You Asked for It

Welcome to our often-mentioned, much-delayed blog. We are here at long last. Actually that is essentially the title of our blog. In Zulu it roughly translates to "we are right here". Yup, we're here, simply put. "eMzansi" is popular Zulu slang for "in South Africa"; more literally it means, "at the bottom." So, our full blog title is something like: We are right here; Kim and Jared at the bottom [of Africa]. We toyed with a few other names for our blog and nixed He Said, She Said (classic early 90's Kevin Bacon movie, but leaves something to be desired for a blog name). The other would-be names were apparently forgettable because we cannot remember them now.

We never really imagined that we would have a blog. So it's going to take some getting used to. Indeed, we once nearly seized the opportunity to buy a t-shirt that read, "nobody gives a shit about your blog." That sort of sums up the way we felt about them. But, as they say, Peace Corps will change your life. So, now we have a blog. Thanks for giving a shit.

Please keep in mind that this is still a work in progress. We suffered through some ridiculous technology issues which, hopefully, have been all sorted out. We'll be adding fun new things when we find time. At least one of us will try to post at least once a week. However, you can already enjoy our lovely travel map, a link to our organization, some recommendations and two - Yes, Two! - brand new blog posts to kick things off.

Enjoy,
~Kim and Jared

Free Eye Exams and Glasses! Say it aint' so!

On Saturday I assisted with a visit from the nonprofit OneSight. Our organization, Mpilonhle, receives funding from Oprah’s Angel Network (yes that’s right) and they work with OneSight, hence our matchmaking. The purpose of the OneSight visit was to look into a probable return trip to provide free eye exams and glasses to the 12 schools, and one additional community, we serve. The visit went very well and it looks promising that OneSight will return in August, hooray! First, we visited Nkosibonga High School and the OneSight staff were able to see how our organization’s health and computer education mobile units work.

We then met with about 50 community members and singing/dancing was inevitable.

After this we traveled to the Mdletshe Tribal Authority and met with roughly 65 community members to discuss the potential OneSight service in August. Again with dancing and singing :-) Both communities we visited displayed great energy and were very welcoming.

Finally we went to Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Game Reserve and saw elephants, rhinos, giraffes, zebras, cape buffalo and one baby crocodile (awww how cute).

I think we wowed OneSight and they will most likely be returning... I mean they loved us, how can they not return?

A (Very) Brief Account of the Wild Coast

I'm just a bit too lazy to write a long, detailed narrative of our holiday on the Transkei Wild Coast (especially two months after the fact). So, I'm just going to post a slightly modified version of something I emailed to a friend in January. For those that don't already know, the vacation included a five day hike along the coast from Port St. Johns to Coffee Bay (over Christmas), followed by five days of relaxing in Coffee Bay (over New Years).

Ironically, the following highly condensed, slightly mysterious, somewhat suggestive but ultimately vague version of our Christmas and New Year's holiday is also, somehow, the most authentic version. If you don't understand everything, than I've described it perfectly. Read slowly. Here goes:

I never dreamed I'd celebrate a Christmas that included an exhausted wife, traveling alone in a deeply rural region of South Africa, carrying two heavy bags, sharing her seat with live poultry and a retired gold miner. Plus: one dead body, face-down on a flawless beach, the motionless remains of revenge; the most beautiful coastline time ever made; ubuntu; a bottle and knife fight in torrential rain; skinny Cape Town hippies and their skeptical Russian friend, silenced by a toasted marshmallow; the ambivalent blessings of bare feet; giardia; a broken cell phone; two broken cameras; three strong people at the absolute limit; fresh fish; stiletto heals on the beach; Xhosa bread; children dancing; detailed discussion of Pondo circumcision; swimming across the Indian Ocean mouth of a major river at high tide to retrieve the rowboat on the other bank; the timely interruption of an attempted rape; Power Puff Girls from Sweden; light green tidal snails; a dark green tidal swamp under a blanket of black crabs with flame-red claws; a blue skinned, steroid abusing Dutchman who can't stop dancing; the reason why first is not as brave as second; a small boy with a severely abscessed tooth; friends from New Hampshire; simple moments of genuine peace; blisters and surfing. But not necessarily in that order.

(Some photos courtesy of Darcy Stillman, who's camera lasted until day four of our five day hike. Our camera met it's salt-water fate on day one. Sadly, Kim had to catch a ride to the end of our hike shortly thereafter, thanks to new-shoe-blisters, a too-heavy bag and allergies.)

(Below, from left to right: Albert - our guide, Darcy - our friend, Marlee - Albert's German girlfriend, and Kim; crossing one of many large rivers)

(Above, Peace Corps friends, from left to right: E, Me, Kim, Darcy, Jade, Milenka)

...and then we went home. January was long and mostly unmemorable.