week til departure

highly asked question: How am I feeling given that my time to leave for my travels is coming near? Simply put, I am looking forward to my new adventure but sad to say goodbye. Lately a great deal of anxiety anticipating the learning load kicks in especially as I find another item I don't think I can bare to live without in South Africa. PC allows us to take two checked bags, one of which is filled with your essentials and the other which will be stored with PC until my PC 3 month training is completed.
When it comes to possessions, I would consider myself a minimalist, however if you ask me to select which stress relievers or books to select for my journey, I feel divided between the luxuries of a first-world country that creates overwhelming situations needing stress relievers which are easy to access. And the emptiness of a third-world country that sends one into a state of shock provided there is no television or typical conversation, but unfortunately it is likely this world won't hold the resources to meet my interests. we have met our CONUNDRUM!
On the upside: My recent visits with family and friends were everything I could have hoped for! I appreciate everyones encouragement and expression of interest! I am very thankful to have such a loving group of people in my life! I can't think of anything greater than being loved by others.
And a final proposal to all my new readers, a challenge: keep up with my blog. If anything you can scavenge through my writing for grammar usage mistakes (I know there are quite a few), I will make you feel better about your inability to find something to watch on TV, or I will feed your procrastination addiction.

Some resources provided by PC

SA
www.countrywatch.com
U.S. State Department
About.com SA
China and Africa

Connect with returned PCV
blogs from RPCV
blogs from PCV

the Mail and Guardian, a progressive weekly newspaper
the Sunday Independent, which features articles on development issues
Institute for a Democratic Alternative in South Africa
Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation
A United Nations site with thorough information on the AIDS epidemic
World Bank, for information related to development aid
HIV/AIDS worldwide

Address

So here is my address in SA from when I leave in July until about mid-September. I am expecting lots of letters! Yesterday, I received a note from good friend Davy who has been recently sworn in as a PCV in Zambia, and the support her kind words offered is greatly appreciated, I am looking forward to being a serious pen pal with her and all of you who choose to write!

Haley McDonough
Peace Corps
PO Box 9536
Pretoria 0001
South Africa

So here is the deal, it costs $.95 to mail a letter to South Africa, and be sure to write “Airmail” on the envelop. That way it gets there faster!
Also, when you mail a package (I hear padded envelops work the best) write “Educational Supplies” or “Religious Materials” on there.
I promise to write back! So get out your stationery and get to writing! Thanks in advance!

departure July 12

NPR series on South Africa
^check it out, listen in your free time
busy packing, wish I had a good friend to assist me with selecting brands and etc..mother and I are having quite the fun time as we wander around the various shoe/sports/camping stores.

my oh my do I have a great deal to purchase: 3 different sorts of adventure shoes(I am trying to remind myself their purpose and fashion will not have any sort of connection and that is OK), solar charger for my Ipod, Backpack, Water purifier, special undies, books, meds, and fun accessories: mostly camping gadgets..I'm hoping will have worthwhile placement in my 2 checked bags...oh my!
*Carly(sista) is letting me borrow her head lamp that survived Ecuador, yes! I hope it doesn't fall in a pit latrine..like friend Davy's did!

I am leaving to visit good friend Nicky this Friday in Chicago (my first visit here and an item on my bucket list-which I feel there is a need to attempt prior to PC departure!), following this event I have quite the busy schedule before departure to D.C. on July 12.
Everett's 21st bday celebration is July 28, I am using this as an excuse to celebrate with friends on mom and pop's allowance, I hope all that can attend will join us!
Following weekend is full of 4th celebrations especially that with family in PA! I will be traveling from Columbus to meet them, seeing a few friends here especially one (Ruef)coming all the way from Prague to celebrate at Red, White, and Boom..I can not wait!

I am grateful to be given this opportunity and am trying to remain focused as I complete paperwork and close up life in America...which is a great deal more difficult than I had thought, being that I am only 22 and have very little of my own, since I am still dependent on Mom and Dad. My room is a mess..I am trying to clean up my childhood bedroom and pack away school work..as I have been threatened that 2 years may not hold up at Hampton Place and so my life is temporarily in tupperwear. too much fun.

Unbuto: a traditonal African concept

Often South Africans are in search of answers to their past sorrow and have collectively relied on the colonial philosophy: Unbuntu
Unbunto meaning: 'I am because we are, and since we are, therefore I am'

translation: you have made me into the person- 'It is through others that one attains selfhood.'
I am because of compassion and generosity (some additionally place the concept of tolerance)

View for a better understanding in Nelson Mandela YouTube

Additional Resources: South African Government

Africa forum facts

Africa contains 2,000 different languages and 53 independent countries.

Africa can hold China, Alaska, Europe, and the U.S., Is it easier to comprehend the size of this continent?

Nelson Mandela often referred to by South Africans as "our hero" the most significant African leader elected president in 1991, devoted to resisting the apartheid government-he greatly influenced South Africa's final independence in 1994.

Larger affluent cities making up South Africa:
Johannesburg (where I am supposing my preservice training will take place) and Cape Town

South Africa has the largest economy in Africa.

clarification, how long?

I usually refer to length as PC volunteer as 2 years because it is 2 years of PC volunteer service I must complete, once orientation(D.C.) and training are complete
2 years.. is an easy reference..but if you want to get technical..there are details in an earlier blog (see dates below).

I am not a volunteer until I am sworn in, which isn't until a 3 month training period is complete.
Training usually takes place not in my final community setting, rather a central location that all volunteers from the country(about 30) can meet at.

Once training is complete, I will complete 24 months of service in a village by myself.

Making this a total of 27 months inwhich I am out of the country, estimated return: September 11, 2010.

and I have accepted

I called for acceptance today. I was required to share with the placement assistant what my service work actually consisted of. Once I summarized my duties, I was told about my coming deadlines concerning filing for passport and visa and writing an aspiration statement.
Blog
Since I only began blogging a year ago, my proof-reading, writing and formating may not be up to par until post graduation..as I am busy with school and this PC preparation and don't have the time to reread some of my postings. I have been basically copy and pasting emails I have been sending out to friends.

From this point on, I will be simply referring people to my blog for answers, as I don't have a great deal of time to chit-chat, however am interested in sharing my fabulous news!!

So please, take the time to read provided details, and check out links prescribed as they will give you clarification to answers I am only beginning to receive through my own research.

This is a completely new place to me-that is "my purpose for blogging" "place for which I am blogging about".
I have some prior knowledge about Africa-due to my own travels to Ghana in Fall 2006, but this experience can not begin to generalize what is to come of serving in Peace Corps.

What I am realizing now, is that it is unfortunate although I attended grade and middle-school through an era of South Africa's rebirth-I was educated very little about the apartheid activities that didn't finally cease until 1997. This is in a culture where educating its youth is absolutely required and promoted..so unfortunate,

And after a bit of discussion with art and Africa extraordinare Jessa, I realize what I do remember from 1997.
1997 is the same time: many Americans were more consumed with Pop culture and downfall of rockstar Curt Kilbane , and the unusual assault of ice-skater Nancy Kerrigan.
How many of you can remember these commercial events going down in history? Beyond these wonders little is known about worldly events of the time.

and so I ask myself...what am I thinking encountering this truly, unexposed place-South Africa.
I have faith my placement has been thoroughly thought out,
What I know is I am ready to provide all the knowledge that I have to offer, and take in all that this experience has to give.
best, xox

at a glance

Some details on my coming travels (then I must get back to work)-
West Africa (because of my previous travels to Ghana and French language background) had been my initial area of interest but placement is according to a need basis and at this time...

-I am an excellent candidate for work in a rural, often impoverished village in the country of South Africa. There are a few provinces that I may be assigned but I don't know specifics except that these are rural/ farm communities that were systematically ignored or under-served during the apartheid era.

I will be serving a total of 27 months and my assignment consists of
assisting teachers in improving classroom practices, including observations and feedback, demonstration lessons, team teaching and workshops on classroom management, lesson planning, creating learning aids with available resources, develop teacher critical thinking skills,
and some opportunities to teach Math.
I will also assist teachers with strategies for teaching life skills- HIV/AIDS, and emphasis on phasing in English.

I am aware there is a great deal to prepare-but this be mainly purchasing necessities for traveling(post graduation), completing travel documents(currently), completing class work(prior to graduation), completing MasterResearchPaper(prior to graduation).

news and information

• Currently, Volunteers are working in
• Provinces located in NE of country, view below for details
  
• the Limpopo,Mpumalanga, North West, and Kwa Zulu Natal provinces.
  
• in 1997 Volunteers began serving in Republic of South Africa
• Volunteers work with clusters of 3 to 4 schools
• HIV/AIDS outreach projects began in 2001 and play a significant role in a Volunteers service
• Projects involve community, school, and government advising concerning to their effectiveness in school instruction and the inclusion of the English language, and HIV/AIDS outreach project developments offering suggestions for potential improvement.
  

Your Assignment

Country: Republic of South Africa

Program: Schools and Community Resource Project

Job Title: Resource Specialist

Orientation (in Washington D.C.): July15,2008-July 17, 2008

Pre-Service Training (in South Africa): July 18-September 11, 2008

Dates of Service(in particular province not yet determined):
September 12, 2008-September 11, 2010

I suggest you check out the below for greater specifics:
BOOK of Information

My invite arrived

I was astonished to receive word from PC about an update at my PC online account. When I visited PC online I navigated my way through password changing and the new front.
Finally, I found it the sentence that confirmed this was so happen..you have been sent an invitation on May 22. And where does that take me next, after just enough barriers..I finally received the FedEx express and since it contained the offer I had not been anticipating, I quickly ran through the literature describing the job assignment I had been offered.