Category: Life Beyond Tech

Posts that shouldn’t have much to do with tech.

Government Issue Turkey

Anyone on Facebook or in Swaziland likely already knows that Krista and I have spent our last two and a half months trying to find out everything we could about our community.  We talked to dozens of people, interviewed NGOs, took a bunch of pictures and made a lot of friends.  I don’t think we made any enemies either.  All of this has culminated into an 86 page report.  Included are a bunch of graphs with circles and arrows on the back of each one explaining what each one was.  Apparently I’m not supposed to let other PCVs know as they pointed out to Krista that we are geeks when they found out how long it was.

Oh what I would give to eat at Alice’s Restaurant right now.  We didn’t get to listen to it for Thanksgiving as we somehowBrian at Embassy don’t have a copy.  Rather sad and it will need to be remedied before next year.  Thanksgiving was a feast that couldn’t be beat however as there was more food than anyone could eat.  There was so much food that there was desert still left when we had to depart.  Thanksgiving was held at the US Ambassadors residence.  Neat right?  Not only is he a politician but he’s also likeable and hosts a nice dinner for Peace Corps volunteers and any other expatriate Americans running around the country.  Plus he has a pool.  Our taxes are being well spent in another country, have no doubt.  Sadly even with the exchange rate at E7 to $1 it still likely costs a few million dollars to get that place.   It was probably bought 30 years ago when the exchange rate was a zillion to one, so it really cost not much more than dry-cleaned pocket lint.  In spite of those thoughts, I was proud to be an American that day and it was really an incredible experience being so far from home, yet finding new people to celebrate one of my favorite holidays with.  Even got to speak to one of the financial gurus working with the government here and the International Monetary Fund.  I don’t think Swaziland makes the newspapers much in the US, but there is some interesting reading these days about the IMF and the African Trade Union.

Thanksgiving came while we were in the capital for our second round of intense training.  Basically training consists of three meals and two tea breaks separated out by the occasionally engaging PowerPoint and making animals out of bostick (think silly putty).  We had very little opportunity to work with the Language teachers as most class time was reserved for learning nifty things like raising money.  Between raising money and trying to teach rural residents what a “profit” is we also heard more info about HIV and male circumcision (MC).  MC is going to be big this year.  The plan is being joked about as just “the tip of the spear” in the ongoing war against HIV  Actually it’s not being called that, I’m trying to start that as the head of my comic tour through the country.  I’m going to head off on a real tour just after I collect enough tips to make money.

Reading this you must be thinking my jokes aren’t that great.  You would be correct.  Although a sense of humor is required to be a volunteer, I don’t think puns count.  The reason I feel that MC needs jokes is that there is a huge push for it here.  Apparently men who get the snip are estimated to be 60% less likely to get HIV.  This being scientifically backed up data the move is on to cut as many men into the program as possible.  The goal is 152,000 men by next year, which is about 1/6th the entire population of the country.  It will be a busy year.

Beyond my bad jokes I do appreciate the opportunity to write, regardless of how little I’ve been doing it lately.  The inability to post details of site really does bother me.  It is kind of difficult to think that due to security concerns I can’t say where I’m at, but people could see my pictures, and pretty much figure out it’s me.  The URL for my site is probably a dead giveaway also.  So with my inability to write whatever I want on here without resorting to private posts and what not does not mean I am accepting defeat!  I am actually teaming up with another occasional cynic working within the system to write for the post newspaper!  You can do more damage to the system while working from inside the system.  In truth I’m really excited as there were three committees I was nominated to, but this post will be the best blend of all three.  The newspaper was a great source of information when our group first reached post, as I’m sure it has been for the groups before us.

It also serves as a great mechanism to get to know our colleagues better.  In spite of the physical dimensions of the country, logistics of travel make seeing people a challenge.  The closest neighbor is a 3 hour walk, and we have been approved for bikes.  I know what you’re thinking… that should make travel easier… right?  Since it’s downhill most of the way on dirt roads with khumbis losing pieces and passengers as they fly by, and goats ready to sleep in the road seconds before you get there, I’ll stick to walking.  Back to the newspaper.  It is called Sojo.  I am really looking forward to it.  It is appropriate for republishing so if anyone wants it emailed let me know.

The other committees I was nominated to are PSN which is peer-support-network.  It is primarily to support the next group of volunteers who hit country and go through the same stress we did and endure the same barrages of now seemingly silly questions that our group had.  Rumor has it PSN is trained on other side of the country, which amounts to a one-way 6 or 7 hour bus ride each month.  This means several trips when the new volunteers arrive.  Not so good for me.  The other position was for Volunteer Action Committee (VAC) which is all about bringing issues the PCVs have to the staff and trying to resolve things for everyone.  I took myself off of this list as there were other people I thought were equal and superior to my usefulness in this position.  I am still flattered that everyone wanted me for something, but I’m really getting more and more excited about writing the newspaper.  The skills I pick up will be immediately transferrable to Elderhaven’s newsletter.  I also get 3 days in the capital which means I will actually see the staff and other PCVs instead of staying at site all the time.  I also get carte-blanche to write terrifically bad and poor taste jokes.  We don’t tape people’s eyes open like in Clockwork Orange and make them view it.  But we should.

Spending time at the office will be good for other reasons.  The IT guy on staff seems reasonably knowledgeable…. and I’ll leave it at that.  There is a large project where all the PCV resources are being moved to Google Docs from a SharePoint server.  I have no official confirmation about the location of the server, but I’m really sure it is under the IT guys desk.  When I asked about the backup for all the PCV resources I also received a sheepish grin and a change of subject.  So hopefully I can at least act as a consultant on IT matters, as there was a near CF over the SharePoint server when I first showed up.  A few more consultant visits and I’ll earn my useless-but-knowledgeable merit badge.

I’m going to join the Scouts.  The Scouts are associated with the Boy Scouts, but girls can join too… thus the different name.  They go on camping trips and have lots of nature lectures and have the same sustainable philosophy of development that PC has.  Sadly I’m too old for merit badges but they will accept me as a Scout Leader. 

Before I go I thought I would share more interesting updates.  These could all be generated into a story of their own, but I’ve started using bullet points in email, so I will do it here also.  Bullet points mean I am not done hearing myself speak (reading myself write?)

  • We have three puppies.  Not “we” but the family.  Umngani (aka Doggy-Doggy to the 12 year old), Tiger doggy doggy in sunbeamaka Tiger to the adults), and Zanele (means enough in siSwati). Pictures are in the above order. 
  • Tiger in food dishZanele

 

  • Found bot fly larvae on doggy doggy.  Supposedly they taste like milk.  Not interested though.

 

  • Pay in advance electricity is actually ok.  Kind of sad that if you are forgetful the lights go out.
  • The community still wants us to bring water.  For E100 I get approximately 1333 hours to be on the computer.  I can run the laptop with all USB ports filled charging stuff and only feel guilty that my lightning and thunderous typing skills wake Babe every time I get inspiration to write.
  • I am working with the teachers at the primary school, teaching them how to use the XO’s from the One-Laptop-Per-Child program.  The school here has 200 of them.  There are unknown quantities in country, and no educational curriculum for them.  Shame.
  • Shame is the slang equivalent way of saying “sad,”  “my bad,” “you’re bad,” “I’m sorry,” “you are embarrassing me,” and “check yourself.”
  • I am on doxycycline for malaria meds now.  Malaria is everwhere!  At least the billboards say so.
  • We have squash, carrots, dill, green & red peppers, weeds, and one beet root growing.  And a bunch fo pretty plants.
  • Snails here get over 6 inches.  I hold firm to my conclusion that we should forget Texas, everything is bigger in Africa.
  • I actually miss hearing Shakira and the World Cup theme song every day.
  • There is more rainfall here than in Tucson.
  • Another PCV here is from Tucson.  He thinks he used to serve me coffee at Raging Sage.  Small world.
  • Ryan says he is sending coffee.  He is merely torturing us.
  • I will be writing more often with the pay-per-juice electricity.  I will also be writing private entries, which means to read those you will have to create a login if you don’t have one.
  • My new laptop will enable me to rule the world.  To buy it through the local dealer would have cost E22,000.  That is equivalent to over $3k.  I paid half that online.
  • The backpacks Matt gave us for wedding gifts are awesome.  Can not stress that enough.  He’s cool… got a job at Microsoft.  Needs to get me one when I get back. (that’s a hint Matt)
  • Will be creating a database for an NGO here.  They have something like 14 years worth of household data, GPS coordinates and photos that they have sitting in cardboard boxes.  Good times.
  • CEH.
  • I made chimichangas!!!  Delicious.  I also burned my foot that day.  Coincidence?

chimichangas

 Ok… so that’s it these days.  Thanks to everyone for well wishes, cookies for support, and really awesome random things that show up in the mail.  Miss you!

Visiting our Permanent Site

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.

Visiting Lomahasha!

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.  Our permanent site in Lomahasha near the Mozambique border will be our home for the next two years.

You can Google Lomahasha 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 Lomahasha 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 in Lomahasha, 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.  Lomahasha is 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.