Meeting the Queen

I got to go to the palace for tea with the queen this past June! I admit, I thought I was going to meet the queen at a hotel conference room or some government building with a long table and her at the head of it with a gavel. That would have been good enough for me. I thought bodyguards would lead us in wearing sunglasses and too-tight t-shirts, but it didn’t exactly happen that way. Peace Corps picked me up and told me we were actually invited to the palace! Would we drink from goblets? Would she ride in on a unicorn? My mind raced with important questions. To my disappointment though there wasn’t a mote, no knights jousting in the courtyard, or dragons protecting the entrance, although there was a buffalo soldier who was sitting in a lawn chair at the front gate. The meeting was to talk with the Queen and discuss a few things regarding their support with the Peace Corps. It was a simple agenda, but a flexible time to build on our relationship with the Swaziland government, Nkhosikati (Queen) specifically, and clarify Peace Corps Volunteer roles within the country. We waited for her arrival in a room with a giant chandelier dangling from the center which complimented with very clean white and gold furniture. As I waited for the court jester, her assistants supplied muffins, tea, biscuits, and cranberry juice. We all stood up to show respect and waited for her to sit before joining. She was wearing traditional attire including a fur around her waist. After greeting us, she began by telling us how tired she was from studying. She was really personable. It was so great. Sometimes we forget celebrities, political figures, and people of high positions are normal too. They aren’t plastic. They enjoy Fruity Pebbles as much as the next guy. They sleep through their alarm clocks. They have gas. She was a perfect example of being in a high influential position, but still having the personality of a next door neighbour. Eventually Jen and I explained what we have been doing in our communities and plans for the future. It’s like having lunch with the Swazi “Michelle Obama” in a way. The meeting was a success. We had plenty of time to talk with her and ask questions, Eileen was able to build on her relationship with the Inkhosikati, and we are now able to name drop when we are with our friends in the US. “That’s cool. You had a cheese sandwich for lunch? …Oh that reminds me of the time I had tea in the Palace with the Queen of Swaziland…” That should make me cool for at least 5 minutes.

Last week I came into my room at night and plopped a plastic bag on my bed. The plastic bag rustled. How did that happen? I ignored it and sat typing a report when I heard in the noise in the corner of the room. I grabbed the broom stick, stood on top of my bed, reached over, and smacked the blankets in the corner. Nothing. Hit it again. One last poke into the corner though to make sure, but not expecting anything. SQUEEK. SQUEEK. SCREAMING (me). A huge mouse sprinted towards my bed and hid underneath. I ran to the house and knocked forever until my brother (19 yrs old/senior in high school) came. He lifted my bed and there it was. Sfundo jumped and he said, “I thought you said it was small?!” Finally after going through everything of mine…including a bag of enemas…embarrassing…he found it and chased it into the room I was in smacking it with a broom stick.


The past two weeks have been interesting. There are 33 news ones representing all areas of the United States. I will be helping with their training a few times the next few months. Also, my village has been going through noticeable changes. My village was influenced by a missionary couple from Norway years ago. This is why it is known as New Haven. Every village around us and all over Swaziland has a SiSwati name (ours is Mbabane), but it is known for its English name now due to the English speaking Norwegians. They helped build a primary and high school as well as a clinic and a mission school later. The unfortunate thing is, the missionaries have left years ago and now you can see the effects of it within my community. The mission school used to provide a sports equipment and play volleyball with the kids. The seminary students sadly no longer have the resources or the leadership to continue that project. The mission school’s enrolment has been decreasing in number due to lack of interest to study in a rural area also. There is an interest to become pastors in Swaziland, but this seminary can’t compete as well as the ones constructed within more favourable areas. I decided to help and get connected with the pastors, especially because I am close to one of them. The principal at the school is great and is trying to begin installing the internet with the few computers they have available. We are trying to get a professor from America to help teach distance learning and ways to provide online courses. This may make their school more competitive. Secondly, they want me to start being involved with the students by teaching outreach courses and using my social work knowledge to teach counselling courses (possibly). I may start lecturing at the school, but if not I will do workshops with them. Starting next month I am doing a 2-3 day workshop with the pastors/student pastors/youth pastors in all of Southern Swaziland. I want to work with them on ways to teach HIV/AIDS to people in their sermons and how to begin support groups within their churches when people are infected. I’m nervous to lecture older educated people, but also excited to see what happens. Its great to train people who have high respect in the community and can affect large groups of people. The church is a great source.

I hope everyone is okay at home. I miss you all a lot. Please let me know what is going on with you and your families. If you ever want to call or write, please do! Happy 4th of July!