A Few of My Favorite Things

I love reading newspapers in the countries I visit. It is my joy. Take the Swazi Observer…

In the I’ve been possessed department…

(headline) CLASSES SUSPENDED AFTER PUPILS ATTACKED BY DEMONS

It is said that the pupils when attacked by the hysteria would roll on the floor and mumble out people’s names “ who they claimed were bewitching them. To solve this, “…well known demon busting pastor Muzi Manan had to be called in to pray for them” (and the many parents who were subsequently attacked also).

In the “I need some courage” “drink-driving” department, a couple of quick clips…

1. A teacher “told the court he drank because he was stressed by a person who owed him money for a long time and he was giving himself courage to face him.”

2. “A nineteen year old Form Five pupil of Apex Academy copied his father to drink alcohol so that he could get the courage to propose love to girls… The teenage pupil related to the court how taking liquor gave him excitement and the audacity to do things he would not do when sober.”

[Actually drink driving, as it is called here, is a very serious issue in Swaziland and I do not mean to make light of it, but I just couldn’t resist these explanations to the judge.]

In the beauty is more than skin deep department…

(headline) 7 OUT OF 10 MR. SWAZILAND FINALISTS CIRCUMCISED.

“In fact, the remaining three are expected to undergo the operation this afternoon, making this an historic Mr Swaziland finals… Meanwhile His Majesty the King’s praise singer and poet ‘Msundi Kababa’ Nxumalo will undergo the same operation tomorrow at FLAS Clinic in Manzini at 11:00.” Perhaps we should all show up and wish him well on his operation.

[This is apparently a very big push here with several articles and pictures of proud parents and their newly circumcised baby boys explaining why they chose this course. It is even credited with helping prevent the spread of HIV / AIDS. Uhmmmm]

and the last… in the I need a new editor department…

In the celebrity watch column, a picture of Byonce is shown to represent the split of UK Formula race car driver Lewis Hamilton from singer Nicole Scherzinger and then later correctly used on the same page when talking about the 2,200 square foot nursery she and JZ are building for their baby.

It may seem like it was a slow day in “helping people business”, but I can assure you that was not the case. The weather was very hot, over 100 degrees (I managed to note that in my notes), Bonnie and I were out doing much (that I failed to note in my log). So as a result, I chose to write this update. I was planning to do it on a day off that Bonnie never seems to take! Hope you enjoy some of my “laugh out loud” moments when alone in my “chalet”. More fav things to come.

The Story of DuDu – Part 1

This story takes place over several days, so I have found there can be some advantages to being so far behind in my blog (as well as continuing difficulties accessing the internet)! On Monday the 31st after the NERCHA meeting, Bonnie took me to a Neighborhood Care Point (NCP) run by a young woman who Bonnie has mentored for almost 6 years. When Bonnie first met DuDu, she was a pretty unhappy young woman. There were no jobs so she had been helping feed the orphans at a care point in her neighborhood. She wanted to do more with her life but could see no way forward, so was miserable and depressed. Bonnie starts working with her with her mixture of positive encouragement, practical advise and ongoing interest that I am coming to see is a hallmark of how Bonnie works. Now Bonnie tells DuDu that I was coming to hear stories, especially her’s and DuDu expresses surprise and was happy that someone in America could be interested.

Cook at NCP

DuDu at Desk

The first meeting was in that horrible fog I mentioned earlier. The care point is on the top of a hill. There are about 35 orphans and two other primary grade classrooms in the same small compound along with a small, unkempt garden much to Bonnie’s dismay. Bonnie was greeted enthusiastically by the children, women workers and DuDu. Knowing that DuDu was expecting me and that I wanted to hear her story, I quickly discussed getting started. We found a room , I got out the video camera, talked with her a bit about the process and then she became very nervous, backing off from the proposition. She was very worried that the International Tabernacle Church who provide the food would be upset if she spoke with me. Bonnie and I explained that we just wanted to here about her life and not anything to do with the church. Seeing her distress, we said we would come back in a couple of days to give DuDu time to decide about the interview.

Bonnie with orphans on foggy day

DuDu was ready on Wednesday to talk. She spoke of how Bonnie has been a good counselor to her. “She gave me the inspiration that tomorrow I will be somebody else. She helped me. Bonnie always says that I mustn’t say it’s a problem.  That is unsolvable. She told me to say it is a challenge because that is something that I will solve!”

When Bonnie and DuDu talked about what she wanted it was to be a teacher and to raise chickens. Not having completed her education, Bonnie talked with her about what she must do to and that once she had completed her education and had her certificate, Bonnie would get her an interview with the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET). DuDu did this over a period of several years, but unbeknownst to Bonnie, the funding for her schooling came from the International Tabernacle Church, hence DuDu’s fear to do anything to upset them.

“Bonnie taught me to love the children. She gave me that love and care, to be kind to the children. She told me God loves the children and … to have faith.”

DuDu has served the care point for many years now and also teaches over 35 preschoolers. When she in not there, as when she was sick for a couple of weeks, the care point closes, so she is vital to it’s operation. Yet she is not paid. As DuDu describes it, she is a young woman, she needs money to support her family, to buy clothes, to be an example. “I should be presentable as a teacher. I should wash. I should be clean. I should be polished. I should prepare my hair to welcome the children. They should see the teacher is very, very clean.” (Knowing this from our brief discussion on Monday and also knowing that a meeting with the Ministry of Education was coming, I had brought her a gift, some shampoo, hair care, soap and body lotion so she could feel good about herself in the upcoming interview.)

DuDu talked about how Bonnie helped her with the Ministry of Education. They had a meeting with Mr. Elliot Nkambule where he promised DuDu a job, (but no hire date). Afterward, as a surprise, Bonnie took her to a cafe in the mall to celebrate with cake called Portifino’s. She was thrilled. She had never been to a restaurant before (nor since). Bonnie has also phoned DuDu from America to see how she is doing. “Imagine that! I even cried. She can think of me miles and miles away.”

And Bonnie continues to think about her. Bonnie confirmed the meeting with Mr. Nkambule to be Monday the 7^th at 1:00 with the expectation to collect on the hiring promise from the earlier meeting. We decided to allow plenty of time for parking in the MOET’s crowded parking lot so would pick her up at the care point noon. We parted company that day all of us happy and looking forward to this meeting where DuDu will hopefully start getting paid for what she has been doing for free for so many years. This would mean so much to Bonnie, I think she was as excited as DuDu over the prospect.

This personal touch that both Bonnie and John bring to their efforts here in Swaziland amazes me. It would be so easy to do just the big projects funded by big agencies (as they do) and have much to shout about. But what this personal touch does is beyond measure. Almost every day we have been shopping for one family, one child or another. Be it food, shoes for school, plants, seed & manure for their garden, a talk about what is important, words of encouragement for the burden they shoulder, praise for continuing the effort, and always a hug. No large agencies fund these efforts. This is all done through the personal contributions of people like you and me and makes the individual giving that we do so very important. I have never been so up close and personal to the result that my contribution makes to any charity I support. It is my goal on this trip to inspire you to give or to help you realize the importance of what you have given by doing my best to communicate about some of the work your giving enables and the people who are on the front lines day in and day out. It is a war to turn the tide of hopelessness brought on by poverty, hunger and overwhelming odds.

Meeting the Chief

Officially, I am in The Kingdom of Swaziland and there is a King who does indeed rule the country. There are 315 (approx) Chiefs who operate in 55 regions/Chiefdoms who act on behalf of the King to ensure his people’s welfare, control the land, and regulate disputes. These chiefs are not paid (unless they receive an appointment / post for another office by the King). Nothing happens without the permission of the Chief in his region (and the appropriate government office), so if you want to complete a project you must follow the correct protocols.

Near and dear to Bonnie’s heart is Chief Ngebsceni Dlamini, named after his Grandfather’s best friend, an English gentleman called Gibson. You might not see the Gibson in this as I didn’t at first, it has been Swazi-ized. Ngebsceni is two syllables. “Ngeb”, the “N” is almost silent at least to us Westerners, is pronounced “Gib” as in Gibson. The second syllable “sceni” is pronounced sin-ney as in “whinny” with an “s”. So there you have it. Chief Ngebsceni’s region of Ngculwini is where Bonnie worked on our first trip to Africa more than 6 years ago. Bonnie was unable to plant gardens with the rest of us so she went out and about visiting orphans and schools to see the care the vulnerable children received. Ngculwini became the home of her first project (a water well, school for orphans and gardens for food) before Action Four Africa was a gleam in Bonnie’s eye. It is the reason she met her co-director, John Weatherson. It is ground Zero.

Bonnie with the Chief

With the Chief

When we arrived and after a wait of some time while the Chief completed some business, we sat down to talk. After some reminiscing, catch-up on mutual friends and current involvements, Bonnie got around to her desire to have the Chief require some of his men to prepare the garden for planting and repair the fence. It is planting season and there is no time to waste. He didn’t seem to be so inclined. He nodded thoughtfully and they went on talking about the good old times and how the school has grown. There are now 295 students, a second block of classrooms have been build by the Ministry of Education and a third, even larger building is under construction.

Then he talked with me about his background. He is an electrical engineer and had returned to the Chiefdom to manage the affairs some years before. He gave me a bit of an overview of how the Chiefdoms works / are organized. And, of course, of the great works Bonnie and now Action for Africa have done in his community. Close enough to the topic of the objective, preparing the gardens, Bonnie slipped in again with her request that he organize the men to prepare the garden. This time Chief Ngebsceni asked about how many seedlings and when she would be back. She told him she would be back when it was ready, just call her, with whatever was needed to fill the space… re-itterating time is of the essence. Again he nodded thoughtfully and the conversation continued.

I asked Chief Ngebsceni what his most important needs were. He answered, “Water. There can be no progress without water, no food for my people without water and no health without water. And we need a clinic and a doctor. My people die before they can get help in the city.”

We talked about what that would look like. Even if the doctor was not there every day or shared every other day with another doctor, that would be a start. I thought to myself, this is a little off point for me, but just before I arrived in Swaziland, my English doctor friend mentioned he is part of a charity that provides International aide through medical programs. I did not think anything of it at the time, but now I have decided to write to him to find out if this request is one his charity would evaluate and if it met their criteria, support. Wouldn’t that be amazing?!

Our time was drawing to a close. Bonnie was anxious to get to the school and see the progress since her last visit. On our way out, we visited with the Chief’s Mother who was mixing-up a nasty looking brew with a head of foam in a tall wooden “tub”. Ever the adventurer, Bonnie says lightly, “I’ll have to try that sometime when it is ready.”

“Oh it is ready, shall I prepare a taste?”

“No, no, I couldn’t today, “ she replied with a laugh, “I am driving!” Another bullet dodged in true Bonnie style.

As we left, we posed for pictures with the Chief. Be hind us were round grass woven ceremonial huts that he wants to show me on our next visit. But Bonnie still did not have the commitment on the thing she wanted most. “And so Chief Ngebsceni, you will have the men plow the field and repair the fence?”

“Yes, Bonnie, I will do it.”

“Good, good,” she replied as she gave him a big hug and smile, We waved our good-byes as Bonnie pointed the Rav 4 down the hill, Bonnie happy at last.

All the stats that make the job at hand seem impossible

We have now reached the end of my first full week in Swaziland. The rain storms have ended and the weather has turned very hot, very hot! Makes me wish for the rain and thunderstorm weather to come again. I believe I left off on Sunday and the little white truck was still very much missing…

…on Monday it was very much found and ordered back to its holding place while a much relieved Bonnie sorted the details.

Today it was so foggy that one could not see more than 15 feet in front of ones car. It is a good thing Bonnie is such a master at navigating her way around the country. First stop was a school where Bonnie was paying the half the yearly tuition for a teenage girl. This school is one of the best and costs about $1,700 per year. This young girl wants to be a doctor, so an 86 year old retired teacher in the USA has opted to support her with the best education practical. She is doing very well and sits for exams next week.

I reminded Bonnie how six years ago, our team had wanted to sponsor a boy and a girl to go to school, but when we went to pay the town council, they refused to agree to educate a girl. “The money will just be wasted as she will get pregnant and dropout of school.”

To which I replied, “Perhaps if she were educated she would not get pregnant and would continue in school.”

The council leader still refused and my team, kicking me under the table, suggested then that we would provide our gift for a deserving boy and moved on with other business related to the extremely poor village we were supporting with some of our work at that time. And they were right. I have tried to remember that what is right in our world, may not be somewhere else.

Next stop, a meeting with the National Director, Derek von Wissell, of NERCH (National Emergency Response Council on HIV / AIDS). NERCHA is funded by the government and Mr. von Wissell reports to the Prime Minister. There are many statistics on their website http://www.nercha.org.sz and I intend to make use of it once I am able to have proper access to the internet. This conversation made me stumble from the high I felt after Friday’s WASH meeting that detailed so many wonderful programs and let me feel the enormity of the task at hand. Statistics that painted a vast dark landscape that felt beyond what you and I can effect.

• 19% of the population has AIDS, 26% in the 15 to 49 sexually active age group, 30% of the women and 20% of the men. I was surprised that more women than men have it but learned that women are more easily infected. The semen stays in the vagina longer and women are more prone to tearing from the sexual act itself.
• AIDS is actually not spread very easily (1 in 1,000 to 1 in 10,000), but in the first 2 months of infection the viral load spikes while the body fights the infection making it highly contagious.
• While the population has stayed fairly constant at 1.1MM, it is estimated to be 25 to 30% below where it would have been without AIDS .
• 70% are being treated, but the government is running out of money. The average life expectancy has gone up from 38 to 43 because of treatment. AIDS peaked in 2006, but the consequence, the impact wave, death wave will be felt most acutely in 2020 / 2025.
• 2/3 of the population is below the poverty line and the government simply cannot provide all of the care. 60% of the youth are unemployed.
• There are at least 150,000 orphans in Swaziland. When I was here six years ago, the number was below l00,000. You do the math…
• Children are the most under-served and the least understood. There is lots of work to be done to socialize them, keep them in school, give them hope.
• Yet, there are so many complications… A 20 year old teacher teaching a 25 year old student. The requirement for school uniforms (cost prohibitive for most orphans). How can one expect hygiene when there are 50 children per toilet, more often than not, those are broken or unserviceable-able? Few desks and books. 40 to 50 students per teacher is not uncommon. (Yes, my teacher friends, I realize class size is also a huge issue in the US, but these rooms are without resource.) Gardens that are needed to help fed the children are often in need of a water source and in disrepair.
• Most importantly, it is a 10 to 15 year intervention to get a child through to young adulthood. The loss in human capital is staggering.

Mr von Wissell calls it, “A humanitarian disaster on the shoulders of humanity – one country cannot deal with it.” He has asked World Bank to do a pilot study on safety nets for children to find more effective ways to deal with this growing crisis.

NERCHA has started a program called Young Heroes (www.youngheroes.org.sz) . There are 1,100 people currently who provide $20 a month to support an orphan. Paul Newman’s Hole in the Wall Gang charity is coming once a year to bring these double orphans to camps. UNICEF is starting to support the orphans. Action Four Africa has been supporting orphans for the past six years. People want to help, but often want to do it their way. Even with all this, the challenges, the lack of funds, the over-whelming odds… Mr. von Wissell’s final optimistic words were, “ It is not rocket science. If you can help one child, help a child. If you can help a 1,000, then help a 1,000.”

And the next day, I received an invitation to a meeting later this month on growing the Young Heroes program. Uhm, I wonder if my being introduced as a writer and fund-raiser for Action Four Africa had anything to do with the invite. You all know I will do what I can, but Bonnie and AFA remain my passion.

Sunday 30 October 2011

Bonnie told me the country is about 95% Christian. I have been unable to access the internet to get the real facts, but there is a huge population that is so. So Sunday was church day. We went to service in a very modern church. While it had all the elements of an church in America (music, sermon, fellowship), it lacked the African heart of the little church I attended when in Swaziland last time. It was integrated, but not co-mingling. The whites spoke with and grouped together with each other and the blacks did the same as they drank their coffee and ate their cream donuts after service. There were greetings, but no social grouping of blacks and whites that I saw.

Afterwards, Bonnie and I lit out on our ongoing quest to find the little white truck that had been spotted around town… much to Bonnie’s dismay. We drove to where it was supposed to be delivered and it was not there. We drove up the mountain to a favorite hang-out of “our friend” and it was not there. We went to a small shopping area and looked there, all to no avail. There was nothing left to do but return me to my cabin and for Bonnie to return to her little caravan and begin again in the morrow. At midnight, nature regaled me with another show of lights and thunder providing a spectacular end to my humble day.

Saturday 29 October 2011

Today, Bonnie and I were out and about in the country. Swaziland is such a beautiful country! We went north (not as far as Pigs Peak for those of you reading this who were on the last adventure six years ago). John Weatherson, Bonnie’s co-Director in AFA, donated the land he holds there to AFA. A building is in process that will be the headquarters for AFA, the home of it’s youth program and agriculture center. This is the main project I have chosen to ask you to support. It will be the basis for all that AFA does in Swazi. We also need to develop enough funds so that John does not have to go to Ethiopia (where he is now or elsewhere) to work because AFA cannot pay him to further the projects here at “home”.

AFA Headquarters in progress

When we got there, Bonnie was fit to be tied. The watchman was not there guarding the building, as it is in progress, it is not secure-able and venerable to theft or worse. Bonnie is downright tough in these circumstances and we waited for him to show-up. In the meantime an orphan family of four children led by their 13 year old sister came to see Bonnie and receive the food she brought courtesy of an American sponsor. She sang ABC songs, talked about how they were doing in school, measured for shoes by drawing an outline of the oldest girl’s on brown paper so Bonnie could buy her a pair and talked and encouraged this little family. The girl is so shy, she whispers and looks only at the ground. Bonnie insists she speak-up and look her in the eye, difficult as this is not the way for these young girls. While Bonnie acknowledges that it will take generations and education to break these cycles, she, along with so many others, has begun the process.

Bonnie & Orphan Children at AFA Headquarters

Our erstwhile 19 year old guard showed back up on the scene. Brave young man. While Bonnie and he had a chat, I sat and looked out over the sloping valley below. One could see all the way down to the gently snaking river that flows to the big dam in Swaziland. Seriously breathtaking. If I had not just witnessed the ravages of extreme poverty, I would think of this as a paradise not unlike the interior canyons of Hawaii with its red earth and tropical flowers. But I couldn’t shake the images nor the knowledge from my mind. I was more certain than ever that this decision I made was the right one and can only believe I will find a way to communicate the needs and garner the support.

Friday 28 October 2011

This morning, Bonnie gave me a bit of time to catch my breath. When I arrived Wednesday evening, it was just after a huge storm, the breakdown and subsequent loss of AFA’s little white truck, and a flare up of my asthma and allergic reaction to God knows what that had me at the clinic after the WASH conference. (I am ALL better now, least my loving sisters call out the US Military to rescue me!) I was grateful for a little extra sleep and a peaceful morning to sit and view my surroundings.

I am staying at a lovely little B&B (a different one because the first I was booked in had a fire before I arrived). The only drawback is no internet. It makes communicating with you a challenge and updating my blog even more so. You will find that I will put up several days each time and hope you do not find that onerous to read. Back to my little home for the next month. It faces out onto a lovely meadow-type nature preserve full of birds that delight me to no end. There are some swallow like ones (who apparently eat all the fruit), these dramatic black with bold red patterns on the wings that chase each other endlessly and ones that begin their song at a little after 4:00 am, thank you, that sound like owls on speed… whoo, whoo, whoo, whoo, whoo machine gun speed, breath and then repeat. I would really like to see these birds, but it is always too dark to get a glimpse. I really look forward to a bit more time to enjoy this paradise, but Bonnie has quite an agenda and doesn’t have any time to waste.

My Swazi Home

The meadow in front of my home

There are four beds, two in the small loft above the kitchen, and two below. A couple of comfortable reading chairs – I sit there at night to watch the thunderstorms and lightening. A good size kitchen table that is now my desk and a TV, I have yet to turn on. No internet but TV. Go figure. The manager, Vera, and her staff couldn’t be more lovely and welcoming. What a beautiful surprise to have ended up here. I am very grateful.

When Bonnie arrived we took some time to do some planning for the week ahead. There is so much on the list that we only got as far as Wednesday! There was great concern for one of the vehicles of Action Four Africa that was in the hands of one of the workers who seemed to be “out and about” around town on personal business causing Bonnie great worry. I felt like I was with Mma Romostwe from one of my favorite book series called The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency. In it she has a beloved little white van and in my world, Bonnie has a beloved little white Isuzu truck. Bonnie spent the next couple of days on a quest to retrieve that vehicle. Certainly understood as resource is so limited with AFA. Bonnie is driving a Toyota Rav 4 that has been injured in a traffic accident and hardly will turn to the right. It poses all kinds of challenges for us on the road. (Note to self, approach car dealers and manufacturers to get AFA a couple of cars… open to suggestions from you guys or introductions on how to go about this.). But you should see Bonnie drive that thing. She gets us down roads that look impassible and navigates the countryside like Indiana Jones

I also spent about 2+ hours filming some of Bonnie’s stories only to find I had forgotten to turn on the mic. Yes, you can laugh. I will learn eventually. With that, we gave-up and went grocery shopping. Then later than night was the first of 3(so far) major thunderstorms. This evening was at 10:00 pm and I got up and opened the curtains to watch it in all it’s glory as I did each subsequent Thunderstorm night. Really, really fabulous. The next night the storm was at midnight and tonight (Monday) a respectable 6:30 pm. I love, love love thunderstorms.

Day One In Swaziland

Day one in Swaziland started off full tilt with an all day conference of the WASH Forum. I was really lucky to be there on this day as numerous organizations were presenting their accomplishments for the past year and some goals and projects going forward. The Chairman of WASH opened with a couple key remarks.. Water is the catalyst to meeting the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (UDG) that were adopted by 189 nations. There is no development without water. Access to water and sanitation and with it support of schools, hygiene training and community gardens were vital elements of all the programs. But one challenge is that most agencies and donors are interested in new projects not maintenance. Infrastructure is sustained on maintenance.

Gardens at AFA Headquarters

International Relief and Development (IRD), funded by USAID and UNICEFF, did a study and mapped the boreholes (water-wells) in Swazi. 37% were broken down, 17% somewhat operational and 49% operational. As all move forward with their projects, the need to find and provide funding for ongoing operations and maintenance is vital. Perhaps not as “sexy” as building a new school or completing a new water well, but paramount to long term success.

One presenter talked of how Swazi’s fear embarrassment above all else, yet embarrass themselves a lot by not using toilets. They must each day find a new place to “do their business” and then the rains come and the ones downstream suffer. The needs are so basic it is hard to describe. Some travel 5 kilometers (I don’t have a converter here nor easy access to the internet as I write this, but 3+ miles) in search of water daily. This role falls to women, who are also the farmers and cooks and… This keeps women and especially young women in poverty and out of school furthering the cycle.

But let me say, I did not end the day discouraged, rather in awe of all that is being done. There were more than 11 PowerPoint presentations and I would inundate you with all the details if I chose to summarize them in this blog. Our own Action Four Africa (AFA) is involved in a three year funded project with Palms for Life and USAID to bring Latrines, water, community gardens to schools, training and education to 120 schools in Swazi. This is just one of the programs I am learning about and will report on others later. I am learning how much more is planned by AFA and can be accomplished with your support.

Other random notes from the conference…

• New mantra – No toilets / latrines, no water. Should also be no water, no schools and no water, no clinics. (It isn’t me saying this, it is the committee.)
• My fav invention – The “Tippy Tap” for hand washing. So simple and who can resist that name?! When I get a picture, I will post.
• Triva I never knew department… Black chimney pipes result in odor-free latrines.
• Ground cover is important for water to reach the water table. If no ground cover, 80% of the water flows into the ocean.
• Harvest water with roof-top collection systems. Gutters that flow rainwater from metal roofs to water storage tanks. I feel about this like I do solar roofs in California. No structure should be built without one!

I Have Arrived

I have arrived in Swaziland a little sick and a bit tired. It was a long trip and I will be jumping right into my work. Tomorrow / Thursday, there is an all day conference for NGOs (non government organizations) to present their projects in Swazi and discuss the goals for the year ahead, 2012. I should meet lots of people and get a terrific overview of the work being undertaken throughout the country and some of the impediments / issues. Perfect timing.

Bonnie’s co-director, John Weatherson was kind enough to outlined a very aggressive agenda of activities, project reviews and meetings over the next month. I think I will be very busy learning all about the ways Action Four Africa looks to be of service here. All essential to fund-raising and my writing.

Bonnie secured a place for me at a bed and breakfast and also a car so I can shop for food to make in my little kitchen. We all know what an excellent cook I am… NOT! Laughing.

The Adventure Begins

As I write this, I am at the airport about to board my flight to London. I am going to visit an old and beloved family friend, Ava, who has known me and my family since childhood when we were in Iraq. Tragically, she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s a few months ago. I figured I should stop on my way to Africa to see her… before she forgets who I am!

I had been crazy getting ready for this trip. I left immediately following my last day at work, Friday the 30th, and went to San Francisco with my sister who had surgery on her foot. The drive up was great, we went to Hearst Castle and drove the 17 mile drive. We had an amazing Persian lunch with our “sister” Afsie and then arrived so the doctor could work on Donna’s foot. It was much more difficult than expect so the drive home was much less fun that the drive up.

The day after I returned, I flew to Iowa to visit my cousins. By the time I returned from that trip, I had less than seven days to prepare. In that time, I purchased tons of video equipment, small computer, mics, hard drives, cameras, tripods and much more. Then it was a crash course with much help from my neighbor, Tayfun, microsoft friend Curtis and video friend, EP (Elena) and all her studio friend, to get the basics down about how to use it all, transfer and catalog each days shoot, set-up the system on my computer… and, well, I think you get the picture.

I could not fit any of the power bars, nuts or protein powder into my suitcase it was so full. Perhaps I will transfer some of those 30 pounds I gained in the delectable DreamWorks cafeteria to those more in need. (Ha!) But I doubt I will starve. I am not going to be roughing it too much. I was delighted to hear that Bonnie’s friends in Swazi have found a lovely bed and breakfast place for me to stay. Nothing fancy, but certainly more than I expected. Perhaps that is what this whole trip will be… more than I expected.