When thinking about writing about a normal day as a community health PCV in Swaziland, I just laughed. There are no normal days.

I picked a week to report on where I had very little on my calendar to start with, and by the end of the week, I was exhausted from the number of activities that came up. Sometimes, though, the week does not get filled with activities and sometimes I know the week will be extremely busy before it starts.

I will be posting each day this week with the activities I did on the corresponding day a few weeks ago.

Remember that this is only representative of my life. Other PCVs in Swaziland have very different schedules and are working on different projects and activities in their communities. We are supposed to be meeting the needs of our communities, and of course, each of our 70-some communities have different needs, which means we work on different projects across the country.

Thursday

745: Awake and I take a marked egg outside to Thandi’s laying spot. I will collect this egg in the afternoon after she lays a new egg. Then I eat, boil water, read about planting potatoes and decide that although the temperatures are good now for potatoes, I have not seen any seed potatoes and therefore will not be growing potatoes. I review my garden plan, and complete my lesson for Friday’s English club.

945: I head to the garden to double dig a bed and am slowed by copious amounts of trash. I eventually take a break to review the MST schedule again as more discussion has occurred. I also have a creepy visit from the police (don’t worry, I have already reported it).

1330: I finally finish the bed and go inside to cool off on my cool, concrete floor and eat lunch.

1430: I work on my siSwati homework and then work on some articles for the SOJO.

1630: I bring in the eggs, and I wash dishes.

1715: SiSwati lesson.

1815: I finish rinsing dishes and clean the carbon filters in my water filter.

1830: I make dinner, read the latest issue of the SOJO, make a new calendar (I use a big sheet of paper, fold it so that there are eight rows and eight columns, and number the boxes with the dates, and then there is plenty of space to write in plans, what I do each day, and birthdays).

2030: Get ready for bed and read until 2130.

Check out Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.