all – a very valuable experience. Funniest quote of the week: during a “recap” of the day before which was taking wayyyyyy too long my male counterpart Figo leans over and says “borrow me a gun”. Maybe that sounds horrible but it was hilarious. Good times in PTA…
I’m really excited to have my first visitors at site – my two PCV friends who stay in KZN (Kwa-Zulu Natal) are coming to visit! They’re just going to be at my site for one night but still – so excited! Then I’m going to go with them to spend the night in PE before they head back. One of them studied abroad here in college and she’s going back to talk to the new study abroad kids about the Peace Corps. I would have gone to that also but I have SKILLZ that week so no such luck. While they are here we’re going to prepare for the World Map Project so that we can all each do it at our sites. It should be a great time!
Funny story: for the last two days these children have come to my house and demanded I give them biscuits (cookies). They just say it over and over. I told them I only have carrots thinking that would deter them and then they demanded carrots. I was shocked by this clever strategy of theirs so then I could only say…well if I give you my carrots what will I eat? That was about the extent of our conversation besides them demanding things from me. Like – go to church, go home (which I was), give me biscuits. “ZOLEKA! Give me biscuits!”. Please let this not be a daily thing…
“Risk more than others think is safe. Care more than others think is wise. Dream more than others think is practical. Expect more than others think is possible”.
-Cadet Maxim
ps. If you are interested in helping me out with my girls clubs just see below on how you can help us out!
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Our Dream: Girls Clubs
My counterpart Noxolo and I just arrived back from a week of Peace Corps Life Skills Training in Pretoria and are more ready than ever to get started on our girls clubs! She and I have been talking about them since August and have been waiting for the end of the October school break to start our clubs at each of the local secondary schools. We are each SO EXCITED for these girls clubs! It was great getting to know Noxolo even better in Pretoria because we are actually really similar in our beliefs and values. I think we will make a great team to facilitate these girls clubs.
Our Vision is: Our vision is to see young women empowered to be confident and strong, able to make healthy life choices and ultimately become positive role models for their community.
Our Mission is: To educate, empower, and engage the young women of Alexandria to make healthy and positive life choices in all aspects of their lives.
Our Goals:
• Promote positive self image and confidence
• Teach the importance of making healthy choices
• Promote the Seven Dimensions of Wellness
• To provide important information in a creative, fun, and engaging way
• Educate about HIV/AIDS
• To encourage young women to take control of their future
• Hold a Camp GLOW with group participants.
Each club will meet every other week (one week Ukhanyo, next week Alexandria High) and will be open to girls from grades 8-11. Every other week will have an activity that corresponds with our topics on the weekends. So for example one we will be talking about the environment and the activity will be a community clean up. We already have over a years worth of topics to discuss and do activities on!
The good thing about my girls club is that most of the things require no money to do or facilitate. Some of the activities that we hope to do however do require some money or supplies. We have the basics of what we need (we can borrow from Ikhwezi), but there are still a lot of things that we would like to be able to do with the girls. We have no budget for the girls clubs (although I hope to apply for a VAST Grant for it) I’ve put together a “wish list” of some things that we would love to have in order to do some of our planned activities until we can secure some kind of funding. We also have planned activities of fundraising in our community and we want to get the community involved (hello – sustainability!) so donations will be asked for within the community as well.
If there is anything that you see on this list that you would be interested in sending to Noxolo and me for our girls clubs, please let me know via email so that I can alert others that someone is getting it – you can e-mail me at alanamcginty@gmail.com.
GIRLS CLUBS WISH LIST:
• Post Secret Book (for an activity that we are going to do about self esteem and overcoming personal challenges)
• Stationary (plain white cards)
• Any educational materials (if you know of any local non profits/government agencies that deal with health or youth if you could stop by them and pick up educational pamphlets and send them our way – any topic would be great but especially on things like sexual health, “changing bodies”, nutrition, etc!)
• Markers, crayons, sharpies, colored chalk
• Old magazines (magazines about any topic would be great – they are for our Vision Boards when we talk about our future and our goals…Oprah anyone?)
• Colored string for friendship bracelets
• Duct tape/clear packing tape/scotch tape
• Color paper
• Spool of yarn
• ANY random arts and crafts things that you think we might be able to use/you want to get rid of (beads, string, buttons, scrapbook papers, stickers, whatever!).
How to send me a package:
Cheapest method depends on the weight of the items. At the post office the flat rate boxes are the cheapest if whatever it is will be heavy. If it’s not heavy it might be cheaper to just send it in your own box. I have not had ANY issues with receiving all of my mail. I have gotten some really big boxes of things and nothing has ever been opened or tampered with. For good measure if you want to put Bible verses on the box it can’t hurt. My address is:
Alana McGinty
PO Box 316
Alexandria 6185
South Africa
If you are interested in helping Noxolo and me with our project and want to send us some items please let me know so that I can update people so as to not get doubles of things. Please email me at alanamcginty@gmail.com if you are interested in supporting this project (financial contributions are also always welcome – please inquire via e-mail if you are interested)! : )
Thank you so much in advance for any help you can be – if you are unable to send physical things - any information if you can think of that would help us achieve our vision and mission (like an interesting article, a great website, or an organization that I could apply to for funding – PLEASE don’t hesitate to pass on the information). Your prayers and good thoughts are always appreciated as well!
"Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it" - Goethe
Our Vision is: Our vision is to see young women empowered to be confident and strong, able to make healthy life choices and ultimately become positive role models for their community.
Our Mission is: To educate, empower, and engage the young women of Alexandria to make healthy and positive life choices in all aspects of their lives.
Our Goals:
• Promote positive self image and confidence
• Teach the importance of making healthy choices
• Promote the Seven Dimensions of Wellness
• To provide important information in a creative, fun, and engaging way
• Educate about HIV/AIDS
• To encourage young women to take control of their future
• Hold a Camp GLOW with group participants.
Each club will meet every other week (one week Ukhanyo, next week Alexandria High) and will be open to girls from grades 8-11. Every other week will have an activity that corresponds with our topics on the weekends. So for example one we will be talking about the environment and the activity will be a community clean up. We already have over a years worth of topics to discuss and do activities on!
The good thing about my girls club is that most of the things require no money to do or facilitate. Some of the activities that we hope to do however do require some money or supplies. We have the basics of what we need (we can borrow from Ikhwezi), but there are still a lot of things that we would like to be able to do with the girls. We have no budget for the girls clubs (although I hope to apply for a VAST Grant for it) I’ve put together a “wish list” of some things that we would love to have in order to do some of our planned activities until we can secure some kind of funding. We also have planned activities of fundraising in our community and we want to get the community involved (hello – sustainability!) so donations will be asked for within the community as well.
If there is anything that you see on this list that you would be interested in sending to Noxolo and me for our girls clubs, please let me know via email so that I can alert others that someone is getting it – you can e-mail me at alanamcginty@gmail.com.
GIRLS CLUBS WISH LIST:
• Post Secret Book (for an activity that we are going to do about self esteem and overcoming personal challenges)
• Stationary (plain white cards)
• Any educational materials (if you know of any local non profits/government agencies that deal with health or youth if you could stop by them and pick up educational pamphlets and send them our way – any topic would be great but especially on things like sexual health, “changing bodies”, nutrition, etc!)
• Markers, crayons, sharpies, colored chalk
• Old magazines (magazines about any topic would be great – they are for our Vision Boards when we talk about our future and our goals…Oprah anyone?)
• Colored string for friendship bracelets
• Duct tape/clear packing tape/scotch tape
• Color paper
• Spool of yarn
• ANY random arts and crafts things that you think we might be able to use/you want to get rid of (beads, string, buttons, scrapbook papers, stickers, whatever!).
How to send me a package:
Cheapest method depends on the weight of the items. At the post office the flat rate boxes are the cheapest if whatever it is will be heavy. If it’s not heavy it might be cheaper to just send it in your own box. I have not had ANY issues with receiving all of my mail. I have gotten some really big boxes of things and nothing has ever been opened or tampered with. For good measure if you want to put Bible verses on the box it can’t hurt. My address is:
Alana McGinty
PO Box 316
Alexandria 6185
South Africa
If you are interested in helping Noxolo and me with our project and want to send us some items please let me know so that I can update people so as to not get doubles of things. Please email me at alanamcginty@gmail.com if you are interested in supporting this project (financial contributions are also always welcome – please inquire via e-mail if you are interested)! : )
Thank you so much in advance for any help you can be – if you are unable to send physical things - any information if you can think of that would help us achieve our vision and mission (like an interesting article, a great website, or an organization that I could apply to for funding – PLEASE don’t hesitate to pass on the information). Your prayers and good thoughts are always appreciated as well!
"Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it" - Goethe
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