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!