When we first got to our host site David (host for AIM) told us that we needed to adopt a phrase and mostly live by it for the next 3 months while we would be staying here. The phrase he gave us was “this is Africa” meaning that crazy and inconvenient things happen but to keep the mindset that we are in Africa and things happen so try to just roll with it. In Africa things are different and throughout the first month here, I’ve kept a list of Africa things that have happened. Some things don’t always go right but it’s still amazing, this is what Africa has been like for me so far:
– Losing a tire and having half the squad stuck on the side of the road for six hours
– Getting blisters walking to ministry so walking the three miles back barefoot
– Waiting an hour for a kumbi (local transportation, like a taxi)
– Sitting in the back of a car with three other people because no kumbis came
– Getting vanilla ice cream that tastes like birthday cake ice cream
– Hand washing laundry and hanging it on a fence to dry but remembering to get it before dark so there are no botflies
– Making Swazi friends
– Still being traumatized by bees when eating outside
– Ordering lemon aid that’s really just a knock off of Sprite
– Going to see African animals but seeing a bunch of bunnies and a guanine pig
– Having the power go out in the middle of a clear day
– Having shower water that’s burning hot and not being able to change it
– When the power goes out mid-shower
– Getting excited about mixed fruit jelly
– Seeing crickets literally everywhere, even in the kitchen sink
– Going to bed at 7:30 because of extreme tiredness
– Sweating in 101 degree heat and then the next day freezing in the wind and 60 degree weather
– Trying to learn SiSwati when it’s just a bunch of letters jumbled up
– Washing clothes on a really cold day with a lot of wind because there are no clean clothes for the next day
– Hoping that the newly washed clothes don’t blow onto the dirt because of the wind
– Finally perfecting an African chai tea
– Trying to understand and say Swazi names
– Eating lunch in a closet with the team at ministry
– Sitting and standing for 3 straight hours for Swazi church
– Kids always wanting to be “shot” (having their picture taken)
– Being excited to not have to kill any bugs in the shower
– Finding ants literally everywhere
– Struggling so hard to cook dinner when everyone is tired
– Bringing toilet paper to ministry for the squatty potty
– Always being greeted by kids with a huge hug
– Being asked to take a picture because we are white
– Walking to the closest store for an hour and 45 minutes instead of taking a five minute kumbi ride
– Having goats walk into the kitchen
– Seeing chickens and goats everywhere
– Trying to make a “click” while saying words in SiSwati
– Baking cookies on tinfoil in the microwave oven
– Dirt just appearing everywhere
– Getting snotty kid germs all over
– Learning all the kids names and showing them love
– Being attacked with hugs by the kids when it’s time to leave
– Having crazy thunderstorms
– Having the best time ever
All in all, I’m loving Africa and all that it has to offer! Yes, it may be different, but it’s such a good kind of different that’s hard to explain. Living here comes with all its quirks and things but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
