So far three languages on greetings that we had learned: Sepedi, Sedwena, Xitsonga, have been exercised in the classes and at home for the first two. This was until the second week we were in the first training host home that we had been divided to our service village language that mine will be speaking only Xitsonga and my host family can’t help me on it..... Learning strategy had been introduced, only hope my brain can function and respond to each of languages been approached at me, at any possible moments, at any time. A Sum son phone with sim card been issued, and in the group some youngsters are working to have the package detail on unlimited data with yearly fee of USD200 or so.... I will sure to sign it up for the coming 27 months. Our last night in the resort before moving into training host home, a thunder storm blown almost half of the night. The trainers told us that villagers were happy that we brought the first Spring rain, meant good luck with us. Also ...
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We had been here for the fourth day now, one house cat, many wild monkeys were not running away from us that fast as the previous days.  Two cakes were served at the teatime to celebrate two trainees’ and two PC staffs’ birthday. This resort is truly pretty in the day light.... The grassy land all covered with dried leaves.... A few swimming pools were all attractive, but the lessons were so intensely scheduled. The monkeys were walking toward us, at our break time..... We were told over and again, not to feed any animals. Truly not fair that we always have tea break outside of class room and with whole load of goodies..... Once, when we came back from the tea break, one of the local staffs sat next to me, was to clean his shoes free from the dust at once.... It was one those we had been taught while in Philadelphia, “Remember to keep your shoes clean at all times.” Truly no kidding business here..... After class was over, I picked up my packed dinner at lunch t...
Yesterday the blog only allowed as such to be posted, so here were the rest of our journey from Johannesburg to Pretoria. More farm housing in the distance..... One huge operation with its own dammed up water..... With its own facilities of something...... Over a mountain range, a trainer pointed out, this will be where our rest of three months training to be, “Mpamalunga.... Hmm, not totally a village!?!? It was more of a town to me...... And it has a long spread in between hills..... don’t know what the elevation can be here..... Hope this road will not be the only way in and out of the region Mpamalunga...... Our buses and trucks continued up the mountain, along the side of Loskop Dam, we checked in at Forever Resort for our first week of orientation training. The majority of work were for all paper works with local government and banking be done before we moved in to each of our own host families after this week. Our trainers had arrived ahead of us and preforming...
Our last day in USA, we had a half day free time to make sure our luggage were ready to go forward for the next 27 months away from home. I followed couple youngsters walk out to see the Liberty Bell, since it was only half an hour walking distance from hotel we stayed. We passed the city hall building, I believe it was.... To this building where the first Constitution got signed. And went on to see the Liberty Bell. We had to hurry back to hotel for 12 noon departure to New York airport for Johannesburg, South Africa. We arrived in Johannesburg on August 19 th nearly 6pm local time. Was that smoky air covered the city? About a dozen of Peace Corps South Africa staffs were waited for us in airport and escorted us to check in at the City Lodge in walking distance connected with the airport. We had a gorgeous dinner before got sent off to bed. The next morning, we PCV-Ts with trainers were in two buses plus a few trucks for our luggage for ...
Cheng @ SouthAfrica
I am so grateful to have this honor to be the fourth time Peace Corps Volunteer to serve people in Mpamalunga, South Africa. Today, August 17, 2023, our one day, two-night staging in Philadelphia had just concluded and we all are ready to depart tomorrow from New York to Johannesburg, South Africa. We will have 3 months volunteer work training: half day every day to learn the new language, and the rest of half day every day to learn the work we will have to do in villages, plus village living skills, history, culture, current politic, etc. before the 24 months service in each of our own villages. I am so glad that we have 23 of us in this group. Again, I am the oldest in the group, even amongst the 9 retirees; as told. I will continue posting blog after arrived in Johannesburg, South Africa, onward to the training village, only when I have power and WiFi. I have to say this up front and again: this blog has created for my fourth time service as PCV, and it...