We passed, and are sworn in

  We moved back into the training facility Monday, and luxuriated in hot showers, water from a tap, rooms you can enter without removing your shoes, meals planned, prepared, served and cleaned up by others, hot showers, and a rooster-free environment.  And did I mention HOT SHOWERS? (Am I shouting?)  A very relaxed atmosphere before we head out Friday for our sites. 

  We learned Tuesday that we both passed the dreaded Language Proficiency Test; we hit the required "Intermediate Low," so we won't have to be re-tested in November.  But we need to get a lot more fluent if we are to have much adult communication in our community.  But passing is a big load off us. One of our group who learned Japabese as a child, scored high intermediate!  Have I mentioned, there are some smart folks in this group. 

  Now that the group is a little more relaxed and also living together again I've enjoyed watching some relationships. We had one more session on "inclusiveness", and I thought that was going to be a little much, but their focus was on how our group's minority PCVs will deal with the typical Swazi reaction that they are not "real" Americans - which they've ready heard, in just those words.  And how the rest of the group should support them. We have 3 girls with some Asian ancestry,  and 2 girls whose parents came as refugees, from Somalia and Sudan. And probably some gay volunteers in our group. Homosexuality is a criminal offense here, and most Swazis are adamantly intolerant.  We play along on some issues - "Are you Christian?" "Well, sure, some," but we are uncompromising in telling them of our different view on homosexuality. 

  "Pairing up" has been very tentative, no doubt in part because of the "dormcest" obstacle to intimacy I think our children observed at their co-ed colleges. So it was interesting to see the dynamic when some from the 1-year-in group joined us for wine, cheese and chocolate Tuesday night,  and to get to meet us. Kind of like upper-class meeting  freshmen. 

  The gang has been very excited about Swearing-In, talking all week about what they'd wear and how they'd do their hair. Cleaned up pretty good, huh?

The swearing-in was very nice. Inspiring. When we do our job well, we can make a difference. Our group acquitted themselves well speaking cleverly and well in English and siSwati, and performing the national anthems. 

 This afternoon we pack, tonight we gather with the 1-year-in-group at a pub and take a final shower, and early tomorrow morning we load out to site.  

  And our new life. For 2 years. 

39th, gifts, "modeling", and moving

Saturday was our 39th wedding anniversary. We celebrated with a break from shopping for furnishings for our permanent site with a breakfast at Whimpy's - better than it sounds - French toast, poached eggs and free Internet on the patio, all for US $10!  KUF must have mentioned the occasion to some of our trainees, or maybe they picked it ip from Facebook, because we have received many warm wishes and congratulations from many of them. 

  And nice messages from our children, KUF's sister Lyn, Mark's sister, and friends.  Sometimes getting, or re-reading these messages bucks up our courage when we are a little daunted. Your messages and comments on the blog, and comments before we left, are a little like Tom Sawyer and Huck attending their own funerals, hearing all the nice things folks have to say about us. Some of the other Trainees had the same experience in their departures. But without the Twain reference, sadly. 

    Saturday night we cooked an "American" dinner for our host family: spaghetti. They liked it!  Hesitant at first, but there was lots of meat in the sauce, and I think the pasta reminded them of lipalishi, the tasteless kind of grits they eat in enormous quantities.  And they LOVED the (kind of raw) cheap red wine we got at the supermarket. Actually, Mark pulled dinner together at the last minute because KUF started feeling poorly from getting dehydrated during our shopping trip. Need to watch that. PC "oral rehydration salts" quickly cleared that up.   But I was pleased I could heat the garlic bread and serve up the pasta, sauce and wine between the 2 houses, continually changing from "outdoor" to indoor shoes, and have it come out OK. 

   We think our Make was a little puzzled by the gold aspen leaf pin KUF gave her.  The most appreciated gift were the 6 3X5 prints we made in town of pix we've taken on this iPhone showing the family. Make said it was the first time for her to see her house in a photo.

  They gave us each a lihiya appropriate for our status. Mine shows King Mswati III, which I might not have chosen on my own, but will be glad to wear for them. 

  We are told that modeling behaviour can be really influential on young people.  I'm trying my own "modeling".  In our village only women carry water. Except I do, and I carry it for our homestead.  And I have the 4 year old boy " help" me, no doubt contributing subversively to gender confusion for the coming generation. Good.   Haven't got him washing clothes or dishes yet.  This is a marathon, not a sprint. 

  KUF suggested our Make could make me a bowtie from traditional printed Swazi fabric. The fabric we got is a little stiff, but she did a really good job. Pictured, with the King Mswati III lihaya, in front of the tree from which many of our delicious avocados have come. 

   Here we are ready to move out of our homestead, with our gear separated into piles for storage for a few days, and a pile to live from for a few days. 

   Yesterday was cloudy and cool, it took all day for things to dry, and we each had spells of tummy upset and some nausea.     Mark's was over by late afternoon, so no final run here; KUF crashed early in the evening. 

   Today is much better in every way. 

All better now!

We are at the training center today for testing and I'm actually getting some signal, so I'll try to get out an update. 

  There's been an ugly head and respiratory infection going through our group and KUF came down with it Saturday. Tuesday morning the Sudafed etc on her empty stomach was upsetting that end too. She called the Med Officer, they sent a car and took her for the day at the "Med Hut," settled her tummy, cleared her chest, and brought her home in the evening. 10 hours of sleep and she was a new girl Weds. Lesson: the PC is very careful and attentive. The Med Staff is kind of frantic with Midservice physicals for one group and Close Of Service physicals for the outgoing group, but we could not have obtained this level of attention back in The World.  PC makes a lot of demands on us, especially during this training period, but when it's their turn to step up, they are all over it. 

  But KUF missed 3 days of prep for finals and is feeling hammered. It helped a lot that, as our host country language instructor finished our last class yesterday, he pointed to a black bird with a crimson throat and iridescent greenish blue head - amethyst sun bird.  And on our afternoon walk we identified 2 good birds we'd seen but hadn't been able to name.  A good omen, for sure! 

  The next phase is moving; back to the training center next week, then on 8/30 to our permanent site. It will be good to be able to start shaping our home to our needs and tastes, and to have more control of our schedule.  And to finally start doing the work we came for. 

  Mark will start teaching. 11 to 14 year-olds -  "life skills":  how to make good decisions, especially on health, which here necessarily means sex, since HIV here is mostly spread that way. I've always wanted to teach.  We've had several days of training, observing and practice, and there are lots of PC lesson plans and materials, especially if we ever get enough Internet connection to browse and download anything. 

  KUF will have the task/opportunity to define her role at the refugee camp. We are also supposed to carefully get to know all the homesteads in the area, and to start developing "secondary projects".  And if we can lay the groundwork for a new library in the neighborhood,  we could get some books shipped next fall (April) if we can get proposals in by Dec 1. If our proposals are accepted. 

   The language tester KUF had this morning was really hard: reduced several of our tougher compadres to tears.  Mark's likes me and really tried to get me over the hump. 

  Tomorrow is "host family appreciation day."  Our host families will take the bus into the training center for a catered lunch. Our family is quite excited. One daughter us having her hair done. The other is  taking a day off work. Some of these clever kids have put together a terrific slide show of the families and PC trainees.  I will dress up - maybe even a tie!  Our families will be dressy. Swazis do that - they'll walk through the dust and chicken poop of their homestead wearing cocktail attire.  

  Then next week is swearing in, at a hotel in the capital, with the US ambassador, and Swazi officials, many of whom are said to feel called upon to speak. At length. 2 of our group will speak ( briefly ), one in siSwati!  And he will also play the 2 countries' anthems on his violin. 

Rehearsing:  

Surprises at the homestead

Our Make showed us how she boils sweet potatoes over a fire in the cooking hut. We will be given some for dinner. Really good. 

  Then, since the camera was out, we snapped Philile, the 26 year old, mother of the older of the 2 boys shown. 

We will be sorry to leave this friendly, generous family and their lovely homestead with avocado and mango trees in the yard, overlooking a fertile valley and a rocky  ridge. And they've  already said they are getting sad to see us go. KUF's friendship and conversations with these women have been fun for all.  

  Later in the evening Philile came over and showed us her photo album. Turns out Make Olpa is not her mother!  Her mother was married to the brother of the husband in this household (the "Babe"), but died 9 years ago. We did not ask the cause. Pix of the father of Philile's son, whom she sees a little, and the man she now sees. 

  Amazing to us that as well as we know these women we did not understand that Make isn't her biological mother.  Partly she repeatedly said "in our culture" in applying the words mother, father, sister, brother to relationships where only 1, or sometimes no, parents were shared.  KUF's X-examinations are as thorough as any I've seen from folks who fancied themselves big deal trial lawyers; these women are pleased to have someone to talk with who takes a a caring interest in them. 

Can't tell when I'll get this out. The router at the training facility has been turned on, but we get no signal; the techies say its not connected to the server. 

  Sunday morning Make was dressed to go to (another!) funeral. I wanted a picture showing her holding the clever bag she sewed for us to hold clothes-line "pegs."  She saw us stuffing the pegs in our pockets and dropping them. 

The older sister is on the right with her son. She's getting married in December. She works in Mbabane, the capital, drawing blood at a clinic. 

Ludzeludze Primary School

We visited Ludzeludze Primary School today to practice a classroom lesson plan on Self Esteem to grades 6 & 7.  While self esteem was a difficult concept to get across, we had a great time.  The students here only speak English in school, but are taught by rote lecture style.  The students loved the interactive activities we presented though it took a while for them to get into what we were doing.  They are not taught to be critical thinkers.  We will do our best to help them learn. 

These are some of my new friends!

You want me to do what? In front of . . . ?

So we've mentioned that the PC loves to remind us that "the PCVs' safety and security are the PC's primary concern." (That's how they justify keeping us on such a short leash - they have to know every time we leave site. Grrr.) You must therefore have immediately guessed that this picture shows the relay race among the trainees in which each demonstrated the 6 steps in proper usage (and let's not forget about disposal) of both the male and female  (!!) (yeah, me too.) condom. (1st step: check expiration date; I don't recall the print being so small, back in the day. Had to take my glasses off, and squint. Didn't notice any of them having to do that. Never did find the date on the grape flavored condom; banana had bigger print.)  This followed a graphic 1 1/2 hour discussion of STDs. (Did they plan to have that the day we take our weekly malaria tablet, triggering some REALLY vivid Meflaquine dreams? thanks, I'm fine now.)  Proving that age, sagacity, and experience are no match for youthful vigor, or luck , or something, neither KUF's group nor Sipho's won the race. 

But we still feel well protected. Thank you PC.  And I didn't make the mistake many of these girls did, of reaching around behind the female condom (pictured. But she's holding it upside down) to pull it into place; if you're wondering - no, that's not anatomically  possible. (Lyn, this blog's for you.)

  We returned Friday from seeing our permanent site, and we both felt a little dismayed.  Although it looks as if the work for each of us will be rewarding, the house is tiny, constantly inundated with dust and chicken and dog debris, and will need to be completely furnished, with the nearest shopping miles away and no ability to use a car. Some PCVs got furnished multiple-room houses with views and indoor  plumbing, and one has a washing machine!  I was mildly grousing to 2 of the trainees whom I like a lot and they said: but you have electricity!  And your water is right there - they each will have to carry water in a wheelbarrow several hundred yards from a river, and will be much more remote than we are.   And then they went on to talk about how excited they are about their work. 

  These kids are extraordinary. Makes me feel kind of humble. 

    Sunday was mostly I scheduled. As I was doing some wash the Make (Mom) in our homestead, who has been extremely kind and welcoming to us, was headed off to church with her youngest grandson. 

  

   Nomphumolelo is amazing. She has perfect pitch with people, especially the women.  The reason her language skills are advancing so well is, partly, that she takes the time to greet and visit with people. They love her and welcome her into their lives and she's very clever about making things work. 

Visiting our "permanent" site

The PC works us into this in careful stages. Tuesday we met KUF's "site support agent," from our permanent community, at the training site and took a van ("khumbi", derived from a South African word) and then a bus about 1 1/2 hours East.  We dropped rather suddenly into a flat, much drier and warmer (and this is winter!) plane with only an occasional acacia tree - kind if like Aurora. 

  We got off where a grocery, hardware store, some fruit stands, a post office and some food booths formed a wide spot in the road. Our  host father met us there and drove us to his homestead about a mile away and then to Mark's Primary  School, then to KUF's refugee camp a mile from the homestead to try to meet a few of the people in charge. 

  The next morning I was introduced to the children at their morning assembly - 1/2 hour of hymns ("This Little Light of Mine", with hand gestures and a little butt wiggle), prayers and a sermon (why punishment shows that our parents, teachers, and God love us), all standing in orderly rows. My predessor had made a very good impression, and I was warmly welcomed. 

  Below is the building with the library, roughly in the middle, which the previous PCV set up and which I will continue, and where I will have my "office."  Nope, no Internet here. 

  The careful PC plans for KUF with a "Site Support Agent" didn't work out, and KUF ended up going to the refugee camp with the young woman ( with good English) who helps the family, but it worked out well, because the Swazi and international brass dealing with the camp were meeting there and she was warmly welcomed. 

  Here's our house, behind me.  We're going to need to do some serious buying and furnishing to get settled in. 

  The area has a kind of minimalist beauty, especially at dawn and dusk; think of the eastern plains of Colorado in February.  

  Thurs:  caught a dawn khumbi into Manzini, the commercial center, looked for some furnishings and a newspaper from nearly anywhere but South Africa - Tribune, anything. no luck. Swazi papers mention one sentance on Obama maybe once a week. Even the SA papers report no markets outside SA. 

  Now back for 3 remaining weeks of training, followed by swearing in August 30, then on with what we came here for. If we are to have any dealings with people our age out in this more rural area our siSwati needs to get a lot better. Quickly. 

Swazi Food

Swaziland is both food and water insecure, meaning it does not grow enough food to support the population and there is a shortage of potable water. We are lucky to have a water tap at both our current homestead and the permanent  one we will move to at the end of August.  We still need to boil, filter, and bleach the water, but won't have to carry it a long distance.  

Maize is the food staple of the country.  Mealie meal, ground corn, is made into a variety of porridges, like incwancwa -sour porridge  which is delicious.  Our host family serves lipalishi with chicken and delicious local spinach.  This meal, however, is only eaten with fingers.  Also, when they do use utensils, they only eat with spoons.  We have gotten very used to eating this way. Lipalishi looks like congealed grits and has no flavor.  Meat is expensive though our families raises chickens to eat. They eat a small portion of chicken, and veggies and a very large portion of white rice or mealie meal.  I brought a fruit salad to dinner recently.  When I served large portions of cooked carrots, our family said it was "healthy" and I am not sure that was a compliment!

There are good supermarkets, but in our rural community we can only find limited staples.  I walked to a local farm this week and they pulled from their field  a cabbage, beets and spinach for me.  I know how to ask for those foods in SiSwati,  but their English is better than my SiSwati.  We have to soak fresh veggies and fruits in processed, clean water with drops of bleach for 15 minutes .  It is wonderful to have garden fresh food.  There are lots of oranges, bananas, apples available.  We have avocado trees on our homestead and have been given papayas. Our family grows sweet potatoes.  They bake them in the coals of their fire and bring them to us hot.  

We didn't realize we'd be giving up drinking wine.  There is wine available, but we are putting so much energy into out training that we don't really miss it.  Instead we treat ourselves to hot cocoa in the late afternoon and early mornings.  We have tried the local Swazi beer and one from SA which are both tasty.  

So we are eating well and so far have had only minor tummy rumbles.  

Holding an election without "the machine"

Sunday they held an election for nominees to run for the 30% of the parliament the king doesn't appoint plus 2 important local officials: chief's assistant ( "indvuna", who seems to handle all administration), and the "development official."  Our Make invited us along. 

It was scheduled for 9 to 4. We arrived at the Chief's home, the center of local government, up on a beautiful hillside, with the best kraal in the county, arriving far too early, at 9:15. We separated, women in the back (where there was shade!), men closer to the kraal, (pictured, after folks moved later) the source and location of wealth. 

Our Make always gets a "boy" (in their 20s) to be with me on such situations, so I don't mess up, like by putting my hat on, which would have been disrespectful.  When I wanted to talk to KUF I was to go " indirectly" with head slightly bowed, out of respect for the event (not the women).  Hope i got it right. 

My friend saw me writing this note and wanted to see it in siSwati:

Namuhla sibambe luhetfo ekudzeni emphakatsini lukhetfo lwephalamende. Bantfu beba baningi.  

(got that?)

 10:15 many people from the edges started to gather in and a man stood up and said a prayer.  Pause. 20 minutes later the indvuna said the Elections Commission had forgot "the machine" (computer) and they would be there with it in an hour or so. 

People then moved to another part if the hillside, now around 300 people, all visiting cheerfully, patient, none hunched over iPhones. One other PC trainee was there.  Women on 1 side, men on the other 2, tables for the Commision officials at the front. The women sit with their legs straight out on front; when KUF crossed her legs under her long skirt our Make said she should not. 

 Another man stood and prayed.    Then a woman from the Elections Commission reviewed eligibility requirements, orally, for 45 minutes.   And reported the people bringing the "machine" were lost, but would be there. A man asked and was assured that people with disabilities could serve as long as they could do the job. 

We got this one picture, but many people here don't like having their picture taken, so KUF snapped fast. 

"The Machine" arrived  around noon. My friend Shedrack Johnson, a prosperous local farmer whom I know from my runs and from around, sat with me and interpreted till he had to go up front to support a nomination. After 5 nominations the Election Commission lady asked if that was enough, and lively discussion and show of hands ensued.  5 was enough. 

The Chief does not sit with the crowd. Results will be reported to him. He inherited his position from his father. The people are embarrassed by their chief who can't even call a meeting of his Inner Council to get anything done. 

  I was interested in the amount of interest in running. A man told out Make he planned to nominate her (didn't happen). My farmer friend was interested in either MP or indvuna. But no one seemed to have lined up any support. Nor did the seem to have a platform, or know when the next round would be. 

Around 1 pm our Make had had enough, and we went home. We have since heard they did not finish by dark; don't know what they'll do. 

These people would like to participate in their government. Our Make and my farmer friend indicated the conduct of the Elections Commission may have been a little discouraging for them. The PC wants us to leave diplomacy to the embassy, and blogs are public, so I'll leave it at that.  

Adventures in coiffure & Medecine

BEFORE

Wednesday morning it was 6 degrees (about 42 F) outside. Maybe 11 (54 F) inside. We tend to get up around 4:30 when the roosters, dogs, and bladders can no longer be ignored, and we review vocabulary and syntax, and prepare breakfast and lunch.  That sounds really early, but we are both sound asleep by 9:15. 

    Weds morning was an interesting discussion by some of the Swazi staff of religion. Curious mix of fundamentalist Christian and "traditional" African.  Some practicing Christians here also consult "faith healers" to "throw the bones" to help communicate with the ancestors.  There was some exorcism in the church service we attended, and a lot of rhythmic group movement and spinning that was more "traditional" than Christian. And really impressive singing!

AFTER;

The "salon" sissi in our village had said she'd shave my beard and cut my hair weds afternoon.  I showed up and the pictured girl went to work. Turns out to be the little sister of the girl who runs the shop, visiting from her home in Capetown, SA. Good job, huh?  Should be, for $1.50 (US).  You can see from the sign behind us that they also offer cornrowing and conking.  Not sure they could do much in that way for me. 

Thursday morning was language class: 3 hours of rules on agreement between adjectives and 8 classes (really 9!) of siSwati nouns. Impenetrable. 

Thursday afternoon we visited a "traditional healer," pictured, with the spear. On his knees speaking in tongues to the ancestors at one point. Probably not covered by the Affordable  Care Act. I was hoping the ancestors could help with syntax. 

 Then afterward  some of the PC trainees joined in the dancing, pictured.  Much controversy between "traditional healers", churches, and health care providers. 

Friday morning. We met the US ambassador.  Very impressive and inspiring 25 year career State Dept officer who had served all over Aftics. 

Now  "spa day."  How to make your permanent site and yourself comfortable. Furniture , yoga!  Next week we visit our "permanent" (2 year) site, leaving Tuesday, returning Friday.