Update!

Sanibonani, all!

I've been at my permanent site for two weeks. So far, I've spent several days at the clinic and have visited the nearby World Vision office. At the clinic, I help by weighing and registering HIV-positive patients and counting their antiretroviral pills. This is part of checking to see whether they're complying with their treatment regime. The clinic is busy, and I encounter more than 60 patients the days I'm there. It's a short walk from my house, maybe half an hour.

I bought a bed and a fridge for my hut, and that's all the furniture I have for now. My friend Walker helped me build a hanging armoire. It consists of a long stick on top to hang clothes and then five wood shelves that hang below, also for clothes. I walked an hour and a half to Walker's to make it, and it would have been a rough walk back (in the rain, no less) if I hadn't been able to grab transportation.

I'll post photos when I have wi-fi; right now I'm on a public computer in an Internet cafe.

My counterpart has been just fantastic. I love her. She has taken me to a wedding, at which I attempted to dance (hilarity ensued), and to a party. I helped cook at the party. The women arrived at 4 a.m. to start working. We got there at 7:30 or so. They cooked in iron three-legged pots over an open fire. I helped with the chicken stew and by chopping veggies. Everyone has been extremely friendly, though getting so much attention can be overwhelming. I'm sure the community will get used to me before long.

I went out with my host dad to find his cows on Saturday. He checks every day to make sure none are stolen, sick or otherwise missing. It was a bit like going out to check cows with Uncle Frank in Indiana. In this case, though, the cows are roaming around without electric fences or anything like that. Free range, man. The SWZ is all about it.

Speaking of, a goat almost walked into my hut the other day. That would have been interesting.

It's been raining for three days, which is excellent for the animals, the crops and our water tanks. There isn't even anywhere to put the water anymore; all the containers are full. This is not a bad problem to have. I have filled both my 100-liter barrels and my two 25-liter jugs. I told my family about conflict over harvesting rainwater in Colorado because someone already has laid claim to the water. They couldn't believe it.

My 17-year-old host brother has done me the courtesy of jogging with me every few days. I really, really appreciate it. I'm not sure if people would yell at me or disrupt me if he weren't there. Perhaps I'll find out the first time he can't come along. Not a lot of people go by the field where I run, so I doubt it will ever be too crazy. I'm just grateful to be able to run for now. A lot of PCVs find it uncomfortable.

I haven't found a language tutor yet, but I haven't been looking that hard. School's on break right now, and that seems like a promising place to start. I'm sure I'll get one locked down.

I have tried goat again, and I liked it much better the second time than the first. My family gave me some, and I added it to vegetable soup I'd made. Pretty tasty.

On the whole, I'm happy and things are going well. Jack plans to head this way in November, which is VERY exciting. Please tell him happy 30th on Sept. 24 and give him a hug for me if you see him (any and all of you).

Thanks for all the love. I haven't picked up mail lately, but I know I have some letters and packages waiting. Thank you! It makes things so much more awesome to get missives from home.

Salani kahle.