Three Things I Made Sure I Did When I Arrived Home

It's been about six months since Michelle and I arrived home after serving in the Peace Corps in South Africa. Being aware of reverse culture shock and the U-W curve and having even helped students work through the transition of returning home after having studied abroad, I still find I am subject to the difficulties of the transition: the high's and low's, feelings of happiness, excitement, sadness and loss, and wondering about how I currently live aligns (or doesn't) with my values. This post is the beginning of an(other) attempt at trying to process through these thoughts and feelings. It's inspired by the After Abroad Blog Challenge. You could follow the link at the bottom of this post to read more about it.

This post's challenge: What are the first things you made sure to do when you arrived home?

Hugged My Family.

I am incredibly grateful that I got to see my parents while I was abroad.  They came to visit for a couple of weeks during my second year there.  Despite having just seen them, though, I still missed them greatly.  I missed my siblings immensely too, and I didn't see them the entire time I was gone.  We have always been a close family, so it was hard to be separated by so many miles.  I'm also grateful for the technology that allowed us to stay connected, but there's nothing like being in the presence of the people who are closest to your heart.

The Fam at Lake Erie

Phoned My South African Family

Before leaving South Africa, I participated in the incoming Education group's training by facilitating a few sessions.  This meant I left my village a couple of weeks prior to actually leaving the country, so there was a delay in the telling my South African family (host family and teachers) I was back in the US.  They were aware of my plans; however, it still felt a little strange to say my goodbyes and still remain in the country a little longer.  When I got back to the US, I didn't have access to a cell phone for a few days, which meant I couldn't contact my South African family right away.  When I did get a phone, though, the first thing I did with it was to contact them to let them know I was okay.  They were relieved to hear I was safe and expressed how they already missed me.  I had already missed them too.

The Host Family

Laughed with Friends.

As part of our homecoming, Michelle and I planned another epic road trip like the one we had done before leaving for the Peace Corps; except this time, we were going to drive it in reverse from Texas and Louisiana, up to Ohio, and across to Washington.  Along the way, we made plans to stop and see our friends.  It felt so, so great to see them.  It was also kind of funny in that in the two years in between visits it donned on us that anything could have happened because in the same amount of time we might have gone without seeing each other due to the fact that we're all spread throughout the country.  But then reality sunk in and that there were changes: some of us had been abroad, some of us had children, some of us changed jobs, and all of us experienced life changes.  It was wonderful reconnecting with our friends and reminding ourselves that love extends beyond family.

Old Friends

New Friends

*This post is part of BloggingAbroad.org's Re-Entry Blog Challenge.

It's Weird to Be Back...

Joe and I officially became Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCVs) on August 24, 2016...

Our "official" COS (close of service) photo...

...and our super-fun Peace Corps family photos.

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We left South Africa and embarked on a beautiful, tearful, magical three week road trip where we were blessed to visit our phenomenally supportive, loving (and patient) family and friends.

We were reminded of all of the "life" we have missed by being far away: little children who are now giants compared to their former selves, babies that never existed before we left, the absence of loved ones who have passed on, the day-to-day living of lives.

It also took me nearly two weeks to fully grasp that, despite it feeling like an awesome vacation, I was not going to be returning to my village, my learners, my host family, my coworkers, or any aspect of the life I left behind in South Africa.

Thus, I ended the road trip feeling very disoriented and lost. My head was spinning with all that was missed, and all that I lived that my family had missed, and all that I would never live again.

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And finally, we arrived in Seattle. I had lunch with old friends. I visited my old colleagues and picked up right where we left off. It felt like, aside from some new faces and a GIANT new building, the two year gap never happened.

At first that felt beautiful, and then it felt...weird

It was weird to have it feel weird... so I wanted to understand why. And this is what I have come up with so far...

I do not know how I have changed, yet. These two years have been so important and meaningful to me that to even the mildest unacknowledgment (making that a word...) of it feels like a dishonor to all that was lived and all that was shared (between us and our host community), discovered, and sacrificed (by ourselves and our supporters) to make it happen. I haven't taken the time or the space to reflect on all of this and make a new meaning of the world around me, yet. Until then, I feel this weird disconnect between my soul and my body. I don't know the new "me" that I am, and that is terrifying.

So, I feel scattered and unconfident and speak rambling gibberish as my frantic brain works overtime to build connections and pathways around new paradigms and ways of being.

I am working to reflect in stages through my own guiding prompts. And there is one thing that I know after my first journaling session...
i am held.

My first reflection product.

I am held by a community who loves me and will churn out housing options, job postings, and messages of hope when I am feeling down. I am held by the higher powers of the universe (god, goddess, ancestors, whatever label one might use). I am held by my partner who is there for me, ride or die. I am held.

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Thank you for holding me.

A Mother's Reflection on Visiting her Peace Corps Volunteer

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY 2016!

A month ago, M's parents came to visit us in South Africa and we would like to honour PCV moms on this Mother's Day by sharing about the trip, in my mom's own words... Q & A style.

My parents and I in Simon's Town. Joe was teasing us for being matchy-matchy.

What is the most cherished moment from your time in South Africa?

My most cherished part of the trip were my interactions with South Africans. It started with learning Cape Town history by Sean at Verona Lodge, interacting with Yasmina at the Cape Malay cooking class hosted in her own home and learning Bo Kaap history.

Mom learning how to make roti, a type of flatbread that is popular in many Indian and Malay dishes

Michelle learning to make roti.

Joe and Daddy learning to make samosa (or samoosas).

Then came Mama Mbatha [NB: J&M's host mom during training]. I adore this woman. She loves Joe and Michelle with her whole heart. She took what life dealt her with smile. Our discussion about rondevels, ancestors and talking to ancestors over tea keeps playing in my mind. Playing cards with the boys in both families [J&M's current host family and Mama's family] is a big highlight. Their current host family, especially their host brother and gogo [grandmother], were open and we found info on some of the modern Zulu culture.

Playing cards with our host brothers

J & M's Host Family

The school visits were such eye openers. These kids work hard. They have so much dedication in their hearts to your library, to their traditions and dances, and to the importance of education. These interactions made the trip.

Momma reading to learners at recess

Some of my Library Student Assistants

I also really enjoyed the Catholic church that we attended. The songs were so beautiful. Such harmony. We were not on vacation, but rather a cultural journey.

The Catholic Church

But the most cherished moment has to be the time with Mama. We were there for about 24 hrs but she was so open to us and to see the relationship she had with Joe and Michelle, the love and returned love and respect. It was obvious to us that they have made a difference in SA!!

Momma and Mama

What surprised you while you were here?

Two things surprised me.

1. The crime/ warnings of crime and the barbed wire on everything. The people are such polite and friendly people- Why do they accept crime being so prevalent?

2. The "markets" visits. People, including gogos, basically selling everything on the sidewalks or men saying "I will watch your car" to earn a living. Also their creativity with beading, weaving, metal working, tin can art and wood art.

What was the hardest moment when you were here? (Besides saying goodbye...)

The hardest moment was wanting to do more and not be able to do it at that time. I wanted to buy a lot and 200 blocks to start up Mama Maseko's crèche or bring the FEMA trailers there so the schools will have fewer kids per class. We wished to help these schools in some way, like in their libraries. For some reason I thought the books would magically unpack themselves. They are still going through the slow process of unpacking, labelling, and shelving the donated books.

Daddy telling stories to Joe's Grade 6 learners

Momma and Daddy with my Grade 7 learners

Mama Maseko teaching Grade R

What is one thing that you want Americans to know about South Africa?

Americans should know that South Africa is a beautiful and friendly country. Their style of singing  sets your blood wanting to dance within. The country is so green, even though the soil is sandy and it is during a drought. But this greenness doesn't mean the people have water. Mostly I want them to know that the people in South Africa are friendly and resilient. Their struggles with apartheid have given them voice and strength. Despite poverty and unemployment, they are trying to make a living (as evident in their beading and art from even tin cans).

Beautiful South Africa: Cape Town, Western Cape

Beautiful South Africa: Port Shepstone, KwaZulu Natal

Beautiful South Africa: Howick, KwaZulu Natal

Budding Libraries Part 4: The Libraries are Open!

“Build it and they will come.” (from A Field of Dreams)

Over the last year, Michelle and I have been keeping readers of the blog updated about the progress being made in the libraries at our schools.  Milestones have included applying for book grants,  securing book donations, and labeling books.  In this latest post, we're going to talk about the most recent events that have taken place - OUR LIBRARIES HAVE OPENED!!!

(While the libraries at both Michelle's and my school have opened and have been operating successfully, this post primarily focuses on what has happened at my school.)

The library opened at my school and it was a smash!  What follows are photos and a video showing what has been happening in the library since its opening.

These Learners Wait Excitedly Outside for the Library to Open

Learners Perusing the Shelves

A Library Helper Assisting a Learner to Find a Book

Learners enjoying folk tales.  The learner on the right is copying Cinderella from the book.  She loves to draw princesses.

Sisters enjoying a book together.  The older sister is teaching the younger one how to read.

A Library Helper Checking Out Books to Learners

The First Teacher to Borrow a Book

The school library shares a space with one of the classrooms.  At the end of each day, learners are responsible for sweeping the classroom.  This learner got distracted with a book before she finished sweeping.

Fun facts: 

• The library has been open for 4 weeks.
• To date in my school's library, 400 books have been borrowed.  
• On average, there are 20 learners in the library at any given time.
• To date, 1560 books have been catalogued, labeled, and shelved.  And these are all fiction books!  When we started, the school had 100 books; of which were a mixture of fiction, non-fiction, and reference books.

These boxes show all the books that have yet to been done.

In the time since the library opened, there have been many wonderful developments: 

• learners borrowing books; 
• learners simply hanging out in the library; 
• learners excitedly showing their friends books they find interesting; 
• teachers borrowing books for their own enjoyment; 
• learners running up to me to show me the books they’ve read or are going to read; 
• and by far my favourite, learners teaching other learners how to read.

Video of the Sisters
(Suggestion: Turn the volume all the way up; the audio is very soft.)

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Shout Outs

Thank you again for the book donations! Specifically, thank you to Michael & Emily Lavely-Holloway, Tiffany Lemmon, Paul Prociv, and Joan Benderson for your support in coordinating the book drives. With the arrival of these books and the opening of the libraries, many, many learners have had the wonderful opportunity to explore the world of reading.

Budding Libraries Part 3: Labels, Labels, Labels

In earlier posts (see Budding Libraries Part 1 and Part 2), Michelle and I introduced and then provided an update about the status of our school libraries. In this newest update, we’re going to highlight the work that has been done recently – labels!

There's something about organization that feels so... good!
Don't the labels look pretty!

Our schools are brimming with books that are looking forward to having a home on the shelves in our libraries. Labeling them must come first however. While this is a fairly easy task to complete, with one exception, it is quite time-consuming. Here’s a run-through of what it takes to affix a label to a book:

1. Grab a book and look at the cover, spine, and backcover to ensure the book is in intact
2. Record the author’s name
3. Make note of the language with which the book was written
4. Here comes the hard part… determine the book’s reading level (we’ll explain reading levels more later)
5. Type all of the above information into an Excel spreadsheet in shorthand to make the label
6. Print the sheets
7. Cut out the labels
8. Tape the labels onto the books using packing tape

One of Joe's Colleagues Affixing Labels to Books

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A Quick Explanation of Reading Levels

Reading should be fun yet challenging for learners. In the pursuit of an appropriate book, a learner shouldn’t only read books that are too easy because then the learner won’t grow. Conversely, if a book is too hard for the learner, s/he could become discouraged and stop reading. Reading levels help with this. Using the font size, use of pictures, and number of words, sentences, or paragraphs on a page, reading levels can be assigned to the books. For example, a book with large font, lots of pictures, and very few words would fall into the lowest level. Meanwhile, a book with small font, no pictures, and consisting of over 100 pages would fall into the highest level. With reading levels assigned to the books, they can be grouped together to make it easier for a learner to find a book that’s appropriate for her/him.

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Several Books that Have Already Been Labeled in the Library at Joe's School

It takes about one hour to label roughly 60 books, if there aren’t any interruptions (i.e. learners asking a question, assisting other teachers, electricity shuts off). Luckily, there are a number of people at school who can offer a helping hand – learners and teachers!

One of Joe's Learners Cataloguing Books

A Couple of Joe's Learners Cataloguing Books

Michelle and I have been training learners and teachers how to catalogue, level, and label books. This has helped speed up the process. This has also helped teachers to see all of the fabulous resources we have and gain an appreciation for how much work goes into setting up the library and, thus, (theoretically at least) increase the likelihood that they will use these resources and work to maintain and build appreciation for the library in the long-haul.

A Few of Joe's Colleague's Cataloguing Books

One of Joe's Colleague's Cataloguing Books

As of January 2016, approximately 500 books have been labeled at each of our schools.

Now that teachers are back in the classroom fulltime because of the start of the new school year, we don’t have as many helping hands as we did, so the labeling has slowed down. It’s a good thing we have a few more months until our time with the Peace Corps comes to an end. Only about 1800 more books to go!

The Number of Labeled Books on the Shelves is Growing!