Gardening!

About a million years ago we had an organic gardening training. I've taken to doing trivia nights at the trainings. Grand prize this time was shaving Lanna's head.

As part of the training we built a garden at a nearby clinic. Mack, our trainer.


Like any good project, there was a lot of standing around and commenting on the work habits of others.

Mack led us in song most of the time we were working.

The House Mabasa, or, Trip the Longdrop Fantastic

Some photos from around my house.


The courtyard. This photo was taken on an overcast day right after it rained. The place doesn't usually look like a scene out of post-communist Russia.

 Our rondevaal, which was used for cooking and storage until it was knocked down. I'm still not sure why

 



Our mealie (corn) field.

 
  The pit latrine




 
Our mango and paw paw trees.



Clothing line and garden.

One of my green pepper plants.
Also, I hung a bok skull I found in the Eastern Cape from the roof. Motlare likes to hit me with it while making cow sounds. Yet another awful panorama - this time of my room. The room now has the table, clothing shelf, and book shelf I built. The tapestries are from Mozambique.

Fish!

I bought a fishing pole and have started fishing at the dam in my village. The real challenge is not being killed by the croc or poisonous water snakes.





I only actually caught one of those. My friend, Patrick, a local fisherman, gave me the rest so I could cook dinner for my family. Mme showed me how to gut 'em and clean 'em. For the sake of ego let's pretend I caught the biggest one.

As some of you know, I am planning a girls empowerment camp (Camp GLOW - Girls Leading Our World) with a few other PCVs in my area. The camp will teach 40 girls from our communities healthy behaviours and peer leadership as well as working to empower them. The camp is 100% free for the girls so we are trying to raise money for lodging, meals, and camp supplies. Check out the thingy below for more information and to learn how you can help!

Birthday

A while back my counterpart's nephew, Advice, had a birthday party. It was pretty bangin'.


My counterpart, Mangena, with his daughter, who is indeed gnawing on a chicken foot and drinking fanta pineapple out of a bottle.

Where I work

Some photos from Ramotshinyadi HIV/AIDS Youth Guide [RHAYG]:




View from the road leading down to the org. The new facility, which is almost complete, is just to the left. I'll put pictures of that up soon.


A hastily and shoddily made panorama.


The youths working on the organic garden planted orange trees around the org.


Where the cooks prepare food for staff and the drop-in center kids. Also a great place to dodge work.


The organic garden, which will be expanded several-fold once we the funding comes through.


Carers at the center to do their monthly reports.


Thabia and other staff.


Mangena giving out instructions before our village-wide domestic and child abuse survey for the Dept. of Social Development.


Phindile (OVC Coordinator) and Mangena (OVC Manager) in 'my office', which became the computer lab shortly after.


My desk. And yes, it is still covered in bubble wrap.

Odds and Ends

I couldn’t think of anything to write, so here’s some whatnot I found:

A video from Mangena's car from the early days at site. Just to give an idea of the landscape.


No picture with this one. Just the sound of a downpour in my room with a tin roof. I'd recommend installing a Marshall Half-Stack turning the volume to 11 for a proper idea of how loud it is.


Will, a PCV in my group, arm wrestling Nkosi, his Xhosa teacher, during our going away braai (BBQ) the day before we left for site.