October 8, 2010

October 8, 2010
It would be a crime if I didn’t describe the nature here in Mpumalanga, as we’re nearing spring/summertime and the rainy season is beginning. From my window I can look out over the veld, miles of yellow grass fading into a hazy blue horizon. You can’t help but feel free when you walk past that in the morning on the way to school. Some of the trees here are blooming pure purple, and scattered on the grass are bright petals as thick as a shadow. Today at school I saw a crow with a white neck fly around one of these trees and thought how nice-looking it was. Meanwhile, the mulberry tree in our yard is yielding purple berry-fruits and it’s getting warmer.
Yesterday evening I experienced my first African thunderstorm, which the neighbors assure me was insignificant --- but I was awestruck. It’s been dry lately but that afternoon the sky above the veld grew very dark blue, and beyond the grazing cows shade crossed over the fields, rapidly nearer and nearer. A strong wind, a heavy rain . . . and the storm was upon us. It pounded hard upon my tin roof and the electricity went out. Then I stood by the window and looked out into the darkness, and over and over the thunder rang and the veld lit up rapidly. In those split seconds of illumination, the grass looked unnaturally yellow and the sky strangely bright blue. It was so cool!
So there’s a bit of excitement for you. Life here in the village seems so quaint and I’m learning the true meaning of Ubuntu. Ubuntu is at the heart of South African culture and everyone knows the term and what it stands for: I am because you are. I am who I am because of you. In other words, we are all dependent on each other and share each other’s pain and sorrow . . . give if your neighbor is needy with no thought as to whether you’ll get anything in return.
And I love my colleagues! I’ll post more about it all now that I’m starting to figure out this Internet thing!
Love, Nhlanhla