Groundhog's Day!

So, you know I wouldn't be me if I didn't celebrate Groundhog's Day no matter where I was in the world. This Swaziland adventure is no exception! I was able to have a friend over, make tacos (big accomplishment in Swaziland), and talk to some amazing friends and family from the States! To start what I know will become yearly festivities amongst my volunteer friends I wrote an article for our post's monthly journal called the "SoJo". With my Mother's help on historical research, and a few international telephone interviews with Phil, I wrote the following. Enjoy and again, a VERY HAPPY GROUNDHOGS DAY from Swaziland!


SoJo's Official Weather Report
My morning ritual of sweeping the hut, a “refreshing” bucket bath, followed by breakfast has many times been accompanied by 93.9FM English Channel out of Mbabane. I was first introduced to this station by a community member who informed me that just after 6am and then again at 7am I could be informed about the day’s weather. This discovery made me very excited because, until then, my sisi was the closest I had to a weather girl, and her “glance to the sky” predictions were not always the most accurate. After only a few days of listening to the radio, though, I began to distrust the validity of the forecast. When there was a “very good chance of showers in the afternoon”, my 3pm sky would be cloudless. Their high temperature readings for Big Bend would be estimated at around 30-32 degrees Celsius, when my little thermometer was getting a reading of 40.6 degrees Celsius in the morning shade. My favorite was when they talked about cool and rainy conditions throughout the course of the day and then as an afterthought tagged on the line “…for the Western part of the country”. I guess I shouldn’t complain about the English channel forgetting to report about the weather at my site. For the past few months the lowveld has experienced HOT and DRY conditions pretty much day in and day out, but I believe there has to be a more reliable weather source out there…

Oh boy there is! In Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania there is the world’s smallest and furriest weather forecaster known to all as Phil. I have been informed by highly reputable and reliable sources (my Mother & friends) that on February 2nd, 2010, Groundhog’s Day, he made the prognostication that the northern hemisphere will experience six more weeks of winter. I have taken his amazing wisdom and scientific expertise and translated it to our very own Swaziland. Thus, due to him seeing his shadow and relaying this to the Inner Council on Gobbler’s Knob in “Groundhogese”, we will have six more weeks of summer. Lowveld will continue to be hot and dry, Highveld will continue to be rainy, and Midveld will continue to be juuuuuust right. The Groundhog decrees, thus it shall be.

For the skeptics and/or genus discriminating few who believe that the Groundhog should not be allowed in the field of weather prediction, I would like to inform you that Phil has had a 100% accuracy rate since his first public prediction in 1887! In the 1700s his unique skill was recognized in his American ancestors by the German settlers who believed, as many Europeans did, that the immerging of hibernating animals was an omen that spring was soon to arrive. In that time and for centuries before, February 2nd was not dedicated to the amazingness of the groundhog, but was instead celebrated as Candlemas Day. On this religious holiday the custom was for clergy to bless candles and distribute them amongst the people. Being the halfway mark between winter and spring, the weather on that day was also observed and a prediction was made. According to an old Scotch couplet, “If Candlemas Day is bright and clear, There’ll be two winters in the year”, and an old English song states, “If Candlemas be fair and bright, Winter has another flight. If Candlemas brings clouds and rain, Winter will not come again”.

In summary, if the weather is cloudy on this auspicious day, Phil will know that spring is around the corner and stay awake. If the weather is sunny, as it was this year, Phil will see his shadow and decide to hit the snooze button for another 6 week nap to avoid the wintery weather that will surely come. You really can’t get a more experienced, knowledgeable weather forecaster than Phil. If you still don’t believe me, listen to 93.9FM at 6am or 7am and your faith in the groundhog will grow as you realize the humans have no clue.