Hello to the New Group Invitees!! (Already?? Really??)

Hello Everyone!

Hope everyone had a great Valentine’s Day! I had a great Vday and Bday in town, just hanging out those two days. It was nice and low key and a good break from site.

I heard exciting news the other day over Chinese food at the new restaurant that just opened up in town (it was a VERY exciting day). Rumor has it that the new Group 9s are coming to the Swaz on June 9. Though its still February, I’m assuming lots of them have already gotten their invitations and are Googling the Swaz like mad trying to find out as much as they can. Though if they’re like me, they won’t get their invitation until 4 weeks before they come. But I noticed on the stats of my blog (which by the way has had THREE THOUSAND views. Wow) that the traffic from the Peace Corps Journals site has increased dramatically so I’m guessing some have already started searching for blogs from Swaziland to see what their next two years will be like, I know I did. So if you are one of those people, Congrats!, can’t wait to meet you, and if you have any questions I’d be happy to help! :) But it’s weird to hear that the new group coming in 3 months. I feel like we just got here! Ha. It’s like when you become the seniors in High School, suddenly you’re the old ones and everyone looks to you for advice and asks you questions. It’ll be weird when they get here and the Group 7s who came before us start leaving. What’s even weirder is that this time next year, we’ll be the ones leaving. Crap, I better get going on my projects, I need to start packing! Don’t look now guys, but I’ll be home soon! Well I’ve got about 16 or 17 months left, but when I’ve been here 8 already, and the last three I’m not allowed to do anything but wrap things up, pack and say goodbye, time is a tickin’!

Anyway, things are still going well here. I finally started teaching Life Skills. It is going to be a bit of a struggle because they’re so young, but its fun and I enjoy it. I have a teacher helping me with the 5th graders which is good but I’m going to have to come up with some new stuff to teach them because our Life Skills curriculum is a little above them so we’ll have to see how that goes. The 6th graders are fine; one class is great, nice and well behaved (so far anyway) the other class is a bunch of punks. Usually when I’ve been in front of a class they are all so in awe or scared of me that they don’t utter a word, even when I ask a question. But this class had no problem goofing off and chatting while I was trying to teach. They’re a little older than the other class so they must have figured out I’m not going to beat them and since I don’t give out grades in this class, we’re going to have to figure something out there too… It’s a bit annoying because I was given classes at pretty awkward times. I spend all of Friday at the school, with one class in the morning and one in the afternoon. With the half hour walk to the school and the heat of the African sun, I just hang out with the secretary typing up things for them. They’re amazed at my typing skills, thank you Tanglen Elementary! And I have one half hour long class midday on Tuesdays. That is the most annoying because when people don’t start their day until 10 and finish at 2, I can’t schedule a meeting that day because of the class and it’s a half hour walk down to the school, just for a half hour class. But try to go and make use of my time there, I’m working with the schools to fill out some grants to get their libraries up and running so we can get some books donated and a librarian trained starting in November. And the English teachers and guidance counselors and science teachers (once they found out my degree) like asking me for help. The Practical Arts teachers ask for lots of help because they have a few lessons on technology. How do you explain the Internet to someone who has never used a computer? (It’s a series of tubes?) Or a fax machine? Or how does satellite TV work? Its hard enough for me to try to explain it to these teachers, but then they are expected to turn around and teach it to some 5th graders who don’t go into town, have never used a computer, seen a fax machine or Xerox machine. It’s a different set of problems you don’t usually think about.

The classes here are interesting. Failing a grade is not as uncommon as it is in the US, and most students do it many times. We went around the classroom and had everyone say their name, age and what they wanted to be when they grow up. Most of the 5th graders are around 11 or 12 and the 6th graders are between 13 and 15. It obviously gets more spread out as you get to the High School levels where people in Form 5, Grade 12, are between 17 and 24. Though lots of the kids that have to repeat multiple grades probably won’t end up reaching Form 5 and will drop out (or in some cases be told not to come back) somewhere around Grade 7. The kids have to pay for their schooling here, so it can get expensive if you have a child who keeps repeating. But the government pays for University, if you can get in, and have started paying for primary school. This year is Grade 1-3, adding a year more each year so next year Grade 4 will be free too. The government also pays for the OVCs school fees as well. In theory, it works. Get your child through high school and we’ll get them through college. But, you know.

Anyway, between Life Skills, my project, laundry and random people who want help with grants or applications or business plans of some sort, I usually have something to do every day. Which is nice. I am busy, but not exactly. I have something to do every day, which is a little tiring after the last 5 months of doing nothing at least 3 days a week. But I’m usually home by 1 at the latest every day, so naps and general lounging around are still not in short order. Today, I baked muffin/cookies in my makeshift stove oven with empty tuna cans as the tin. But after I made my first one I realized the batter was more delicious than it was when it was baked (I take after my mother I guess…) so I made about four then just ate the batter. And now I am about to turn on some West Wing, so obviously, with things picking up, life is still pretty tough for me here. ;)

Well I think that’s all I have for now, just a quick update on life. There are a few sets of parents visiting this week, which is making me VERY excited for my parents to come in three months! Can’t wait to see them again, considering the last time I saw them it was from the other side of security at the airport and they were a little fuzzy from the obnoxious amount of tears I was crying. Ha. So it’ll be good to see them again, halfway through!

But I think that is all for now, but I want to say a quick GOOD LUCK to my UMN Synchro Team at Nationals next week and a big CONGRATS to Scott and Pamela on their wedding next week as well!! Wish I could be there for both of those, but have a great time everyone!

Miss and Love you all!

Love, Megan