Thursday, December 22, 2011

~ Dear Me,~

So I was walking through a bookstore the other day and I came across a book called “Dear Me,” and it was basically a collection of letters that different people had written to their 16 year old selves. Well, I started thinking, “what would I tell myself?”… this lead to me wanting to write my own letter, just to see what came out. I decided to make it a letter to my 15 year old self, you know, just to make it an even 10 years haha so here goes….
Dear Elise,
Let me start off this letter by telling you that I am writing it to you from South Africa! Yes, my friend… we’ve made it to Africa! That’s all I’m going to tell you though… you gotta figure out how to get here just like I did, all I’ll say is no, we aren’t in Peace Corps… maybe someday, just not yet.
Now, I don’t want to give away too much, but here are some tips for you, just so that maybe by the time you get to where I am now you’ll have a little more figured out.
First off, you’re about to start learning how to drive… it’s gonna be frustrating and there will be times you’re going to want to punch Dad out, but don’t! Just make sure you’re actually in first gear, cause you’re probably actually in third (don’t worry, it’s a common beginner mistake).
High school doesn’t get really awesome until junior year, but you end up having an amazing time! Don’t worry though, freshman and sophomore year are pretty legit. Don’t listen to your freshman year soccer coach, she’s not worth the time, just work hard and get better… Team Evanston junior year is where you’ll shine, make sure you thank Julie for all that she does for you. Take Intro to Sports Medicine sophomore year! It’s a life changing class for us! Oh, and take Statistics senior year a little more seriously please, it’s really not as hard as you think. And… the guy… take your shot, but it doesn’t really work out for us, he becomes a great friend though, so don’t push him away. The guy in college though, we mess that up, so try not to the second time around haha… just quit over-thinking everything! J
Cut Mom and Dad some slack on the whole move to South Carolina thing, it’s really not the worst thing ever and it’s nice having them close by during college and grad school (yes we go to grad school… just accept it). Besides, we’ll always be a Chicago girl! We just add a lot more southern over the years!
As far as college goes it’s going to be a rough four years but you will have more fun than you ever thought possible! Junior year will be awesome and tough at the same time. Senior year though… is epic.
Tips for college:
1.       Study harder for Science of Nutrition and Anatomy 1, please!
2.       Just take Biology sophomore year, it’s easier with that professor and you get to know Jackie better!
3.       Oh, beware of Jackie’s 21st bday… that’s all I’m gonna say about that
4.       Remember what I said about the guy
5.       That pain in your stomach on Lindsay’s bday junior year is more than just a stomach ache, it’s our appendix… accept the pain meds when the doc offers them the first time
6.       Avoid Target!!!
Soak up senior year… you have the time of your life, but it goes by entirely too fast. As far as grad school goes, don’t do anything different as far as where you go… just get a roommate first year, it’ll save us so much money! And let Marla get you the cat, ‘cause he’s awesome! Grad school overall is an interesting experience, but you’ll have an amazing time, especially second year! Get ready for a crazy ride!
We will always have our weight struggles, but instead of worrying so much about the number on the scale, focus on building confidence in what we got! We tend to lose sight of our positives, we need to work on that cause we’re cooler than we give ourselves credit for! Also, when someone is your friend and tells you that they care about you, stop looking for constant reassurance! If they didn’t want to be around you, they wouldn’t be… so have trust in your friends… they love you! You will always be someone who does a lot for other people and loves so much, and that’s ok… it doesn’t make you weak no matter what people say!
Also, call family more… especially Grandma, Gammer, and Gaffer… trust me.
Stop wearing sweatpants all the time.
Convince Mom and Dad to get you contacts sooner!
Try not to talk so much.
Wear your hair down more.
Drink more milk.
Overall, we do pretty good! A lot of things that we want to happen don’t, and things that we never thought would be a part of the plan end up making things incredible! Trust yourself, follow your gut, and balance your checkbook! J
Love,
Me, you, us
So… that’s what I would tell myself… what would you tell you?

Saturday, December 10, 2011

~ Changing your view about climate change ~

As many of you do or do not know quite a big conference was just held in Durban. I’m talking about the COP-17 conference that is held by the United Nations every year. The point of the conference is to bring together the world’s top scientists and most influential politicians to discuss the ever growing problem of climate change. The goal by the end of the conference is to create a plan to try to help “fix” this problem that the world faces. Each government in attendance must agree to the plan, thus creating a binding document for each country to abide by, so that the problem of climate change is addressed by our global community.
I will admit that I was one of the world’s citizens that was unaware of this COP-17 conference. It is the 17th of its kind and besides the Kyoto agreement of 1997 (which most major players are trying to back out of) no binding agreement between the world’s governments has yet to be reached and agreed upon. I was introduced to this conference by the faith based organization KZNCC that I am currently working for here in Pietermaritzburg. As part of my work in developing the KZNCC youth branch we were asked to create awareness among the youth and young adults of the province and mobilize them to take action in asking the governments that will be in attendance to finally come to an agreement. We put on educational workshops for the youth in the townships and were able to generate interest on this issue as well as educate these youth and I have to admit, I learned a lot myself. I learned that even though Africa (as a continent) contributes to carbon emissions the least it will be the most affected by the effects of global warming. In fact it already is, the recent drought and famine that devastated the eastern horn of Africa can be directly linked to the side effects of global warming. Dry seasons are becoming longer and turning into famines and rainy seasons are also lengthening and becoming more severe creating floods and doing just as much damage as the dry seasons that precede them.  However, as Americans we don’t have to look too far to see harsh and bizarre weather conditions. The tornados that devastated Alabama, Georgia, and Missouri this past year were considered some of the worst storms in American history and effected many people in the southeast whether it was directly or indirectly. My best friend Jackie, her fiancé Richard and their roommates were living in Tuscaloosa at the time and lost everything, making them victims of climate change. We have to realize that weather conditions like the tornados in southern America and famine in eastern Africa can be linked to global warming because of their severity.
I personally believe that the first step is to educate people on the issue. We don’t have to become experts by any means, but if we call ourselves lovers of this earth in any way shouldn’t we educate ourselves on the effects our existence is having on the earth and how we can help? The second is realizing that every bit an individual can do makes a difference, whether it is picking up trash in your neighborhood, encouraging your community to recycle, or even just shutting the refrigerator while you unload groceries, every little bit can help. Eventually those small steps will get bigger and will make a difference. We must get past the idea that if we aren’t getting noticed by CNN than we aren’t making a difference. The third and most crucial step is getting people to care. If someone doesn’t care about what is being hurt then they won’t do anything to prevent further harm. This will involve simply showing people the beauty of this earth or showing them how their favorite animal is affected by the destruction of their habitats. I wish that I could take every person I know to the Drakensburg Mountains. My group here in South Africa recently went into these mountains for a thanksgiving retreat and went on a couple of hikes. Words and even pictures do not do these mountains justice. The magnitude of the range is incredible and the deep colors of the grass and the sky and the different wild formations of the rock are beyond description. If seeing beauty like that doesn’t inspire one to try and save it, I don’t know what will.
During my time in South Africa and while getting more involved in climate change issues I have become more aware of the theological point of view involving the care of the earth. The main point that keeps resurfacing is that God put us here on the earth to look after his creation, to care for the earth and the animals that share this place with us. But, what we have done is attempt to dominate the earth. I don’t think it is a malicious attack on the earth or anything, but it has become an irresponsible use of power. So, it is up to us to take a step back and see how we can start guarding this earth as we were asked to do in the first place.
If I could deliver one message to the world, especially the US and South Africa, in regards to climate change it would be this: don’t let the excitement around COP-17 begin on November 28th only to die and fade away on December 9th. But, instead, let it be an instrument of inspiration to take action and a tool of education about these issues. The change in the world’s climate will not stop on December 9th 2011 and neither should the people’s passion to help make a difference.

who wouldn't want to save that?

Thursday, November 10, 2011

~Playing in Fear~

I’m afraid that I must start off this particular blog with a bit of a warning. I am going to be talking about a dark subject unfortunately, but one that has been a topic of discussion during my time here in South Africa and that I feel is worthy of being explored and communicated to you all. Let me also say that though what I will be talking about shows a darker side of South African culture, it should not and is not intended to create a bad image of this wonderful country and its people. Just like every other country and community in the world there is crime and bad things that happen, so please don’t judge an entire place or experience on these few stories. I’m simply communicating this to make you aware of an issue that South Africa is facing and make you think about how to address similar issues in the United States, or wherever you may be. The communities that I have been blessed to be a part of are filled with wonderful and understanding people, people who may think differently but still think justly. People who, like me, find that the following subject is a terrible issue facing this country of South Africa…
For those of you who received and read my newsletter I briefly talked about gay and lesbian rights here in South Africa. It is an issue that like in the United States is very current and very sensitive. In the United States the struggle for the gay and lesbian communities to be fully accepted into society continues, with the battle for the legalization of gay marriage at the forefront. But, here in South Africa, gay marriage has been made legal, a beautiful thing, but though the thinking may be ahead constitutionally, culturally there are major problems for the gay and lesbian communities. Another difference that I have noticed is that in the United States the more targeted group for cultural scrutiny is the gay men. Not to say that lesbians in the United States don’t come under huge amounts of scrutiny by both the government, friends and family, but when it comes to targets of violent crime fueled by homophobia we, as Americans, must admit that the target has predominantly been gay men, men like Matthew Shepherd, whose murder is still a haunting reminder of how far we still need to come as a society to accept all people, no matter who they love. The scenario, for the most part, seems to be reversed here in South Africa, where lesbians are predominantly the targets of violent crime. The most disturbing and horrifying of these crimes is known as corrective rape. Corrective rape is a term used for a violent sexual offense where a woman being accused or thought of as being a lesbian is brutally raped, many times beaten, and sometimes killed. It is done by men who feel that they can “fix” these women and change their sexuality by raping them. Most lesbians in South Africa truly live in fear of this crime, and though many courageously live openly and fight for equality, most live in fear and hide who they truly are.
The female athletes of this country, whether they are lesbians or not, come under the most scrutiny, especially female soccer players. This is the biggest reason why I became so interested in this topic. I am a female soccer player, an avid fan of the game, and a huge supporter of progressing the women’s game to higher levels. It is obvious that many countries are taking huge strides in supporting their women’s sides, as was evident in the recent FIFA Women’s World Cup in Germany where some of the best women’s soccer that has ever been played was seen. The competition level was the highest it’s ever been and that is directly linked to the support that female athletes in other countries are beginning to receive from both their governments and the people. Unfortunately, this is not the case in some African nations. Upon arriving in South Africa I assumed that the reasons support was lacking was because the cultures didn’t think girls should play sports, that their place was at home caring for their families, or that girls were weak and couldn’t compete. All these were hurdles I was ready to jump and encourage others to jump as well. And although these are some of the reasons why female sports are not encouraged there was another reason that I was hugely surprised by; girls didn’t want to play sports out of fear that they would be seen as lesbians and made targets of violent crime. The worst part is these fears are not irrational. It has been reported that there are 10 new cases of corrective rape every week in the townships of Cape Town alone, a staggering number (reported by the Triangle Project, a gay/ lesbian rights group here in South Africa). Now, with this being said, I’d like to make it clear that there are many communities and people that accept and love their gay and lesbian brothers and sisters, but there is a real problem of violence against members of the gay community simply because of their sexual orientation. This tug of war between discrimination and acceptance can be found in every community both inside and outside of South Africa. But, when it comes to this issue in South Africa most of these violent acts of corrective rape are found in the township and urban communities. Sports programs for young girls struggle to become established in these communities because parents and girls are scared that by simply playing the sport that they love these girls will fall victim to this crime, gay or not. This was a shocking realization for me when I was first told about this fear, so I looked into this issue a little deeper. I discovered that no matter what level these girls play at, they are not immune to discrimination or attack. In fact, sometimes the further in the spotlight these athletes are the higher the risk. This was the case for Eudy Simelane. Eudy was a very good soccer player and the captain of the South African national women’s soccer team. Ten years after she retired from the game she continued to coach and was also an open lesbian and a true pioneer for women’s athletics. Eudy was brutally raped and murdered in the township that she grew up and lived in at the time of her death, killed simply because she was a lesbian and was proud enough of that to be open about it.
                Eudy’s story is not a rare one. There are many victims of corrective rape in these communities. Many that have to walk around every day and watch their attackers walking free. ESPN E:60 released a great article featuring this issue of corrective rape in the soccer community. (If you’d like to read the article or watch the video here’s the link http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/e60/news/story?id=5177704). As both a friend to the gay and lesbian community and a female athlete I couldn’t get over the horror of these stories, and the fact that these things are even happening at all shakes me to the core. But, there is still hope, many of these women continue to play the game that they love and they use it to empower themselves and other girls to play despite possible discriminations.
                I was recently asked to help kick start and coach an emerging girls soccer program in one of the townships here in Pietermaritzburg. I was elated at the excitement the men’s coach had to get this program started as well as the enthusiasm of the 18 girls that are ready to learn more about the sport and compete. I am so excited to get this program going and encourage even more girls to play soccer. Because not just soccer, but all sport, has the ability to break down barriers put up by society. And gay or not gives these girls confidence to stand up to those who may discriminate against them because they want to continue to play a game that makes them happy. It will be very interesting to see how this team develops and the challenges that may be faced. I also plan to closely observe the reaction of others in the community to these girls playing soccer. I hope and pray that this issue starts to disappear from South Africa and the world, and that we as a global community can just accept and love people no matter what their sexual orientation is. I also hope that more girls continue to get involved in sport despite their fears and one day be able to compete without the fear of what people may think, or what may happen to them on their way home from practice. For me this journey starts with 18 girls in a township that just want to play the game that they love, and play it well.
I’ll end this with a quote from Eudy Simelane’s mother:
“These children are ours," she says."The gays and lesbians. I mean, we must accept our children. What they like, it's up to them. We are not God to stop them.”

Eudy Simelane playing the game she loved

Sunday, October 30, 2011

~ More than just a scone ~

A scone is a pastry. I believe its origins are English. The best way I can describe it is halfway between a biscuit and cake. It calls for a perfect mix of saltiness and sweetness, of dryness and moisture. My mom makes a killer scone, usually reserved for Christmas morning. Ever since I can remember we had scones with butter and jams on Christmas morning, it is now a requirement, as much a part of Christmas as Santa or of course baby Jesus…
Upon my arrival to South Africa I was surprised when I stumbled across the scone. A very popular pastry here and a common fixture to go with your daily tea. The first time I was offered a scone with my tea was at the crèche in Machibisa by one of the other teachers. And, I’m telling you, this scone was so good… almost cake like the way it was fluffy on the inside and warm, but had a crunchy and saltier outside crust that definitely made it a scone. We eat them plain at the crèche but I could only imagine how good they would be with some butter and jam. I told the women there about my love for scones and the special place they hold for me in the fact that they remind me of home, my mom, and Christmas, they then insisted I make my mom’s scones around Christmas time, I quickly explained that I am no baker and would probably just buy some instead. They eventually told me that the scones they brought for morning tea were sold just up the road from the crèche for a very cheap R1.50 (about 13cents, American). I made it my goal to find this place so that I could buy myself some scones. Well, I got lazy and never ventured out to find this place… I settled for other scones, I searched for scones that I thought could match those of Machibisa… Checkers, Pick n’ Pay, Shoprite… you name the grocery store and I have tried one of their scones. But, they were never as good. Well, today I finally found my scone shop. I was taken there by Mama Mahay who runs the crèche, we were headed up the road for another reason and I asked her to point out the place where I could find my scones, she took me there and I met Mrs. Nzunzi, the baker of my perfect South African scones. I introduced myself and told her to expect me quite often for scones because in my opinion she made the best scones in Pietermaritzburg and maybe even in South Africa.
You may be wondering, “Elise, why are you going on about scones?” Well, I discovered that in finally finding my perfect scone I have found my perfect South African home. You see, when first getting around PMB I will say I had my doubts, I pictured myself in a more rural setting, really getting down to grassroots, very different from the city that I found myself and PMB had this crunchy and salty exterior at first. I searched for other places, for other scones. I visited rural areas and other placement sites and at first thought, now this is where I should be! This, is a great scone! But, after a few bites… I would miss my scones from PMB, my Mrs. Nzunzi scones. So, today, in finding Mrs. Nzunzi and the place where I can find my perfect South African scone I found PMB’s fluffy cake like center. I know that this is where I should be, and I enjoy it more everyday and with every bite. It will never hold up to my mom’s Christmas scones… but for now, I’m gonna get my butter and jam and enjoy my scone from Mrs. Nzunzi, because for me, it’s the best scone in South Africa.

Sunday, October 9, 2011

~ Does the spread of Christianity also spread the western way? and should it?~

In my first week on my own I was driving with my host supervisor Dean Myaka to a service in the rural areas, he and another pastor that was with us were talking about the Zulu tradition of the Reed Dance where girls dress in traditional clothing and march in front of the Zulu king with a reed in their hands. The discussion led to the mixture of traditional African ceremonies and the Christian religion. There are many, it seems that say you can’t have one without the other, and many that say you can. This led us to a discussion about early missionaries and the idea that when you convert someone to Christianity you must also convert them to a western way of thinking and living. It is an idea and stigma about missionaries that has followed missionaries even into today’s minds. I guess in my own mind I had never thought of westernization and Christianization as two different things, they always went hand in hand for me as one entity. I now realize that this is not true, they are in fact two very different things that have been molded together and mixed up through the course of history. If you think about it say missionaries that reached Africa were actually from the Middle East where Christianity originated then we’d be living in a very different Africa, one influenced by a Middle Eastern way of life, not a western/ European one. But the reality remains that a western and European way of life was forced on people and it rode the coat-tails of the idea of spreading Christianity.   
I felt almost embarrassed that I had never thought of spreading Christianity and the western idea as two different concepts. But I was also really glad to have this topic opened up in my mind and to discuss it with two people that had a view of life completely different from mine. Myself coming from a culture of the missionary having this conversation with people coming from a culture of those who were affected by missionaries offered some amazing insight and views.
I read a quote in a book that said “as a continent Africa has endured such an unspeakably bizarre combination of foreign thievery and foreign goodwill”. I feel like it couldn’t be a truer statement and the mixture of those feelings come out in conversations like the one I had about westernization and trying to embrace the original African cultures and the new Christian ideals which sometimes come attached with western ideals.
All and all it was a great conversation that opened up a lot of topics that I hadn’t thought about and finally got the chance to simmer over. Just the first of many new trains of thought brought to me in the last seven weeks. I hope that maybe this idea is also new to some of you and opens up some conversations as well.

Monday, September 26, 2011

~ Month One Rundown~

Today marks the completion of one month in South Africa! It’s amazing how time has flown by, but at the same time I feel like I already have a lifetimes worth of experience’s and memories.
I realized while thinking about what I wanted to blog about that I haven’t really given you all the “run down” of where exactly I am! Now that I know a (very little) bit more about what I have gotten myself into here across the ocean (and equator for that matter)
Where I’m living and who with:
I am living in Pietermaritzburg (aka PMB or Maritzburg) South Africa which is in the province of KwaZulu-Natal and also its capital and second largest city! If you were to look for it on a map it is in the southeast corner of the country just inland and a little north of Durban. Durban is about a 45 min drive from me and also the home of fellow Muddie Isaac…  PMB itself is kind of nestled in this valley so the deeper you are in the valley the more “downtown” you are and then as you climb out you get into more township/suburb areas and then once you’re over the first crest of mountains you’re in farmland.
I live in a nice area of PMB called Crest Valley and am about 2 block away from the big mall here. My living situation may change but I’ll be in this location for at least a couple months and I like it a lot! I live with a woman named Gertie who is really great and very sweet. Her grand-daughter, great-granddaughter and niece live her as well so we are a rockin household of ladies! PMB is a really great mix of cultures from what I’ve seen so far, my neighborhood is very diverse and it’s fun to talk to people as I walk to the cumbie (public transport buses, picture 15-20 passenger vans acting as buses) stops or on my daily runs… there is also a huge mix of living situations, there is the downtown area that is very urban and busy during the weekday but is eerily quiet on the weekends. Outside the downtown area there are neighborhoods like mine as well as the many, many townships. The further outside you get into some very rural areas. So basically if you drive 10-20 minutes in any direction you can feel like you’re in a totally different world. It is a really interesting dynamic and helps fulfill my need to see as much as possible J
Where I’m working:
Now this is a loaded question haha, one that I’m still figuring out the answer to, but I’ll give you the best answer I can for right now. My host supervisor is Dean NM Myaka, aka “the Dean” or Myaka. He has been so great in this first month taking a lot of time out of his insanely busy schedule to take me to different meetings, introducing me to people around, and also showing me different communities. He has shown to be extremely committed to helping me have a great experience here in PMB and I am so grateful to have him around! He is the dean of the Umngeni Circuit here in PMB which is part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa. A lot of my time so far has been dedicated to helping him and others organize different events, put together different directories and call lists, listening at council meetings and just getting a feel for the issues here that the Lutheran church is trying to get a hand in helping with. I also work at the crèche (daycare/ primary school) that is held at a church in one of the townships in the Edendale area called Machibisa. I’ve started working there twice a week to start but that could turn into more down the road. The kids there are great and the other women have been so great and welcoming and have gracefully dealt with my non-existent isiZulu abilities J
I’ve also had the chance to be a part of an HIV testing campaign on the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s campus where myself and members of a Church and AIDS class as well as an organization called CHART encouraged students to get tested for HIV and know their status. The class arranged for certified testers and counselors to come to the campus with these room tents and do private testing and counseling for students for no charge. It was a really cool thing to be a part of!
I’ve also gotten the chance to work in some athletics! I went to a sports day held by some of the local universities here as well as a soccer practice for an elite boy’s soccer club (thanks for the invite Kristen!). The coaches really seemed to enjoy having me there to check out the injuries so I’m hoping that that becomes something regular for me to be a part of.
I’ve also met with some of the local religious NGO’s (Non-Government Organizations, from what I can gather our equivalent to non-profit orgs). I think I will enjoy working with them on some issues that they are targeting. Most of the issues that these organizations as well as the Lutheran church here seem to deal with are, HIV/AIDS, gender issues, land ownership issues, the healing of memories, and celebrating diversity. All are very powerful issues that have huge amounts of history behind each one.
One project I’m very excited to get involved in is called the “All Lutheran” project. It is right now just a small group of pastors from the area who are trying to put together cross cultural services and events to try and unify the black and white sides of Lutheran church. It’s a really great group and I’m excited to be involved with them and what they are doing!
So, as you can see “what are you doing there?” is a very tough question to answer haha, I hope to start finding more specific projects soon and be able to dedicate myself more fully to things I feel passionate about, so hopefully come July 2012 I’ll be able to more fully answer that question!
Well, I guess that’s all for now! Hopefully more updates will come soon as things continue to progress J I miss you all and hope you are doing well!!

Thursday, September 8, 2011

~What is Africa?~

So far I have been in this wonderful country for about 2 weeks. But, in my mind it feels like it has been much longer. We went through our week of orientation in our bubble of the Sleepy Hollow backpackers house and it was great. We got to see things, talk to new people, bond with each other, and at the end of the day make a familiar dinner and talk about ourselves and where we all came from. Yeah… it was a pretty good week for MUD 4 J
On Monday we were all thrown into the realities of why we are here. To experience new things. We were put on buses, kumbies, and got rides in cars and we were spread all across South Africa to meet our host families and begin our journeys of accompaniament with our host communities here in South Africa.  I got thrown a bit of a curve ball in that an hour before I was supposed to be picked up I found out there was an issue with my intended host family, an unexpected family member needed the room I was supposed to stay in, so my host community had a bit of a scramble but in the end it was arranged that I would stay with a woman named Gertie (pronounced Geh-tee) for now and possibly be with her for a few months and then I will be moved again. Though it was a bit of a wild situation I wasn’t worried because my country coordinator Brian said it best, “well, Elise… I guess God has a different plan for you.” So far that plan has worked out very well. Another young woman and her 20month old daughter are also staying here with Gertie and we have made quite the bunch so far!
Over these 2 weeks I have talked to quite a few people about what Africa is and the perception of Africa. What do you think of when you think of Africa? Lions? Elephants? Grassy plains? Hippos? People walking around in cheetah skin? Well, I’d be lying if I said that those images didn’t run through my head as well. But, now that I am here I see many different things. I see a developing country where the past and present are trying desperately to combine, I see a people trying to get over a hurtful past, I see booming businesses and street vendors, I see McDonalds and KFC, I see grassy plains and zebras walking down the road. The combination of what we expect to see and what we actually see is incredible. South Africa is a very developed place overall, much more than I think many people expect. In fact, there are times when I have to remind myself that I’m in Africa (other times Africa reminds me, like when you’re walking through a park and a giraffe crosses your path). Though there is this development there are many things to do and I think that is part of why we’re here to help in any ways we can and also to return to the US in another 10.5 months and show people that South Africa is a very developed place.
A challenge however, is people telling me, “well, you aren’t really seeing Africa” … I wonder well gee… where am I then? Saying South Africa isn’t really “Africa” is like saying that Florida isn’t really America. It is just a different kind of Africa really. Hopefully, throughout my year here I will be able to see more parts of South Africa as well as more parts of Africa as a whole and try to understand, just a little bit of what Africa is. Because Africa is a complex place with thousands of cultures and cities and people, and yes grassy plains and zebras… but I hope that I can see as much as I can, learn as much as I can, and maybe help a little along the way.

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

~Here's to a new beginning~

This week of orientation in Chicago has ended and we are waiting for our shuttle to the airport. We have had a week of intense discussion, laughter filled conversation, and peaceful worship. As the week went on I felt more and more blessed and lucky to be a part of this group. We have amazing leaders and a group of alum that were phenominal to talk to and share stories with. But, the time has come and its time to actually get on a plane and leave for South Africa. The excitement has been hard to contain because of all the preparation and discussions that involve a lot of "you'll love it!"s... I'm going to share a poem that was read to us at the beginning of orientation that speaks volumes to the year ahead of us.

Passover Remembered...
by: Alla Bozarth-Campbell

Pack nothing.
Bring only your determination to serve
and your willingness to be free.

Don't wait for the bread to rise.
Take nourishment for the journey, but eat standing.
Be ready to move at a moment's notice.

Do not hesitate to leave your old ways behind-
fear, silence, submission.
Only surrender to the need of the time-
love justice and walk humbly with your God.

Do not take time to explain to the neighbors.
Tell only a few trusted friends and family members.
Then begin quickly, before you have had time
to sink back into old slavery.

Set out in the dark.
I will send fire to warm and encourage you.
I will be with you in the fire, and I will be with you in the cloud.

You will learn to eat new food
and find refuge in new places.
I will give you dreams in the desert
to guide you safely to that place you have not yet seen.
The stories you tell one another around the fires in the dark
will make you strong and wise.

Outsiders will attack you, and some follow you
and at times you will get weary and turn on each other
from fear, fatigue and blind forgetfulness.

You have been preparing for this
for hundreds of years.

I am sending you into the wilderness to make a new way
and learn my ways more deeply.

Some of you will be so changed by weathers and wanderings
that even your closest friends will have to learn your features
as though for the first time.

Some of you will not change at all.

Some will be abandoned by your dearest loves
and misunderstood by those who have known you since birth
who feel abandoned by you.

Some will find new friendships in unlikely faces,
and old true friends as faithful and true
as the pillar of God's flame.

Sing songs as you go,
and hold close together.
You may at times grow confused
and lose your way.

Continue to call each other by the names I've given you
to help remember who you are.
Touch each other,
and keep telling the stories.

Make maps as you go,
remembering the way back from before you were born.
So you will be only the first of many waves
of delieverance on the desert seas.
It is the first of many beginnings-
your Paschaltide.

Remain true to the mystery.
Pass on the whole story.
Do not go back.
I am with you now and I am waiting for you.

.... I know that that was insanely long but it spoke to me on so many levels and I wanted to share it with you all.

Well folks, I am on my way! Many of you have supported me financially, through prayer, or through great conversation and I hope you all know how deep my thanks go. I am such a lucky person to have so many amazing people in my life and have opportunities like this to help people and help myself become a better member of a global community. Please keep up with my blog for updates and stories through the year and if you'd like to recieve my newsletter please send me an email at ....
ieanderson86@gmail.com
and I will add you to my mailing list.

HERE I COME SOUTH AFRICA!!!!

Sunday, August 7, 2011

~There's no good in a goodbye~

Sometimes I wonder who has it worse, the person leaving, or the people they leave behind... I've thought about this a lot lately from the view of the person leaving and I decided that theres no winner or loser in this battle. Being the person leaving I can only offer up my side of the story. It's funny, when you say so many goodbyes in a short amount of time you almost become numb to it. Sure, some hurt more than others but overall they're all the same, a hug, a kiss, the I love yous, I'll miss yous, and the you better write mes... Every person that you say goodbye to is different though, as are your reasons for missing them. Every person I have said goodbye to I am going to miss more than they know. The best part of a goodbye however is the returning hello. Even though I am very excited for my year ahead I can't help but day dream about when I'll see everyone again, where I'll have to go to see them, will I surprise them, will I seem different to them, will they remember the close bond we had before I left. All these things run through my mind during every goodbye and I can't wait for the hellos. I guess I feel so many emotions right now that I can't get a single one to come across. I'm numb, numb to excitement, sadness, or anything else... and not numb in a bad way its just that I'm tapped out. I've known for almost 6months now that this trip was coming, so I have been bracing myself, gotten out all my tears behind closed doors, and said a lot of my goodbyes slowly. I also know that I chose this trip, I decided to leave, so really it would be contradictory for me to be so sad about leaving. Of course I am sad that I'm missing so much, so many moments, phone calls, holidays, smiles, hugs, conversations, graduations, weddings, birthdays, just to name a few. But I also realize what I'll be gaining from this trip, a new culture, a new family (in addition to my existing one of course), a new country, a chance to fullfill a life goal, and new memories. I also realize that though every moment is precious... a year in the grand scheme of things isn't much... its one peice of the puzzle, one peice that will mean so much.

So I guess that these goodbyes aren't really goodbyes at all they're just see you laters... cause I fully plan on coming back and picking up where I left off, most likely with a much different view on things and some fun stories to tell. So even those these "goodbyes" are awful and do make me sad they make me even more excited for that journey back home and all the smiles I'll get when I see everyone again.

But, just so we're clear.... if you're reading this.... I will miss you, I love you, I will write.... and I'll see you soon :)

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

~What to expect when there are expectations~

According to my good friend google the definition of the word "expectation" is this:
1. A strong belief that something will happen or be the case in the future.
2. A belief that someone will or should achieve something
my personal definition of the word expectation can be summed up with one other word; pressure.
 
This pressure and expectation can be both a welcomed and unwelcomed feeling. At times it can make one rise to the occasion and propel them to success, other times it can cause cracks of uncertainty causing ones campaign to crumble. as my departure date gets closer and closer the pressure is on, the more I talk to people the more others expectations are building about my year in africa. there have been predictions of life changing events, possible weight loss, fun, heartbreaking encounters with the local living situations, discomfort, joy, and the difficulty of coming home. these are all obviously expectations I've had for myself, but when they come from outside sources they become a different beast, they become that much more possible or impossible. here is what I am focusing on this next year, the expectation of change. I expect to change somewhat as a person, how much and in what ways will have to wait to be seen until the year is over. I expect to make a difference, how big or small will be up to me and my opportunities in south africa. no matter where the expectations come from the pressure is there and must be responded to. how it all turns out will have to wait until july 2012 when I return and can better communicate what I worked with, accomplished and changed in my year in south africa. Until then there are still questions, still expectations, and the lingering pressure to succeed.

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

~Later Atlanta~

I'm not gonna lie to you Atlanta, you and I have had a rocky relationship...

I moved to Atlanta after graduating from FSU and becoming a certified ATC. I had gotten into GSU's Sports Medicine masters program and also hired by the GSU sports med department to be a Graduate Assistant ATC and work with the softball team. After two years with that group of softball girls I can honestly say that they are the hardest things to walk away from here in Atlanta. I watched them struggle and I watched them win championships. They made me laugh till I cried and they frustrated the hell out of me. But, I love them all to death and hope that they will all reappear in my life down the line :)

I was lucky that my aunt marla, uncle billy, and cousin amelia also moved to Atlanta a year after I did. I don't know if I would have made it through these two years without them here...

I learned a lot these two years in Atlanta. I learned a lot as an ATC and as a growing adult. I faced a lot of challenges and a lot of bad luck. But I also met some great people and had some fun times. I couldn't have gotten through work life without Amanda, David, and Mel among others... and then there's Dawn, who got me through one of the toughtest times in my life and who was a huge part of my time in Atlanta! Also, Deanna, Melissa, Tiff, Emily, Christine, and whoever else I may have missed that believe me I don't mean to.

Instead of taking a traditional route in an ATCs career I decided to do something different. I applied and was excepted into the Young Adults in Global Missions program through the ELCA and I was placed in South Africa. I will be serving in a place called the Kenosis Communtiy outside of Pietermartzinburg, South Africa on the south east side of the country. I have little to no idea exactly where I'll be living or what I'll be doing but I am excited to find out :) I know that my skills as a healthcare provider can and will be utilized and my passion for educating on the HIV/AIDS epidemic will also be a big part of my experience. I will be in South Africa for a year at least and I leave August 24th.

Until I leave for Africa I will be living with my parents in South Carolina and trying to find a temporary home for my two cute cats Dobson and Wrigley and preparing myself for this year away from family, friends, and everything that is familiar to me... but you gotta admit, a year in Africa... thats gonna be dern cool :)

So... farewell Atlanta! We've been an interesting pair, but I must say that if you taught me one important lesson it is that it truly is the people that make the place and the people I've met in Atlanta have been amazing...