DONGLE!

My dongle is working! It took some figuring out with tech support and a visit to MTN, the major phone service provider here, but I think I've got it all set now. This is preeeeetty exciting, folks. My understanding is that my home interwebs will never be good enough to Skype with video (though phone works), but at least I can update ye olde blog more often.

That said, here's a post from more than a week ago:

3 October 2012

Sanibonani! As you in the U.S. start thinking of Halloween costumes and eating and drinking pumpkin-flavored things (JEALOUS), we’re moving right along into toasty summertime. It’s really nice in the mornings and evenings still, which means I’ve been pushing my runs earlier. I was out there by 5:45 a.m. today, believe it or not.

I wanted to share with you my morning so far, just because it was simple and lovely and does a pretty good job of showing what the PC life can be like.

After my run, I ate breakfast (oatmeal with a banana, for those keeping score at home), drank some tea (I broke my French press — stupid reason, but that big ant was moving REALLY fast) and washed my hair in my basin and bathed. I headed down the tar road to town to meet the carpenter who is building my table. The first one he built didn’t match what I wanted — this table was ordered sort of on the fly on the side of the road — so he was redoing it. Very nice guy. The table wasn’t done, so I headed down to my meeting at the high school.

I met with the head of the adult education department. He showed me his building, where they teach sewing and computer skills to adults and out-of-school children. Three of the eight computers function, none has Internet access. There were four typewriters also (“Do you need one?” he asked, and I had to make myself say no). There is one working sewing machine, and a woman was teaching two other women how to sew with it. There’s a welding room with materials, but they don’t have money to pay a teacher, so there are no welding classes right now. That’s particularly frustrating for the head of the program because the welding classes actually brought in money for electricity and other necessities. There’s a partially built office building outside. The cement blocks go just above window level, and no floors have been poured. There are roofing materials inside the classroom building, but there’s no money to hire anyone to build the roof.

We talked about how I might be able to help. My plan is to start with some research into what funding sources might be available. The goal of the program is to give adults skills so they can get jobs or start their own income-generating projects. It’s a worthy goal, I think, and I’m sure there are organizations out there that could provide some cash or in-kind donations. The department head also asked if I knew people back home who would donate. I told him I’d look into that.

After this meeting, I ran into Make Mahlalela, who makes the best fat cakes in town. I bought a couple from her and then went to the store, or sitolo, for bread, bananas and eggs. On the way home, I passed my counterpart’s dad’s nursery. He’s a pastor and is delightful. He called me over and gave me some onions and tomatoes he’d just picked. We chatted about rain and the plants he was growing, and I moved along.

I stopped back at the carpenter’s to get his phone number so I can call when my host dad and I can come pick it up. It should cost me 300 emalangeni, about $35 U.S.

When I got closer to home, a car with two men in it pulled over. I didn’t know them, so I kept my distance, but I answered their questions (“I’m a volunteer at the clinic.” “I’m engaged to be married.” “I don’t want a Swazi man because I already have a man in America.” “He’s coming here.”) I kept moving and stopped by the hardware store, where a friend works. She showed me her friend’s month-old baby, which was adorable, of course. We talked about how hot it was (kuyashisa), and I said I planned to spend the rest of the day relaxing.

Now I’m back in my hut, sweating and reading a book called “28 Stories of AIDS in Africa.” It’s by Stephanie Nolen, and I recommend it to anyone who wants to get a sense of what the epidemic looks like around the continent. There are a couple of stories from Swaziland! You don’t often see that.

On Monday and Tuesday of this week, I volunteered at the clinic. I’m still registering patients and counting ARVs. “Gibela sikali” (get on the scale) and “emaphilisi?” (pills?) are the phrases that get me through the day. Yesterday, I had my first siSwati tutoring session with Calile (that C is a clicking sound, tongue behind the top teeth). She’s an English teacher at the high school. She’s a lot of fun, and she’s a former PC language teacher, so she knows exactly where I’m coming from. It was a bit overwhelming to arrive at the school right as it let out at 4 p.m. About 20 kids wanted to touch me and hug me and feel my hair.

I also sat down yesterday with our PC med officer, who was doing site visits. I’ve been having trouble sleeping, and she suggested I take a Benadryl to help out. Worked like a charm last night, lemme tell ya. It was a relief. She also brought a package from the ‘rents with more coffee (yes!), toiletries, a newspaper and snacks. Good stuff. Thanks, fam!

OK, amigos, keep fighting the good fight in the U S of A (or wherever you may be).

Salani kahle!