Thankful!

With Thanksgiving come up in less than a week, I wanted to write a list of things that I am thankful for.

1. My parents

I am beyond thankful for my parents. They have supported me in everything that I do, and have allowed me to leave the nest without hesitation. When I decided to move ten hours away to go to University, they helped me move into my new dorm. When I exclaimed that I was going to Baton Rouge, to work as a City Year Corps member, my dad flew into North Carolina, rented a moving van, and helped me drive 16 hours to my new home. When I decided to apply for the Peace Corps they helped me with my application, and when I got my invitation to South Africa, they didn’t hesitate before celebrating with me. Without my parents loving support, and “yes” attitude with everything I have desired to do, I couldn’t have become the person I am today.

2. My sweet puppy, Vuvuzela

Out of all the goodbyes before leaving to South Africa, the hardest one was to my puppy. I remember sitting on the steps of my apartment in Wilmington, NC not wanting to pick up my bags and leave Zela behind. She gave me the biggest puppy dog face, let me hug her for waayyy to long (definitely almost missed my flight), and allowed me to leave. Not only did she let me leave, she was fine being shuffled between friends and family. I can’t wait to see her when I return to America.

Pictured: When Zela still lived in Wilmington. 

Pictured: Zela when she moved to my parent's and was introduced to my mother's friend's newborn baby.

2. My students

I believe I have the most amazing group of students. They have such a strong desire to learn. They work hard in class, and willingly stay after school to work on their reading, computers, and writing. They also inspire me to be a better teacher both in and out of the classroom.

Pictured: A message of my students left that reads "Solomon is the good writer in English but now I dont no how to talk english perfect but I will"

Pictured: My students after graduating from the Grassroot Soccer Skills program. 

Pictured: Teaching the younger students how to play twister in my office. 

4.       My own education

Since graduating high school, I have realized that in many parts of America and the world, a good education from a public school is far from the norm. As a graduate from the Pittsburgh Public School system, I have realized how lucky I was to have such incredible teachers in my life.  I learned so much from my teachers, from the love of reading, to the importance of understanding other cultures, to thinking outside of the box.

5.       Access to running water

Being one of the only PCVs in my cohort with running water, I have realized the ease that running water brings. When I wash dishes, I don’t have to go and pump water. When I want to bathe, I don’t have to fill a bucket with water. When I want to drink water, I don’t have to filter it first. I don’t have to store up water every week and ration it out.  It is such a blessing to have clean running water, every single day.

6.       Understanding how much time is saved by a washing machine

About a month before I left for South Africa, my friend Jordan laughed and said You’re going to have to wash your laundry by hand! Although I do have running water, I do not have a laundry machine. After learning to wash laundry, and try to figure out the least time consuming way to do it, I’ve realized how important and life changing washing machines must have been in The States. When I do laundry every weekend, it could take from two hours (if I decided to wash only darks), to the whole day (this is when I have to wash everything, from socks to towels). I am only one person, if I was a mother with a family of ten, washing the clothes for the whole family could very easily turn into a full time job. As a female, access to washing machines could dramatically change the future of women in countries where there are none. To have a washing machine could free up time for a woman to go to university, or to read a book, or to get a job. All in all, washing machines are incredible.

7.       Books

I am so thankful for all the books I have and trade with other PCVs. These books have given me something to do on boring Tuesday nights, especially on nights when there is load shedding (a.k.a. no electricity).

Kindles are also awesome!

8.       External hard drive

One of the first things I learned before joining the Peace Corps, was to get an external hard drive and stock up on movies. I didn’t really think anything of it, and decided against getting one. But, when Christmas rolled around, my ex-boyfriend (who as a marine, had been told to do the same thing when he got deployed) gave me one as a Christmas present. As my time continued in Peace Corps, I realized how important and how wonderful this gift was. I have been able to watch the same TV series with other PCVs and message them throughout the seasons (I think there are a few that are getting sick of me messaging them every time there's a twist in Scandal). I’ve watched scads of movies and documentaries. It’s been great when it’s too dark to go outside, and I’m too tired to read a book.

9.       Facebook, skype and whatsapp

Definitely thankful for each of these things. I’m so happy that I’ve been able to stay in touch with all of my friends back home, and message my parents every single day about all the things that I’m doing in South Africa. I do not know how PCVs did this before skype, and other forms of easy communication, because to me, it's my life line. 

10.   Supportive friends

To piggyback on my last statement, I’m so glad that all my friends back home have supported me, and continued to stay in communication. With a seven hour time difference, I wake up to messages every morning from friends asking how I am, or picture of them laying on the beach (rude!). But no matter what it is, I’m happy that I’m still on their mind as their world continues to grow and change in America.

Pictured: These two taunt me every time they hang out and send me a picture of them together.

Pictured: My friend sending my pictures of him lying on the beach. 

Pictured: This is cruel and unusual punishment. Everyone knows how much I love and miss pierogies. 

11.   PCV Friends

The importance of my PCV friends are just as much as my supportive friends back home. I wouldn’t be able to survive Peace Corps without them. My PCV friends understand what we are all going through. We understand the cultural shocks, the funny misunderstanding, the amount we miss our family, friends and our old life. We are each other’s shoulders, support, and best friends. We share gifts from home, books that we have read, movies and TV shows that we like. We message each other when we’re lonely, and joyously share a bottle of wine when two get together.

Pictured: Braaing at the game reserve to celebrate 4th of July. 

Pictured: Celebrating my birthday with other PCVs.

Pictured: My wonderful cohort after a week long training. 

12.   Finding incredible friends and boyfriend in South Africa

Outside of my Peace Corps friends, I have made a ton of South African friends. My host siblings and I message back and forth almost every week, and I’m planning a visit with them in two weeks for a wedding. I have made friends with multiple people at the running club.  My neighbours at the game reserve continue to invite me over for braais. I have a best friend here, who I can cook dinner with on random Tuesdays. Finding a boyfriend here has been an incredibly weird experience, one that I never expected would have happened. My South African boyfriend, along with my South African friends have all accepted all the weird American things about me. They have also embraced and fallen in love with all my Peace Corps friends. They have shown me South Africa in a way I would never have seen it without them as my guide, and I in return how taught them about America (and I have learned how weird and different America really is).

Pictured: Showing South Africans the great holiday that is Halloween. 

Pictured: Celebrations with my host sisters. 

Pictured: Celebrating my birthday with my South African bestie. 

Pictured: Finding the South African hidden treasures with my South African boyfriend. 

Pictured: Nights out with my local friends. 

13.   Warm weather

A summer girl at heart, I’m so thankful for the warm weather in South Africa. I have always shut down when it turns to snow in the states, and to live somewhere, where it’s almost always summer year round, is heaven for me. Now… all I need is a beach.

Note: This was the dead of winter. 

14.   Running

As an avid runner, I’m so thankful to have other PCVs who also love to run, because they motivate me to continue to run, and to run longer and faster (they’ve also convinced me to sign up for Comrades, 94k's anyone?!?). I am so thankful for locating a running club on Wednesday afternoon. They have become part of my family, and I’m so happy to have wonderful running buddies, who have taught me more about running in the past ten moths than I have learned in the past ten years. Finally I’m thankful I have been able to pass on my love of running to my students. They now come to me and ask if I’m running after school every day.

Pictured: Skukuza Half Marathon with the Polokwane Athletic Club.

Pictured: Running break with a few of my students. 

Pictured: Me and a few of my friends after my first race in South Africa. 

15.   Acceptance

I am thankful for how my co-workers have accepted me into their lives. They have let me into their lives, invited me to family dinners, to weddings, to lunch. We giggle every day at work, and help each other out when one of us is floundering. They call me on weekends to make sure I'm not alone, and make sure that I get tickets to see all the soccer games at Peter Mokaba Stadium. 

16.   Seeing animals on a daily basis

As anyone knows, I’m obsessed with animals. I’ve always rescued cats off the streets, owned a puppy, and couldn’t say no to giving a dog a belly rub. Although the animals in my backyard are a far cry from dogs and cats, seeing them outside of a zoo and in their normal habitat is an incredible experience. I see a giraffe almost every time I go for a run through the game reserve, but every time its beauty stops me dead in my tracks. I cannot be more thankful to see all these majestic creatures almost every day.

17.   This experience

I’m so thankful to have been given this experience of living in South Africa. Yesterday marks 300 days of living in South Africa, an it’s incredible that it has been that long (I only have 16 months left!), but at the same time it’s amazing that it’s hasn’t, because like I say to everyone who asks me how I like South Africa: South Africa feels like home!