How does your gender affect your life?

So I recently started a project in my English class on how to document our lives through an autobiography. Here are some of the answers that I loved that came from my Grade 5 girls on how does your gender affect your life?

"Sometime boy are DOM."

"Because I grow up and I learn everythings."

"By completeing my studies so that I can have a bright future."

"Everything was hectic and different. My body have been developed and been challenged in life."

"When boys are playing I must do laundry."

All of these things are all so true and the way some of them stated this was right on point to how real like is here in rural South Africa as a 10-year old girl.

More later! When I sat down with some of these kids and allowed them to be in a safe place and to let the stories roll out, they did just that. It felt like group therapy - this could be a new calling!

Primer día SIN agua

Hoy llevo a casi 38 en el calor del desierto de la Kahalari y no hay agua. He pasado todo el día sudando en mi ligero vestido del verano, yendo a aula caliente a aula caliente de la escuela, sonriendo por las estudiantes y ayudando a los maestros. El calor aquí es seco y fuerte; la fuerza yendo del sol africano.

Esta mañana me levanto y me lavo la cara con el aguacito que tenía en mi balde (o es cubo - no se?) pequeño. Calenté mas agua para mi tácito de café y corrí afuera hasta la escuela. Podía sentir todavía el calor de este día, engullí mi cantimplora completamente mientras el sudor se corrió de bajo la cara mía. Pensé nada de la desgana de mi familia aquí cuando me levanto a saber que no había agua…pero cuando regrese a casa de pie agostada de los rayos del sol y confronte otra vez la falta de preocupación que aquí estamos en el verano con una temperatura de 30+ grados y no había agua para beber? Bueno – supongo soy una Americana, y tenemos nuestros valores en el agua. Estamos bebiendo agua día y noche, es como somos. Así somos siempre con la botella de agua a nuestros lados.

Entonces, esta tarde no fui a correr. Que lastima, porque no hay agua. No hay agua para bañarme después de la corrida. Pues fui a la casa de mis amigas pequeñas (tienen 10 años) para ayudarles con su tarea de ciencias con el calor todavía irradiando en mis hombros quemados. Regrese a la casa para cenar y ver mi telenovela preferida, Generations. Después de esto fui a visitar al grifo, no agua. Como mis labios le echaron de menos el sentido húmedo del agua fría.

Tengo de todo, electricidad, comida, mis cosas, pero no tengo algo para beber. Es increíble para pensar a la fuerza que el agua tiene en nuestras vidas, es irremplazable. Pensé hoy en la foto que alguien me ensene de 3 chicas sentado en el desierto, arriba de un montón pequeño de escombros y arena. ¿Allá tienen agua? No sé, pero las caras se aparecieron fuertes y capaces. Las caras de mi familia, una madrea y 2 chicas.

Yo se tenemos nuestro propios retos, esto es, pero yo sé que al fin de hoy, en todo que tuve and no tuve, aprendí el valor del agua. Además, tengo la fuerza de mi familia y estaré perfecto y aguantando todo que la naturaleza hace nacido.

Sewawa (Setswana), Frog (English), Rana (Español)

This is what I occasionally look for as I walk down the road...frog pancakes!

Es facil a decir que tengo una afinidad a las sciencias, y esta rana es que vi durante mi camino a la escuela...panqueque de rana!

1st prize = COW! / 1o premio= VACA!!

Just entered my 1st raffle where I could win the following prizes: 1st - cow, 2nd - sheep, 3rd - goat :) haha

Ok Papa Severo...prepare la finca de Ayacucho por un premio de vaca, obeja, o macho cabrío!! Jaja...vamos a ver si ganes este contesto :)

Somewhere over the rainbow...

Today is October the 16th. My birthday just passed and without a doubt I thought of Chelsea. She and I had always shared a birthday week for so many years. I don't know if it's because I've been spending so much alone time, thus allowing me to reflect more, or because I'm in this beautiful semi-arid environment of Southern Africa. Chel loved nature and watching the world of science live ALIVE around her.

I see so much of her in our friends and myself. We shared such a love for understanding science and health. If anyone has even accompanied me to the gym you know that I don't leave till I've hit a good drenched sweat, Chel was just the same. I remember her even mentioning to me in the Y one time that she loved to shower before she came to the gym since she loved how her hair felt after a workout. She made me smile.

I just finished this book called, Origins: How the nine months before birth shape the rest of our lives by Annie Murphy Paul, sooooo interesting, and such a Chel-book. To add to the fire, I've found myself entrenched these last few days in a South African HIV/AIDS Care & Counseling book, casting aside for the moment my copy of Great Expectations - once again so Chel.

I walk along this dirt to get to the elementary school I've been assigned to and often find myself looking down to the ground for this swashed dead frogs. I know that's gross, but it's actually really interesting once the body has dried flat like a pancake and as you walk by it's like looking down as a body line from a homicide crime scene. That's just really comical to me. I thought of Chel there too.
Then it was today as I was unloaded at the "Tribal Office Sign" with my Sunday groceries from the Kombi (or taxi) which I had caught from town, I began to really think about Chelsea now given the time to walk home alone back to where my house sits off the main road. On the way I began to wonder how Chelsea would have enjoyed an experience like this and how much I wished she was here to share her company with me. It made me sad. As I turned the corner for the final stretch home, unexpectedly “Somewhere Over the Rainbow…” hauntingly streamed out someone’s window and then the tears simultaneously began to stream out my eyes. Her spirit felt so present as the hot afternoon breeze brushed by me and the music played on.

I think day by day, week by week, year by year, we are all fulfilling some dream of Chelsea’s. Growing up together we all influenced on one another and shared so much of each other even though we may not have realized it, thus in essence we are little pieces of Chel’s humor, charisma, boldness, and strength. Wherever she may be, the next time I see a rainbow here, I will look out at it and I will for certain be thinking of Chelsea.

To Karen and Ruben: much love from Africa, I’ll be thinking of you both. Next time I make it back home, I’ll be sure to catch up with you.

Probably the sweetest birth card I have ever received

My little sister, Nazla, produced this video birthday card that documents not only the first time we met back in February of this year, but heart felt messages from all my other sisters, Miriam and Pamela (Patti is missing but there in image and video), both my birth parents, Severo and Isabel, and all my nephews, Nicol, Jeins, Ellin, and Yostin. Nazla compiled pictures from my first few months here in South Africa and video even of my travels to Peru this past May as well. I saw for the first time, video of me travel to the small town from which my father Severo came from. It was spectacular all the messages of love and hearing the sentiment in there voice, this being the first time they were able to wish me ¡Feliz Cumpleaños! or Happy Birthday!

It brought a tear to my eye to see ALL my family in there (even mama Alison and papa Robert and the Big Herm). At the school I got hugs from all the teachers and the learns all sang to me. It was fabulous to hear from everyone starting from the early morning of my birthday till the next day even, whether it was via Gchat, text, BBM, Skype, GVideo chat, email, Facebook, phone calls, you name it...my phone was buzzing and ringing non stop for 24 hours. It great to see how much you are missed by the ones that love you and even if I am miles and miles and MILES away I really am just one click of a button away from hearing from you all :)

Mucho amor y abrazos fuertes!

Lo haces en la escuela en tu cumple cuando estas aburrrrrida :)

La negrita Fifi debajo el sol africano...mira chicos como tu tia Suzanna se puede dibujar tambien :)