Barracuda in the Back Yard

The weather is getting a bit warmer as we get into southern hemisphere spring, so we went snorkeling in the ocean, just out in the back yard.  Saw our usual parade of colorful tropical fish, and then all of a sudden, a school of long, slender silvery ones . . . barracuda!  Apparently, the younger barracuda stay together in schools, turning independent and solitary as they grow older.  They have a largely undeserved reputation of being aggressive man-eaters. So far, no man-eating in the back yard . . . just a rather unique afternoon swim!!!

African Penguins!

Penguins? Oh, they live in Antarctica.  And maybe on display at Sea World.  Yeah, that's what we thought, too.  Until we got to Boulders, just up the street from the Cape of Good Hope.  There, we found a colony of the cutest 24" high critters we'd ever seen.  They were busy building nests, returning from a day of hunting krill and squid, and generally hanging out on the beach and in the bushes.  After hunting as a group, they swiftly swim to shore and go from being streamlined swimmers to awkward walkers, one minute to the next.   They are similar to the penguins we will see in the Galapagos Islands when we move to Ecuador.  This link will take you to a description of the African Penguin.  African penguins are endangered, their numbers having declined precipitously over the last few decades.  There are natural predators, in the sea and on land, but there are also the environmental messes we humans make and some of the roads we build through their nesting grounds that challenge these little creatures.  As always, we need to do what we can to protect the penguins’ habitats and quality of life. Yes, it's important for ecological reasons, but, also, well, they're just so darned cute!

South Africa Safari

Take a look at Damon's YouTube video of our trip to Kruger National Park in South Africa. He did a marvelous job of showing Mother Nature's power, beauty and majesty.  Enjoy!

South Africa's Soweto Township

On arriving in South Africa last week, our first visit was to South West Township (SOWETO)---the home of thousands of black South Africans during apartheid, the one-time home of Nelson and Winnie Mandela, the site of the June 1976 anti-apartheid riots that left hundreds of students dead, and today the home of tens of thousands of black South Africans and immigrants from other African countries.  It was an enlightening and disturbing tour . . . we visited an "informal settlement" that has existed for years, where thousands live without running water, sewers, or electricity to their homes; we stopped by to talk with Clarisse, pictured here, who raises three children ages 11, 13, and 15 in a one room shack with no modern conveniences.  She mostly cooks on a wood fire outdoors.  She was proud that the children are attending school, and that they did their homework by a kerosene hurricane lamp on the family's only table.  We had some lunch at a local diner, and mostly were stunned that in this settlement alone, over 40,000 people live in these conditions every single day, in the 21st century.  This, in the shadow of Johannesburg, a metropolitan area of about 6 million.   There are millions in the country who live in similar townships and conditions. It was a stark reminder of the harsh reality of the apartheid system, and a sign that South Africa still has a long way to go to overcome that history, and bring about a decent quality of life for thousands in its midst.  As much as we were hit by the reality of township life, we were also struck by the indomitable human spirit that moves Clarisse and her countrymen through each and every day in these circumstances. They had a resilience and positive attitude that was inspirational.  Soweto: another facet of this incredible journey all over the world.

Meeta’s Yaj of Thanks - To You All

So much to be grateful for …

... this photo captures

our wonderful friend Meeta, recovered from her serious kidney surgery, with her husband and their first grandchild!

 

Thanks to the many friends who contributed to Meeta’s Medical Fund by purchasing her Mauritian Recipes, to date we’ve raised $3,000 – covering almost ½ of her medical bill.  In a country where the average income is only $3K per year, it would’ve taken years to pay off their debt. 

Your donations allowed her to be treated in the one private clinic—and by the one doctor in the country—with the equipment and knowledge necessary to treat her unusual diagnosis using laparoscopy.

Meeta is diabetic, so this was especially significant!

On Saturday Meeta’s family held a traditional Hindu Yajn (see explanation in prior April blog).

Their Hindu priest, chanting ancient Vedic verses, offered thanks for Meeta’s health, the generosity of so many Americans, and the joy of welcoming their granddaughter shortly after Meeta’s surgery. 

David and I were honored to be invited to participate in a portion of the ritual.

Later we joined family and friends for a delicious traditional Mauritian meal. 

Joy and gratitude permeated the evening; we thank YOU!

And yes, we are still collecting donations through this blog, if you know of someone else who may want Meeta's recipes.

Training Mauritian Women As Political Candidates

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has told diplomats all over the world to find new and innovative ways to empower women to move into leadership positions in their countries.  Drawing on some political campaign training some colleagues and I did a decade ago for the ABQ Chamber of Commerce, I worked with the Mauritius Ministry of Gender Equality to create and run a program to train women to run successful political campaigns.

On July 18 and 19 we invited over 200 women who intend to run for public office in Mauritius in a training program to learn about public speaking, media relations, campaign planning, and other aspects of campaign managing. To assure future trainings, I asked Shelly to run a "train the trainer" program with over 20 coaches who will train candidates in the next four months.

 

The program turned out great, with lots of enthusiasm and great feedback.  We expect that dozens of the women will become candidates for local government offices later this fall.  They will be credible, hard working, self-confident, and organized.  That's what empowerment looks like!

Damon's girlfriend Jena worked on the program, and on the final day, Damon attended and helped us with A/V issues and taking pictures.  It was a real family activity, and it felt great to end so successfully.

One of the other good things about the program is that the US Government didn't spend a dime on it.  We recruited Embassy staffers, volunteer interns, and family members to augment the staff members from the Ministry, and asked the Mauritius government to provide the conference site and some food.  Contrary to the adage "you get what you pay for," we got a lot more than we paid for! And Mauritius will be the beneficiary with some great new political candidates who are raring to go.  

Next Home: Guayaquil, Ecuador!

Shelly and I just got our new post assignment . . . our next Foreign Service home will be in Guayaquil, Ecuador!  Beginning in April, 2014, I will begin work as a Vice Consul at the U.S. Consulate there.  We are thrilled with this assignment, and look forward to getting to know more about it.  We will be on the Pacific coast of South America.  Guayaquil is a jumping off point for the Galapagos Islands, the internationally known site for nature's treasures.  The Consulate District includes these islands, so there may be a need to visit the tortoises and iguanas once in awhile.  We cannot believe our good fortune!!

Sold!!

A happy day in our home . . . our house in Albuquerque's Northeast Heights sold today!  With a difficult real estate market, and after trying to manage an empty house from halfway around the planet, we are very happy.  

We have owned the house for over 17 years, and it was a great place to raise our kids, enjoy great neighbors, and spend wonderful years.  In our new nomadic twosome life, though, Shelly and I just don't need all that space, and, well, it's halfway around the planet!

Another house note . . . in a few days, we will learn our next Foreign Service posting . . . where we go after we leave Mauritius in August 2013!  Stay tuned!

Talking About America on Independence Day

 Explaining the United States on national Mauritius radio on U.S. Independence Day . . . a very interesting 4th of July.  As a French and Creole speaker, the Embassy asked me to talk about the United States' 236th birthday on the local noon radio program in the local languages. It was a great program, talking about the U.S. impact on the world . . . in sports, music, movies, food, education, the arts, politics, and diplomacy. Happy birthday, America!  

Whale of a Tale

If we didn't have pictures, you wouldn't believe our whale of a tale . . . Damon and I and three friends went out deep sea fishing on the Indian Ocean in a small boat early early Saturday morning.  Having no luck trolling for tuna and dorado, we were getting sleepy, when all of a sudden the boatman exclaimed in Kreol "What's that?" We looked left and saw a pod of dolphins happily carving the water, then a MUCH MUCH bigger flipper broke through the blue.  Grab the camera! From our tiny fishing boat, the whale was no more than 60 yards.  As we sat in awe of the massive creature, we were touched that he was hanging out with the dolphins, just playing.  Suddenly our fishing reel on that side of the boat started clicking furiously, the line playing out very quickly.  Initially, we laughed thinking we had caught a whale, then wondered whether our 8 inch long lure had been swallowed or caught his side; then the thought that this could be a very angry whale coming to swamp our tiny boat.  In the midst of thinking of all the horribles, the clicking stopped, and the line went limp.  The fishing lure was gone, and with it, our bigger, better tale of the day we caught the whale.  Now, the whale's just the one that got away.