Thanksgiving Chaos

One of the things I've missed about the US is holidays. A Halloween-less October was bad enough, but as November flew by I discovered that I missed Thanksgiving even more. Family, Food, And Football-- a hard to beat celebration, and having everyone back home talking about it didn't help.

Fortunately, we decided to bring Thanksgiving to the Southern Hemisphere this year, albeit a day late. Because there is no such holiday here, Friday morning meant work and school, so we pushed back our feast to that evening.

Everything started off smoothly enough. On Thursday I stayed up late to watch a gem of a football game which ESPN kindly broadcast here and after a few hours of cleaning and cooking the next morning, guests began to arrive around 6:00. We had decided to--in the spirit of the holiday--invite all the people who had helped us settle in Pretoria: Johann and Marie, who helped us find the house; Leon and Meleney, who are in charge of Viva; Pierre, who organized the HIV/AIDS class I took at the University; Elaine, who helped us get to know the culture here. They were all excited to experience their first Thanksgiving (since American TV is popular here, everyone grew up seeing shows and movies about Thanksgiving), and we were excited to share the wonderful tradition with them.

The local butcher had informed us that there were no turkeys in the entire province, so we made do with three delicious chickens as well as the usual Thanksgiving supplements. It was a flawless meal, highlighted by the premiere of a TV special on Viva, which we took time to watch before dessert. If there is one thing I'm thankful for now, it was having such a smooth night on Friday, because the rest of the weekend was anything but.

On Saturday night, Tim was preparing for bed when it started pouring rain. We've gotten leaky ceiling before, usually when I'm the only one up, but this was a new level of downpour. Inside one doorway connecting the main room to the extension, water was pouring in as fast as outside. The backyard was completely flooded and most of the light fixtures in the living room had water streaming through them. Following the protocol established on the night of our first flood back in August, we laid about a dozen towels across the floor and put pots, buckets, and bowls under each stream of water. However, it wasn't as easy as usual. We ran out of towels in what seemed like no time at all, so I had to sacrifice my shirt and some of the clothes from our drying rack. Not only was water pouring incessantly from the ceiling, the drywall was starting to sag in parts of the kitchen and living room, and by midnight the water had forced a nickel-sized hole in the kitchen ceiling. We warily retired for the night a couple of hours later, wondering what we would wake up to.

It wasn't as bad as it could have been. The drywall in the living room has started to form cracks, but there was no more water and we felt comfortable enough to go for a hike nearby. When we got back, things were considerably worse. The once-minuscule crack in the ceiling had become much more substantial, and we were greeted by a puddle instead of a living room. We soaked it up without too much of a problem, and continued with our lives--for another 40 minutes, at least. That was when the ceiling collapsed, leaving a 30 square foot hole in the living room roof. Upon further inspection, the only protection we had was an aluminum sheath, some insulation, and drywall. The gutters atop the house had been clogged, so water flowed under the aluminum and onto the drywall, where it sat until the weight became too great. We called in some people to fix it, and this morning we finally have a aesthetically appealing ceiling again. Nonetheless, it wasn't a Thanksgiving I plan on forgetting anytime soon.

Delicious meal in front of a more unsavory painting.

Leon recording a recording of Leon.

The problems began on Saturday night.

View from my bedroom. 

After our Sunday-morning hike, we came home to a puddle.

And soon thereafter, this.

Guess who got to sweep afterwards?

Yet another weekend outing

Last weekend we went to this place called "Mountain Sanctuary", which reminded us a lot of Arches N.P. in Utah. We started out in the Arches-like part of the park before entering a canyon and walking down a stream for a ways. Apparently there are zebras, leopards, warthogs, and other large animals there, but all we saw were a couple of klipspringers (small ungulates).

The twin peaks. There was no trail going up to them, so we bushwhacked until we reached them.  I made it my personal mission to climb on top of one of them, but that was a lot easier said than done.

"The Grotto" was the only nice, shady area of the non-canyon area we hiked through. We took a break here to hang out around the cave climbing on the roots hanging down from higher-up trees.

Found this interesting specimen while walking along the stream. 

It ended in a cut knee and a few missing layers of skin on my hands, but it was worth it to get on top of on e of the twins. Easily one of the harder bouldering endeavors I've undertaken, despite only being a few meters high.

Overlooking the canyon on the way back.  

Don't worry, we have a very good excuse for squinting! It was getting dark in the canyon, so when we emerged we were blinded for a few minutes. I honestly thought it was getting to be time to go (we had to be out by 6:30), but it was only around 4:30 when we stepped into the sunlight.

Discovered this natural shrine in the stream-bed. Worship me!

Exploring the cave at the Grotto. There were a few holes in the ceiling that water was pouring through (you can see some  on both sides of me if you look closely). Despite what the camera's flash may lead you to believe, it was almost pitch black inside the cave, and I had only been there for a few seconds when my head was surrounded by a few dozen bats flapping around. Still, it was a thoroughly refreshing stop and the cold water was much-needed.

Call me Karate Kid...

...Unless you'd rather I go by "Ninja Warrior"

The stream bed inside the canyon. I'm fairly certain I fractured a toe scrambling over rocks down here, but if Mom could make it back  after hurting her ankle, I could too.

Everyone wanted to get in on the rock-climbing!

Assorted pictures

As promised, here's a bunch of pictures I've taken over the past few weeks. Pardon the seemingly random order-- they seem that way because they are and I'm too tired to rearrange everything.

The view of Mamelodi from partway up the ridge. Mamelodi is actually huge-- what you see here is Alaska, the unofficial part of Mamelodi East. Viva is by the group of trees in the lower left corner. If you've got really good eyes you might be able to see the green roof of the office.

Abie posing on the way down. He's directly over Lusaka, which is a slightly nicer part of Mamelodi East.

Abie and Lucia during our lunch break atop the ridge. He's holding an umbrella, which we took because there are hardly any trees to provide shade. Actually, we took three but only used them on the way up because the wind was too powerful once we got high up.

The hoop! 

It's not hard to see how an airball could lead to a ball on the roof. I was initially worried that the frequent collisions would weaken the fabric, but after a few hundred incidents there don't appear to be any issues.

Bennett dribbling. He's the best player I've encountered here, being the only one with previous basketball experience.

I like this picture because it highlights Bennett's pink slippers and the Wild Thornberry's van on the house  in the background.

When it gets too hot for the older people to play basketball, the card-playing begins. The game they're playing here is similar to what I call "Casino," with only a few differences.

Took a break to climb around the second time we went up the ridge, but the storm clouds cut short the outing before  Abie and I could try descending down a cliff.

Last week the second TV crew came in and got some people to pretend to buy from one of the shops outside Viva. The cameraman had some very profound questions for me about America, namely "Is baseball really the national pastime, or is football bigger now?"

In honor of the basketball team's quick start this season, here's a shop we found next to the University of Pretoria.

Viva's resident cat had babies a few months ago, and these two spend their time playing tag and sleeping.

The top of the ridge, overlooking Nellmapius (I think).

Salminah is 7, and loves to take pictures with my camera. For some reason, however, she always resists being photographed herself.

Salminah pleeeeeease! After leading me on a ten minute chase around and under tables, still not looking...

...still averting her gaze while emphatically resisting my pleas...

...and I blew my one chance to get a good picture with her.

Finally, a picture of Tim being positively adorable on his birthday.

Just a little update

At Viva, we tend to have some slow weeks. The set-up there is solid, so the community can run itself for a while without outside interference. Those are the days I spend playing basketball, climbing the ridge, and just hanging out with Abie around Mamelodi. While the lack of manual labor can get a bit annoying, I've gained a lot from my days of leisure in Mamelodi. While lounging around Viva, I've begun learning bits and pieces of Pedi and Zulu courtesy of Abie and the hundreds of people calling me "Mahlungu," as well as a local card game (at which I can beat only Tim and 14 year olds).

On a slow week, I usually wake up around 10:00 and go into Viva an hour later. A few people will usually be eager to play basketball, so I'll give a quick tutorial and get the ball off the roof every time they miss the backboard. After a half hour or so, it becomes too hot to continue playing and we take a lunch break. Over a Pineapple Fanta (which are amazing, the US is really missing out) I tell people about America-- pretty much everyone here sees America as their dream country-- and I question them about whatever language they are speaking at the time (young people in Mamelodi grow up with about 10 languages around them, so I never know which they are speaking at a given moment-- usually Pedi or Zulu, though). After lunch we resume basketball, often playing a game or two (usually 3-on-3, which is nice because there isn't really enough space for many more players at once). People are on average much shorter here than back home, so I'm quite the behemoth to them. Quite similarly to a certain freckly friend of mine, my presence in the paint is met simultaneously by chagrin and amazement. I try to avoid taking advantage of my newfound height, but occasionally I give into temptation and swat a shot or hold the ball over my head. I'll give another lesson and then we'll all shoot around for a bit, while I go around helping people with their form. When the elementary schoolers get out around 2:30, they swarm the "court" and quickly tire me out with their energy. By the time I get picked up at around 4:30, I can usually be found lying down in the shade with the other people my age.

Once home, I'll take a nap, eat, and stay up way too late watching Spongebob and Sportscenter.

For every slow week, though, there's an equally fast one. Yesterday was spent hauling wood with Leon and Jared (2/3 of Viva's management) from the University of Pretoria to Viva. For whatever reason, the people at the University see fit to get rid of perfectly good desks, tables, and chairs, in addition to a bunch of scientific equipment that would fit right in with Uni High's physics lab. Viva;s going to add two classes next year in addition to the day care, so we got a few desks and chairs, as well as a bunch of lumber that can be made into tables or whatever Gary (Viva's resident carpenter) decides to use them for. Today I'm working in the Viva offices (in Pretoria) on financial stuff and taxes, and tomorrow it's back out to Mamelodi to empty the room sthat will become new classrooms in January.

Friday is going to be a slow day at Viva, but once I get home it will quickly accelerate. Since there's no Thanksgiving Break here, we're celebrating a day late by having some people over for a nice American turkey BBQ.

That night also happens to be the premiere of a documentary about Viva. Another TV crew came in last week to film, and 15 minute episodes will be coming out every Friday for two months. They're going to put the episodes on youtube, so I'll post those as they come out. Here's a small news clip about Viva that aired last week. (This one isn't from the upcoming documentary.) Hopefully, this week's program will actually get their facts straight, though. The reporter in the above clip says that Viva gets funding from overseas schools, but that's completely false. Since no one here told her that, we aren't quite sure what she was thinking-- in reality, Viva doesn't have very much money.

Stay tuned for a couple of photo posts!

Productivity!

The past week had one of the most eventful 3-day stretches of days I've had while volunteering at Mamelodi. From more basketball to being on TV to hiking up the nearby ridge (in 90 degree heat, of course), the past few days have been undeniably hectic out at Viva.

On Monday, we finally got the basketball hoop up. Now, this had been a long time coming since Abie and I began working on it a few weeks ago. The first step was to build the hoop itself, which was a lot harder than building one back home. After buying a rim from the store, we searched high and low for a suitable backboard, to no avail. Just when we had decided that the only way was to nail multiple boards together, I discovered an old sign for a nearby shop. Made out of plywood and steel, it posed a formidable challenge to anyone trying to attach a rim, but we weren't about to throw back the only potential board we'd found. After finding something powerful enough to cut through the steel, we successfully attached the rim. This was three weeks ago. Since then, I have struggled to find a place and means to get it 10 feet off the ground. After experimenting with flagpoles and sides of buildings, I got tired of waiting and headed to Mamelodi on Monday with one goal: to forego formalities and get that hoop up.

Of course, this was easier thought than done. The first sign that we might have trouble was when there was no power drill at Viva. This was quickly remedied, however, by Abie's excellent diplomacy in asking a guy down the street for a drill. Problem number two arose when we discovered that there was no electricity at Viva that day. Fortunately, there WAS a hand drill on the premises that we could use. Armed with a hammer, two bolts and a nail Abie found on the ground, we attacked the backboard ferociously. After putting the bolts and nail in place, we just had to figure out how we were going to get it higher. With a heavy steel backboard and only one ladder, it was going to be a bit of a struggle to get the hoop nailed 10 feet up a telephone pole, so we carried a table over and I stood on it, holding the backboard as Abie hammered in the bolts. It wasn't the most picturesque hoop I've seen, but it did the trick--people have been shooting and dribbling around constantly since we got it installed.


I thought that getting the hoop up was going to the the only highlight of the week, but was proven wrong 24 hours later, when upon my arrival at Viva I was greeted by a group of people from ETV, one of South Africa's largest news programs. They were doing a feature on Viva's work in Mamelodi, and were on site doing interviews and getting footage for most of the time I was there. After a couple hours of playing basketball and hanging out with the local kids, I was summoned to do an interview with them. It was going to take place by the playground, where all the preschooolers were being gathered for a shot of them on the structure. While the news lady was discussing the feature with Viva workers, one of the kids ran up to me, grabbed my ball, and started running away until I picked him up and got the ball back. We repeated this several times until other kids decided to join in, swarming me in their attempts to get the basketball. I tuned out the news people, because the kids were a lot more fun. After they lost interest in the basketball, I was quickly caught in the middle of 20 four year olds crowding around my knees asking me to lift them up high. After trying in vain to persuade them that they should go on the structure and get on TV, I obliged, quickly becoming immersed in the kids' energy and smiles. After a few minutes of that, I discovered that my chance to be interviewed was gone--but maybe I can talk on TV when the news people come back to Viva! And they still got plenty of shots of me playing basketball with the teenagers, so maybe I'll still get on TV after all.

Wednesday wasn't about to be outdone by its predecessors, though. Abie and I decided to hike up to the top of the ridge behind Viva, because I had been pestering him to go up with me for a few weeks. We had to bring huge umbrellas to shade us, but the wind prevented us from using them as much as would have been nice. Instead, we got a lot of people asking if they could buy the umbrellas from us or wanting to trade their ratty ones for ours. Once atop the ridge, I took a few pictures of Mamelodi before we hiked/ran down the ridge before the rain came (we beat it by about 10 minutes, and it was a good thing too as the rain quickly turned to hail). On the way back from the ridge, Abie kept stopping and saying hi to people. It seems like he knows EVERYONE in Mamelodi! The people are really nice to me, saying hi/how are you often, but one occurrence stuck out to me and was pretty fun. We passed a house with about eight 20-30 year old guys rolling dice outside. After talking to Abie a bit, one of them asked me what I was advertising. It stuck me as strange, but I guess a white guy in Mamelodi was pretty strange for them, marketing or not! When I told him nothing, I was just hanging out with my friend, he seemed kind of surprised, but laughed and invited me to roll dice with them. After I declined, he said "Come back Sunday!" and jokingly told me a story about another guy who got really lucky. I was pretty shocked at how quickly they had become comfortable with me, but managed to laugh along with them and say goodbye without looking too amazed. Tomorrow we're going to go back to the ridge and climb rocks, so hopefully I'll see those guys again and maybe take some time to hang out with them.

Since then, my time at Mamelodi has been spent mainly playing basketball with anyone who wants to, usually 6 or 7 other people at a time. It's incredible how quickly they've improved. I left my ball with them when I was gone on Thursday, and when I came in on Friday kids were dribbling around without too much trouble at all! Who knows how good they'll be when I arrive tomorrow!?