Golden Gate National Park
Monday, December 31, 2007
Drakensberg Mtns-South to North
Happy New Year from Clarens SA
Happy New Year to family, friends and neighbors! I am missing you very much but realize that 2008 brings our return home and reunion with our loved ones. Hopefully, you haven’t forgotten us and we can catch up on all of the news and cultural events we have missed. May God bless you in 2008 and give you peace and hope, the greatest of gifts! Service in the Peace Corps is a gift but it comes with sacrifices, not only for the volunteer but their family and friends who must fill in the gaps for them. The gaps cover everything from parenting (thanks Al for rising to the task), counseling grieving friends, paying bills and taxes, and taking care of rental property. No matter how carefully one plans for their absence, contingencies and crises arise that cannot be handled from 12,000 miles away. So we are very grateful that our family and friends have supported us and allowed us to abandon our roles in the US to serve AIDS patients in a mission hospital in Zululand. Sometimes we feel very guilty for shirking our place in our home community and our responsibilities as parents, but this has been a fabulous opportunity to use our skills and learn about South Africa. The motto on the blog site is “Do Some Good, Have Some Fun.” At this point in our service, our accomplishments may not be discernable but we sure have had a great time. Enough adventure for a lifetime!
This is the third phase of our Drakensberg Mountain road trip and we have spent the last four days in Clarens, the Free State at the north end bordering Lesotho. Clarens is an art town (don’t look for a pharmacy or supermarket) loaded with art galleries, ceramic studios, metal sculpture, foodie havens with every imaginable jam, pickle, cheese, condiment available (most homemade so I have had to put my Food and Drug training to bed), gourmet restaurants with camembert and fig in pastry, rocket and pear etc. The town is very charming with darling b and b or self catering facilities with oh so precious names like Cottage Pie and Toad House. The setting is at 6000ft next to Golden Gate National Park, aptly named for the fantastic red and gold geologic formations with green lichens growing up the mountain sides. The setting and artsy atmosphere reminds me of Sedona, if Sedona’s rock formations with blown up ten times the size. The park is full of wildflowers and birds this time of year, which is spring here in the high country. The activities here seem to be hiking the mountains or green valleys, touring the art galleries, or enjoying the restaurants and brew pubs. The town is picture perfect with a sandstone church with rooster weather vane, beautiful town square, open air shops and cafes and NO BARBED WIRE anywhere. The spot is great for coots like us but is also full of young couples and motor cyclists who drive from JoBurg (3 hours) for the day to enjoy the gorgeous setting. Tonight we will be celebrating New Years Eve at the Grouse and Claret, and open air restaurant where the evening temperature is 75 degrees. Perfect relaxing and enjoying the setting.
After touring the Midlands Meander for four days, we spent two days at Royal Natal National Park in the north end of the Drakensberg Mountains. The Amphitheater mountain formation stretches 8 km across and is 10000ft high. The light and shadows of the mountains change continually all day, creating mystery and awe. It begs to be climbed but is often shrouded in fog and mist. We caught glimpses of the forms, waterfalls, cascades and huge rock slabs as we hiked the Tugela gorge, a famous valley between the rock slabs. The Drakensberg is named for its sharp peaks like Dragons teeth; the Zulus named it after spear heads.
Tomorrow we head back to Mountain High to plunge back into our jobs and try to squeeze some productivity and sustainability out of the next 6 months. Our goal is to teach computer literacy to any staff member or resident that wants to learn how to use a computer. However, the teaching will be after work hours so it will be interesting to see if anyone shows up. As the weather grows colder I am hoping to have a marathon fleece hat sale, with proceeds slated for the continuation of the occupational therapy program after we go home. We are already feeling the imperative and push for limited time left and not much to show for our efforts. We have learned a huge amount from the experience and a different value system, especially pertaining to urgency and time schedules. We hope when we return to America, our new skills of patience and flexibility will go with us.
This is the third phase of our Drakensberg Mountain road trip and we have spent the last four days in Clarens, the Free State at the north end bordering Lesotho. Clarens is an art town (don’t look for a pharmacy or supermarket) loaded with art galleries, ceramic studios, metal sculpture, foodie havens with every imaginable jam, pickle, cheese, condiment available (most homemade so I have had to put my Food and Drug training to bed), gourmet restaurants with camembert and fig in pastry, rocket and pear etc. The town is very charming with darling b and b or self catering facilities with oh so precious names like Cottage Pie and Toad House. The setting is at 6000ft next to Golden Gate National Park, aptly named for the fantastic red and gold geologic formations with green lichens growing up the mountain sides. The setting and artsy atmosphere reminds me of Sedona, if Sedona’s rock formations with blown up ten times the size. The park is full of wildflowers and birds this time of year, which is spring here in the high country. The activities here seem to be hiking the mountains or green valleys, touring the art galleries, or enjoying the restaurants and brew pubs. The town is picture perfect with a sandstone church with rooster weather vane, beautiful town square, open air shops and cafes and NO BARBED WIRE anywhere. The spot is great for coots like us but is also full of young couples and motor cyclists who drive from JoBurg (3 hours) for the day to enjoy the gorgeous setting. Tonight we will be celebrating New Years Eve at the Grouse and Claret, and open air restaurant where the evening temperature is 75 degrees. Perfect relaxing and enjoying the setting.
After touring the Midlands Meander for four days, we spent two days at Royal Natal National Park in the north end of the Drakensberg Mountains. The Amphitheater mountain formation stretches 8 km across and is 10000ft high. The light and shadows of the mountains change continually all day, creating mystery and awe. It begs to be climbed but is often shrouded in fog and mist. We caught glimpses of the forms, waterfalls, cascades and huge rock slabs as we hiked the Tugela gorge, a famous valley between the rock slabs. The Drakensberg is named for its sharp peaks like Dragons teeth; the Zulus named it after spear heads.
Tomorrow we head back to Mountain High to plunge back into our jobs and try to squeeze some productivity and sustainability out of the next 6 months. Our goal is to teach computer literacy to any staff member or resident that wants to learn how to use a computer. However, the teaching will be after work hours so it will be interesting to see if anyone shows up. As the weather grows colder I am hoping to have a marathon fleece hat sale, with proceeds slated for the continuation of the occupational therapy program after we go home. We are already feeling the imperative and push for limited time left and not much to show for our efforts. We have learned a huge amount from the experience and a different value system, especially pertaining to urgency and time schedules. We hope when we return to America, our new skills of patience and flexibility will go with us.
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Merry Christmas from the Midlands Meander
Giraffes and Zebras at Umgeni Reserve
Brendon eating Lithchi nuts on the porch of our Rondaval
Wildflowers on the trail at Umgeni Reserve
Merry Christmas! Love to You!
Merry Christmas and Blessings to Everyone!!
Santa came early for Bondo! After almost two weeks of waiting, a fancy oral surgeon at a Medical Center in Pretoria pulled out the infected wisdom tooth in 5 minutes with no complications. When asked if I wanted general anesthesia (which would have to be scheduled later) or take my stint in the chair Now Now (means immediately in South Africa), I jumped at the chance to say goodbye to any wisdom remaining and get on with life. The doctor was skillful and professional; two hits with a chisel, two episodes of drilling and two twists of the tooth and it was out laying before me like a trophy. Of course today my jaw looks like Brendon has become a wife beater but all is well with the Bonds.
We started the Christmas holiday by holing up in a country lodge in the Midlands Meander at the foot of the Drakensburg Mountains. This artsy craftsy region consists of rolling hills, lakes, farms and cutesy towns with small craft studios, local cheese manufacturers, fishing and hiking trails. It is named after the Midlands area of the UK which it is supposed to resemble. Perfect for old coots or coot wannabees! Our lodging consists of a darling thatched rondaval with a flower studded porch that looks up at the Giants Castle formation in the Mountains. From our porch we watch long tailed birds duke it out with LBJ (little brown jobs) for territory in the long grasses by the pond. It is decorated in African style with a small ceramic fireplace, trendy Zulu fabrics and African motif tiles. Everything is spanking new and luxurious-even a microwave and café presse but is low budget by American standards. The hospitality industry in South Africa is a treat with small lodges taking on the unique personality of their owner. We purchased groceries for the next 5 days and will be able to have a real Christmas at our new home with the wonderful fresh ingredients available in the markets here. Much of the lodging in South Africa is “Self Catering” which means that you can really be at home while traveling as the digs have kitchen, living area and separate bedroom. After the Midlands tour, we will head to Royal Natal National Park to view the craggy rock formations of the Drakensburg. Then on to Clarens, another artsy community close to Golden Gate National Park. Summer has finally come with long warm days and afternoon showers.
To celebrate our health and this beautiful holiday, we went on a long hike at a local nature preserve, Umgeni. Howick is the closest town to our lodge, known for its waterfalls and boarding schools. Today we chose to go the nearby nature preserve instead of the falls and were not disappointed. What a thrill to arrive and see zebras lounging in the parking area. The hike starts on a high bluff and transverses a steep cliff to a grassy plain where giraffes were munching on tall acacia trees. The area is very green and lush with waterfalls and lovely creeks abounding with ferns and cycads. Flowers were in bloom as it is still spring on this high plain. During the 4 hour hike we passed only two other hikers who said they had spotted a cape buffalo, but alas it was only a blue wildebeest. Birds, bok and butterflies were in abundance on this fine day. Truly a gift of health and well being on Christmas 2008.
We wish all of our family, friends and neighbors a joyful Christmas and Peace in the coming year. We thank you for your support for our service in the Peace Corps and look forward to seeing you this summer when we come home. We love Africa (except when we hate it) and believe that we still have work to do here. We miss you all but are grateful for this opportunity to learn, grow and serve.
Santa came early for Bondo! After almost two weeks of waiting, a fancy oral surgeon at a Medical Center in Pretoria pulled out the infected wisdom tooth in 5 minutes with no complications. When asked if I wanted general anesthesia (which would have to be scheduled later) or take my stint in the chair Now Now (means immediately in South Africa), I jumped at the chance to say goodbye to any wisdom remaining and get on with life. The doctor was skillful and professional; two hits with a chisel, two episodes of drilling and two twists of the tooth and it was out laying before me like a trophy. Of course today my jaw looks like Brendon has become a wife beater but all is well with the Bonds.
We started the Christmas holiday by holing up in a country lodge in the Midlands Meander at the foot of the Drakensburg Mountains. This artsy craftsy region consists of rolling hills, lakes, farms and cutesy towns with small craft studios, local cheese manufacturers, fishing and hiking trails. It is named after the Midlands area of the UK which it is supposed to resemble. Perfect for old coots or coot wannabees! Our lodging consists of a darling thatched rondaval with a flower studded porch that looks up at the Giants Castle formation in the Mountains. From our porch we watch long tailed birds duke it out with LBJ (little brown jobs) for territory in the long grasses by the pond. It is decorated in African style with a small ceramic fireplace, trendy Zulu fabrics and African motif tiles. Everything is spanking new and luxurious-even a microwave and café presse but is low budget by American standards. The hospitality industry in South Africa is a treat with small lodges taking on the unique personality of their owner. We purchased groceries for the next 5 days and will be able to have a real Christmas at our new home with the wonderful fresh ingredients available in the markets here. Much of the lodging in South Africa is “Self Catering” which means that you can really be at home while traveling as the digs have kitchen, living area and separate bedroom. After the Midlands tour, we will head to Royal Natal National Park to view the craggy rock formations of the Drakensburg. Then on to Clarens, another artsy community close to Golden Gate National Park. Summer has finally come with long warm days and afternoon showers.
To celebrate our health and this beautiful holiday, we went on a long hike at a local nature preserve, Umgeni. Howick is the closest town to our lodge, known for its waterfalls and boarding schools. Today we chose to go the nearby nature preserve instead of the falls and were not disappointed. What a thrill to arrive and see zebras lounging in the parking area. The hike starts on a high bluff and transverses a steep cliff to a grassy plain where giraffes were munching on tall acacia trees. The area is very green and lush with waterfalls and lovely creeks abounding with ferns and cycads. Flowers were in bloom as it is still spring on this high plain. During the 4 hour hike we passed only two other hikers who said they had spotted a cape buffalo, but alas it was only a blue wildebeest. Birds, bok and butterflies were in abundance on this fine day. Truly a gift of health and well being on Christmas 2008.
We wish all of our family, friends and neighbors a joyful Christmas and Peace in the coming year. We thank you for your support for our service in the Peace Corps and look forward to seeing you this summer when we come home. We love Africa (except when we hate it) and believe that we still have work to do here. We miss you all but are grateful for this opportunity to learn, grow and serve.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
AIDS Day at Mountain HIgh-Patient Choir
The Jabule Occupational Therapy Group formed a patient choir for AIDS Day and sang a Zulu song about positive living. Their skirts, shirts and beads were all hand made by them during the Jabule sessions each day. Materials for the clothing and beads were a gift from a US Peace Corps grant for care of AIDs patients.Quality Day and View from Mountain High - Spring
Dear Friends and Family, I am in Pretoria waiting to have my nasty wisdom tooth out tomorrow (12-20) so I hope to be a toothless wonder by Friday. Please say a prayer that the surgery will go well and I will be chomping on biltong (local jerky) soon. Love to you all and Merry Christmas. We have great internet here so I will publish more pics.bondo
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Safari Spa
After a tumultuous week, Brendon and I are celebrating Reconciliation Day at a Safari Spa in Zululand, a unique concept that combines wild game park, nature preserve with natural springs and mud baths. Something for everyone! This morning was spent hiking through the game park enjoying the numerous acacias with flowers every color of the rainbow, at least 20 varieties of butterflies and indigenous green scrub covering the rocky mountainsides up to the river which is the source of the spa the verdant paradise that one sees. There are warnings around about the black mambas that lurk in the grasses- one bite from an affronted mamba brings death in 45 minutes. There are also green mambas whose venom is less deadly and whose bright chartreuse color is a delight to behold. (We have spotted dead ones on our dirt road at the Hospital). We hiked down by the crocodile camp which is actually recycled water from the four natural hot water pools. The crocodiles thrive in the warm water. We walked along the edge of the fence of the camp after watching the crocs cruising in the pond and came across two sleeping crocs at the edge of the fence. Their mouths gaped open and they looked like Disney fakes but one opened his eye and growled at Brendon, eyeing lunch for this day. Ironically crocodiles are not feared in the same manner as snakes, which are feared by all cultures in South Africa and given an inordinate amount of attention.
A small delight of the hike was two dung beetles doing their heavy work of rolling a small ball of dung up a slope to their nest. The dung was approximately 1” in diameter and the beetles were less than ½” across. One beetle would spin the huge mound around and the second would push the mound forward, capitalizing on the momentum from the first beetle. What a great allegory for marriage or any partnership where one plus one can be better than two. Their attempts were humorous as times as the huge ball would end up in crevices and they had to roll the ball down the crevice, loosing the ground they had gained. But they were unrelenting and unstoppable in their task of capturing that ball of dung for their common good or whatever it is that dung beetles do with their precious find.
The hot water pools are fun for soaking and meditation, not to mention getting the kinks out of old Peace Corps Volunteers. Tomorrow we may try the hot mud pool down by the river. Kids swimming in the water pool today related their experience. One lowers themselves into the mud which is warm on top but cold on the bottom. The mud feels great on the skin but is a nuisance to remove from hair and body orifices. The mud is like sand and does not stick but one cannot float around in the cauldron. But it sure is a lot of fun to throw at your friend or cousin, who is standing close by.
Trouble seems to strike in threes as last Saturday I woke up at 4am with an impacted wisdom tooth causing pain that throbbed, hissed, jerked, and banged at my jaw. Consultation with a local dentist showed that the half emerged wisdom tooth was infected and needed to be pulled. This is no easy task as there are no local oral surgeons and pulling wisdom teeth from the old (and supposedly wise) American is no easy task. Thus 9 days later I am facing another risk/benefit decision. Plus there is the additional problem of the Christmas holidays when most of South Africa is on their summer vacation.
Impacted wisdom teeth problems pale in comparison with the HIV crisis in South Africa. This week the Hospital driver who was just admitted to the male ward with Pneumonia died and broke everyone’s heart. He was a charming man who just last week won his first game at Bingo and clowned around making the patients laugh and forget their plight. AIDS Day was celebrated on Thursday with speeches, music, candle lighting and the admonishment that “It Starts with YOU”. The needless death of the driver was on everyone’s mind as the Hospital will be at a loss without this essential person and we will miss his friendship. The day was not without its bright moments as the patients in the Jabule handcrafts strutted out in their finest hand sewn skirts, shirts (yes the men are now sewing very trendy African shirts), hats and beading. They formed a choir and entertained the hospital with their four part acapella harmony. They were an inspiration to live not just positively, but to catch the joy of life, in spite of its travails.
A small delight of the hike was two dung beetles doing their heavy work of rolling a small ball of dung up a slope to their nest. The dung was approximately 1” in diameter and the beetles were less than ½” across. One beetle would spin the huge mound around and the second would push the mound forward, capitalizing on the momentum from the first beetle. What a great allegory for marriage or any partnership where one plus one can be better than two. Their attempts were humorous as times as the huge ball would end up in crevices and they had to roll the ball down the crevice, loosing the ground they had gained. But they were unrelenting and unstoppable in their task of capturing that ball of dung for their common good or whatever it is that dung beetles do with their precious find.
The hot water pools are fun for soaking and meditation, not to mention getting the kinks out of old Peace Corps Volunteers. Tomorrow we may try the hot mud pool down by the river. Kids swimming in the water pool today related their experience. One lowers themselves into the mud which is warm on top but cold on the bottom. The mud feels great on the skin but is a nuisance to remove from hair and body orifices. The mud is like sand and does not stick but one cannot float around in the cauldron. But it sure is a lot of fun to throw at your friend or cousin, who is standing close by.
Trouble seems to strike in threes as last Saturday I woke up at 4am with an impacted wisdom tooth causing pain that throbbed, hissed, jerked, and banged at my jaw. Consultation with a local dentist showed that the half emerged wisdom tooth was infected and needed to be pulled. This is no easy task as there are no local oral surgeons and pulling wisdom teeth from the old (and supposedly wise) American is no easy task. Thus 9 days later I am facing another risk/benefit decision. Plus there is the additional problem of the Christmas holidays when most of South Africa is on their summer vacation.
Impacted wisdom teeth problems pale in comparison with the HIV crisis in South Africa. This week the Hospital driver who was just admitted to the male ward with Pneumonia died and broke everyone’s heart. He was a charming man who just last week won his first game at Bingo and clowned around making the patients laugh and forget their plight. AIDS Day was celebrated on Thursday with speeches, music, candle lighting and the admonishment that “It Starts with YOU”. The needless death of the driver was on everyone’s mind as the Hospital will be at a loss without this essential person and we will miss his friendship. The day was not without its bright moments as the patients in the Jabule handcrafts strutted out in their finest hand sewn skirts, shirts (yes the men are now sewing very trendy African shirts), hats and beading. They formed a choir and entertained the hospital with their four part acapella harmony. They were an inspiration to live not just positively, but to catch the joy of life, in spite of its travails.
Sunday, December 02, 2007
Quality Day-2nd Time Around
This week was another lesson in taking life’s bumps and grinds and enjoying the day anyway!
This year the KwaZuluNatal Zululand District Health “Quality Day Nov. 29” was a day to remember for Mountain High Hospital. Last year the Hospital attended as observers at the government hospital’s displays and award roundup. This year Mountain High “put forth its stuff” with photos, graphs, “Problem, Solution, Results” displays, patient handcrafts, and plenty of red, yellow and blue, the Hospital colors. For me the day was a culmination of a year of collecting photos of events (AIDS Day, Patient Fashion Shows, Before and After pictures) and telling the story behind the photos.
“Quality Day” was held at a District Hospital in Ulundi, a 1 ½ hour drive over dirt roads from Mountain View Hospital. The event was supposed to start at 9am, so I tried to round up the driver, vehicle and participants at 7:30am to be able to set up the displays before the speeches began. It has rained almost continuously for the past 2 months so the condition of the road was unpredictable. (The day before the nurse responsible for quality was stranded for 3 hours due to impassable road). The truck was loaded with the display materials and the diesel fuel for the trip was funneled into the tank from plastic carboys. At last we were on our way. In spite of the muddy potholed soaked road, we made the trip without a hitch and arrived at the hospital, which was formerly a Catholic mission. Our display was quickly assembled and we were all proud of our pictorial story with its theme “Mountain High Hospital-Advancing to Quality.” The speeches, dancing Zulus, choirs, and awards went on all day. This event caused a more severe case of TB (Tired Bottom) for those whose Zulu is not what it should be-even the lighthearted jokes were missed, except for a jab by an MC about the excesses of “Quality” exhortation-Even his smile was a “Quality Smile”.
After the last speech at 4:30pm and refreshments (which always consist of beef, rice, squash, curry) it was time to hurry home to do the potholes before darkness set in. I grabbed a large stack of fabric, photos, and handcrafts and headed to the truck. Alas the grassy parking area was full of holes and I felt my left foot twist down into the hole. The stabbing pain prevented me from walking any further so I called to Brendon and he helped me to the truck.
Thus I have spent three days in our one room flat behind the Hospital thinking about our experience here and what we have learned. Such confinement in America to my four bedroom home would have set off depression and anger. However, here I was happy to read – The Poisonwood Bible is an interested parallel to Peace Corps service; the missionaries sole purpose is to evangelize-Peace Corps volunteers are prohibited from proselytizing. However, Peace Corps volunteers and missionaries both make impacts based on relationships with others. So many misunderstandings occur each day but friendships and rapport do develop. Peace Corps service has provided me with a lifetime hobby-Zulu beading- which can be done anywhere, anytime and makes the hours fly. Beading is also a great way to meet people and teach Zulus how to create their culture. Who can resist an invitation to learn how to bead a ring in 2 minutes? So with the added pleasure of space radio and NPR the days have pleasantly drifted by and my foot is healing. A good lesson for the future when Father Time robs one of mobility and health. Happiness is not dependent on circumstances. This experience has produced an improvement in the Serenity prayer which requires one to accept the things that cannot be changed-it is better to not just accept circumstances but relax and enjoy the opportunity! Other Peace Corps volunteers agree that as soon as one realizes that they are stuck at home every night in this country, they develop new interests and learn to make bread, play cards and board games, and even write letters to friends back home.
Several other “calamities” occurred after the foot injury-a major storm knocked out the electricity for 20 hours on Friday and today we have no water (probably due to the electricity issue). However, it is a beautiful spring day and the water will come when it comes.
This year the KwaZuluNatal Zululand District Health “Quality Day Nov. 29” was a day to remember for Mountain High Hospital. Last year the Hospital attended as observers at the government hospital’s displays and award roundup. This year Mountain High “put forth its stuff” with photos, graphs, “Problem, Solution, Results” displays, patient handcrafts, and plenty of red, yellow and blue, the Hospital colors. For me the day was a culmination of a year of collecting photos of events (AIDS Day, Patient Fashion Shows, Before and After pictures) and telling the story behind the photos.
“Quality Day” was held at a District Hospital in Ulundi, a 1 ½ hour drive over dirt roads from Mountain View Hospital. The event was supposed to start at 9am, so I tried to round up the driver, vehicle and participants at 7:30am to be able to set up the displays before the speeches began. It has rained almost continuously for the past 2 months so the condition of the road was unpredictable. (The day before the nurse responsible for quality was stranded for 3 hours due to impassable road). The truck was loaded with the display materials and the diesel fuel for the trip was funneled into the tank from plastic carboys. At last we were on our way. In spite of the muddy potholed soaked road, we made the trip without a hitch and arrived at the hospital, which was formerly a Catholic mission. Our display was quickly assembled and we were all proud of our pictorial story with its theme “Mountain High Hospital-Advancing to Quality.” The speeches, dancing Zulus, choirs, and awards went on all day. This event caused a more severe case of TB (Tired Bottom) for those whose Zulu is not what it should be-even the lighthearted jokes were missed, except for a jab by an MC about the excesses of “Quality” exhortation-Even his smile was a “Quality Smile”.
After the last speech at 4:30pm and refreshments (which always consist of beef, rice, squash, curry) it was time to hurry home to do the potholes before darkness set in. I grabbed a large stack of fabric, photos, and handcrafts and headed to the truck. Alas the grassy parking area was full of holes and I felt my left foot twist down into the hole. The stabbing pain prevented me from walking any further so I called to Brendon and he helped me to the truck.
Thus I have spent three days in our one room flat behind the Hospital thinking about our experience here and what we have learned. Such confinement in America to my four bedroom home would have set off depression and anger. However, here I was happy to read – The Poisonwood Bible is an interested parallel to Peace Corps service; the missionaries sole purpose is to evangelize-Peace Corps volunteers are prohibited from proselytizing. However, Peace Corps volunteers and missionaries both make impacts based on relationships with others. So many misunderstandings occur each day but friendships and rapport do develop. Peace Corps service has provided me with a lifetime hobby-Zulu beading- which can be done anywhere, anytime and makes the hours fly. Beading is also a great way to meet people and teach Zulus how to create their culture. Who can resist an invitation to learn how to bead a ring in 2 minutes? So with the added pleasure of space radio and NPR the days have pleasantly drifted by and my foot is healing. A good lesson for the future when Father Time robs one of mobility and health. Happiness is not dependent on circumstances. This experience has produced an improvement in the Serenity prayer which requires one to accept the things that cannot be changed-it is better to not just accept circumstances but relax and enjoy the opportunity! Other Peace Corps volunteers agree that as soon as one realizes that they are stuck at home every night in this country, they develop new interests and learn to make bread, play cards and board games, and even write letters to friends back home.
Several other “calamities” occurred after the foot injury-a major storm knocked out the electricity for 20 hours on Friday and today we have no water (probably due to the electricity issue). However, it is a beautiful spring day and the water will come when it comes.
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