Thinking of Goodbye

Against almost all odds, I’m finishing up a successful Peace Corps service. I have no idea what to think about this. But my mom really wanted me to write one last blog post so here we are. This is pretty much a rambling journal entry so excuse the organization.

Lessons in SA

Hi!! I never post anymore because I have mostly been walking through life generally confused and very tired and just saying “that’s weird” a lot and I’m also trying to stuff MCAT knowledge back into my brain which doesn’t leave a lot of time for me to write or think things that anyone on Earth would be interested in. BUT, here we are, and here are some things that I have learned, or learned more, since being in South Africa! It’s not a very illuminating post, but it’s where I’m at. 

Girls Club!

For the past few months, I’ve been facilitating a girls club at the high school in my village. The girls are super awesome, and were actually in my computer class at the primary school last year, which means that we’re all pretty good friends by this point, even though they are all around 13.

Giyani in Pictures

My village is just a few kilometers outside the town of Giyani, and I wanted to show you all a little of what it’s like. And since a picture is worth a thousand words, here’s like a billion pictures of Giyani, which makes this post worth like a zillion words. 

Water, or Mati

One of the biggest differences in my everyday life since moving to South Africa has to do with water. By that I mean I don’t have running water, at all. And this really actually isn’t that big of a deal. I have fairly easy access to water, which is what matters, I just have to take a few extra steps to get it. For a lot of people in my village though, it can be a pretty difficult task. 

Grassroots Soccer Camp

Last weekend, I helped two fellow volunteers, Alyssa and Shauna, facilitate a Grassroots Soccer Camp! We worked with about 40 kids, ages 10-14 that Alyssa teaches, or has taught, at the primary school where she works. Grassroots Soccer (GRS) is an intervention that utilizes soccer (or more properly known as football, go Liverpool! And the Pirates!) to teach kids all about HIV, and hopefully to mobilize them to help to reduce transmission of the virus in their own communities. 

A Lady to Celebrate

Happy International Women’s Day! This is Anna, and she is one of the most badass women I’ve ever met. She is an HIV counselor in the pediatric ward at the hospital near me, and we work together to facilitate the HIV discussions at the hospital I last posted about. She found out she was HIV+ in 1998, and since then has been public about her status so that she can help others struggling with the disease, and combat the stigma surrounding it. She’s awesome, and deserves to be celebrated today and everyday. Here’s part of her story.

Hospital HIV Talks, and Legos

For the past few months, I’ve been working in the pediatric ward at Nkhensani Hospital, which is the public hospital in Giyani that serves both Giyani and the surrounding villages. I facilitate group discussions about HIV treatment, prevention, and support with mothers of admitted children twice a week. I also play Legos with the kids, because why would I not take the opportunity to play Legos with kids.

On intentions and actions, from an RPCV

So it has pretty much been too hot to think, but I came across this article, Learning to Make Lasagna in Kyrgyzstan by Jia Tolentino, that I think describes some aspects of Peace Corps service really well, and is just a pretty good read. RPCV is returned Peace Corps volunteer, by the way.

Learning to Make Lasagna in Kyrgyzstan

Things I Miss From Home

A year ago, I left the States! Or, actually, I guess a year ago I left home, and then on the 20^th I left the States, and then the 21^st was my first day in South Africa. Anyway, I’ve been thinking a lot about home recently, and a lot about how I’m here for quite a while longer. Here’s a little list of some of the things I miss most from home, apart from the obvious ones like family and friends.