a little seedling of hope

I am really excited about one of my current projects. I found out about this contest called Scenarios from Africa (www.scenariosafrica.org) and introduced it the kids at all the centres. Youth from all over Africa, ages 12-24 are invited to create a story about HIV – they can choose from topics given or create an original scenario. Winners have a chance to get their stories adapted into a short educational film by a leading African director. The contest itself is interesting but it also helps with a bigger problem. Lately some of the kids have said they are tired of hearing about HIV. It’s practically shoved down their throats through ad campaigns and ineffective programs run by larger organizations. Even in the last year I have been guilty of talking AT the kids. Well they’ve shut their minds down now when it comes to HIV and they still don’t have all the important facts that will protect them and could potentially save their lives.

That’s what is exciting about this project – we aren’t talking AT the kids at all. They are given the chance to “drive” any discussions that come up but even more importantly, they finally have the floor, the spotlight and can tell us what they know and actually how it affects their lives. Most of the kids seemed excited about the idea and my thoughts are to try and address some of the problem areas where there are gaps in their knowledge. We’re going to show some of the Scenarios educational films and just informally (but hopefully effectively) talk to the kids during the next month. We’re only in the middle of the whole process and anything can happen but I have high hopes.

At the end of the month the kids will get to perform their stories for each other and we’ll submit them to the contest. I’ve even added some pre & post testing to see if any knowledge is actually gained. And I want to talk to the kids afterwards and see what they thought about the whole thing. It all seems so simple in theory: what they got wrong on the quizzes we’ll address during the month and then hopefully they understand and internalize the facts and also demonstrate their knowledge in their stories. AND hopefully they enjoy the process. And the decisions and the way they live their lives is positively affected because they aren’t just hearing the words ‘HIV/AIDS’, ‘safe sex’, ‘abstain’, ‘be faithful’ but they actually understand the need to support each other if someone is positive and that they can stand up for themselves and demand boy or girl friends to respect their rights and decisions. And maybe they won’t be afraid of the disease anymore and start teaching each other that we’re all human and just need love and support.

This one project can’t achieve all that but maybe it can open their minds again and allow the seeds to be planted.

oh computer, how i love thee

Why the silence for so long? It’s very simple – I haven’t had my computer for the past 3 weeks. At first I wasn’t sure I could live without my whoobie – it gives me comfort on dark days where I can escape into it’s depth and work, play games, write a blog, email and most importantly watch DVD’s. Since about August, that was how I spent my evenings, just like turning on the TV when I lived in the states, I would pop a movie or TV show in and proceed to be sucked in for an entire evening, for multiple days in a row. I wasn’t reading as much or journaling and it bothered me. So when Jason’s computer crashed, I tentatively offered him mine – half hoping he wouldn’t take it and half hoping he would so I could be forced to survive without it. He took it and I’ve been doing absolutely fine. I organized my room, have read at least 4 books and played a lot of variations of solitaire (yes with a real deck of cards).

And I’ve written in my journal tons. There’s been a lot going on, no more than usual but instead of hiding it under the stack of DVD’s, I’ve actually let myself contemplate, mull over it and write about it. There are lots of times I won’t journal because getting lost in a movie or TV drama is easier. But I like putting things down on paper along with talking to people, it helps me sort things out and be at peace. It feels good to disconnect for a bit and put things into perspective again.

What I have missed is my music. Jason very sweetly (and maybe begrudgingly) loaned me his IPOD in return. Mine completely died while I was in the states so at least I would have some music to listen to during the evenings. It’s been nice to have, but our tastes vary, if ever so slightly. I love to dance and therefore have many pop songs (that he loathes) in my repertoire for the occasional solo dance session when I’m too hyper to sit still. I also love to belt out to artists like Alanis Morisette, Jewel, Dixie Chicks, Corinne Bailey Rae, and Alice Russell to name just a few. While he has a select few of these (Alice Russell and a couple Dixie Chicks albums) he by no means has enough to satisfy this Diva. So when the exchange of electronics is made, hopefully this weekend, I will be happy for the return of my security blanket as I’m sure he’ll be happy to be rid of the influx of 80’s music, bad techno and opera.

And just maybe I’ll be able to create a nice balance and not get too sucked in again. After watching Grey’s Anatomy Season 3 that is.

all beat up

I am such a mess. I’m on holiday right now but I’ve been afflicted with one sort of ailment after another. It started a week after I got back from the states – a sore throat, which I cured by gargling salt water – this is an amazing remedy! Then after I left the village, I could feel myself getting sick, feeling lethargic and just not well. I was able to cure this by overdosing on Vitamin C and drinking a couple lemon juice and garlic cocktails. Then after I arrived in Simon’s Town for my holiday, I was knocked over by something I ate (most likely the sushi from a non sushi restaurant – never trust those!). I’ll spare you the details but let’s just say I spent most of the night/day in the bathroom. That ran its course and then not two days later, my Christmas morning present was the tingling of a fever blister starting on my lip. These are never fun and I immediately started the treatment but there was no stopping this bad boy. He exploded within in days and now I have a lovely looking lip that I like to tell people was the cause of a brawl – you should see the other lady. Anyway, my lip is now starting to feel better, clearly on the mend and then I start sneezing and having a runny nose. Really people, this is ridiculous – 3 weeks running! I’m getting frustrated but I decide the only way to kick it in the butt is to go hiking and sweat it out. And yesterday was quite a hot day – 35 degrees Celsius. We had plans to go hike for a couple hours, eat lunch overlooking the bay from the highest point we could get to and then cool off in the ocean. Great idea until I decided to stay true to my clumsy form and take a nose dive down the trail. I had no time to catch myself, just wailed something and went down hard on my left knee and right hand and slid on the various other parts of my body including my right thigh, left forearm and right hip – you figure it out. Face totally in the dirt, arms out in front superman style. I got up laughing but man, it definitely hurt. Jason quickly came to my rescue and helped to clean up the wounds with some water but I couldn’t help let a few tears escape. No first aide kit with us so that ended our hiking excursion. We went back to the house to clean the wounds with some alcohol or hydrogen peroxide. There was none in the house, of course, so Jason went out and picked some up along with Magnum bars (the best ice cream bars ever) and that helped soothe the coming clean up, which was not comfortable!

And so this is me for my 2007 holiday, bruised, scraped up, runny nose and sore lip – oh and I forgot about the sun burn and flea bites. I’m banking on this being it for the year – maybe if I get it all out of my system now, I’ll be good to go for the year to come. I’m keeping my fingers crossed.

holiday life

This holiday I’m down in the Western Cape again, staying in a small apartment above a garage on the side of a mountain in Simon’s Town. As I write this, I’m sitting in front of a big picture window that over looks the bay and mountains off in the distance. Two weeks of this and I’m not sure I’ll want to go back to work. The woman Jason is working with has graciously let him stay with her for a bit. So we have a gorgeous view, a free place to stay and a two week holiday with no agenda. Life is good.

Being in Simon’s Town is almost like being in a different country. All of the houses are open and airy – no huge fences to keep people out, no security bars on the windows and no electric fencing. I haven’t quite figured out why it’s so different down here. There are some crimes that I have heard of, like ATM fraud but overall, no apparent violence. It’s refreshing but also a bit sad that other parts of the country have to live behind walls. If I could set up shop here, next to the ocean with a gorgeous view and a peace of mind that you really can’t find in other areas of the country, then maybe I could stay in this country longer than I anticipated. But that decision is still off in the distance to be made at a later time. For now, I’m just enjoying the freedom and simplicity that holiday life brings.

PICTURES!

Oh dear friends, it's been awhile since we’ve sat down for a nice chat. It has been an adventurous month for me and I have no complaints about any of it. There is so much to tell and really it would be hopeless to try and recap in a blog. Instead you can take whatever time you would like and view the pictorial story through my gallery:

http://picasaweb.google.com/hotarded

There are TONS of new pictures, including the elusive ones from my mom’s trip to South Africa in July. Here is a highlight of what you will find: lions in their element, art projects, a sports tournament, huge trees, German and American volunteers, crazy ladies from Texas gathering in Durban, wildlife butt shots, my super fantastic family, a really adorable baby who looks like a wise old man and pictures of the famous White House. There is so much more but I’ll leave you to it…