Carrying on

8/14/08 (wouldn't let me update on that actual date)

It has been a good couple of weeks in Africa. I am making progress with my work at Mpilonhle. Every Saturday, the mobile health unit goes out to counsel, test, and provide medication for community members. We have chosen 12 communities to serve with our three units. During the week, I plan for the events, going over logistics like who will staff which unit and on Saturdays, I got with the units to see the community. Since we started three weeks ago, the communities have really responded, from the local induna (chiefs) spreading the word to people signing up for computer courses. Community members are given the opportunity to sign up for a whole week of computer courses when they come to the unit on Saturday when they see a counselor or a nurse. In November and December we will go back to each community to hold the courses. I am excited about offering these courses to community members whom many have never worked on a computer before. Not only can we provide health services to the community, but we can also bring technology to extremely rural areas of KwaZulu-Natal.

Life in the village is also becoming routine, I once thought this would never happen. I doubt I will ever become use to all the staring, but I am use to eating the food and heating water for bathes. The children are still amazed by my presence. I have learned that I cannot feed all the hungry children in the village, I can play with them and read them stories. After receiving a wonderful package from the US, I promptly covered the children in temporary tattoos and stick-on earrings. The girls were so excited to have the tattoos, but I think they are also excited by receiving so much positive attention from an adult. The only problem being that now they hardly leave me alone for 10 minutes, even if they just want me to simply watch them play card games. I have taken to reading while they color and play games in hopes of showing them that reading can be fun.

I am going on vacation next week and I am very excited. A few other Peace Corps Volunteers will join me here in St. Lucia for a few days, then we are heading up the iSimangaliso Wetland Park to Kosi Bay. I plan on sitting on beaches, reading, snorkeling, going to game reserves, eating good food (i.e. nothing with cabbage in it) and celebrating my birthday.