Week 1

The village that I was live in has once tar road. The other roads are all dirt roads, “the dirt reminds me of LUBBOCK, TX”. In-between every other house there is an alley or pathway to the next street. The blocks are situated like many developed neighborhood in the U.S. What is different are the cows, chickens and goats that roam aimlessly. No dog tags on the cow’s, I wonder how the residents know who’s cow is who's.




Another difference that I have noticed is the fact that in this village there is no waste management program. Most people burn their trash “Including aerosol cans, plastic bottle and aluminum foil”. Around dusk you can smell the trash burning and a thick fog covers the sky. Behind most of the house are backhouses. Backhouse - a 1-3 room house detached from the main house in the same compound, used for storage, and or extra sleeping space. Most compounds also contain an outhouse, “Not my house though”.
My mother introduced me to all of her family who stay relatively close. In a 1km distance her mother, sister in-law and aunt just to name a few.

Everyday for the next 8 weeks we are required to meet with our language group for 3 hours in the morning. Here is where we study





Inside a backhouse



Terri and Sn'e

The Big Day!!!

The day I meet my Mother and Sister. From what I have been told they have been randomly selected. I don’t know a thing about my family or how far they live from the college. All I know Is that I will be living with the 2 of them for the next 7 weeks.

10 volunteers at a time we were seated in a room as we awaited out families to enter. I felt as if I was in an adoption office about to be taken far away. We waited patiently for 10 min. I don’t know if this was Peace Corps aim to have us sitting there in suspense or what. I had chills running down my spine and butterflies in my stomach. There was a lot of talk that most parents requested white Americans. Where does that put me? Honestly I was not to worried about that because the deal is sweet for the families they receive compensation via money for utilities and weekly food drops.


When the families walked in, you could just feel their energy. They were so happy to have an American come home with them. IT WAS LIKE CHRISTMAS!! Everyone wanted to be there.

Here is a picture of the room with the families on one side and volunteers on the other.





My name was called and then my mother’s, I stood up and ran over to give her a HUGE HUG!!! We held each-other and twirled around in circles. I wanted to show her that I was just as loving and caring as anyone else in the room, if not more. I could feel here spirit..

Here is a pic of my mom and I along with Dan and his mother, the two are neighbors.



After, our brief introduction “due to the language barrier” we proceeded to the adjacent room to fetch our food for the next 2 weeks.

Here is a pic of all the food.





Lettuce, Tomatoes, Canned Fish “a first for me”, Maze Meal, Spinach, apples, bananas, milk and chicken it was a lot of food to carry. My mother and I shared plenty of awkward smiles. My Zulu was not where it needed to be, but who’s was at week 2.

I did ask her some questions that she seemed to understand.
1. Do you have hot water?
Response – YEBO!! “Yes in Zulu”
2. Do you have electricity?
Response – YEBO!!
3. Do you have INSIDE TOILET?

Response – We have everything!!! Any thing you want!!

4. Microwave?
Yes, Yes

I know what your thinking, but hey can you blame me. I have been spoiled just like you!!

She then told me that my surname was, SHABANGU!!!

I asked my mother, "where is my sister?"

He reply, "Cleaning the house for you!!"

I smiled and said, "I cant wait to see her."



We waited outside for transport to my new home. I will be living in the village Ga –Phaahaa. The residents in this village speak Ndebele, from what I have been told its almost identical to ZuLu. Now how am I supposed to become fluent in a language when my host family does not speak it. This bothers me just a little bit knowing that 85 percent of the people living in rural villages in Kwa-Zulu Natal speak.. ZuLu. I will give it my all, I thrive in these situations!!

While we waited a dance group from my village put on a show for us, while we loaded up our bags and food. Attached is a video..






well give me a month and I will post it.. DATA is expensive.

My next blog I will post pictures of my house and more pics of my family.. Until Next time..

1st Week of Training

We spent the first week of training at the college, and everyday consisted of being cold, REALLY COLD! If you were unaware South Africa is in the Southern Hemisphere, this means that during your wonderful summer months of May, June, July and August its WINTER here in South Africa!! I AM FREEZING!!!



Breakfast is served buffet style consisting of the following: Hot Milk, Coffee, CornFlakes (Unfrosted) and Jungle Oats.
After breakfast the 53 of us would meet in a large room and learn in a group setting about the following: History of South Africa’s educational system, Apartid, Cultural training, Safety and the role of a Peace Corps volunteer just to name a few things. The days were long and DRY, Peace Corps felt that these sessions were necessary.

Here is the room that we spent most of the day in this entire week.




Aside from that, each day we learned a greeting in each of the 5 languages that we maybe learning. Currently, I am still unaware of where I will be placed or what language I will be speaking. Peace Corps does a great job of keeping us guessing… I am not a fan of this. I like to know exactly where I am going and when, but in life things aren’t always as clear as you would like them to be. That being said I will learn to be flexible and adapt to my new environment.

We did get 2 tea breaks a day.. Heres me enjoying a fresh pot!! Yes I know that I need a HAIR-CUT!!! I'M WORKING ON IT!!




Lunch is usually served at 1pm, this consisted of: Rice, PAP, salad, beef and beets.
Dinner is usually leftovers from lunch, nothing special, but I did appreciate it.

MESS-HALL





I would take a shower after dinner and be in bed by 9pm, I blame it on the jet lag. The showers I WOULD TAKE LASTED ABOUT 45MIN. HAHAHA. Because, I had no idea what kind of situation I would be living in for the next 7-weeks of PST (Pre-Site-Training).
The day before Home-Stay we were given our target language (the language we were required to speak at our permanent site) I was lucky and was given ZULU. Now by this time we are still unaware of where our permanent sites maybe. There are 3 Provinces I could be placed in Mpumalanga, Limpopo and Kwa-ZuLu Natal. Now that I know that Zulu is my target Language I have a pretty good Idea where I will be. If you don’t know your South Africa Geography Durban is located in Kwa-ZuLu Natal.
We were split of into out Language groups, here is some pictures of the group.

From left to right: Danny(On of my roommates), Stacy, Randall, S'ne (Our LCF), Tony (Stacy's Husband), Terry (Texas Tech Graduate) and Mike




Putting in Heavy ZULU Language work!!!







Tomorrow is the big day. The day I meet my host mother and sister.

1ST DAY AT THE COLLEGE

After being greeted by our LCF’S we were shown to our rooms, 4ppl to a room. On my bed was a schedule, a letter from Peace Corps, blankets and a pillow. “ I mean I knew I was not going to get my own suit, but 4ppl, come on Peace Corps!!”




I introduced myself to my 3 roommates.

1. Danny Schoenfelder – From New Jersey earned his B.S and M.E in Civil Engineering from Carnegie Mellon.

2. Zack Smith – From Boston Mass earned his degree in International studies from a small school in Maine. He also just completed a year of teaching English in thailand.

3. Christian Stillson – From Pittsburg earned his B.S from Drexel University
After our short exchange it was time for dinner. The 54 of us marched out of the dorms into the mess hall, “This reminded me of summer camp/undergrad living on campus.” I ate with my new friends, scrapping the plate.

Here is a pic of Danny, Me and Zach!





Here is what I ate for my first real meal in South Africa MINUS THE PAP!!!




There is a traditional dish call PAP made from maze meal. I am not a fan of it, but supposedly it grows on you. And mother, it is acceptable to eat with your hands in South Africa, I asked!!! After dinner we retired to our rooms. By this time everyone was exhausted so we called it a night!

The Drive to The College

After we landed in Johannesburg the 54 of us along with are 2 tons of luggage...



piled onto a 60-passenger chartered bus, we headed northeast. At this time I had no idea where I was headed. “Am I going to a place without running water, AC and internet?” The entire ride I did not utter a word to anyone. This was due to the following:
1- I’m TIRED!!
2- I had a lot on my mind, leaving my car, friends, Iphone, Family
3- I’M IN SOUTH AFRICA!!!!!
Leaving Johannesburg I saw what looked like million rand (South Africa’s currency) homes. What was interesting about these homes was the 3 meter high concrete wall that surrounded the outside of the disorganized neighborhoods. I use the term disorganized because there was no apparent rhyme or reason in the placement of these homes. It was as if the houses fell out of the sky. What was clear, was the high-volt electric fences that sat on-top of the concrete walls. “This makes me feel really good about being in country, what message does this send to visitors of the South Africa or Peace Corps volunteers fresh off the plane… haha”.
2-hours later, we arrived at Ndebele College in Siyabuswa.



As we exited the bus we were greeted by 10 young adults clapping and singing. I later found out that these folks were native South Africans who will be our LCF’S (Language & Cultural Facilitators). These individuals will be facilitating our language & cultural sessions, “This was not made clear to us volunteers until many days later, so at the time I though the individuals clapping and dancing were residents of the college.”

Finally South Africa

12,000 km later and at a cool 5 degrees C. At most airports you get off the plane an walk threw the terminal. Well, we got off the plane and stepped onto the landing strip and caught a bus to customs. After retrieving our bags we were greeted by Peace Corps South Africa staff. The Director, McGrath Jean Thomas, she spoke with us in the lobby for about 15min. By this time everyone was dancing and taking pictures. I was still kind of not-all-there. I really didn’t do too much talking; I was tired, hungry and could not believe that I was in South Africa. We loaded yet another bus, drove 2 hours and arrived at Ndebele College of Education in Siyabuswa.

Mailing Address for training. This will be the place you can send things to until August 25th. It takes about 2 weeks to arrive. Make sure if you are sending a package, to write educational or Religious literature. I guess there has been a problem with theft here in South Africa.
Randall Anderson
Peace Corps
P.O. Box 9536
Pretoria 0001
South Africa
I would send mail from the post office to make sure the postage was correct.
This is the letter we receive when we settle in.





Dear Trainees,

On behalf of the entire staff and our host country counterparts, we are pleased that you accepted the invitation to work with us here in South Africa. The success of each Trainee/Volunteer is our goal. Every staff member at Peace Corps South Africa is committed to providing you with the support you need to successfully transition from life in the US to meet the challenges of your new work assignment so you will have a safe, healthy, and productive Volunteer service.

During the next 2 months we hope to learn more about each other, and how we can best work together in the School and Community Resource Project. Our goal during PST is to prepare you to serve at rural primary schools in the Limpopo, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu Natal Provinces, since you will be making a 2-year commitment to live in and share the cultures of these communities to assist educators in improving teaching and classroom practices in the areas of science, math, life skills and English.

PST is a time for both you and the Peace Corps staff to assess your readiness to assume your work assignment. A 2-year commitment should not be entered casually and is one that you may need to re-affirm in many ways during PST and, in fact, throughout your service.

Let me reemphasize again, that most of our volunteer sites will be in rural communities served by public taxis, and many sites will not have access to running water or flush toilets. If you were told something different it is best that you forget that and think carefully about whether you are ready to take on this challenge of living and working in a rural South African village.

Today is the beginning of your Peace Corps services. The first things you should unpack from your luggage are patience and flexibility we asked you to bring along on this journey because you will need it.

Staging!!

Staging was set to take place in Philadelphia at the Holiday Inn Hotel on Arch Street. My plane left Tampa at 12pm and I arrived at around 3pm. I took a shuttle to the hotel, which was about 20min away. After I unpacked my bags I went down stairs to check in. We all received $120 for the next two days. This was to be spent on food and as a reimbursement for travel.
I met some of my peers in the lobby. What lead me to believe these were fellow PCV's was the number of bags by their side. They all decided to go out for the night and blow some money. Me on the other hand, I had more phone calls to make, I can socialize while in Africa when phone and internet are unavailable. This is when I think it finally started to hit me that I was going away for a LONG TIME. I was not worried about the Liberty Bell, Ben Franklin or Independence Hall, all things that I have never had the opportunity to enjoy. “I am usually the guy taking pictures”. I did enjoy a Philly Cheese Steak though.
July 13th , 7am the 1st official day of staging. I knew what I was up against, a long day of paperwork and information. Before that we had to MARCH 2 blocks to the clinic in the rain to receive the Yellow Fever vaccine. Yes, in the RAIN!! After the shot we were allowed to roam the city until 1pm. It rained the entire time. From 1pm-7pm we engaged in a series of icebreakers, team building and Peace Corps history lessons. After our 6 hours informational session a group went out for one last night of fun. This is when I really started SWEATING. “ What am I doing, am I really going to South Africa?” New friends, new family and a new way of life am I ready for this? I think this was when I really started to loose my mind. Once you become accustom to a certain way of life a change can either be a great thing or a train-wreck. I knew one thing; I was not about to go out when we had to wake up the next morning at 2am. I decided to take a 2 hours shower, repack and call friends and family one last time. I WAS ALREADY HOME-SICK.

July 14th , We rose up at 2am because we had to catch a chartered bus to JFK. I don’t know why we had to stage in Philly and then drive 3 hours. We arrived at JFK around 5:30am and the check-in counter did not open till 7:30.
After check-in and waiting till 11:00am, we finally boarded, South Africa Airlines flight 0204.



By this time I was kinda out of it. Why am I here? Should I call my mom to come pick me up? South Africa are you serious!?!?? Up until about last weak I was SCREAMING South Africa!!! Telling everyone that they are missing out and that they should consider signing up with Peace Corps. haha. This part was probably the hardest. At that moment I remembered back to the airport in Tampa when I hugged my mother and she began to cry… That was probably the worst feeling ever. I know those were tears of joy but who wants to see their mom cry. I’m teering up as I type this.
I did make a call to my friend Vern and asked him

“Do you think I should just come home?”
His response,
“You are going home Randall!”

The Day Before Staging

It still hasn’t hit me yet that I am leaving America for South Africa. My family threw a BBQ for me. I am very grateful for all of their support in this. My mother is extremely proud of me. I also used the last day to make a lot of phone calls to friends and family. On another note, the more and more I think about my Peace Corps adventure that I am about to embark on, I have to keep reminding myself that, “ This is BIGGER than me”. Yes, I will play a major role in the continued effort of improving the education system in South Africa’s rural schools, but it’s going to take more than just me to make meaningful change. I can say that I am honored to be apart of this movement.

Packing!!

Staging is in Philly on the 12th. This is where all the volunteers meet to be briefed, vaccinated and learn more about Peace Corps.
That gives me the next 8 days to pack for the next 2 years of my life. I have no clue where to begin. Peace Corps gave me a list of clothing and items that they deemed necessary. I am so nervous mainly because I don’t want to forget anything or over pack.
My mom and I went to Wal-mart a total of 8 times. She was not to happy with me, most of the time because I was all over the place, bouncing up and down the walls. Hiking boots, batteries, flash light and baby wipes are just a few things to name. Another worry was the 80lb weight limit (how is any one expected to pack for the next 2 years of their life with a weight limit?).
Needless to say, I was able to get a great deal of shopping done. I JUST HOPE THAT I HAVE EVERYTHING!!!

The Drive!!!

On Thursday the 1st of July, full of excitement I was dreading the drive for months. After saying goodbye to all my friends and family, I began my 1400-mile trek from Lubbock to Tampa. This was going to be a non-stop trip so I needed some assistance. I drove to Dallas where I met my friend Jared who attended The University Of Florida with me (Gators stick together). He was kind enough to fly to Texas and assist me in driving.
We spent 2 days in Gainesville Florida, so I could hangout with some friends, professors and co-workers from undergrad. I made it home for the 4th of July.