August 1

Is it really August?
Today was a very good day. I went to work with Bev again and on the way she had to go to the petrol station because gas prices go up at midnight. Every gas station is full service, no one fills up their car. Bev says it gives unemployed blacks a job. About an hour into work I was driven to Hillcrest High School and I interviewed and surveyed about 10 students age 16 and 17. I thought it went really well, but I need to do more and I am at the mercy of other people setting up times for me. I then got picked up and taken back to the Focus office. There, Janet fetched me and we took food down to the valley (I think it is called Valley of 1000 Hills, or something like that). It is where all the rural, poor blacks live. It was just the way you see on TV or picture it (maybe not too the worst extent, but very similar). Poor orphan children running around, people milling about, rondavals (round, thatch roof houses, possibly misspelled). One “house” where we took some food had 6 children under the age of 10 watching over each other. They were happy to get the food and loved posing for my picture. Then we went and had tea at another lady’s “house” where Janet has sewing classes at every Thursday. Once home I made fruit salad while Eunice, the housekeeper, cooked dinner. Then David, Janet, and I had dinner and my fruit salad for dessert (they call post dinner sweets “pudding”). Today was just great, I am becoming so “at home” here in South Africa. Everyone I am meeting is so nice and it is a neat place to be living for a while. One of my favorite things about the house where I am staying is Eunice! If I give her my dirty clothes in the morning, they are clean on my bed when I get home, she makes my bed every day, sets out everything for meals, and then clears the table- no one has to lift a finger to do any house work! I am becoming so spoiled with that, I can't stop talking about it!