SUMMER OF '69
One recent Saturday I was about to cross a street in Mbabane when I heard the Bryan Adams song "Summer of '69" blaring from a late model convertible BMW (the top was down). I thought "For old time's sake, I need to stand and listen". I waited on the sidewalk, acting like I was looking for someone. When the song ended, I went over to the driver and said "It was fun to hear that again; I was 17 in 1985 when that was on the radio". He looked about my age, and smiled. Amazing the things you come across overseas; some wildly unfamiliar, some startlingly close to home.
SUMMER OF '69 II
On another trip I was returning Mr. Lukhele's library books, and got into a conversation with the librarians. When they learned I'm a teacher with Mr. Lukhele, they said "Ah, great. I have a bunch of old National Geographic magazines; would you like them for the school?" I told Lukhele about it the next week, and he was very interested. I called the lady back and we set a date. She asked how we'd get them to the school, and I told her "I'll just put them in my backpack". "Oh my no, you won't be able to do that", she said. "It's about 20 years worth of them." So, Lukhele and I went to her house last Monday and put them in his pickup truck. All were pleased.
Whenever you come across a stack of old National Geographics, look for the Summer of '69 (August 1969) issue. One of the articles is all about Swaziland. The Kingdom got its independence from Britain in 1968, and that article discusses what lies (lied?) ahead for the country. I mentioned this to the lady, and she said "I know about that issue, and I took it out." Rats. But sure enough, the stack she gave us had a second copy. It has an aerial shot of Mbabane; the paved road ends at the main soccer field on the way out of town. Paved road now extends about 10 miles beyond that out of town, and of course there is pavement throughout the urban area. I hope we can keep that issue in good shape.
MARKET ON THE WING
I was walking to the nearby shop for bread when an elementary school child stopped me. He wanted to sell me a chicken. I told him "You kill it, cut off the feet, cut off the head, pull off the feathers, and take out the intestines. You bring it to my house, and we will pay you E30". He repeated back the specifications, and it was a deal. I can imagine him carrying a sign, reminiscent of the pizza delivery trucks that used to zip around my Ohio neighborhood Friday and Saturday nights: "Chickens for sale-stop me now and I'll sell you one!" Thing is, he hasn't brought the chicken. Maybe next school term.
BRIGHT SPOTS AND DARK SPOTS
We were in town recently purchasing fruits from our favorite sellers (a group of women we've known since we got here). Beside us stood a married couple, and the woman looked familiar. She asked if I remembered her and I said "In a way, but I cannot remember your name". It was Esther Masilela, a student of mine from the early 1990s. She was there with her husband. They have a child or two also, although they were not there. It is good to see these young folks from the past doing well.
Sadly, we also learned recently of the death of the mother of one of our students. I can't imagine what it is like to lose a parent while still in high school. Also the Kunene's, some Swazi friends who work with the local Youth With A Mission (YWAM) group, have moved off the YWAM campus in order to take care of children left orphaned by the deaths of near relatives. Those orphans number four, and the Kunenes have four children of their own (two in elementary school, two roughly high school age). Unless things change (meaning, people wait for sex until marriage and keep it only in marriage), the early deaths will continue to hammer Swaziland. For those of you who pray, pray for that change.
THE WEIGHT OF SMUT
I mentioned an article I was reading about pornography a couple newsletters back. Here is a link to that article. http://www.firstthings.com/article/2010/05/the-weight-of-smut
One internet cafe in town used to have signs on the walls saying "No watching pornography on the computers". With cell phones accessing the internet now, pornography-and its numerous destructive effects-is very easy to reach. The last thing Swaziland needs, amidst the AIDS deluge, is large numbers of men addicted to pornography. Read the article.
WALKING WITH GRACE
On Tuesday the 17th, according to previous arrangement, Grace and I walked from the school to the top of Sibebe (one of the largest single chunks of granite in the world). We then walked down the mountain (though not down the face, because one stumble means almost certain death) and caught a kombi into town for the night. Grace did great; no complaining, all beautiful walking, in wonderful weather. She did the whole thing on her own feet. We took 7 hours, but that's because our pace was so leisurely. You can view photos of the trip at poglitshphotos.blogspot.com. Look for the entry "Walk to Sibebe with Grace 17 Aug 2010". Sorry the photos are out of order; I'm a full-fledged amateur. We spent the night in town with friends-MAN did a hot shower feel good! Next Tuesday, it is Cubby's turn. I had bought some candy to take on the walk with Grace. Cubby must have been feeling a little left out by our plans because she let me know that she wanted to wanted to do the walk too--the same walk with the same candies! It will be interesting to see if she (5 1/2 years old) can walk the whole thing by herself, like Grace (8 years old) did. I certainly won't insist on it; I'll carry her if need be.
At one point, Grace said "It is shocking; it is beautiful here, and it is even more beautiful there!" She was absolutely right.
FLAVORS, HOME AND ABROAD
Someone once asked us if this place feels like home. Honestly, no it doesn't, and I don't think it will no matter how long we stay. There are just ways of life, and smells, and the feel of the air in the different seasons, which speak "Home" to a person. This is not to say that we don't like it here, only that it is not likely to ever earn the name "home".
In a way, though, that is good. We have become familiar with the change of seasons (the moisture in the air, the blooming wattle trees, the daylight hours); where to get big, cheap chicken curry meals; which mode of transport to take for the kind of trip you want home (kombi for a fast return, Shining Star bus for reading and pleasure viewing, mini-bus to Mbuluzi if you want to walk home through the hills); and other rhythms of life. Because such things are not features of "home", they remind us that we are living in a different place, and this gives our life a little sense of adventure. And when we do get back to the States (as we will this Christmas!), the familiarities and pleasures of home are all the more enjoyable.
NSUKUMHILLBILLY
Your daughters play something like "hide and go seek" in phone booths until you call them away. They have as much fun there as they would at Disneyland.
Hillbilly
You hang an analog clock in your family room after 7 years without one. Your eldest daughter says "In 10 minutes it will be a new hour!" Your daughter who has loudly declared how much she hates learning to tell the time in her math workbook says, "I don't know why, but I love the time with this clock."
Hillbilly
Have a nice day,
The Poglitsh's
