A bit of home

As I mentioned in a brief earlier post we are out of internet for the month. How this could happen considering we are only mid way through February astounds me as much as I’m sure it astounds you. I have very limited knowledge as to how and why the internet in South Africa is so restricted, but it basically boils down to a science: Each household is allotted 3 gigs of bandwidth, once that is used your out of luck. And ironically out of communication with the rest of the world.

It has been challenging and a bit refreshing living without the internet this week. So many things both good and bad have happened and I just wanted to talk to someone about them…

-The children at 1000 Hills memorized “the moose song” and all I wanted to do was call all my Daybreak friends.
-I had a dream about the 35 year old Asian man who liked feet and all I wanted to do was call Meg Scheld and rehash our Sophomore year.
-My boss yelled at me for the first time and all I wanted was consolation from the Moreau’s, from the staff at Siena and all of the higher ups on the third floor at M.C. I wanted to hear that although I was frustrated with work I was a good employee and staff member.
-I saw a young boy, maybe five, get hit by a van. It was the bloodiest mess I have ever seen. All I wanted to do was call my family and cry.
-It was Sineads birthday and all I wanted to do was provide her with a way to get in contact with family and friends.
I wanted so badly to log into skype, put on that very sexy headset and call someone. Instead I felt more out of touch with my life back home then I ever have, but my friends this story has a happy ending.

Tuesday while at the Respite I was asked to show a group of American volunteers around. They told me there were all from the North East and to my surprise one of them was from Vermont. I asked where half expecting it to be some dinky town I had never heard of. He said Williston and I choked on the water I was drinking. Williston, like the town where I lived with Nana, like right near South Burlington, like he went to CVU?

We talked about who we knew, how we were connected and about everything glorious Vermont had to offer. Sam, who was cute as a button and also 17 (so no G, I didn’t get his number, but rather his last name because facebooking him isn’t half as bad) became my new best friend. He rejuvenated my spirit and put a different spin on my week.

As for comforts from home, second in line, but just as important is the one and only Fr. Bob Terranova from the Bronx who arrived in South Africa this afternoon.

Despite my laziness for blogging last year while volunteering in New York City, my year was outstanding. It was full of fruitful experiences and friendships. Besides my darling roommates, whom I miss very much, I was also very close with the four priests that lived next door; Fr. Bob being one of them. The men quickly transitioned from being the priests next door into our very good friends.

Fr. Bob is discerning joining the community of Augustinians living in South Africa and will be staying here for a whole month! Although he is currently napping and I have yet to see him, I could not be more pleased to have him here for the next month!

Last piece of home: We just got the final word that PBS, yes the station that the beloved “Zoom” was on will be arriving in South Africa the first week in March. They produce a show “Visionaries” and will be doing an episode on the work the Augustinians do, and thus the work the Augustinian Volunteers (yeeeeeee) do. I have already picked out my outfit and tried out hair styles for the debut. Just kidding, but I couldn’t be happier!

I got interviewed on live TV on ABC last year and this year PBS. If I do say so myself, this volunteer career of mine is really taking me places.