One Month in (Almost)

I have now been in South Africa for almost a month and am having a great time thus far. Right now I am at a larger town near our training village in a mall's internet cafe (which is full of other PCTs-Peace Corps Trainees). PST (Pre-Service Training) has been intense so far with so much coming at us all at once. I'm learning Tshivenda for my final placement up in the Limpopo Province where I will be working with schools (still not sure what exactly I'll be doing with them). For school training I have observed some Grade 4 classes, talked with teachers and taught fractions and uses of water to three Grade 4 classes--classes of around 55 learners (students). Which is the size of classes I will probably be seeing throughout my service here. I'm really enjoying my host family here during PST and am somewhat glad they speak English especially as they do not speak my target language (Tshivenda). It's been pretty nice to wake up and go pick an orange for breakfast...also I do have electricity and running water with my host family, though that will likely change for my permanent site.

Thanks Mom and Dad for the Sour Patch Kids and Archie's Comics...they sent them July 19 and I just got them today. Which is quicker than some others have been getting their mail. Also Post Office workers here might be going on strike soon...so maybe longer waits.

There are many great people in this group of us and I'm enjoying getting to know all of them better. Game reserve on Tuesday (National Holiday for Women). Oh and my birthday is the same day as Freedom Day (April 27) the day of SA's first national election after apartheid.

Updates will likely come more frequently as I will be having more internet access after the next month when I am at my site.