So we are finally getting to visit our permanent site! So much has happened over the last few weeks, that it is shocking to think it has only been 5 weeks. We have met hundreds of new people, started learning a new language, were adopted, renamed, and grown up in to Swazi teenagers and given cell phones all within a few days. We have met many of the volunteers who came last year, and several that started over two years ago. <edit> Sadly I can’t say exactly where I’m at as it is a violation of policy to give away that information. Call me and ask me instead.</edit>
You can Google the town and see that it is around 15,000 people. It isn’t the largest city, but it is far larger than the several hundred person village we are in now. Since we are close to the border we will be able to negotiate with the Peace Corps staff about a daily visa to get us into Mozambique without counting as a vacation day for us. One of the more interesting notes about the town is that a large percentage of the population speaks Portuguese, so we will be learning a second language during our stay.
What we will be doing during our service is still to be determined but the volunteers there before us seem to have been involved in a few strong projects, including a new library, a sewing circle, and teaching computer & english classes. Pretty sweet!
Hopefully we will have more time and opportunity to write letters, journal, and even email. The training schedule has been absolute non-stop with the exception of this last weekend when we went to the “Cadillac of backpackers” and hiked around the Mlilwane game reserve for 5 hours. We saw dozens of zebras eating grass, some type of white-furred monkey , several types of antelopes, a mother and baby hippo, and a crocodile. And this is NOT A ZOO. This is similar to the Saghuaro national monuments in Tucson. A huge chunk of land set aside to protect the land and animals in it from us. We are only an hour or so by khumbi (minivan/bus) to the Hlane game reserve which has lions, elephants, rhinos, and giraffes. I will be able to post some pictures soon I hope.
Wonderful! It does sound like almost a lifetime of happenings in a short period of time. -And it seems to get better at every turn. Good to hear you are well & hello to Krista.
Haven’t seen John yet, but he came in town today. Monday afternoon there is a get together here for people to ‘meet’ him. 🙂 -No one remembers him.
sounds like things are settling down. all is going well here. Hit a few bumps in the road a few weeks back but the dust has started to settle. (school funds were suspended for a bit but they are reinstated now). John and Mimi are getting to know each other and we are enjoying having John around for the week. Cant wait to see the pictures. And most everyone had an absolute blast yesterday at Janet’s.
Hi Brian. I’m so pleased that you and Krista have such a wonderful opportunity to meet new people and learn new things, as well as to be able to helpwhere you’re needed. Your dad took me and John, while he was in Tucson, to visit the Saguaro National Park East, so I have at least a small idea of the kind of environment you’re talking about. We got AWESOME sunset photos (posted on Facebook). Wishing you and Krista all the best and looking forward to hearing more about your adventures.