I am back in the good old United States...but I can't say I am thrilled about it. I had a fabulous final week on the project and I was extremely sad to leave. I really wish I could have stayed just ONE more month. I would have absolutely loved to see the HIV education get up and running in the schools. It would have been nice to stay and work a great deal more on the HIV materials since that is something I am really passionate about. It is just hard to think the work may get turned over to a volunteer that does not have much interest in HIV education or does not see the value and importance in the program. Katie and I were the first Health Education majors on this project so most of the people that come don't have a really strong passion or interest in the HIV programs. Maybe it will work out and some new volunteers may really get into it and do a fantastic job. I am crossing my fingers.
We had the final meeting with the Primary School faculty and HIV committee which went extremely well. I was able to present the outline I made up and explain the plans for the HIV program and they were completely accepting and supporting. It was great! They were very enthusiastic about it as well. I could not have been happier with the outcome.
Friday was our last day with the kids which turned out to be very hard. Saying good-bye was heart wrenching because I think we all realize we will most likely NEVER see any of their faces again in person. As much as I would LOVE to adopt a few (or all) of those children I know that realistically it is not in the cards. They had no idea we were leaving for good so they had huge smiles on their faces as we drove away...they thought we would be back on Monday. We all had lumps in our throats and tears in our eyes because we knew better.
I really thought that after an entire month I would be ready to head home but that was just not the case. Of course I missed everyone but my experience was so amazing that it made it completely worth it to be away from everyone I love. I have also caught this bug....I think you might call it the Traveller's Bug. I can not wait to leave again! Paris in May and then who knows. I just know I have so many places I need to see in this world and I really don't think I will let anything stop me, especially not being an American with a lack of vacation time. i will figure it all out, I have faith.
In addition to all of the amazing Zulu men, women and children I encountered and spent time with the volunteers were just as important to my experience. Working and living with people from all over the world was by far one of my favorite aspects of the trip and the reason I can't wait to travel again. It was so fun and interesting to hear about other people's life experiences and their views and ideas. Sometimes it was also hard to work and live with the same people but overall it was such a valuable part of the experience. I will miss many of those volunteers and hope to keep in touch for years to come.
Here are a few things I found interesting while on my trip about South Africa as well as the Zulu culture and people...
1.) African Time is different than ANY other time. In Africa, being an hour late is still on time.
2.) You can never expect friendly service, quick service, or even your correct order while eating at a restaurant.
3.) South Africans are CRAZY drivers. I am sure there are a huge number of casualties due to walking on the side of the road and getting hit by passing cars.
4.) Zulu children will urinate absolutely ANYWHERE...through the cracks of the building to the outside, in the middle the room, in the grass, in the sand, anywhere!
5.) Zulu children are great at sharing! Even if they bring one cookie to the daycare they will share it with about 30 kids (even if that means they each get a crumb)...and it is so cute!
6.) It is believed that when a woman is pregnant her husband must have a lot of sex with her in order to make the baby develop. They believe the poking of the penis into the baby creates the eyes, nose, mouth etc.
7.) Zulu men often have many wives and in order to marry a woman he must give her father 11 cows...so men with many wives are usually very wealthy (cows are not cheap).
8.) Even children with no running water and only one pair of shoes know who Nicole Richie is. Don't ask me how, but I saw her picture on a student's school folder. I guess being too thin and partying excessively is enough to make you famous ALL over the world. Good to know...huh?
9.) You expect the leaders of a school to know at least basic geography, but in Khula the principal did not even know the difference between the United States and England.
10.) Many South Africans (and Afrikaans) do not agree with the volunteer work we do because as the pharmacist said to me more than once..."your life is more valuable than theirs, so be careful!" Racism is still a HUGE problem.
...I am sure there are a million other little things I could write, but I am extremely jet lagged. I started my work at the Red Cross today. It went well but now I am exhausted. Our trip home was long with a delay and a missed flight connection as well as lost baggage! We made it back safely which is all that matters, so now I must catch up on sleep.
I will add all of my pictures soon hopefully!
We had the final meeting with the Primary School faculty and HIV committee which went extremely well. I was able to present the outline I made up and explain the plans for the HIV program and they were completely accepting and supporting. It was great! They were very enthusiastic about it as well. I could not have been happier with the outcome.
Friday was our last day with the kids which turned out to be very hard. Saying good-bye was heart wrenching because I think we all realize we will most likely NEVER see any of their faces again in person. As much as I would LOVE to adopt a few (or all) of those children I know that realistically it is not in the cards. They had no idea we were leaving for good so they had huge smiles on their faces as we drove away...they thought we would be back on Monday. We all had lumps in our throats and tears in our eyes because we knew better.
I really thought that after an entire month I would be ready to head home but that was just not the case. Of course I missed everyone but my experience was so amazing that it made it completely worth it to be away from everyone I love. I have also caught this bug....I think you might call it the Traveller's Bug. I can not wait to leave again! Paris in May and then who knows. I just know I have so many places I need to see in this world and I really don't think I will let anything stop me, especially not being an American with a lack of vacation time. i will figure it all out, I have faith.
In addition to all of the amazing Zulu men, women and children I encountered and spent time with the volunteers were just as important to my experience. Working and living with people from all over the world was by far one of my favorite aspects of the trip and the reason I can't wait to travel again. It was so fun and interesting to hear about other people's life experiences and their views and ideas. Sometimes it was also hard to work and live with the same people but overall it was such a valuable part of the experience. I will miss many of those volunteers and hope to keep in touch for years to come.
Here are a few things I found interesting while on my trip about South Africa as well as the Zulu culture and people...
1.) African Time is different than ANY other time. In Africa, being an hour late is still on time.
2.) You can never expect friendly service, quick service, or even your correct order while eating at a restaurant.
3.) South Africans are CRAZY drivers. I am sure there are a huge number of casualties due to walking on the side of the road and getting hit by passing cars.
4.) Zulu children will urinate absolutely ANYWHERE...through the cracks of the building to the outside, in the middle the room, in the grass, in the sand, anywhere!
5.) Zulu children are great at sharing! Even if they bring one cookie to the daycare they will share it with about 30 kids (even if that means they each get a crumb)...and it is so cute!
6.) It is believed that when a woman is pregnant her husband must have a lot of sex with her in order to make the baby develop. They believe the poking of the penis into the baby creates the eyes, nose, mouth etc.
7.) Zulu men often have many wives and in order to marry a woman he must give her father 11 cows...so men with many wives are usually very wealthy (cows are not cheap).
8.) Even children with no running water and only one pair of shoes know who Nicole Richie is. Don't ask me how, but I saw her picture on a student's school folder. I guess being too thin and partying excessively is enough to make you famous ALL over the world. Good to know...huh?
9.) You expect the leaders of a school to know at least basic geography, but in Khula the principal did not even know the difference between the United States and England.
10.) Many South Africans (and Afrikaans) do not agree with the volunteer work we do because as the pharmacist said to me more than once..."your life is more valuable than theirs, so be careful!" Racism is still a HUGE problem.
...I am sure there are a million other little things I could write, but I am extremely jet lagged. I started my work at the Red Cross today. It went well but now I am exhausted. Our trip home was long with a delay and a missed flight connection as well as lost baggage! We made it back safely which is all that matters, so now I must catch up on sleep.
I will add all of my pictures soon hopefully!
