Hooowwdy

Note: This fire happened a month ago and everything's cool now.
Okay so the big news around here is that there was a huge forest fire gone wild here in Swaziland. There has been drought the last few years and burning fields is a pretty common practice here, and usually it doesn’t cause problems. Unfortunately the other night there were huuuuge winds and they fed the fire that spread out of control. At least four hundred homes were lost, though they’re still counting. The fire emergency service is still fighting the fire. So far I think only three people died in the fire. I myself saw it, and it made the midnight sky look like sunrise. Ash was falling on us as we watched. But we were really quite safe, the river near our home prevented it from reaching us. The Red Cross has stepped in to help some of the people who lost their homes. I feel bad for Swazis. They are such traditional, polite, Christian people and they face this kind of adversity. They already have so little. There country has the highest rate of AIDS in the world, it is the place you are most likely to be stuck by/killed by lightning on earth, and now forest fires are taking lives. Now I see people wrapped in blankets walking down the street carrying any furniture of value they could salvage. It just doesn’t make sense to me. However, I am thankful that my host family is safe and all the other volunteers.

So far in the Peace Corps, Maggie has been my best friend. Her house is close to mine so we have sleepovers a lot. She and I have a lot of things in common. She’s a very emotional person and very sweet. Some people have been sick but I have been soo lucky as far as health goes. Sure I got a third world cold and have an upset stomach now and then. All and all I’m very healthy and have no reason to complain. I’ve been pretty lucky all the way around though. My site is great too. Josh probably has it the best because he’s super close to Manzini (the main commercial city). He has his own apartment in a teacher’s dorm and a shower. I call him an asshole everyday for it (sorry Mom.) But on the up side, my Make is just great. She’s an incredibly motivated person. The Peace Corps awarded her with a certificate for all her hard work. She’s a rural health motivator. When a woman goes into labor and can’t afford to get to a hospital she helps deliver the baby. She’s an active church member of her church and has been the main force in building a preschool at the church. She has an income generating project where she raises chicken and sells them. She adopted three grandsons. All this she does while her loving husband, who is also a pastor, lives in another community (which is actually very common.) Most of all, she advocates for the orphaned and vulnerable children in Mashobeni. There are over five hundred children in my village who have lost a parent. I think one of my projects will be to try to help the community find funding for a neighborhood care point where children can come and get a decent meal. Okay so my training family named me SiPhiwe and always called me Phiwe. My permanent host family named me DuDuzile and always calls me DuDu. I went from Pee to DooDoo. Talk about an upgrade.

Okay I’m gonna start putting dates on my blog entries because obviously the previous paragraphs are from earlier dates/ I am officially a Peace Corps Volunteer! There was a picture of us in a Swazi newspaper with the inkhosikati (sp?) aka the king’s wife. Swear in was a big deal at the Mbabane sun hotel. We had a fabulous lunch and afterwards we all went out to a local dance club. Good times. Now I’m sitting here in my new little concrete house, with some romantic candle light (no electricity yet.) It’s my second night at site. I bought a nice bed today and I’m having a table made by my bhuti who is a carpenter. Also I think I’m going to buy a wardrobe from another volunteer for a cheap price. My new family is great. I feel a little slumpy because I’ve had the flu for a couple weeks and been packing and staying up all night with volunteers instead of sleeping. I’ve got a nasty cough. Now though I’m just resting and telling myself I don’t have to do everything at once, I’ve got three months to fix up this place and get to know my community. As you know, I am the biggest slob on the planet. I am going to make an effort to keep this house organized, so help me God. Other volunteers told me that your room is your state of mind. If that’s true, that makes me at best chaotic and at worst psychotic. I plan to go to church tomorrow with the family. It’s weird to think that only three months ago, no one had ever purposed to me. Now somebody asks me to marry me once a week. Some volunteers are upset by this but I try to take it as a compliment. On Monday, I’m going to Manzini to meet up with some other volunteers and see if everybody’s doing alright. I realized that I am sooo lucky in so many ways, I’m in the high veld, I have two rooms, an understanding family, and a receptive community. I know there will be challenges but I think I have a lot going for me. Okay I know this is a boring blog, but this is mostly for mom and grandmom to read. More later…XOXO

PS. It's so weird that for 30R I can travel to Manzini and get my nails done, drink a cosmo, and blog for a little while. Two hours away I'm living in a shack and riding with goats. Go figure. I Love the Swaz. =)

DISCLAIMER: I am a currently serving Peace Corps Volunteer. The contents of this webpage belong to myself and in no way, shape, or form reflect any position or policy of the United States Government or the Peace Corps.