The Adventure Home Day 8 & 9 (Clean Up & Ring Out)

The ring out ceremony. 

So I returned to Mbabane and the PC office on Wed to do Close of Service paperwork, etc type of stuff.  It's just as much work getting out as getting but on much shorter time span.  So several post interviews later and then a tradition where PC staff & other volunteers say nice things about you.  Kris & I planned it so we had our ring outs at the same time.  We are both tall white men but that is about where the similarities end.  So it was an interesting mix of people stories about us.  So then I got to say some words in return about my service.  Then you clang a wheel and sign your name and your done.  But I still had four days left.

And immediately after the ceremony took off back to Mpaka for Thursday's big clean up day.

 So here are series of pictures of the camp before the clean up.  About 60 of the 300 camp residences helped out in the clean up campaign which was three basic things picking up trash, clean the toilets and showers plus putting a fence around a trash pit. 

These are the showers on the back side is toilets

This one of the trash pits we put a fence up around.

The Shower.

The small trash pit

 

The second pit we used some busted up unusable PCV water pipes for the poles

And then in the showers it was discovered that some of the pluming was clogged this unbelievable black muck, of who knows what human left over waste,  It was really unbelievable to see.  And PCV Ryan Hall spent pretty much the whole day helping clean out the black muck of the shower stalls & the then even more clogged and disguising septic tank. YUCK.

It was a very rewarding day and tiring and dirty.  The Black Muck was taken a spread over a unused garden and then covered with dirt from the trash pits.  So I would assume that it would turn into fertilizer if it is not to toxic.

So interesting how busy I have been right up to the end, it doesn't feel like only day is left to go before leaving.

In the evening, I returned to Ezulweni Valley wear I attend the Swear In party.  The Group 10 41 new volunteers just became official just as I am almost officially out.  And so goes PC in & out and new replaces the old, on and on.

I am very excited to be going and looking forward to the traveling.

The Adventure Home Day 2-7 (Working Still)

So I spent 3 days in Mbabane doing some PC business, just hanging out and waiting.

On Saturday,  18th, I headed out to Mpaka Refugee Camp to help their camp for a clean up campaign.


 

 2 PCV's, a young married couple, have a created & received funding from the PC to teach this Refugee Camp about recycling, HIV, health & the importance of keeping the camp clean.  One of the first things we did was build "Tippy Taps", which is basically a hand washing station that doesn't require running water. 

Tippy Taps being used.

One problem this program is going to fix is to bring in new trash cans.  The camp is missing them pretty much completely which is one of the reason the camp has accumulated so much trash over the years.  A typical problem of Swaziland is just lacks places to put trash other then tossing it on the ground or burning it.  (In Nhlangano, we had regular trash picks up on Thursday, so the towns have it just the rural areas don't)

So on Monday, the program ran sessions on Reduce, Recycle, Reuse & then on cleanliness washing hands, etc.

Then on Tuesday, a PCV came to demonstrate a bunch of different options that "trash" (ie everything from plastic bags to regular paper) can be used.  Some things for profit, some things to just be used around the homesteads.  Like turning regular paper into charcoal, fusioning plastic bags together to make sheets of plastic, to cutting up milk cartons (not plastic jugs) and making them into wallets.  Cool stuff that just shows off how creative humans really can be with recycling & reusing the crap we make.

 

The Swaziland Waste Management Department came to talk about the trash policies in the country in general and the new public trash pit they are creating in the area.  All very informative to the attendees.  They will be coming to pick up all the trash the project collects on Friday.

Then as the final session a fun HIV/AIDS & Malaria (Swaziland has very little malaria but the area of the camp is one of the few that has had a reported case, but its rare) where the participants did some fun games to learn about these health problems.




And Wednesday (which I am unable to attend because of PC leaving business) is the people from these two training session, most from the camp will be then going out into the camp to translate what they have learned into their native languages.

The majority of the camp is from Somalia, then Ghana, Rwanda and few others many have lived there for a few years, their status is generally in limbo and as well as their lives but they will be improving because of this camp clean up.

Thursday, which I will go back for, is the major clean up day and will be the next part.

The Adventure Home Day 1 (Leaving Nhlangano)

So I wake up early get to the internet store to pay the bill fight the e50 extra and discover they did turn it off early.  Then I head to the water company to pay that final bill since they had turned off my water a day early also leaving me my last night/day with no water or internet. Swaziland is trying to get even more money out of me before I leave.

Well, the water company says my final bill is E480, WHAT, the monthly bill for the 2 years was usually around E100.  Within the last few days a water leak had created a poodle that had appeared in the courtyard area.  Well, 30 liters of water was added to my bill.  So as the Peace Corps driver shows up to pick me up, I tell him the story and he goes to pick up my fellow Group 8 PCV Kris, who we scheduled leaving together, So I call the landlord, who will come over to pay the bill having already known about the leak, but its tomorrow so I pay half adding to the money she owes plus the deposit.  I leave the water company wondering if it will get sorted out quickly, which is not something that happens often in Swaziland.  I rush home drag my stuff on my house stack it up in big pile me out to the courtyard and the driver shows up we toss it in and I AM OUT.

THAT’s IT DONE.

No tears, or hardly even the feeling of not wanting to leave, my time is up here in Nhlangano but still 10 days to before leaving Swaziland.  I accomplished a lot, I certainly helped a few people and reconnected with part of myself that had been lost in my Hollywood life.  Coming out of Peace Corps, I have clear head & heart like I haven’t had in long time.  Plus, weight what I weighted back in high school.  So its all smiles and no tears.  Spending the next few days in Mbabane hanging with friends and hopefully collecting back my rent.

Final Night at my Site.

 

Well,  2 years is up all of my stuff has been sold, trashed or given away as I type this it is 12:30 at night, since I have spent nearly every night for the last year up at this hour, it is not surprise I can’t go to sleep.

The irony of this evening is that my DSL internet that has made my place such a great place to live was down all day and still this evening.  I suspect even though they say I have it for the full month, they shut down my service early.

Anyway, I suppose it gives me time to reflect.  I am generally not very good at this nor do I do it often. 

I am very excited to be moving on the timing is just right, my travel plans are exciting and rather quick compared to most post PCV’s.  But life is already calling back in LA & America.  Things have already begun to line up a room in house in the Valley has opened up for me & its looking like a job on the Obama campaign is pretty closed to locked.

Even the next week before I even leave Swaziland will be interesting but those are all blogs for the future.

So what do I think of my stay in Nhlangano.

First, God has blessed me with some amazing timing throughout my entire service.  So many times I think of how often nearly at the same time things happened often double goods but more often a negative with a positive.  The biggest example of this is the week before my birthday.  On the same day I turned in my resignation as the coach of the Black Terrors the Ward 4 Social Centers funding was completed.  And to quote Dennis my counterpart who is the reason behind all of the excellent projects said “We don’t need to be dealing with soccer we have bigger projects to work on.” And so on that day my first year of service came to an end and the second year started.  

Most people here have said that the 2 years went by quick both Swazi’s & PCV’s but I disagree for me it has been a long time ago since I arrived in June of 2010 (and here in August of 2010, on my birthday).  I am not sure why it seems so long but I think the two radically different years is the reason.  My first year was dominated by coaching the Black Terrors 3 or 4 practices every week with a game every weekend for 9 months.  My adjustment to living here and for the first time in my life I had a day job of 8 to 4 & regular steady paycheck that came the same time every month.  I reported to the same office for two years but that first year was for 5 days a week, leave at 3pm, start coaching at 5pm til the sunset.   Go home in the evening read, internet, whatever til about 2am then repeat.  In this time, I learned how to cook, not quite to point of enjoying it but confident that I can make something good.  The memory I have the most of coaching is the first Black Terrors win, (see this post).  The amazing timing or whatever was that Titi scored the winning goal against Sabelo.  Both those guys would be huge in final year of my service but in November of 2010 when the game happen, they were both new to me & vice versa but my coaching abilities where very evident and they respected them, so that helped and they in turn were very loyal, hard working and generally on time guys.  I think both these aspects stayed consistent through the two years between us .  It didn’t matter if I was coaching them about soccer, running an HIV/AIDS project, building a Social Center or just giving them advice on a huge range of topics.

So the second year rolled around, which was dominated by the Ward 4 Social Center construction, this is something I will be proud of my entire life.  I have lived a very exciting life doing lots of things others want to, of course by doing them wife & kids & such haven’t worked into those plans, but I have now left a  much more tangible other then my name in credits of movies for as long as history keeps tracks of movies, project.  This Social Center will have an effect on a minimum of 30 to 40 pre-school students a year for at least 20 years or more.  Plus, all of the HIV/AIDS patients that are supported through the Center.  It was 5 months from start of work to completion. And then I proceeded to get work done on 2 more Social Centers.  So by the end three Centers looked much better with art on their walls and some physical improvements or constructions.  What I got out this 2^nd year was that I can manage just about anything since a $12,000 (E90,000) project is big deal and I pulled it nearly on budget even if it was over it’s original schedule. 

Well, everything has been sold or given away.  I worked a good deal for Sabelo giving him 25% of whatever I sold.  Titi got the same deal when we had are dirt street (ie in America garage) sale.  Where I put out everything odd & all kitchen type stuff and it all sold. So what is left that I am bringing back to America.  Mostly clothing and art.  The art is packaged and will be shipped home.  The backpack & roller suitcase are filled with the clothing I brought plus a few more.  Sense I am rolling straight back into a campaign job, don’t have time to buy new clothing nor do I want to spend my money on it. I arrived with a big backpack, roller suitcase, additional carry on bag and a regular backpack all stuffed.  I head home with the additional carryon bag packed in the big backpack which is stuffed the roller suitcase is not even completely full and the regular backpack is mostly laptop & odd items.

And so my life moves on Nhlangano has been great, the Swazi’s are wonderful friendly people that are on the edge of moving from the old to the new modern world.  It was interesting being here during some protest filled times but just recently the King called the country together so he could directly hear the complaints of the citizens.  Instead of hearing it from his advisors which are routinely questioned about their motivation by both the public & the press, so maybe Swaziland has now taken a turn in new direction.

We will have to see but in reality I probably won’t everyone has asked if I will be coming back my answer has ranged from years to never.  If ever I travel to Southern Africa I would most definitely come back here to visit.  But since I have a choice of where I will travel, here  is unlikely to be one of them, and I almost bet big money when I return the Social Centers I worked so hard on will not be kept up like they should and that would/will just be heartbreaking.  But this country just doesn’t have the resources or ability or personal qualifications or motivations to really take care of things like they should.  Plus, the dirt roads everywhere don’t help.

So in conclusion, what will I miss the people & friends, the relaxed life, the stability and the ability to really make a difference.  What I  won’t miss the dirt roads, the unfriendly dogs, who literally as I type this are making all kinds of noise, the lack of freedom of a car and the just general lack things to do in the evenings. 

And so with all of those thoughts I say good bye to Nhlangano.  And ironically as I said my internet didn’t work the last evening in town.  So this was typed up in word and sent from the Peace Corps office.

Adios, Nhlangano.  Hello, next stage of my life.

But there are more stories to come so this blog isn’t over tell I get home to LA.  Then my adventure and job will be complete.

Final Picture in my Nhlangano home, the bed was sold so I slept on a sponge (or foam mat)

So stay tuned.

LA (soon to be) Wall Art Part 1

 So back when Joseph was painting his first mural on the Ward 4 Social Center.  I was inspired to create the Art Class (along with other inspirations) but one of them was also that I wanted to remember my time here in Swaziland through a piece of art.  Well, I am returning to America with several new pieces of art.  And where ever I land (an apartment in Northridge) for the foresee able future I will have art that not only is presentable but meaningful.

And so here is the artwork that I have acquired.

Let's start with "The Road to Nhlangano" by Obed Mushlebe Chipwepwe.
So during the Free Art Class, the artists brought down a blank canvas which they demonstrated painting on canvas to the students.  When the students were working on their own individual pieces, Obed began on this one by sketching the road.  Since it was common for the students to do to much detail on their sketches his rough out line was used as an example.  This was more of a working example as it was being painted.  He used the colors the students mixed and then mixed those colors showing some the students how to make colors other than the regular easily mixed ones.  I personally had no real interest in the piece.  But it was brought back to my house after the class.  And since I bought the canvas with the budget money, technically it was mine.

But I wasn't very interested in because I just didn't connect with the piece.  My service here has been in town not rural and yes I have taken many Khumbis (vans like the one pictured) and I really don't like cows.  But then a very interesting thing happened when I asked him if it had a name.  He said "The Road to Nhlangano" since it very easily and was inspired by the area leading into the town I have just lived in for 2 years.  And then all of sudden just because of the name and then seeing the symbolism of my journey to Nhlangano through the Peace Corps.  I claimed the piece.

Because its true when I look at I will remember so many trips in the Khumbi's through these rural lands with cows walking out onto the highways or just standing next to road eating.  The subject of this painting is such a common thing to see here that just looking at I was like Whatever.  But in a few years, I will look at it a whole different way.

Obed in the background painting it.

"The Road to Nhlangano" taken on my front porch.

Next up is Senzo's bird.  During the most recent project Senzo returned to help paint the Ward 2 Social Center.  At the end of the Free Art Class's post 2 days of painting which Senzo just helped paint the Center.  I told him that if he created some art I would buy, if I liked it.  He was able to inherit some of the paint left over from the class.  And so just painting on a regular piece of cardboard he created the above.  Its not very big not even the size of a floor tile. It was still wet when I bought it from him.  Even though he got everything free that he used to make it.  I questioned him before buying it, how much money was he making on the piece? Then I asked him to think how much it would have cost him if he paid for some of the supplies. And more important for his time making it. He threw out E50, which was what I was expecting to pay, I would have bought it for pretty much any price he quoted me.  I was happy to support him and I hope continues to find ways to make more art and even more important sell whatever he makes.  So that day he made E75 painting the building & E50 selling his artwork.  E50 is a normal days rate here, so he did good And its really pretty, I can't wait to frame it.  

And then there is Sambulo's  artwork. So Sambulo is an orphan.  From what I have been told he doesn't really have any direct family left around him.  This is a very common thing here in Swaziland since AIDS has just been wiping out the 20-40 year old generation.  Which since he is 16 and been on his own now for a few years mostly likely means his parents were killed by HIV.  Its an assumption but a fair one. Like Senzo when we finished painting post the Free Art Class, I told him if he painted me something I would buy it.

What you see above is the Bristol board, he painted in the class.  But he changed it up a bunch.  Below on the left is his bus he actually painted in the class.  During the class he was struggling and its obviously he is learning and has no real training and quite possibly not a lot artistic ability for drawing real life objects.  But art isn't always about drawing real life stuff. 


So when Sambulo went to paint on the Ward 2 Social Center he changed up his artwork quite a bit.  Seen to the right is his permanent work on the building. The monkey sitting on the branch was a Joseph addition.  So when you look at final one above he began to start to understand the abstract way of painting. I was very surprised to see his work.  He had actually dropped it off for me to look at (and buy) but I had had to go to town to solve some issue or buy something not sure which, probably both.  So I had come back and all the work was done & the place was empty.  I spotted it in the store room.  Impressed & surprised with what he came up with.  The next day Joesph was coming to Nhlangano, so I told Sambulo to come over when Joseph was there.  He showed up got some selling advice from Joseph similar to what I gave Senzo.  So when he threw out the price of E150, I was really surprised he went that high and although it was more than I expected to pay, I happily paid it.  The size is several floor tiles both ways.  So it is now making for an interesting challenge packaging it to mail home. (See the picture below to see the size)

But here is the real reason why I was super happy to see his artwork.  What is below is the reverse side.   

So I am huge GI Joe Comic Book fan, I have collected the comics since 1982, I have a huge collection over 2000 just GI Joe comics, I don't collect any other comics just Joe, I been to the conventions, I am the Senior Editor of YOJoe.com's Comic Book Section, worked on the first movie, the list just goes on.  GI Joe has been a part of my life for 30 years.  And during my time here I had my mom whenever a package arrived it had to included real GI Joe comics.  Even during my stay here my comic book store in LA has been collecting them for me so I don't miss a one.  Well, I had brought several Joe comic books to the Art Class but totally forgot to show them to the students as examples of art people get paid to do.  Now even over here they all know Spider Man, Batman, Superman, etc, (side note it seems like kids comic book t shirts must just be dumped on Africa since nearly every kid has one with some character on them like the Avengers, X-Men, Wolverine, Hulk, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern are others I have seen).  Of course GI Joe is a toy first and pretty much now as a comic just for the collectors my age.  Not to many kids are reading GI Joe comics.  So as I was cleaning up post the Free Art Class several of the comics had had paint spilled on them and tossed them out all wet, but this one is GI Joe A Real American Hero  #166 written by Larry Hama was on the bottom and not covered in paint.  So I gave it to him.  Telling him I loved these comics he should draw something from them that I could buy.

Ok, so back to the store room the next morning when I saw the reverse side.  I picked up the first time I didn't turn it over so I hadn't seen Shipwreck (the character the bird's name is Polly).  So the next morning when I arrived I picked up the piece but this time I turned it over to see his work.  The biggest smile came over my face.  He drew the cover, which the original is below.  So of course there is no way for him to trace it and he drew it knowing I would like and BUY IT.  He didn't just copy the colors he did his own thing and what is cool is that he had to mix some of the colors from the left over paint he received.  This is for sure going on the wall and I am going to find some creative way to frame it so it can be reversed.  So both sides can be showcased.

YO JOE!!!!!!!

LA (Soon to be) Wall Art Part 2

And Now may I present to you my very first commissioned art piece.

"The Ward 4 Social Center" 

by 

Joseph Mushipi

(Click the picture to see the full version)

Left ot right -- Josh, Dennis, Sabelo, Titi, Khetsewi & on Jojo tank Joseph.

So inspired by Joseph's work, the need to commemorate my time here in Swaziland and what I consider one of the greatest achievements in my life. I wanted to have something to always remember the work I did here in Nhlangano and to remember the people who I did it with, in fact couldn't have done without them.  All 6 people in this painting where huge parts of the puzzle that I put together to get it done.  Lots of other people worked or did their parts but this crew made it happen.

Joesph did the piece post the Free Art Class but it was planned since March.  I pitched the idea to Joseph, who I knew could do it and get to me before I left Nhlangano since I wanted everyone to see it.  I paid extra for Joseph to get color photos of the artwork framed and each person pictured got one.  Dennis cried.  

One funny part of the picture is Sabelo, who came to the Center one day to help paint with that hat on, he normally doesn't wear hats like that but it was one pictures taken of him that Joseph picked out of the whole group of them that he got, Khatsewi's picture is from one where she is cleaning a bucket, of course Joseph spent 6 days onto of that Jojo tank (a water tank) painting the Center.  Titi's look is similar but Dennis' look is spot on.  And of course me with my long hair, which is growing back, shades and cargo shorts.  All my standard "working" gear.  

I can not tell you how happy I was to see this when he brought it down.  HELL YEAH.

And with that I am feel like I can walk away with great memories, many new friends and having accomplished something major in my life that at age 40 ranks as pretty much the best thing I have done in my life.  This Center and the other two not pictured will be here for a long time.  And I know I have helped a few people which is really all I came here to do.  Not saving the world, that is for others and other parts of the US government.  The Peace Corps and us Volunteers go out into the world to help them help themselves and teach them about America and when we return in turn teach America about the country we serve in.

Swaziland to me has been a home, it was always temporary, but a great home.  I will be glad to be back in LA and working in the US.

I have been saying that these 2 years have been very long and to me it has really felt like a very long vacation with some work mixed.

And now as I write this all of the artwork is packed and ready to shipped home to Los Angeles.  Lets hope it doesn't get lost in the mail.  (US Post Office don't go broke til they arrive.)  And so i have two more wake ups before my departure from Nhlangano.  

It's been great.

Last Project Part 7 (The Welder)

So also on the very busy Friday, my final day working in Nhlangano on any project.

The Welder showed up to fix yet another swing set for yet another Social Center.

The Welder, Jabulane, is someone I will remember for a very long time.  Because he is part of one of the moments during my time here that most effected me emotionally.  See this post the 8th paragraph.  For that moment.


So Jabulane's story is one I am also proud of.  He showed up one day at the Ward 4 Center asking if there was any work saying he was a welder.  Of course, we had quite a bit.  He welded some security bars on some window frames basically for free.  So I hired him to fix the Ward 4 swing sets. Fixing one frame & replacing 6 individual swings.  Then he created the excellent metal kitchen windows.  Plus, got the job welding the burglar doors which he created & sold to us.  Then later welded together Titi's Social Centers (Ward 5) swing sets.  Fixing 2 frames, reattaching 3 swings, creating one missing one.

And now here at Ward 2, 10 months later after walking up, he is fixing 3 frames & reattaching 6 swings.  Plus, the dodging of the electrical inspector who happened to see the electrical cord running to the Center (it doesn't have power, something beyond my control or ability to finish), who wanted to charge us E2000 for illegal use of electricity.  But he talked them out of the fine since it was just a one day project & it was obvious it was just work not lighting the building up.

None Done

One Frame Done!

Two Frames Done!!

Three Frames Done!!!

People have told me I have done a lot in my time here and made a difference.  But Jabulane in his one moment that he doesn't even know he did proved to me the power of art and how it can effect anyone in any place.  So like Senzo & Sambulo I was happy to pay him for the work he does.  And he did a great job.  Now since the swing sets are so popular & get constant use let's hope they last. 
 

 

But they still need some cement before use, we ran out of that today also.

 And so with my work in Nhlangano now done, I begin the packing, cleaning, selling, trashing, giving away and leaving my apartment (Flat) that I have lived in for two years up to whoever is next.  (Not a Peace Corps person since they are not replacing me at AMICAALL or my site)