Pre-depatrure reflections

I have finally finished packing my bag after a very stressful couple of days. Yesterday’s surprise party for my boyfriend went really well and my trip to South Africa has finally become a blip on my radar.

Eric (the boyfriend) keeps asking me why I don’t seem more excited. I tell him it’s because after my 12 hour flight to Dubai, I have a 10 hour layover. Then after my 8 hour flight to Johannesburg, I have a 6 hour layover before my 1.5 hour flight to Richards Bay.

Then it’s an hour drive to the house after someone picks me up at the airport hangar that is the Richards Bay airport. I think only when I reach Joburg will I really feel excited.

All of the South African Rand is back in my wallet and I’ve got those pre-departure butterflies. It’s going to be a great experience that I really hope I can share with all of you.

Maybe seeing my trip will help some of you make the decision to go abroad and volunteer!!

Next time we talk, I’ll be halfway around the world!!

-A

One Year Ago...

Let’s get some information and some history straight.
My first trip to Africa was no walk in the park. Even though, as you see, I do live in a very nice house in quite a nice area, an oasis if you will, in rural KwaZulu Natal, the emotional and physical strain myself and other volunteers are put under is often extremely intense.
What turned out to be the best experience of my life was also the hardest.
I am not a very emotional person, for the most part. But Africa brought out the zombie in me and I found it difficult after my experience to feel emotion in our so-called “first world.”
It’s harder than you think, going abroad to do volunteer work. But the experience you receive in return is well worth the personal sacrifices made.
When people ask me the most valuable part of my experience I always say the perspective I gained.
Last year, after working at Senzangethemba Day Care/Orphanage for children 5 and under, teaching HIV education and working on numerous community-based projects, I decided to make some big changes in my life. I made some tough decisions and went through a very weird transition period after returning from South Africa. But when I look at my life now, I’m glad I changed the pattern that I had become used to, stepped out of my shell and took chances. I grew so much this year because I learned that instead of waiting for life to happen to me, I had to go out and make it happen because there are many people around the world that do not have the opportunities I do.
Oh but it’s not all grandiose personal discovery and hardship. There are so many awesome things about volunteering abroad. Not only was I able to become a local in the eyes of those in the village, but I learned Zulu, attended traditional Zulu ceremonies and parties and learned that I could walk around barefoot anywhere and no one would care – ahh, paradise.
So I hope to have many more awesome adventures as you follow these video blogs. This second one is simply a quick compilation of some video taken during my stay last year in KwaZulu Natal.
My hope is that through these videos I can help you understand why my life changed so much after my first visit. Maybe you will even gain a little perspective by seeing a side of the world that is a paradox of horror and magnificence.
Until Next Time,
A
“Don’t be afraid your life will end; be afraid that it will never begin.” Grace Hansen

The Lowdown Video Style

Here's my first Video Blog, in an attempt to chronicle my experience abroad I will be making "vlogs" throughout my stay in South Africa and hopefully a few afterwards.

It's awkward making video blogs. I hate talking about myself and I find my own voice extremely annoying. On a lighter note - hopefully you don't!!!

Peace ;)

-A

The Pre-Departure Crunch and Breakdown

No, I'm not having a break down. This is the part where I give you an overview of what I'm going to be doing in KwaZulu-Natal with African Impact.
Firstly, let me explain to you some ongoing South African history and some current events.
South Africa is among the 7 sub-Saharan African nations whose HIV prevalence exceeds 15%. There are approximately 5.7 million South Africans living with HIV and current statistics state that the country's easternmost province, KwaZulu Natal, suffers from the greatest HIV prevalence rates, holding strong at 37% of the population. In some areas, like Dougoudougou (or Khula as it is called), rates are estimated at between 70 and 80%.
HIV can be treated with antiretroviral drug therapy. The therapy includes a cocktail or drugs that are administered at a certain time every day, orally, by the patient suffering from the virus. ARVs slow the progression of HIV into AIDS (where an individuals CD4, fighter cells, are below a count of 200, when a normal person can have upwards of 1,000). I know, it is all very complicated, but hopefully I can clarify a little more along the way. The South African government did not allow ARVs into wide circulation until November 19th, 2003, for various political and social reasons. Without boring you with the details here is the link to an overview on Mbeki's delay of ARVs to state run clinics.
Before I arrive, there will have been an election where ANC leader Jacob Zuma is said to easily win a victory. ANC is Nelson Mandela's party, which arose out of South Africa's legacy of white apartheid rule. St.Lucia, where the project house is based, was one of the last towns to give up apartheid rule and racism is still rampant in the area.
The Project
I am travelling with African Impact, the largest African volunteer agency, operating in 8 African countries.
In the mornings, I will be working at a local clinic with a nurse I met last year. I will be providing nurses with some much needed relief by performing basic medical procedures like taking blood pressure or weighing babies. The clinic supports 20,000 Zulu locals, and sees over 100 patients daily. I will also be teaching the nurses basic computer skills.
The project also includes a home-based care program, where a group of women travel around the village to visit the sick who are unable to make the trip to the clinic. I will aid these women by accompanying them and caring for the sick.
In the afternoons I will work on community building, painting and farming projects as well as teaching an HIV education course.
The projects run all day, and most of the time volunteers who are willing to emerse themselves in their jobs eat, sleep and breathe their work. Weekends are a time where I will get to experience local culture, go on trips and do some adventure tourism as well as go on bush walks and do some photography with African Impact's photography project and our guide Theo.

Whew! That was a crazy overview. Ten days until lift-off and hopefully I will get a video blog posted up here for you all!! In the meantime, below you can see a little video-diary of my last trip to KwaZulu Natal. I'm sure you'll recognize some of the people and places from future videos. And check out The Cord website (though the link above) to see other Wilfrid Laurier students' blogs from their overseas adventures...
and I hope to see you back here following mine!!
-A

A New Beginning

As Senzo, our Zulu driver, dropped me off at the Richard's Bay airport last year, he made sure I had my ticket and that I was comfortably waiting for my boarding call, he hugged me and left. But instead of saying a tearful goodbye (as I had been doing all morning), I said:

"See you later!" cheerfully. Because I figured I'd be back.

And I was right!! I will be returning to St.Lucia in 10 days. I will post a blog with an outline of where I'm going and what I'm doing but for now I'd like to reminisce about last year's trip by showing you a video I created of a compilation of pictures and video taken last year that I created.

Enjoy!!

-A

The Beginning of the End...

I would highly recommend to anyone wanting to travel to anywhere in Africa that they do so on a volunteer project like I did. It was the best way to see the culture of South Africa, without all of the strings of being a tourist attached. The volunteers were free to participate in tourist activities like tours, but we were also invited to cultural activities in the village that were otherwise closed to outsiders.

We went to two traditional Zulu parties, one held for the breaking of the ground for the new Day Care Centre, and another for the death of our friend's grandfather and the passing of the head of the family to her father. The best experiences I had were ones not set up by tourist companies, but personal invitations to things I would otherwise not have had the opportunity to attend had I been travelling myself.

I guess here I'm supposed to tell you how profound my experience was – but I think that there are no words to describe it. Just like I couldn't wholly describe to you a South African sunset, or the Indian Ocean; I can't really describe how it felt to take care of the children at Senzangethemba. It is something that one has to experience for themselves because for each individual, volunteering in a developed country provides something different. It provides perspective, knowledge and understanding. We speak so much of “us” and “them”; for those who experience the developing world first-hand, the use of those words seems irrelevant.

The change I've experienced is somewhere inside me, and it's something only I can understand.International development is something I would definitely like to get involved with after traveling. I guess seeing the world really puts things into perspective and defines one's goals.

Living in a developing country, to me, is ideal. Raising my kids in an arena where material things mean very little to the children would make me feel like a better parent, not having to shield my kids from the materialistic Western approach to living. Life seems so much more simple, and yet so complicated at the same time in Africa, that it keeps you guessing all the time. It's the way I would love to live, and a way of life I think everyone should experience.

The faces of the children at the day care will bring me both joy and haunt me forever. I hate to know that I will wonder for the rest of my life what happened to those children, and what will happen to the ones that come to Senzangethemba later on. Hopefully I'll return next year to see their progress.

The questions asked about HIV, and the lack of knowledge presented by even the adults at their classes is worrisome, and to me provides a clear indicator of how the HIV/AIDS epidemic is going to continue to have a devastating affect on KwaZulu-Natal. It makes me sad to think that the man that is probably going to be the next president, from this province, tells the population he does not have HIV because he showers after sex; and they believe him. And who should they believe? He's their leader. He's educated. They are not. And that is the story of so many developing villages – including the one I worked in. They are lied to and taken advantage of by those they have no choice but to believe.

I'm not saying that I've changed the world. But maybe I helped a few babies become more socialized, gave some toddlers some extra attention that they wouldn't have received at home, and gave over eighty children every day two meals they would not have received otherwise. I also taught a group of thirteen teenagers about HIV and how to protect themselves, things they were not already taught at school. I provided first aid to some fungal infections, cuts and burns.

Maybe I didn't change the world, but part of me likes to think that with these things and others, I planted a seed in myself that will make me keep going back to Africa, and I haven't lost faith that a small group of people can change the world.

Thanks to everyone that's been reading my blog and who supported me through my trip. Of course, my mom and dad, who provided funds, as well as my grandparents and aunt and uncle. Thanks to Rob for calling me when I got sick, and giving me the world news when I couldn't rely on the South African radio. And thanks to Michelle and Andrew; our project managers – you two are doing such an amazing job, I really hope to accomplish what you have myself someday. And to all the volunteers I worked with; all of you have something special within you that made you come to South Africa.

Cheers!

“Traveling is not just seeing the new; it is also leaving behind. Not just opening doors; also closing them behind you, never to return. But the place you have left forever is always there for you to see whenever you shut your eyes.”-Jan Myrdal

Ch-Ch-Changes!

I am always told that change is good. Maybe it's best to be told that, being in a new situation and all.

Uncertainty is something I fear most – being an A-type personality, I guess it comes with the territory. But I feel like the changes I've undergone in the last tow months haven't been filled with uncertainty at all – more so, they seem to be an alignment of sorts that has made me the way I've always wanted to be. Or maybe I'm just happy because I don't have to wear shoes here – it's a fine line.

So here are some changes that have occurred since my departure from Pearson in April:

Feet

Yes, my feet are yucky. I walk everywhere barefoot; grocery store, internet café, breakfast shop, you name it. Today I even built bricks and mixed cement barefoot. I play with the kids, teach, farm, paint the church barefoot. Mpho makes fun of me because every morning I retrieve my shoes from the car and put them on, only to leave them there once we arrive at the day care. I wear a toe ring and an anklet made by the women at the support group. I've bought a de-worming tablet, because it's been raining and I have probably got sandworms. Either way, life is better barefoot.

Day Care Centre

From the Isoyi until now there have been so many improvements in the building of the new crèche. We broke ground, and next week the roof is going on! I've made over 400 bricks, and the building should be done next week. Finally, the kids will be able to have shelter to learn in (although teaching under a tree is fun), a dry place when it rains, and warmth during the winter.

Education

Over forty adults have passed the HIV education test since I arrived, after their week-long course. They've provided one of the most memorable experiences for me here. The joy they experience learning to help their families and fight stigma and discrimination is too inspiring for words. Ongoing is our school program, which has been deemed a success by all parties involve and will continue at the local primary school with a new group of kids next week.

Support

Most agree that support is a key component in the fight against HIV. Cynthia, the nurse at Monzi Clinic said everyone needs council about their status – where they are negative or positive. Rasta, HIV positive for ten years, says the support of his family got him through his two years of TB and continues to keep him healthy. The women that gather at African Impact's support group in Khula support each other through friendship, shared interests and activities like farming and beading. Support is something I have come to believe would help us all if we could all manage to provide more for one another.

First Aid

Bar a couple of disgusting burns, I have been able to change my squeamish ways to aid in many medical situations with both Amy (nurse) and Jenna (doctor). The baby with the third degree burns is doing much better. One hospital trip later and little S'fiso's brother was back at crèche in a couple of days. Sandworms have been squeezed out of at least a dozen kids. Cuts have been mended, sores have been dressed and many accidents have been cleaned up. I've learned that sometimes the best way to help during the dressing of a wound is with kind words (Zulu or English), a hug, a cuddle and a few stickers.

So those are just a few examples of the improvements and changes that have occurred to and around me over the past two weeks, or at least some of the most profound. I have no idea what it will be like to go back home. It's so hard to explain the joy, pain, heartache, pleasure, frustration and so many other emotions I've experienced. It's so clichéd - but I'll never be the same. I don't think I want to stay unchanged. I like this new feeling.