The reality of day to day life in the village can be a bit? Boring? Socially Isolating? Depressing? I have been having a hard time lately for some reason. I am actually quite busy with work projects – teaching at the school, helping to set-up a school library, working at the centers, my internship program, this building project, training for the staff and volunteers…anyway, I have enough going on at work. But, the reality of my “social life” is that, well, it doesn’t really exist. After I finish with work, I go home and am alone. Okay, okay, I do hang out with the kids who stop by to visit or my 16 year old host sister or my host father but the idea of “friends” in the village is a bit cloudy. Beyond a few friendly one-liners (and everyone is generally very friendly) the deep, meaningful conversations are quite limited. I mean how many times can I talk about the cost of airplane tickets to America or if I know Beyonce with someone? And my Sepedi still can’t get me the surface stuff?! Plus, when the sun goes down, it's time to go inside (people don't typically linger outside after dark).
In the beginning of my service, all of this alone/quiet time was quite nice. Coming from a world of being busy all of the time, it was wonderful to just have some time and space to be alone. But now?! I sure am looking forward to going out to a movie or getting a coffee with a few friends everyone once in a while.
But just remind me to read this when I’m complaining about a busy social life again one day in my unknown future…the grass is always greener, right?
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Yes, I am.
It's been a while since I've said this…but I’m tired. I just finished another week with an amazing group of girls and I need a vacation. From being a volunteer. Just for a little bit.
I just had 17 girls (all in grade 11) visit the community as part of a weeklong social awareness project which a school called Roedean puts together in partnership with my project, Phedisang. The girls all live in Johannesburg and go to Roedean which is a private, all girls school so to come to a rural community with long drops (pit toilets as we call them here) and no running water was a bit of a shock. With the help of another Peace Corps volunteer (thank you, Megan!) the girls all survived the week. As I mentioned in my last blog, I was here last year when the group of girls from Roedean came but, this year, it felt particularly busy. We visited the primary school where I have also been volunteering and the girls helped in the classes, presented a drama and dance, planted trees and picked up trash with the learners. We stopped by a local bakery, Taposa, and the girls decorated some enormous cakes (and we proceeded to help eat one)! We hiked up the mountain on a particularly cool morning to eat sweet potatoes and sugar cane with an amazing family living in the hills (I have a picture of Mr. Malepe’s pass book which blacks used to have to carry anytime they left their homes - they were arrested if they didn’t have their pass book). We had dinner at my host father’s house where the girls sang beautifully for Piet. Then, there was the Women’s Day March which was organized by the Phedisang Leaders and Roedean Girls. Oh, and while I don’t have any pictures (I was too enthralled in the moment to take pictures) but we also visited a sangoma who told us about living underwater with a snake – it was an exceptionally busy and eye-opening week for so many reasons!
So that’s why I’m telling you…I’m tired. But maybe I am just getting old? I do have a few more gray hairs since I’ve been in Africa. Yet, there is no time. I am now preparing for my meeting on Saturday with my Phedisang Interns...
But I must send my love to the girls from Roedean. You were all AMAZING and it was a wonderful week (and make sure to look at some of the pictures I posted as well as their updated blog journal from this year's week)!
I just had 17 girls (all in grade 11) visit the community as part of a weeklong social awareness project which a school called Roedean puts together in partnership with my project, Phedisang. The girls all live in Johannesburg and go to Roedean which is a private, all girls school so to come to a rural community with long drops (pit toilets as we call them here) and no running water was a bit of a shock. With the help of another Peace Corps volunteer (thank you, Megan!) the girls all survived the week. As I mentioned in my last blog, I was here last year when the group of girls from Roedean came but, this year, it felt particularly busy. We visited the primary school where I have also been volunteering and the girls helped in the classes, presented a drama and dance, planted trees and picked up trash with the learners. We stopped by a local bakery, Taposa, and the girls decorated some enormous cakes (and we proceeded to help eat one)! We hiked up the mountain on a particularly cool morning to eat sweet potatoes and sugar cane with an amazing family living in the hills (I have a picture of Mr. Malepe’s pass book which blacks used to have to carry anytime they left their homes - they were arrested if they didn’t have their pass book). We had dinner at my host father’s house where the girls sang beautifully for Piet. Then, there was the Women’s Day March which was organized by the Phedisang Leaders and Roedean Girls. Oh, and while I don’t have any pictures (I was too enthralled in the moment to take pictures) but we also visited a sangoma who told us about living underwater with a snake – it was an exceptionally busy and eye-opening week for so many reasons!
So that’s why I’m telling you…I’m tired. But maybe I am just getting old? I do have a few more gray hairs since I’ve been in Africa. Yet, there is no time. I am now preparing for my meeting on Saturday with my Phedisang Interns...
But I must send my love to the girls from Roedean. You were all AMAZING and it was a wonderful week (and make sure to look at some of the pictures I posted as well as their updated blog journal from this year's week)!
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