There is a fantastic organization in the US called Mother Bear.  The organization coordinates the collecting and shipping of hand-sewn teddy bears to children living in poverty around the world.  Behind the organization is an idea that is simple, an execution that is flawless, and a commitment that is astounding.  Women (or men if they [...]

Yep.  I am at it again.  I am doing this charity fund-raising half-marathon here in South Africa again this year.  The race is on Saturday March 27th.  Last year I ran most of the 21.1 km race (and walked the other bit) with some fellow Peace Corps Volunteers here in South Africa and [...]

It certainly has been awhile since I last posted.  I am going to attribute that to summer break, ongoing heat, ongoing adjustments, and, to be honest, graduate school research.  Plus, I think there is truth to the fact that heat can sap motivation.  When it is continually above 90 degrees inside by my laptop, motivation [...]

              My host family in the village of Phoshiri has a daughter named Vivian and since I am an honorary member of the family while I am living here, Vivian is one of my “host” sisters.  ‘Vivian’ is her given English name and in her case it is unique that her given English name is [...]

     At the end of 2008 as I was finishing up my ‘training’ assignments for Peace Corps, I came across an opportunity in which, at the time, I felt I could make somewhat of a substantial difference.  The so-called ‘training’ sessions for Peace Corps in the School and Community Resource Program of which I am [...]

                            Today is Freedom Day in South Africa.  Freedom Day in South Africa marks the anniversary of the first Democratic general election held in South Africa on April 27th, 1994 after the end of Apartheid.  It is a national holiday and so school is off.  For my first Freedom Day in South Africa, I am [...]

                              “You will need to be up and ready to head out by 4:30am.  We will leave promptly by a quarter to five and if you are not here, you will be left.”  This was the message being conveyed by the coordinating volunteers of the race.  Not so much in military disciplinary means but with [...]

                               School is out right now for the end of the first term.  In South Africa, the public schools go year round with 4 quarterly breaks.  (I am aware that the proposal of a similar system is a topic which has stirred many riveting debates in the American schools).  With schools being out, we Peace [...]

                                I recently decided to become involved with a charity Marathon run here in South Africa.  I completed that Olympic-distance Triathlon for cancer research (Team In Training) back in late 2007 in the states and so this opportunity seemed kind of familiar.   I guess I’m at this exercise-for-a-cause thing all over again - just in a [...]

                My host brother in the village of Seleteng is, simply put, a character.  The tales that I have related to fellow volunteers keep increasing in number.  I finally have realized that some of these tales cannot remain exclusively oral and I must document some of his more memorable idiosyncrasies.   His name is Mamakgeme and for [...]

  I was informed mid-morning that Obama’s speech would be covered by the network television station, SABC here in South Africa.  (As an aside, the reason that I found out had to do with a friend’s coworker being upset that his ‘soapies’ would not be airing).  Personally, it was an opportune time for the inauguration speech [...]

                Christmas.  It occurs in December.  Summer.  It occurs during the months of June, July, & August but only if you live in the northern hemisphere. For the first time in my life, the Christmas I experienced coincided with summer.  Sure I have experienced Christmas in warm places but never during summer.  And this synchronization of [...]

  Soda.  Pop.  Cola.   There is no debate here in South Africa about what to call it.  It’s “cold drink.”  Even if it is not cold.  If it fizzes and it’s sweet – it’s “cold drink.”  “Do you want cold drink?”   “Let me buy you cold drink.”  It’s not even “a” cold drink.  It’s an adjective [...]

  The town of Phoshiri where the Peace Corps assigned me to live is only reachable by bus.  There are no paved roads in or to the village.  The kombis (South Africa taxis) don’t run to the village and it’s not reachable by foot as it sits away through the bush on the side of a [...]

I recently heard about an opportunity to involve the children of the two schools where I work in a unique art project.  Basically, I snail-mail 30 pieces of original artwork from the students (they are referred to as learners here) to an office based out of Boston.  The office collects these pieces and then they [...]

  I live in two different villages in South Africa.  In one village, Phoshiri, I have to speak Sepedi in order to effectively communicate.  English is not common there.  In the other village, Seleteng, I can effectively communicate my needs in English and generally have them understood.  My host brother in Seleteng, Mamagkeme, speaks English fluently [...]

I was quite honored to give this speech at our swearing-in ceremony on September 12th.  I wrote it in English but read it aloud in Sepedi.  I thought about posting the Sepedi version but this one is more suitable for the blog… As we gather for our swearing-in, I am struck that we have, collectively, reached the end of [...]

I went to a coming-together ceremony for one of my 2 host families recently.  It was an event where all extended family members (quite a large number of people) get together for a day to dance, talk, eat, and generally just rejoice.  It was on a Sunday.  There was a goat involved.  The family decided [...]

            This post is quite long and serves as a sort of summary of some of my overall experiences during my first 2.5 months in South Africa.  I wrote it at the beginning of October so undoubtedly it will date rather quickly.  This was actually a letter that I mailed home to some friends and [...]