I haven’t written in a while so I had better write a line or two to keep all posted on our wellbeing. We are doing fine. It has been a hectic two weeks thus the silence in writing. Last week, I had board meetings. Board members came in from the US and of course here in SA. So, I had to host them for about a week. That meant meetings during the day and dinners in the evenings. I had my first full board meeting with me as the Executive Director. And all went well. It was a change because just last November, I was sitting on the board as the Board Chair. The board was very pleased with how things have been going since I took on the position. So, that is good. Then last Tuesday, we took them to visit some of our work at Sakuma. I accompanied them all to the airport on Wednesday and then the next day I had to go back out to the field to attend a Passing on the Gift Ceremony at Woza Moya. This is a group who are taking care of HIV/AIDs affected and infected. The group has received chickens and they are now passing chickens on to other needy members. It is really helping the village and those with the disease. If they don’t have proper nutrition, their ARVs (medicine) don’t absorb properly and it makes them even sicker.
I started feeling like I was coming down with the flu on the way back to the office and now 9 days later it is still hanging on. I don’t think I have had the flu in many years- colds, yes, but flu no. There was a board member sitting by me in the van on the project visit on Tuesday who was sick with the flu and I am guessing I got it from him. So, Thursday, I started feeling bad, then Friday and Saturday, I had fever and my body ached from head to toe. Friday, I came home after work and picking up the girls and just laid on the couch. The girls were bringing me water and petting my head. After the fever, the body aches continued and now it is just coughing that remains. I think it has turned into bronchitis and that is why it is lingering on so long. But I think I am almost over it. Last night was the first night in 5 nights I actually slept through the night without waking up that I recall. Sienna now has a pretty bad cough- especially in the evenings.
The girls are good otherwise. Full of energy, or beans as they say here. The weather is turning cooler so they are enjoying staying outside. Every afternoon they strip down to their panties and go out in the yard and play ball. I am not sure why they have gotten in the habit of taking their clothes off to just their panties and playing this game but they have.
On Tuesday, I went and toured the school they will start in January. It will be Grade R (like kindergarten). The schools go year round here and have 4 terms. Between each term there is a 2 week break with the exception of the Christmas break and it is about 5 weeks. The school is right down the road from the house. It is within walking distance even. It is called Forest View Primary http://www.forestview.co.za/. It is a nice little public school. But even with the public schools you have to pay. There is another possible school in Hillcrest but it is a bit out of the way and it is much bigger. I like this one because it is small. The school is Grade R to Grade 7. Each grade has two classes but the principal assured me the girls would be kept in the same class. Now, I just have to get a TON of paperwork done in order to enroll them.
They seem to really be enjoying their current school now. They are learning a lot and seem to be integrating with the other kids. They are also really enjoying ballet class. They keep telling me I have to buy them some proper ballet shoes but I haven’t a clue as to what that would be. Sienna is asking for swimming lessons. I do need to get them in swimming lessons soon. And Sofia is asking to go to karate class. Not sure where she came up with that. Sienna says her boyfriend is Logan and Sofia’s is Tai and Jared. She has two. They have been excited this week because the monkeys have been coming in the afternoon and playing on the playground! Sofia said the monkeys love the monkey bars and one was even in the swings!!!!
They talk non stop and really love to tell make believe stories. Sienna, of course, is constantly talking about froggy and his adventures. Froggy is always up to something and most of the time she blames him when she gets into trouble. This week, she was saying froggy went to India and was playing with lizards there but he decided to come back.
Sofia doesn’t tell as many make believe stories. She told me yesterday that when she gets big she is going to buy me a red skirt with Chinese people on it. What??? Where did she come up with that? Sofia hurt her toe at school on Friday but it isn’t too bad. They won’t wear shoes once they reach school. It is very common here for kids not to wear shoes. You see kids going to the grocery store, to restaurants, arriving at school always without shoes. I guess the girls are getting tough little feet.
So, I will end with a word the girls learned today- shongololo. It is what these huge millipedes are called here. I will post a picture. They grow up to 10 inches long and are hard shelled and have 120 pair of legs. They get in the house on occasion. Today, the girls found one outside and they were very interested in Mr. Shongololo. If you touch them, they curl up in a circle. And the one they were watching then pooped and peed and Sienna that was just so interesting! They don’t bite and aren’t dangerous but I just really don’t like them. When they get in the house, I always dread catching it.
OK- that’s all for now. Will try to keep up a little better.
