Mlawula Game Preserve and some Christmas in Swaziland

I spent 3 days last week in the PC office in the capital, Mbabane, helping produce the December issue of the monthly PC SZ newsletter and learning the Publisher program and how to create a newsletter. Learning the technology to communicate a little in this country has been one of the more difficult aspects of being here: tethering our computer to the different phones, buying and transferring airtime and data, protecting our computer, the many passwords to keep track of and virus attacks to try to avoid. Working through the PC SZ office computers, scanner, printer and router, coordinating with data from the newsletter email and from various other computers, and learning how to insert text and photos, was yet another maize of puzzles. Hope I remember for my next foray, which won't, unfortunately, be till February. The previous year's PCVs were extremely helpful in the learning process. For those masochists inexplicably feeling the need for even more Fulford writing, there are 2 KUF (one on SZ birds – illustrated!) and several Mark articles in the December issue we put out.  It should be posted in Peace Corps at http://swaziland.peacecorps.gov/newsletters.php , but I just went there and noticed our edition hasn't been posted yet; we have much to learn. 

The services for Katherine's father are in Concord, NH January 11, 2014. The PC is flying Katherine back on “emergency personal leave” and they are allowing me to go without charging me vacation time; they love Katherine, and have been very thoughtful, responsive and supportive in dealing with this, although pinning down the travel arrangements in 2 languages, with erratic and uncertain communication, changing plans, and critical people on vacation has been a little stressful as we've worked through the details and caught and corrected misunderstandings and mistakes, re-sent emails and text messages, and coordinated with Katherine's siblings, who have carried all the burden of winding up their father's affairs.

Earlier in the week a volunteer from the previous group whom we like a lot asked if we wanted to go with her and her friend Daniel to a nature preserve in the northeast of the country that can't be reached or explored effectively by public transportation or on foot. He is a German computer specialist whom she met in Bloomington, Ill. (not a typo – Illinois) and he came here and has held several jobs. And he has a 4WD truck!

The preserve is on the “mountains” (2000') on the Eastern edge of the country and is known as a great birding destination because of the variety of terrain, but we had only limited success with the birds. A spectacular Malachite Kingfisher was the high point. We saw some zebra, wildebeest, kudu, impala and tortoises.

It was beautiful, very comfortable, and really nice to be with our friends. We had cool and delicious 10 proof cider on the treetop bar overlooking the valley,

hiked and explored some,

swam in the pool,

and posed after a plentiful breakfast

before we left for the 98°F heat in our hut.

Last week 2 PCVs from our group came by, we showed them around, and they came back to our hut for lunch. It occurred to us that was our Christmas party for '13; we should have put out the decorations my sister thoughtfully sent us before Thanksgiving. In weather always in the 70s, sometimes close to 100 F, its hard to feel very Christmassy.

We showed them the refugee camp, where we were happy to see that some beautiful new playground equipment had been installed. But the gates were locked and blocked with barricades of acacia branches; a functionary from some ministry had to come to “launch” the playground. We see this frequently – a project gets nearly ready to be useful, but is then stopped, and no one can enjoy it. In showing our friends the library, the gate was left open, and soon dozens of children had streamed into the playground. Two of them were students I have taught at the local primary schools; when they came up and greeted me I had them pose.

Christmas came early this year for me, in a sense. The Peace Corps pays part of the purchase price for a bike it you can make a case you need it for work. I was awarded US $250, and after much investigation I bought an 18 speed Axis (I think its South African) with front shocks. Brought it back to our site from Manzini in the boot of a bus; I'd have loved to have ridden the 25 miles, but not on the 2-lane road with the heavy trucks speeding by.  So when I got back, I had to take it for a spin, even in the rain.