Tag: Peace Corps

​Monday in a Picture – New Bike Day 

by Kirby P., posted in Monday in a Picture, Peace Corps Swaziland, pictures

Merry Christmas from sunny Swaziland! In addition to Christmas, I recently celebrated another holiday: New Bike Day! Santa made an early stop to drop off a new bike in the Manzini region. I’m beyond elated. Peace Corps Swaziland approved me for reimbursement to get a bike just over a week ago. 

I knew that I wanted something that I would enjoy riding in my rural community. I wanted something that I could use for transport, recreation, and commuting. After speaking with a fellow PCV and a local Swazi about their respective bike buying experiences in Swaziland, I decided that I would check out Adventure Cycles in Manzini. 

I also decided that I would be purchasing a hardtail mountain bike. The shop had many options for mountain bikes. There were a few full suspension bikes that stole my attention for a while, but I regained focus. I wanted to have something that I would be comfortable fixing myself.  There were also some road bikes that caught my attention. However, I live in a community with gravel/dirt roads, so a road bike was out of the question. Again, I regained focus. As I perused the selection of hardtails, I settled on a beauty. 

This Scott Aspect 680 came home with me last week, and it is amazing! On its maiden voyage, it performed very well. It took everything I could throw at it. It handled like a dream while riding the gravel roads. It’s much more speedy than I was expecting. The suspension was phenomenal, and the ride wasn’t nearly as jolting as I thought it would be on the bumpy road. Of course, my legs reminded me that I should never be away from cycling this long. I’m confident to say that this bike was the right decision. 

For those of you who may be wondering, I have not named this bike (yet). Feel free to leave any name suggestions in the comments. 

Be kind to yourself. 
Onward. 

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​Yebo babe! – What They Call Me, Part One 

by Kirby P., posted in Peace Corps Swaziland, Reflections

While speaking with an American here in Swaziland, we were discussing the various ways that I am addressed and how certain greetings are used. I have been called different things by different people around Swaziland. Very rarely do I hear my given American name, Kirby. Most often, I hear my given Swazi name, Sibusiso (pronounced see-boo-see-sew). 

I’ve been greeted by men, young and old, who say, mnaketfu (pronounced umm-na-gate-foo), or my brother. Sometimes, I’m called bhuti (pronounced boo-tee), or brother. These two greetings are interchangeable. 

School children and some others around my community and Swaziland refer to me as babe (pronounced bah-bay), or father. This term is also used when addressing married men. While I have not been married or fathered any children, I’m still referred to as babe. I’ve found that when I greet a woman as make (pronounced mah-gay), or mother, she almost always refers to me as babe. I suspect that this is due to the greeter seeing that I appear to be of marrying, fathering age, and not wanting to be disrespectful. This tends to remain true even if the greeter knows that I am unmarried and childless. Respect is huge here in Swaziland. 

There have been some occasions when I have been referred to as mkhulu (pronounced mmm-koo-loo), or grandfather. When I hear this, I chuckle to myself. This has happened most with young children (maybe 3-5 years old). Maybe they see the wisdom bursting through in my salt and pepper hair. 

More rarely, I’m referred to as malume (pronounced ma-loo-may), or uncle, by transport conductors or teenaged folks in the community. I tend to hear this most when taking transport or around the bus rank. Then, there are a few men around my community who always say umbebenene (pronounced oom-bay-bay-nay-nay), or big beard, when they see me. I wasn’t sure if they were talking to me or talking about me. It doesn’t matter. My beard and I now see this as mere appreciation of the massive facial follicles. 

There are probably other things that people call me that I haven’t realized yet. I reckon that one day I’ll know the nuances of what I’m called here in Swaziland. 

Be kind to yourself. 
Onward. 

P.S. – Yebo babe (pronounced yea-bow bah-bay) is a greeting that I hear, and use, often. The direct translation is ‘yes father’, and it is a simple acknowledgment of a man you see.

​Monday in a Picture – Grow Your Own Food: The Training

by Kirby P., posted in Monday in a Picture, Peace Corps Swaziland, pictures

Last week, Peace Corps Swaziland hosted Peter Jensen, a permagardening specialist based out of Peace Corps Ethiopia, to facilitate two workshops on his specialty. Volunteers were invited to participate in the workshop with a counterpart (community-based colleague), with the expectation that the volunteer and counterpart would take what they learned to train others in the local community. 

For those wondering what exactly permagardening is, allow me to share my understanding. Permagardening is a permanent garden that focuses on strict natural water management, double digging, and using locally accessible materials to keep the garden and soil healthy and productive.

I attended one of the workshops with a counselor from my community. She’s an agriculture friendly person who grows various things on her homestead. In contrast, the only plant I’ve managed to grow with any success is ivy, which is extremely difficult to kill. Peter presented permagardens in a way that was accessible and interesting to novices, like myself, and experienced folk, like my counterpart. He made me believe that even I can build a fruitful garden using the permagardening techniques and principles. The workshop inspired a conversation between me and my counterpart about how to take these techniques back to the community. Currently, we are planning on building three demonstration gardens around the community. 

When I returned to my home, I talked with my host mom about the possibility of me building a garden. She excitedly pointed me to a fenced area on the homestead and told me that I could use that space. Now, I have the space, some tools, and the training to practice before co-facilitating a community training. The only thing left to do is the work of actually building the garden. Wish me luck! 

Be kind to yourself. 
Onward. 

Sweet Dreams – Vacations, Dinner, and Shopping

by Kirby P., posted in Peace Corps Swaziland, Reflections, Sweet Dreams

Because I am posted in a country where I might contract malaria, I have been given an antimalarial medication called, “Mefloquine”. One of the side effects of this medication is lucid dreaming. The following is what I dreamt last night (as best I can remember). 

I had just gotten back from a vacation. It was a birthday vacation. This was right around Thanksgiving. 

One of my aunts and several of other family members were all having dinner with me at this restaurant in the mall. It was a nice sit down place. I ordered the pork loin roast appetizer to share. It had some citrus to it. It was delicious. I was so full. My aunt tried to make sure that I had the last piece. I said thank you, and just looked at the last piece of pork loin on the plate. I don’t rememberThis was Thanksgiving. 

After eating, we walked around the mall. I was with a very pregnant woman. We were in some kind of store that had clothes and other things. I remember looking at things, thinking “hmmmm, I should get this. But I don’t really want it.” I decided that I should spend this currency that I got while on vacation. But they don’t take currency from the Bahamas here. I take out a five dollar US coin and ask the guy in the downstairs window if they’ll take it. He said that they have to see how much it’s worth. I just wait for him to come back.  

He returns. I can get an opened pack of long stem unscented candles for my five dollar US coin. No change. The price on the candles is $3.25. Some other woman sees the pregnant woman looking at baby clothes in the racks. The woman said, “oh wow, you’re really pregnant.” Pregnant woman responds that yeah, she is. She’s due any second now. But the baby probably won’t come right now because the baby is sleeping right now. The pregnant woman keeps shopping. I look at my newly purchased candles. 

Be kind to yourself.
Onward.

​My favorite things – the packing list

by Kirby P., posted in Peace Corps Swaziland

While preparing for Peace Corps service can be hectic among other more colorful adjectives, it’s an exercise in restraint. It was tempting to pack up my entire apartment in Washington, DC and bring all of that stuff with me to Swaziland. I’m very thankful that I didn’t. After searching other volunteer blogs and Reddit to decide what to bring, I narrowed my list down. This is my contribution to that pool of knowledge. There are some things that I’m very happy I packed (outside of the typical – clothes, phone, computer, etc), as they have proved most useful. 

  • Headlamp – I brought two. I have electricity on my homestead. I had electricity at my training site during my first three months in country. However, a headlamp is useful, especially on those 2AM runs to the latrine or when the power goes out while cooking dinner. 
  • Hydroflask – This could be considered a water bottle, but it’s so much more. To be able to have an ice cold (or steaming hot) beverage after working all day is pure magic. 
  • Duct tape – It’s multipurposed, and magical. 
  • Rechargeable batteries – These save me money and trips into town. I use them for my headlamps, camera, and other lights. 
  • Power bank – There are instances when the electricity goes out, due to heavy rains. There are also times when I’m not at home, and my phone, watch, or some other gadget is about to run out of battery. I can at least ensure that I have enough battery power to last until the next time I can plug in.  
  • Bluetooth headphones/speaker – I really enjoy music and podcasts. While walking. While running. While on a long bus ride. The speaker is especially great for music while cooking/washing doing laundry. The headphones are great for being able to hear the movie I’m watching over the pounding rain on my tin roof. 
  • Comfort items – This is going to mean something different to everyone. For me, it included pictures from my apartment in DC and various gadgets. I’ll throw snacks into this category, as well. Go overboard with your favorite snacks. Add in your second and third favorite snacks as well. If you have to choose between a few more clothing items and snacks, go for the snacks. 
  • External hard drive – We were told that there would be plenty of time to share media. This was correct. We were also warned that we would have a substantial amount of down time. This was also correct. Load up your favorite movies, music, tv shows, podcasts, porn, documentaries, etc. Having an external hard drive is also helpful when it comes to storing backups of your system. Your future self will thank you! 
  • Big, blue IKEA bags – I didn’t pack this. A friend was kind enough to send some to me. These things are an invaluable resource when navigating public transit after grocery shopping for two to three weeks. And it’s good for the Earth.
  • Pillow – This could go under comfort items, but it deserves its own bullet. While there can be too many pillows, that threshold is pretty high. I opted for a firm king size pillow. It’s delightful to fall asleep on it every night. 

Feel free to add your own favorite things in comments. Also, if any future volunteers have questions, feel free to ask them here. 

Be kind to yourself. 
Onward. 

​Monday in a Picture – Thanksgiving

by Kirby P., posted in Monday in a Picture, Peace Corps Swaziland, pictures

This past Thursday was Thanksgiving, an American holiday of food, family, and football. For those who may not know, Thanksgiving isn’t celebrated here in Swaziland. It’s simply another Thursday in November. For the occasion, our country director invited all of the volunteers in Swaziland to her beautiful home for a momentous feast. I wasn’t able to get pictures of all of the food, but the above collage is a bit of what our eyes and tastebuds enjoyed on Thursday afternoon. 

While the chefs were putting the final touches on the meal, I was able to relax by the pool and chat with other volunteers. There was also badminton and other backyard games to be played. This was definitely the first Thanksgiving that I was able to chill in a pool and soak up some sun. I could used to Thanksgiving as a summer holiday. 

Several volunteers and staff helped prepare various delicious dishes. It was indeed, a feast. There were four turkeys (two baked, two fried), a roasted pig, and a sizeable salmon. We enjoyed several types of stuffing, macaroni and cheese, fried cabbage, mashed potatoes, candied yams, green bean casserole and more. There were appetizers to whet our palettes, and desserts to satisfy the most distinguishing sweet tooth. 

I have a newfound respect and admiration for those who host large holiday gatherings at their home. There were more than 70 of us. There were dietary restrictions and food allergies to be observed, but there was still something for everyone. 

I wanted to take this opportunity to publicly give thanks and gratitude to our country director for hosting us in her home (and for taking suggestions on the menu); all of the volunteers here in Swaziland, for being a supportive and amazing group of folks; all of the chefs who made the meal magical; and my brother and uncle, for WhatsApping me their Thanksgiving greetings. 

Be kind to yourself. 
Onward. 

​Monday in a Picture – Plowing and Planting 

by Kirby P., posted in Monday in a Picture, Peace Corps Swaziland, pictures

Everything in life has seasons. Election season in the US is over. American football season is in its prime, while basketball season is just starting. Right now, Swaziland is heading into summer, which is the rainy season. Warm temperatures and rain mean that it’s time to plow and plant. 
The staple crop in Swaziland is umbila (pronounced om-bee-la), or maize. The staple food is liphaleshi (pronounced lee-pa-lee-she), or porridge, which is made from ground maize meal. In my community, all homesteads have some land set aside for crop farming. Many of these families will grow substantial portions of their needed maize during the summer months. Some families may even have extra to sell. But before any growing can be done, the fields have to be readied. This includes plowing the field(s), which is sometimes done by hand with a hoe, shovel, or pick. It can also be done with a tractor pulled plow (as seen in the picture above). 

I spoke with these guys for a bit. They told me that this was a prime season to make money for their respective families. You can hire these guys to plow your field (assuming you live close by). I learned that they work all day, literally. They start working around 4:00 a.m., and work until 7 or 8:00 p.m. That’s a laborious workday that starts before the sun rises, and ends after it sets. They told me not to worry because they had a light on the tractor for working in the dark.  The conversation was brief because there were fields to be plowed and money to be made. Before they left, the driver asked if I could take his picture. Wish granted. 

Be kind to yourself. 
Onward. 

​Monday in a Picture – Creepy crawlies 

by Kirby P., posted in Monday in a Picture, Peace Corps Swaziland, pictures

When I’ve perused various forums and blogs, I noticed that one big concern for some future PCVs and those considering Peace Corps is bugs. There’s the “but what do I do if there’s a (insert scary bug here)” question. I hadn’t given much thought to my own possible reaction. That is until this past Friday. 

I was sitting on my porch enjoying a nice, early summer Friday evening when I noticed something. A spider. To be fair, I’ve seen spiders before. I saw them as a young boy and occasionally in my adult life. I’ve encountered spiders and other things (lizards, flying insects, etc.) inside my home here in Swaziland. This spider was different. It is the biggest and hairiest spider I’ve ever seen in real life. Suddenly, my Friday evening arrives at a decision point. Do I:

A. Kill the spider? 

B. Name the spider and keep it as a pet? 

C. Redirect or relocate the spider? 

D. Go inside? 

E. Do nothing? 

If you guessed (D.), you would be correct. I have no idea what kind of spider it is, whether it bites, or its overall danger. The spider seemed to be having a fine Friday evening. I wouldn’t want to ruin the spider’s evening because I didn’t want to share the great outdoors. Live and let live. 

Be kind to yourself. 
Onward. 

P.S. – if you didn’t do it early (and you’re eligible), be sure to vote tomorrow! #DCStatehood

Stage Fright

by Kirby P., posted in Peace Corps Swaziland, Reflections

​One of the things that has been required of us, as Peace Corps volunteers in Swaziland, is ongoing language learning. This makes perfect sense to me. As we learn more about Swazi culture and start to understand it better, language is key. 

I have found an amazing language tutor who is patient enough to answer my “but why is like this instead of like this” questions, and stern enough to correct me when I’m wrong (repeatedly). 

If I were to do an honest self-assessment, I’d say that my language skills have definitely improved since ending our pre-service training (albeit in miniscule increments). My language skills have improved dramatically since coming to Swaziland almost five months ago. At this point in my language learning, I’m able to semi-confidently hold a conversation with a preschooler. I’m proud of this. I want to be able to confidently have intense conversations with peers and boMkhulu (pronounced bo-mmm-koo-loo) or elder men/grandfathers in the community. I want to be able to understand jokes and be sarcastic in siSwati. I want to understand what folks are asking for when they come to my homestead. I would like to go a day without speaking English, but not be silent. My host make (pronounced mah-gay), or mom, recently told me that next year, no English will be spoken. SiSwati only. Of note: she told me when I first arrived that I must speak siSwati. “Sibusiso, you’re not in America anymore. We speak siSwati here.” 

I think I’ve identified what one of the bigger barriers is for me currently. Stage fright. My receptive language is definitely getting better. I can understand some of what’s said in small talk conversations on khombis (local mass transport vans). My expressive language is where my stage fright is the star of the show. I start to wonder if I actually heard what I thought I heard. Do I have the language to respond to that? Do I have enough vocabulary to keep the conversation going? Do I just want to use the fail safe phrase? Angiva (pronounced ah-knee-va), or I don’t understand. I guess the only way to overcome it is to keep practicing and understanding that failing doesn’t mean failure. After all, winning the World Series is impossible if you never step up to the plate and take a swing. 

Be kind to yourself. 
Onward. 

P.S. – Did you know that @whatisKirbydoing is an Instagram handle? Be sure to follow the fun.