Finally time to talk about last Saturday.
On Saturday we go to the hospital in the morning to check on patients and then after lunch we have the afternoon off! Last weekend some of the guests were in Harare because they were leaving so I was basically on my own for the afternoon! Since I have arrived I have spent all of my time either at the hospital or at Kathy's house. Kathy said that it is safe to walk around here and that there was a dam beyond the school. I couldn't believe it, I had no idea there was anything like that around here.
I decided to go explore. It was a gorgeous day. The sky is so clear and blue here and it was the perfect temperature. If anything slightly warm even though it is winter. As I started walking I realized I had no idea where I was going, no cell phone to get back if I got lost and I was by myself. Awesome I thought. But I decided that I didn't want to miss the opportunity to explore so I kept walking. I asked directions to the dam as I went along. I was slightly nervous that I was walking through someone else's property because I'm not really sure what belongs to the mission/ hospital and what belongs to other people.
I walked along the dirt road and some trails. Along the way, there were fences made of sticks enclosing small gardens (not the season now but it was possible to see where it was). I made it to the dam, which actually looked like a pond. There were reeds growing in it and lily pads. It was quite pretty with the country side in the background and the mountains (hills?) behind it. I saw that there were some people fishing on the other side and I zoomed in to take some pictures. I was going to turn around but I decided to go over and get a closer look. When I walked over, there were two girls and a boy doing laundry on the side (there was a cement place- the dam part of it I suppose where they had their wash buckets and soap). I said hello and one of the girls told me to go over to them. I walked over and they introduced themselves and we started talking. Only one of the girls spoke good English (Tandi), the other two spoke a little. They had so many questions about what I was doing there and about the U.S. They did not believe me that I am 21, they were convinced that I was 24-25. I thought the same about them though and they were 18.
I asked where they live and they pointed to some huts (bricks on the bottom part- round walls, and a thatched roof). They said they go to the school that I had passed on the way to the dam. They wanted to know who my favorite actor and actress was, who my favorite singer is, what my favorite food is, etc. Tandi played some Beyonce on her phone and then asked if Beyonce, Jay-Z and Rihanna are evil. I said what? I think you have the wrong word. She said no, some people here think they are evil. I said I don't really know them personally but I don't think people in the U.S. think they are evil haha. Tandi then wanted my phone number for her cell phone (I asked her if she had electricity at her house and she said no, she charges her phone at the hospital). They kept saying that they wanted to go to the U.S. The boy asked about gardening jobs and the other girl asked about housekeeping jobs. Honestly I couldn't really understand everything they were asking. They said that my skin was beautiful and they wanted it. I said I thought theirs was, which they kept saying no no! They also could not believe that my hair is real- they can't grow theirs past their shoulders so if it is, they have extensions, a weave or a wig (which they thought I had).
Some other kids came as we were talking and they kept introducing me to everyone. They would talk in Shona and laugh (I'm sure about me and meeting me). Two little boys had caught a mouse in the fields and they wanted to pose with it in pictures (yuck!) We talked for about an hour and then they said do you want to come and see our houses? I was really interested in where everyone lives so after checking that it really wasn't too far (I had no clue how I would find my way back) we headed out.
The girls carried their laundry in the plastic bins on their heads! They were so heavy I couldn't believe it. We walked slowly back and they carried them the whole way. We walked along a dirt trail past fields where they grow maize. We got to Tandi's house and they had about 5 different buildings that belonged to them. It is kind of difficult to explain (still trying to figure out if the computer can handle uploading pictures). Two of the buildings were kitchens. In one they had all of their plates displayed on shelves on the walls. In the middle on the ground was a fire pit where they cook.
They store dried maize in a fenced in area that is on stilts (terrible description sorry!) that they use to make sudza, the main food here. Tandi's family also had pigs and chickens. Next she asked if I would like to see where they get their water. I said of course! We walked over and there was a pump and well under a big tree. A lot of girls and women were there getting water in buckets to take home. I can't imagine living without running water! Such a different life. I was so thirsty and Tandi offered me water but I decided I didn't want to be sick for the next few days so I politely declined (luckily we can drink the tap water at Kathy's house and the guest house). I asked what they do for fun and they said nothing really, they said it was really boring there. Honestly, I could kind of see that but at the same time it is so peaceful out here compared to our crazy lives in the U.S. There is something to be said for living a simple life.
I said I needed to get home soon because the sun was starting to go down (it goes down at 6pm here right now because it is winter). They asked where I lived and said by Sister McCarty. Tandi knew exactly who she was and where she lived. The two girls said they would walk me back. Turns out we weren't that far because paths go in a circle back to the hospital. We walked back talking more and when we got there, the other girl asked if she could have some chewing gum (I had been chewing it earlier). I happened to bring a few packs here with me so I gave them one to split. They said they do the laundry every Saturday there so I should see them some other time! (Since then I have seen one of them walking by in her school uniform).
It ended up being such a great day and I got to see some of the surrounding area and how the people live around here. It is great to see how my patients live to get a better perspective. I want to explore more and make a visit to the Township that is close.
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