Training.

Sometimes I forget what I have written about and what I haven’t so forgive me if this is a repeat. One of the projects that I have been helping with at my drop-in centers for the last several months is training, training, training! During my community needs assessment way back in 2010 (ugh, it’s been a long time), training was identified as a priority. Although the staff and volunteers at my centers work with children, they do not have any training about how to care for or really work with children so training definitely seemed like a viable project to pursue.


We were able to work with a South African donor to assist with this training project and last June we received funding to train almost 40 of our staff and volunteers. Since August, we have been bringing the staff and volunteers from the centres together for a monthly training workshop so they can learn about things like the basic rights of children, the difference between discipline and punishment, hygiene and nutrition for children, and the importance of letting children make mistakes in order to learn (i.e., trial and error learning)! For some of the women, it’s been quite a challenge as they haven’t been in a classroom setting for 20+ years (and their attention span is like that of small child!). They have also had to write their assessments in English (which is not easy for many of them) and learn new, and oftentimes challenging, concepts. Mostly, I have been quite pleased with their progress and willingness to try. I know it isn’t easy. In January, they will submit their assessments for review and (cross your fingers) most of them will pass and receive a basic child and youth care certification. And if they don’t pass?! Well, I hope they have at least benefited from being in the training and learning something about how to work with children. Through my time here I’ve come to believe that sometimes the learning is in the process not in the end result...

Here they are working on writing an assessment, eating lunch (believe me, this was an important part of the day) and one of our group photos in front of the church where we held the training.

Giving Thanks (Again).

Today is Thanksgiving although it doesn’t feel like it much (again…yes, this is year two of celebrating yet another Thanksgiving alone). But, your American Peace Corps volunteers are trying to keep their holiday spirits high by sending texts to each other with holiday greetings and dreaming of stuffing, pie, and (in my case) tofurkey. I did, though, want to make sure to share with you (again) just a few of the things I am thankful for this Thanksgiving.

A new pit toilet at my house!
Rainy days during the summer heat to cool things down (like today)
Little kids screaming my name when I’m having a bad day, “Lethabo! How are you?!”
My mom and dad always supporting me no matter how crazy and non-conventional my choices
Vacations to beautiful African places
Good books
Watching cows stubbornly stand in the middle of the road just daring a car to try to hit them
Being able to wear flip-flops almost every day (except for the stepping on the nail incident this week)
Mango trees in almost every yard here
Dancing in my room and calling it a “workout”
Letters and packages from home (seriously, I love getting mail)
My family and friends, new and old

I miss my family and friends at home terribly and think of you every day but am so grateful for my new, extended family here in South Africa. The family that has let me stay in their home for two years (Piet and Ester and Kagiso). The community of Ga-Sekororo that has embraced me including people like Sheron, Olga, Charity, Spokes, Malepe, Motsatsi, and Sara. And also the Peace Corps Volunteers that will forever be part of my family because of this shared experience. I love you all and hope that everyone has a happy, happy Thanksgiving! And, if there is any way you can send me Christmas candy in my next package…I would be thankful for that too!?

Toothaches and Hiking.

So I had to take a little trip to the city to visit the dentist. I have been experiencing some problems with my tooth. Oh, you know, a little toothache. Well, the poor dentist here in South Africa had to deal with me fainting in his chair to get out some decay under an old cavity (I don’t particularly like the dentist and this combined with my fear of needles tends to lead to some problems when I visit the dentist). After this horrible visit I left hoping I would be toothache free. Well, I was not. So, I decided to go on a hike to see if putting a little time and space between me and the dentist would help.


So, off I went on an amazing hike in the Drakensburg mountains – it is a truly spectacular area in Kwazulu-Natal Province that I have not had the pleasure of visiting since my time here. Along with three other volunteers we braved hiking without a guide and “didn’t die” which was my one request before we set off. We did get slightly lost but it was worth it as we stumbled upon an amazing camping spot and cooked our rice and beans as the sun went down. We swam in some beautiful water pools and enjoyed the wide open space (we didn’t see one other person during our hike). It was a wonderful little vacation and I didn’t even think about my tooth…too much.

But, alas, I returned for another dreaded dentist appointment upon my return and was told that I probably have to get a root canal. Hopefully they can heavily sedate me. But, at least I got to go on a hike (and I have pictures...of my hike, not my tooth!)