No words can describe this weekend. Unbelievable, surreal, mind-boggling come close. To inform you on what took place during this time is going to be tough but ill try. I'm here in Swaziland and I get the invitation to join up with Rob Hoskins in South Africa to go hunting. Hunting in Africa on its own is an image hard to imagine. Four weeks ago I'm sitting in class taking notes now I'm going to go hunting large game animals on a game lodge in South Africa. Everyone tries to imagine what something is going to be like, in my mind I'm picturing us going out on Saturday for a short hunting/gazing tour and the rest of the weekend just hanging out with Rob. I couldn’t have been more wrong. I arrived at the game lodge and it was hunter’s mentality from then on. Literally with in 30 min. upon arriving, bags still in the car, I find myself starring down the scope of a .303 rifle. We scoped in the rifles and we were off.
We jumped in the buggy and headed out to stalk a trophy kill. The routine was to drive and site animals, the guide and hunter jump out of the car and stalk these animals from the ground. There was no shooting off the buggy. No less than 30 to 45 min from scoping the rifles I find myself hopping out of the buggy, rifle in hand stalking blue wildebeast. First off I have never even seen wildebeast; now I'm tracking one to shoot, talk about anxiety. So the guide and I attempt to sneak up on the animal and get a clean shot. At first we startle them and they run off a ways. The guide takes off running after them. Rifle in hand I'm on his heals; heart beat ecstatic breathing became second rate. Adrenaline rate so high I wanted to black out from excitement. We had to circle around them because at that point we were upwind and they would be able to smell us. After about 1 kilometer were circled back up on them lining up the perfect shot. With the wildebeast’s silhouette in site I rested the rifle on my guides shoulder and lined up the shot about 75 yards out. Now imagine trying to thread a needle after running a mile with your life on the stake. That’s what it felt like trying to get the animals shoulder (African animals vitals are along the shoulder) into my cross-airs. And even though the guide has you rest the rifle on his shoulder to stabilize the gun it’s very tough to keep it still. I took a deep breath, let part off it out and let the wildebeest have it. At first I was very skeptical of the shot while the entire herd scattered. I was thinking to myself,” Man how did I miss that, its such a huge animal,” but remembering being told that the wildebeest is one of the toughest animals so I still had hope. The guide had me stay in the place where I shot for tracking purposes, but just as he got to the point where the animal was shot we heard the wildebeast stirring off to the left and he had me come to where it was. A wounded wildebeast is very dangerous and aggressive. I had shot it straight through the heart and the lungs, exactly what you want but it was still fighting to stay alive. So the guide had me shoot it again, dead on shot from 15 yards, still breathing. The guide shot it once again in the head still alive finally he had to put the gun to its head and put it out of its misery. So finally after four vital shots it died. At the age of 19 I had shot my first large game animal. Man was I pumped, walked at least 6 inches taller after that. I had been on the farm for no more than 2-3 hours and I already shot something. So the guide, Rob and I loaded the carcass on to the truck and headed to the slaughter house. At first I felt bad because Rob had invited me and I felt like all the time was spent on me because I figured we weren’t going to hunt much more, little did I know. From the time I got there till the night before we left we were in the Bush hunting. That night just before dinner we decided to run by the slaughter house to see my kill-bad idea. At first we just admired the wildebeast and saw where I shot it and everyone congratulated me then it was initiation. Being my first large animal kill the two guides decided to create a lasting memory and be initiated into the big game world. So without any warning my guide reached down with a few fingers and swiped blood from the wildebeast and wiped it on my face. The second guide seeing that it was not adequate dunk his hand in the blood and smeared it all on my face. The stench alone was stomach turning. But what’s got to be done needs to be done. Bloody face and all the day was full of fun highlights and excitement. Little did I know again the adventure had only begun. We started from 6 in the morning and didn’t come in till after 6 at night.
The nights were just as enjoyable as the day. Hunting tends to bring in some mishaps and some very interesting stories. Anywhere from having the perfect shot and shooting without a bullet loaded to a bloody eye from a scope to having the guide ask the clients if they had packed the bullets. Hunting just seems to pull in some interesting stories. We would sit around and talk about everyone’s day and all the interesting stuff that went on.
One animal down and Saturday rolls around. We set out at the crack of dawn bound to find Rob a zebra or a horned trophy kill. Long story short Rob shot at a zebra thought he missed and couldn’t find it, shot a giant gemsbuck (pronounced hemsbuck) in the heart and dropped it. We saw a herd of zebra right before lunch, and since Rob got his kill the guide and I went after it. We did a very good job at stalking it setting up a clean shot so I prepared myself. For some reason I was very nervous, even more nervous than the wildebeast. Just the thought of shooting a zebra and having that under my belt kept my shot very shaky. I aimed and yanked the trigger, which any hunter and I know you’re supposed to squeeze the trigger slowly to steady the shot. And although it was a semi-clear shot and a decently close shot I had missed. Hunting has the highest of the highs and the lowest of the lows. I was in the lows, man what a story that would have been to tell people that I had shot a zebra in Africa but I had jerked the trigger.
We stopped for lunch and headed back out, trying to find another zebra for Rob and I because we had both missed ours. And it seemed like the more we looked the less we saw. I don’t think we even saw another zebra that entire afternoon. We were making one last drive around the outskirts of the farm, and sure enough we saw a zebra laying there. We got out to take a look at it. It was still breathing and after looking closely at it we figured out that it was the one Rob had shot by the angle of the bullet wound. Our guide didn’t want to damage the skin of the zebra but needed to kill it so he took out his knife to stab it in the throat. Sorry about the gruesome details but the more details I write down the better I remember it. Just as the guide was bending down to kill it the zebra jumped up. There were five of us surrounding this zebra when it jumped up and we all booked it out of there. The guide grabbed the gun and took aim so we wouldn’t have to track it too far. Being close to the edge of the farm we were right along the fence. The zebra in its panic slammed against the fence, jumped up and turned back to where we were standing. In the pandemonium while everyone is trying to scatter the zebra turns and the guide is following it with the rifle. Just as the guide swung the gun around Chad a 6’5 250lb man was running right in the line of fire and dropped faster than a ton of sand to avoid being shot. When I say dropped I mean skidded on the rocks and bit it hard, but when you’re panicking you’ll do what it takes. There are some things you wish were video taped and that was one of them. Seeing the five of us fleeing and the sliding and the looks on our faces would have been priceless to go back and see. The guide later on said that he saw Chad the entire time but Chad didn’t know that so he was diving down for his life. The rest of the day was pretty quiet, didn’t see much. Chad did get a wildebeast that night too. I'm content I got my large game animal and had a ton of fun doing it, but in the back of my mind I was thinking man I could have taken a zebra. That night we did get to eat some of the wildebeast that I had shot that was really cool. Some of the best meat I had ever had, don’t know if it was just the fact that it was something that I had shot or the way it was cooked but it was mouth-watering. Monday comes around and that day all eyes were on my zebra and maybe a trophy wildebeast for Rob but he passed up a few so I could go after my zebra. (Thanks again Rob, I had such a blast) The hunting speculation of what you’re looking for you, you’re most likely not to see it was proving true. Long story short we drove around from 6 to 4 without getting a good enough shot to take.
By 4 Yohan, my new guide looked at me and asked me if I was fit, he had had enough driving around and wanted to head out on foot, I said yes seeing it was my only option and I would of done anything at that point to get that zebra back. When he asked if I was fit or not he was seriously asking because we stalked and we stalked for miles. If you have never gone hunting before the stalk walk is not the same as your normal walk. Knees bent, light footsteps and crouching is the general stance. Now try doing this for hours up and down hills, makes for a very aching person the next day. We walked for an hour without seeing much of anything, but we were stealthy the entire time, constantly on edge searching for the elusive zebra. Finally we come upon a small heard of 3 or 4 zebra. We were within range but the angle of the animal was all wrong. An ideal stance of the animal is a side view but in this instance the zebra was facing us making for a smaller target and after last mishap that’s the last thing I needed so I told the guide I couldn’t take the shot. Shortly after doing so the zebra were spooked. The hunting lows were hitting me once again. It was now five, it gets dark very close to 6 so that was my best chance if any. The next morning we leave, it’s about to be dark, and the zebra had been very scarce today so my odds were not looking good.
We decided to keep walking. As we get towards the top of the hill we spot a different herd of zebra up on the next hill. So as a last push we decided to go for it. The valley between the two hills was very steep and we had to almost climb down the side of the hill. The zebra stay about where we saw them and we can sneak up on them rather easily. We wait a minute or two and take aim. Thoughts flood my head from the missed shot to this is my last chance, when am I ever going to be aiming at a zebra with a rifle in South Africa, the pressure was on. I almost got mad thinking about missing. I grinded my teeth took a deep breath in let part out and squeezed the trigger. I had missed the entire herd takes off; not knowing where the shot came from began running in our direction nearly 25 yards from us. I reloaded the gun and took a shot with the zebra on the run. The entire herd continues running back down the steep hill and up the other side. Yohan looks at me and says two misses. My heart could not have sunk any lower, I was devastated. If the guide instantly says you missed all hope of maybe hitting the zebra went out the window. Either way we went to the place where the animal was first shot at to see if there just so happened to be any blood. And of course there wasn’t any. Yohan decides to follow their tracks anyways. I follow him dragging my feet into the ground, head down, embarrassed that I had missed three times now. I walk off and Yohan says to me “Scott, Scott,” and I'm thinking to myself all man here it comes he’s going to rag on me for missing. I turn around and he has his hand out I grabbed it confused and he looks me in the eyes, says to me congratulations and points at my zebra up on the opposite hill. The lowest of the lows hit the highest of the high faster than the bullet pierced the zebra’s vitals. I couldn’t believe it, going from weeks before in Accounting class to taking down a zebra was an extraordinarily surreal moment. Man did we work for that zebra though. I looked at my watch it was exactly 6. Later Yohan told me that we had hiked over 4 miles up and down those hills. Long story short by the time the truck came and picked us up it was very dark. It took 6 guys and a giant stretcher to carry this 500lb plus zebra up the rugged hill. I couldn’t decide what was harder, the hiking or the carrying of the zebra. It was incredibly heavy. But we finally got it in the buggy and headed back. All in all it was one of the most memorable experiences I have ever had. I'm indebted to Rob for inviting me. I'm going to do a shoulder mount for the wildebeast being my first big game kill and I'm going to get the skin of the zebra. It may take awhile but it will be well worth the wait. I mean not a lot of people my age can say that they were on a South African hunting trip and took down a wildebeast and a zebra.
Sorry it was so long just wanted to write it all down so I can always remember this. Now I'm just trying to come down from the hunting high and get back to helping out. I'm going to spend three weeks here at Hawane; Kevin says he’s got something for me to do. So at least I won’t have to be moving my stuff all around. Well hope you could get some insight into how my hunting expedition was and how much of a blast I had. I tired to take pictures but I was in the hunting mode the entire time but we did get a few.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Friday, September 28, 2007
9.27
Spent the week in Bulembu and its been a lot of fun.
I have been going to the Valley of Hope Community Center from 10:00 to 12:30 in the morning. Then working on the obstacle course in the afternoons.
Valley of hope is pretty much a daycare for kids from 2 to 6 years old.
I have been helping out with the 5-6 year old class. Just playing with the kids and helping keep the group of 15-20 kids in line. Not an easy task, one of the kids is crying every 5 min. But it’s been a lot of fun just getting to be around the kids.
The entire week has been really cold and rainy so today I spent most of the time cutting wood. That’s right good ole’ mountain man Scott was splitting wood with an axe. I'm sure it was quite a sight, but if this keeps up ill be a pro at it by the time I come home. Everyday they feed the kids different stuff and I normally leave at that time but today they had pork and this thing they call pops, not really sure what it is. Looked like mashed potatoes. I think it’s a root or something. Reminded me what we had in Ecuador, Manioc? I don’t know but for some reason they wanted me to try it and I heard pops takes like mashed potatoes so I was like what the heck I pork too so lets go for it.
BAD IDEA.. nasty, they gave me a bowl and I forced it down my throat. So gross. In Swaziland they have a utensil to eat with called the Swazi Spoon, which is your hand and they eat this stuff with there hands. To start that was gross enough for me. I've been playing with snoty kids all day that last thing I wanted to use was my hand but they weren’t about to give me a spoon. I cant describe the taste but it was just bad.
The kids love it and watching them eat is free entertainment. With no utensils the kids shovel the “mashed potatoes” with the hand and cram it into their mouths, hand and all. Quite a site to see 2 year old kids do this, I'm going to try and take my camera down there one day just got to find the right day.
In other news,
Rob Hoskins, from Book of Hope, is going to be in South Africa October 6. So I am flying to Johannesburg then and meeting up with him. Book of hope has a headquarters there. He also said there is a game reserve close by and at this one you can hunt. So I'm getting to go and hunt in Africa. Which should be freaking sweet. Can’t wait. Didn’t expect that or see it on the “brochure” for coming out here so that’s a great surprise.
Everything else has been going very smoothly.
Food wise hasn’t been too bad. This past week I've had two tuna sandwiches for lunch everyday. Dinner I had tomato soup and grilled cheese twice and the other two nights we ate at another person’s house.
Tuesday night we have started a cell group with some of the younger people around town, to just share and eat together.
Wednesday Jonathan and I went to another intern’s house and they cooked us some nachos and we watched a movie. No one has a TV so we had to watch it around a laptop.
So that was a good break.
So all is well, been enjoying myself. A lot better week than last week just excited to shoot some crazy stuff in Africa now.
I’ll try and take a lot of pictures.
I will write after the whole hunting expeditions and let you know all about it.
I have been going to the Valley of Hope Community Center from 10:00 to 12:30 in the morning. Then working on the obstacle course in the afternoons.
Valley of hope is pretty much a daycare for kids from 2 to 6 years old.
I have been helping out with the 5-6 year old class. Just playing with the kids and helping keep the group of 15-20 kids in line. Not an easy task, one of the kids is crying every 5 min. But it’s been a lot of fun just getting to be around the kids.
The entire week has been really cold and rainy so today I spent most of the time cutting wood. That’s right good ole’ mountain man Scott was splitting wood with an axe. I'm sure it was quite a sight, but if this keeps up ill be a pro at it by the time I come home. Everyday they feed the kids different stuff and I normally leave at that time but today they had pork and this thing they call pops, not really sure what it is. Looked like mashed potatoes. I think it’s a root or something. Reminded me what we had in Ecuador, Manioc? I don’t know but for some reason they wanted me to try it and I heard pops takes like mashed potatoes so I was like what the heck I pork too so lets go for it.
BAD IDEA.. nasty, they gave me a bowl and I forced it down my throat. So gross. In Swaziland they have a utensil to eat with called the Swazi Spoon, which is your hand and they eat this stuff with there hands. To start that was gross enough for me. I've been playing with snoty kids all day that last thing I wanted to use was my hand but they weren’t about to give me a spoon. I cant describe the taste but it was just bad.
The kids love it and watching them eat is free entertainment. With no utensils the kids shovel the “mashed potatoes” with the hand and cram it into their mouths, hand and all. Quite a site to see 2 year old kids do this, I'm going to try and take my camera down there one day just got to find the right day.
In other news,
Rob Hoskins, from Book of Hope, is going to be in South Africa October 6. So I am flying to Johannesburg then and meeting up with him. Book of hope has a headquarters there. He also said there is a game reserve close by and at this one you can hunt. So I'm getting to go and hunt in Africa. Which should be freaking sweet. Can’t wait. Didn’t expect that or see it on the “brochure” for coming out here so that’s a great surprise.
Everything else has been going very smoothly.
Food wise hasn’t been too bad. This past week I've had two tuna sandwiches for lunch everyday. Dinner I had tomato soup and grilled cheese twice and the other two nights we ate at another person’s house.
Tuesday night we have started a cell group with some of the younger people around town, to just share and eat together.
Wednesday Jonathan and I went to another intern’s house and they cooked us some nachos and we watched a movie. No one has a TV so we had to watch it around a laptop.
So that was a good break.
So all is well, been enjoying myself. A lot better week than last week just excited to shoot some crazy stuff in Africa now.
I’ll try and take a lot of pictures.
I will write after the whole hunting expeditions and let you know all about it.
Sunday, September 23, 2007
9.22
It’s been a while since I've updated, have been staying busy doing all sorts of stuff.
Went to a game reserve or safari which ever you prefer. That was a lot of fun. Not as exciting as an African safari sounds but it was still amazing seeing everything up close without a huge fence between. I didn’t get to see any cats though so that was kind of disappointing.
I went and stayed in Bulembu for the week. They have fixed up two houses in the back part of town and are setting up a camp for the kids from Bulembu and Hawane. Right now Jonathan and I are working on designing an obstacle course. We have picked out two of the abandoned houses that are in pretty bad shape, and turning them into obstacle courses. So they will be crawling and climbing all throughout the house, in and out windows, up over walls, and all sorts of cool things like that. We went through and laid out the plan and now were having to put it on paper to explain it to other people so they can help build it. I'm working on laying out the blue prints. I've never drawn up blue prints for something before so this is all new for me but I'm having to draw them up and describe how to build the platforms and footholds that need to be put where, not as easy as it sounds. It started out just going to be these two houses as the obstacle course but now it needs to be bigger. Kevin wants an adult leadership obstacle course, a high ropes course, paintball course and several other ideas that will reach out to all of Swaziland, because there is nothing like this in the whole country. So Jonathan and I have our work cut out for us. Not very easy trying to draw up blueprints, budget and create work phases for all this, but it will be good and challenging. We are also working on arranging a bicycle course for the boys to race each other on. Trying to pick a good place to do it, clear out all the brush, and come up with the best way to mark it off or put dirt down or something.
Now I am back at Hawane for the weekend then going back to Bulembu for the week, which I will be staying at the volunteer house this week instead of the Lodge. Let’s just say it could use some work, but ill take some pics so you can get the real feel of it.
Today, Saturday, I went to a glass factory. Also every week the boys from the farm play a soccer game against another team which it looks like its just men from around the town. But I got to jump in today and play with them. Walked up with my sandals just going to watch and they handed me a jersey and I jumped in, noting that I flipped off my sandals and played barefoot on a field that was more like they just cleared some of the big bushes and called it a field which was an experience in itself. But it was a ton of fun. I think I'm going to play next week too but I'm definitely going to find some cleats before then, looking forward to that.
But other than that it’s been kind of slow and I'm feeling a bit homesick. Really wish I was in my own bed and hanging out with the friends right now. Not at the same time but you know what I mean.
Jonathan leaves in October sometime and he’s the only other guy intern here so I'm not really sure who I will be hanging out with or what ill be doing so we’ll just have to see I guess.
The thought of me being here 3 months is really set in. Not just some short trip and then getting to come home. It’s going to be awhile.
But that’s that,
Miss everyone even though it’s only been a few weeks but the thought of 3 months is setting in.
Scott
Went to a game reserve or safari which ever you prefer. That was a lot of fun. Not as exciting as an African safari sounds but it was still amazing seeing everything up close without a huge fence between. I didn’t get to see any cats though so that was kind of disappointing.
I went and stayed in Bulembu for the week. They have fixed up two houses in the back part of town and are setting up a camp for the kids from Bulembu and Hawane. Right now Jonathan and I are working on designing an obstacle course. We have picked out two of the abandoned houses that are in pretty bad shape, and turning them into obstacle courses. So they will be crawling and climbing all throughout the house, in and out windows, up over walls, and all sorts of cool things like that. We went through and laid out the plan and now were having to put it on paper to explain it to other people so they can help build it. I'm working on laying out the blue prints. I've never drawn up blue prints for something before so this is all new for me but I'm having to draw them up and describe how to build the platforms and footholds that need to be put where, not as easy as it sounds. It started out just going to be these two houses as the obstacle course but now it needs to be bigger. Kevin wants an adult leadership obstacle course, a high ropes course, paintball course and several other ideas that will reach out to all of Swaziland, because there is nothing like this in the whole country. So Jonathan and I have our work cut out for us. Not very easy trying to draw up blueprints, budget and create work phases for all this, but it will be good and challenging. We are also working on arranging a bicycle course for the boys to race each other on. Trying to pick a good place to do it, clear out all the brush, and come up with the best way to mark it off or put dirt down or something.
Now I am back at Hawane for the weekend then going back to Bulembu for the week, which I will be staying at the volunteer house this week instead of the Lodge. Let’s just say it could use some work, but ill take some pics so you can get the real feel of it.
Today, Saturday, I went to a glass factory. Also every week the boys from the farm play a soccer game against another team which it looks like its just men from around the town. But I got to jump in today and play with them. Walked up with my sandals just going to watch and they handed me a jersey and I jumped in, noting that I flipped off my sandals and played barefoot on a field that was more like they just cleared some of the big bushes and called it a field which was an experience in itself. But it was a ton of fun. I think I'm going to play next week too but I'm definitely going to find some cleats before then, looking forward to that.
But other than that it’s been kind of slow and I'm feeling a bit homesick. Really wish I was in my own bed and hanging out with the friends right now. Not at the same time but you know what I mean.
Jonathan leaves in October sometime and he’s the only other guy intern here so I'm not really sure who I will be hanging out with or what ill be doing so we’ll just have to see I guess.
The thought of me being here 3 months is really set in. Not just some short trip and then getting to come home. It’s going to be awhile.
But that’s that,
Miss everyone even though it’s only been a few weeks but the thought of 3 months is setting in.
Scott
Thursday, September 13, 2007
9.14
ok so i changed the settings on here so everyone can comment.
sorry about that, didn't know it was like that.
And i fianlly got pictures up... http://www.flickr.com/photos/scottrussellgreen/
I'm in Bulembu today.
Its an old abandoned mine town that the ministries here are converting into a safe haven for those who need jobs and housing. Its quite the scene with over 1,000 abandoned homes and over 1,000 sq. miles or so. All just left behind when the miners left.
Kevin comes up here about twice a week, its about an hour from Hawane, which is where the children's farm is.
I think i will be coming up here to listen to the counselor that was at Hawane since i missed here while journeying around Swaziland with the kids..
There is wireless here so i will be able to get on more (that's the idea but stuff just seems to change).
write soon...
sorry about that, didn't know it was like that.
And i fianlly got pictures up... http://www.flickr.com/photos/scottrussellgreen/
I'm in Bulembu today.
Its an old abandoned mine town that the ministries here are converting into a safe haven for those who need jobs and housing. Its quite the scene with over 1,000 abandoned homes and over 1,000 sq. miles or so. All just left behind when the miners left.
Kevin comes up here about twice a week, its about an hour from Hawane, which is where the children's farm is.
I think i will be coming up here to listen to the counselor that was at Hawane since i missed here while journeying around Swaziland with the kids..
There is wireless here so i will be able to get on more (that's the idea but stuff just seems to change).
write soon...
9.10, 9.11, 9.12
All is well, still trying to adjust. I wake up at about 3 every morning and then fall back asleep about 45 min later.
There are 6 homes here for the orphans. There are about 4 to 6 kids in each home. Each home has its own parents or mom that is in charge of their own children.
This week a counselor from the states will be coming in and leading a class that will help the moms help suit them to raising kids with traumatic backgrounds. Just about all of the kids come from some sort or other distressing experiences.
So while the moms are busy in this class from 2 to 5, another intern and I have been watching the kids. Monday we took the kids mountain biking. About 15 of the kids went, since most of the kids are gone due to the holidays.
Most of the kids that went had your standard pink bike with white tires, 1 speed and had to pedal backwards for the brakes. Even some of the boys were stuck with these bikes. But not a peep of complaint came from anyone. All aside theses kids were going over terrain that my borrowed mountain bike could barely handle. Long story short we left at 2:30 and were back at about 5, so however far that would take us is how far we went. We stopped once but besides that it was a terrible uphill climb all the way to the top of a mammoth hill. The kids ranged from barely able to ride to 13 yrs old so getting them all to stay together was an obstacle in itself, that and the fact that I’m not the strongest mountain biker but all went well.
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Tuesday the kids wanted to ride bikes again so soar bum aside we road our bikes down to a near by damn and the kids swam and played in the mud. A younger boy named Emanuel went with us this time. When I say younger I mean that I had to help him on his bike and push him to get started. Now stick this boy traveling up and down grass paths about a foot wide, along with rocks and very muddy terrain. But again all aside it was an enjoyment to see him trying to do it and to see how excited he was that he just got to go..
I have taken some photos but flickr is being really slow in uploading so I gave up but I figured out I needed to change the size of my photos and ill get them uploaded soon.
Moved into my room that I will be staying in the majority of the time, Ill have to take pics to describe. Not too bad just kinda small but ill manage.
Its only 8:30 and I’m thinking about going to bed but getting up early and playing with kids will get me to do that. Ill have time to right a lot its just going to be hard to put it on the internet but ill do my best..
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The kids are brutal with their mountain biking fetish. The one time of the year were there are enough bikes for the children still on the farm, is the time I come. Any chance they get now they want to. And not for little short rides, long drug out excursions. We went to the damn again today and rode our bikes down to the bottom of the waterfall. The ride down wasn’t too bad but the climb back up the 45 degree incline was torcher. It was so steep I literally had to carry my bike up the 500yard mount. After doing so I had to walk about halfway back down and carry two more bike for some of the girls who had a hard enough time just walking up it. So all in all it was a good time. Don’t think I will be able to walk tomorrow but we’ll just see I guess. I did try and talk them out of not going tomorrow but this is there one shot and there is no convincing them. So well just have to see how tomorrow goes.
There are 6 homes here for the orphans. There are about 4 to 6 kids in each home. Each home has its own parents or mom that is in charge of their own children.
This week a counselor from the states will be coming in and leading a class that will help the moms help suit them to raising kids with traumatic backgrounds. Just about all of the kids come from some sort or other distressing experiences.
So while the moms are busy in this class from 2 to 5, another intern and I have been watching the kids. Monday we took the kids mountain biking. About 15 of the kids went, since most of the kids are gone due to the holidays.
Most of the kids that went had your standard pink bike with white tires, 1 speed and had to pedal backwards for the brakes. Even some of the boys were stuck with these bikes. But not a peep of complaint came from anyone. All aside theses kids were going over terrain that my borrowed mountain bike could barely handle. Long story short we left at 2:30 and were back at about 5, so however far that would take us is how far we went. We stopped once but besides that it was a terrible uphill climb all the way to the top of a mammoth hill. The kids ranged from barely able to ride to 13 yrs old so getting them all to stay together was an obstacle in itself, that and the fact that I’m not the strongest mountain biker but all went well.
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Tuesday the kids wanted to ride bikes again so soar bum aside we road our bikes down to a near by damn and the kids swam and played in the mud. A younger boy named Emanuel went with us this time. When I say younger I mean that I had to help him on his bike and push him to get started. Now stick this boy traveling up and down grass paths about a foot wide, along with rocks and very muddy terrain. But again all aside it was an enjoyment to see him trying to do it and to see how excited he was that he just got to go..
I have taken some photos but flickr is being really slow in uploading so I gave up but I figured out I needed to change the size of my photos and ill get them uploaded soon.
Moved into my room that I will be staying in the majority of the time, Ill have to take pics to describe. Not too bad just kinda small but ill manage.
Its only 8:30 and I’m thinking about going to bed but getting up early and playing with kids will get me to do that. Ill have time to right a lot its just going to be hard to put it on the internet but ill do my best..
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The kids are brutal with their mountain biking fetish. The one time of the year were there are enough bikes for the children still on the farm, is the time I come. Any chance they get now they want to. And not for little short rides, long drug out excursions. We went to the damn again today and rode our bikes down to the bottom of the waterfall. The ride down wasn’t too bad but the climb back up the 45 degree incline was torcher. It was so steep I literally had to carry my bike up the 500yard mount. After doing so I had to walk about halfway back down and carry two more bike for some of the girls who had a hard enough time just walking up it. So all in all it was a good time. Don’t think I will be able to walk tomorrow but we’ll just see I guess. I did try and talk them out of not going tomorrow but this is there one shot and there is no convincing them. So well just have to see how tomorrow goes.
Sunday, September 9, 2007
9.8
First full day…
Woke up about 8 which here is considered sleeping in, so that was tough cuz everyone knows I love my sleep. So right off the bat I have to adjust. I do have bad jet lag so yesterday and today I have slept from noon to 5. I am staying with a family for my first few nights. Kevin and Helen Ward, they have two children, a daughter who is 13 and away at school, and there son Joshua who is 11. Their family lives on the “farm” which is an orphanage homestead about 30 min from the city. There are about 40 kids that live here. Surprisingly they have electricity and internet, which I didn’t even know what to expect. I am not sure about the room I will be moving into after these few days but hopefully its not too bad. For the most part I have just been hanging out with Joshua and meeting a few people. Right now in Swaziland they are having two holidays. Swaziland is a total Monarch and these two holidays are in honor of the king. So with the holidays everything is quiet around the farm. Everyone here speaks English, they do have a little different pronunciation which is sometimes hard to follow. I have learned that crap is considered a curse word so I will have to watch what I say. Tomorrow is church so I will probably be meeting a lot more people and will meet most of the kids too. Well ill try and write soon. These may be delayed a few days but I will try and write most days but wont be able to put them online that often.
Woke up about 8 which here is considered sleeping in, so that was tough cuz everyone knows I love my sleep. So right off the bat I have to adjust. I do have bad jet lag so yesterday and today I have slept from noon to 5. I am staying with a family for my first few nights. Kevin and Helen Ward, they have two children, a daughter who is 13 and away at school, and there son Joshua who is 11. Their family lives on the “farm” which is an orphanage homestead about 30 min from the city. There are about 40 kids that live here. Surprisingly they have electricity and internet, which I didn’t even know what to expect. I am not sure about the room I will be moving into after these few days but hopefully its not too bad. For the most part I have just been hanging out with Joshua and meeting a few people. Right now in Swaziland they are having two holidays. Swaziland is a total Monarch and these two holidays are in honor of the king. So with the holidays everything is quiet around the farm. Everyone here speaks English, they do have a little different pronunciation which is sometimes hard to follow. I have learned that crap is considered a curse word so I will have to watch what I say. Tomorrow is church so I will probably be meeting a lot more people and will meet most of the kids too. Well ill try and write soon. These may be delayed a few days but I will try and write most days but wont be able to put them online that often.
Thursday, September 6, 2007
flight from washington dc was 15 hours long. (15 hours on an airplane= hell for restless people)
for some odd reason the air crew had to spray the entire cabin by hand with some sort of cheap air freshener. everyone in the cabin had their faces coved, as did I but it still felt like they had jammed a whole can down my throat and sprayed. awful.
on top of all that i probably slept a total of 3 hours..
well i finally landed and after asking a clerk there, was told that i needed to wait for my bags and transer them into customs.
well after waiting about 15 minutes i find out i dont need to be waiting at all and my bags are already transfered for me. well i go up the stais to the main counters and some guys in orange jumpsuits try and tell you where to go. well he had no clue where i needed to go so he leads me to the front counter but i already had everything i just needed to get to the gate.
well i finally got through security and so i ran to my gate onyl to find out that i had missed my flight.
so now i am stayin at a nearby hotel which was way over priced but its whatever.
now i have to wake up at 4am so im going to bed....
for some odd reason the air crew had to spray the entire cabin by hand with some sort of cheap air freshener. everyone in the cabin had their faces coved, as did I but it still felt like they had jammed a whole can down my throat and sprayed. awful.
on top of all that i probably slept a total of 3 hours..
well i finally landed and after asking a clerk there, was told that i needed to wait for my bags and transer them into customs.
well after waiting about 15 minutes i find out i dont need to be waiting at all and my bags are already transfered for me. well i go up the stais to the main counters and some guys in orange jumpsuits try and tell you where to go. well he had no clue where i needed to go so he leads me to the front counter but i already had everything i just needed to get to the gate.
well i finally got through security and so i ran to my gate onyl to find out that i had missed my flight.
so now i am stayin at a nearby hotel which was way over priced but its whatever.
now i have to wake up at 4am so im going to bed....
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