Bush Buck Ridge

I’ve been at my permanent site for a week now, and life is starting to settle down for the most part. I can’t say that I am completely comfortable with my surroundings, and I can’t say that I am settling into my new home, but I am excited for each new day and skeptical and anxious for what lies around the corner. Last week I had the big Peace Corps swearing in ceremony where I took the oath and officially became PC volunteers, no more of this trainee stuff. I am now a on the job 24/7, as emphasized by the country director during her keynote speech. The ceremony was held at a nice hotel in a town between the three provinces that SA21 will be serving and I took two incredible showers with hot water. I think that was the highlight of the whole event for me, sad, but oh so true.

From the ceremony we didn’t waste time packing up the cars and getting out to the permanent sites. It was about a 6 hour drive from the swearing in site and I arrived in Enhlanzeni, Mpumalanga. This area of the country is home to Nelspruit and many of the resort towns surrounding Kruger National Park. It’s got beautiful canyons and mountain ranges that can only make me miss colorful Colorado even more.

So far work at my site is going well. I have only had 3 full days of work but I am beginning to understand the role of the people I will be working with and starting to develop an understanding of my role, if that is even possible. My supervisor, Aubrey, who is a man, and the man, is the manager of the project and currently has far too many responsibilities. He is in charge of most of the important decisions that are made and puts himself at the head of most of the issues. My “counterpart”, Ben, is a volunteer who is a close friend of Aubrey and other members of the organization. His interest is in gender based initiatives and incorporating programs into the organization that will target gender based violence and create positive role models for children and young adults. He is passionate and enthusiastic about my presence in the organization and the initiative that he is undertaking. Unfortunately, I came to the organization at a very tumultuous time because the hydroponic garden is having trouble maintaining a consistent crop and there are issues surrounding the monitoring of the systems for the garden. Some tasks have begun to be delegated to me regarding this process, but I don’t want to start burning bridges already that I have not even had the time to build. I am currently treading a fine line between my involvement on the management side and my role as just a regular member of the staff. It is going to be a challenge that I probably have not even begun to understand. But, I also think I am going to be a good asset for the programs that are beginning to come about and I think I will add a pair of fresh eyes that will be valuable for the community and Zig.

My day to day life really varies from each day. Take today for instance, I woke up at 5:30 walked to my organization to get a document from the Program Coordinator, Belrunik, and then took a taxi to my nearest town where I met up with Aubrey. From there we drove to the town where he lives and then waited for awhile while some things were sorted out, and then drove to another town to get some stationary supplies. From there we drove back to town and stopped by the training facility that is associated with my organization to pick up some forms before going to police station so I could meet with the station commissioner. After a bit (3 hour) delay, we ended up meeting with the commissioner and the captain who is in charge of the area where I am staying. Don’t worry Mom, it’s standard Peace Corps policy to meet with the police and make your presence known so I can have a direct contact with the station. It was a very good meeting and it was a good way to end my day. From there I took an absolutely loaded taxi back to my village and ate dinner with my granny, I call her Magogo, which literally means granny, and I have been on the internet now for far too long.

I can’t believe I have been in South Africa for longer than two months, it feels like time is simply flying by and I can’t hold on tight enough to see where this crazy life will take me. I still love every minute, and although it’s definitely not all easy, I would not want to be anywhere else in the world right now. This country is abounding with opportunity and a flare that is unlike anything I have ever experienced. South Africa has been in the shadow of apartheid for so long and they were just coming out of it when the world began to believe that it was a country full of criminals and murderers. I don’t go a day without someone asking me how I enjoy South Africa and telling me that it is a safe country and crime is really not a problem. Unfortunately crime is a problem, but the feeling of community and respect that also exists is unlike anything I have ever experienced anywhere else in the world. In the rural areas, like the one I am living in, the community looks after each other, and while petty thefts do happen, I always get the feeling that the country is trying so hard to prove themselves as not just full of criminals. I guess I just love this country, and I’ve not met one person who was anything but exuberant and welcoming to my presence and to their fellow South Africa’s. There is the word “ubuntu” in South Africa culture that means “I am because you are” and it is a sense of community that will always have an important place in my heart. I hope that everyone reading this gets a chance to visit this amazing country, it has so much to offer.