Vacation!

Following Camp GLOW and the debacle of the Manzini Transportation Strikes (the bus rank stopped all East bound transport and there was nothing going in or out), my friends and I were ready for a break and most importantly- for our Mozambique vacation!

The Manzini Transport Strikes have been going on for the past few weeks. They started when the city council decided to move all east bound transport to another location. The operators were furious and they stopped all transport in and out of the city. I got caught in the craziness on my way back from Camp GLOW. A bus which I had just missed had turned around and let everyone out. Apparently the operators called the bus driver and threatened him that if he didn’t return to the bus rank, they would burn his bus down. Following this we’ve been put on travel stand-fasts for transportation strikes, teacher strikes, and various other stints occurring through the country. Needless to say, my friends and I were excited to get out of Swaziland and relax by the ocean!

We stayed at a hostel in Vilanculos. Vilanculos is an 8 hour bus ride from Maputo and absolutely amazing. Crystal clear blue waters, a pool and bar overlooking the ocean, and wonderful seafood. Everything I could ask for and more! I had the pleasure of doing two dives in the archipelagos and was able to relax on neighboring beautiful islands. The best surprise: seeing a 1.5 meter long turtle! Much taller and larger than me. It was amazing.

We met a Moz PCV who lived 15km from Vilanculos. He lives on the beach. Incredibly frustrated with the situation, I had to leave the conversation, cool down, and convince myself that these past 2 years in Swaziland were lessons learned, a great opportunity and a time of growth. This is all true, and I would never take back my experience from the past 2 years, but I do sometimes think about how much happier and content and full of life and energy I’d be if I had the ocean? If I was a Moz volunteer who lived on the coast and who had easy access to the water, how different my experience would have been.

GLOW'n! Let your light shine!

Girls Leading Our World (GLOW) is a program run by Peace Corps Volunteers around the world. It is a weeklong camp that focus’ on gender equality, imparting health and guidance, and sharing knowledge and ideas in a safe and secure environment. Each Camp GLOW around the world focuses on issues pertinent to their specific countries’ needs and desires.

Swaziland has never held a Camp GLOW before and so 2 years ago, upon first coming into Swaziland and bearing witness to this heavily male dominated society where to be an outspoken, smart, and confident woman is discouraged and very rare to find, my friends and I decided to bring Camp GLOW here! Being that Swaziland has the world’s highest HIV prevalence rate, we focused our camp on educating young women to make healthy decisions, to take control of their body and mind, and to empower them so they might become a leader in their communities. It took 2 years of planning and coordinating for this camp to happen but on April 23, 2012- it came together and we did it!

Our camp consisted of 11 PCVs (8 people in my group-G8, and 3 leaders selected from the new group-G9). Each PCV brought 1 Counterpart (a leader in their communities) and 3 girls from each community. Though there were a lot of hitches and room for much improvement in the future, I cannot be happier with the outcome. It went better than expected, and went smoothly for a first ever Camp GLOW!

Each day held a specific theme. On April 23rd, our girls arrived to camp, settled in, got to know each other, and we went over basic rules and expectations.

The 24th was Art Day where we had some wonderful guests assist us. Yebo! Art Gallery was the highlight of the day (and even perhaps of the week)! Yebo! brought in 3 artists from Swaziland and South Africa who showed the girls creative outlets in which they can express themselves through painting, drawing and collage making. They also taught them how to screen print t-shirts. It took some time for the girls to hone in their creative side, but once they got going, it was hard to stop! We had creative writing sessions and TUSEME, a drama group, work with the girls in expressing themselves and opening up.

The 25th was our Health Day. Our Peace Corps Medical Officer (PCMO) came in and led our session on Grief and Loss. This is where the girls opened up about their lives, experiences, and the pain, loss, and heartache they’ve been through in their short lives. Some girls have HIV, most have family members who have died from AIDS, and all have experienced death of some sort- from a friend, family member or someone in their community. Following this we had guests talk about Substance Abuse addressing drug and alcohol abuse here in Swaziland. We took a break and hiked at Mabuda Farms giving the girls some fresh air and time to contemplate. Closing off the day we held our sexual reproductive health sessions talking about everything from the body, to using tampons and pads, to learning how to use male and female condoms.

On the 26th we had our Conservation Day! We had a conservationist come in and talk about volunteering, what it means to volunteer in the communities and in our daily lives, and how we can protect and conserve our surroundings. We then left for Hlane Game Park where the girls went on a nature walk. 5 of us PCVs parted ways and went on a game drive. :D

The 27th was Futures Day- going through everything regarding their future. We had a lawyer come in and talk to the girls about women’s rights in Swaziland. Most people are unaware that women legally have rights and this was a very important session for them. We had SWAGGA come in and talk about abuse (physical and sexual abuse) and what the girls can do about it, who they can talk to and what their options are. Later in the day we had a career fair as well as a female and male panel. The female panel consisted of 5 powerful women in Swaziland who hold jobs otherwise deemed as “male leadership positions”. They talked to the girls about their struggles, the obstacles they overcame, and how they made it that far. The male panel was just as inspirational and possibly even more needed as the female panel. It consisted of 4 men varying in jobs, who told the girls that they believe in women, they value women’s education and health, they admire and respect the strong and independent women in their lives and they hold to the understanding that Swaziland will not succeed until girls learn to respect themselves and are respected and valued by others. The girls were touched and highly moved by all presentation panelists.

The 28th was our departure day. We talked about setting personal goals, goals for their communities, and what they want to teach to their GLOW clubs in the communities.

All in all it was a fun filled, information packed week. Despite the exhaustion (going from 6am-11pm daily) and terrible nights of sleep (our Swazi counterparts were incredibly excited keeping us up until 2-3 am and waking up around 4-5am), the outcome was worth it. My girls had never left the community before and they soaked everything in like a dry sponge. Just seeing them smile made it all worth it.

Be Faithful

As I had mentioned in a previous post I’m conducting a health awareness campaign by painting buildings in my community with health messages alongside poetry written by students in the area, addressing the issues surrounding HIV/AIDS in Swaziland. I was fortunate enough to have two Peace Corps Volunteers come out for two days and help me in this endeavor. The results were better than anything I could have asked for or possibly imagine.

Mia at work!



Many friends in the community came and helped out! My wonderful counterpart, Khombi, helped in wording the message.

Khombi and I on the ladder.

The children during their school breaks and after school came out and helped us paint, as well as the nurses from my clinic and the school teachers.



Eric playing with the pre-schoolers!

At the end of Day 1! Almost there!

Bucket bathing.

Day 2: Finished!


Photo time: "Shoot me, Shoot me!"


Completed mural.


Here's a little background on this project, my intentions, and why I believe this mural is important and groundbreaking for my community. My area is very rural and sexual education is not addressed. It is avoided by all means. Even the high school cannot talk about said issues due to the backlash received from parents. The parents complain that by talking about sex, how to protect themselves from contracting STIs and HIV, and about the ABC’s that they are encouraging their children to practice risky and promiscuous behavior. Two things can be said about this. First, their “children” in high school are usually in their 20’s. Half of my form 5 (senior) class is older than me. I have also taught “children” in grade 7-10 who were 22-26 years old. There is no age limit and it all depends on if the children are able to pass their classes and most importantly, if they are able to pay for their school fees. At this age they are no longer children and in fact are adults and have been engaging in sexual behaviors for years, as do most young adults around the world. Secondly, the high school dropout rate due to pregnancy is mind-blowing. My form 5 high school class started out with 36 students in form 1 (grade 8) and are down to 15. When asked the reasons why, they say for different reasons. Some couldn’t pay for school fees, others moved, some for various circumstances, but most, they say, were due to pregnancy. The headmaster at my high school is doing his best to address and combat the issues surrounding teen pregnancy which ultimately leads to high school drop out and getting married at a young age, but it’s hard fighting an issue without being able to teach them about their options.

All of this to say that sex remains a taboo topic. Our painting (which was copied and adapted from a painting done in another PCV community) is in the community center. People passing to/from the clinic, going to school, getting transportation, going to/from South Africa, and those wanting to buy something from the sitolo (local store), are required to pass this mural and the poems addressing HIV/AIDS and stigmatism. During the painting and the weeks that followed, we received A LOT of feedback more negative than positive. Many parents and teachers were concerned that the children would imitate the picture and start practicing kissing. BUT, where there were negative comments there was always someone present to speak positively about it and address the issues at hand. And over the last couple of weeks I have been able to hear the gossip, what people feel towards the mural and why. It’s controversial and it’s exactly what I wanted!! It’s bringing issues to the surface and it’s forcing parents, teachers, friends, and adults in the community to address what they have been burying for too long.

The phrase: “Yetsembeka kuloyo lotsandzana naye: Tivikele, Umvikele, Titsandze” means "Be faithful to the one you love: Protect himself/herself, protect yourself, and love yourself." The message being: BE FAITHFUL, protect yourself and protect the one you love. <3

White Water Rafting and Crocodiles!

About two weeks ago my wonderful PC buddies, Mia and Kelly, decided to go on a white water rafting adventure with me. We were meeting up with some of their friends who are volunteering with the World Race and were stopping in Swaziland for a month. A perfect excuse to get out of the hut and do something fun!

Having only white water rafted once before, we were slightly apprehensive having to be our own guides in our own boats, in a river with crocodiles in them. Kelly, who does not know how amazing of a steer-er I am, opted out of being my partner. By default Mia was stuck with me.

Trouble started in the beginning. We couldn't get out of the sandbar. Then, due to my wonderful skills, I'd direct us into rocks, boulders, and reeds. Very talented, I know. But we eventually got the hang of it and started "Stand Up Paddling" in the calmer parts and oddly enough, we realized we were way more coordinated paddling backwards into the rapids than forward. Yup. Again I repeat, that talented!

Mia and I had successfully stayed in the boat throughout the first half and the guides made it a mission to "tip us over". They succeeded twice. The first was shallow waters so we hopped right back in. The second time it was deep and we couldn't hoist ourselves up. We floated on down until we reached a bank. Sometime before this, we spotted a small croc cruising on up the river. Just what you want lingering in the back of your mind. Stuck in the water and there's crocs watching you!

We made it out alive and in tact. All in all it was a very successful and wonderful adventure! Now it's just a countdown until the next big adventure: Caving.

Swaziland named 'The Five Worst Leaders In Afrca'

The Following is an article published in Forbes.

The Five Worst Leaders In Africa

Good governance is gaining ground in Africa. It’s happening at snail speed, but it’s happening nevertheless. African leaders are becoming increasingly democratic and are recording significant progress in liberalizing the political environment. They are more accountable to their citizens, and showing more respect for human rights and civil liberties.

But the bad eggs still linger – and there are quite a number of them. Late last year, I put a call through to my African followers on Twitter to nominate the worst African leaders of our times. I received over 800 responses. Based on those responses, these are the five worst African leaders of today.

Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, President of Equatorial Guinea

Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo is Africa’s longest serving ruler. He has ruled Equatorial Guinea, a tiny, oil-rich West African country, since August 1979 when he overthrew his uncle, Francisco Macías Nguema, in a bloody coup d’état. Equatorial Guinea is one of the continent’s largest producers of oil and has one of the highest per capita incomes in the world, but this doesn’t necessarily translate into prosperity for its people. The country ranks very poorly in the United Nations human development index; the vast majority of Equatorial Guineans hardly have access to clean drinking water. The country also has one of the world’s highest under-5 mortality rates: about 20% of its children die before the age of five. Many of the remaining 80% of the children don’t have access to quality educational and healthcare facilities. Meanwhile, the first son of the president, Teodorin Obiang (who is in line to succeed his father), spends millions of dollars of state funds financing his lavish lifestyle which includes luxurious property in Malibu, a Gulfstream jet, Michael Jackson memorabilia and a car collection that could easily make billionaires go green with envy.

José Eduardo dos Santos, President of Angola

José Eduardo dos Santos is Africa’s second longest serving president. He took the reins of power in September 1979 following the natural death of his predecessor Agostinho Neto. To his discredit, Jose Eduardo has always run his government like it’s his personal, privately-owned investment holding company. His cousin serves as the Angola’s vice president, and his daughter, Isabel Dos Santos is arguably the wealthiest woman in the country. Angola is extremely resource-rich. According to the United States Agency For International Development (USAID), the country is the second-largest oil producer in sub-Saharan Africa and the seventh-largest supplier to the United States. Angola also has massive diamond deposits and occupies an enviable position as the world’s fourth largest producer of rough diamonds.

But for all its resource wealth, the vast majority of Angolans still live in the most horrid socio-economic conditions. 68% of the country’s total population lives below the poverty line of $1.7 a day, while 28% live on less than 30 cents. Education is free, but it’s practically worthless. Most of the schools are housed in dilapidated structures and there is a severe deficit of skilled and qualified teachers. According to the U.N. Children’s Fund, 30% of the country’s children are malnourished. The average life expectancy is about 41 years while child and maternal deaths are extremely high. Unemployment levels are very high. But José Eduardo dos Santos is unaffected. Rather than transforming Angola’s economic boom into social relief for its people, he has channeled his energies towards intimidating the local media and diverting state funds into his personal and family accounts. Dos Santos’s family controls a huge chunk of Angola’s economy. His daughter, Isabel Dos Santos has amassed one of the Angola’s largest personal fortunes by using proceeds from her father’s alleged corruption to acquire substantial stakes in companies like Zon Multimedia, a Portuguese media conglomerate and in Portuguese banks Banco Espírito Santo and Banco Português de Investimento among others.

Robert Mugabe, President of Zimbabwe

Many Zimbabweans seem to think Mugabe is doing a stellar job. The country is on an economic rebound after several years of decline. GDP growth in 2011 was over 7% and the Southern African state has experienced single-digit inflation since 2009. The country’s agricultural sector is fast recovering after years of food shortages fueled by disruptions caused by Mugabe’s infamous seizure of white-owned commercial farms. Mugabe’s government has also recorded significant achievements in education as a result of extensive teacher training and school expansion projects: At over 80%, the country has one of the highest literacy rates in Sub-Saharan Africa.

But Mugabe’s inadequacies overshadow his achievements. For one, he has failed to deal with the ever-present problem of employment. The country’s high literacy rate does not necessarily translate into employment opportunities for its people. Zimbabwe’s unemployment rate is the highest in sub-Saharan Africa: it’s over 60%.

Despite entering into a power-sharing agreement with the former opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), Mugabe still wields almost total control over government institutions – a feat he has been able to achieve through his use of violence and subjugation. He remains reluctant to allocate substantial political powers to the MDC, and human rights abuses in the Southern African country are rife. The 87 year-old megalomaniac has vowed not to step down despite having ruled the Southern African state for over 24 years. He is seeking re-election in the country’s presidential polls slated for later in the year. Analysts expect the election to be besieged by fraud as the previous one.

King Mswati III, King of Swaziland

Sub-Saharan Africa’s last absolute monarch presides over a country which has one of the world’s highest HIV prevalence rates: ver 35 percent of adults. Its average life expectancy is the lowest in the world at 33 years; nearly 70 percent of the country’s citizens live on less than $1 a day and 40 percent are unemployed. But for all the suffering of the Swazi people, King Mswati has barely shown concern or interest. He lives lavishly, using his kingdom’s treasury to fund his expensive tastes in German automobiles, first-class leisure trips around the world and women. But his gross mismanagement of his country’s finances is now having dire economic consequences. Swaziland is going through a severe fiscal crisis. The kingdom’s economy is collapsing and pensions have been stopped. In June last year, the King begged for a financial bailout from South Africa, and the country is at a dead end, so badly that it recently announced its withdrawal from the 2013 Africans Nations Cup, citing lack of finances as the principal reason.

Omar Al-Bashir, President of Sudan

Sudan’s President seized power in 1989 in a bloodless military coup against the government of Prime Minister Sadiq al-Mahdi- a government which was democratically elected by the people of Sudan. Soon after seizing power, Al-Bashir dispersed all political parties in the country, disbanded the country’s parliament and shut down all privately-owned media outlets. His reign has been characterized by a civil war in which over one million have been killed, while several millions have been displaced. Al-Bashir is still wanted by the International Criminal Court for instigating crimes against humanity, particularly in directing and funding acts of violence against the Southern Sudan. Famously corrupt, a diplomatic wikileaks cable revealed that Al-Bashir likely siphoned some $9 billion of his country’s funds into his private bank accounts in the United Kingdom.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/mfonobongnsehe/2012/02/09/the-five-worst-leaders-in-africa/

Marula Festival 2012 Edition

In Northern HhoHho there’s a small but charming town named Buhleni. You’re sure to think you’re seeing an oasis when you set sight upon this beauty of a town for the first time. Situated about a half hour south of the Matsamo border, this weekend getaway offers an allure that only a town with both a bar AND a PEP store can offer. The aforementioned bar, gas station, and bus rank are the perfect places to have conversations with unintelligible Swazi men and not to be missed are the public toilets (pit latrines) which have overflowed and are no longer in service. Don’t drive too fast nor blink, for you just might miss this magic wonderland which would be a terrible shame since once a year this sleepy town awakens to become the social gathering place and highlight of its existence. Welcome to Buhleni!

King Mswati hosts the kickoff to the Marula Season with the Marula Festival in the Buhleni Royal Kraal. An event not to missed, Bo-Gogo (grandmothers) from ALL over Swaziland gather to drink, sleep, eat, drink, dance, sing, offer their marula to the king and drink some more. Last year I was ill prepared for such an event and though, for the most part, I found it fun and entertaining I did not enjoy the endless harassment received from the drunken men. This year things were different.

Not only did I know what to expect, but after living here for almost 2 years, I am more than happy to yell at inappropriate and disgusting men to teach them lessons on how to respect women and not treat them like dogs or as their own personal servants. I am no longer fearful of their opinions of me nor timid in my responses and it has SIGNIFICANTLY improved my entire service. Another reason why I enjoyed the festival significantly more this year than last? I had my Swazi friends with me and many people from my community there. These men and women introduced me to others, they protected me and they danced with me. It was wonderful to see them in a different setting. And last but certainly not least, I was prepared with marula of my own. It made for a more entertaining and relaxing day!

In the midst of drinking, dancing, and socializing, we also made sure we did our job as Peace Corps Volunteers. 9 of my fellow PCVs came out and we passed out condoms, talked about safe sex, had discussions on living and being healthy, etc. It’s amazing how easy and wonderfully rewarding it can be to talk about our work here in Swaziland, all while experiencing and participating in cultural events. I LOVE my job.

12 Reasons to Date A Returned Peace Corps Volunteer

In honor of Valentines Day where I was stuck in my hut sweeeping, mopping, waxing the floors, killing scorpions, spiders, and insects, hand washing a months worth of clothes and taking a 3 hour nap from the 100+F degree day and in doing so forgot about the holiday until facebook started blowing up with "I love you"s and "Best BF/GF" status', here is a wonderful and hilarious article about Peace Corps Volunteers.

12 reasons to date a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer:
1.We can woo you in multiple languages. Who else is going to whisper sweet nothings to you in everything from Albanian to Hausa to Quechua to Xhosa? That’s right. Only a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer.
2.We’re pretty good dancers. Yeah, we don’t like to brag, but after 27 months in Latin America or Africa we know how to move it.
3.We’ll eat anything. Seriously. No matter how bad your cooking, Returned Peace Corps Volunteers have had worse and will eat it with nary a blink. Sheep’s eyeball? Water buffalo gall bladder? Grasshoppers? Bush rat? Bring it.
4.We know all about safe sex, thanks to our very thorough Peace Corps health training. In fact, there’s a chance that we’ve stood unblushingly in front of hundreds of villagers and demonstrated good condom technique with a large wooden phallus.
5.We’ll kill spiders for you. Well, actually, we’ll nonchalantly scoop them up and put them out of sight. Same goes for mice, geckos, frogs, snakes. Critters don’t faze Returned Volunteers.
6.We have great date ideas: wandering a street market, checking out a foreign film, taking in a world music concert, volunteering…. Romantic getaway? Our passport is updated and our suitcase is packed. With us, life is always an adventure.
7.We like you for “you”… not your paycheck. Especially if we are freshly back from service, a local joint with “character” will win out over a pretentious eatery. Living in a group house? No problem. Does it have running hot water? What luxury!
8.You won’t get lost when you’re with a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer. Navigating local markets on four continents, we’ve honed an uncanny sense of direction. Or else we’ll ask for directions. We’re not afraid to talk to “strangers.”
9.Waiting for a late train or bus? Don’t worry, we’ve been there, done that. We can share lots of funny stories about “the bus ride from hell” that will make the time go quickly and put it all into perspective.
10.Our low-maintenance fashion style. Returned Peace Corps Volunteer guys are secure in their manhood and don’t mind rocking a sarong. Women often prefer flip flops to high heels. We don’t spend hours in front of a mirror getting ready to go out.
11.Marry us, and you won’t just get one family — you’ll get two! When we refer to our “brother” or “mom,” you’ll want to be certain we’re talking about our American one or our Peace Corps one. You might even get two wedding ceremonies, one in the U.S. and one back in our Peace Corps country.
12.And last but not least, we aren’t afraid to get dirty.
From: http://www.peacecorpsconnect.org/2012/02/12-reasons-to-date-a-returned-peace-corps-volunteer/

Happy Valentines Day All!