Back to School Bash and Other Exciting Things

Finally! After months of planning, we finally had our back to school bash hosted by our Girls Club. It took a lot of work and patience, but we did it. With the help of SWAGAA (Swaziland Action Group Against Abuse), we were able to use their sound system. The bash happened on a Friday after school, it was “semi-optional” to attended, because really- these kids have their own agenda, and they would walk out even if it were not allowed. To our surprise, all the kids stayed. It lasted about two hours and was full of entertainment. We had 2 rap performances, raffle drawings, games, music, and my dance crew I manage led us out. Apparently people in a neighboring city were even talking about it the following day. I’ll take that as a good sign.

Well after this bash was done and over with, my stress level didn’t go down. I had to prepare for to take the Foreign Service Officer Test (FSOT). It is the entrance test to work at the State Department (working for the American Embassy all over the world). Just like any government job, this takes nearly two years to get in- application process and what not. So no, I will not be leaving Peace Corps early; I just want to get a head start. I had spent a lot of time studying, though it is nearly impossible to study for this test. The FSOT consists of: US history, US government, foreign affairs and policy, technology, pop-culture, economics, business, management, math, and grammar. There are only 70 questions that you have to answer within 40 minutes. The best you can do is try to remember all the junk you learned in high school social studies class, cross your fingers and hope for the best. In addition, there are three more sections, all which are timed, that cover previous work experience and your comprehension of English grammar. All in all, the test is 3 hours. I did feel good about the test the first time I took it, that was until the computer system crashed with only 10 minutes left in the test.

I was writing my essay, when all of the sudden an error message popped up on the screen. In a panic, I had the facilitator take a look. We tried everything, and when we called the office in America, they were no help. It was over two hours of communicating over the phone, shutting down and logging on to computers that we had to call it a night. This then led me to be stranded in the capital city at night….. this is something I never want to experience again. To make a long story short, I was ok, and made it to safety. It just made me miss home a little bit; had I of had my car and a job that actually paid me, I’d not have to worry about money for lodging or a taxi. Oh well- it’s the Peace Corps experience isn’t it?! Anyways, they told me I might not be able to retake the test on Saturday because normally you can only take it once within the testing window. The State employee, who was very helpful, managed to get them to agree to let me take the test on Saturday, since it was their fault and not mine that the computers messed up. Sadly though, I had to take the whole test over again.

Despite the inconvenience of having to make another trip to town, I was happy that I was able to retake the test- gave me more time to study. I was happy to retake the test, until I started having an episode and couldn’t focus. I had woken up extra early to meet in town with another PCV, my lack of sleep was killing me, and so I loaded up on coffee. This normally would have never been a problem for me. In fact it never had been until that day. When I got up to the leave the restaurant where we were eating, I started to shake. I had no idea what was wrong, but I thought whatever and just went with it. By time I had arrived at the embassy, I was a wreck. Sitting down by the computer I was all jittery, I couldn’t focus on the questions, and knowing that time was against me, it made me panic even more. The first time I took the test I was cool and calm; I even had time to go back and check my work. This time around I was so frazzled. What really frustrated me was the fact that I am unsure of my English score. The grammar section which is my best, had me all confused; not because it was hard, but because the way it is displayed on the computer, it had my eyes racing and I was getting confused. In the event I do fail the test, it is not the end of the world, and I am ok with that. I will just take it next year. Fortunately I will be with Peace Corps (yea, I think I am staying that third year after all), so I still have time.

The last thing worth mentioning is that the internet availability is very limited now. I don’t want to say the wrong thing or get kick out of this county, so I’ll just sum it up to say that if you want to talk to me via skype or something, you’re going to be waiting. The wifi service shut down Feb. 1 and will be down until further notice. So as I write this blog and a few others, know I am doing it in real time and I’m not just slopping something together out of negligence. I still have my cell phone which uses data to access my email and facebook, but aside from that, I’m S.O.L. So today, and many many other days, I am thankful that I come from a country where internet is reliable even if it is slow. I will never take for granted my precious hours of free wifi while sipping on my chia tea latte from Panera Bread. Ok I got to go now; I’m making myself homesick… hmmm.

Decisions to Make

I can’t believe that I have only a few months left in Swaziland. It feels like just yesterday I was packing my bag getting ready to go. Now I am trying to make those “what’s next decisions”. I’ve honestly fallen in love with this place and don’t think I am anywhere near ready to leave; then on the other hand, I think “ok… I’m 26, it’s time for me see more before I get to old.” I think of my options back home: the possible job opportunities, grad-school, and my lifelong commitments. Sometimes I think I am ready to settle down, and then there are those days when I have an idea of how I want my future to turn out, and the idea of being rooted down in one place doesn’t quite fit. All things considered, even though it is my life, I feel like I have been too selfish sometimes, and I am ignoring the needs of those around me. Yet, in the grand scheme of things, don’t I have to ultimately do what is best for me? This is where my dilemma lies.

I’ve already been invited several times by my superiors to extend my service and stay a 3^rd year in Swaziland. I know if I did stay that it wouldn’t be a waste of time. I would actually be getting a lot of work done, and may even see several more of my projects be fulfilled. Life in Swaziland is good, despite some criticism and ignorance I face there, the people are friendly and overall, the way of life is easy. It’s not nearly as stressful as America.

Ohhh America… How I miss you. I often spend my free time missing the finer things in life. I wish I could take some of those nice amenities back to Swaziland with me. I also miss the relationships that I have at home. In Swaziland, I am always surrounded by people, but at the end of the day, I feel alone. I don’t have that connection and understanding of being a part of my culture. It would be a weight off my shoulder to be back in the place where “I get it”. Everyone in Swaziland says I’m a Swazi now and that I’ll never go back. I’ve integrated very well, but what’s the point if I’m doing it alone?

So these are the current decisions I am facing. While I am home in America for the next 3 weeks, I will be taking all of this into consideration and try to actually give an answer to those who have been waiting for it. I wish I could have my cake and eat it too.

Festive Season

It’s that time of year again where Swazis take a break from their life and just go at it for the next couple months. What I’ve learned from last year is, don’t plan anything at the end of your third term. From December to the end of January, Swazis know how to let their hair down and have fun! School is out, departments are closing and best of all—it’s hot as _____.  All a person wants to do is be outside and enjoy the nice weather. It isn’t as hot as it was last year, but there have been plenty of days where you want to soak yourself in the pool all day.  There is a braai (cook out) for anything and everything. I especially love that my birthday falls right in the middle of it all.

Last week I had yet again another huge party. I was saying good-bye to 25 and moving one step closer to 30 (yikes!). Several of the PCVS came out, and all of my Swazi and South African friends made an appearance. Glasses were broken, tables were destroyed, pools were invaded, and the crowd was happy. We had some special guests, my friends who are DJs from SA came out to play, which was really exciting. By 2 am, the country club told us to go home, and since I am a broke volunteer who has no money to bribe with, I had to follow.

The following week was Ingcwala- it is a Swazi holiday whereby the country celebrates the first fruits. It’s a very big cultural event which centers on the king. In actuality, Ingcwala lasts for an entire month. The king goes into seclusion, a bull is killed by the bare hands of a young male, and there are water people who go door to door seeing if you have broken any of the traditional rules, like painting of the fingernails… gasp! Ok, maybe you need to be here to get the whole picture, but it’s pretty cool.

Before all these cultural celebrations took place, I had my school’s Christmas pageant. I wouldn’t be a good teacher if I didn’t brag about how well they did! Look at the pics below to see just how cute my kids are. 

Now finally, it is time for my vacation…… I told my mom I was going to Cape Town, but just like the good daughter I am [not]….. I didn’t tell her I am actually going home to America! As I am typing this blog, I am sitting in the Joburg airport. I have 23 hours of travel ahead of me. So in about 24 hours, I am going to be surprising her at the house. Be sure to check-out my next blog, when I post a video of her reaction!

Merry Christmas!!!!!!

Books for Africa

Once again, I am helping with an amazing project called Books for Africa (BFA). Last year I was a recipient of receiving 1000 new books for my high school’s library. This year I hope to get another donation of books to my primary school. This will only happen if PC Swaziland raises enough funds. By doing so, 30 schools and communities across the country and thousands of kids will benefit.

The books will be free, high-quality books from United States donors, and each organization receiving the books will be responsible to raise 1,500 rand (about $150 USD – a big amount for most schools!) to help ship the books, in addition to providing a library room, shelves, labeling supplies, and a designated librarian. It is a hefty commitment on their end! However, the Peace Corps volunteers in Swaziland still need to raise $7232 (the rest to be covered by Peace Corps) to cover half of the cost of shipping the books to Swaziland. That’s where you come in – can you help raise money to support education in Swaziland?

Here is more information about the need this project addresses:

The Kingdom of Swaziland currently has the highest HIV prevalence rate worldwide at 31% (for men and women aged 18-49). Engaging the next generation is seen as an important factor for decreasing that rate. Research indicates that high HIV rates are often correlated with populations faced with poverty and low education. Attending school in itself is known to provide some protection for youth, as research indicates that in-school youth are less likely to engage in risky sexual behavior.  Allowing students access to leisure reading materials not only decreases their free time to engage in risky behaviors but also increases their English abilities.

Increased English skills will enable students to fare better in school, creating improved opportunities for the student and their family to escape poverty through employment.  English is one of two official languages in Swaziland and fluency in English as essential for attending university or obtaining a high employment position. Despite this, many students do not have access to English reading materials outside of loaned school textbooks, limiting their chances for English practice to school hours.

 Books for Swaziland will enable 30 schools and community organizations to establish libraries, touching approximately 60,000 students in the next ten years. This is nearly 6% of the total country population! Books for Swaziland will train a librarian for each school, approve a library program plan, and deliver over 1,000 quality children’s, young adult, and information books to participating organizatios. The result of this project will be an increase in literacy and English proficiency among students, as well as increased chances for students to obtain university admission or gainful employment. One library at a time, Books for Swaziland hopes to bring students out of poverty for a brighter, HIV-free future.

I am asking family members and friends to commit to donating monetarily to this project (if you’d like to send books, I can give you the shipping address for the organization in America). We will be fundraising from now until December. If you feel strongly about helping improve the quality of education and opportunity for Swaziland students, or if you just love me and want to help me out, here are a few ideas for making donating fun and easy:

• Just go online and donate. Easy-peasy. Click here to find out about donating.
• Ask a class at school or church to fundraise. ‘Loose Change for Literacy’ is a great theme and you can compete between classrooms or between guys and girls. The winners get bragging rights, and if you are feeling generous, a party.
• Make donating to this project your end-of-year, tax deductable donation.
• Host a small event with friends and ask everyone to chip in. Maybe you bake homemade lasagna or make dozens of pancakes and charge $15 a plate, or maybe you throw a Vegas-themed party where all winnings go to libraries.
• With the holidays coming up, combine fun and fundraising. Try hosting a holiday baked goods competition at work where buy-in is $20 and the reward is eternal glory, or ask your boss to make Books for Swaziland your company’s charitable beneficiary for this year.

As always, thank you for your encouragement and support of our work in Swaziland. I have seen the difference a book can make in the life of a child here, and I want to make that possible for 30 new schools this year. Thank you for helping make that happen!

25 Tips for PCVs

Got this in an email from an RPCV from Swaziland Kathy Gau - thought it was worth mentioning.


25 Tips for Peace Corps Volunteers

1) If you want to change the world, change yourself. You cannot effectively
contribute toward growth unless you are growing yourself. If you want to grow, drop
your ego. Learn to identify when your ego is in play and develop strategies to quell
it. Empowerment is the capacity to bear power responsibly. You cannot empower
another person. But you can empower yourself.
2) Use this experience to learn about yourself. This is the most important lesson. Try
to remember it.
3) Development is disruptive.
a) It implies changes in power relationships that result in uncertainty and lose. Few
people willingly give up power unless they can see there will be gain.
b) Most poor people cannot afford to change radically. It takes a huge amount of
energy (physical and emotional) for average rural folk to maintain daily life, let
alone try to break out of the poverty cycle.
4) Do not expect a smooth ride. Do not expect people to fall over their feet to listen to
you. Do not expect people to go out of their way to listen to you. Do not expect.
People had a life before you came. They will continue to have a life after you leave.
You are probably not a messiah. If you are, forgive me. If not, your two years is a
furrow in their field in a single agricultural year. Most of their years your furrow is
not there.
5) Appreciate the fact that you are one of many who will advocate change and then
leave. Why should people trust you before you have demonstrated results?
6) You will not see tangible, measurable results in 2 years anywhere close to what
you hope or expect. The saying that "what takes a day in USA takes a week in
Africa, what takes a week in USA takes a month in Africa, what takes a month in
USA takes 1 year in Africa" is close to true for reasons that you have no control over.
So after your first month on the job, when you are still in USA mode, write down
what you would like to achieve in 2 months time. This now becomes your 2 year
work goal. NOTE: You can achieve more than this if you move into "take charge
mode" but not through a capacity building approach. Also, in 2 years, you will
probably not move out of USA mode.
7) Don't want it more then they want it (or, don't show how bad you want it to work).
Find other ways to deal with your personal and professional frustrations regarding the
work ethic, the what could/should/can be in the face of serious problems. You are
but one step in a very long journey to address these problems. Concentrate on doing
your step well and having fun.
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8) There is no "us and them". Human beings are the same everywhere. Could you do
it if it were you in their shoes? Don’t think for a moment that because you live in a
hut and don’t make much money that you are in their shoes. In your life in the USA,
how much of your achievements to date really reflect on you? Or did you just make
good use of the opportunities provided you? For certain you did not need to build the
systems, government and schools associated with creating these opportunities.
Perhaps your great grandparents did, but not you.
9) It doesn’t matter how right you think you are, if you haven’t developed a working
relationship with someone, if you don’t approach your suggestion with the most
sincere humility, you will not convey your message effectively. Think: do you want
to be right or effective?
10) Learn how to yield effectively to win. Their life is not about your principles.
Neither is mine or anybody else’s. Try to understand why people do what they do
and then don’t judge. Work the problem with them, and your emotions with you.
11) What you experience is a sliver of time and space. Be careful not to generalize
beyond this.
12) Pay attention to the way you feel when you spend time judging. If it feels bad, if
you feel worse, then don’t do it. It isn’t pretty to watch people sit around doing the
“these people syndrome”. If you find yourself doing it, it’s a sure sign that you have
something to work out within yourself. Find it and work it out.
13) Do not think for a minute that your attitude towards people is unfelt. Everyone feels
when they are being put down. Make people feel that they have grown in your
presence.
14) Do not be the money volunteer. Personal interactions should be linked to building
genuine relationships, encouraging positive self-esteem and confidence.
15) Build open, sincere dialogue. Be sincere.
16) The basic logic associated with problem solving and analysis is weak. You may
need to catch people up on foundation skills, including sorting, sequencing, matching,
opposites, etc. In your personal time, this can be done in a fun way through puzzles,
chess, card games, etc. Just don't show people that this is a learning exercise or it
will come across as patronizing. The added benefit is that they may start to play these
same games with their children. You have no idea how much difference this can
make.
17) Over a 2 year period, your task is really teaching. Teaching is all about 1) finding
people's starting point and thereafter, 2) experimenting with teaching methods that
will walk people through the steps of awareness and skills development through
applied knowledge. It might take 3 steps or it might take 21 steps. There is nothing
Written by Lyle Jaffe and Kathy Gau 3
right or wrong about the number of steps so do not judge as this is the same as saying
"I have no hope that you can learn".
18) Introduce people to the process of problem solving and constantly
refer back to the process. Define the problem and its root causes (problemobjective
trees), turn the problem into SMART objectives, develop activities to reach
the objectives, break the activities into tasks, monitor, and adjust. Action –
Reflection – Action.
19) Understand that your frustration is about you. It is about a diminishing sense of
self-importance. Where else do your expectations regarding tangible achievements
within your own timeframe come from? As a teacher you may not be using
appropriate teaching methods. No one gets it right the first time or the second time.
Good teachers are forever experimenting with new methods and trying to match
proven methods with new students and situations. Everyone is more than capable of
being a good teacher, provided they are prepared to adjust to the student. You need to
constantly go back to the drawing board and revisit your starting point and your
methods until learning takes place (at times learning needs additional intervention
i.e.) to address emotional issues etc... but you will only know this if you first go
through the process of elimination phase).
20) Do not give up and do not give in. Unfortunately, the process of development can
not be shortened. Respect that those you work with drew the short straw, appreciate
that you did not. After you die, you can ask God about all this. For now, your
anguish, guilt and questions about this will just distract from the task at hand and are
really rather self indulging, if you think about it.
21) Keep a lot of irons in the fire i.e.) the secret of patience is to do something else in
the meantime.
22) Be a positive role model in your personal life, someone that young folk can aspire
to become like. Healthy living and all that, including "walking your talk" regarding
your sexual relationships.
23) Peace Corps is first and foremost a cultural exchange program. You will learn
more than you will give. Be prepared to change your understandings. You can only
balance the formula if you change both sides of the equation. This may not seem like
much but refer back to step 1. It may impact a co-worker a lot.
24) It takes five years to be a player at management level.
25) If you follow any of the above, you will be out of step with most of the
development world and timeframes. But at least you will grow and have fun.
It goes without saying that I did not do a single one of these things satisfactorily
during my original two-year time period - but I wish I had.