Life at The Prison

In-Country Orientation

Okay, Okay, I know this title sounds potentially scary but no worries. I have not suddenly been arrested or anything of the sort. In fact, I am here in South Africa! I'm in a city called Pietermaritzburg. For the past week, it has been a wonderful place to stay and get oriented with the country. I arrived last week and had a few calm days just to myself to do fun things like go to the Aussie Circus with Adam and Karen my MCC bosses! Once Sokea, a YAMENer from Cambodia arrived, we have been digging in to MCC country expectations, and South African and Zulu culture. It has been so eye opening and such a wonderful time meeting many new people including MCC staff here on the SwaLeSA (Swaziland, Lesotho, South Africa) team. Everyone has been very nice and welcoming and very accommodating of Sokea's and my own jet lag needs. I feel, however, that I recovered very quickly, which definitely makes adjusting easier. 

The front gate of the Old Prison, the only way in or out,
so this is the entrance we use when we come home.

Alright, so I haven't said why this title is about prison yet. While here in Pietermaritzburg I am staying with my South African MCC Reps and they live in "The Old Pietermaritzburg Prison." A prison that has been reformed by Project Gateway into a R-grade7 school, Fashion School, IT Training Center, Shop, Museum, MCC office, and of course a small part is a living space, the space I call home. So yes, I am living in a prison. Luckily, other than being cold inside because of all the concrete, it is exceptionally nice. 

Kasturba Ghandi's cell

Block E the first block
to be builtit began
holding prisoners in 1862

Yesterday, we got to go on a tour of the Prison grounds. It was very emotional. There were prisoners held here during apartheid including Mohandas Ghandi, Kasturba Ghandi (his wife), and Nelson Mandela. Kasturba was even held in a cell in a section of the prison called "the bomb shelter" where the most dangerous prisoners were held. Being in a place where such important people actually were incarcerated really opened my mind to be conscious of the conflicts that have occurred and are still occurring here in South Africa. Of course, these were not the only prisoner's held here, there were many people held in this prison and they each have their own story of struggle, oppression, and offer something humanity can learn about being alive. In Block E of the prison there is now a museum that gives many details of the inmates held there. I hope someday to have time to go slowly through the museum and learn about the important political and social leaders who spent time within these walls. The ones that I am affectionately calling home this week. Quite a contradiction to the prison's history.

Keeping on with the theme of being open to learning all that I can while I am here about the people, the culture, the language and finding where I fit in. We also went to the place in the country where Nelson Mandela was captured and ultimately began his 27 years of incarceration. I knew some about Mandela of course, but at the site there is a museum that outlines his life and the impact that he has had here in South Africa. As a group we also watched "Mandela's Long Walk to Freedom" a movie depiction of his autobiography. This was very emotional after having learned a little about his life and the effect the Apartheid had on some South Africans. At this site, besides the museum, there is a beautiful sculpture that, from the right angle, depicts Mandela's face. A beautiful reminder of his fight for his country and his people. 

Sculpture at the Mandela Capture Site

In addition to all of this cultural knowledge I had a crash course in the language of isiZulu, the language that is spoken commonly in this region of South Africa. It is a fun language to learn for sure. It uses letters that I am accustomed to seeing which is definitely helpful. As with many languages however, the way that these letters are pronounced in some cases is very different. The biggest difference is that c, x, and q are pronounced as "clicks." using your tongue to produce different sounds in your mouth. I find the c and the x fairly easy to make although following the sound with another sound can be tricky, and I have not been able to create the q sound yet...I'm working on it though! I will write an example of what the language looks like:

Sawubona (Hello)

Unjani? (How are you?)

NginguAshton (I am Ashton)

Ngiyathanda ukucula (I like to sing)

Ngiyafunda isiZulu (I am learning isiZulu)

Ngiyabonga (I Thank you!)

I am very excited to continue learning this language and to be able to communicate to more people in a language other than English. 

I am absolutely loving my time here (although it is quite cold some days) but I cannot wait to get out to the farm and get to work at the Camp. Tomorrow we are hosting a big Braai (Barbecue) and I get to meet some people from the camp who I will be working closely with. 

If you made it this far, congratulations! Feel free to leave a comment or visit my Facebook page for more pictures! 

Ashton to Akron

Almost There!

Well, here I am in Akron, Pennsylvania. Home of Mennonite Central Committee U.S. Here I am spending seven days with with 52 other SALTers and 30 IVEPers in orientation, before flying out to our assignments all over the world and the U.S. I spent 8 hours in a car with my wonderful Mom and Dad to drive from Bluffton to The Welcoming Place. A small globally themed village where we all stay for the week. My room is in the "Americas" house. I am sharing a bed with a girl from Minnesota I have never met before. We have since become fast friends and are forming a great relationship. Our days are spent in information sessions in "The Meeting Place" where we sit and listen to people from MCC talk to us about a variety of different aspects of our time. We have covered topics from finances to communication barriers to MCC history. 

Me with all my luggage in my room at
The Welcoming Place

We spend our long meal hours in conversation about our assignments and getting to know each other. As well as eating some pretty great food! 

My first morning here I helped lead our time of worship because it was "U.S./Canada day. Each morning we get to worship with music inspired by the different regions of the world led by people from those regions (mostly, instrumentalists are volunteering from everywhere for every day!) It was great fun to jump right in and get to know some new people through music and worship as we rehearsed and chose the music which we felt represented North America. We sang, "Amazing Grace," "Here I am to Worship," "Waterfall on Me," and of course 606. 

I was able to watch the Olympic gymnastics all around...I would say I am probably the most passionate one here but it was worth staying up late to watch! I plan to watch event finals too. Thank goodness MCC has cable!

I am getting very excited to head out to South Africa next week. I have not really heard much more about my assignment. But as I talk to other people I get excited for the unknown and the prospect of what I will be doing. Compared to other SALT assignments mine seems quite unique, and I love that! I have made so many friendships here at orientation and I am excited to keep growing those relationships but I am also very excited to unpack and begin work at Camp El Olam and Hope Valley Farm School.

I will try to continue writing as I see opportunity and have information to share. Please feel free to leave comments and questions and I will try to respond as soon as I have time/internet!