It is safe to say that Ryan and I (unintentionally) dropped
off the blogosphere for an indefinite period of time - but we are back! In the last three (!)
months of not updating, a lot has happened. We went to America and celebrated
the union of my brother and his beautiful wife Caitrin in NY, we saw our nephew
Noam for the first time, Ryan shot a few birds with my sister’s boyfriend Kyle,
and we caught up with family and friends
while huddled together trying to stay safe from Hurricane Sandy. After clearing the Atlantic without
incident, Ryan and I spent a few days is eJozi taking the GRE and trying to
re-acclimate to life in Africa. By
the time we strolled up to the Tsabedze homestead with kakhulu presents and
emasnacks from America, Ryan and I were definitely grateful to be back on Swazi
soil.
While it took me about a week of sleep to get back in the
Swaziland time zone, Ryan and I hit the ground running once we got back to
site. We were each approved for our Books for Africa applications, which means
we will receive 1,000 books each for the camp and the school. I have been organizing a GLOW
counterpart training which will take place in January, and Ryan has been doing
manly things like painting and mortaring the library and preschool at the camp
to get it ready for our book delivery in May. While the last few weeks of school term were extremely busy
for us, school term ended this week, which means I see hiking, reading, and
lots of mango eating in our future.
My goal for Christmas break is to teach our homestead pup,
Senator John McCain, how to run with me on a leash. The first attempt ended with me in a mud puddle and Senator
free from leash and collar down the road, along with 3 of our other homestead
dogs following enroute, but I am determined to have a running partner if it
kills me! (Which it might.)
I cannot overstate how nice it is to have free time – to
take in the sun rise and sun set, to swing in the hammock while listening to
the oncoming thunder rumbling through the valley of Mpaka, to sit outside with
the family and read while BoMake shuck maize and discuss matters in SiSwati
that still go past me; this is time that I cherish and will miss while immersed
in the chaos of American culture.
As Ryan and I apply to graduate schools and plan ahead for
the future it is definitely clear to us that our time in Swaziland is coming to
an end faster than we anticipated.
While 7 months is still some time, it is nothing compared to the 27
months that we signed on for, and our Swazi bucket list is creeping up on us
and making us both a little anxious.
We have gorges to see! Waterfalls to swim in! Mountains to hike! Wonders
of the world to visit! Thank goodness Swaziland doesn’t move in December or January
so we can relax and enjoy its beauty in the next couple of months.
I can’t help shake the feeling that while I miss my family
and friends greatly back at home, there is a constant inward struggle thinking
that going home to them means leaving my home here. I know I am not leaving tomorrow, but I have a great
appreciation for the family and friends we have made here that has made
Swaziland a 2nd home. I
couldn’t get time to speed up our first year in Swaziland, and now I can’t get
it to slow down. I guess that is part of Peace Corps charm – it isn’t always
pleasant, but it opens your eyes to see a world bigger than you and leaves you
with a dual appreciation for your own culture and the culture of others. It’s
pretty cool.
Oh, and in the past 3 months Obama won office – that was
win. (Ncesi to my entire family who
voted otherwise. Except (I’m assuming) Dallin. Good for us!)
Until next time,
Happy Holidays from the Hall’s!
SiSwati to English Translator
Kakhulu – a lot
Emasnacks – Snacks
BoMake – Mothers
Ncesi - Sorry
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