Exam period and the holidays

      After a really busy, sometimes frantic, October, our schedule dropped off a cliff to practically nothing in November. In October we were teaching 7 classes a week, 240 students, and we also had 1 or 2 tutoring sessions most days. But exams started early in November, so no classes met, and once classes finished the students were still required to come to school (although many didn't, presumably because the free lunch was not worth the transport cost and effort) while the teachers marked their papers. This sounded to us like the perfect opportunity for some large and small group activities, so we studied some programs recommended by the Peace Corps and also selected the two books in the High School library with multiple copies for 2 “book clubs” we wanted to start.

      But we had far less success than we expected. We had bad luck – rain and a competing NGO demonstration on male circumcision (important here) just as we tried to get started, but mostly it was hard to get the students interested in much that looked like work. We gave up on the large group, and had some successes with the book clubs. In each, at least one student read way ahead and finished within days. And sometimes the discussions were very thoughtful and deep. But we always had to go round up the students, and we found fewer and fewer. And this is the last week they will be in school, so we have little planned except our own travels and projects and planning for next term, until school starts January 20, 2015.

      The Rural Health Motivators are one of the most successful health measures in this country. 6 women selected by the community are well-trained and then continually circulate among about 20 – 40 homesteads assigned to each of them advising on health, hygiene, nutrition and related matters. They were Katherine's introduction to the community; they love her. 3 of them asked Katherine to teach them English. Actually, their English is already much better than our siSwati, and they do not need English either to improve their understanding of their work nor to communicate with their neighboring homesteads. I think it's just a matter of pride; maybe keeping up with the grandchildren. Each of the women arrived with a new notepad on which to take notes – no small expense for them. We taped a portable “white board” on the back of a door, shown here,

and when we came for the second session we replaced it with a homework poster of 20 words for parts of the body. I think they were delighted to have this vocabulary to study.

       Most of the volunteers in our group (now the veterans) and also the new group ( who are now through “Integration Period” and settling in, some more smoothly than others) assembled at the Country Director's house for Thanksgiving. It was so good to be with our friends for this family holiday, and the food was delicious.

Next year, in Denver. The US Ambassador gave us a ride to the bus rank; we talked about why Swaziland did so little to retain eligibility under the African Growth Opportunity Act; losing that tariff-free importation privilege is a self-inflicted disaster for this sad country. The Ambassador is a splendid diplomat and an atrocious driver, and in this country, there is much competition in the latter category.

    We stayed Thursday and Friday nights at a backpackers we like, splurging on 2 nights in a private room with its own shower and toilet – right there in the room! Ahhhh. No flies, spiders, cockroaches or snakes! Cost an extra US$4 per person per night - US$15 each.  Worth it, kakhulu (big time!) Thursday night Katherine worked with one of the other volunteers on the Books for Africa Committee preparing to review applications for libraries.

     Friday we climbed a fine local feature evocatively named Executioner's Rock.  The approach was really long, but we had great luck with rides.  Less so on the way back.  Long day.

     Katherine has now gone to PC HQ in Mbabane to review Books For Africa library applications, which were due December 1, and she's also been asked to help a new staff member organize the PC resource library. So I'm on my own here. Being very brave.

     The Country Director asked Katherine to speak with a USA Today reporter about being an older PC volunteer. Here's the link to the article: http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/11/26/peace-corps-older-50-volunteer-age/19278429/