iKaya...

...means "home", although sometimes South Africa feels more like home than New York does.

After two really long and miserable flights -- I'm back, and already missing the kids.

The Study Room is really working out great. Some kids that always said they had no homework are now coming because there are volunteers there to help. Nalede came the other day and had some English homework -- she is so bright! I never realized until I was watching her do her homework...And Siyabonga has just stolen my heart this trip (see "Siyabonga's essay").

Zodwa (the head of Agape) was really devestated when she heard that the building is all wrong...apparently inspectors were supposed to visit every month but haven't come at all. It was sad just because Zodwa said something like "You know, I tried to give the work to my own people because I thought they understood our struggle -- but now they have taken advantage of me. Next time I will just give the work to a white man." It was crappy :(

On the bright side -- I spent a whole afternoon with Angel! I had rented a car, so I drove down to Durban to see her -- a bit of a mission but totally worth it. She has a boyfriend now...who wanted to see me but instead I talked to him on the phone as he was "sick." I tried to find out if it was HIV/AIDS but Angel said it was just the flu...so I don't know what to believe. They're getting married next year or the year after, and she asked me to be her Matron of Honour, since Zanele is no longer here. We talked about Zanele, and what she was like before she was sick. Angel also told me that Zanele's kids are living with Sindi (their other sister) now and not with their abusive grandfather. Apparently no one in the family talks to him really anymore. Sindi's husband passed away last year, and another of Zanele's brothers as well...all of them were "sick" as they say...which means HIV/AIDS. But we had a nice lunch, I did some groceries with her, bought her gifts for the kids (hers and Zanele's).

Also took the donations I had collected to Bobbi Bear and to Lindewe -- both were overjoyed! (Thanks Wendy and Catherine!)

Went down to Siyajabula which is the orphanage we helped build in Lower Molweni. It's all done, but it's locked up and no kids are living there, presumably some Lean On Me issues are still outstanding. It's unfortunate though because the cottages look so great...

Saturday was Siya's birthday so I let him drive my car for a bit (he's 18 now)! He's so funny...he kinda scared me a little but was really good. Then I said my good-byes. It's usually easier to say good-bye to the older ones, but even this time, I felt like I had gotten so much closer to them. And Naledi just looked sad. I held her in my arms for a long long time until I finally had to leave -- she waved good-bye and then sulked away...

Leaving again just makes me want to come back more, and quickly!

I did have a thought though -- I was sitting on the plane for hours, when it occurred to me to ask...Where the hell have all the Zulu men gone? All of the people who are working there to help make a change/difference -- all of them -- are all women. Zodwa, Lindiwe, Pamela, Winnie...where are all of the men? It almost feels like the political struggles during apartheid were male, and now the social struggles in post-apartheid South Africa are female...Does the distinction have to be so definite? Lindiwe said that Zulu women are so big because they have such big hearts, and they have to in order to deal with it. But Zulu men are strangely skinny -- maybe there's some truth to her argument! Does it have to be that way?

Anyways, I'm back in New York now so I guess the blogging is over...

Take care all!
Resh.