Budding Libraries (Part 2): Book Donation Update

Several months ago, we shared with you that we are both working on creating libraries at our respective schools. We have made significant progress since that post and we wanted to take a moment to update you on this process and express our IMMENSE gratitude to those who made this possible.

Library Makeover: Before

Library Makeover: In Progress

Book Donations

Our schools both have between 350-400 learners. According to the Department of Basic Education in South Africa, each school of this size should have a library containing a minimum of 2,250 books in order to be considered effective. When we started at our schools last September, we had less than 100 books at each of our schools. So, acquiring books was a very good place to start!!

We both completed and were approved to receive two separate book grants for our schools:

• One grant with Books for Africa & Breadline Africa for 1,250 books.
• One grant with the African Library Project for 1,000 books.

With both Books for Africa and the African Library Project, the books are shipped from the United States to South Africa on cargo ships. It is ideal for the organisation to send shipments of books in bulk, filling one entire shipping container. The organisation, then, encourages Peace Corps Volunteers (PCVs) to collaborate in groups of 10-15 on their grants. Therefore, for both of these grants, we will talk about a “Project Lead” who is responsible for liaising with the granting organization and ensuring that us PCVs have our ducks in a row. Without these Project Leads, these grants would never have happened.

African Library Project (Grant Completed: November 2014; Books Received: October 2015)

The African Library Project (ALP) grant application is a phenomenally thorough document. It requires schools to provide everything from their library rules and consequences to policies for the use and maintenance of the books. In short, this organisation makes a concerted effort to ensure that the books donated through ALP are given to schools that have the infrastructure and sustainability to support the effective use and maintenance of the books.

With ALP, a PCV must find US counterparts who will take responsibility for hosting book and donation drives to collect the 1,000 books and $500 needed to ship and deliver the books to the school. We wanted to take a moment to honour and explain the work invested by these counterparts to make this donation possible.

For Michelle’s school, the US counterparts were a good friend, Joan, from her former church in Tacoma and her former colleague, Paul, at the University of Washington Tacoma. Tahoma Unitarian Universalist Congregation hosted a fun, family-friendly awareness event and collected donations of books or money for over a month to benefit this grant. The UWT Center for Service & Leadership hosted a month-long book donation drive and the book-packaging event, which prepared the books for shipment.

Michelle's Principal is so grateful to our African Library Project Donors!!!

For Joe’s school, the US counterparts were our dear friends, Michael and Emily, and his former colleague at Pacific Lutheran University, Tiffany.  Michael and Emily solicited friends and family for donations locally in Washington and afar in California.  At PLU, Tiffany commissioned the help of some of her student leaders in the Center for Community Engagement & Service to spread the word around the campus about the book drive as well as to set up a collection.  Once the books were collected, Michael and Emily packed them into boxes and sent them off to staging in New Orleans in order to board a ship bound for South Africa.

Joe's Shipment From African Library Project

Books for Africa & Breadline Africa (Grant Completed: October 2014; Books Received: July 2015)

When we applied for the book donation from Books for Africa (BFA), the Project Leads were two PCVs in the province of Limpopo, Pasha and Tori. Books donated through BFA are primarily books discarded by other libraries or schools. Once we were accepted, the collective group raised enough money to ship the books from the U.S. to Durban and provide overland travel to get the books from Durban to Limpopo. Once in Limpopo, a group of volunteers worked together to sort the boxes of books into piles to ensure that each school or organisation received the appropriate number of books. (These folks did a LOT of heavy lifting!)

On our side, our schools, along with two other PCVs’ schools in our shopping town, had to develop a plan to go to Limpopo, collect the books, and bring them nearly 500 miles (804.7 km) back to our villages. The PCVs and principals began this conversation in April and did a significant amount of legwork to make it possible, including: communicating with multiple district offices, calling at least a dozen moving companies, national chain grocery stores, and personal contacts. Despite our best planning and trust, the plan was not finalized until less than 48 hours before the books were supposed to be collected. As you can imagine, this caused a great deal of stress and anxiety for all of us… Let’s just say that although the “blood and sweat” part of the book delivery process was largely handled by PCVs in Limpopo, the “tears” part of the process was sufficiently met by us PCVs in KwaZulu-Natal.

Laura, on top of piles and piles of books!

On Sunday, June 7, Michelle and another volunteer from our area, Laura, got into a public taxi to start the trek to Limpopo. Thirty hours later, they met the truck driver (an employee of a friend of Laura’s principal, and our saving grace for this book collection debacle) in Polokwane and drove to collect 175 boxes, containing a total of about 7,000 books for our 4 schools. 3 days later, the truck arrived in our village and delivered the books to our schools. ((WHEW!))

Shipment from Limpopo

Donation Credits!

Our gratitude in this donation process goes first to Tori, Pasha & Caroline who coordinated the grant processes and various logistics. This would never have been possible without the donated time, energy, and finances of our two partners-in-crime, Maureen & Laura. We made it happen!! Thank you again to Michael, Emily, Joan, and Paul. You are TOTAL rock stars! Also thank you to the dozens of friends and family members who donated books and money to this cause. It has been lovely to see bits and pieces of you (children’s names in old books, labels from your local libraries, etc) from afar.

Finally, we would be remiss to overlook the dedication of our principals and library committees for their support throughout this entire process. They are the foundation for our programs and the rock upon which we stand.

Joe's learners are SO STOKED!

What’s Next:

Now, we are facing the hurdles of:

• Sorting and labeling the books…
• Increasing the physical space allocated to the library and, last but not least,…
• Training learners and teachers how to use the books.

Born Free in South Africa: Spotlight from the NY Times

For the most part, we've used this blog to post our own experiences and insights into South African life, history, diversity, and culture. But, who says that you should only hear from us?

It only makes sense that we should include the perspectives of South African nationals in our efforts to share more of this great country with you.

Source: http://twentyjourney.com/wp-content/themes/twentyjourney/images/sipho.jpg

The New York Times recently ran an article titled, "Born Free in South Africa." The journalist interviewed Sipho Mpongo, a photographer and self-described “born free” South African, meaning that he was born close to or after 1994. The general marker of a born free is that the only South Africa they have ever known has been governed democratically and without apartheid-era policies. As a result, there is a fascinating variance in their perspective on the social/cultural dynamics of South Africa (racism, classism, gender equality), the role that history should play in the understanding of those dynamics, and the way forward. I say “varied” because it will range from, "Why are we dwelling in the past? That stuff ended before I was even born" to, "The same social issues are still happening in our lives. When are we going to put an end to all the underlying ideas that supported the apartheid polices?"

Sipho was born in a rural village in the Eastern Cape province, the same province in which Nelson Mandela was raised. To quote the article, "though he came of age in a nation claiming to be democratic, he knows better than anyone that moving past decades of state-sanctioned segregation takes time." He looked around his village and still saw racial segregation, an imbalance of wealth, and poverty.

“I never thought I was free growing up. I’m still struggling. My parents still struggle,” - Sipho Mpongo.

Sipho became fascinated with understanding the different perspectives of his fellow born frees, because he believes in the responsibility they will hold for shaping the future of South Africa. He started a journey to seek out and document their stories and experiences in the hopes that people—himself included—can witness and learn from the diversity within his own country. “It was a learning process for me, being in a new environment within your own country and feeling awkward,” he said. “I had to forget about me and my morals and just be with my subjects and understand what they were living.”

He calls his project “Twenty Journey” and has partnered with two other photojournalists to cross the country collecting stories and sharing them with the world.

“I’m only providing a small picture to show what things looks like. I hope people dig deeper, for themselves.” – Sipho Mpongo

I hope you do.
____________________________
DIG DEEPER:

• Read the full New York Times article here: http://nyti.ms/1fFfOoe
• Explore Sipho's photographs of born free South Africans: http://twentyjourney.com/archive/?filter_author=4
• Check out the work being created by his two co-collaborators: http://twentyjourney.com/

Heritage Day 2015

Michelle and I have been in South Africa long enough now that we’re able to have the chance to celebrate special occasions for a second time. One such special occasion is Heritage Day. (I wrote about Heritage Day last year; you can read more about it here.)

The Teachers Lookin' Fancy

Yesterday, teachers and learners donned their traditional garb. There were performances including: musical poetry by Grade R* learners, storytelling by a Grade 3 learner, teacher imitations by Grade 5 learners, songs by Grade 6 learners, and gumboot dancing by Grade 7 learners.

Grade 6 Learners Performing Songs

There was also a special dance performance by the teachers. All of the teachers got involved this year, including me. The learners and teachers thought I was a riot when it was my turn to dance.

Joe Shaking Things Up

Joe High-Steppin'

After school let out, the teachers stayed behind to share a traditional meal together. I tried tripe for the first time as part of a tribal dumpling soup. I was hesitant to try it because it’s unusual for my culture, but I was (greatly) pleasantly surprised to find that it was delicious. Last year, I brought chocolate chip cookies, so this year I wanted to bring something different. I’ve observed that meat pies are common throughout the country; however, fruit pies don’t seem to exist. I used that as inspiration to bake apple pie. The pie was a hit!

Mr. Thwala and Several Learners Performing a Shembe Dance

Get it Ms. Khumalo!

Heritage Day took on more meaning for me this year than it did last year. Having gotten to know and grow closer to my fellow teachers and the learners made the holiday more special. I tried describing the change in this way to the teachers, “In the time I have been here, you have welcomed me with open arms and warm hearts. We have built friendships. I have grown to feel like I have become part of your family.” There were moments during the celebration when I could feel tears welling up behind my eyes because of the joy and pride I feel for the people at my school. But there was another reason I felt emotional; these feelings were also tinged with sadness because it was possible that it will be my last Heritage Day in South Africa. (About a year from now, Michelle and I will be returning to the US.)

Teachers Singing and Dancing

What these feelings taught me were that I need to cherish moments like the ones I described above and to make the most of the time I have left. The next big event coming up is the Grade 7 Farewell (it’s the graduation for the learners as a send off to high school). I wasn’t able to attend the Farewell last year because of a training, but I’ll be able to go this year. I look forward to it!

_____________________________________

*Grade R = kindergarten

#TBT: Reading Competition – Term 1

 *TBT stands for “Throw Back Thursday.” It is a popular hashtag on social media sites and an excuse to post old photos and things that are “throw backs” to the past.

Many of you have asked to hear more about the literacy competitions that have been happening at my (Michelle’s) school this year. So, I wanted to take you back to the beginning and highlight each one.

How it All Started
As I have mentioned here, my School Library Committee (SLC) is so amazing. You have to understand that, in my experience, the vast majority of committees created at South African schools meet only a handful of times each year, if at all. It is fairly common for a committee (or administrator, or organization, or school) to say, “Yes, we will do this thing,” and you never hear about it again. So when my SLC said that they wanted to host quarterly, internal, school literacy competitions to recognize and encourage learners to read/write/etc, I thought it was a lovely idea, but was skeptical that it would take off. I am glad that they proved me wrong.

The moment of truth came in early March when I raised my hand in a meeting and said, “I want to ask whether we are going to host a competition in Term 1. We stated last school year that we would do this every term, but we only have a few weeks left and we have not started planning. Should we skip the competition for this term and start planning for next term?” My comment was met with a resounding: NO. We must push to plan a competition for this term because if we start to slip now, we will slip the next term and the next. We can make no excuses… (Did I mention how much I love them?)

Term 1 – Prepared Storytelling/Reading and Unprepared Reading
It was decided that we would start with a basic reading competition. Students would come to the front, read a story, and be assessed on fluency. Fluency, when reading aloud, refers to the learner’s tone and inflection (do they sound natural or robotic?), pacing, pausing (at commas, periods, etc.) and ability to read with emotion.

Prepared Reading

Each grade competed in a level-appropriate way:

• Grade R (Kindergarten): Storytelling by using pictures in a book
• Grade 1: Storytelling by using pictures in a book (though, it was changed to sight-word recognition by the teacher)
• Grades 2 & 3: Prepared reading (meaning, learners get to practice reading it before they present)
• Grades 4 & 5: Unprepared reading (though, it was changed to prepared reading by the teacher)
• Grades 6 & 7: Unprepared reading

Prepared Reading

There was a buzz of energy the entire day. This was so new, so exciting, so… different than what they had seen before. The educators were a bit hesitant at first because there were so many new things for them—a new style of rubric, unfamiliar schedule for the day, and new roles with new expectations. The committee leapt in charge of the day, though! They held judge’s meetings, purchased snacks and prizes, and even emceed, providing impromptu entertainment between participants. Despite a few hiccups (such as the slight changes in the activities for some grades), the day was a huge success!

Judges excited about a job well done!

This event was especially meaningful for me because before the event, as many PCVs will attest, I was struggling with my committee relying too much on me. They were always looking to me for the answer or waiting for me to take charge.

This competition changed something within the core of the SLC. They started to believe that they could do things on their own…and that was the greatest success of all!

Boxed Lunches and Racism

There is a grade 7 learner at my school, let’s call him “M.N.”, who always comes to the library to eat lunch with me and a group of his friends. I first mentioned him in this post from March 2015. He watches a lot of US movies, particularly racing movies, and is known among my friends for his insightful and often strange questions that he poses to me while we eat. Some of my favourites have included:

• How many times has someone tried to use reverse psychology on you? Does Joe use it?
• If someone tried to steal your ride, what would you do for revenge?
• What is one problem that you grew up with that you will die with?
• How many times have you been doing a front-flip or a back-flip or a side-flip and fallen on your face?

As you can see, the topics can vary greatly and almost anything is fair game. So, I wasn’t surprised when M.N. started our lunchtime conversation with, “I want to ask you a question, but I don’t think you will like it…”

Me: Well, ask me and we will see.

M.N.: Why is it that white people do not like black people so much?

Me: That sounds like a very important question. Why do you think that white people don’t like black people?

M.N.: Well, it’s just that they kept passing these laws that say that black people must live in one place and white people must live in another. It’s like they don’t want to live near us. So I can only think that they must hate us.

Me: You are right. They passed many laws that said that white people must do these things and black people must do something different, like having different rules, different schools, different jobs, even different drinking fountains. Many white people, especially in historical times, believed many things that were not true about black people.

M.N.: Like what?

Me: Well, for example, they believed the lie that black people are not able to manage jobs that are in businesses or offices. They said that they are only able to do work with their hands. So, they prevented black people from being able to work certain jobs or become the boss in a company.

M.N.: [disbelief] My father worked at the hospital for many years. He also worked in an office at the bank for a long time. He was responsible for budgets with millions of dollars. How can they believe these things?

Me: I am not sure, but I think part of the problem is that they don’t hear these stories like the one of your father. They only hear the things that are not true and they don’t have someone to tell them the truth. We must tell them these stories like your father’s to show them what is true.

M.N.: But, why should I be the one who has to tell the story when you are the one who knows them and can tell it to them.

Me: [thinking both, “I’m totally getting schooled by a 7^th grader” and “my kids are brilliant!”] You are right, M.N. I can do that.

… and so I kept my promise. 

Source: http://www.azquotes.com/picture-quotes/quote-there-s-so-much-more-to-tell-about-africa-than-the-usual-stories-about-war-famine-and-komla-dumor-67-26-66.jpg

The First Day of Summer

When I was a kid, I couldn’t wait for summer to roll around. Summer meant swimming, playing outside, ice cream cones at the ice cream stand… It was my favourite season.

The first day of summer occurred last week, and, with it, new traditions (for me). At my school, and many of the schools in my area, it’s a tradition for the teachers to dress up like the learners. Along with Mr. Thwala, I donned my school’s colours – grey and white – and borrowed a tie from one of my learners. The learners got a big kick out of our appearance.

Mr. Thwala and I dressed as learners.

The learners were allowed to dress casually, which meant that they dressed to impress. Mr. Thwala went so far as to allow the learners in his Grade 7 Maths class to teach the class. One brave learner volunteered. It was cute when her classmates greeted her like she was the real deal.

A Bunch of Learners Dressed to Impress

On this day a year ago, we were living in a different part of the province and they had different traditions regarding the start of summer. One involved water. Michelle and I had to dodge buckets of water while we walked home from Peace Corps training.

Thinking about next year, I told one of the male teachers at my school that we should dress up like female learners by wearing skirts. In a place with strict gender norms, it might take some convincing; but it’s worth a try.

What are your traditions for the first day of summer?

My Grade 5 English Class singing Somewhere Over the Rainbow by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole at Assembly

Nicole & Eddie Visit the HK’s!

“Learn from yesterday, live for today, look for tomorrow, rest this afternoon.”

~ Charlie Brown (written on the menu board at Buccaneers Backpackers in Cintsa, Eastern Cape) 

Our rendition of an "awkward family photo." How did we do?!

Michelle and I were blessed to have Nicole and Eddie Minkoff visit us during the July break from school.  While we were together, we were able to go on a road trip along the Wild Coast.  What a beautiful place!  There was a lot to see and do; especially since we enjoy the outdoors.  And the best part – we got to enjoy it with two of our best friends from back home.

Learn from Yesterday: Addo Elephant Park

African elephants at Addo Elephant Park

We definitely found a strong connection to “yesterday” at Addo Elephant Park. Our guide taught us much about the history and significance of the many animals native to South Africa. We learned why humans are unable to domesticate zebras, the differences between African elephants and Asian elephants, and the complicated history between these beautiful creatures and humans. We learned that all of the reserves and parks refuse to release their population counts for black rhinos because they do not want to attract the attention of poachers. We learned that if you are worried about meeting a lion, hang out with a zebra—they can spot a lion at a great distance. We learned that anything, truly anything, could be disguised as a warthog (and vice versa).

“Look at that elephant… Never mind, it’s a warthog.” 

“Was that an eland or a hartebeest?” “Neither, just a warthog.” 

“Is that a lion?!” “Nope. Warthog.”

Warthog: The chameleon of mammals...

Most importantly, we learned about the interconnected history between South African tribes and the wildlife. You can imagine what this land would be like if the animals hadn’t been rounded up behind fences (or, in many cases, such as the lions in Cape Town, killed off by settlers). You gain a sense of reverence for who/what this territory truly belongs to.

Zebra at Addo Elephant Park

Live for Today: Cave Hunting & Cliff Diving

Our first full rest day was in Coffee Bay. We took advantage of this beautiful locale by taking a day hike to find some locally renowned coastal caves. The owner at the backpackers that gave us instructions said the hike should take about 45 minutes, will “follow the beach”, and would pass a deep lake/inlet along the way.  

Our trusty guide dog

The first 10 minutes of the hike followed the beachfront. This is where we met our trusty guide…dog.  At first, we thought the dog was just following us because it wanted food.  But the farther we walked, the more we realised the dog knew where he was going.  The dog stayed with us through the village, wading across the inlet, around the rocks, up a second hill, through some guy’s yard, down a sketchy goat path, through a coastal tunnel and to the hidden cave! At each turn, the dog was there waiting for us as if to say, “Come on guys – this way!”

Posing for a photo between the caves

 On the journey back, Michelle and I decided to linger a little longer at this deep inlet lake. We had been told that there were some awesome cliff diving spots along the edge. The diving spot was a bit like the three bears—there was a baby step (about 1 metres/3.3 feet), a medium step (about 3 metres/9.8 feet), and a giant step (about 6 metres/19.7 feet). Joe had bravely tested the depth from the baby and medium steps, when a group of small children happened upon the swimming spot. One fearless child, who looked to be about 8 years old, climbed straight up to the top and dove right off. We couldn’t believe his tenacity.  Seeing that he was unharmed, our confidence grew.  Michelle followed suit and went to the highest step.  With the help of a countdown from the kids, she leapt into the air holding her nose.  Using the kids and their countdown, I went next.  It felt like I was falling for an eternity, but just as quickly as I left the step I came splashing down into the water.  It was exhilarating!

Joe's leap

Michelle's leap

Rest this Afternoon: Change of Plans at Hole in the Wall

Sounds easy enough...

We planned a seemingly reasonable 13 km hike from Coffee Bay to Lubanzi Beach. We embarked on the journey bright-eyed and bushy-tailed and were not disappointed. The view was breathtaking! The rough fishing trails meandered up and down the green hills along the gorgeous coastline….and up…and down…and up…and through a village…and down. Perhaps we should have learned from our cave hunting experience that any guidebook that says “…and then just follow the coast” is lying to you.

Stunning view from the fisherman's trail

En route to Hole in the Wall

After about 5 hours on trail, we arrived at the famous Hole in the Wall; a natural phenomenon caused by water erosion over time. We started out on our final leg of the hike and realised that we may have bit off more than we could chew. Michelle’s new boots weren’t cooperating…and who could leave this gorgeous view…

Nature is cool!

After re-grouping, we decided to forgo the extension of our trek, rent a room at the local backpackers, and splurge for milkshakes and dinner. The rest was welcomed and we felt properly spoiled.

Note: In our decision to rest, we had to cancel our reservation at the Mbolompo Xhosa Homestay near Lubanzi Beach. This was a true disappointment and we are sorry that we did not get to meet the lovely host family. If you find yourself in the area, consider staying with a local family and breaking bread together.

The view looking over the town of Hole in the Wall

Look for Tomorrow: Thekwini (Durban) and Beyond…

Our last stop was Thekwini (the isiZulu name for Durban). It was our first chance to show old friends around some of the places we have come to love in South Africa. We took Nicole and Eddie to our favourite restaurants, felt like old pros navigating the complicated city taxi system, and enjoyed a lovely walk along the oceanfront. We reflected on the many highlights of our journey together. We have travelled with Nicole many times before, but this was our first time to embark with Eddie as a part of the crew. We are so very glad that he did.  It was such a joy to get to know him better and an honour to witness their joy and love for each other.

Awwwww! Aren't they so adorable?!

There’s nothing like being able to pick up again with old friends and, moreso, being able to create new memories. We are so grateful that Nicole and Eddie ventured all the way to South Africa to share this with us!

Nicole, Eddie, and Joe in Durban

Reflections about Training for a Marathon

The Two Oceans Marathon is one of the biggest races in South Africa (second to the Comrades Marathon). On our way back from Cape Town in April, Michelle and I met someone who ran the Two Oceans. We were waiting for our taxi to fill at a taxi rank in Durban when a man walked up wearing running shoes, running shorts, and a technical Tee; none of which are normal attire for men in our village. Out of curiosity, I asked the man if he had run the Two Oceans Marathon. He excitedly answered that he had, and thus began our multi-hour conversation about running while we rode the taxi back to our village.

My conversation with the runner, as well as observations I made while I trained to run the Victoria Falls Marathon, got me thinking about what it takes to train for a marathon in rural South Africa compared to in the US.

Context
Running seems to occur in two forms in my village: children playing together or boys/men playing soccer. It’s rare to see woman play soccer. It’s even rarer to see villagers running for the sake of running.

The Soccer Team at Joe's School

The Runner I met on the taxi while going back to my village was an exception. Seeing as how I hadn’t observed other villagers running just to run, I was curious to see why he ran. What ended up being more interesting was what it took for him to be able to run and compete in races.

Race Registration
I have heard many people say that running is a cheap sport, which can be true if one doesn’t participate in any races. However, if one does strive to complete and, even further, compete like the Runner I met, money becomes a factor. For example, in the US, race registration can range from $15 for a local 5k to over $150 for a marathon (not including travel and accommodations if one travels for a race). In South Africa, races vary in price as well. In addition to paying for race registration, runners need to maintain a running license to compete in races and, in some cases, belong to a registered running club.

Joe Taught His Learners (Both Girls and Boys!) How to Play Ultimate Frisbee

Equipment
Further, there’s running equipment: shoes, socks, shorts, pants, short-sleeve technical Tees, long-sleeve technical Tees, beanie, gloves, stopwatch (or satellite watch), etc. While it isn’t necessary to run with most of these items, it becomes harder to compete on a national level with other runners when one doesn’t use them. These items are widely available throughout the US. Virtually all major US cities, and many towns for that matter, have whole stores dedicated to running. Since arriving in South Africa, I have only seen one running store and it was in Pretoria, several hours from my village. There are a few chains that specialize in sports that carry running gear; however, the selection is limited. I also recognize that I’m still getting to know the country, so there may be stores I haven’t yet discovered. The point here is that my village does NOT have a running store, so the Runner has to travel at least a few hours (by taxi) to get to one.

Nutrition
Then there’s nutrition. US stores carry a variety of foods that are used by runners. And not just running stores. Grocery stores and department stores carry running food. In my village, I found sports drinks (most of which contain too much sugar in my opinion) or Energade jellies. With an absence of easy-to-go foods, one has to be cleverer about how to refuel during a run.

Many Families Grow Mealies (i.e. Corn) to Supplement Their Nutrition

Running gels and bars aside, a well-balanced, nutritious diet requires access to protein, healthy fats, fruits, vegetables, and carbohydrates. This was an important issue for the Runner because he highlighted that it’s common to see villagers eating pap (a food most akin to grits) and chicken with gravy. While the chicken is a good source of protein, pap is mostly eaten as a filler because it’s cheap. Given that the unemployment rate in my village hovers at about 50%, a lot of people eat pap.

Donations
While I was talking with the Runner, I learned that he was “sponsored” by people in my shopping town. In addition to using a portion of his income, he also went to local businesses and the hospital to ask for donations. The Runner was humbled by people’s generosity because he said he wouldn’t be able to run without their help. Leading up to a race, he goes door-to-door asking for donations, which he uses to pay for the items I mentioned above – race registration, equipment, and food – as well as travel and accommodations. When he returns from the race, he makes it a point to visit everyone who donated; no matter the amount. The Runner shows them his race bib, photos that were taken during the race, and any medals he earned.

Catching the Last of the Sunlight after an Early Evening Run

The Payoff
The Runner is sort of like a local hero. The people in my shopping town and the surrounding villages take pride in what he has done and how he represents our area. Not only does he represent the area, he represents it well. As the taxi pulled away from the rank, the Runner was pleased to show me the medal he was awarded for finishing within the top 100 of the race where thousands of people compete. Not too shabby for a guy from the village.

Victoria Falls Marathon

Four hours, 13 minutes after I passed through the starting gate, I crossed the finish line at the Victoria Falls Marathon. It was the second time in my life that I completed one. The first marathon was in Baltimore in 2008. Seven years later, I was able to do it again.

If you would have asked me if I wanted to run another marathon when I finished running the one in Baltimore, I would have quickly answered “no”. As time has passed, though, my answer softened and even turned positive. I had thought about doing another marathon, and I even signed up for one. Unfortunately, though, I wasn’t able to train enough and had to settle for a half-marathon (nothing to scoff at, I know, but still short of my goal). The desire to run another marathon was still within me.

Halfway through the Race and Feeling Good!

After I got settled into my permanent site, I started looking around to see what kinds of races took place. I was surprised to see there were a lot! It seemed like each province held its own set of races. As I browsed the list, I thought to myself, “It would be pretty cool to run a marathon while I’m a Peace Corps Volunteer.” With that, I made up my mind; I would run one while I was in South Africa.

While looking at the marathons listed online, I noticed that most of them took place while school was in session (granted on the weekends, but I would need to account for traveling to and from the race). The ones that didn’t were ultra-marathons and I would first need to qualify for one of them by running a regular marathon first. But then I noticed that there was a marathon listed for Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. I clicked the link and was delighted to see that it took place during my June-July break from school. Perfect!

It was about December when I decided the Vic Falls Marathon was the race for me, which meant I had about six months to train. I had a good base already, so I had to focus my efforts on building up the distance. To read more about what I learned about training for a marathon while living in a rural village, click here.

Fast-forward to the weekend of the marathon… Michelle and I found a nice travel package through Wild Frontiers that included accommodations, shuttles, meals, a sunset river cruise, and marathon after-party. I’ll save descriptions of the cruise and after-party for another post. Suffice it say for now that it was a fun and eventful weekend on top of the running the marathon.

The Race Technical Tee

On the morning of the marathon, I was nervous with anticipation and excited to run the race. I hoped I had had enough training. I knew there were going to be hills on the course, and, since my village is as flat as a pancake, I wasn’t sure how I would fare. I was also nervous that I wouldn’t be able to finish. What if I got too tired, or injured, or passed out? I was excited to run the course because I knew it would go over the bridge that crosses the Zambezi River providing a great view of the Falls.

Catching the Sunrise over Victoria Falls as I Crossed the Bridge

A couple of minutes before the race started, Michelle took my picture and wished me good luck. I then walked over to a friend I made while I was there, Alan, who had flown in from Kentucky to run the marathon to wish him good luck. And then the countdown began…

Three… two… one… Start! I was running! The first couple of miles were slow-going because the course was congested with runners. I had to remind myself to take it slow. The last time I ran a marathon, I started too quickly and I hit “the wall” around Mile 18, leaving eight more miles of what felt like torture to go. By the time I got to the bridge, a nice spread was starting to grow between runners and I felt more at ease.

Pre-Race Pic

I carried my phone with me so I could take photos along the way. Alan saw me trying to take a picture of myself while I was on the bridge and he kindly offered to take it for me. I continued over the bridge to the gate that stands between Zambia and Zimbabwe. The gate was closed for the race, but that didn’t get in the way of dozens of Zambians who were there to cheer on the runners. I turned around at the gate and continued back toward the bridge. The scene at the Victoria Falls was stunning because the sun was starting to rise. Running the marathon also enabled me to see the Falls from another vantage point, which was really cool.

Running Over the Bridge with Victoria Falls in the Background

Once over the bridge, the course turned into the Zambezi National Park where I saw lots of elephant dung and Park Service Rangers on the lookout for wildlife. Unfortunately, I didn’t see any elephants. However, the runners in the half-marathon did. In fact, they had to re-route because the elephant didn’t want to get off the course!

Along the way, I saw a few groups of local kids. They were all smiles as runners passed them. At one point, I heard a kid counting the runners as they passed. I was #124 according to his count. Too bad there were only about 300 runners registered for the marathon; otherwise, that would have been pretty impressive!

Running through and then out of the national park showed to be quite the task because it required climbing uphill for several miles. When I got to the top, I felt worried because I knew I would have to do it again (the course looped twice through the national park). The course then worked through a residential neighborhood before the second loop began. Shortly before the loop, I spotted Michelle standing alongside the road ready to hand off some Energade gummies and a bottle of water. I ended up not needing the water bottle because the course was well-stocked with water, orange slices, bananas, and juice. (I was surprised not to see Coca Cola because I had heard that that was a thing at African races.)

Joe with His New Friend Alan After the Race

Running down the hill toward the entrance into the national park, I felt my thighs start to burn. It was a sign I wasn’t happy to see. I kept on running and hoped for the best. As I made my way through the park, I started to climb again, which my thighs definitely did not like. It was at that point I made the decision to alternate running when I could and walking when I needed it. As I neared the park exit, I spotted Alan in front of me waiting to check in with me.

(As it turned out, Alan and I were hoping to run about the same pace, so we saw each other a lot throughout the race. When that happened, we checked in with each other and offered words of encouragement. Near the end of the race, I was extremely grateful Alan was there because he helped me keep my mind off the pain emanating from my thighs.)

Alan looked down at his watch and then back up at me and said, “Well, it looks like we’re going to miss the 4-hour mark. How do you feel about running together and taking it easy toward the finish line?” I was more than happy to welcome that suggestion because I knew I would fare better if I had company as I finished the race.

The finish line was at one of the primary schools outside Victoria Falls proper. The closer I got to the school, the more people I could see and the more excited I became about finishing the race. I turned onto the school grounds and I could hear Michelle’s voice/cheer. It was at that point that I felt tears welling up behind my eyes. I felt elated to have finished the race (or what I thought was the finish). I trained for months and now all of that work was coming to fruition.

Nearly There! (You can spot Joe in the center of the photo.)

The further I got into the school compound, though, the more I realized the course kept going. It was then that I heard Michelle tell me that I needed to run a lap around the compound. What?! According to Alan’s watch, we were already at 26.2 miles! Well, I kept running and could feel my head buzzing with the excitement of having run the race. Within a few meters of the finish line, I turned to Alan and grabbed his hand. “Thank you!” I exclaimed. I turned back in time for the photographer to take a picture of my bib number and then I crossed the finish line (at 26.6 miles to be exact).

Woohoo! I made it!

Post-Race Pic

Post-Marathon Thoughts
I’m stoked that I was able to run the Victoria Falls Marathon. It was a great race with lots of support from the organizers. I totally recommend it to anyone who’s looking to run internationally. In addition to the marathon, there is a lot do with safaris and water sports; not to mention that Zambia and Botswana are right there with their own attractions.

I would also like to take the opportunity to thank Alan again for all of his support throughout the race. You were a lifesaver! Thank you also to my friend Greg, one of my running buddies from Baltimore, for the advice about running in hot temperatures. Thank you to Nic, a fellow Peace Corps Volunteer, for the words of encouragement throughout my training. Thank you to my family (Kowalczyk and Harper both) for your excitement. I carried you with me as I ran. Last, but certainly not least, thank you to my loving wife and partner for being the lead on my race team and for cheering me on when I started running at 5:00am every Saturday morning during training.

Now, I have a new fun fact: I have completed two marathons in two countries on two continents. :)

Joe’s 12-Month Reflection

On 3 July, Michelle and I celebrated our first year living in South Africa. It was a big milestone. Interestingly, we were with several other Peace Corps Volunteers that day preparing to host workshops for the next group of incoming education volunteers. Thinking about their arrival got me thinking about the experiences I have had since I arrived one year ago. A few reflections surfaced.

Normalcy
In quick succession, I moved away from Tacoma, took a road across the US to visit family and friends before departing for South Africa, met the other volunteers with whom I would spend the next two years fulfilling Peace Corps’ mission, flew across the Atlantic, spent two months training and living with my first host family, moved to my permanent site, formed relationships with colleagues at my school and my new host family, and taught two academic terms. Phew!

A Panorama of Our Training Village

For most of that time, I was met with newness, difference, novelty, and change. It was exciting and exhausting. And for most of that time, I felt like a visitor; someone who was here only temporarily. In the back of my mind sat the reality that I was only going to be here for a short while. At first, I found this thought energizing because it gave each day a sense of urgency – to make a difference, to teach a learner, to talk with a teacher or villager or member of my host family—to do something. What I found, though, is that this elevated level of determination left me feeling fatigued.

Sometime during the second academic term, I started to relax and sought to make a difference where I could but also allowed myself the grace to be okay with not necessarily doing anything. Figuring out how to do that isn’t easy for me and it’s something I’m constantly working on.

Another observation I noticed during the second academic term was that the conversations I was having with my colleagues at school were changing. They were becoming deeper. When I first arrived, the teachers were friendly, warm, and welcoming. Now, they were talking with me about bigger life issues: how they saw teaching making a difference in the lives of learners, family concerns, and life passions. It was a profound feeling because it made me feel like I belonged. I was no longer an outsider, but South Africa was now my home.

With this feeling of home, my life started to feel normal. I knew what to expect out of each day. I knew where to buy groceries. I felt closer to my host family and I was making friends. I felt comfortable.

Detached Investment
I mentioned above that I felt a sense of urgency. This feeling presented itself mostly at my school where I felt like I needed to get projects rolling (and completed). One of the most common mistakes committed by Peace Corps Volunteers is working on projects independently. This mistake hurts the long-term impact of a volunteer’s presence because it’s not sustainable. The host country nationals (the people whom a volunteer is here to serve) don’t learn anything about the project and worse still is that the HCNs normally don’t feel connected to the project. (Michelle talks about this in her 12-month reflection.)

   

Eating Breakfast during One of My First Days at My Permanent Site

Fortunately, I recognized the feeling and didn’t indulge the impulse. Instead, I tried planting seeds within my colleagues and regularly revisited conversations with them about goals we were trying to accomplish. This change in behavior was trying for me because with it came frustration, impatience, and, to some degree, hopelessness. I had to remind myself that these weren’t MY projects but OUR projects and, even further, to keep from being the lead. I started thinking about my approach as a “detached investment”. While I would invest myself into whatever projects the principal, teachers, and I thought were the most important, I would remind myself that the principal and teachers needed to be the main drivers and I filled the role of the supporter.

I did a pretty good job at not taking charge of projects when I first arrived at my school, but it was becoming increasingly more difficult because I was being asked to do more things by my principal and fellow teachers. I felt like I/we were losing sight about why I was here.

To help navigate these situations, I started asking myself, “How does this connect to the reasons I’m here?” It helped to ask my colleagues as well. I’m still working on this with them, but I have noticed that it’s causing them to be more reflective and cognizant about the finite amount of time I’m here.

Over the Hump
With one year in, I feel like I’m over the hump – I feel like I can do this. This assuredness wavered back in January because it was a particularly tough month. Several volunteers, some of whom were close to me, left South Africa to go home. It made me question whether I would be able to serve the full 27 months because what would I do if things got too tough? There was a part of me that wished I didn’t know quitting was an option because it would mean that I would have to face “the difficulty”.

Six months later, I feel more confident about finishing my service, and at this point unless something absolutely horrendous happens to either Michelle or me, I don’t see any reason why I would go home early.

Friends - What a Great Support Network!

A Time to Reinvest
While I’m glad that I now feel comfortable in my new home, I know now is the time to reinvest myself. I still plan to practice balancing urgency with self-grace, but I also plan to deepen relationships with my host family, colleagues at school, and friends in the community. I plan to dig deeper into the culture and I’m going to do so by trying to speak more isiZulu in my everyday interactions. I’m also going to try not to fill my schedule too full because I want there to be space for the unexpected things that will help make my time here memorable.