From our “Home Sweet Homes” back to our “Home Away from Home”

Jess writes:

As a brief primer: Adam and I recently took the very long 40+ hour round-trip route home to spend some much-needed time with family and friends, and to be a part of a very special wedding! Oh, and did I mention that this trip also gave cause to enjoy some of the finest luxuries in life… namely, running water, a toilet? Ahhhhhh… As a previous post mentioned, we were in the gloriousness that is our “Home Sweet Homes”. And yes, two of them, the Midwest one (with our two, amazing families and many, amazing friends) and the East Coast one (with some of my oldest, amazing friends)!

And how was the visit back?? For lack of a better string of words: unimaginably, indescribably, unmistakably, ummm, incredible! :-)

To begin, we crammed our first weekend with as many parties and get-togethers as humanly possible: first, a much-needed Mexican dinner with both families to celebrate “Christmas in August” (ahhh… Mexican… and Christmas!!)! Next, an always-crazy-and-awesome Duffy’s Night with the whole Duffy’s crew and of course all our amazing friends from every corner of the Midwest, including those that drove in from the Chicago suburbs, Minnesota, Iowa, Ohio (you are all awesome!)! Followed by a thoroughly relaxing day by the Aleksy pool with great food, drinks, and tons of family and friends from not only the Midwest, but also from California, Kentucky and Virginia (it wouldn’t have been the same without you!)! To round out the experience, we even fit in an educational day discussing our work with Peace Corps to Juniors and Seniors at St. Bede Academy, Adam’s alma mater (see an article about our visit in the previous post, titled, “In the News”). And finally, we topped it all off with a “Post-Weekend Partying Party” in the suburbs in honor of our good ‘ol “Tuesday Night (Wine) Tastings”!! (…okay, so that a specific Krajniak doesn’t feel the need to correct my blogging: I was sick for that last event, but Adam went… and can you blame me? I was exhausted!!) Whew!

The following days were filled mostly with family catch up time about the most important things going on in our lives – new houses, new relationships, new pregnancies, new jobs, new ups and some new downs, and so forth – for a full week of relaxed family time. Of course we talked lots about Peace Corps (it’s almost obligatory, right?), but what was best of all was hearing – finally in detail! – all that had happened since we had left. And to actually see people’s faces when they told us funny stories, or talked about plans, or just mused on the moments of love and life from the very full past months… something phones – and not even Skype – can ever fully capture. There were lazy mornings on the front porch and long afternoons at the lake house and all the while we found ourselves doing what one always does when you’ve been this far away from home for a while… looking around at the people surrounding you and thinking to yourself, “Yup, this is home.”

It was pretty much perfect. Just too short.

And then we were off to my second of “Home Sweet Homes”… the oh-so-homey-because-it-smells-a-little-like-old-dirt-and-salt of Cape Cod. Ha! Everything about landing on the East Coast brings me back to what I love about growing up there and once I’m reunited with friends I very quickly revert to a slightly plumper version of my seventeen-year-old self, only now with margarita in hand!

This trip was also too short, but we managed to fill it too with plenty of friends and conversations: late-night discursions en route from the airport, old-time chatter in the back of a friend’s workplace, mass catch-all catch-ups at wedding-related functions and one-on-one laughter in the pre-shift midday. And of course, we did this all over as much seafood as we could possibly scavenge – seafood raviolis, fried calamari, clam and quahog chowder and plenty, oh plenty, of lobster!!

And I have yet to touch on the actual wedding itself – Kimme & Brian’s – in which I was a very high-heeled, champagne & mahogany, bridesmaid! It was stunning! And while I would have loved to have had the entire weekend to eat raw confetti cake batter with Kimme in our pajamas on the couch… *wink*… I was beside myself to see her – in her beautiful ivory lace, all smiles… and some tears – on the day that she got to marry Bri. I had jokingly told Kimme & Bri that theirs was the most we had ever paid for a wedding present (that, being the tickets home), but the truth is that not much would have stopped me from being at that wedding… not even the entire Atlantic ocean. (And both of our incredible families knew this as well, so all the thanks go to them for making the whole thing possible!!)

So… all in all, we had the very best of possible trips home: family, friends, and more love to give, receive, and be a part of than we could have ever asked for!

But, eventually, we had to get back on that plane…

And now we’re back in our new home, our “Home Away from Home”, as many of us like to call it. And while we would never trade in any of our experiences in the Peace Corps thus far, it is nevertheless difficult to come back after such a great, albeit short, trip back to those other “homes”. So our first days back have been long… and hot… and once again we are readjusting to bucket baths, and pit latrines, and fans that simply do not have a high enough setting.

In fact, in a phonecall the other day with a friend and fellow PCV, we were asked “So how’s the transition back?” I laughed to myself, as I pictured ‘Transition’ as this allusive medical condition that every PCV accepts upon entry to Peace Corps, a pre-existing condition of sorts, which every PCV must self-medicate and treat on a monthly, weekly, and sometimes daily basis. All these ‘Transitions To’ and ‘Transitions From’ that pop up like nasty allergies when you finally think you’re becoming immune to the local ailments… argh. “So, how’s the transition back?” she asked. “It sucks.” I answered, but with a laugh. “Yeah,” she replied, “It’ll take time. Geez… that’s gotta be weird.” Yes, weird it is.

But just last night someone from home – someone that can always make me smile – sent me some encouraging words to ponder, my favorite of which was a quote by Thomas Paine: “What we obtain too cheaply, we esteem too lightly; it is the difficulty that gives everything its value.” This reminded me somewhat of the slightly borrowed-and-altered PCV philosophy of, “What doesn’t kill you, makes for a great story.” I guess the truth is, none of this will probably kill us (except maybe the gargantuan millipedes) and while all these ‘Transitions’ are obnoxiously persistent, without them there certainly wouldn’t be any value in the stories that we will one day be able to tell about our time here. And most important, regardless of any of the difficulty, I wouldn’t have given up visiting home for anything – to share those stories we’ve already made here and to bring back ones that we’ve just been a part of – well, that’s worth the whole world right there.

We love you all… and miss you always.

Salani kahle!

In the News...

Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Section: Front Page-A3

By Matthew Baker
NewsTribune Reporter

One St. Bede Academy alumnus got a very early head start on homecoming with a visit back to the academy Monday with tales from the other side of the globe.

Adam Aleksy and his wife Jess spent the day speaking with students about their experiences in South Africa as Peace Corps volunteers.

Using his trombone skills, St. Bede Academy junior Joe Mauck (from left) plays a South African vuvuzela as classmates Mike Venegas, Ty Dobrich and Ali Braboy look on during a classroom presentation by Peace Corps volunteers Adam and Jess Aleksy. The Aleksys are working with the Peace Corps in the village of Schoemansdal in South Africa. (NewsTribune photo by Amanda Whitlock)

For the past seven months the couple has been living in a country filled with disparity.

South Africa’s major cities are very well developed, but the country’s rural areas are basically the third world, Adam explained.

“We live in the third world part of South Africa,” he said.

They are currently residing in a small tin-roofed home in the village of Schoemansdal.

The home features fairly consistent electricity but dishes are washed in a set of tubs with the used water being dumped outside the house. Similarly, the closest they get to a bath is a set of larger tubs in which they stand while pouring heated water onto themselves.

“I had my first actual shower in seven months a few weeks ago,” said Jess with only slight exaggeration.

Their house also comes with lizards, which aren’t such a bad thing once one realizes the lizards eat the roaches and mosquitoes, Adam said.

Despite lacking in creature comforts, their South African experience has been “fantastic,” Adam said. They still have about a year and a half left to serve in the country.

While in South Africa they are overseeing a café and local craft shop that will cater primarily to tourists. Jess explained the revenues generated by the shop will support the Peace Corps’s humanitarian efforts in the area and the business will create local jobs.

Along with discussing their experiences, Jess gave a short primer on the more interesting aspects of the Siswati language, one of nearly a dozen spoken in the country. The students were most interested in the non-English clicking sounds incorporated in the language.

Students also had the opportunity to try blowing a vuluzela horn – made infamous recently for the loud, droning tones the traditional South African horns produced during this year’s World Cup matches.

Still, not all is well in the country, which explains while the Peace Corps continues to send volunteers into South Africa.

The Rev. Robert Pondant, O.S.B., questioned the couple on a recent report of human trafficking in South Africa.

“There is a massive amount of human trafficking in our area,” Adam said, noting that the problem appears to be on the rise.

Jess said HIV and AIDS continue to be a serious problem in South Africa, as well. In some areas of the country, especially within the immigrant population, the rate of people testing positive for HIV/AIDS is staggering, as much as 62 percent in some cases, she said.

One senior student questioned them on what the Peace Corps does to address such problems.

“What Peace Corps drills into you as a volunteer is: you don’t go in a country and say, “I’m going to do this for you,’” said Jess.

Instead, Adam explained, volunteers work with local organizations to help them build and strengthen their internal infrastructure, thus increasing the organizations’ abilities to grow, increase revenues and perform necessary functions.

The couple also provided information for students who may consider applying for the Peace Corps in the future.

“Over the past few years the Peace Corps has become a very competitive program to work for,” Adam said.

A bachelor’s degree is almost required, but just as important is experience volunteering.

“They want to see a history of volunteerism in your past,” Adam said, adding that St. Bede students, who are required to perform volunteer service hours throughout their high school careers, have an advantage in that area.

He also said students don’t need to worry about having a particular major in college in order to be accepted into the Peace Corps.

For more information on the Peace Corps, visit www.peacecorps.gov.

Home for the... Holidays?

Jess writes:

Adam and I are enjoying some incredible time with friends and family at home, including presents to honor "Christmas in August"! Ha! There will be plenty of updates to come, but for now...

...it's Home Sweet Home!!

Salani kahle!

New Friends

Adam writes:

Through conversations with my dad, I have come to find out that our friends at Starved Rock Harley Davidson in Ottawa are avidly following our blog and facebook updates. So I wanted to post this with them in mind.

The first World Cup game we went to was Australia v. Serbia and it was a night game. At half time Jess and I got up to walk around a bit and warm up and I saw a guy in a Serbia jersey that I knew from the way he looked that he rode a motorcycle. He was the first guy I have seen here in South Africa that looked like an American biker. See, most bikers here ride sport bikes or sport touring bikes and are usually seen in full racing leathers and full face helmets or lots of reflective gear, not our usual denim and black leather look. As I was trying to decide whether or not to approach him, he asked us if we would take a photo of him and his buddy. So we snapped some photos and then I told him, “I have to ask, you ride a bike don’t you?” “Yeah,” he replied, “Johannesburg Hell’s Angels.” I was surprised and said “No shit” meaning that this was random but he took it to mean that I didn’t believe him and promptly pulled up his sleeve and showed me his club ink on his arm. We got to talking and I explained that Jess and I were volunteers from the States and that we weren’t allowed to operate a motor vehicle except on leave and that my bike was half a world away with my dad and that I hoped to rent some bikes when he and mom came to visit. Well this guy introduces himself and gives me his phone number and tells me that when my dad gets over here that we should get our bikes in Jo’Burg and give him a call and him and the guys would take us for a ride and show us around and oh yeah, he owns and runs a tattoo shop in Josi and if we ever want ink he’ll give us a good discount since we are riders and volunteers in his country.

A few weeks later we got to Graskop, and on the main road into town we saw a bar with sign that had a big motorcycle painted on it named Rider’s Rest. The first biker bar we had seen in this country. We stopped in our first available day and quickly made friends with the two bartenders as you’ve read about in the travelogue. The next night we met the owner, Shannon, who rides with the Mad Dogs MC, a South African club. Well, we spent pretty much every night there and we would sit around with Shannon and discuss the differences and similarities between riding in the States and riding in South Africa. Shannon introduced us to every regular customer that came in the bar and made sure to introduce us to every guy wearing club colors. We talked about what people ride, Harleys are unpopular here because they are really expensive. We talked about rallies, turns out that Graskop hosts three a year. We talked about rides we’ve taken. By the second night it felt like home. Not only had we met everyone at the bar, but people would see us out during the day and wave and say hello and ask if they would see us that night. I should also mention that we only ended up paying for a third of our drinks our entire stay. I am planning on attending the Paradise Rally in May, whether on a bike or not, so that we can not only see the rally but see our new friends.

I guess the point of this post was to show the riders back home that riders here are the same: They love to ride and anyone else who loves to ride is a friend.

I.S.T.

Jess writes:

It’s been almost a month since our last post!! We’ve been neglecting our communicatory obligations – lol! Sorry about that!

Anyways, we’ve been pretty well-sidetracked with Peace Corps Trainings, jobs and projects at the new site, and of course, our many, many plans for visiting home (T-minus 7 days… and counting…)!!!

But as promised, here is our post about IST:

IST, or “In Service Training” is one of several –ST’s during Peace Corps service. First, there is PST (Pre-Service Training), then IST (In Service Training), then LST (Life-Skills-Orientation Training… the “O” doesn’t count in the acronym, apparently), and finally MST (Mid-Service Training). After all those –ST’s, we have COS (Close of Service) and then they ship us back… so each one marks a significant benchmark in our service, bringing us ever closer to that big “Close”. It’s kinda weird… to think that PST is long gone, IST is a recent memory and LST is just around the corner (sometime in October, if all goes as planned). And before we know it, MST will arrive and we will have been here for 15-months, with only one year to go before our time here is done. Strange.

But back to the point…

IST is meant as a four day post-community-integration-and-assessment-get-together, in which everyone gathers, eats far too much food, drinks slightly too much, stays up way too late, and talks about the last three months that we’ve been “on our own” – that is, without the safety net of our fellow SA21’s to see everyday at language class and training sessions. Most of this time is taken up with summaries of our “Community Needs Assessment” reports… of which mine and Adam’s was brief, to say the least, (since we site changed). The rest of our sessions revolved around proper planning techniques for those projects that were identified as a priority during our assessments… which, again, was less-than-useful for me and Adam, since we don’t quite have all our projects figured out (again, since we site changed). So, needless to say, Adam and I got plenty of time to reflect on that recent site change, finish up some other work, and have lengthy chats with our fellow SA21-ers on everything from politics to parties!

So… since conversation marked most of our IST experience, I’ve decided to include here a list of the Top 10 Most Discussed IST Topics (that is, those not related to the actual IST-portion of the discussions), as well as some of their commonly heard snipits. It should give everyone some real insight into the minds of us PCVs… it’s pretty enlightening if I do say so myself! Enjoy!!

Top 10 Most Discussed IST Topics:

• #10 - The Barber Shop: For those who many not know, Tia is our in-house barber. So, heard throughout the week is “I’m next!” “No! I’m next!!” since everyone’s hair is in various, sometimes hazardous, states of disarray. Tia was smart, however, and made a schedule. So we also heard her often saying, “No, not today, but I can fit you into the 4:30 slot tomorrow.” Too funny!!

• #9 - Food: For anyone who has been reading this blog, it should be no surprise that food is a permeating topic for all PCVs. “What’s for dinner tonight?” “You got Chinese food? Where?!?” and the most fervent, “When are we getting those brownies??”

• #8 - Travel: Fill in the blanks, “We went to ______ and stayed at ______ and it was so ______!” We can plan an entire trip around a simple sentence like that… we like to travel!

• #7 - File Sharing: Movies, TV shows, Podcasts and MP3s are kinda like crack to us…lol! The best was, “We have all 6 seasons of Lost!” to which some replied, “No way!! I’ll go empty my whole hard-drive… I’ll be right back!” Ha ha!

• #6 - Illnesses: One PCV got a stomach worm and she explained, “I named him Sipho… which means Gift in Zulu.” Yup… Peace Corps sicknesses.

• #5 - Poop, Vomit and Other Bodily Functions: Closely related to the last topic, although we can often find very normal circumstances in which to discuss any of these items, and rather casually. My favorite is, “Did you know that those beetroots will turn your poo red?” It’s only scary after an hour-long medical session about all the ways in which you can die from “red poop”. Eish!

• #4 - Sex: Those who have… and those who haven’t… etc. You get the idea!

• #3 - Peace Corps Gossip: “Did you hear that…” just finish it up and again, you get the idea!

• #2 - The Newbs: “Who are they?” “Where are their sites?” “Are they cute?!?” With some of the SA22’s on the same compound every day, it was hard not to talk about them every day!

And the most discussed topic at IST was…

• #1 – Our Own Insanity: Yes. Many of us agree that after only six months of service, we may have completely lost our damn minds. We often find ourselves singing or dancing without reason or, worse yet, laughing hysterically without cause! It is entirely possible that we have lost it. But… we kinda like it… so we’ll ride it out and see where it takes us!!

Finally, a few of our PCVs also perfected the start of a wonderful endeavor: a “PCV Anthem”. Currently only two verses long, I sincerely hope that we add to this great song and compile an entire medley of PCV experiences!! But for now, I will end with what has been created thus far:

(Sung to the tune of Yankee Doodle Dandy):
A PCV went into town
Riding on a coombie
Asked how much the ride cost
And got called a mahlungi’!
Then he went to Pick n’ Pay
Then he went to Spar
Then he went to Boxer
And bought a lot of Achaar!”

Yup, I think that sums it all up. Anthem, insanity, et all. What a great week!!!