World AIDS Day 2010

December 1st was World AIDS Day. Ashamed, I admit I had not known this awareness day existed in all of my years growing up in Hawaii, and though I came to acknowledged it in college, I did little more. Truth be told I was always in my own little world and HIV was not invited to join my party. Only 1% in the U.S. is infected with HIV- a very small number of people, so small people don't think about it- but it all changed from the moment I stepped off the plane into a country where HIV is screaming to be heard in its hopes to find a cure. Naturally, I took this day to heart. I was excited to see what the country with the world's highest prevalence of HIV (aka Swaziland) would do to bring awareness, help, and support for its' people. A large event is hosted in the King's Kraal, and every year the location changes to a different region. There are 4 regions within Swaziland: the HhoHho, Lubombo, Manzini, and Shiselweni and this year the event was in the HhoHho Region. My region! The event started with a walk (which I did walk just not with the group and an hour or two after it took place. I've got great timing I know!), and proceeded with the days events which included speakers, performances from singers, drama groups and a testing site and information from NGOs and other organizations. While it was great seeing people excited and supporting this day and what it stands for, I became very downhearted. There were a couple hundred people present when there should have been a couple thousand, there were mostly adults but there should have been a higher presence of youth, and most importantly I wish the King had come. He is the biggest role model for this country and his arrival would no doubt have improved the attendance numbers... While it was a good event, and I'm glad to have experienced it, it got me thinking about this day the world has chosen to observe. Oddly enough, everyday is AIDS day in Africa. The reason I say Africa in particular is that according to World Health Organization (WHO) and UNAIDS in 2008, it was estimated that out of the 33.2 million people worldwide who are living with HIV, 22.4 million people live in Sub-Saharan Africa. While it's good that everyone worldwide "thinks" about this problem, it's hard to "celebrate" this day when there's no cure. And so, with a hope that one day a cure might be found- I hope that others just as naive as I was, know that World AIDS Day does exist and not just on December 1st, but every day of every year for people ALL around the world from America to Africa.

November Blues

The month of November was a hectic one. Aside from the normal meet and greets from my community (and the constant reminding that I am NOT their personal fundraiser), Peace Corps Group 8, which is my group, met up for our In-Service Training (IST). The last time I saw majority of the group was at our swear in 3 months ago. But as it turns out, I'm more integrated than I thought. As fantastic as it was to see everyone, 1.5 weeks is a LONG time and I found myself daydreaming about the solitude, peace and quiet my hut provides. Our sessions during IST were very long, usually going from 8-5. While we learned about funding, grant writing, small business development and many other useful topics, we also talked heavily about DEATH, HIV/AIDS, OVC (Orphaned and Vulnerable Children), crime, theft, sexual harassment, and how to deal with the above mentioned topics. To summarize, it was NOT fun and I went away from more than one session feeling useless and on the brink of tears. As horrible as some of it was, there were some great times. We had 2 language sessions with some of our favorite teachers. I happened to be placed in the best and most interactive group (also known as the idiots who failed the language proficiency test). Best quote of the lesson, Teacher: "Is there anything you want to know?" Rob: "Yeah, how do you say it's nice today? Like the weather is not making me want to kill myself today?". *Explanation: it is summer in Swaziland now and temperatures ranging from 100-124 F is normal... You would be pleased to know that I re-tested and passed! I am now an astounding Intermediate Low. haha. We'll see just how much I'll be able to learn (and retain) in the 2 years. Other highlights of IST include talking with Laurie about the book Heaven Shop (this book is fantastic and should be a required reading for children in the U.S.), and having a 4 hour graphic presentation on male circumcision. Circumcision is the new push (and the outside world's solution to reducing HIV). Unfortunately I am beginning to realize that if change is going to happen in Swaziland, it has to be from them and pushed by them. No foreigner will be able to "solve" this crisis. From looking at other African countries who have won this war on AIDS, it started with them and their leaders. They wanted change and so they acted upon it. As we keep on saying, it's behavior change and in Swaziland behavior change means cultural change. They are going to have to change their thinking and the ways in which they behave, or as horrible as it is to say or even think about, this country is going to cease to exist. Some young girls have just accepted that contracting HIV is inevitable so why bother protecting themselves? Others want to have kids so they don't use protection because being a mother is the only way a child becomes a woman and gains respect. And then there are the women who want to use condoms but their husbands accuse them of cheating and may beat them. Thus it comes down to the people to change and confront it, and not let the rest of the world work out their problems.

At the end of IST we had ALL VOL where all current serving volunteers came in for more group sessions and finished off by celebrating Thanksgiving together. We were fortunate enough to go to the U.S. Ambassador's house and have a true American party: pool, beer, wine, 9 turkeys, 10 pies, and endless amounts of food and deserts. Since pre-made/boxed food does not exist here, EVERYTHING was made from scratch including the bread and rolls. As expected of Peace Corps Volunteers, we ate as though we had never seen food before and like it was our last meal. Yes, we are definitely AMERICAN.

Traditional Swazi Wedding

Roses

"But he that dares not grasp the thorn, should never crave the rose" -Anne Bronte

This quote sums up my time here in Swaziland. It's my constant reminder that in order to see the rainbow we must be willing and able to endure the storm. As difficult as it is, here and now, I know that in the end it will all be worth it.

So, you might ask, what are some things that have happened the past month? I had 2 friends Early Terminate (ET) service- they went home. They left so fast there was no time for goodbyes. Although I am in the HhoHho Region, which is supposed to be in the Mid-High Veld (cooler and more rain than the rest of the country), my specific community-oddly enough- is in the lowveld (meaning very hot and little rain). Just my luck, huh? :) Most of the time I get the lovely view of lightning and thunder and rarely is it accompanied by rain. When it does rain, it conveniently happens to coincide with my swim lessons-which means no swimming and I'm stuck indoors with the kids. I am currently in a WAR with rats. In my first battle with them, I moved my entire room outside and 2 Swazi men came in with an axe chasing it around my room. It escaped out of a hole in my roof. I proceeded plugging the holes with my clothes- as I had done to the other holes. The rats continued to take out the clothing and snuggle with me in bed. I finally bought a fake cement sealer to plug the wall. Currently, I fall asleep to the sound of them eating at the cement- trying desperately to re-enter. It's a great sound. Did I also mention that the rats are the size of cats and kittens? My friend has said she had seen 2 cats chasing each other. It ended up being a cat chasing a rat. CREEPY. On a happier note, I got my furniture!!! After 2 months of cooking and eating on the floor, and sharing ALL of my belongings with my "pet" rats (including my clothing which they hid in) I finally have everything off of the floor!! Who would've thought that simple furniture would change a hut into a home? On the topic of animals, I have had a scorpion, lizards, endless amounts of spiders, and bugs I have never seen before in my hut, bats outside trying to enter, and snakes in our fields (backyard). In a windstorm, our roofs started to blow off. What's the solution? Throw more rocks on it. It's working so far :) I have also found out that my roof leaks. It's a good thing I don't get rain that often. To save water I have resorted to bathing in a river (when I visit a friend) and taking baths in the rain. It's quite fun. People look at me strange but it's worth it to be clean! I have also acknowledged the fact that I will probably be leaving Africa with schisto. If I don't get it in my 2 years, that will be shocking.

Though all of the above has SUCKED, I had a brief glimpse of that "rose" and it has restored my excitement and joy to be here. For Halloween weekend, I was supposed to go out with friends and celebrate. Due to a lack of funds largely in part to my rat fiasco, I stayed home. In doing so I was invited to attend a traditional Swazi wedding with my Make (mother). As we all know, colonization has left Africa broken. It stole all that characterized them, and left them with a westernized system that did not work with their previous way of living. Since their independence from European stakeholders, African countries have been struggling to find a compatible mixture of the Westernized traditions while still trying desperately to maintain their identity and culture of their ancestors. And so, seeing the true and authentic old cultural ways of how their ancestors used to live, is rare. I got a taste of it at this wedding. It was not a performance as they would do for a tourist. Rather, I was there as family. There were a couple hundred people in attendance and almost all were dressed in traditional Swazi wear. The wedding was entirely dancing and singing- a true celebration of marriage. At the end, and as darkness fell upon the mountains, I was invited into the private hut with the close friends and family of the bride and groom for a prayer and blessing over the couple. Throughout the prayer, they would break out in song and dance. It was touching. It was intimate and it felt as though I was outside peering in through a window, silently observing at what I though was a lost culture. I was wrong. African culture is alive! It isn't blatantly seen, but dig into the dirt a little and we might just uncover something magical. I had wanted a taste of the African culture and I got it. What a blessing!

Swaz in the news

Every day provides a new opportunity and challenge. I find myself constantly growing; my eyes being opened to the harsh realities of this unforgiving world. Through all of the masks and facades as well as the excitement, blindness, and pre-conceived notions that comes from being thrust into a new culture (especially in going to a continent where its history and the foundation of the current governing systems is the direct result of the greediness of mankind), I am slowly learning that life is not black and white. Here are two pieces of writing which I found very interesting and I'd like to share them.

The first is an article published in The Economist.
http://www.economist.com/node/17046710

The second is an excerpt from a fellow volunteer concerning the current problems and "solutions" about HIV in Swaziland and our work as it is related to Peace Corps Volunteers. She has spoken so thoroughly, accurately, and eloquently about it that I would never be able to convey the message as beautifully as she did.
The link: theyshouldhavesentapoet.blogspot.com. Titled: "What's the Solution?" written on September 14, 2010.

Read it, process it, and think about your life-how blessed you may or may not be. There is always room for improvement and for a healthy change. Think about what you can do to make your life/community/state/country/world a better place to live in. <3

"lean a little bit closer see what roses really smell like whoowoowoo"

As I promised, here is a wonderful and humorous story about fetching water in rural Swaziland. To make things easier for myself, I've decided that I'm going to attempt at keeping the 100 L barrels full and use only the 20 L buckets. This way if I'm ever sick, need to travel, or if the water isn't available on any given day I will be fine. The first time I attempted at filling up my buckets, I borrowed my family's wheelbarrow, and over confidently, brought 3 buckets to fill. On my walk down I made sure to thank God that it was overcast. I mean, what better luck to get water for the first time and not have the scorching sun baring down on you? I thought I was blessed. As I took my place at the back of the line, I stared at the bomake (mothers) and bosisi (sisters) just sitting there chatting. The woman in charge of the pump would get up, leave for some time then return, fill up 1 bucket then leave again. I thought it was out of pure laziness and my patience was already running low. Then, I realized something. Something very important for future reference. The hidden sun (which I was SO ecstatic about) is HOW we get our water. The tap works on solar power. (A foreigner donated it to this community- and I definitely prefer the borehole which is not easier but it's definitely faster.) The sun pumps up the water from underground and when there's no sun, there's no water (or very little). I sighed at this realization 1) because it took me so long to figure it out, 2) because I was so thankful for the weather and it ended up being the worst circumstances, and 3) it would be my luck, right? haha. So, by this time most of the people left to...well do whatever they do (which I haven't been quite able to figure out) but they left their buckets there to be filled in their absence. The Make running the tap felt so bad for me, she let me skip the whole line and fill up just 1 of my buckets. It took a good 30 minutes to fill it up. On my walk back I discovered that 1 bucket in a rusted, crappy, old, broken wheelbarrow was more than enough. In total it took me around 2.5 hours to get water, and I was thankful I didn't get all 3 buckets filled. That 20 liter bucket lasted me a week. Most of it going to drinking, and a minimal amount for cooking, cleaning, and bathing. Let me just emphasize that bathing has become an art. I can now bathe with 1 L of water and I'm proud of it. I also get maybe 2 baths a week, 3 if I'm lucky. Which would also be fine if I wasn't constantly sweating and caked in sand and dirt. Good thing my skin's already brown. shoot. Anyways, the 2nd time I fetched water, it took 3 hours but I was able to fill 2 buckets. Hopefully it will last 2 weeks? It's looking like it :)

There has been 2 funerals since I wrote the last entry. One of a close neighbor, and the other a community member. How depressing. It's just another confirmation on how emotionally difficult this is going to be. In other news, I got a much needed "vacation"! During integration we are allowed 1 night away per month. I used mine to visit a good friend and see what life was like down south. It is definitely the suburbs of Swaziland down there. While I was a bit jealous of the easy access to water, beautiful and big huts, reliable transportation, proximity to town, how close other volunteers are to each other, how much cooler the weather is, that they have a KFC and a produce market in town, etc. I did walk away with an appreciation for my site. There aren't many volunteers who get to experience life in this way: homesteads spread out, untouched land, lots of walking, the rarity of electricity (at night it is beautiful with barely any house lights and with wildfires lighting up the mountains), working for water, and all the perks that come with living so removed from civilization, where our biggest shopping town isn't even on the map! haha. The next day I went to the PC office to use the internet, check any snail mail that may have come in, and pick up books to read. Definitely got lost and spent 1.5 hrs aimlessly walking around, hoping I'd stumble upon it. A local got me in the general direction of it and boy, was I far off. I should have paid more attention when they showed us around after swear in! Although I do have a legitimate excuse for that. I had some sort of weird allergic reaction to something, my body welted and swelled up and I was on heavy amounts of medication. I'm still not sure what the reaction was to, but a friend from Kenya joked, "It's Africa. You become allergic to everything here!" haha. In any case I found the office, spent 3 hours uploading 3 pictures, picked up 8 books to read which will hopefully last me through the month, got a letter from my mother and Kashie Kash!, ate a chicken sandwich and ice cream both for the first time (from KFC), got sick from the ice cream and chicken sandwich because it was so rich (not used to having flavor), and lastly, ATE A BURGER! Successful trip? I'd say so. :) But to make a long story short, I almost didn't make it back to my homestead. I gave myself 3 hours to get back, which should've been more than enough. Sadly, it took 4.5. The truck I caught back kept on breaking down and the driver had to work on it multiple times in the darkness- as I had mentioned earlier, very few lights in my community. There was one point where the truck almost stalled as we were heading for a bridge (with no barriers on the sides of the bridge). It was a great feeling. But, I'm alive and well, and that's all that matters!

Worth it? nope... :)

I've been trying to upload photos for a month now. 150 Emalangeni and countless hours later I finally have 3 photos up! haha. Enjoy :)

Discomfort courtesy of US Peace Corps

Update:

We swore in as Peace Corps Volunteers on August 23rd. On the 24th we went to Mbabane and spent 2 days shopping, relaxing, and seeing the capital. (Do not be fooled by the word capital. Swaziland's capital is roughly the size of Westwood by UCLA minus the pretty buildings, nice stores, and restaurants. Let it also be known that movie theaters do not exist here and that KFC is the most posh restaurant I've seen!) Being that it was the first time I've been outside a hut after sunset, it was also the first time I went to a bar in Swaziland. Not surprisingly, the only females in there were PCVs (as drinking is highly frowned upon and females aren't supposed to drink in public). It is rumored that PC Swaziland has the highest number of volunteers converting to alcoholism as a result from what I'm assuming is the strict cultural barriers of this country. In comparing African PC posts to other posts worldwide, someone once joked, welcome to oppressive corps! On August 26th we moved to our permanent sites. I was incredibly blessed by the PC office to assist me in filling up my two 100 L water tanks and two 25 L buckets with water. I cannot thank them enough for that as water is and will be a challenge for me. Oddly enough with a truck, 4 Swazis, my 2 fellow volunteers, and myself, it took around 2 hours to fill up and transport the water back to my homestead. It should be incredibly interesting when I have to get my own water by means of a wheel barrel. Stories are sure to come. That being said, I have never been so stingy with water. I have also never found so many ways to recycle water. As disgusting as it may be- it works and it's saving me unnecessary trips to the borehole. That's all that matters. I can honestly say that I will never be the same. I'll never take water for granted, and I'll be careful as to not waste it. I can't help but feel ashamed on how I, and we- as Americans and as a Western Civilization- use and abuse water privileges. Because here, water is a blessing. It is never taken for granted.

I spent my first week at site decorating and organizing my little hut. I bought an amazing bed (which is a story in and of itself: I got completely lost on the drive back -all dirt roads look the same and street names/addresses do not exist, directions are given based on scenery and any possible landmark- so I ended up by another volunteer and had to tip the driver extra because of our multiple detours haha), I made screens out of mosquito nets, I made my own "closet", and created a small bathroom outfitted with a solar shower and a toilet (A.K.A. a pee bucket) because being outside at night is not safe. In any case I also have electricity!! God is good. There had to be one positive. The irony of it all is that I never cared about electricity. I would trade anything and everything for easy access to water. But I've always been a strong believer in the idea that everything happens for a reason. Even if it is only to teach me a lesson or make me grow stronger. So, though I have to work for the "necessities" in life, I will be stronger for it. This past weekend was one of the most rewarding and rejuvenating yet! I've been so bored at site that the nearest volunteer graciously agreed to meet up. Due to the friendly and talkative nature of Swazi people, I missed the one kumbi departing in her direction. It was a 2.5 hour power walk to her place, but it was also exactly what I needed. Fresh air, beautiful scenery, and simply time to get lost in my thoughts. Once I arrived there, we went on a 2 hour hike in the bush. It was truly Africa. No roads, homes, or people. Just dirt, sand, bushes, thorns, cows and warthogs! We found a dam, a river, and a dead cow. We also may have stumbled into South Africa. It's a possibility as there are no defined borderlines. I love it! To top the weekend off, the HhoHho warriors (or outcasts) Eric, Rob and I met up to celebrate Labor Day Weekend and Swaziland's Independence Day. This of course was just another excuse to hang out, since the cluster of people down south seem to have weekly reunions. It was also a chance to eat some meat. Plain, boiled chicken never tasted so delicious!! I've never appreciated meat more than I do now.

I've also been bored out of my mind- so after doing everything I could possibly think of, and sadly even after attempting to get water (only to find that the tap was not working that day), I finally opened up my PC books and handouts to read. While other PC posts have detailed job descriptions on exactly what they will be doing, with whom and where they will be working, PC Swazi is unique. Our job description is simply to work on "HIV prevention and impact mitigation". This is incredibly broad, allowing us the flexibility and freedom to choose what we want to do. But this is also nerve racking in the sense that the impact we will have on these people depend ENTIRELY upon our motivation, creativity, determination, will, and resources. As one of our handouts says, "it can pose a challenge to volunteers overwhelmed by the enormity of the problems they face." This leaves me here. I'm in the integration period, beginning to get to know my community in order to understand their needs and what ways I can best facilitate learning to them. It is said that roughly only 1/3 of volunteers make it through the entire 2 years here in Swaziland. If this statistic is true, it's probably due to the nature of the work we've entered into. Emotionally and mentally draining and in truth-it's daunting to even think about it. We've been warned multiple times that we will be affected by this disease. 1 in 4 people are infected with HIV- we are bound to feel the effects. Anyone, including our family, friends, co-workers, and acquaintances might pass and that takes a toll on the spirit. I'm nervous but determined! I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Thank God- He's provided me with such a strong support system- both here and in the States.

To end on a humorous side:
"Are you thinking of raping a child today? Think twice of the consequences" - A billboard in the city. (Good message, bad that it needs to be advertised)
"Discomfort courtesy of US Peace Corps" -Brian
"Is it Rum? Whiskey? Water? No, it's ORS." -In a bar in Swazi
-AND most unfortunately: I am becoming a vegetarian: Neither by will nor by choice. Sadly, I also wish I was eating vegetables (in being a VEGEtarian). I haven't found anyone yet who grows them in my community and the heat kills any fresh produce I bring from the rare trips to town. Bread, corn and porridge (the staple foods) are not just bland, but it's the ONLY thing I eat. I'm looking forward to the day I can have meat: chicken, beef, goat, pig...anything. I'm getting so desperate. maybe one day I'll be blessed with a burger? Or pizza? Or to dream: seafood and sushi? Christmas can't come soon enough! "Discomfort courtesy of US Peace Corps" - I joined this willingly. haha.

Mambas!

Between now and the last post, much has happened. Site Placements were announced on July 27th. I will be in the Hhohho Region. During our On the Job Training (OJT) we spent a week in our new community getting to know the people and the place. It was an absolutely terrible experience for me, and I was at the point of asking Peace Corps to move me. But, in our final days there, we had the opportunity to meet up with a current PCV (Peace Corps Volunteer), and after hanging out with her-I came to terms with my place. The closest PCV will be about a 2.5-3 hour walk from me (walk-being the key word, as transportation is not readily available). Seeing her place definitely put me at ease about mine. Hearing her insane stories (both good and bad) is a big reason in why I would like to stick this out and attempt at living there. One of the more hilarious stories is about the black and green mambas. She’s had multiple mamba’s inside of her hut. These snakes are poisonous and one could die within 15 minutes of being bit. Well at one point she had about 30 community members inside of her hut with spears. It was a huge ordeal but they killed it, left blood everywhere, and made her drink a “special mixture” so she would be safe. Needless to say, her community loves her, and I feel that mine would do the same for me too! Another funny story is that a few volunteers were hiking one day around our communities. As they were walking, they passed a drunk gogo (grandmother). She started pointing her fingers in a shape of a gun at them and shooting them, then laughing. She continued doing this, and followed them until they realized what she was doing. Apparently she was trying to warn them that if they proceeded further, they would be shot. (We are very close to the south african border and it is an illegal crossing point-thus the shooting). The stories I will get from being so isolated is definitely a perk that I’m looking forward to. :)
To help you imagine my new community, here are some assets HA! (rather obstacles) about it: The King visited our communities last year and told them they were the most rural in all of Swaziland. My community is very large, about 10,000 people. It consists of 7 “areas” within the community. My counterpart introduced me to the next “area” over and I was informed that water is not available to them. In the dry season they often resort to digging holes in the ground until they collect enough water to drink... I have special permission from the Peace Corps Swazi office to ride in the back of pick-up trucks. To do so otherwise, is considered “risky behavior” and volunteers can be sent home for doing so. Though I’m located in the mountains, it is sand. Children play in it as though they are at the beach. Which also means that getting my water, to drink, cook, and wash clothes in, will be a constant struggle for me. I’m either going to be very skinny (and strong) or very stink by the end of this. I hope it’s the first. Haha. Another thing is that I have to be very safe and attentive about my surroundings at ALL times. A gang from South Africa was crossing the border a few weeks ago and robbed prominent figures in the community adjacent to mine. They also kidnapped dogs and killed them in the middle of the night. These men were arrested but a new group emerged and had not only robbed but also raped two small children. This happened a few days ago, to a house not far from my site...It is advised that I do not walk alone but when there’s no transportation, I do not see how this is possible. I’m contemplating purchasing a dog for security reasons. The only thing stopping me is that I do not know what my future holds- and my ideal plan is to travel for quite some time after my service ends. There is no possible way that I could leave my dog here...It is heartbreaking to see how dogs are treated here.

I swear in as an official Peace Corps Volunteer in less than 2 weeks. It's crazy how fast time flies by. When I have more time, money (for internet connection) and battery life, I will update you again. Until then, please keep the comments and emails coming! They are motivating and they keep my spirit lifted. Although I don't have time to respond now, I will have 3 months of NOTHING and I will be responding to every single one of you that's written. All my love. <3

Some Swazi Stats

Written on July 20, 2010

To sum up the past month would be impossible for me to do. But I will try my best. As I had mentioned earlier, I have my own hut, no electricity, and no running water. I draw my water from the tap which is a .5 mile- 2 mile walk/hike, varying on which taps are working that day. My temporary Swazi host family (while in training) is absolutely incredible and they try to give me their water, but either way someone has to do manual labor. I refuse to let them do my work for me. Right now it is winter in Swaziland. I am in the coldest region, and while it does get incredibly cold (I wake up shivering every night), it gets hot during the day. Everyone wears coats and jackets while I'm taking off layers...I can only imagine what summer is going to be like and I'm scared. As for my life, it's going great. My brown skin is a HUGE advantage here. Everyone wants to get to know me and be friends. That will be highly beneficial when I move to my permanent site and am required to investigate the needs of that specific community. But, this also makes me a target...I get marriage proposals and declarations of love daily. A group of respected gentlemen in the community asked my teacher if they could set me up with a prospect because they thought I was a hard worker. (And by "set up" they mean marriage). Even my bhuti (brother) had tried to marry me off to one of his friends. His friend had "fallen in love at first sight". These Swazi men sure are sweet talkers. haha. Women are not allowed to drink (in public). I was talking with some older women and they told me they do, but only in their houses and should not be seen. Understandable. Nudity is considered from the waist down. Not so understandable. I'm incredibly excited to learn how to play the drums and do traditional Swazi dancing. I have officially become known for the songs "Waka Waka" by Shakira and "Wavin Flag" by K'naan. My family and friends play it whenever I'm around. I have also decided that a pool party is going to happen in the next 2 years. And by pool party I mean a group of us coming together with our bath basins, filling them up with cold water and sitting in them under a tree. It's going to happen. Speaking of bath basins- bucket bathing...is not so fun. I never thought I'd say this, but I think I prefer Morocco’s common baths or even their shower/toilet (2 in 1 deal). Women are not allowed to be out after sunset (by 5:30 it's dark). Without electricity I am asleep by 8 pm, and am awake before sunrise. It's crazy how much my life has changed. I am forbidden to exit my hut at night, given the instructions to use a pee bucket. ya right. I broke that rule my first week here. SPAIN WON the world cup! I got to watch it with a local Swazi family who had electricity and purchased cable for the month just to watch the games. The difficult part was knowing that we are only 4 miles away from the South African border and yet could not be there to watch the game in person... Every night I sit on my doorstep and watch as the sun sets behind the South African mountains. I light my candle then stare up at the sky thanking God for this blessed life I am living. I then retreat into my hut and fall asleep to the angelic voices of African hymns being sung in the church behind my homestead. What an absolute blessing.

Some Swazi Stats:

- Swaziland is the last absolute monarchy in Africa

- Has the HIGHEST HIV/AIDS in the world. 26% of the nation has it. 1 in 4 people.

- The highest prevalence of TB in the world

-The lowest life expectancy in the world (in 2008 estimated between 32-35)

- The average life span is 31.3 years

- In 2007 the death rates exceeded the birth rates for the 1st time.

- Also has the highest lightning strike victims in the world (15.5 per million per year-2008)

- The 2 most common misconceptions: HIV is spread through mosquitoes and sharing food leads to HIV

-children are taught at an extremely early age about HIV. They are also taught to NOT touch blood

-Swaziland is one of the few countries in Africa to never have civil war.

- How the monarchy is chosen is incredibly fascinating, and if you are ever curious let me know and I'll tell you ALL about it! Just to get your minds thinking: the Queen is not a wife of the King. It is the King's mother.

-King Mswati III has 13 wives. He also invited Peace Corps back into Swaziland so I owe him my gratitude!! We are also forbidden to speak about politics- so although there is much to say, that is where I will end.

-Sobhuza I is another incredibly interesting story. Sobhuza I had a vision of a white man coming to Swaziland. The white man was holding two things: a Bible in one hand, and money in the other. Sobhuza told his son, the next king, and the people of Swaziland to embrace and welcome the white man. He told them to accept the Bible and not to harm the white man nor to take the money. The white men came during the next king's rule and they were welcomed. Though religion was the root of many problems in Africa, because Sobhuza was such a respected king, Christianity will forever be a part of the Swaziland culture.

-The missionaries who first came to Swaziland were not very Christian at all. They bribed the locals to convert offering food and medical attention only in exchange for conversion. People became whatever religion was offered to them because of the disparity that they were in. I can't help but feel ashamed and resentful from what those initial "Christian" missionaries brought to Africa...

-Male circumcision is new to Swaziland. It was introduced within the last 2 years and without it, it is a huge contributing factor to the spread of HIV. They are targeting males aged 16-30's. Ouch. They are not circumcising babies as there is an ethical debate about it.

-UGANDA is our beacon of HOPE! The government of Uganda recognized AIDS was fatal and they made a zero grazing law (staying faithful to ONE partner). They also enacted the ABC's. Abstinence, Be Faithful, and Condoms. This government recognition as well as the knowledge put into action and practice by the local community members is how the country lowered their HIV rates to less than 5%. INCREDIBLE.

-In Swaziland there are 27,000 births annually. 39% of women pregnant are HIV positive. That means that 10,500 infants are exposed to HIV annually...

-We are told it will get worse before it gets better. I pray this is not the case. Swaziland has the knowledge, they just need to act.

- Swaziland population: 1.08 million. 46% under 15 years and only 3% is over 65 years

-76% of Swazi people live in rural communities. Rural people live on Swazi Nation Land.

- Literacy rate is 79.6% and 92% in younger generation

-Employment rate is 71%

-69% are classified as poor (living on less than 2 dollars a day).

This is just a small glimpse into what I will be doing the next few years and I am SO excited!

Bored? Finish a Project

It's been 2 weeks and I've finally got access to the internet. Hallelujah! Only to find mass emails from insurance companies, and loan lenders all wanting money. It feels good to be out of the U.S. and NOT have to deal with my financial obligations (Thank you mom and dad). :)

A brief update: I live in my own hut. There are 37 volunteers and almost all have electricity. I am the exception. I read and write by candlelight. I bucket-bathe at night and hand wash all of my clothes. I dance to Shakira's waka waka song with my bo-sisi every night. I am learning to cook this week and have learned how to "find our cow". Chickens like to hang out in my hut with me. I am also supposed to be home right now (as it is near sunset and I am still far away-). I guess that is my cue to leave. So until next time. Love you all. <3

My favorite quotes of the week:

If you are bored, take your teacup somewhere.

Bored? Finish a project.
Angry? Go ride your bike.
Lonely? Visit a neighbor.
Guilty? Apologize.
Hungry? Eat.

It's just not a toilet seat phenomenon! (In reguards to catching crabs on toilet seats)

When sleep doesn't come easily...

It's 2:30 am on June 26th. I can't sleep mostly due to jet lag (it's around 8:30 in hawaii) and excitement/nervousness. In our ridiculously long meeting today, we discussed many important and crazy things and I can't express how incredibly excited I'm getting for what's to come! The only thing I wish I could bypass is the next 17 hours of flying and two days of travel (which isn't including the last 2 days of traveling I've had as well...) On the brighter side, I met all 37 of my fellow Swaziland Peace Corps Volunteers and they are fantastic! What surprised me most, was that we have 5 Returned Peace Corps Volunteers in our group! That means that 5 people have had such a valuable and life changing experience have decided to return. They all said that it was the absolute hardest thing they have ever done in their life, but also the most rewarding. I hope I walk away with that same experience. This gives me hope that I may come back one day to do this again :) What completed the night was eating sushi (for my last dinner in the U.S.) and getting a better understanding of African cultures. A fellow trainee is from Kenya and she gave me great insight into what to expect. Despite the "rural" living conditions we are most likely going to endure, I am SOOO excited to be apart of something bigger and better and I pray that God will use me to make some difference, however small it may actually be.

My love,

Shauna

Welcome to Georgia

It's official. There's no turning back now. :) After 9 hours of flying I finally made it to Atlanta. I have the whole day to catch up on sleep until my pre-orientation, which begins tomorrow. Our meetings will be from 12pm-7pm straight. Then on Saturday, we are checking out of the hotel at 11am and heading to the airport. My flight departs at 7:25 pm for Johannesburg. It's a straight 16 hour flight. whoohoo. From what I am told, we are spending the night in a hotel within the Johannesburg airport (which really sucks). I was hoping we would be able to check out some of the stadiums where the World Cup is playing. I guess I can't complain. I will be in the city at the time of the World Cup. That alone will be incredible! Then, I depart Johannesburg at 6:50 am for an hour long flight for Manzini, Swaziland!

According to the latest email I have received it says, "We recommend you help your family and friends in the U.S. to set low expectations about how often you'll be able to call or e-mail them, particularly during training, as you will not have access to a cell phone until mid-way and Ngonini Lutheran Farmer's Training Centre does not have Internet access". haha. YES! So, guys, I hope you like hand writing letters. You will be my new pen pals for the next few years. I'm not sure when my next opportunity will be to use the Internet, so until next time, A HUI HOU. God Bless you all and thank you for being such great and supportive friends and family.

Aloha,

Shauna