This week we had lectures on HIV epidemiology, Traditional Medicine. Africanism, stuff like that. Different lecturers from different places..the usual. Nothing too exciting happened this week except for both Wednesday and Thursday night the electricity went out. I think it’s all a ploy to conserve electricity. Actually I’m almost positive it is. It cut out a 6:30 both nights. Apparently they like tell them when they are going to do this. Some of the mamas are all up in arms cause the white neighborhood never gets cut out. Also they can afford to light the big mall neon green at night..it’s hideous. So that was fun. I told mama I was use to it from hurricanes and stuff but that it was for weeks. She was like whooa. Thankfully mama had already made dinner and such so it was all good. During Generations there are always notices that come up on the screen saving electricity is low continue to use electricity wisely.
I got my CHS papers back..got an A on both! We went and saw Remember Me because American movies are like our security blanket. The movie was ehh…but that was expected. Twist at the end..beware those who might see it.
Other than that it was a pretty usual week in Cato. Things are winding down. Today I moved out of Cato. Mama left at 7am to work..we said goodbye – Mama is like me so it was pretty unemotional. Hugs goodbye and such. Gave them little gifts. Now I’m at the Happy Hippo again and were staying for 5 nights. April 1st I will be going to Pietermaritzburg.
Some interesting things to note, note sure if they are politically correct to write on a blog but here goes:
- A woman asks if there are only white people overseas.
- A boy asks if we speak English or Afrikaans in America.
- Also didn’t realize that to some people (which this makes sense) if you say your from America, that doesn’t necessarily mean the United States. Because there is South and North America. It makes sense, we should stop just assuming that everyone realizes were from the U.S. when we say America…because indeed saying America is vague.
So I have to redo my ISP ethics proposal since my topic has changed…bummer.
A haiku about South Africa:
Durban is super cool.
At our school I jump in pool.
Food may cause lose stool.
That was mildly inappropriate…here is a more educational one:
Rugby, cricket, match
It is the Rainbow Nation
Live by ubuntu
Health is big issue
Funding may not be of help
Caring is needed
You can call me Poe
I write haikus that’s fo sho
Money, yes I need more
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
About the meatballs..
1. I had to do them stovetop so I already have factors working against me
2. The meat I had to work with was subpar
3. The pans I had to use were limited and didn’t have appropriate lids
Having said that..the meatballs were gross. They fell apart so I made them mini hamburgers. It was fatty meat so it was greasy too. Andile loved them…I did not. I sat in my room embarrassed while they helped themselves when they finally got home.
The potatoes on the other hand I thought were very good. I boiled them and added my own butter garlic herby stuff on top that was pretty legit. But I don’t think they ever eat potatoes with skin on them so they like didn’t know what to do. I also made a salad they didn’t touch..but that’s usual. The salad is mainly for me.
Overall..it was a bust. But I plan on ordering pizza on Friday night..that should end the homestay on a good note. I can’t leave having this be the last meal I made. I really wanted to make brownies but our oven doesn’t work.
On another note..I got my third hep B shot today because I had to complete the series before I leave. Anywho it was very interesting. I went to a nice family practice nearby. I walked in and I was like I called about the shot and she was like ok come back. And she was going to just give me the shot and then was like wait have you been here before and I was like no. So she decided it was best I fill out some paperwork. The paperwork was a scrap sheet of paper. I filled in my name birthday (which the lady was like is this the 6th of july or the 7th of june cause they write it a different way) and the address here. That was it..very surprising. They didn’t even want to know that I had gotten the two before or anything..they didn’t care. So I walked back, wore a strategically easy shirt for shots and she was like I need to put it in your buttocks. So I began to allow her to do that and shes like no your shorts are low enough and sticks it in my love handle. Yup I got a shot in my love handle! I should probably take that as a hint..I have enough fat there to get a shot. So that’s a new one. They absolutely love injections here. You come in with a cold and they are like no worries and inject you, but never ever in the arm always in the butt or in my case love handle.
Just wanted to update everyone on that. This week we are having more lectures.
Academic Update:
Handed in my field study journal today. It is where you keep all your notes and analysis relating to your ISP. Next week we have to hand in our final CHS paper.
Grandpa – I played hearts on my computer and went for it all and I got it…I won!
2. The meat I had to work with was subpar
3. The pans I had to use were limited and didn’t have appropriate lids
Having said that..the meatballs were gross. They fell apart so I made them mini hamburgers. It was fatty meat so it was greasy too. Andile loved them…I did not. I sat in my room embarrassed while they helped themselves when they finally got home.
The potatoes on the other hand I thought were very good. I boiled them and added my own butter garlic herby stuff on top that was pretty legit. But I don’t think they ever eat potatoes with skin on them so they like didn’t know what to do. I also made a salad they didn’t touch..but that’s usual. The salad is mainly for me.
Overall..it was a bust. But I plan on ordering pizza on Friday night..that should end the homestay on a good note. I can’t leave having this be the last meal I made. I really wanted to make brownies but our oven doesn’t work.
On another note..I got my third hep B shot today because I had to complete the series before I leave. Anywho it was very interesting. I went to a nice family practice nearby. I walked in and I was like I called about the shot and she was like ok come back. And she was going to just give me the shot and then was like wait have you been here before and I was like no. So she decided it was best I fill out some paperwork. The paperwork was a scrap sheet of paper. I filled in my name birthday (which the lady was like is this the 6th of july or the 7th of june cause they write it a different way) and the address here. That was it..very surprising. They didn’t even want to know that I had gotten the two before or anything..they didn’t care. So I walked back, wore a strategically easy shirt for shots and she was like I need to put it in your buttocks. So I began to allow her to do that and shes like no your shorts are low enough and sticks it in my love handle. Yup I got a shot in my love handle! I should probably take that as a hint..I have enough fat there to get a shot. So that’s a new one. They absolutely love injections here. You come in with a cold and they are like no worries and inject you, but never ever in the arm always in the butt or in my case love handle.
Just wanted to update everyone on that. This week we are having more lectures.
Academic Update:
Handed in my field study journal today. It is where you keep all your notes and analysis relating to your ISP. Next week we have to hand in our final CHS paper.
Grandpa – I played hearts on my computer and went for it all and I got it…I won!
Monday, March 22, 2010
Last Full Weekend In Cato
So this was my last full weekend in Cato. We had the farewell part on Friday night. Mama couldn't come to it because she was working but Penny, Andile, and Siyanda came. It was at the community center Cato has and S'du and Thula transported all of us there. The food was catered..we had steam bread, rice, beans, chicken, lamb, pasta..all that kind of stuff. We had the opportunity to say some nice things about our family so I did that. Then we sang to them. We sang Shosholoza, our National Anthem, and then Build Me Up Buttercup for fun! We sounded uhh subpar, but its the effort that counts. After that we basically went back to our houses cause it was like 10 and thats past our bedtime..and we missed Generations!
Saturday, we went to the Pavilion..imagine that...and we went and saw Shutter Island. Its pretty good..we all thought it was going to be scary but it wasn't at all and very realistic..I would recommend it. Then we shopped around a bit. Ordered an iced cappicino...got a room temperature inch of coffee with 3/4ths foam..so still figuring out what means what here. Actual iced coffee drinks are hard to come by..most of them come in the form of milkshakes. Oh and remember when I said I am convinced that all the hamburgers here are mutton. Well they are...this is how I know...we decided we needed to ask the McDonalds in the mall if their hamburgers are beef. So Emma goes and asks..the following is their conversation:
Are your hamburgers beef?
No, they are chicken.
Ok but are the hamburgers beef?
Yes
So they aren't lamb?
And the lady walks away..basically she doesn't know.
Or its a conspiracy. Either way..I'm making hamburgers as in with beef as in from a cow tonight for my family..we will see if they have ever had anything that tasted like this!
Saturday night we had a girls night...like thats hard..there are no boys. Anywho some of us went to Lauren's house and watched Forgetting Sarah Marshall on her laptop and drank wine and ate chocolate. It was nice.
Sunday I went to church with Emma and her Mama. It was in a little shack thingy..it was loud..not too different from our church though..except everything was in Zulu and it lasted 3 hours. And the lady next to me kept holding out the book expecting me to sing along..funny. Then we had a mini party for Lungelo.. Emma's brother. Then we did nothing. We went out to eat at this Mediterranean restaurant and it was soooo good. I had this sesame coconut chicken with cous cous. Then Dad we found Bean Bag Bohemia..it was alright..more of a day scene then a night scene I think.
Monday, today, we have off cause its a public holiday because yesterday was Human Rights Day. So were going to the beach today. And I'm cooking tonight.
A few things I have learned about South Africa:
- You have to ask for the bill..not the check.
- The TV shows don't start on time..and they don't start like on the every thirty min thing.
- Small children roam around Cato. They always come running for me to pick them up..then I carry them like halfway down the road then I let them go but they don't speak English so who knows where they live and now how far away I've taken them from their house. But oh well.
- The pound key is called hash.
- They've never heard of ketchup.
Saturday, we went to the Pavilion..imagine that...and we went and saw Shutter Island. Its pretty good..we all thought it was going to be scary but it wasn't at all and very realistic..I would recommend it. Then we shopped around a bit. Ordered an iced cappicino...got a room temperature inch of coffee with 3/4ths foam..so still figuring out what means what here. Actual iced coffee drinks are hard to come by..most of them come in the form of milkshakes. Oh and remember when I said I am convinced that all the hamburgers here are mutton. Well they are...this is how I know...we decided we needed to ask the McDonalds in the mall if their hamburgers are beef. So Emma goes and asks..the following is their conversation:
Are your hamburgers beef?
No, they are chicken.
Ok but are the hamburgers beef?
Yes
So they aren't lamb?
And the lady walks away..basically she doesn't know.
Or its a conspiracy. Either way..I'm making hamburgers as in with beef as in from a cow tonight for my family..we will see if they have ever had anything that tasted like this!
Saturday night we had a girls night...like thats hard..there are no boys. Anywho some of us went to Lauren's house and watched Forgetting Sarah Marshall on her laptop and drank wine and ate chocolate. It was nice.
Sunday I went to church with Emma and her Mama. It was in a little shack thingy..it was loud..not too different from our church though..except everything was in Zulu and it lasted 3 hours. And the lady next to me kept holding out the book expecting me to sing along..funny. Then we had a mini party for Lungelo.. Emma's brother. Then we did nothing. We went out to eat at this Mediterranean restaurant and it was soooo good. I had this sesame coconut chicken with cous cous. Then Dad we found Bean Bag Bohemia..it was alright..more of a day scene then a night scene I think.
Monday, today, we have off cause its a public holiday because yesterday was Human Rights Day. So were going to the beach today. And I'm cooking tonight.
A few things I have learned about South Africa:
- You have to ask for the bill..not the check.
- The TV shows don't start on time..and they don't start like on the every thirty min thing.
- Small children roam around Cato. They always come running for me to pick them up..then I carry them like halfway down the road then I let them go but they don't speak English so who knows where they live and now how far away I've taken them from their house. But oh well.
- The pound key is called hash.
- They've never heard of ketchup.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Update
I am referred to as the young one or gameplan. Young one is self explanatory…I’m the youngest. Two sophomores..I am one and about 6 months younger than the other one. Gameplan because I am always saying ok here’s the gameplan or whats the gameplan.
This week we’ve been having lectures on reproductive health, epidemiology, public health policies, health care systems..yup. It’s been interesting. Yesterday, Zandile, our academic director, took Hannah and I to Pietermaritzburg to meet with the NGO that we are going to work with now. Pietermaritzburg is the capital of the KwaZulu-Natal province and is about 40 minutes northwest of Durban. We met with Siyaphila, which is the NGO, and then looked at backpackers to stay with.
Siyaphila basically is a liaison between the hospital and the patients. They provide ART education before the patients receive their ARVs. They provide support groups with those who have HIV and they do door to door visits making sure they are staying with their medicine regimen. They use to have a TB program as well but have little to no funding so that went down the drain. Hannah and I’s role is to revive the TB program. I would say you could google the NGO but you can’t cause they aren’t online..we are gonna fix that too. So basically were gonna make a website for them, get them started with some advertising, learn to write up proposals and teach them and find funders for them. They don’t have internet so hopefully were gonna get them set up with that too. A lot of stuff for only the three weeks we have. Hopefully we can get most of it accomplished. Should have been a business major..blasphemy!
It’s pretty legit cause most of the ISPs are all about observing and some you can help out but this is a complete practicum where we will basically be revamping a part of this NGO. I’m really looking forward to it. We also found a backpackers, Sleepy Hollow, which you can google. We will stay there in a dorm style room. R110 a night with every fifth night free..pretty good deal and also they have activities you can do everyday and they do rafting and stuff like that..pretty sweet!
So that was yesterday. Potential plan for the weekend is as follows:
Friday – farewell dinner with all the mamas and our fams
Saturday – Stadium with Mama
Sunday – Zulu beer making with Julia’s mama and Emma’s bro’s birthday
- I also have the internet stick that day so be on the lookout for me
- Sunday is also human rights day
Monday – Public Holiday – no class = beach
And Mom/Dad..if you were worried that you paid for your daughter to have a 4 month vacay in SA..your wrong..I’m working on my 4th paper..its laborious, filled with analysis and big words..be proud.
Grandma/Grandpa I got your two cards today...thank you!
This week we’ve been having lectures on reproductive health, epidemiology, public health policies, health care systems..yup. It’s been interesting. Yesterday, Zandile, our academic director, took Hannah and I to Pietermaritzburg to meet with the NGO that we are going to work with now. Pietermaritzburg is the capital of the KwaZulu-Natal province and is about 40 minutes northwest of Durban. We met with Siyaphila, which is the NGO, and then looked at backpackers to stay with.
Siyaphila basically is a liaison between the hospital and the patients. They provide ART education before the patients receive their ARVs. They provide support groups with those who have HIV and they do door to door visits making sure they are staying with their medicine regimen. They use to have a TB program as well but have little to no funding so that went down the drain. Hannah and I’s role is to revive the TB program. I would say you could google the NGO but you can’t cause they aren’t online..we are gonna fix that too. So basically were gonna make a website for them, get them started with some advertising, learn to write up proposals and teach them and find funders for them. They don’t have internet so hopefully were gonna get them set up with that too. A lot of stuff for only the three weeks we have. Hopefully we can get most of it accomplished. Should have been a business major..blasphemy!
It’s pretty legit cause most of the ISPs are all about observing and some you can help out but this is a complete practicum where we will basically be revamping a part of this NGO. I’m really looking forward to it. We also found a backpackers, Sleepy Hollow, which you can google. We will stay there in a dorm style room. R110 a night with every fifth night free..pretty good deal and also they have activities you can do everyday and they do rafting and stuff like that..pretty sweet!
So that was yesterday. Potential plan for the weekend is as follows:
Friday – farewell dinner with all the mamas and our fams
Saturday – Stadium with Mama
Sunday – Zulu beer making with Julia’s mama and Emma’s bro’s birthday
- I also have the internet stick that day so be on the lookout for me
- Sunday is also human rights day
Monday – Public Holiday – no class = beach
And Mom/Dad..if you were worried that you paid for your daughter to have a 4 month vacay in SA..your wrong..I’m working on my 4th paper..its laborious, filled with analysis and big words..be proud.
Grandma/Grandpa I got your two cards today...thank you!
Monday, March 15, 2010
Media Week
This past week we had lectures in our classroom on media and development policy. It was very interesting learning communication strategies and how the media advocates for social change. Anywho we had different lecturers for the University of KwaZulu-Natal.
Nothing too exciting this week. Friday we got dropped off at the mall after class and I shopped around, bought a book, ate dinner, then came back home. Been watching episodes of Numbers because that comes on right before Generations…old episodes.. all the series here are reruns. Also one of the girls had the whole first season on Glee on her computer so I took that from here and am now watching episodes of Glee. I also worked on two of the three papers that are due this week. I had a media paper due today, Monday, and two CHS papers due Friday. I finished two papers so I’m good to go.
Saturday morning I woke up and starting working on my papers again..its amazing how much you can get done when your not in a suite or on a hall with all your friends! Then some of us caught a mini-bus taxi to the mall again. The four of them went and saw Alice in Wonderland..I opted out. Never liked the movie as a child..I think I always knew it was creepy and weird. I’ve adopting a new technique..I’ll save money but not doing the things that I really don’t have the biggest interest in doing..its working well for me! I’ve also realized when I go to the grocery store that if I don’t buy it, I won’t eat it!
Anyway so they went and saw the movie, I went to the internet café at the mall and worked, cause I’m a loser..whatever. Then we shopped. I bought a shirt at Mr. Price. Mr. Price is where we all get our clothes..and we all get the same thing cause the amount of decent stuff is limited. Lauren and I agreed that Mr. Price is like the clothing section in Target. I also bought a swim suit that cost me $7 so that’s legit.
Saturday I came back and worked on my papers some more. Watched more Glee episodes. Ate a ton cause Mama is trying to get me fat still. We have a mirror in our bathroom parallel to the tub..my self-esteem plummets every time I take a bath.
Sunday I went to the beach with some of the other girls and their Mamas. I took Andile with me. Actually Mama says, “Andile will go with you!” Beach was fun. There is a little water park next to the beach for the kids so that was cool. I read my book. I’m trying to read more. I think it will make me more intelligent. This Friday is the Cato Manor Farewell. We all go to the beach with our Mama’s and eat and such. However, I as well as a lot of others are staying longer with our Mama’s. We get the option to move into our ISP accommodations on Saturday or stay in Cato. I’m staying a week longer. Mama thought I would stay longer than that but I’m not, she’s disappointed. So March 27th I’m moving into the Happy Hippo until April 1st when I will move into my ISP accommodations.
Which by the way..my ISP is getting kind switched around. I’ll keep everyone updated but who knows what I am doing now. The hospital wants me to work with Siyaphila, this NGO that deals with HIV because I can actually help them instead of observe. Well we will see.
Oh and I got a B in Zulu..typical.
Nothing too exciting this week. Friday we got dropped off at the mall after class and I shopped around, bought a book, ate dinner, then came back home. Been watching episodes of Numbers because that comes on right before Generations…old episodes.. all the series here are reruns. Also one of the girls had the whole first season on Glee on her computer so I took that from here and am now watching episodes of Glee. I also worked on two of the three papers that are due this week. I had a media paper due today, Monday, and two CHS papers due Friday. I finished two papers so I’m good to go.
Saturday morning I woke up and starting working on my papers again..its amazing how much you can get done when your not in a suite or on a hall with all your friends! Then some of us caught a mini-bus taxi to the mall again. The four of them went and saw Alice in Wonderland..I opted out. Never liked the movie as a child..I think I always knew it was creepy and weird. I’ve adopting a new technique..I’ll save money but not doing the things that I really don’t have the biggest interest in doing..its working well for me! I’ve also realized when I go to the grocery store that if I don’t buy it, I won’t eat it!
Anyway so they went and saw the movie, I went to the internet café at the mall and worked, cause I’m a loser..whatever. Then we shopped. I bought a shirt at Mr. Price. Mr. Price is where we all get our clothes..and we all get the same thing cause the amount of decent stuff is limited. Lauren and I agreed that Mr. Price is like the clothing section in Target. I also bought a swim suit that cost me $7 so that’s legit.
Saturday I came back and worked on my papers some more. Watched more Glee episodes. Ate a ton cause Mama is trying to get me fat still. We have a mirror in our bathroom parallel to the tub..my self-esteem plummets every time I take a bath.
Sunday I went to the beach with some of the other girls and their Mamas. I took Andile with me. Actually Mama says, “Andile will go with you!” Beach was fun. There is a little water park next to the beach for the kids so that was cool. I read my book. I’m trying to read more. I think it will make me more intelligent. This Friday is the Cato Manor Farewell. We all go to the beach with our Mama’s and eat and such. However, I as well as a lot of others are staying longer with our Mama’s. We get the option to move into our ISP accommodations on Saturday or stay in Cato. I’m staying a week longer. Mama thought I would stay longer than that but I’m not, she’s disappointed. So March 27th I’m moving into the Happy Hippo until April 1st when I will move into my ISP accommodations.
Which by the way..my ISP is getting kind switched around. I’ll keep everyone updated but who knows what I am doing now. The hospital wants me to work with Siyaphila, this NGO that deals with HIV because I can actually help them instead of observe. Well we will see.
Oh and I got a B in Zulu..typical.
Monday, March 8, 2010
Weekendness
I had a fun and productive weekend. Friday after class, I hung with Emma at her house for a bit then I went back home to hang with Mama. Siyanda was getting ready for prom which was fun! He already graduated but they get asked back the year after. Watched Generations, ate, worked on my ISP (independent study project) proposal then went to bed.
Saturday we went into Durban to the soccer game at the Moses Mabhida Stadium (World Cup Stadium) it was AmaZulu, who are from Durban, against Supersport United, from Pretoria. AmaZulu won 3-0! The stadium is awesome! I’m gonna visit the one in Cape Town when I go there after the program as well. Oh ya I’m staying an extra week now so I’m not leaving till May 13th! So anyway, the stadium is awesome. They have this gondola thingy that you can go up on to the top of the stadium to see all of Durban which Emma and I plan to do with our Mama’s next weekend. My Mama expressed that she really wanted to do that. So story..Emma and I (by the way Emma isn’t my only friend she just happened to be with me a lot this weekend haha..I do have other friends) went to the concession stand at the stadium and it was chaos. Apparently it’s not important to create lines for the concessions. It reminded me of like the paparazzi or something everyone was just crowded around shoving money everywhere. Emma and I realized we had to be aggressive to get our food. So I was in there pushing with the rest of them and once a person moved from the counter I threw my elbow at a very tall man and wiggled myself into the space. I think I’ve become very citiyfied if that’s a word. It’s going to be interesting though at the World Cup..I wonder if the South Africans will be budding in and pushing to get to the front whereas the international peeps will be trying to create lines. Anywho, we made local friends at the game and photographers that will be covering the World Cup.
Then I got us a taxi…I do that too now. New York City has nothing on me! We went back to Happy Hippo where we were staying. Happy Hippo was happening there were a lot of young people from the UK and Germany and Australia so we chatted with them a bit. The UK people were here on a project that like has to do with soccer or something I don’t know. Then we went to a Thai restaurant on Florida Rd, which Florida Rd is like the bar/restaurant strip but mainly where white South Africans and tourists go..so that was quite a new scene for us haha. Then we went back to the Happy Hippo and drank the Bafana Bafana wine we found..since we are obsessed with Bafana Bafana.
Sunday Emma and I took Julia to the hospital because the bite she got during the last rural homestay got worse and the pain shooting up her leg got worse. So going to the hospital there was fun. The hospital was in a very nice part of town so the services were much like what we have but the facilities are a little different. Generally we didn’t wait as long as I have in the U.S. Oh but they did ask her how tall and how much she weighed and we were like uhhh we know it in feet and inches and pounds. That didn’t really help them. So then she weighed herself and found out what the kilograms were and we were trying to make up what we thought that was in pounds. Then we ate..I like feta cheese now a lot. Also we’ve learned not to order when it says Ice Tea or Lemonade on the menu because we get lipton out of the can ice tea and schwapps or whatever it is lemonade out of the can which is carbonated…we’ve made that mistake numerous times now. Also I have a theory that they don’t use beef in their hamburgers here. I think it is all mutton. I’m starting to think that’s a known thing and we are just not aware. I seemed to be the only critic of this though…perhaps the others don’t taste the very interesting different taste of the hamburger patties here. Anyway maybe it’s cheaper or maybe it’s because a lot of people are Indian and then don’t eat beef.
Then we basically worked on ISP proposal and chilled out for the rest of Sunday. Now for the rest of the week I will be in a media program. Half of us are going to the Red Cross and learning about home based care while the other half which I am in are staying at the SIT house and we have people coming in to teach us about media in South Africa and their efforts to educate the public on health and such. So that’s what I’m doing all week.
Mama’s birthday is today. I’m making spaghetti again with salad and bread and bringing her flowers and a cake.
I got Gma’s card by the way last week!!!!
Saturday we went into Durban to the soccer game at the Moses Mabhida Stadium (World Cup Stadium) it was AmaZulu, who are from Durban, against Supersport United, from Pretoria. AmaZulu won 3-0! The stadium is awesome! I’m gonna visit the one in Cape Town when I go there after the program as well. Oh ya I’m staying an extra week now so I’m not leaving till May 13th! So anyway, the stadium is awesome. They have this gondola thingy that you can go up on to the top of the stadium to see all of Durban which Emma and I plan to do with our Mama’s next weekend. My Mama expressed that she really wanted to do that. So story..Emma and I (by the way Emma isn’t my only friend she just happened to be with me a lot this weekend haha..I do have other friends) went to the concession stand at the stadium and it was chaos. Apparently it’s not important to create lines for the concessions. It reminded me of like the paparazzi or something everyone was just crowded around shoving money everywhere. Emma and I realized we had to be aggressive to get our food. So I was in there pushing with the rest of them and once a person moved from the counter I threw my elbow at a very tall man and wiggled myself into the space. I think I’ve become very citiyfied if that’s a word. It’s going to be interesting though at the World Cup..I wonder if the South Africans will be budding in and pushing to get to the front whereas the international peeps will be trying to create lines. Anywho, we made local friends at the game and photographers that will be covering the World Cup.
Then I got us a taxi…I do that too now. New York City has nothing on me! We went back to Happy Hippo where we were staying. Happy Hippo was happening there were a lot of young people from the UK and Germany and Australia so we chatted with them a bit. The UK people were here on a project that like has to do with soccer or something I don’t know. Then we went to a Thai restaurant on Florida Rd, which Florida Rd is like the bar/restaurant strip but mainly where white South Africans and tourists go..so that was quite a new scene for us haha. Then we went back to the Happy Hippo and drank the Bafana Bafana wine we found..since we are obsessed with Bafana Bafana.
Sunday Emma and I took Julia to the hospital because the bite she got during the last rural homestay got worse and the pain shooting up her leg got worse. So going to the hospital there was fun. The hospital was in a very nice part of town so the services were much like what we have but the facilities are a little different. Generally we didn’t wait as long as I have in the U.S. Oh but they did ask her how tall and how much she weighed and we were like uhhh we know it in feet and inches and pounds. That didn’t really help them. So then she weighed herself and found out what the kilograms were and we were trying to make up what we thought that was in pounds. Then we ate..I like feta cheese now a lot. Also we’ve learned not to order when it says Ice Tea or Lemonade on the menu because we get lipton out of the can ice tea and schwapps or whatever it is lemonade out of the can which is carbonated…we’ve made that mistake numerous times now. Also I have a theory that they don’t use beef in their hamburgers here. I think it is all mutton. I’m starting to think that’s a known thing and we are just not aware. I seemed to be the only critic of this though…perhaps the others don’t taste the very interesting different taste of the hamburger patties here. Anyway maybe it’s cheaper or maybe it’s because a lot of people are Indian and then don’t eat beef.
Then we basically worked on ISP proposal and chilled out for the rest of Sunday. Now for the rest of the week I will be in a media program. Half of us are going to the Red Cross and learning about home based care while the other half which I am in are staying at the SIT house and we have people coming in to teach us about media in South Africa and their efforts to educate the public on health and such. So that’s what I’m doing all week.
Mama’s birthday is today. I’m making spaghetti again with salad and bread and bringing her flowers and a cake.
I got Gma’s card by the way last week!!!!
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Mthwalume
This past week we spent in our last rural homestay in Mthwalume which is on the South Coast. I should note that I have been craving chocolate (specifically brownies), coke, and coffee like no one has craved anything before. I yearn for it honestly! So I realized what these had in common…caffeine! I guess I don’t get nearly as much as I do when I’m at home. Anywho so Monday started off with a cappuccino that I got from Steers which is like South Africa’s hmmm Burger King perhaps. I was a happy camper! They don’t drink much real coffee in the homes that we stay at just instant Ricoffy coffee. I’ve gotten use to it though..blaaa.
We arrived in Mthwalume early so we chilled at the beach for a bit. Then we got dropped off at our homestays. Becca and I’s family was pretty well off so that was a surprise. We stayed in a house with ten other people, Gogo (grandma), Mama, her sister, and seven children. We settled in very nicely. This is the first time SIT has had students go there so all the families were really excited to get the opportunity to host students (Americans). We ate..standard. Slept.
Tuesday we got picked up and visited a TB hospital that was in the community. They don’t treat MDR or XDR TB so they didn’t have too many patients but nevertheless to have a TB hospital in that rural community is a blessing. Then we visited a clinic that serves 6,000 people a month but is tiny. The nurse there which by the way the nurses prescribe medications and what not and give them to you right then. Anywho, the nurse there practically had no time the lines are ridiculous. The Love Life Center came next which is an afterschool program for the kids where about twice a week they have “classes” and debates teaching them about things like body image and HIV…stuff like that. It’s a shame though because currently the place we visited doesn’t have enough money to pay their electric bill so they have no electricity. They are still functioning though. Unfortunately it seems like Love Life might be a thing of the past. Once we got back to the family Becca and I read our books. I am currently reading Say You’re One Of Them which I think Dad you bought around Christmas time or something. Anyway it’s pretty good, its filled with stories of children in Africa. We had the best dinner ever that night! We had steam bread, which I will make when I come home..maybe, chicken..like I had a legit chicken quarter, and then this spinach type stuff that they grow in their gardens are cooked down into basically cooked spinach.
Each morning we also had a feast of eggs, bacon, hot dog thingys, rice krispies, tons of fruit, juice, tea, bread…they treated us soooo well. Since we were the first Americans they had met we asked them what they thought we would be like and they said glamorous, basically you know really rich and diva-like haha. Somehow we asked them if that’s how we were and they said absolutely not, that we were just like them..eating their food living how they live. I’m glad this is their impression however being glamorous wouldn’t be awful either. Nonetheless I’m glad they are getting this impression of Americans! Now I’m scared what everyone else thinks..all they see is MTV and what not..50 Cent is not my image of America.
Wednesday we visited an art center..where the women come together to do a lot of bead work and pottery too and then sell it for a living. We came and made AIDS ribbons out of beads, ridiculously hard by the way. I have a whole new respect for them now. It took us about 3 hours to do them and most of us didn’t finish. Mine is beautiful! Then we visited a primary school which I was very impressed by. Not only do they teach them academic stuff, they also teach them life skills. They are practicing permaculture and making backpacks our of their reusable food bags. They are teaching them lessons on abuse by teaching them songs, which I have a video of a 1st grader singing us the song. He is so animated; it’s the cutest thing ever! Lunch was at the beach at a restaurant there. I ordered coffee again and I was a new woman if you will! After lunch we traveled to the Sangoma’s house. She works mainly with water as a cure but also some herbs. She also refers patients to the hospital if need be. We had a photo shoot with the family when we got back and they absolutely had a blast, especially when I suggested we do funny faces. I think they laughed for about 15 minutes when I showed them their faces…quite the bondingness! We watched Generations every night of course. Opted to not use the pee bucket/tubs inside the house. Fumigated our room with enough Doom to kill a small child every night as well however the last night we saw our first cockroach. We spent about 15 minutes chasing it around the room with Doom..it finally took shelter under Becca’s bed (oh ya we had our own separate beds). I was pretty ok with that..decided it would crawl on her first during the night.
Next morning I left the 3 year old put some make up on me..looked better than I was looking so great success overall. Decided to shower at the SIT house before coming back to Cato…Cato Mama secretly appreciated that. Narrowing down my ISP and picking accommodations. Edendale hospital has an iteach NGO program within the hospital that researches and helps traditional healers work with the hospitals in treating TB. I’ll probably research more into that program and live in Pietermaritzburg for my ISP.
This weekend…home on Friday gotta work on my ISP proposal and CHS paper. Saturday some of us are going into Durban to go to the beach then 3:30pm soccer game ABSA premiership league game in the Durban Fifa Stadium. R20 for the game..pretty legit. Then stay in Durban for the night at the Happy Hippo again. I will have internet that night so everyone should get on, perhaps staggered timing though I get a little overwhelmed. Got another letter from Gran and Pa…they are definitely in the running for my biggest fans!
We arrived in Mthwalume early so we chilled at the beach for a bit. Then we got dropped off at our homestays. Becca and I’s family was pretty well off so that was a surprise. We stayed in a house with ten other people, Gogo (grandma), Mama, her sister, and seven children. We settled in very nicely. This is the first time SIT has had students go there so all the families were really excited to get the opportunity to host students (Americans). We ate..standard. Slept.
Tuesday we got picked up and visited a TB hospital that was in the community. They don’t treat MDR or XDR TB so they didn’t have too many patients but nevertheless to have a TB hospital in that rural community is a blessing. Then we visited a clinic that serves 6,000 people a month but is tiny. The nurse there which by the way the nurses prescribe medications and what not and give them to you right then. Anywho, the nurse there practically had no time the lines are ridiculous. The Love Life Center came next which is an afterschool program for the kids where about twice a week they have “classes” and debates teaching them about things like body image and HIV…stuff like that. It’s a shame though because currently the place we visited doesn’t have enough money to pay their electric bill so they have no electricity. They are still functioning though. Unfortunately it seems like Love Life might be a thing of the past. Once we got back to the family Becca and I read our books. I am currently reading Say You’re One Of Them which I think Dad you bought around Christmas time or something. Anyway it’s pretty good, its filled with stories of children in Africa. We had the best dinner ever that night! We had steam bread, which I will make when I come home..maybe, chicken..like I had a legit chicken quarter, and then this spinach type stuff that they grow in their gardens are cooked down into basically cooked spinach.
Each morning we also had a feast of eggs, bacon, hot dog thingys, rice krispies, tons of fruit, juice, tea, bread…they treated us soooo well. Since we were the first Americans they had met we asked them what they thought we would be like and they said glamorous, basically you know really rich and diva-like haha. Somehow we asked them if that’s how we were and they said absolutely not, that we were just like them..eating their food living how they live. I’m glad this is their impression however being glamorous wouldn’t be awful either. Nonetheless I’m glad they are getting this impression of Americans! Now I’m scared what everyone else thinks..all they see is MTV and what not..50 Cent is not my image of America.
Wednesday we visited an art center..where the women come together to do a lot of bead work and pottery too and then sell it for a living. We came and made AIDS ribbons out of beads, ridiculously hard by the way. I have a whole new respect for them now. It took us about 3 hours to do them and most of us didn’t finish. Mine is beautiful! Then we visited a primary school which I was very impressed by. Not only do they teach them academic stuff, they also teach them life skills. They are practicing permaculture and making backpacks our of their reusable food bags. They are teaching them lessons on abuse by teaching them songs, which I have a video of a 1st grader singing us the song. He is so animated; it’s the cutest thing ever! Lunch was at the beach at a restaurant there. I ordered coffee again and I was a new woman if you will! After lunch we traveled to the Sangoma’s house. She works mainly with water as a cure but also some herbs. She also refers patients to the hospital if need be. We had a photo shoot with the family when we got back and they absolutely had a blast, especially when I suggested we do funny faces. I think they laughed for about 15 minutes when I showed them their faces…quite the bondingness! We watched Generations every night of course. Opted to not use the pee bucket/tubs inside the house. Fumigated our room with enough Doom to kill a small child every night as well however the last night we saw our first cockroach. We spent about 15 minutes chasing it around the room with Doom..it finally took shelter under Becca’s bed (oh ya we had our own separate beds). I was pretty ok with that..decided it would crawl on her first during the night.
Next morning I left the 3 year old put some make up on me..looked better than I was looking so great success overall. Decided to shower at the SIT house before coming back to Cato…Cato Mama secretly appreciated that. Narrowing down my ISP and picking accommodations. Edendale hospital has an iteach NGO program within the hospital that researches and helps traditional healers work with the hospitals in treating TB. I’ll probably research more into that program and live in Pietermaritzburg for my ISP.
This weekend…home on Friday gotta work on my ISP proposal and CHS paper. Saturday some of us are going into Durban to go to the beach then 3:30pm soccer game ABSA premiership league game in the Durban Fifa Stadium. R20 for the game..pretty legit. Then stay in Durban for the night at the Happy Hippo again. I will have internet that night so everyone should get on, perhaps staggered timing though I get a little overwhelmed. Got another letter from Gran and Pa…they are definitely in the running for my biggest fans!
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