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Transkei ... Anecdotes

Seeking the path of Manzamnyama after Mpame - on foot. As long as long, they say. I am following the vague directions, follow the trail of the lost sometimes between the stones and hills and then somewhere 4 spuring reappears and then branches off to the left and right. Rachel in the usual manner, I get lost at least 3 times and I come first on the wrong road completely get out of the thicket. Ah, that's not the way to Mpame? Ah, more to the left, thank you. And again, walk over the hill, over hill and dale. I follow a steep trail down the hill, and then a gap before me, densely covered with woods and bushes, and I know already that I am again taken a wrong turn - this is no way safely through. And so I turn around and stalk back up the hill, and - oops! What could be lazy and cozy on the way, does not remove a step, I almost trampled? A snake. She does not roll. It is light gray, with black and brown pattern, a very beautiful snake, and I think moment, so I have yet seen one already times, is perhaps the most toxic? For a while we stare at us, then I take a step backwards, and then to the side, and go past the snake, which nachschaut me curious. (I found out later that there is a Night Adder, yep, poisonous, but not tödlilch).

Finally I find the right way - he leads through the forest. Just outside the forest I met an old couple. We exchange the usual phrases of greeting, but the woman, small, wrinkled, blind in one eye and with a chicken under his arm, comes up to me and shakes my hand and kisses my hand and pressed it again, and talks incessantly. I do not understand a word until she asks me where I go, and where I come from. These questions I know, and I respond patiently and smile and point the finger on the coastal strip, where is my house. Finally lets go of me and the wife zockelt on, but now is the old man questions in a loud, commanding moderate tone. I repeat, "I do not understand" over and over until I say guess what he wants and explain again where I come from and where I go. Now he seems happy and smiles and turns to go to. As the old woman calls me again, "come here" she calls out, this time in English. I hesitate a Moment, I think, why not, and go to her. She looks at me (she's at least a head shorter than me) and then pushes me 10Rand in hand. I am completely puzzled and ask, whaaat for me? "She nods and taps his fingers on my shoulder and says, yes, yes for you. I know that the woman is poor, and I do not need their money, but I can not refuse the gift, that would be rude. And so I call, thank you Mom, (all women who are older than I am to be addressed as Mama) and hug them spontaneously. Me patting his back and is happy that I accepted her gift and waddles like this, lifts her chicken again and is on his way home.

That's Transkei. Where lazy snakes do not even bother to make a go out of the way and give a complete strangers 10Rand. Later, when I am with Tony in the shop and tell him the story, he says, ah, the two folks were just here in the shop to pick up their pension. These people have virtually nothing, and still share.

From project is not much to tell, Aidan was a week flat, and now we were a couple of days in Cintsa where I stayed until the Beetle, and have tried again as a mechanic - this time no results . Today or tomorrow we go back to Manzamnyama, and next week will then reflect Project News.

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a new plan ...

And once again we the wind whistling around the ears. Aidan is the last Friday evening, come home, Saturday and Sunday we will have a picnic and spent to talk to each other to bring up to date, and since then ... Mister is the flat again with ner flu. Welcome to the Transkei ... again govern other beetles.

Yes, the project will undergo some changes over the next few weeks! The long-planned town meeting on Monday held a week before last, and it's not just good it ran. Now that the villagers have finally realized that we are not rich and that we all simply NOT FOR they build, but with them, they are totally confused. This hollow-hand-me culture is really on his nerves. And listen to me anyway they wanted no more, because I said things that they do not want to hear, and they said we are waiting for Aidan, Aidan knows everything, Aidan will tell us what to do. I laughed and said, beautiful, beautiful I was right only. The problem is, I can explain simply not true that they have an intrinsic value and that they do not need us, that we only Guiding and show them how they can improve their lives - with very simple means - but they must do it yourself ! As the saying goes: do not give them the fish, but teach them to fish. Just do not fish them learn!! So Aidan has now developed a new concept. I can not yet explain because it does not exist officially, but it will be something like a cooperative, where the guest house is run as a business, and if the villagers will see that everything is running and finally show intrested, they can buy shares or buy at the end of the business. So anyway. I'll explain everything as soon as we have just laid down. First, Aidan still pay for their flu ...

the Land Rover we have still not ready, last time I was with Tony in Mthatha, we announced the starter motor for repair and in a car commercial transaction brake and clutch seals ordered. Day before yesterday we were back in town, but is dependent Mthatha Mthatha and it never runs everything as you want, and everything takes two or three times longer than anywhere else ... the long and short of it had not ordered all brake seals, but only two wheels (despite our very precise and three times repeated statements), and the starter motor was repaired not ready because they were still waiting for a spare part order the them from Johannesburg had to (because the starter motor is so old that no one else will spare parts). Aha, we are well thank you in a week ... Land Rover is therefore still in front of Tony's Mpame shop around. And the Beetle? Which is still in Cintsa rum, just before East London ... the replacement engine is meanwhile arrived in Mthatha (who came down from Durban) and Tony will give us (Aidan and me and the engine) next Monday to bring Cintsa when he goes to East London. Sunday and then our two vehicles should be roadworthy again soon ...

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Goodbye Mike ...

Time passes again in a flash. Mike was a month here with us and helped hard working and started the construction of the nursery. He was really great, always in a good mood and full of energy and fresh ideas. We will miss him ...

Mike with a boy from the village

for a month we are waiting on a village meeting, which is shifted from x-for some reason again and again. There are some things we need to plan and thrash out. The construction season comes to an end in October, and until then, at least the walls of the new buildings are, because otherwise we lose it all construction materials: the bricks rot if they are left lying around during the rainy season, and the straw for the roof as well. It would be advisable to complete the building before the rain comes. The big debate is at the moment, who builds the walls? Maxwell is a good mason, but unfortunately very slow. So they want a young mason team up with Maxwell, so the older act as supervisor and mentor may, during the recent fix the job done. So far I have experienced, there are two young masons who would be suitable, but not both are: one, because he has already accepted another job, and the other because he has impregnated Maxwell's daughter. Ummmh. Village politics. :-) The culprit has therefore attached Maxwell's unmarried daughter, a child and now has to pay "reparations", 5000 border, or a cow. Once the debt is paid, all is forgiven and forgotten, but the young man has just no money, and so Maxwell does not work with him because otherwise he would lose face. Well then. Now they are looking for another mason, has the time, and hopefully also just produced no illegitimate children. :-) is

is here at the lodge nothing happened at all since Aidan away, women make up no more brick ago because the water is scarce, and our pump is not working. And now that we have once pumped water to accept anything else - more water from the lower dam to get now is unacceptable. Okay okay ... It has finally rained a bit, the source should result in enough water again, and I will let the pump run again next week and fill the upper dam so that the ladies restore brick. Aidan has instructed me to keep all the materials ready, so that it can immediately begin construction as soon as he's back. That is, the bricks have to be ready, prepared the soil from which the mortar will be mixed need a few bags of cement must be there and run the dam has water. Hm - that should be added get. All this we will organize at the village meeting ... IF it finally takes place!

I pass the time with still hunting goats - I defended my baby tomato plants and the fierce effort was worth it. Meanwhile, the fence is completed, and the plants grow like crazy ...

the fenced-in tomato plants ...

my self-made "kraal" - genuine goat Safe!

the new wire mesh fence

And what else, hm, yes, we are still trying to patch up the Land Rover, Tony is Mpame very helpful to the front of the Land Rover he has welded together again, and now he broods around the starter motor ... wow, if we were not pushing the Landy each time, that would truly luxurious - the thing weighs a ton!

Tony makes at Land Rover to create ...

looks like a rusted chassis!

Tony welded to the chassis back together