LIFE AT OUR EMBOSHENI HOMESTEAD

Our rondeval is a hexagon about 18’ across with three windows. One window looks at the jojo, the next looks past the khumbi shed (see below) “up the hill” toward our latrine. On the other side, the window looks down across the valley to the hills—where we’ve heard home brew is made.

It is furnished with a bed and a small table and one chair. Our gas hot plate sat on the table which left us with only a few inches of surface area. We immediately claimed the chair as our desk and borrowed a few cement blocks from our host to put our hot plate on. Now the table is our kitchen. Next to that we’ve put down two large garbage bags to put our clothes on. The bed is on a window-less wall, and then the door facing north (toward the sun). A single light bulb in the center means that any work you do is in your shadow.

Yes, we have the luxury of electricity. To use it, we have to disconnect our chest refrigerator so we can use the receptacle and match our appliances to the proper adaptor. We usually have three adaptors going while using any appliance so that they grow to about 17 cm high.

After the first week, our hosts called PC as we had nothing to sit on, and the next day there were two hard, plastic chairs for us the next day. It seems we rarely use the chairs because we are on our feet fetching and boiling our water, washing clothes, dishes, etc. When all is done, we usually fall into bed—not to sleep, but to keep warm while studying.

The nights are dark and quiet for the most part, punctuated at random, unexpected times by a raucous rooster crow. At sunrise, we hear the murmurs of hens surrounding our rondeval and then a rooster will pierce our morning somnolence. Next, in sequence, are the two khumbis (owned by our host) that start up inches away from our window. After startup, they turn on the music LOUD while they clean out the previous day’s dirt. We’ve still been reluctant to get up because the overnight temperature has fallen into the 40s on occasion, in our room. Then we start another day by heating water for our morning ablutions, and another day begins unfolding.

Our host family is most gracious. They have four boys and are hard working people who laugh easily. Make (mother) knows less SiSwati than her husband and two older boys. She makes up for it with her ability to pantomime. She would be a great charade partner. The two younger boys (6 and 3) have very few toys but are happy and occupy themselves easily. The other day we joined them pushing old tires around the yard. We couldn’t keep up! Gary has taught them how to play with a Frisbee that we will leave with them.