Phophonyane Falls & All Day Tests!

July 23rd, 2009 6:15pm
First I have to retract the praise I gave the mail system in my last post. I have been so very fortunate to receive many more wonderful letters from family and friends, but not all that I know are out there. I just received some letters sent around the first of July and #3 of Scott’s and #2 of Mom’s are MIA! They will no doubt arrive sometime in the near future, but shucks.
Last Sunday (July 19th) some of us trainees decided to explore the beautiful country around us. We saw signs on our way to Pigg’s Peak (nearest shopping town) for “Phophonyane Falls 4.4K” with an arrow. Of course we had to check that out! It was a wonderful get-away! After a kumbi (van-taxi) trip to the sign, we walked the 4.4K and found a lodge nestled in the forest. It cost us some money to use the hiking trails, but we didn’t care – we were on vacation, even if it was only for a couple hours. The hike/rock climb/monkey spotting adventure was absolutely amazing! We spent a couple hours hiking, then lounged around (a couple went in) the freezing rock pool made by water being routed from the falls. Surrounded by all of the natural beauty and splendor, I am pretty sure we became giddier for the lunch back at the lodge than the location. I had veggie pizza (with extra cheese), chilled white wine, and ice cream!!!!! This may not sound impressive, and by American standards the food was par, but to us it was heaven on earth! Our mini-vacation/adventurous exploration was a HUGE success!
Today was quite the opposite from the peaceful retreat at the water falls this past weekend. It was stress city as we completed our full day of testing! I started the day with my Language Proficiency Interview. Yuck. It is a twenty minute conversation in siSwati; it is recorded; it is graded; it sucked! I went in prepared with five pictures of you wonderful people and phrases/questions to accompany them. I had rehearsed and practiced with my host family who keeps telling me I need to be “number 1”. Within two minutes the tester looked at my pictures, put them down, covered them with his cards, and started drilling me with questions at a very rapid succession! My head was swimming, and I am sure it took me at least a couple hours to recover from the experience. I passed, but I am not looking forward to the same experience in one month! The rest of the tests today were easy in comparison and I celebrated its completion with a whole pot of popcorn this evening. J
Included in the Round Robin of events today were cell phone selection and site placement interviews. I should be receiving my cell phone this coming Monday… if everything works according to schedule (remember I work for the government now). They said I may even be able to access the internet on it for a fee-per-page ; we will see. A fellow PCT informed us about a calling system over the internet that might be considerably cheaper and less hassle than calling cards. It is called “PINGO”. Look that up on the internet. You use it like a calling card, with dialing numbers on the land line and such, but you can put more and more minutes on through the internet. Someone please look into that and then explain it my parents (thanks :-)).
During the site placement interview they ask if you have any working/living preferences. I said that I prioritized water over electricity and I would like my skills (nursing and theatre) to be used as much as possible. One of the officers said, “So you want to be useful and have clean water”. And I said, “yup”. Now I know I will be hearing from my Dad on this one, but I told them I didn’t mind being off the beaten path (near a tar road) or being in an extremely hot/cold place. I gave my placement to God. I want to go where I am needed the most, not just where I will be the most comfortable. Any and all sites will have pros and cons. We will find out on Aug. 1st and travel to them for On the Job Training Aug. 8th. I am very VERY excited to find out where I will be for two years!
Lastly, before I take off for school (because my computer ran out of juice last night and I am now charging it at a friend’s who has electricity), I want to relay my long awaited care package list. My family had been hounding me before I left about things they could send. I didn’t know then, but I have a few ideas now a month in to this adventure. Random as this list might be, they are things that may be nice to get once in awhile.

Care Package Wish List
1. Beef/Soy Jerk, Chicken/Tuna cans or packs (without refrigeration meat and thus protein is a big treat!)
2. Crystal light
3. Music/Pictures/New movies (especially pics of what you are all up to – I want my walls to be covered at my new place!)
4. Coffee!!!! And maybe fun mugs. Ricoffee is a horrible instant coffee that is the only option near us and good coffee is supposedly out of our price range when we do find it) I will splurge on a French press if I get some coffee grounds!
5. Teeny tiny rubber bands (this is so I can get my hair braided, NOT CORNROWED – that only lasted a week)
6. Non-refrigerated cheese – I hear it exists!
7. Popcorn seasonings :-P I am going to go through mine very quickly
8. Practical good quality kitchen supplies! I would love (maybe b-day mom?) a good non-stick frying pan and spatula… fried eggs have been impossible thus far. Baby silverware is always good. ;-)
9. Mom: Franklin Planner pages for 2010?
10. Anything that you want to send to Africa, including new clothes (already tired of my ten outfits) and yummies!
11. Get PINGO minutes so you can talk to me soon!
12. Aunt Maine/Grandpa: I am going to miss the beautiful colors of Michigan in the fall. If at all possible, would you and Grandpa lead the project of collecting colorful leaves, laminating them, and sending them to me? I know that won’t happen for a couple months, but I will forget if I don’t ask now.
Love you all ten million tons! Hope everything is going splendidly. I am running with Kate to the school here now. OH! I am going to do a ½ marathon in Cape Town in April 2010!! Crazy, I know. :-) Got to get running! (Running tanks with pockets in the back for water would also be a great item!)
Hugs,
Zodwa/Darryn