Christmas cheer, round two, and answers to random questions

So, I go to the post office this week and I have two more packages that have arrived from the States: one from my sister, and one from my good friends, Ellen, Linda, and Bella.

I also received a lovely Christmas card from Helen, of the Bonnie W's, that I'll save for seasonal decorating next year. She also gave me lovely news from home, including wonderful updates of her handcraft (she's a textiles artist: knitting and the like) and of lovely descriptions of snow at her home (upstate New York). She is newly transplanted to Louisville and is unfazed by our snowfalls. (Although I've heard we've had quite a lovely one at home!) Thanks, Helen!



And yes mom, I FINALLY received the note and the photo you sent early in December.  I love the photo and your comment, "Sorry, the hand-writing deteriorates with non-use!"  We certainly write differently than we used to.



While the post office had diligently watched for my packages, they didn't seem to make the connection that the letters were important to me as well. So while I was able to collect my PACKAGES on a regular basis, my LETTERS were being relegated to the college mail bag. The college, like everyone else in South Africa, has been on holiday since December 11, so the college has been closed. This week, staff is trickling in to ready for the beginning of classes next week, and the college mail bag had finally been gotten. I had 15 or more letters dating from November through December. So that's why I hadn't been getting your letters!



So now I have them, and have been absolutely binging on news from home.



My sister sent a package that had me squealing. I wish you guys could be a fly on the wall when I open these packages. I find each item thrilling!



Kim sent me wonderful portraits of her beautiful family, some of my favorite people on the planet: Kim and her husband, Jon, and of my two beautiful nieces: Lauren and Kara. I love the thread of vivid red that runs through the photos!



Kim is one person who has found some Kentucky/Louisville-themed postcards/note cards. I had asked for these because these make nice gifts to the African nationals. The only connection they have of Kentucky is of Kentucky Fried Chicken, which I hate, because we are so much more than Kentucky Fried Chicken. (Have you heard of the Kentucky Derby? No. Mammoth Cave National Park? No. College basketball? No. The Falls of the Ohio? No.)



She also sent goodies for my dental health: extra-soft toothbrushes, top-shelf dental floss, and lip balm. Goodie! My teeth and gums are tingling just thinking of it.



She sent a wonderful bar of herbal soap that happens to come from Benin, Africa. The soap is sold to raise funds for an African community. It also smells divine! This is a well-travelled bar of soap!



Also enclosed were these lovely green bags, called "Debbie Meyer bags" that are touted to help preserve the shelf life of fresh fruits and vegetables. Since I'm living without refrigeration, I'm curious, and excited, to see how these help me.



She also sent me some plastic file folder sleeves, that although I hadn't asked for, she intuited I needed them. I use them for everything here, to keep dust off of papers, folders, etc.



There was a copy of the LEO, (Louisville Eccentric Observer) that happened to have the amusing "Looavul, Luhvul, Loueville..." dilemma featured on the cover. I love receiving this publication, and nothing makes me feel more like I'm home than going through it. Deanna keeps me stocked in copies, although I wish she wouldn't--she's paying a fortune to ship them to me.



And lastly, and a real treat, was an article from Louisville's The Courier-Journal that featured my favorite writer: Barbara Kingsolver. I'm hard pressed to name a favorite author; she's definitely in the top five. Or maybe the top ten. She has a new book out, called The Lacuna. The novel's plot deals with two of my favorite historical characters: Frida Kahlo and Diega Rivera. I can't wait to read it. It was great, GREAT fun to read the article.



Thanks guys!



Another package was from my dear friends Ellen, Linda, and Bella. (Bella is the family cat that must be included when naming family members.) :-)



The one kitchen item I can't seem to find ANYWHERE in South Africa is the rubber spatula. It is the one item that I long for every day. Ellen and Linda sent me not only one rubber spatula, but THREE. And they're HEAT RESISTANT! I'm a happy girl!



They too, sent me some coveted dental floss-both packages contained my favorite brand, by the way: Glide. How did you know?



And a BELOVED BAR OF DR BRONNERS SOAP. I hadn't realized how much I liked living with this soap until I was living without it. It is a natural soap and contains no harsh chemicals. It's one of the few brands (if not the only one) that doesn't leave my hands shredded. I love, love, love this soap. Also, I can, and do, use it for everything: hand washing, body washing, shampooing, vegetable washing, and even laundry.



I thought I was careful with using every last bit before; it's amazing how much longer a sliver will last me in South Africa!



Ellen and Linda sent me a 3-D Christmas card that I will use as my Christmas tree next year. Ellen especially, is always careful to see that I have a Christmas tree. It's fun and I love it!



Ellen sent me some stickers to use with the school children. One of the strips have "Sponge Bob" stickers, which were a huge hit with the American kids when I was last working with them. (Has Sponge Bob been dethroned?) It will be fun to see how the Tswana kids react to them.



And lastly, Linda sent me a copy of the Wall Street Journal. I'm saving it to read tomorrow, Sunday, so I'll have a "lazy-Sunday-morning, after church-reading the paper" kind of Sunday morning. I haven't had one of these since leaving the States. I used to do this with the New York Times, so it will be a bit different with the Wall Street Journal. I'm not a business person, and I've always associated this publication with savvy business people, so will let you know how I manage. It will be dense and delicious reading, regardless, and I look forward to tomorrow morning.



Actually, I got a double-whammy from the Linda/Ellen household. They sent me a collection of greeting cards: happy birthday, thinking of you, etc., that will come in very, very handy.  (Greeting cards, as in America, are very expensive here.)  Thank you!  They also sent me lovely, lovely photos of Cave Hill Cemetery (yes Ellen, I recognized it!) taken around the Thanksgiving time. The place is full of history, beauty, and nature.


I live very near Cave Hill Cemetery, when I'm home, and it is one of my favorite places to spend time. It is a beautiful, beautiful place and the resting place, of, coincidentally, Colonel Sanders of--you guessed it--Kentucky Fried Chicken. There are other famous and interesting people buried there.  And, Cave Hill is also the resting place of the grandchildren of two wonderful, wonderful women who lost them, tragically, last year.  Our whole city has been in mourning for them for over a year.   


I love Cave Hill and used to spend time there with my children when they were little. We loved to go there and feed the ducks. It is very meaningful to have pictures of it here with me--thank you!



I also got a lovely note and Christmas greetings from my hiking buddy, Tony C. I've been hiking with a group out at Bernheim Forest for a few years and have become very fond of Tony and the others. They hike monthly, in my absence, and I think of them every "last Sunday of the month." They'd better still be hiking when I get back, and I can't wait to resume. It was fun to hear from Tony and have news of his family and of our other hiking friends.



I still have a stack of letters and cards to go through, so if you haven't been mentioned here, I haven't gotten to you yet!



I am rich with holiday greetings in January!

Now, I am way behind on my letter writing.  There is no excuse, I know, but please allow me off the hook a bit until I can catch up.  I will answer some random questions here.

Will I ever stop talking of myself and tell you guys interesting things about South Africa and my immediate community?

Yes, I will, eventually stop talking about myself.  I'm sorry to be so self-centered.  I've been reluctant to "get out my camera" and start firing away, for many reasons, but yes, more on more important things will come in 2010, I promise!  And thanks for your patience!

How do I know of Sarah Palin in the news?

This is embarrassing to admit, but I'm not taking time to keep abreast of current events.  My computer time is limited and I'm usually blogging like mad to catch up and have no time (or energy) remaing to seek out news of the world (which I should).  My world news comes ususally from Bonnie and Deanna, in their regular letters, and of any snippet I see when logging onto "Yahoo" to check my email.  (Yes, I too, am shuddering at the thought.) 

It was by logging onto Yahoo that I saw Sarah Palin's smiling face. 

The weather seems hot there, but it's cold here.  Why is that?

Ok, I'm not a science person, at least not a science person in regards to the earth, how it rotates, how it is divided, how the different hemispheres opperate, etc.  But I understand, that because South Africa is in the southern hemisphere  (and Kentucky is in the northern), that our seasons are opposite.  So, if it is cold and snowy there--winter, then it is hot and sunny here--summer.  Make sense? Kind of sorta?  (If anyone out there can provide a better explanation, PLEASE, do so, and thanks!)

Do I know of the new Zachary Taylor coin dollar just released?

No, I didn't know. What happened to the Susan B. Anthony ones?  Is the new dollar coin hoping to replace the paper dollars?  (Wasn't the Susan B. supposed to do this as well?)

So, why did you CHOOSE South Africa?

Um, well, I didn't choose South Africa.  When you join Peace Corps, they hope that you are willing to serve where you are needed.  According to the PC website, "Peace Corps Volunteers serve in 74 countries in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Central and South America, Europe, and the Middle East" (http://www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=learn).   Although you can request  a region when you apply, ultimately, you're placed where you are needed.  I did request Africa as a region, but I had no idea I'd be serving in South Africa until I was invited.

Have you been keeping up with the Tiger Woods scandel?

Only what I see when logging into Yahoo.    (What is it about fame that ruins our cherished, talented people?)  It's heart-breaking to hear about.

How can you live without refrigeration in such a hot climate?

Of all the ammenities that I'm living without, living without refrigeration seems to be the most troubling for family and friends.  I'll try to explain, but since this is a recurring theme, will probably be unable to explain to your satisfaction.  :-)

I typically don't cook meat.  I don't cook meat because I am lazy.  I find it a great deal of trouble to cook (it is messy and you have to be careful of germs, etc.) and even a greater trouble to clean up after.  Yuck!  There is nothing I hate worse than attempting to clean a greasy pan caked with baked on, crusty ick!

It's not that I don't eat meat in Africa, I didn't cook (much) meat in the States. I eat meat and enjoy eating meat.  I will happily eat meat if someone else cooks it for me.

So, I've found,  if you don't buy meat, you really don't need a refrigerator.  I live without pickles and leftovers and cold drinks, which is basically what my refrigerator had in it back home.  I plan meals more carefully, and usually cook for the whole day in the morning. In this way, all of the prepared food is eaten by day's end and there are no leftovers.

Living with a baker and watching the Frugal Gourmet has taught me that eggs and butter won't spoil if unrefrigerated.  So I buy eggs every week.  I was buying butter every week as well, but since is has gotten very hot, I am living without butter until the weather cools again. 

If it rains and the evening turns chilly, I put my "refrigerated" items on the window sill overnight and they chill quite well.  This works better in the cooler months, but just last night I set my eggs on the sill to chill.

And besides, if I want to buy a fridge, I will buy a fridge.  But I really haven't minded living without it.  I need to be careful to vary my food, but even with a fridge, I need to be careful about varying my food.

Why is beer available to the college kids?

I have mentioned my concerns with the "under aged" drinking I've observed in the students here.  The sad fact is, that the legal drinking age is 18 and alcohol is sold to those even younger because the laws aren't enforced, and therefore, there are no consequences for illegally selling it to minors.  (One of my priorities here is to establish alternative-activities for the college kids to do in the evenings and on the weekends.  It's a similar problem we have back home, only probably worse: give the kids something else to do.)

Why all of the broken bottles and garbage thrown on the ground?

I've read that oppressed peoples typically aren't concerned with proper garbage disposal, the environment, conservation, etc., because oppressed people are typically consumed with trying to survive and have energy for little else.  How this translates here is: a bottle may make it to a fire pit or even a garbage receptacle, but if it doesn't, it doesn't.  (Garbage receptacles are very, very rare in rural South Africa, but we are very lucky to have them on campus.)  Everyone breaks bottles here and throws trash on the ground, this is the way it is and the way we've always done it, so why change?

People here are curious when they see me picking things up but they don't really understand why I am doing so.  They simply don't have a context for understanding why I would care about garbage strewn about.

Isn't there a cash incentive to return bottles in Africa?

Curiously, there is  a cash incentive to return bottles for recycling.  For some reason, I've rarely seen people taking advantage of this recycling opportunity.  (In fact, one of my projects may be a "green day" whereby we have the college kids collect bottles on campus and walking them over to a nearby shop to get teh deposit returned.  It might be a small "fund raising" opportunity with a double bonus of campus clean up.

Why didn't you get to take your Thanksgiving Day trip?

Many of you were bothered by the fact that my travelling plans over the Thanksgiving holiday were cancelled.   I had wanted to visit friends in a nearby town that was, unfortunately, not near enough.

After our pre-service training, but before our  official work-duty begins, we undergo a two-month period of "community integration."  The nickname for this time period, amongst volunteers, is "lock down." The nickname implies that we are prisoners, unallowed to go anywhere or do anything.  This is hardly the case.  Peace Corps, has wisely determined, that the first two months at site are crucial for the sucess of our work here: the better we are able to integrate with our communities, the easier and more effective (and probably satisfying) our work will be. 

We are simply not allowed to wander about in hopes that we will put our energies and efforts into building relationships with our new communities.

Although I was disappointed at not being able to be with Americans on Thanksgiving, it was really no big deal.  I enjoyed being with the educators at my primary school on a typical workday (I graded 150 papers on Thanksgiving Day!) and I didn't really have the money to travel anyway.  I was fine and understand and respect Peace Corps' integration policy.

Do I know Krgothorpe is gone?

Who is Krgothorpe?  Sorry, not a sport-cell in my body. I think this is my father's fault.

Are the teachers you work with native South Africans?

Without exception, all of the educators I have met and will work with are from Africa, if not South Africa.  (At least one I know comes from Zambia.)

Do you need a bicycle?

Actually, Peace Corps South Africa provides funds to every volunteer for purchasing a bicycle.  I did not purchase one, nor do I plan to. I can easily walk to my primary school, and of course, I live on the college campus.

I'm saving my bicycle money to buy a fridge.  :-)

What do they (rural South Africans) use donkeys for?

In my area, many of the people here are "farmers."  Now, their idea of a farmer and my idea of a farmer are very different.  Most "farmers" here manage livestock: cattle, goats, donkeys, horses, and chickens.  I know they use donkeys for labor, specifically for pulling "donkey carts" which consist of two donkeys pulling a wagon or flat-bed with items needing to be hauled.

How do you get your mail?

Well, the answer to this is probably evident by now.

Most PC volunteers rent a post-office box in their communities. I'm a lucky girl because the college I "work" for has agreed to allow my mail to come through them.  What happens then, is the mail comes to me, in care of the collge, and usually the college goes to the post office to collect it.  I often collect my mail when I "go to work" at the college and the mail guy has it for me.

Since many of the packages that come aren't released without my passport, I ususally have to go to the post office to pick up these (the college can't collect them for me.)  Since I go to the village's grocer weekly, I've taken to stopping by the post office regularly anyway.  (I often have letters to post anyway.)  So, what has happened is that the post madam and I have become friends, and she kind of watches out for my mail.  (Although, as noted earlier, she wasn't so careful about collecting letters for me over the holidays, only packages.)

The bottom line is that I do receive all packages and letters eventually.  Sometimes, due to holidays or campus closings, there can be "log jams."  By the way, Peace Corps warned us that we might pay a tax or duty on internationally shipped packages.  I haven't paid a cent on any package received so far.)

How do the movies work there?

Well, I can't report on this yet, as I have yet to see a movie in South Africa.  The closest theater to me, that I know of, is in Kimberley.  However, Kimberley is not close enough that I could ride down, see a movie, and come home, all in one day.  I would have to plan a trip.

There are movie theaters in Pretoria, and often times, it seems, volunteers will take trips to Pretoria and hang out a couple of days to see movies, go shopping, etc.

I'm told that the price of seeing a film can vary from as little as R30 (about $2.80) to as high as R50 (about $7.00).

I'm not sure of the selection of popular films available.  I do know that the popular film, Invictus, is playing both here and in the States.  (South Africans were very disappointed that an American actor  was playing their beloved, and our beloved too, Mandela.)  I can't wait to see it. 

You seem to have had a lot of time off recently... Why is that?

Yes, you're right!  I've had plently of time off, as South Africans take full advantage of their Christmas/end-of-school year holidays (as I have too!).  Yes, you read that right.  The South African school calendar runs from January to December (unlike ours, which runs from August to May).  So next week starts a new school year.

I've also been lucky that the resident librarian has been graciously generous with her keys to the library, so I've basically had unlimited internet access for four weeks, and therefore, have generous blogging.

This all may change with school beginning next week as I'll have things to do (I hope) and have less time to blabber.  I always manage to find time to blabber though!

Oh my, I'm so tired, as you must certainly be.  But just another bit...

The photo below is of a lovely shot (although the photo doesn't capture it well) taken from my IMAX window yesterday,  of a sunbeam streaming through storm clouds to shine on one area, the hill to the left.  It was a beautful moment.  We had a day of thick, heavy rain.

The pink building on the lower right is of, unfortunately, a "tuck shop" where some of the students buy vices: alcohol, cigarettes, lottery tickets.  And in the forground on the left is a bit of our community garden.  (The big tree in the center, but kind of to the right, is an acacia tree growing in the center of the garden.  It was under this tree that I found many of the dead birds.  The birds love this tree and at any time of day, you can hear hundreds of them chirping and carrying on.)

And lastly, I promise, a photo of my most recent, but unwelcome, windowsill feeder.  An African pigeon.  I can't get excited about pigeons, but here he is.

I had mistakenly bought some unroasted sunflower seeds and couldn't eat them because they were bitter.  (And didn't want to roast them because, I'm lazy!)  I have been putting them out on the sill to attract seed eaters.  But, sadly, I got this guy.

So, I go to the post office this week and I have two more packages that have arrived from the States: one from my sister, and one from my good friends, Ellen, Linda, and Bella.

I also received a lovely Christmas card from Helen, of the Bonnie W's, that I'll save for seasonal decorating next year. She also gave me lovely news from home, including wonderful updates of her handcraft (she's a textiles artist: knitting and the like) and of lovely descriptions of snow at her home (upstate New York). She is newly transplanted to Louisville and is unfazed by our snowfalls. (Although I've heard we've had quite a lovely one at home!) Thanks, Helen! What a treat to hear from you!







And yes mom, I FINALLY received the note and the photo you sent early in December. I love the photo and your comment, "Sorry, the hand-writing deteriorates with non-use!" We certainly write differently than we used to! Thank you!







While the post office had diligently watched for my packages, they didn't seem to make the connection that the letters were important to me as well. So while I was able to collect my PACKAGES on a regular basis, my LETTERS were being relegated to the college mail bag. The college, like everyone else in South Africa, has been on holiday since December 11, so the college has been closed. This week, staff is trickling in to ready for the beginning of classes next week, and the college mail bag had finally been gotten. I had 15 or more letters dating from November through December. So that's why I hadn't been getting your letters!







So now I have them, and have been absolutely binging on news from home.







My sister sent a package that had me squealing. I wish you guys could be a fly on the wall when I open these packages. I find each item thrilling!







Kim sent me wonderful portraits of her beautiful family, some of my favorite people on the planet: Kim and her husband, Jon, and of my two beautiful nieces: Lauren and Kara. I love the thread of vivid red that runs through the photos!







Kim is one person who has found some Kentucky/Louisville-themed postcards/note cards. I had asked for these because these make nice gifts to the African nationals. The only connection they have of Kentucky is of Kentucky Fried Chicken, which I hate, because we are so much more than Kentucky Fried Chicken. (Have you heard of the Kentucky Derby? No. Mammoth Cave National Park? No. College basketball? No. The Falls of the Ohio? No.)







She also sent goodies for my dental health: extra-soft toothbrushes, top-shelf dental floss, and lip balm. Goodie! My teeth and gums are tingling just thinking of it.







She sent a wonderful bar of herbal soap that happens to come from Benin, Africa. The soap is sold to raise funds for an African community. It also smells divine! This is a very well-travelled bar of soap!







Also enclosed were these lovely green bags, called "Debbie Meyer bags" that are touted to help preserve the shelf life of fresh fruits and vegetables. Since I'm living without refrigeration, I'm curious, and excited, to see how these help me.







She also sent me some plastic file folder sleeves, that although I hadn't asked for, she intuited I needed them. I use them for everything here, to keep dust off of papers, folders, etc. It’s nice to have a couple more.







There was a copy of the LEO, (Louisville Eccentric Observer) that happened to have the amusing "Looavul, Luhvul, Loueville..." dilemma featured on the cover. I love receiving this publication, and nothing makes me feel more like I'm home than going through it. Deanna keeps me stocked in copies, although I wish she wouldn't--she's paying a fortune to ship them to me.







And lastly, and a real treat, was an article from Louisville's The Courier-Journal that featured my favorite writer: Barbara Kingsolver. I'm hard pressed to name a favorite author; she's definitely in the top five. Or maybe the top ten. She has a new book out, called The Lacuna. The novel's plot deals with two of my favorite historical characters: Frida Kahlo and Diega Rivera. I can't wait to read it. It was great, GREAT fun to read the article.







Thanks guys!







Another package was from my dear friends Ellen, Linda, and Bella. (Bella is the family cat that must be included when naming family members.) :-)







The one kitchen item I can't seem to find ANYWHERE in South Africa is the rubber spatula. It is the one item that I long for every day. Ellen and Linda sent me not only one rubber spatula, but THREE. And they're HEAT RESISTANT! I'm a happy, happy girl!







They too, sent me some coveted dental floss-both packages contained my favorite brand, by the way: Glide. How did you know?







And a BELOVED BAR OF DR BRONNERS SOAP. I hadn't realized how much I liked living with this soap until I was living without it. It is a natural soap and contains no harsh chemicals. It's one of the few brands (if not the only one) that doesn't leave my hands in shreds. I love, love, love this soap. Also, I can, and do, use it for everything: hand washing, body washing, shampooing, vegetable washing, and even laundry.







I thought I was careful with using every last bit before; it's amazing how much longer a sliver will last me in South Africa!







Ellen and Linda sent me a 3-D Christmas card that I will use as my Christmas tree next year. Ellen especially, is always careful to see that I have a Christmas tree. It's fun and I love it!







Ellen sent me some stickers to use with the school children. One of the strips have "Sponge Bob" stickers, which were a huge hit with the American kids when I was last working with them. (Has Sponge Bob been dethroned?) It will be fun to see how the Tswana kids react to them.







And lastly, Linda sent me a copy of the Wall Street Journal. I'm saving it to read tomorrow, Sunday, so I'll have a "lazy-Sunday-morning, after church-reading the paper" kind of Sunday morning. I haven't had one of these since leaving the States. I used to do this with the New York Times, so it will be a bit different with the Wall Street Journal. I'm not a business person, and I've always associated this publication with savvy business people, so will let you know how I manage. It will be dense and delicious reading, regardless, and I look forward to tomorrow morning.







Actually, I got a double-whammy from the Linda/Ellen household. (There was a letter in addition to the package they sent, the letter being tucked away in the college mailbag.) They sent me a collection of greeting cards: happy birthday, thinking of you, etc., that will come in very, very handy. (Greeting cards, as in America, are very expensive here.) Thank you! They also sent me lovely, lovely photos of Cave Hill Cemetery (yes Ellen, I recognized it!) taken around the Thanksgiving time. The place is full of history, beauty, and nature.



I live very near Cave Hill Cemetery, when I'm home, and it is one of my favorite places to spend time. It is a beautiful, beautiful place and the resting place, of, coincidentally, Colonel Sanders of--you guessed it--Kentucky Fried Chicken. There are other famous and interesting people buried there. And, Cave Hill is also the resting place of the grandchildren of two wonderful, wonderful women who lost them, tragically, last year. Our whole city has been in mourning for them for over a year.





I love Cave Hill and used to spend time there with my children when they were little. We loved to go there and feed the ducks. It is very meaningful to have pictures of it here with me--thank you!







I also got a lovely note and Christmas greetings from my hiking buddy, Tony C. I've been hiking with a group out at Bernheim Forest for a few years and have become very fond of Tony and the others. They hike monthly, in my absence, and I think of them every "last Sunday of the month." They'd better still be hiking when I get back, and I can't wait to resume. It was fun to hear from Tony and have news of his family and of our other hiking friends.







I still have a stack of letters and cards to go through, so if you haven't been mentioned here, I haven't gotten to you yet!







I am rich with holiday greetings in January!



Now, I am way behind on my letter writing. There is no excuse, I know, but please allow me off the hook a bit until I can catch up. I will answer some random questions here.



Will I ever stop talking of myself and tell you guys interesting things about South Africa and my immediate community?



Yes, I will, eventually stop talking about myself. I'm sorry to be so self-centered. I've been reluctant to "get out my camera" and start firing away, for many reasons, but yes, more on more important things will come in 2010, I promise! And thanks for your patience!



How do I know of Sarah Palin in the news?



This is embarrassing to admit, but I'm not taking time to keep abreast of current events. My computer time is limited and I'm usually blogging like mad to catch up and have no time (or energy) remaining to seek out news of the world (which I should). My world news comes usually from Bonnie and Deanna, in their regular letters, and of any snippet I see when logging onto "Yahoo" to check my email. (Yes, I too, am shuddering at the thought.)



It was by logging onto Yahoo that I saw Sarah Palin's smiling face.



The weather seems hot there, but it's cold here. Why is that?



Ok, I'm not a science person, at least not a science person in regards to the earth, how it rotates, how it is divided, how the different hemispheres operate, etc. But I understand, that because South Africa is in the southern hemisphere (and Kentucky is in the northern), that our seasons are opposite. So, if it is cold and snowy there--winter, then it is hot and sunny here--summer. And then the reverse will happen in your summer, it will be cold here. (But probably not snowing.) Make sense? Kind of sorta? (If anyone out there can provide a better explanation, PLEASE, do so, and thanks!)



Do I know of the new Zachary Taylor coin dollar just released?



No, I didn't know. What happened to the Susan B. Anthony one? Is the new dollar coin hoping to replace the paper dollars? (Wasn't the Susan B. supposed to do this as well?)



So, why did you CHOOSE South Africa?



Um, well, I didn't choose South Africa. When you join Peace Corps, they hope that you are willing to serve where you are needed. According to the PC website, "Peace Corps Volunteers serve in 74 countries in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Central and South America, Europe, and the Middle East" (http://www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=learn).



Although you can request a region when you apply, ultimately, you're placed where you are needed. I did request Africa as a region, but I had no idea I'd be serving in South Africa until I was invited.



Have you been keeping up with the Tiger Woods scandal?



Only what I see when logging into Yahoo. (What is it about fame that ruins our cherished, talented, national icons?) It's heart-breaking to hear about.



How can you live without refrigeration in such a hot climate?



Of all the amenities that I'm living without, living without refrigeration seems to be the most troubling for family and friends. I'll try to explain, but since this is a recurring theme, will probably be unable to explain to your satisfaction. :-)



I typically don't cook meat. I don't cook meat because I am lazy. I find it a great deal of trouble to cook (it is messy and you have to be careful of germs, etc.) and even a greater trouble to clean up after. Yuck! There is nothing I hate worse than attempting to clean a greasy pan caked with baked on, crusty ick!



It's not that I don't cook meat in Africa, I didn't cook (much) meat in the States. I eat meat and enjoy eating meat. I will happily eat meat if someone else cooks it for me. Actually, I will actually happily clean the cooking pot if you have cooked for me!



So, I've found, if you don't buy meat, you really don't need a refrigerator. I live without pickles and leftovers and cold drinks, which is basically what my refrigerator had in it back home. I plan meals more carefully, and usually cook for the whole day in the morning. In this way, all of the prepared food is eaten by day's end and there are no leftovers.



Living with a baker and watching the Frugal Gourmet has taught me that eggs and butter won't spoil if unrefrigerated. So I buy eggs every week. I was buying butter every week as well, but since is has gotten very hot, I am living without butter until the weather cools again.



If it rains and the evening turns chilly, I put my "refrigerated" items on the window sill overnight and they chill quite well. This works better in the cooler months, but just last night I set my eggs on the sill to chill.



I buy and use powdered milk to take in my tea and use on my cereal. There is also a packaged, heat-processed milk that will keep on the shelf instead of the fridge. I buy these packaged milks, in the smallest size, from time to time to use on cereal.



And besides, if I want to buy a fridge, I will buy a fridge. But I really haven't minded living without it. I need to be careful to vary my food, but even with a fridge, I need to be careful about varying my food.



Why is beer available to the college kids?



I have mentioned my concerns with the "under aged" drinking I've observed in the students here. The sad fact is, that the legal drinking age is 18 and alcohol is sold to those even younger because the laws aren't enforced, and therefore, there are no consequences for illegally selling it to minors. (One of my priorities here is to establish alternative-activities for the college kids to do in the evenings and on the weekends, hence, an interest in establishing a “movie night.” It's a similar problem we have back home, only probably worse: give the kids something else to do.)



Why all of the broken bottles and garbage thrown on the ground?



I've read that oppressed peoples typically aren't concerned with proper garbage disposal, the environment, conservation, etc., because oppressed people are typically consumed with trying to survive and have energy for little else. How this translates here is: a bottle may make it to a fire pit or even a garbage receptacle, but if it doesn't, it doesn't. (Garbage receptacles are very, very rare in rural South Africa, but we are very lucky to have them on campus.) Everyone breaks bottles here and throws trash on the ground, and this is the way it is and the way we've always done it, so why change?



People here are curious when they see me picking things up but they don't really understand why I am doing so. They simply don't have a context for understanding why I would care about garbage strewn about.



Isn't there a cash incentive to return bottles in Africa?



Curiously, there is a cash incentive to return bottles for recycling. For some reason, I've rarely seen people taking advantage of this recycling opportunity. (In fact, one of my projects may be a "green day" whereby we have the college kids collect bottles on campus and walk them over to a nearby shop to get the deposit returned. It might be a small "fund raising" opportunity with a double bonus of campus clean up.



Why didn't you get to take your Thanksgiving Day trip?



Many of you were bothered by the fact that my travelling plans over the Thanksgiving holiday were cancelled. I had wanted to visit friends in a nearby town that was, unfortunately, not near enough.



After our pre-service training, but before our official work-duty begins, we undergo a two-month period of "community integration." The nickname for this time period, among volunteers, is "lock down." The nickname implies that we are prisoners, and not allowed to go anywhere or do anything. This is hardly the case. Peace Corps, has wisely determined, that the first two months at site are crucial for the success of our work here: the better we are able to integrate with our communities, the easier and more effective (and probably more satisfying) our work will be.



We are simply not allowed to wander about in hopes that we will put our energies and efforts into building relationships with our new communities.



Although I was disappointed at not being able to be with Americans on Thanksgiving, it was really no big deal. I enjoyed being with the educators at my primary school on a typical workday (I graded 150 papers on Thanksgiving Day!) and I didn't really have the money to travel anyway. I was fine and understand and respect Peace Corps' integration policy.



Do I know Krgothorpe is gone?



Who is Krgothorpe? Sorry, not a sport-cell lives in my body. I think this is my father's fault.



Are the teachers you work with native South Africans?



Without exception, all of the educators I have met and will work with are from Africa, if not South Africa. (At least one I know comes from Zambia.)



Do you need a bicycle?



Actually, Peace Corps South Africa provides funds to every volunteer for purchasing a bicycle. I did not purchase one, nor do I plan to. I can easily walk to my primary school, and of course, I live on the college campus.



I'm saving my bicycle money to buy a fridge. :-)



What do they (rural South Africans) use donkeys for?



In my area, many of the people here are "farmers." Now, their idea of a farmer and my idea of a farmer are very different. Most "farmers" here manage livestock: cattle, goats, donkeys, horses, and chickens. I know they use donkeys for labor, specifically for pulling "donkey carts" which consist of two donkeys pulling a wagon or flat-bed with items needing to be hauled. I’m not sure what else they use them for, as I see very few donkey carts. To sell them, maybe?



How do you get your mail?



Well, the answer to this is probably evident by now.



Most PC volunteers rent a post-office box in their communities. I'm a lucky girl because the college I "work" for has agreed to allow my mail to come through them. What happens then, is the mail comes to me, in care of the college, and usually the college goes to the post office to collect it. I often collect my mail when I "go to work" at the college and the mail gentleman has it for me.



Since many of the packages that come aren't released without my passport, I usually have to go to the post office to pick up these (the college can't collect them for me.) I am made aware of this by a post office slip that will come with my other letters. I take this slip to the post office and collect my packages.



Since I go to the village's grocer weekly, I've made a habit of stopping by the post office. (I often have letters to post anyway.) So, what has happened is that the post madam and I have become friends, and she kind of watches out for my mail. (Although, as noted earlier, she wasn't so careful about collecting letters for me over the holidays, only packages.)



The bottom line is that I do receive all packages and letters eventually. Sometimes, due to holidays or campus closings, there can be "log jams" of mail and I won’t hear anything for periods of time and then be deluged with a great amount of letters (as has happened this week).



(By the way, Peace Corps warned us that we might pay a tax or duty on internationally shipped packages. I haven't paid a cent on any package received so far.)



How do the movies work there?



Well, I can't report on this yet, as I have yet to see a movie in South Africa. The closest theater to me, that I know of, is in Kimberley. However, Kimberley is not close enough that I could ride down, see a movie, and come home, all in one day. I would have to plan a trip, and stay at least overnight.



There are movie theaters in Pretoria, and often times, it seems, volunteers will take trips to Pretoria and hang out a couple of days to see movies, go shopping, etc.



I'm told that the price of seeing a film can vary from as little as R30 (about $2.80) to as high as R50 (about $7.00).



I'm not sure of the selection of popular films available. I do know that the popular film, Invictus, is playing both here and in the States. (South Africans were very disappointed that an American actor was playing their beloved, and our beloved too, Mandela.) I can't wait to see it.



You seem to have had a lot of time off recently... Why is that?



Yes, you're right! I've had plently of time off, as South Africans take full advantage of their Christmas/end-of-school year holidays (as I have too!). Yes, you read that right. The South African school calendar runs from January to December (unlike ours, which runs from August to May). So next week starts a new school year.



I've also been lucky that the resident librarian has been graciously generous with her keys to the library, so I've had unlimited internet access for four weeks, and therefore, you have had generous blogging (which may or may not be a good thing).



This all may change with school beginning next week as I'll have things to do (I hope) and have less time to blabber. I always manage to find time to blabber though!



Oh my, I'm so tired, as you must certainly be. But just another bit...



The photo below is of a lovely shot (although the photo doesn't capture it well) taken from my IMAX window yesterday, of a sunbeam streaming through storm clouds to shine on one area, the hill to the left. It was a beautiful moment. We had a day of thick, heavy rain.



The pink building on the lower right is of, unfortunately, a "tuck shop" where some of the students buy their vices: alcohol, cigarettes, and lottery tickets. And in the foreground on the left is a bit of our community garden. (The big tree in the center, but kind of to the right, is an acacia tree growing in the center of the garden. It was under this tree that I found many of the dead birds. The birds love this tree and at any time of day, you can hear hundreds of them chirping and carrying on. It was heartbreaking to hear that they had been intentionally poisoned.)



And lastly, I promise, a photo of my most recent, but unwelcome, windowsill feeder. An African pigeon. I can't get excited about pigeons, but here he is.



I had mistakenly bought some unroasted sunflower seeds and couldn't eat them because they were bitter. (And didn't want to roast them because, I'm lazy!) I have been putting them out on the sill to attract seed eaters. But, sadly, I got this guy.



(Pigeons like urban areas so we have tons of them on the college campus.)



The most interesting thing about him is his eye: there are no feathers around his eye but skin that looks like the skin you'd find on a rooster's crown. (The red, flappy kind of skin that hangs off of chickens.) And the feathers around his neck look greasy.



Ok, I'm laughing and must go. For those of you whom (who?) I have "short cutted" with global, public answers, I promise to make up to you soon. (This is mostly you, Ms. Bonster! You are even more prolific with your writing than I!! I love it!)



Soon, and many thanks for gifts received, Karen