Fundraising Update

Hi all!

Thanks a MILLION to all who donated to KLM for me!!! We passed my goal of $250 and raised just under $400! As a group we raised about $19,000 for KLM, passing the amount we raised last year.... all thanks to you guys!

The marathon is on Saturday, then our trip starts from there. It will be an epic adventure, so hopefully I'm not completely dead from running! Thanks again to all who supported me this year!

Well I have one really good excuse for having not given a good update on life over here… and it is sadly that the computer I have been using has also kicked it. I have built up quite the comprehensive list of electronics that have either been lost, stolen, or broken in my time here: my Macbook laptop (broken power button), camera (only half-working), internet phone (stolen), IPOD (likely stolen in my first month in SA), cheap phone (broken), USB stick modem (currently being repaired, but useless without my comp), external hard drive (broken) and a borrowed laptop (broken). Yesterday my stove/oven also broke. It is not a stretch to say that I just may have some sort of curse that zaps everything I touch. Another PCV has graciously lent me a cell phone that gets online, so at least I can now send and receive emails (though don’t expect me to write long responses… my thumbs are not that strong yet!)

Life without all this has actually not been so bad. The second the laptop I have been borrowing broke, I figured I was just not meant to have a laptop for the rest of my service. And I’m really fine with this, although I had built up a pretty good collection of movies and shows on my hard drive. Looks like I’ll just have to wait until I come home to catch up on the Office! I did have to buy a little cd player/radio, as I was not quite sure what to do with myself without at least a little bit of background music in the evenings. So for the last month I have been reading books, hanging with the host family, and playing with kids like it’s my job! All awesome things. On that note, anyone who has a desire to send a package with a couple burned CDs and a good book… this will be entirely welcomed from my end :)

School has been going well and there is not too much to report on that front. My reading classes were a bit chaotic the first few weeks, but now that the students have a better understanding of what we are doing, our awesome rewards system for writing book summaries, and how to properly treat a book, they are running much more smoothly. It also took the first month or so to establish myself as an actual TEACHER to the kids, since the month and a half I was here last year I wasn’t really teaching. The 4th graders had a hard time adjusting to the fact that me coming into the class does NOT mean they can just run around and scream for an hour, but they are coming along nicely… on the discipline front, at least. Thankfully teaching has been very rewarding this year, and I have loved getting to know all my new students!! Other than that I have been busy doing some computer lessons with our secretary and teachers, helping plan and deliver lessons in various other classes, and working on getting more books donated to the school. Last month we were busy with the S.A. national exams in math and literacy, which we gave to Grades 2-6. These were pretty much a disaster, as the majority of every class failed every subject (that is, scoring a Level 1 out of 7). This is not surprising, as the curriculum here is quite lofty and kids here have about 0 test-taking skills. I really don’t believe that these grades reflect the learners’ competencies in each subject, but rather due to the fact that their reading comprehension is really poor and they do not have enough experience in taking standardized tests.

In a couple of weeks I get to go on an epic vacation! My friend Tyler is coming to visit, and so far our agenda will be as follows: Longtom marathon, hike Sani Pass in Lesotho and end at the highest pub in Africa for some well-deserved beers, travel down the Garden Route to Cape Town (one of the stops includes the HIGHEST commercial bungee jump in the world… ah!!!), and 5 or so days in Cape Town… which will be my first time going there so I plan to hit the major stops including a visit to Robben Island, looking for penguins, checking out a vineyard and drinking delicious wine, and everything else CT has to offer. From there we are heading back to my village to give him a taste of what I’ve REALLY been doing in S.A. Can’t wait!!!

Also, Happy 50th Anniversary to Peace Corps!!! 2011 marks 50 years since JFK and Sargent Shriver (RIP) created the organization. Before we head out to Longtom, the Peace Corps and Department of Education is throwing us a 50th anniversary party in Kuruman, where each PCV will come with their principals and host family. Should be a grand ‘ole time. Oh, and happy birthday to me since I turned 24 last month!!! I feel old….

Fundraising Update

Thanks SO much to all who have donated to KLM: Jed, Erich & Kristan, Lauren, Eric, the Castlemans, Dad, and Mom & Paul!!!! I am so close to reaching my goal – we are currently at $220. That is only $30 short of my original goal of $250!

The half-marathon is just 2 weeks away, and I have been getting in a few practice runs every week. I will probably still die, but at least it will be for a good cause. Some of you have still mentioned you may donate, and there is still time to do so… let’s get that last $30 in!

Thanks again for all your support, it means the world to me over on this side of the planet!

Running for a cause... again!!! Need your help!

Yes, it is that time again... where I KILL myself running a half marathon to raise money for the KLM foundation, an awesome organization!!!!!!! I am by no means a runner, but I was able to run it last year and fully intend on repeating that this year. Thanks a BUNCH to everyone who helped me fundraise last year... I raised more than the required $100 to participate, and as a group we raised more than enough to send a deserving learner to Uplands College, one of the best high schools in South Africa.

I am sure by now, if you are reading this blog, you know what sort of state the public education system is in here in South Africa. Even those students who have serious ambitions and potential often get left behind. The Kgwale Le Mollo Foundation seeks out these students and gives them a five year scholarship to attend one of the best high schools/university preparatory schools in South Africa.

This past year a group of PCVs were able to visit Uplands College (it is called a college, but serves grades 8-12). It is hands-down the best school they had ever seen. Along with a tour of the grounds, they also got to meet the students who are supported by the KLM Foundation.
When asked about their achievements since coming to Uplands College, the KLM learners stated: academics- mathematics and language specifically; sports- netball, rugby, swimming, and football; honors for service; spiritual guidance; community service projects; overcoming personal issues; chess; music- guitar; and being a better person all around.

Uplands College and KLM also give the learners an open door to a brighter future. The KLM learners have great aspirations. The learners aspire to study and become professionals in: marketing, law, animation, graphic design, accounting, medicine, architecture, and social work.
So, how can you help? Each participant is asked to raise at least $100. The money raised each year traditionally pays for 2/3 of the cost of one student. This year we are trying to raise enough to fully support the student. This being my last fundraising project in SA, I would like to beat our amoutn from last year and raise $250! Any amount donated helps.

You can donate two different ways:
Method 1: Online
Go to the KLM foundation website http://www.klm-foundation.org
Click on the Donate photo in the upper left corner.
This opens up a secure https connection for you to donate.
Make sure you put Kristin Mayer in the Longtom Marathon field.

Method 2: Check
Make out a check to: Kgwale Le Mollo (US)
Add a post it declaring which PCV you are sponsoring
Mail it to:
KLM Foundation (US)c/o Bowen Hsu461 So. Bonita AvenuePasadena, CA 91107

I'll give you updates as more money is recieved to let you know how we're doing. Please help donate to this amazing cause... and if you need an extra excuse... my birthday is February 25!!! So it's a win-win... help kids in South Africa have a brighter future AND give me a birthday present from across the world :)

Welcome, SA23!

Today marks the arrival of a fresh new group of Peace Corps Trainees in South Africa, the third to come since our group (SA20) arrived in July 09. They will be scattered in various provinces throughout the country doing HIV/AIDS Outreachwork with local NGOs until 2013.

I am always amazed at the different lives people walk away from to join Peace Corps. Groups range from single, recent graduates, married couples of all ages, people in the middle of their career or in the process of changing their career, to retired people in their 70s looking for something meaningful to do. Pretty cool to see people from all walks of life come together while being thrown into this new, crazy environment!

Apparently SA23 has a couple of interesting members too! Sean Smith, the former LA bureau chief of Entertainment Weekly, just wrote an article about leaving his job mid-career to join the Peace Corps and come to SA. Not all of us can say our inspiration to join Peace Corps came from some wise words from Angelina Jolie herself....

Anyways you all should read the article! Gives some nice insight into the process (for some) of leaving their jobs for Peace Corps service...

Camp GLOW - Girls Leading Our World

After many months of planning, applying for grants, choosing "campers", and preparing, Camp GLOW finally took place December 11 - 16. In attendance were 41 girls , all aged 12 - 15 years old, 5 camp counselors who were 17-21, 5 Setswana-speaking facilitators, 4 cooks, and 4 PCVs from the Kuruman area. We each selected counterparts to work with us, girls to attend the camp, and helped design the curriculum and map out the schedule for the camp to come together. It was quite the process seeing this project out from start to finish, but well worth it and was by far the most fun and successful project I've done here in SA!

Girls of this age are faced with a number of challenges in rural South African society. Women are especially vulnerable to becoming infected with HIV. While some of the risk factors for women are biological, there are many cultural factors at hand that can explain why women typically have a higher risk of becoming infected, including cultural taboos regarding sex, gender roles that prevent women from being assertive to men, and the lack of female-controlled prevention methods. Extreme poverty is also a huge factor, as it encourages the exchange of sex for money, food, and sometimes even shelter. I think all of us were shocked at how prevalent having a "sugar daddy" is here in order to find financial support.

This being the focus of the camp, we put together a life-skills curriculum aimed at teenage girls coming of age in rural South African society. We discussed issues such as gender roles in the village setting, how to overcome challenges as a young female, different methods in practicing assertiveness, goal-setting and planning for your future, myths and facts about HIV/AIDS in South Africa (re: having sex with a virgin does NOT cure you of AIDS), the basics of HIV transmission, and methods of prevention. The counselors and counterparts were a huge help in these sessions to break down a lot fo the discussion in Setswana. I was very proud seeing my fellow educators get so into this, as it is really something that is not talked about in the villages!

While this was the bulk of the activities we did, we also had a lot of fun! We did three arts and crafts activities (friendship bracelets, t-shirts, and making banners), played games outside, had the girls do skits, as well as a final talent show on the last night, followed by the loudest and longest singing & dancing session that I've ever seen! I was lucky enough to meet the owners of a farm in the area (Middelpos Guest Farm), which was the PERFECT place for a camp like this, During the free time blocks that we made room for, the girls got to go swimming in one of their 3 pools, jump on trampolines, play soccer on the sports field, and just relax in the entertainment room. One of the greatest parts about the camp was watching the girls go from not knowing anyone to making fast friends with the group!

Here are some pictures from the week:












Session on gender roles















Talking about decision making













Canoeing










Dance party










Bracelet making











Icebreaker games










Me and my girls :)










Skits!













Cafeteria










Whole group pic on the last day










Talent show










Time for soccer..










Showing off the shirts...










Trampolines!


A fun time indeed! My counterpart (who is the health and social studies teacher at my school) particularly enjoyed interacting with the kids in this environment, and is eager to plan another camp with me for our June break. Planning the second time around should go MUCH more smoothly than the first...

Peace Corps on TV

In the last day I have uncovered 3 different instances of Peace Corps issues being aired on TV. Unfortunately I can't watch them, but you guys should check them out.

The first two are ABC 20/20 investigations into two different peace corps issues.

Here is a clip of an investigation into the murder of PCV Kate Puzey, which happened in Benin a few years ago. Apparently part of the investigation is into the Peace Corps itself, where apparently the agency did not take enough preemptive measures in dealing with Kate's situation.

Here is another investigation into the mishandlings of Peace Corps when dealing with issues of rape and sexual assault. This has been a hot spot issue in Peace Corps South Africa due to a number of incidents in recent years. I have heard first hand from volunteers in this position of how bad Peace Corps handles issues of rape and assault, and the "blaming the victim" stance is usually taken. Even during our 2 months of training, when the question of rape would be brought up, often the only respone from Peace Corps staff was preaching about what we should and should not do in order to keep ourselves out of situation where this could happen. While this is to a certain extent true, of course there are many situations where this occurs and it was entirely out of the hands of the PCV. Just an unfortunate case of wrong time/wrong place. What anger me is that we were not given any sort of self-defence class (it's against some policy), which I think could be one of the most helpful things Peace Corps could equip us with to be able to get out of these situations. I think there absolutely needs to be a change in policy regarding how staff deal with these issues, especially in a country where the extraordinarily high rape statistics can not be ignored....

Lastly, Peace Corps now has a commercial! This was the only one I was able to watch. I think it's kinda cute, and really who DOESN'T like recieving a public thank-you from Susan Sarandon. This guy does seem like a typical narcissistic PCV who really really wants to tell everyone who will listen about all of the amazing things he did in Africa. A cute (if not cheesy?) commercial though. Woohoo Peace Corps... happy 50th!