Q+A

I asked folks back home to send any and all questions about my Peace Corps service so far. You incredible friends and family then hit me with 70+ A M A Z I N G questions. I was excited but also overwhelmed at the task of answering all of these creative but difficult questions about my time in SA. As a result, I left the questions waiting around on a word document for about a month in procrastination (it’s what I do best).

Being that I’ve been in South Africa just over a year, I figured now is the perfect time to sit down, consolidate the questions and give my best efforts to provide honest and coherent answers (but still limited to my one experience in Southern Limpopo)! If you still have more questions please let me know!

1. What things have you learned to enjoy in your new home?

There are many things that are easy to love: my family, my kiddos, the mountains, the wildlife, the chip flavours, the music, sunsets. Similarly there are many things I’ve had to learn to appreciate. On the top of the list is pap (bogobe in Sepedi). Pap is a staple food made of maize meal and water. It looks like thick mashed potatoes and taste like….nothing. Any event, any meal, I can confidently predict pap will make an appearance. It has little nutritional value and is a chore to prepare (insert muscle flex emoji here). However, I’ve not only learned to enjoy the feel and taste of perfectly prepared pap as I ball it up in my fingers, I’ve actually grown to crave it when I haven’t had any for a while. Other things I’ve learned to love: tuck shops, greetings all day every day, dancing, roaming goats and chickens, and falling asleep to the blasted jams at the local tavern.

2. What is an average day for you?

Hopefully I’ll be able to do a day in the life post soon, but the quick breakdown is

6:00 Wake up (aka snooze my alarm for 30+ minutes) and get ready for school

7:00 Head to school

7:30 School starts with assembly (M and F only). I teach grade 6 and 7 and currently spend a lot of time on our library that is in progress

4:00 Back home I go

4:30 Enjoy a run or collapse on my bed for an hour

5:30 Cook up some dinner

6:30 Head in to see the host fam and maybe catch some Skeem Saam or Idols Extra on TV

8:00 Back to my room to read, watch a show, make lunch for tomorrow, catch up with people back home, and take a bath.

8:01: I can usually count on a visit from my host brother and company at least once a week where I kick their butts in some card games

10:00: Snuggle in for a good night’s sleep!

3. What has it been like learning a new language?

So fun and so so challenging! It gives me great empathy for my students that are learning English as a second language. It’s stretching my brain and while I’m still not as fluent as I would like to be, I’ve learned a lot and want to keep learning as much as I can!

4. What things will you miss when you come back?

Obviously I will miss the people more than anything, but I’ll also miss the food, braais (barbecues) in particular, sunset runs, fresh local fruit and veggies, People randomly breaking out into perfect 3 part harmony, South African soapies, sharps with kids (It’s this little thumb greeting that is somehow known to all children), hearing at least 3 different languages every single day, and wandering chickens everywhere.

5. What have been the most exhilarating experiences?

Oo thats a tough one. Cage diving with great whites was cool, but not as exhilarating as I anticipated. Rushing to make it to the toilet when you have diarrhea is quite exhilarating too I suppose. But honestly, it’s invigorating when my kids at school really own their learning and I see their sparks come alive in reading a new book, discovering a new English word, playing soccer, or dancing on the taxi ride. That’s what I love most about teaching. And you can get that anywhere in the world. But beyond that cheesy stuff, I’m planning to do the tallest bungee jump from a bridge IN THE WORLD this January, so I think that will top the list for sure. I’ll let you know.

6. What unique foods will you make for your friends when you come home?

Pap, gravy, chakalaka (spicy veggie relish), chicken feet, magwinya (delicious fried dough)...The list goes on. Get ready people.

7. Do you think this experience will have any MAJOR long-term effect on you as a person? If so, what?

Of course. And honestly, I’d be worried if it didn’t. I’m only half way through my service and I’ve already changed so much. I’m still me of course, but God continues to refine me in the challenges and I’m so so grateful. I’m not sure if I can pinpoint the exact change in words, but if I ever can, I’ll be sure to write a post about it. :)

8. How long was your flight? What was the hardest part about traveling? What did you do on the plane?

The flight was about 15 hours from NY to Joburg, South Africa. I had great plans to read and listen to podcasts during the flight. In reality, I mostly watched movies, slept, ate, and sat staring out the window thinking, “What in the world am I doing?” The flight wasn’t too bad though. the hardest part was definitely all the waiting around. We left Philly in the middle of the night to bus to the airport. We waited around at the airport almost all day just to board the plane. Once we landed, we were loaded into mini busses again to drive for 2 hours to our orientation site. Lucky us, we had a full day of orientation (included taking photos for our Peace Corps IDs) before showers or sleep. My feet were so swollen they barely fit in my shoes! So glad I’m here, but I’m okay if I never repeat that travel marathon again!

9. What was your first night in SA?

My first night was spent at an old college in Mpumalanga where we had a week of orientation. I had my own room, no way to contact people back home, and downloaded netflix episodes. I remember feeling SO clean after my shower, snuggling into bed, journaling (that lasted about 2 months), and drifting off into deep sleep while watching Sherlock. A snippet from my journal that night said, “So grateful to finally be standing on solid ground again! Praying I can lay aside inhibitions and enjoy getting to know the other volunteers. May I have quick ears and an open heart to learn the language and culture. It is beautiful. I cannot wait for what’s next! Except vaccinations...those can wait.”

10. What did you think would be hard that turned out to be easy?

I was really worried about keeping in touch with friends and family back home over the two years of my service. And of course it has been hard at times: missing weddings, birthdays, holidays, and the day to day stuff. BUT it has also flown by and I’m so thankful for everyone who has made an effort to keep in touch, listen to my long whatsapp messages, and talk on the phone at weird hours just to catch up. I still miss people, but am thankful for the continued connections with my community back home despite the distance.

11. What is something you find similar in SA compared to home?

Love. It isn’t always shown in the same ways that I’m used to, but I’ve been surrounded by love and nothing feels more like home than that. But also the fact that I have wifi, can eat at Mcdonalds and KFC, and play games with my family on the reg. That feels like home too.

12. What is your favourite memory so far?

OOFTA. That’s tough because there are SO MANY. I think my favourite memory so far was exploring my village with my sisters. I got to introduce one family to the other and it felt like when you finally put in the last little piece of a 1000 piece puzzle-- it just fit perfectly. My host family cooked up a delicious welcome home meal. Thandani, my host sister, hung up welcome home posters across the doorways. Then we hiked up a little mountain and stayed up late playing card games and eating candy from the States. The. Best.

13. What is the hardest day you’ve had in SA?

I think the hardest day for me was Easter. I had some serious homesickness and loneliness to battle that day. For more info on my pity party click on my post He Is Risen Indeed.

14. What do you miss about home and what did you think you’d miss but actually don’t?

Obviously I miss the people more than anything. So, after all of you awesome folks, I’d say I miss a lot of the food (corn tortilla tacos, reese’s, sour patch kids, pop tarts, good pizza, lasagna..the list goes on). I also miss air conditioning, lakes, biking, and snow! I thought I would miss wifi, good coffee, a flushing toilet, running water...but I actually still have all of these luxuries!! Welcome to posh corps.

15. In 20 years what will you do to remember your time there?

Hopefully come back and visit!!! That’d be amazing. But I could also just dance to some Gqom music and weep as I look through old pictures. We will see what God has in store.

16. What kinds of things do people make there? What are some of the cooler/more interesting things you’ve seen people make?

There are many different types of local arts and crafts. My community is rather large so I don’t know a lot of local artisans. I’ve been most impressed with the beading I’ve seen. I’ve seen gorgeous jewellery as well as statues, often of animals, out of beads and wire. I also know of a couple talented dress makers in the area! The crafts kids make are also amazing: lots of cars and little biking puppets made out of wire, handbags made out of rice bags, balls from bread bags, jump ropes from plastic bags. The engineering skills are through the roof and the final products are way cooler than the paper fortune tellers I used to make.

17. What has been the biggest culture shock?

That’s a difficult one too. There really hasn’t been a lot that has been a total shock. But there are things that clash with my own culture and those moments can be a bit ‘shocking’ I suppose. I’ve written posts about some of these things...

Many blunt comments, both good and bad, on physical appearance, the pace of life and flexible start times commonly know as ‘Africa Time.’ Different concepts of modesty, and the importance of greeting.

18. What is it like having a host family?

My host family is the best. They are the most thoughtful and incredible people I know in SA. My host father already told me I’m his adopted daughter and when he bought a cake for me on my birthday he said, “We always buy a cake when it’s one of our children’s birthdays!” It’s nice that I have their support and love, but having my own room across the driveway from their house also gives me much wanted independence and personal space. It’s an amazing set up and I know that I’m lucky to have the Ntulis in my life!

19. How long will you be gone?

I don’t know exactly when I’ll be home but service is about 27 months total and my visa expires on Halloween 2019...so definitely before then. Most likely I’ll be done sometimes in September!

20. How do people in your community stay up-to-date with local/regional/national news?

Most families have TVs in their homes and keep up with the news that way. Technology like smart phones also helps people stay informed. The radio is also a regularly used news source. Word of mouth is the most common communication for really local news. I rarely see physical newspapers around unless I’m in my shopping town or larger city.

21. How are holidays similar and different to ours in the States?

A lot of holidays are similar given that the majority of South Africans identify as Christians so most people celebrate such holidays like Christmas and Easter. But South Africa has some amazing national holidays that we do not celebrate such as Youth Day (adults will sometimes dress up in their old school uniforms from when they were a kids.), Woman’s Day (We just celebrated on Aug 9!), Heritage Day/Month (People will often dress in traditional clothes and have celebrations to appreciate their heritage and culture. On my first day at my school, learners had a whole assembly to celebrate this holiday.), and Freedom Day (but no fireworks here, they save those for New Year’s day!). One of my favourite unofficial holidays is Summer Time which is on September 1st. Kids will fill bottles and buckets full of water and have a huge neighbourhood or even community wide water fight!

22. How do classrooms differ from the States to South Africa?

There are definitely a lot of differences and similarities. I should also note that schools are SO DIFFERENT in different parts of South Africa. Compared to my school here, schools in the states have WAYYYY more resources. An average classroom here has wooden desks, a chalkboard, and a bulletin board if you’re lucky! Schools are built in blocks so you have to go outside to enter each individual classroom. Teachers move between classrooms instead of students moving rooms. My kids usually stay in one classroom all day, even for lunch. Class sizes are generally a lot larger and libraries are a rare find in a schools around here.

23.How close do you live to wildlife? What kinds of animals have you seen?

Contrary to popular believe, the big 5 do not roam the streets of all of South Africa ;) BUT there is a nature reserve just a few kilometers from my house and I’ve seen zebra and springbok there! At my training site, we had sessions on a reserve and we often had to save our lunches from the naughty little monkey thieves. I also had the opportunity to go to Kruger with my sisters and see a LOT of animals on our safari-- that was amazing!!! But on the daily all I get are dogs, chickens, cows, goats, and ants. WOO!

24. How far is school from home? How do you and learners get to school?

School is about a 15-20 minute walk from my house. My host mom will usually drive me half way in the morning on her way to work and then I walk home. Most kids walk to and from school, but some families do arrange private transportation if they live further away from the school. These cars/vans/mini-buses operate much like school buses in the states going to multiple schools in the area and dropping off in specific neighbourhoods.

25. What the hardest part of your service? What’s your favourite part?

The hardest part of service for me is definitely challenges at school. We face many difficulties such as large class sizes, a lack of resources, teacher absenteeism, overworking of teachers, poverty, parental involvement, undiagnosed learning disabilities, families impacted by HIV/AIDS, and challenges with discipline methods...just to name a few. These barriers to learning can sometimes seem so strong that it leaves me defeated and deflated. It is difficult, yes, but I can never stay down in the dumps too long because I am surrounded by incredible people. I am always encouraged by my learners’ resilience and the hard work so many educators and community members have and are currently pouring into our school. They are some of the strongest and wisest people I know and I am thankful our school has them because they will make a much larger impact than I could ever dream of doing on my own.

Maybe cliché, but school is also my favourite part of service. Yeah it’s great to travel, and laugh with my host siblings, and go on incredible sunset runs, and eat fruits I’ve never heard of before, but its doing what I love, teaching, that gives me the most life here in SA. It’s hugs from kids and watching them believe in their own potential for greatness that keeps me rolling out of bed in the morning.

26. What are the forms of transportation like?

Someone once told me I live in the “very tip of rural South Africa.” and I think that’s the most accurate way to put it! With that, many families in my community have cars. However, local taxis (small cars or mini-buses) and using the trusty ol’ two legs are still the most common forms of transportation.

27. Where do you feel the most at home there?

With my host family or in KFC.

28. Who speaks what languages in SA and where?

Language dynamics in South Africa are fascinating! There are 11 official languages and I heard they might be adding Sign Language as the next official language! The distribution of languages tends to be more homogeneous as you get farther away from the larger cities. In cities, you will hear many different languages much like larger cities in the US. I found this map that (from my limited time in SA) seems rather accurate! It’s interesting that Afrikaans is the dominant language in such a large proportion of the country geographically when less than 14% of people in South Africa speak Afrikaans as their home language. Where I am, Sepedi and isiNdebele are the most common home languages!

29. What is your favourite word in Sepedi?

It’s not a word, but a phrase. If you are wasting time someone might say “o ja nako” which literally translates to “you are eating time.” I just think the expression is golden and I love using it when my learners are ja nako! :)

30. Have your learners been taught by/known other peace corps volunteers before you?

Yes! Peace Corps tries to replace volunteers to continue the projects being done in that school/community when possible. There was a volunteers at my school for 2 years just before I arrived. And now there is another volunteer at a different school in our community as well.

31. Are there resources for children with disabilities?

Yes! But sometimes difficult to access. I don’t know all the inner workings, but if learners have minor learning barriers they are suppose to stay in a normal primary school and teachers are to accommodate their specific needs. This isn’t much different than in the states, except for trying to differentiate for these needs while managing 40-70 learners in one class with very few resources and no assistance. Yeah, that’s quite a challenge. Learners can be recommended to attend what are called Special Schools. These are schools that are specifically designed for learners with disabilities. Sometimes they focus on a certain disability (We have a special school for the deaf and blind in our community) with trained educators and resources to support the learners that attend. Again, accessing these resources can be challenges for a variety of reasons such as transportation, parental considerations, and stigmas of disabilities.

32. How challenging was it to adjust to being the minority where you live and work?

It’s been a wonderful wake up call and growing experience- so pretty dang tough. What’s interesting is that as a white American, though I’m a minority, I still have the privileges that come with my race and nationality. Since I’ve been here a while, at school and in my neighbourhood, I am known and mostly just feel like a part of the team able to "blend" in. It’s when I’m walking around, or going shopping at the complex that the stares and comments (although many of these have to do with my gender, not my race) can get overwhelming. I’ve felt uncomfortably aware of my race here and honestly, I think that’s a great thing for a little Minnesota white girl like me to experience.

33. How do you access clean water?

My host family has running water! The water goes through some sort of treatment before it comes out the faucet. I still use a water filter for my drinking water, just to be extra safe (pictured to the right) It’s a slow drip but hey, all good things take time.

34. How do South African’s view Americans?

This is a generalisation of the generalisations BUT... Usually Americans are seen as rich, white, educated, loud, emotional, and messy. Wow. I’m not doing a great job of dispelling the stereotypes...

35. How are you compensated for serving in PC?

I get a stipend every month that is similar to the minimum wage is SA. It’s always a happy day when that rand drops into my bank account! In addition, I accrue money each month towards the resettlement allowance I will get when I finish service.

36. What is the dominant religion in South Africa / Limpopo?

South Africa, as well as Limpopo, overwhelmingly identifies as Christian (80+% of the national population). There are several sects of Christianity that I had not heard of until moving to South Africa. For example, the Zion Christian Church (ZCC) is a very popular church across Limpopo. Some people practice a combination of traditional beliefs and Christianity.

37. What were you over-prepared for?

“My idea of village life.” That’s a weird answer, I know. But let me explain. When I was packing for South Africa, it was like I was packing to be a completely different person. I abandoned my usual wardrobe and purchased long skirts, Crocs dress shoes, and head bands. It’s like I thought my life would end as I know it. Eye shadow? No way. People don’t wear that in the village. Boy. Was. I. Wrong. I suddenly felt like a frumpy pilgrim woman surrounded by the fabulous fashionistas that is literally everyone in South Africa. I guess I ended up being underprepared for reality, but I was ridiculously over-prepared for my anticipated assumptions of life in rural SA.

38. What is super easy for you that impresses people around you?

Computer literacy skills such as using excel and word. I can blow some Grade 6 learner minds with my whopping 60 wpm. It’s also been very helpful in assisting staff to type and format tests and other documents at school.

39. How many pictures have you taken so far?

Too. Many. If my calculations are correct, I’m up to 2,018...not bad for 1 whole years!

40. Is this the last question?

YES!!!!

Well, if you made it this far, you are a true champ! Thanks for supporting me with your thoughts and prayers throughout this adventure. If you have any additional information and/or edits (other than typos that I'm sure are plentiful) to the answers I gave, please let me know so I can be as accurate and complete as possible!

Shalang Gabotse,

Caitlin